Jabra is out to change the game. Since it released its first true wireless (TWS) earphones way back in 2016, it’s been a major player in the space. For the last three years, it’s been refining the formula with the Elite 65t, Elite 75t, and Elite 85t. This year’s release is the biggest upgrade we’ve seen yet: The Elite 7 Pro takes what made its predecessors so popular and improves upon them, throwing out ideas that didn’t work, and going back to the drawing board on fundamental features like call quality. Coming to market at $199, they have the makings of a holiday-winning Christmas gift but have a few important considerations you should know before adding it to your cart.

Jabra Elite 7 Pro – Design and Features

The Jabra Elite 7 Pro kicks off the Pro line-up for Jabra, essentially branding these headphones as Jabra’s Best of the Best. It releases alongside two other new true wireless headsets, the Elite Active 7 and Elite 3, which target active users who want to use their buds while working out and those looking for the best bang for their limited buck. The Pro, on the other hand, aims to impress across the board with excellent sound performance, active noise cancelation, and new MultiSensor Voice technology for outstanding call quality.

Compared to last generation’s Elite 85t, the Elite 7s are both a return to form and a substantial upgrade. They’re notably smaller and fit much better in my medium-sized ears. Jabra claims they’re 16-percent smaller than the Elite 75t, it’s previously smallest earbud, and the difference is immediately noticeable. Even if the 85t wasn’t overly large, like the Sennheiser Momentum True Wireless 2, the Elite 7 Pros feel more in line with the small, lightweight style in true wireless earbuds today.

Perhaps even more importantly, Jabra has improved the fit from last generation. The Elite 85t departed from the usual style of Jabra’s earbuds, opting for stubby nozzles that didn’t secure in the ear canal. Many users enjoyed their comfort, but others like myself found them less secure and offering worse ANC performance due to the looser seal. The Elite 7 Pros return to the original design and feel much more stable when exercising or even lightly jogging to the mailbox. Jabra also dropped the oval shape and went back to circular tips, which I find better for a snug fit (and also finding replacement silicone tips).

The case has also received an upgrade and been downgraded in size. It’s now much flatter and slides into the pocket more easily. It’s held closed by strong magnets, while another set is hidden under the soft-touch interior to draw the buds down onto their charging pins. The lid still feels a bit cheap, but that’s been the case on each of Jabra’s headsets, and I’ve yet to have one fail on me yet. Oddly, the charging port is on the front of the case. Using the short included cable means the case will likely open toward you when charging, which was awkward and felt backward.

One thing that hasn’t changed is how you control the buds. The face of each bud doubles as a multi-function button to manage calls and control media. At this point, it feels almost weird to have physical buttons on a flagship earbud as most of the competition has moved to capacitive touch, but there’s something reassuring about a physical button. There’s no mistakenly changing tracks when you mean to adjust the volume from an unintentional finger slide. The buds do push into your ear when pressing the button, which didn’t both me but could be uncomfortable if you have sensitive ears.

Learning the ins and outs of the buds takes a bit of time, but it should be familiar if you’ve used other true wireless sets. By default, a single tap of the right earbuds will answer/end calls and play/pause music. Tapping twice skips the track or rejects the incoming call and a triple tap directs to the previous track. Tapping the left earbud once will cycle through the Elite 7 Pro’s different sound modes (ANC, HearThrough, and off) and double-tapping will summon Google to do your bidding. These controls can also be customized through the app, but even if you do, you’ll be left controlling volume with your phone which is disappointing.

Inside the buds, Jabra has completely reworked the tech driving its aural endeavors. The Elite 7 Pros uses a custom 6mm driver that’s been tuned for a wide range of music and entertainment. The inner chambers and component configuration have been designed to eliminate distortion and interference. While I’d need a measurement rig to test those claims, I don’t need anything special to tell you that these are the best sounding buds Jabra has designed yet. The bass is full and thumpy, vocals are smooth and sweet, and instruments are detailed. The sound can also be customized with a graphic EQ inside Jabra’s Sound+ app.

Even though the sound improves on last generation, the Elite 7 Pros may still leave audiophiles wanting. Unlike the XM4s or even the Galaxy Buds Pro, there’s no special codec here to support high-res listening. This follows suit with the Elite 85t, but while Jabra was reinventing its flagship line, it would have been nice to see support for AptX for users with subscriptions to HD music services like Tidal.

