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Insta360 X4 Air brings 8K 360 video recording for $400
5:30 pm | October 29, 2025
Author: admin | Category: Mobile phones news | Comments: Off

The X4 Air is Insta360’s latest 360-degree action cam and it brings up to 8K30 video recording at a more affordable price point compared to the flagship Insta360 X5 model. Insta360 X4 Air in Graphite Black At its core, X4 Air gets dual 1/1.8-inch sensors which is a big upgrade compared to ½-inch sensors on its predecessor. You can record videos in 8K (7680×3840) resolution at 30/25/24fps as well as 6K (6016×3008) @50/48/30/25/24fps or 4K (3840×1920) @50/48/30/25/24fps. Photos are snapped at 29MP (7680×3840) resolution. X4 Air supports replaceable lenses and Insta360’s...

Nothing Phone (3a) Lite launches as the brand’s first entry-level phone
4:59 pm |
Author: admin | Category: Mobile phones news | Comments: Off

Even though Nothing already has entry-level smartphones under the CMF brand, it decided to launch its first affordable smartphone under its own lineup. The Nothing Phone (3a) Lite is the first entry-level smartphone from the London-based tech brand. A quick specs comparison reveals that the Phone (3a) Lite is actually quite similar to the CMF Phone 2 Pro with the only major difference being the absence of a dedicated telephoto cam. Phone (3a) Lite gets the signature Nothing transparent glass back, and it features a single Glyph light that alerts you to notifications. Phone...

Nothing Phone (3a) Lite launches as the brand’s first entry-level phone
4:59 pm |
Author: admin | Category: Mobile phones news | Comments: Off

Even though Nothing already has entry-level smartphones under the CMF brand, it decided to launch its first affordable smartphone under its own lineup. The Nothing Phone (3a) Lite is the first entry-level smartphone from the London-based tech brand. A quick specs comparison reveals that the Phone (3a) Lite is actually quite similar to the CMF Phone 2 Pro with the only major difference being the absence of a dedicated telephoto cam. Phone (3a) Lite gets the signature Nothing transparent glass back, and it features a single Glyph light that alerts you to notifications. Phone...

I tested the VanTrue Nexus 5S dash cam – it’s a rare, high-quality quadruple cam for complete coverage, inside and out
4:09 pm |
Author: admin | Category: Computers Dash Cams Gadgets Vehicle Tech | Tags: | Comments: Off

VanTrue Nexus 5S: two-minute review

I thought the 70mai 4K T800 three-dash cam bundle, which I reviewed recently, was one of the best dash cams I’d tried in a while. It’s still my first choice currently, because it’s such a well-rounded package; however, anyone wanting to top that particular trio of cameras now has the VanTrue Nexus 5S, which goes one better and offers full four-channel coverage. Overkill? Or a sensible option now that our highways and byways seem to be peppered with less-than-great drivers? I’m going with sensible I think.

The bundle consists of two cameras, with the front-facing unit also boasting a rearward or cabin-facing lens. Meanwhile, the second camera mounts on to the rear windshield and has a pair of lenses, one of which shoots video out of the back of your vehicle while the other lens captures the cockpit from a rearward perspective. This means the VanTrue Nexus 5S captures 360-degree coverage using the combined field of view of its lens combo. It’s a neat idea.

VanTrue’s thinking is that a lot of accidents occur from the side, so having this complete recording overview means all points are covered. The other benefit is the inward-facing cameras are useful for keeping tabs on occupants in the back, most notably small children and what they’re getting up to while you’re behind the wheel.

The 1944p, 1080p, 1080p, 1080P at 30fps combined video capture provided by Sony IMX675 chips and Starvis 2 tech delivers great results in less-than-ideal conditions.

VanTrue Nexus N5S dash cam

(Image credit: Future)

Although the VanTrue Nexus 5S is a bumper bundle, it’s actually easy to set up and manage all of the content. This is down to 5G Wi-Fi for quick and easy transfer of files, while there’s a very good VanTrue app to help with the task. The package boasts all of the latest features and functions too, with voice control proving handy for hands-free operation, while the option to hardwire the unit into a vehicle will unlock a 24/7 parking mode. This is in addition to everyday essentials that include GPS tracking and buffered motion detection. The latter means all four cameras record 10 seconds before, during and after any event.

