Today, Skullcandy is introducing a new lineup of earbuds powered by Skull-iQ technology, which enables hands-free audio through simple voice commands regardless of which smartphone platform you choose to use. There are two models here, the Skullcandy Grind Fuel and the Push Active, so let’s take a look at what Skull-IQ is and what each pair offers down below.
What is Skullcandy Skull-IQ?
Skull-IQ is the latest technology from Skullcandy, and it enables hands-free voice commands in its latest headphones. Sure, both Google and Apple have headphones that you can say “Okay Google” or “Hey Siri,” but most third-party headsets just can’t take advantage of such functions. Well, Skullcandy took matters into their own hands and designed Skull-IQ. This technology allows you to say “Hey Skullcandy” and then play/pause content, accept/reject calls, turn on “Stay Aware” mode, or even launch Spotify. Skull-IQ also interfaces with your phone’s built-in assistant without any additional setup, which means you can then send texts, place calls, and more without having to configure anything.
“At Skullcandy, we live and breathe adventure in the same ways our consumers do and it’s our shared passions that push us to innovate,” said Jeff Hutchings, Skullcandy Chief Product Officer. “Skull-iQ grants our fans the freedom of hands-free voice control over their music, communications and more, allowing them to stay in the action without missing a beat. We’re thrilled to bring these advancements to the masses with the value-packed Grind Fuel and Push Active True Wireless Earbuds, offering affordable access to an ever-growing list of advanced features thanks to over-the-air updates.”
Skullcandy’s Grind Fuel wireless earbuds deliver 40 hours of battery life, wireless charging, and more
While both earbuds launching today feature Skull-IQ, you’ll find that the Grind Fuel true wireless earbuds have a slew of features. Most notably, there’s “premium audio quality” thanks to the earbuds “expertly tuned acoustic drivers” and dual noise-reducing microphones. With up to 40 hours of battery life available, each bud lasts nine hours while the case delivers 31 additional hours of listening time. Plus, wireless charging and USB-C is in tow for quickly topping off. In fact, just 10 minutes of being plugged in delivers two hours of listening time.
With IP55 sweat and water resistance, you can use the Skullcandy Grind Fuel earbuds while working out rain or shine. Plus, if an earbud ever gets misplaced, you can “ring” it from the Tile app since Tile tracking is built-in here. At $100, these earbuds are a great choice if you want something that won’t stick out while wearing them, while still having plenty of features to boot.
Push Active from Skullcandy lasts up to 44 hours on a single charge
The Skullcandy Push Active earbuds don’t sport quite as sleek of a design as the Grind Fuel, but there is the added benefit of the ear loop. This helps the earbuds to stay in while doing more active workouts or routines, and is something that many earbuds sadly lack. The Push Active shares many similarities with the Grind Fuel, though the larger case and design ups the battery life to a total of 44 hours, with the buds themselves lasting for 10 hours and the case adding another 34. Wireless charging and USB-C are still in tow for quickly topping off once the battery does start to fade. At $80, not only are these earbuds lower cost, but also more feature packed if you consider the longer battery life and ear hook, though they won’t fit in your pocket quite as sleekly.
gadgetnewsonline‘ take
Skull-IQ is the star of the show here, alongside affordable price points. It’s interesting to see Skullcandy come up with its own AI to use for voice commands and then have that interface with your smartphone for a seamless experience. Plus, to do all of that at $100 or less is quite the value. I’ve had the earbuds for the past few days and plan to take a closer look at them over the next few months and see if Skull-IQ holds up to the test of time, while putting these earbuds through the ringer through various use cases.
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