The buds also feature improved Active Noise Cancellation and HearThrough modes. There are five intensity levels for each mode, as well as the ability to turn them off and use passive noise canceling, so you can really tailor the level of isolation you would like. The active noise cancellation is a clear improvement over the Elite 85t but falls short of the current market leader, the Sony WF-1000XM4. While the XM4s cut out some mid-frequency noise, the Elite 7 Pros definitely focus more on lower frequencies and droning noises, like engines (which is perfect if you plan to use these on a plane or the subway).

HearThrough mode, on the other hand, may just be the best available on a true wireless earphone today. It’s clear, natural, and non-robotic. I found myself leaving both earbuds in and just using HearThrough mode to better enjoy my music without missing what was happening in my workplace. There were times I completely forgot I had earbuds in and had conversations completely unobstructed.

Of course, using these features will have an impact on battery life, but it’s not worth fretting over. The buds are rated for eight hours of listening time and six hours for calls. Just five minutes in the charging case can restore an hour of listening and 50-percent of the battery after just 30 minutes (though a full charge is two and a half hours). With the charging case included, you can count on roughly 30 hours of listening before needing to plug in.

One of the best qualities these new buds bring to the table is call quality. The Elite 7 Pros use a system Jabra calls MultiSensor Voice. Using three microphones on each earbud, the 7 Pros leverage beamforming technology and a proprietary voice sensor to hone in on your voice and cut out background noise. When the buds detect wind, they activate bone conduction sensors to isolate your voice, even with air blowing directly on them. It works remarkably well, better than any other earbud I’ve heard, including gob-smackingly high-end models like the Bowers & Wilkins PI7s. If you take calls outdoors or in noisy environments, these earbuds work amazingly well given their premium but not bank-breaking price.

I was also happy to see that Jabra has finally designed an earbud to be used in mono mod. Past Elite earphones forced you to use the right earbud to stay connected to your phone, but the Elite 7 Pros have no such restriction. If you like to keep one earbud in throughout the day, this will allow you to choose what’s most comfortable for your ears, and if you should happen to run one dry, you can simply switch over to the other for upwards of 16 hours of continuous listening.

Jabra Elite 7 Pro – Performance

As a long-time Jabra user, I was excited to experience Jabra’s “reinvention” for myself. The improvements here are absolutely worth investing in for fans of Jabra’s fit and functionality, but if you’re on the fence, there are some things the competition still does better.

Starting with sound, the stock tuning on the Elite 7 Pros definitely favors bass. These headphones can be thumpy, which is great for hip hop and pounding metal, and certainly makes movies and TV shows sound full and rich. Compared to the XM4s and Galaxy Buds Pro, however, they lack definition. Bass isn’t quite as wide and all-encompassing as the Elite 85ts, but you won’t get the same level of low-end detail here, even if you adjust the EQ.

Despite that, I was impressed by the amount of customization these buds offer. There are a half dozen EQ presets ready to be loaded with a tap, as well as a five-band equalizer to dial in your own sound. Using MySound, the app’s built-in hearing test, it can intelligently raise or lower certain frequencies to match your specific hearing profile. ANC is also personalized with a quick hearing test to account for any hearing differences between your two ears. MyFit sends a pulse through your ears to make sure you’re using the right tips. This app offers a big enough feature set that just about anyone should be able to find a sound signature they like, even without high-res audio playback.

On the other hand, if you’re looking for high-detail, the Galaxy Buds Pro are still the best bet. The Jabra’s can sound great, but they clearly aim for punchiness versus clarity in the mids and highs. Small nuances in music, like the sound of individual guitar strings ringing out, or the different layers of audio that make up the soundscape in your favorite music and games sound slightly more compressed.

I also expected more from the active noise cancellation. The ANC works well for droning motors, like engine sounds or AC units, but aren’t as effective against normal office noise. The sound of my mechanical keyboard wasn’t much different whether ANC was on or off. The same was true for side conversations that may have been happening within earshot around me. The WF-1000XM4s are still a much better option for office scenarios.

The lack of onboard volume control is also a substantial issue. The last thing I want to do when I’m on the go is dig around in my pocket for my phone’s volume buttons. I would gladly sacrifice the built-in triple-tap options for built-in volume control but it’s just not an option.