While the VanTrue Nexus 5S dash cam package comes with everything you need to get started, including the twin camera units, all cables, clips and mounting accessories, you can add to it. There’s the option of a two-level hardwire kit, a wireless remote control unit, and a CPL filter for diffusing light coming into the main camera lens, while you'll likely need a 512GB microSD card, given the volume of files created by the combo.

VanTrue Nexus 5S: price and availability

The VanTrue Nexus 5S dash cam is available direct from VanTrue in the US for $399.99, which puts it in the premium arena, but it still seems like good value given its four-channel capabilities. The VanTrue Nexus 5S dash cam can be purchased in the UK from Amazon, which currently has it priced at £299.99. Again, this is a higher price for a dash cam, but the bundle does justify its cost. UK purchasers can also buy it direct from VanTrue if preferred, though it’s currently slightly pricier there than at Amazon, at £339.99.

VanTrue Nexus 5S: specs

VanTrue Nexus 5S specs

Video

Front: 2592 x 1944p
Rear: 1944 x 1080p
Interior x 2: 1944 x 1080p @30fps

Field of view (FOV)

158 degrees front / 160 degrees rear / 158 degrees interior / 160 degrees rear

Storage

MicroSD up to 512GB, Cloud

GPS

Yes

Parking mode

Yes, with constant power cable, not included

App support

VanTrue app

Dimensions

6.8 x 3.8 x 5.6 inches / 17.5 x 9.7 x 14.3cm

Weight

2.42lb / 1.1 kg

Battery

Yes

VanTrue Nexus 5S: Design

My VanTrue Nexus 5S dash cam review unit arrived in a large white box that contained the twin camera units that make up the core of this bundle. The front-facing camera is quite a chunky thing, and I’d imagine it might seem a little obtrusive in a car with a smaller windshield, but I tested it in an SUV and had no issues.

At the front, the lens protrudes from the body of the camera unit, while at the back there’s a rotatable inward-facing lens and a landscape screen. The latter can be used for initial setup purposes, with four buttons along the bottom that you press to cycle through the options.

Once it's been powered up, the same screen delivers all of the views from any camera that’s plugged in. The front-facing lens gets the bulk of the screen real estate, while cabin views, and the video being captured by the rearward-facing lenses, are shown in small boxes within the bigger screen. The main screen also displays the icons for the various features and functions, so I was able to see which of them were working and which – Wi-Fi for example – was switched off. I think the overall look, feel and visual quality here is excellent.

There’s a mounting bracket that clicks on to the camera, and this then slides into a piece of plastic with a 3M self-adhesive pad that fixes either directly to the windshield or to a standard static sheet for easier removal. Usefully, the mounting bracket can also be slid off the sticky pad base for removal too.

VanTrue Nexus N5S dash cam

(Image credit: Future)

Meanwhile, the rear-facing camera unit is a fairly standard barrel-type design, which is slightly larger than some models I’ve tested. It also has a rotatable lens for the rear view, so this can be tweaked to capture the view of the road correctly depending on the slant of the rear glass. I got lucky and found my guesswork during setup got my views just about right, but if not, the view displayed on the screen can help you make adjustments before hitting the road.

I did have to double check the manual to find the microSD card slot, which is hidden behind the end of the main camera unit. You need to open the circular cover with the orange button, and the card then pops into the slot behind. Cable-wise, there’s plenty of length for reaching to the back end of the vehicle for connecting the rearward camera, while the main unit has another cable that runs into a standard 12V vehicle power port. An optional hardwiring kit will unlock the usual parking features and functions.

VanTrue Nexus N5S dash cam

(Image credit: Future)

VanTrue Nexus 5S : Performance

I was expecting the VanTrue Nexus 5S dash cam to be a bit of a fuss to get up and running, but it was surprisingly straightforward. Plugging it into the 12V power socket in my vehicle, I found it quick and easy to configure the unit. This is a simple step-by-step process during which I set the date, time and various functionality preferences, although it seemed to have everything right by default anyway. When I plugged in the rear camera, the screen became full of views from all four lenses, which was an impressive sight.

