Skip to main content
  1. Home
  2. Audio / Video
  3. News

These Icelandic women just upstaged the Powerbeats Pro in nearly every way

Simon Cohen
By

It’s been two years since Beats released its popular Powerbeats Pro workout earbuds and, so far, there’s no sign of a new version. But if a pair of Icelandic CrossFit world champs have anything to say about it, you can stop waiting right now. That’s because their new audio company, Dóttir Audio, has just released its first product, the $150 Dóttir Freedom On-Grid, a set of Powerbeats Pro alternatives that look a lot like Beats’ buds, but go way beyond what those earbuds can do.

Dóttir, a common Icelandic surname suffix that means “daughter,” is the brainchild of Katrin Davidsdottir and Annie Thorisdottir, who met and became best friends through their mutual love of CrossFit. Both of them have won the top honors at the CrossFit Games twice, with Thorisdottir being the first woman to do so. The pair decided to launch Dóttir as a brand that develops headphones for athletes, but also supports female empowerment and equality.

Dottir co-founder Annie Thorisdottir.
Dottir Audio

The Freedom On-Grid have definitely brought the women’s competitive spirit to the true wireless earbuds market. They use the same basic earhook and physical buttons design as the Powerbeats Pro, but then go further by adding active noise cancellation (ANC) and wireless charging (two features the Beats buds don’t have). They also boast IPX7 water resistance (Powerbeats Pro are rated IPX4).

Recommended Videos

The Powerbeats Pro have long been a battery life leader, but the Freedom On-Grid upstage the Beats buds here, too, with 12 hours of playing time on a single charge and a total of 72 hours when you include their charging case. By comparison, the Powerbeats Pro get nine and 24 hours respectively.

Sound quality had always been another reason to pick the Powerbeats Pro. It’s too early to say if the Freedom On-Grid sound better, but Dóttir has included Qualcomm’s aptX and aptX HD Bluetooth codecs, which should help them sound their best when connected to compatible smartphones.

Related

The Freedom On-Grid don’t offer hands-free access to Siri, but you can still speak to your phone’s voice assistant via one of the physical controls. You can pre-order them today in either white or black from www.dottiraudio.com.

Editors' Recommendations

Topics
Simon Cohen
Simon Cohen
Contributing Editor, A/V
Simon Cohen covers a variety of consumer technologies, but has a special interest in audio and video products, like spatial…
Skullcandy’s new earbuds mimic the AirPods Pro for just $100
Skullcandy Rail in charging case.

Skullcandy's latest wireless earbuds are packed with features, and in typical Skullcandy fashion, they're priced much lower than the competition. The new Skullcandy Rail ($80) and Rail ANC ($100) look very similar to Apple's AirPods Pro 2, and in the case of the Rail ANC, they possess many of the same features. Both models are available on Skullcandy.com starting June 13.

Each Rail model uses the same shape and silicone eartips to seal your ear canal, with touch controls on both earbuds, however, the Rail ANC use transparent plastic for the inside half of the earbud, and they have an extra set of microphones.  Here's what you can expect from each Rail version.
Skullcandy Rail

Read more
Beats drops three new colors for the Fit Pro, including a eyeball-searing yellow
Beats Fit Pro in Tidal Blue, Coral Pink, and Volt Yellow.

The Beats Fit Pro, an excellent set of noise-canceling wireless earbuds, now come in three new color options: Coral Pink, Volt Yellow, and Tidal Blue. They'll be available from Beats, Apple, and various retailers starting February 23 for the same $200 price as other Beats Fit Pro colors.

Unlike its parent company, Apple, which has never strayed from its iconic white color for the AirPods family of wireless earbuds, Beats is no stranger to colorful variations on its products. The brand has a long track record of releasing special limited-edition collaborations with artists, athletes, and brands, some of which have been anything but ordinary when comes to color.

Read more
Audio-Technica’s new flagship earbuds sanitize themselves after every use
Audio-Technica ATH-TWX9 earbuds in charging case.

Audio-Technica has been in the personal audio game for 60 years, but that doesn't mean it can't learn a thing or two from newer competitors. The company's newest wireless earbuds -- the $299 ATH-TWX9 -- borrow a feature that LG first debuted on its own line of earbuds: sterilization of bacteria and viruses using UV light. They're available from Amazon and other retailers.

When you pop the ATH-TWX9 back in their charging case, a UV light system engages, and with a little help from something called "mirror processing," the company says bacteria and viruses will be eliminated from the surface of the earbuds. It's not entirely clear whether that means just the eartips, or the whole earbud, but the fine print is careful to point out that while the system is more than 99% effective against E. coli and bacteriophage viruses, and more than 90% effective against Staphylococcus aureus, it won't kill all bacteria and viruses, and Audio-Technica doesn't know how well it protects against the virus that causes COVID-19.

Read more