I also experienced several random disconnects when music wasn’t playing for 10-15 minutes at a time. The earbuds weren’t timing out (that was set for 30 minutes), but this never happened when sound was actually playing from the buds, so seems to be a bug that wasn’t resolved with the available firmware update for this review.

Despite those issues, I found myself coming back to the Elite 7 Pros again and again. Even without offering audiophile-levels of detail, the buds still manage to sound great for mainstream music. The combination of the customizable EQ and MySound personalization allow these earbuds to sound uniquely good on an individual level, and it’s noticeable when you swap to other earphones. These aren’t the buds I’m going to turn to when I want to really sink in and hear every tiny detail, but for everyday listening, they’re an enjoyable listen.

Most importantly, the fit is just amazing. Jabra has always had a good fit, but the Elite 7 Pros take that to the next level. The combination of smaller size and longer nozzle managed to lock these buds in my ears better than any other earbud I own without an ear hook. In a real way, these are earbuds that “just work” and allow you to get on with your day in comfort without worrying about a stray bud coming loose as you run to make the train.

USB-C has been around since 2014, but if you have ever owned an iPhone or are heavily invested in the iOS ecosystem, you'll know Apple has yet to make an iPhone that uses USB-C charging. If you ever wondered what an iPhone would look like with USB-C, someone has finally created one.

Ken Pillonel, a robotics engineering student, uploaded a video on YouTube (spotted first by Apple Insider). He showed off a modded iPhone X he used, which swaps out the Lightning port with USB-C. Pillonel claims that the modded iPhone not only supports USB-C charging but is capable of handling data transfers through a USB-C cable.

This was not the first time Pillonel attempted to make a USB-C iPhone. In May, he created a prototype, but it only allowed the iPhone's battery to be charged over the USB-C port as the PCB board did not fit and would compromise the smartphone's functionality. To ensure the proof of concept worked, Pillonel notes that he had to create his own PCB design by reverse-engineering Apple's custom C94 connector.

Although the video is brief and does not detail how he modded his iPhone to include a USB-C port, Pillonel notes that he is currently editing a full video that explains how he managed to create it. Though he does not confirm nor deny whether or not he will share information on the custom PCB he made.

News of the first iPhone with USB-C support comes just a few weeks after the European Commission announced plans to force electronic companies to adopt USB-C as the universal charger. It's a standard that would impact Apple in particular, which has used Lightning ports in its smartphones since 2012, starting with the iPhone 5.

While Apple has not responded on how it will address this new EU standard, the company could either create an iPhone that features a USB-C port or make an iPhone that solely relies on wireless charging. This would not be too far out of reach, as the company introduced MagSafe into its iPhones in 2020, yet it is important to remember that Apple's smartphones have supported wireless Qi standard charging since 2017.

Thumbnail image by Mohssen Assanimoghaddam/picture alliance via Getty Images.

Taylor is the Associate Tech Editor at IGN. You can follow her on Twitter @TayNixster.

Players have discovered a sequence-breaking moment in Metroid Dread that allows you to instantly defeat one of its early bosses if you find one of Samus' upgrades earlier than intended.

SPOILERS AHEAD for Metroid Dread

In Metroid Dread, Samus once again runs into the space pirate monstrosity known as Kraid. It's one of the earlier boss fights and features two phases that will test your skill in the game up to that point. However, if you are able to go a bit out of your way to obtain the Grapple Beam and then the Morph Ball Bombs, you can dispatch this giant lizard in the blink of an eye.

As shown by @Glaedrax on Twitter, Samus can destroy a part of the wall to the left with her Morph Ball Bombs and enter that part of the wall she destroyed to be shot right into Kraid's stomach. Once inside, Samus absolutely wrecks Kraid's insides and ends the fight without having to go through any of its phases.

You can do something funny to Kraid if you get bombs early, just like I thought :^)#MetroidDread #MetroidDreadSpoilers #NintendoSwitch pic.twitter.com/oOTBubpHmi

— Glaedrax – Sequence breaking Dread (@glaedrax) October 10, 2021

Due to the open-ended nature of Metroid games, sequence breaking has long been a part of its storied history. However, this may be the first time players have been rewarded for thinking outside the box and getting upgrades earlier than many other players would.

In our Metroid Dread review, we said that it " brings back the legendary exploration and progression and merges it with excellent modern combat and some of the best boss fights ever."

