Beats pops two new Pills and wireless Studio headphones for the holidays

By Caleb Denison November 12, 2013

beats pills wireless studio headphones 2013 holidays pill xl — Image used with permission by copyright holder

Check out our full reviews of the Beats Pill XL speaker and the Beats Studio Wireless headphones.

Parents, get ready for your kids to start acting uncharacteristically well-behaved. Beats Electronics has announced three new products just in time for the holidays, and you can bet at least one of them will be on your child’s wish list. New to the Beats roster is a new super-sized Beats Pill XL wireless speaker, a revamped version of the original Beats Pill wireless speaker and a wireless version of the recently-refreshed Beats Studio headphones.

The new wireless Studio headphones are said to be exactly the same as the recently revamped wired version, but with Bluetooth built in for cord-free listening. The new cans employ the same adaptive noise cancellation, Beats Acoustic Engine (DSP), and built-in rechargeable battery, but expect wireless operation to cut back on battery life – 12 hours for wireless listening, 20 hours for wired. The new wireless Studio headphones are expected to retail for $380 and will be available in early December.

As you might expect, the Beats Pill XL is a larger version of the original wireless speaker, stretching to over 13-inches long and 4-inches in diameter, and outfitted with a handle for portability; but it brings more to the party than just extra length and girth. New for both Pill speakers is NFC for quick pairing to NFC-enabled devices and to other Pill speakers. Tap two Pills together and they’ll both play the same song. Tap them twice and you’ll get Left and Right stereo channels. Each Pill comes with a rechargeable battery said to be capable of delivering 15 hours of listening time, with a 5-LED gauge to indicate how much juice is left. Also new for the Pills this year is a USB port for device charging. The new Pill is expected to go for $200 while the XL version will cost you $300.

Beats is also vying for a spot in your kids’ stockings this year with some clever accessories such as Pill bicycle mounts and carrying sleeves. Apparently, there are also “life-sized Pill characters” available, so … knock yourself out.

Editors' Recommendations

Topics

Mobile

Editor at Large

Digital Trends Editor at Large Caleb Denison is a sought-after writer, speaker, and television correspondent with unmatched…

Audio / Video

New Klipsch tabletop wireless speakers are a more affordable, capable take on mid-century modern

Klipsch The Three Plus tabletop wireless speaker.

Klipsch's The Three Plus Klipsch

Klipsch's Heritage series of speakers have traditionally evoked a mid-century modern style, with wood veneers and fabric grilles that look as if they were pulled straight from the sets of Mad Men. The company's latest additions to the Heritage lineup -- The One Plus ($249) and The Three Plus ($399) tabletop Bluetooth speakers -- keep that same mid-century modern vibe, but reinterpret it with rounder edges, a simplified set of controls, better compatibility with digital audio sources, and lower prices. Both speakers are available in black or walnut finishes starting September 25 at and select retailers.

Audio / Video

Tivoli Audio’s Model Two Digital speaker abandons terrestrial radio

The Tivoli Audio Model Two Digital in white.

Tivoli Audio's new tabletop radio isn't a radio at all. The Model Two Digital ($449) works with Wi-Fi and Bluetooth and has a sleek new design that can be positioned horizontally or vertically. It eliminates the Model One Digital's oversized dial and screen in favor of a much simpler, single knob that does triple duty as the control for power, source selection, and volume. It also lacks an AM or FM tuner, making it the first Tivoli Audio "Model" series tabletop product to lack a terrestrial radio feature. The Model Two Digital is available for preorder starting September 19 and is expected to ship in November.

Tivoli Audio says the Model Two Digital, which is available in three color combos (walnut/gold, white/silver, and black/black), will appeal to the person that loves streaming and isn’t concerned about a traditional FM/AM radio feature because they can access their favorite terrestrial stations via apps like TuneIn. This effectively makes the Model Two Digital a wireless speaker.

Audio / Video

Beats partners with Emma Chamberlain to debut Studio Buds+ in pink and silver metallic

Beats Studio Buds+ in new metallic colors with matching hues from Olive and Junes.

When Beats launched the Studio Buds+ earlier this year, a lot of folks got pretty jazzed by the transparent color option for the noise-canceling wireless earbuds. Today, the Apple-owned audio brand has announced two new colors for the Studio Buds+: Cosmic Silver and Cosmic Pink, a pair of metallic finishes that are a departure from the more earth-toned colors that Beats has been using lately. Both colors will be available starting September 7 at apple.com and Apple stores, as well as at Target. Cosmic Silver will also be available on Amazon, or at Walmart and Best Buy.

The new colors are clearly aimed at buyers who place as much emphasis on fashion as they do on audio quality (OK, maybe a bit more emphasis on fashion), as evidenced by the two partnerships Beats has created for the launch of the cosmic metallic tones.