I did get the angle of capture about right from the off too, so there was little reconfiguring or adjustment needed. The cameras themselves offer solid video content from all angles, with all the trip details added along the bottom of the screen including date, time, speed and so on. I could also hear the stills capture working every so often, usually when I hit a more pronounced bump or sizable pothole, which would automatically trigger the function. All content is stored in its own dedicated folder on the card, which I found easy to get from the camera to my phone using the app.

VanTrue Nexus N5S dash cam

(Image credit: Future)

File management was smooth too, considering the volume of files created by a four-lens capture arrangement, with the 5GHz wireless transfer capability helping here. Looking at the video on my phone, I'd say the overall quality and clarity was up there with any other premium rival. The performance in low-light conditions as also dependable, and I was impressed by the details all four lenses could pick out. In fact, the cabin detail was almost too impressive for something that's really just a compliment to the all-important exterior-facing video.

VanTrue Nexus N5S dash cam

(Image credit: Future)

One important thing to note is that if you want to access the parking monitoring features you'll need the optional hardwire kit. This does increase the potential of the bundle, although I found the VanTrue Nexus 5S dash cam to be an impressive proposition out of the box.

Should you buy the VanTrue Nexus 5S ?

VanTrue Nexus 5S rear cabin dash cam

(Image credit: Future)

Buy it if...

Twin cameras just aren't enough
The VanTrue Nexus 5S packs no less than four lenses, with the added benefit of a rear cabin dash cam. It's ideal for 360-degree coverage for many types of vehicle.

You prefer a dash cam with a screen
Another bonus with the VanTrue Nexus 5S is its impressive landscape-oriented rear screen, which provides a great view of all camera positions.

You're happy to hardwire the camera
You'll need the optional hardwiring kit to enable this, but the 24/7 parking features add extra value to this comprehensive bundle.

Don't buy it if...

Four cameras is simply overkill
Not everyone wants or needs the 360-degree coverage offered by the VanTrue Nexus 5S, and there are plenty of dual- or single-camera models that also measure up for quality.

You prefer plug-and-go installation
The VanTrue Nexus 5S dash cam is actually very easy to install, but positioning the units and plumbing in the cables does take a little more time than for a single unit.

Your windshield space is limited
The VanTrue Nexus 5S bundle features a front-facing camera that's quite bulky, so it's worth checking the dimensions if your screen area is relatively small.

How I tested the VanTrue Nexus 5S

  • I installed the dash cam in an SUV for an initial period of two weeks
  • I used it for various day and night journeys in all types of weather
  • I connected it to my phone, and downloaded recordings to check their quality

VanTrue loaned me the Nexus 5S dash cam and supplied everything I needed to test it, including a microSD card.

I tested the package over a period of a couple of weeks, after plumbing in all of the hardware and wiring. The box contained everything I needed, although the microSD card was an extra which VanTrue also supplied. I didn't hard-wire the bundle into my loan vehicle, however, and so I was unable to test the additional parking features.

During the course of testing I downloaded the VanTrue app, which proved useful for managing the files generated by a four-camera arrangement. I was using the app on an Apple iPhone 17, and it's also available for Android devices. While transferring files between the cameras and the app I was able to check the efficacy of the 5GHz Wi-Fi, which enabled me to transfer multiple files quickly and easily.

  • First reviewed October 2025
iOS 26.1 RC is out, final version should be close now
3:50 pm |
Author: admin | Category: Mobile phones news | Comments: Off

Apple has begun seeding its iOS 26.1 Release Candidate (RC) version. This version is available for developers and public beta testers and comes just over a week after the iOS 26.1 beta 4 release. Apple is expanding Apple Intelligence support to an additional eight languages, including Danish, Dutch, Norwegian, Portuguese (Portugal), Swedish, Turkish, Chinese (Traditional), and Vietnamese. The RC release also fixes several bugs, including unexpected falls asleep while using lock screen apps like Calculator, Timer and Notes. AirDrop enhancements alongside smoother animations and...

Google Sites website builder review 2025
2:55 pm |
Author: admin | Category: Computers Gadgets Pro Website Building | Comments: Off

Google Sites is a simple website builder that stands out, mostly, for its complete lack of cost and complexity. While it may not offer the sophisticated features of premium builders like Wix or Squarespace, it still offers some limited utility through its integration with Google Workspace.