For more, check out our full Metroid Dread walkthrough, 20 essential tips, how to survive and defeat the E.M.M.I., and the locations of all the Artaria Missle Tanks, Energy Tanks, and Power Bomb Tanks.

Have a tip for us? Want to discuss a possible story? Please send an email to [email protected].

Adam Bankhurst is a news writer for IGN. You can follow him on Twitter @AdamBankhurst and on Twitch.

The sinister slasher-mystery world of Scream returns early next year with the fifth film in the super-bloody, mega-stabby, meta-horror franchise.

With the simple, clean title of Scream — which was purposefully done to harken back to the spirit of the original — this new wicked Woodsboro tale is being helmed by Ready or Not's Matt Bettinelli-Olpin and Tyler Gillett, and will feature legacy stars Neve Campbell, Courteney Cox, and David Arquette reprising their iconic Scream franchise roles.

Now that the new trailer has dropped, you can also check out what David Arquette and some of the other cast members — like Jack Quaid (The Boys), Melissa Barrera (In the Heights), and Jasmin Savoy Brown (The Leftovers, Spider-Man: Miles Morales) — told us about working on this brand-new legacy sequel, which serves as both a continuation and a reboot, designed to deliver thrills to both old and new fans alike.

Watch the Scream (2022) trailer here…

Arquette was overjoyed to play Dewey Riley again, who we last saw as the Sheriff of Woodsboro in 2011's Scream 4. "We all want to do our characters justice," he said, speaking for his fellow legacy stars. "You know, it's really fun to play this character and to step back into his shoes. Even though this is a new group, it feels very much like we're in the same world."

"I think the whole world of storytelling has gotten smarter," Arquette added. "People have a real deep love of history like this film has. It will take you back to the feeling you had when you saw the first one. At least it's doing that for me. Because you want to respect the world that Wes [Craven] created with [writer] Kevin Williamson and be able to expand on it with this new generation. Jenna [Ortega] and Melissa [Barrera] are tremendous actors. Jack Quaid – I knew him as a little kid, just running around, and now he's this young man who's super talented and witty. There are so many talented young people on this film. I love watching them watch horror films and doing their homework on the genres. I think the fans are really going to love this because it's a fan's movie."

With Scream movie scribe Kevin Williamson acting as executive producer for a script by James Vanderbilt (Ready or Not), Scream is here to honor the past while also forging the future. "The filmmakers were very specific about honoring the history of the series," Arquette said. "Tyler [Gillett] and Matt [Bettinelli-Olpin] are such incredible directors. They were inspired by Wes [Craven] growing up. It's just been this incredible experience watching these young actors and seeing them at a similar age to when I did my first Scream. There's a lot of heart involved with it."

Neve, Courtney, and David aren't they only returning Scream stars, however. That's right, Scream 4's Marley Shelton, who played Deputy Judy Hicks, is also back. "This is the first opportunity I've had in my career to reprise a role," Shelton told us, "which is such a cool honor and a privilege – not to mention just a really exciting acting task. Deputy Judy Hicks is now Sheriff Judy Hicks, and she also has a teenage son in this one, played by Dylan Minnette, who is awesome. So there might be some interesting plot twists with that."

Watch the original Scream trailer from 1996 here:

Shelton feels very fortunate to have Judy Hicks back in her life, but also promises that Judy may have some new shades to share. "I think Judy is always going to be intrinsically 'sunny side up' Judy, but there have been some life turns that I think everyone's going to get a kick out of. Some relationship turns that have definitely affected her. But she's still very much Judy Hicks," she says.

Shelton also explained that 2022's Scream has "all the marks of what makes a vintage Scream movie, but at the same time it's very fresh and there's a lot of newness. It's not just an iteration of something we've seen in the past."

Members of the new cast share the sentiment too, while also acknowledging the pressure of starring in such a long-running and cared-for franchise. "There so much pressure, so much excitement, so much nervousness," Melissa Barrera (who plays Sam Carpenter) explained. "I'm very honored and very excited to be a part of this. It's a dream come true. I'm a fan of the original movies and I grew up watching them and so it feels like a dream. It's unbelievable."

