Skip to main content

Parrot’s futuristic Zik 3 headphones offer wireless charging, Apple Watch control

Parrot may be best known for filling the skies with drones, but the company has proven to have an impressive aptitude for transferring those skills into the wireless headphone world. The Parrot Zik, and Zik 2 wireless noise cancelling headphones were both among the most advanced headphones on the block in their successive debuts, and today at IFA 2015 in Berlin, the company showed us the next evolution: Say hello to the highly-advanced Parrot Zik 3.

The new Zik 3 are a gorgeous pair of cans from the inside out. The exterior is cloaked in leather stitched in different available designs, including a diamond stitch pattern and a crocodile-style texture that’s pretty striking. The cans will also come in several different colors at launch — including classic black, emerald green, ivory, brown, and a brash tone of candy-apple red — along with some extra padding on the band for added comfort. But as you might guess, it’s what’s under the hood that makes these headphones really stand out.

Parrot has added some seriously state-of-the-art new features, not the least of which is wireless charging via a specialized stand, claimed to offer an impressive 18 hours of runtime on just a two-hour charge. Naturally, the Zik 3 offer NFC touch pairing for Bluetooth with compatible devices, and advanced active noise cancelling that can run with full isolation, or be switched into “Street Mode” to let in some of the ambient sound around you for the sake of safety.

Like the Zik 3’s predecessor, noise cancellation and EQ can be adjusted with a dedicated app, which also works with the Apple Watch and Android Wear. Through an advanced algorithm, the cans even alter how you hear your own voice to make you sound more natural (to yourself) during phone calls.

Commands are embedded into the earpiece for an elegant solution to controlling pause/play, volume, etc. with just the swipe of a finger, and the headphones also offer so-called “head detection,” pausing your music stream when you take them off. In addition, though the cans are designed to be used wirelessly, the micro-USB charging port doubles as an input to source music digitally from a wired source through an on-board DAC.

Pricing for the Zik 3 is expected to be around $400, and the headphones should be available in the coming weeks.

Editors' Recommendations

Caleb Denison
Digital Trends Editor at Large Caleb Denison is a sought-after writer, speaker, and television correspondent with unmatched…
New Sony WH-1000XM4 headphones could have 40-hour battery life
sony wh 1000xm3 wireless noise canceling headphones amazon discount 1000x m3 review 10 768x479 c

Sony's WH-1000XM3 wireless noise-canceling headphones are a bestseller, but they're due for an update. Now, we have some clues about what to expect from the next version of the headphones. A filing with the Brazilian telecommunications agency, Anatel, appears to show photos of the new XM4 headphones -- which look extremely similar, if not identical, to the previous version, as well as giving some information about what new features could be expected in the highly anticipated XM4s.

The filing was identified by Everton Favretto, a Brazilian tech enthusiast who first tweeted the information that Anatel had approved the headphones:

Read more
Bose Quiet Comfort 35 wireless headphones are under $300 for Cyber Monday
Bose QuietComfort 35 II

If you're looking to pick up a pair of wireless noise-canceling headphones, today is the day to act! With offers stretching from Black Friday to Cyber Monday, one of the best deals on headphones for Cyber Monday is still running: $70 off the fantastic Bose QuietComfort 35 II headphones, so you pay $280 instead of the usual $350.

The QuietComfort 35 II headphones are some of the best noise-canceling headphones on the market. In our review, we praised them for their comfort, sound quality, and noise-canceling ability. Bose is a favorite brand among travelers and audiophiles thanks to its clear, undistorted sound, and these headphones are particularly popular for air travel. The noise canceling can cut out annoying background sounds like the drone of airplane engines or the roar of a train on its tracks, so if you're looking for a way to focus or relax while on the move then these are a great choice.

Read more
Sony WH-1000XM3 wireless headphones are less than $300 for Cyber Monday
Sony-WH-1000X-M3

Now that Cyber Monday has arrived, you'll want to move fast to snap up great deals on headphones. And what better choice for a new pair of cans than the critically adored noise-canceling headphones from Sony? The Sony WH-1000XM3 headphones are now $278 at Amazon, which is over $70 off the list price and an absolute bargain for one of our favorite pairs of headphones of this year.

These headphones have what many people agree is the best noise-canceling technology on the market. When wearing them, there's a button which lets you toggle between three noise-canceling options: Noise-canceling on, noise-canceling off, and an ambient sounds option which boosts the sounds around you and is great for staying safe from cars and other hazards when wearing the headphones in busy public places. There's also an extremely useful feature that amplifies ambient sound if you hold you hand over one earcup, so you can have conversations or hear announcements without removing the headphones.

Read more