While it's hard to recommend Google Sites among the best website builder platforms, it still presents a viable entry point for first-timers, hobbyists, or students looking for one of the best free website builders to get online without cost. It serves mainly to keep users within Google's product ecosystem, offering unlimited websites, storage, and bandwidth at zero cost.

However, most businesses serious about their online presence quickly encounter its limitations. With no ecommerce or blogging features and very limited room to grow, Google Sites is merely a gateway and not a replacement for serious website building solutions like Wix.

Google Sites: 2-minute review

Google Sites is a relic of Google's early attempts to democratize web development by removing traditional barriers like cost, complexity, and technical knowledge requirements. As part of Google's free suite of productivity tools, it integrates seamlessly with Gmail, Google Drive, and Google Workspace, allowing users to create collaborative websites as easily as sharing a Google Doc.

However, Google Sites occupies a unique position in the website builder market by deliberately limiting features rather than expanding them. While competitors like Wix and Squarespace compete on advanced functionality and design sophistication, Google Sites focuses exclusively on simplicity and collaboration.

This makes it excellent for internal company sites, educational projects, and basic portfolios, but inadequate for ecommerce, professional marketing sites, or any project requiring custom code or advanced SEO optimization. Sites can serve as an entry point but not as a comprehensive solution, with most users eventually migrating to more feature-rich platforms as their needs grow.

What is Google Sites?

Google Sites is a free web-based website builder that allows anyone with a Google account to create simple websites without any coding knowledge or technical expertise. Think of it as the website equivalent of Google Docs, it uses the same drag-and-drop approach but for building web pages instead of documents.

You can create unlimited websites, add text and images, embed content from other Google services like Drive and Forms, and share your site with others for collaborative editing — all through a simple browser interface.

Google automatically handles all the technical aspects of web hosting, security, and mobile optimization, so you don't need to worry about servers, databases, or responsive design. Your finished website gets stored in your Google Drive like any other file, and you can publish it instantly to a free Google subdomain (like yourname.sites.google.com) or connect a custom domain if you have a paid Google Workspace account.

Features

Screenshot of Google Sites website builder

(Image credit: Google Sites)

Google Sites deliberately prioritizes simplicity over feature richness, offering a streamlined set of tools designed for basic website creation rather than comprehensive web development. It includes 17 pre-designed templates, a drag-and-drop editor, basic text formatting options, image galleries, embedded content capabilities, and integration with Google Workspace.

These features are executed competently within their limited scope — the drag-and-drop interface is intuitive, templates are mobile-responsive, and Google service integration works seamlessly. But the feature set targets specific user groups like educators, small businesses, internal teams, and professionals looking to create extremely basic online experiences.

Google Sites is really good within collaborative scenarios where multiple users need to edit content simultaneously, using the same sharing and permissions system used across Google Workspace. However, the platform lacks essential features that competitors consider standard. There's no blog functionality, limited options for SEO, no ecommerce capabilities, minimal third-party integrations, and restricted customization options.

Compared to feature-rich alternatives like Wix (800+ templates) or Squarespace, Google Sites feels deliberately constrained. Advanced users will quickly encounter limitations in custom HTML, CSS modifications, advanced forms, marketing tools, and analytics integration beyond basic Google Analytics. The platform lacks password-protected pages, contact forms, and the ability to add custom code or scripts.

At zero cost, Google Sites offers exceptional value for its intended use cases, but the feature limitations mean most users outgrow the platform as their website needs evolve. The pricing model essentially trades advanced functionality for accessibility. Perfect for getting started, but inadequate for long-term professional web presence.

Tools

Screenshot of Google Sites website builder

(Image credit: Google Sites)

Google Sites has a focused selection of built-in tools designed for straightforward content creation and collaboration. It emphasizes integration with Google's ecosystem rather than offering extensive standalone features, making it ideal for users already invested in other products within Google Workspace.

Drag-and-drop editor

Sites' core website building tool uses a simple UI where users can add, move, and modify elements by simply dragging them into position. An editor includes basic content blocks for text, images, embedded content, and layout elements, with real-time preview capabilities that show exactly how the site will appear to visitors.

Google Workspace integration

Sites seamlessly embeds content from Google Docs, Sheets, Slides, Forms, Maps, and Calendar directly into web pages. This allows users to display live documents, spreadsheets, and presentations that automatically update when the source files change, making it easier for teams to share dynamic content.