"One of the cool things about this is it doesn't mess with the original in any way," Kyle Gallner (Veronica Mars), who plays Vince, said. "It doesn't mess with the previous four. It really does just pick up kind of where the story left off years down the road, and what I really like about it is when I read the script it captured the vibe of what was special about the first film when it came out at the time. It's not a copycat in any way but it mirrored and echoed a lot of the feelings I had when I watched the first film."

Jack Quaid also felt a few butterflies when joining the project. "I was super nervous because it's a beloved franchise and the expectations are very high," he said, "but I do think we're in really good hands with our directors Matt and Tyler. They were just incredible and also set a very good tone on set. And off the set too."

Jasmin Savoy Brown, who plays a character named Mindy in the film, mentioned how much she appreciated Gillett and Bettinelli-Olpin's collaborative energy. "One of the first things they said was, 'We want you to participate fully in creating this character and creating this world. So any thoughts you have or anything that is important to you as a person or anything you want to be a part of your character, let us know and we'll make it happen.' And that's often not the case with directors, so that made me feel very loved and welcomed."

Scream premieres in U.S. theaters on January 22, 2022.

New information linked to the $18 million settlement between Activision Blizzard and the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission [EEOC] has shown potential ethical violations that may have a larger effect on the wider lawsuit between the company and California's Department for Employment and Housing [DFEH].

As reported by PC Gamer, the DFEH objected to a settlement between the EEOC and Activision Blizzard last week, on the basis the terms of the settlement could seal evidence necessary to its own case and cause harm to the DFEH's lawsuit against the company.

In response, a document filed by the EEOC opposing the DFEH's appeal raised a number of points and seemingly unearthed information that could not only undermine the department's appeal against the settlement but also its wider legal argument against Activision Blizzard.

According to the memorandum, the EEOC says that up until recently the DFEH's case against Activision Blizzard was being led by two lawyers who had previously worked for the EEOC and in particular on its own case against the company. If this is to be true, it would make the DFEH's objection a conflict of interest and could also be seen to be a breach of professional ethics as well as a violation of California's Rules of Professional Conduct.

"Specifically, two DFEH attorneys — who play leadership roles within the organisation — previously served as EEOC who helped to direct the EEOC's investigation into Commissioner's Charge No. 480-2018-05212 against Activision Blizzard, Inc," the memorandum states.

"These same attorneys then proceeded to represent DFEH in connection with these intervention proceedings, which seek to oppose the consent decree that arose out of the very investigation they helped to direct while at the EEOC."

The DFEH seemed to have realized the slip up before filing its appeal as it replaced the two lawyers on the case. However, the EEOC's memorandum claims that as the DFEH's appeal was filed only a few hours after the department had brought in new counsel, it could still have had input from the lawyers in question.

"After being informed of this conflict, DFEH retained new counsel but appears to have filed the present intervention motion just hours after this counsel was retained, strongly suggesting that the motion is a product of the prohibited representation. For this reason, the intervention motion should be disallowed and DFEH attorneys should be barred from providing work product to, or advising, new counsel in connection with these intervention proceedings."

Elsewhere in the memorandum, the EEOC argues that not only would the two attorneys have likely been involved in the case, but moreover they would have worked with and directed other members of the DFEH's legal department on it too – therefore leading to the claim that the DFEH's entire legal department should be barred from being able to take the objection forward any further.

"There can be no claim that there was timely 'isolation of [these] lawyer[s] from any participation' in representing DFEH in connection with the intervention proceedings, as would be necessary to show that timely screening took place. Thus, all DFEH attorneys were and should remain barred from representing DFEH in this matter."

On Twitter, video games lawyer and host of the Virtual Legality Podcast Richard Hoeg shared his reaction to the legal dispute between the EEOC and DFEH. He said, "This is a pretty massive thing, and if true would call into question large portions of the DFEH process (certainly as against the EEOC directly). Hoeg went on to further suggest it could even provide Activision its own defense to the DFEH's original suit.

Direct Link: https://t.co/YPjkukZPzG

This is a pretty massive thing, and if true would call into question large portions of the DFEH process (certainly as against the EEOC directly). It might even provide Activision with its own defense to the oroginal suit.

Stay tuned.

— Richard Hoeg (@HoegLaw) October 9, 2021

To read up further on the serious ongoing allegations of harassment and mistreatment of marginalized workers that Activision Blizzard is facing, please visit our timeline as well as our in-depth report on the subject.

Jared Moore is a freelance writer for IGN. You can follow him on Twitter.