Collaboration tools

Multiple users can simultaneously edit website drafts using the same sharing system as Google Docs, with commenting, suggestion, and version control capabilities. Site owners can control permissions for different collaborators and manage who can view the published website separately from editing access.

Template system

Google Sites offers 17 pre-designed and mobile-responsive templates covering basic website types like portfolios, project sites, and informational pages. While limited compared to competitors, these templates provide professional starting points that automatically adapt to different screen sizes.

Publishing and domain management

You can instantly publish sites to free Google subdomains or connect custom domains through Google Workspace. Sites' publishing system includes basic privacy controls, with the ability to make sites public, restricted to specific users, or accessible only to people with a link.

Ease of use

Screenshot of Google Sites website builder

(Image credit: Google Sites)

Logging in with your Google account at sites.google.com will take you to the Sites editor. Google Sites offers an extremely minimalist environment, where you can choose to start a site with a blank page or use one of the few available templates. Launching your first project opens a very sparse-looking and minimalist editor. If you choose a template, it will be loaded for you and ready to be customized.

The bulk of the window is taken up by a preview of the current page. A toolbar on the right displays a list of widgets. You have the ability to add text boxes, images, embed code, and connect to your Google Drive. You have a handful of layout options, as well as tools to create collapsible text, image carousels, and a table of content among others. Additional options let you connect to other Google services like YouTube, Calendar, Map, Docs, Slides, Sheets, Forms and Charts.

There’s also a Themes tab which gives you a choice of six header and site styles, along with simple tweaks to your colours and font. There’s a good amount of flexibility when adding text and images. And when you add an image to the header, it’s automatically ‘adjusted for readability’, which alters its settings. If you don’t like the result, you can always click on the button lower right of the image to revert it. There doesn’t seem to be a way to manually alter the photo.

While the editor always displays your site in Desktop mode, tapping the preview button enables viewing your site in desktop, tablet or mobile views. The editor isn't exactly powerful, but it's more capable than it initially seems. Sadly, Google has mostly stopped making updates to Sites, although there is a possibility for renewed interest in the platform thanks to the success of Google Gemini.

Pricing

Screenshot of Google Sites website builder

(Image credit: Google Sites)

Google Sites operates on a completely free model for personal use, letting you create unlimited websites with no hosting fees. This makes it one of the most cost-effective website builders available, as users can build, host, and maintain their sites indefinitely without any subscription costs. The platform includes generous storage quotas and doesn't count embedded Google documents, calendars, or videos against storage limits.

For businesses requiring custom domains and advanced administrative features, Google Sites integrates with Google Workspace plans starting at $6 per user per month for Business Starter, $12 per user per month for Business Standard, and $18 per user per month for Business Plus. These paid plans unlock custom domain hosting, enhanced security features, and administrative controls, but the core website building functionality remains the same.

Security

Screenshot of Google Sites website builder

(Image credit: Google Sites)

Google Sites benefits from Google's enterprise-grade security infrastructure, implementing multiple layers of protection for user data and websites. All data transmission uses HTTPS encryption with TLS 1.2 or higher and automatic SSL certificates ensure secure connections without user intervention. Sites also leverages Google Cloud Armor for DDoS protection, providing always-on monitoring and automatic attack mitigation to safeguard websites from volumetric network attacks.

Google Sites inherits the same security standards as other Google Drive files, with automatic backup and recovery options preventing data loss. But additional security features are available, like regular automatic security updates, fine-grained sharing controls, and integration with Google's Advanced Protection Program. You can also set precise permissions to control website access, ranging from public visibility to specific individuals or groups.

Support

Screenshot of Google Sites website builder

(Image credit: Google Sites)

Google Sites support operates through Google's standard help system, primarily offering self-service resources through the Google Help Center. You can access documentation, tutorials, and community forums, but direct support options are limited for free account holders. The platform relies heavily on its intuitive design philosophy to minimize support needs, though this can leave users stranded when encountering complex issues.

Google Workspace subscribers receive enhanced support options, including phone and chat support depending on their plan tier. For example, Business Standard and Business Plus plans typically include faster response times and more comprehensive assistance. However, even paid support focuses primarily on account and billing issues rather than design guidance or website troubleshooting.

Google’s support ecosystem includes active community forums and third-party resources, but no dedicated website building support like with competitors like Wix or Squarespace. Users mostly rely on community-generated content and unofficial tutorials, which can be inconsistent in quality and currency.

Alternatives

Google Sites occupies a unique niche in the website builder market by prioritizing simplicity and cost-effectiveness to an uncanny degree. It’s an ideal entry point for users creating basic informational sites but lacks the advanced features required for professional marketing or e-commerce operations.

Primary competitors include Wix, WordPress.com, Squarespace, Weebly, and specialized platforms like Webflow. Wix offers superior design flexibility and hundreds of templates, while Squarespace provides professional aesthetics and better SEO tools. Meanwhile, WordPress.com delivers more robust content management capabilities. However, none of these alternatives offer zero cost websites, unlimited hosting, and free real-time collaboration.

Google Sites: Summary

Google Sites delivers exactly what it promises: a completely free, user-friendly website builder that removes traditional barriers to web publishing while integrating seamlessly with Google's productivity ecosystem.

Its strength lies in collaborative website creation for educational, internal, and basic informational purposes, offering unlimited sites and hosting at zero cost with enterprise-grade security.

However, the platform's deliberate simplicity becomes a significant limitation for users requiring advanced features like ecommerce, sophisticated SEO tools, or extensive design customization. While it’s just usable as an entry-level solution for budget-conscious users, most will eventually outgrow its capabilities and need to migrate to more feature-rich platforms.

Google Sites review: FAQs

Is Google Sites really free?

Yes, Google Sites is entirely free for personal use with a Google account. You can create unlimited websites, use Google hosting, and access all core features without any subscription fees or hidden costs. The only limitations are storage quotas (which are generous) and the inability to use custom domains without a paid Google Workspace account. Even with these restrictions, you get more value than most paid website builders offer in their basic plans.

Can I use my own domain name with Google Sites?

Custom domains are only available through paid Google Workspace plans, starting at $6 per user per month. Free Google Sites accounts must use Google's subdomain format (yourname.sites.google.com). While this limitation may seem restrictive, the subdomain is perfectly functional for most use cases, and the upgrade cost is reasonable if custom branding becomes essential for your project.

How does Google Sites compare to WordPress or Wix?

Google Sites prioritizes simplicity over functionality, making it ideal for basic websites but inadequate for complex projects. WordPress offers superior content management and customization options, while Wix provides more templates and design flexibility. However, neither matches Google Sites' combination of zero cost, unlimited hosting, and collaborative editing capabilities. Choose Google Sites for simple, collaborative projects; select WordPress or Wix when you need advanced features and don't mind paying for them.

Can multiple people edit a Google Sites website simultaneously?

Yes, Google Sites supports real-time collaborative editing using the same system as Google Docs. Multiple users can simultaneously edit website content, leave comments, and track changes with full version control. This collaborative functionality is one of Google Sites' strongest features, making it exceptional for team projects, educational assignments, and organizational websites where multiple contributors need editing access.

What happens to my Google Sites if I delete my Google account?

Your Google Sites will be permanently deleted along with your Google account, as they're stored within Google's ecosystem. Unlike some website builders that allow account transfers or data exports, Google Sites doesn't offer migration tools to preserve your content outside of Google's platform. Always maintain backups of important content and consider the long-term implications of building your web presence on a free platform tied to a specific account.

Google Sites website builder review 2025
2:55 pm |
Author: admin | Category: Computers Gadgets Pro Website Building | Comments: Off

Google Sites is a simple website builder that stands out, mostly, for its complete lack of cost and complexity. While it may not offer the sophisticated features of premium builders like Wix or Squarespace, it still offers some limited utility through its integration with Google Workspace.

While it's hard to recommend Google Sites among the best website builder platforms, it still presents a viable entry point for first-timers, hobbyists, or students looking for one of the best free website builders to get online without cost. It serves mainly to keep users within Google's product ecosystem, offering unlimited websites, storage, and bandwidth at zero cost.

However, most businesses serious about their online presence quickly encounter its limitations. With no ecommerce or blogging features and very limited room to grow, Google Sites is merely a gateway and not a replacement for serious website building solutions like Wix.

Google Sites: 2-minute review

Google Sites is a relic of Google's early attempts to democratize web development by removing traditional barriers like cost, complexity, and technical knowledge requirements. As part of Google's free suite of productivity tools, it integrates seamlessly with Gmail, Google Drive, and Google Workspace, allowing users to create collaborative websites as easily as sharing a Google Doc.

However, Google Sites occupies a unique position in the website builder market by deliberately limiting features rather than expanding them. While competitors like Wix and Squarespace compete on advanced functionality and design sophistication, Google Sites focuses exclusively on simplicity and collaboration.

This makes it excellent for internal company sites, educational projects, and basic portfolios, but inadequate for ecommerce, professional marketing sites, or any project requiring custom code or advanced SEO optimization. Sites can serve as an entry point but not as a comprehensive solution, with most users eventually migrating to more feature-rich platforms as their needs grow.

What is Google Sites?

Google Sites is a free web-based website builder that allows anyone with a Google account to create simple websites without any coding knowledge or technical expertise. Think of it as the website equivalent of Google Docs, it uses the same drag-and-drop approach but for building web pages instead of documents.

You can create unlimited websites, add text and images, embed content from other Google services like Drive and Forms, and share your site with others for collaborative editing — all through a simple browser interface.

Google automatically handles all the technical aspects of web hosting, security, and mobile optimization, so you don't need to worry about servers, databases, or responsive design. Your finished website gets stored in your Google Drive like any other file, and you can publish it instantly to a free Google subdomain (like yourname.sites.google.com) or connect a custom domain if you have a paid Google Workspace account.

Features

Screenshot of Google Sites website builder

(Image credit: Google Sites)

Google Sites deliberately prioritizes simplicity over feature richness, offering a streamlined set of tools designed for basic website creation rather than comprehensive web development. It includes 17 pre-designed templates, a drag-and-drop editor, basic text formatting options, image galleries, embedded content capabilities, and integration with Google Workspace.

These features are executed competently within their limited scope — the drag-and-drop interface is intuitive, templates are mobile-responsive, and Google service integration works seamlessly. But the feature set targets specific user groups like educators, small businesses, internal teams, and professionals looking to create extremely basic online experiences.

Google Sites is really good within collaborative scenarios where multiple users need to edit content simultaneously, using the same sharing and permissions system used across Google Workspace. However, the platform lacks essential features that competitors consider standard. There's no blog functionality, limited options for SEO, no ecommerce capabilities, minimal third-party integrations, and restricted customization options.

Compared to feature-rich alternatives like Wix (800+ templates) or Squarespace, Google Sites feels deliberately constrained. Advanced users will quickly encounter limitations in custom HTML, CSS modifications, advanced forms, marketing tools, and analytics integration beyond basic Google Analytics. The platform lacks password-protected pages, contact forms, and the ability to add custom code or scripts.

At zero cost, Google Sites offers exceptional value for its intended use cases, but the feature limitations mean most users outgrow the platform as their website needs evolve. The pricing model essentially trades advanced functionality for accessibility. Perfect for getting started, but inadequate for long-term professional web presence.

Tools

Screenshot of Google Sites website builder

(Image credit: Google Sites)

Google Sites has a focused selection of built-in tools designed for straightforward content creation and collaboration. It emphasizes integration with Google's ecosystem rather than offering extensive standalone features, making it ideal for users already invested in other products within Google Workspace.

Drag-and-drop editor

Sites' core website building tool uses a simple UI where users can add, move, and modify elements by simply dragging them into position. An editor includes basic content blocks for text, images, embedded content, and layout elements, with real-time preview capabilities that show exactly how the site will appear to visitors.

Google Workspace integration

Sites seamlessly embeds content from Google Docs, Sheets, Slides, Forms, Maps, and Calendar directly into web pages. This allows users to display live documents, spreadsheets, and presentations that automatically update when the source files change, making it easier for teams to share dynamic content.

Collaboration tools

Multiple users can simultaneously edit website drafts using the same sharing system as Google Docs, with commenting, suggestion, and version control capabilities. Site owners can control permissions for different collaborators and manage who can view the published website separately from editing access.

Template system

Google Sites offers 17 pre-designed and mobile-responsive templates covering basic website types like portfolios, project sites, and informational pages. While limited compared to competitors, these templates provide professional starting points that automatically adapt to different screen sizes.

Publishing and domain management

You can instantly publish sites to free Google subdomains or connect custom domains through Google Workspace. Sites' publishing system includes basic privacy controls, with the ability to make sites public, restricted to specific users, or accessible only to people with a link.

Ease of use

Screenshot of Google Sites website builder

(Image credit: Google Sites)

Logging in with your Google account at sites.google.com will take you to the Sites editor. Google Sites offers an extremely minimalist environment, where you can choose to start a site with a blank page or use one of the few available templates. Launching your first project opens a very sparse-looking and minimalist editor. If you choose a template, it will be loaded for you and ready to be customized.

The bulk of the window is taken up by a preview of the current page. A toolbar on the right displays a list of widgets. You have the ability to add text boxes, images, embed code, and connect to your Google Drive. You have a handful of layout options, as well as tools to create collapsible text, image carousels, and a table of content among others. Additional options let you connect to other Google services like YouTube, Calendar, Map, Docs, Slides, Sheets, Forms and Charts.

There’s also a Themes tab which gives you a choice of six header and site styles, along with simple tweaks to your colours and font. There’s a good amount of flexibility when adding text and images. And when you add an image to the header, it’s automatically ‘adjusted for readability’, which alters its settings. If you don’t like the result, you can always click on the button lower right of the image to revert it. There doesn’t seem to be a way to manually alter the photo.

While the editor always displays your site in Desktop mode, tapping the preview button enables viewing your site in desktop, tablet or mobile views. The editor isn't exactly powerful, but it's more capable than it initially seems. Sadly, Google has mostly stopped making updates to Sites, although there is a possibility for renewed interest in the platform thanks to the success of Google Gemini.

Pricing

Screenshot of Google Sites website builder

(Image credit: Google Sites)

Google Sites operates on a completely free model for personal use, letting you create unlimited websites with no hosting fees. This makes it one of the most cost-effective website builders available, as users can build, host, and maintain their sites indefinitely without any subscription costs. The platform includes generous storage quotas and doesn't count embedded Google documents, calendars, or videos against storage limits.

For businesses requiring custom domains and advanced administrative features, Google Sites integrates with Google Workspace plans starting at $6 per user per month for Business Starter, $12 per user per month for Business Standard, and $18 per user per month for Business Plus. These paid plans unlock custom domain hosting, enhanced security features, and administrative controls, but the core website building functionality remains the same.

Security

Screenshot of Google Sites website builder

(Image credit: Google Sites)

Google Sites benefits from Google's enterprise-grade security infrastructure, implementing multiple layers of protection for user data and websites. All data transmission uses HTTPS encryption with TLS 1.2 or higher and automatic SSL certificates ensure secure connections without user intervention. Sites also leverages Google Cloud Armor for DDoS protection, providing always-on monitoring and automatic attack mitigation to safeguard websites from volumetric network attacks.

Google Sites inherits the same security standards as other Google Drive files, with automatic backup and recovery options preventing data loss. But additional security features are available, like regular automatic security updates, fine-grained sharing controls, and integration with Google's Advanced Protection Program. You can also set precise permissions to control website access, ranging from public visibility to specific individuals or groups.

Support

Screenshot of Google Sites website builder

(Image credit: Google Sites)

Google Sites support operates through Google's standard help system, primarily offering self-service resources through the Google Help Center. You can access documentation, tutorials, and community forums, but direct support options are limited for free account holders. The platform relies heavily on its intuitive design philosophy to minimize support needs, though this can leave users stranded when encountering complex issues.

Google Workspace subscribers receive enhanced support options, including phone and chat support depending on their plan tier. For example, Business Standard and Business Plus plans typically include faster response times and more comprehensive assistance. However, even paid support focuses primarily on account and billing issues rather than design guidance or website troubleshooting.

Google’s support ecosystem includes active community forums and third-party resources, but no dedicated website building support like with competitors like Wix or Squarespace. Users mostly rely on community-generated content and unofficial tutorials, which can be inconsistent in quality and currency.

Alternatives

Google Sites occupies a unique niche in the website builder market by prioritizing simplicity and cost-effectiveness to an uncanny degree. It’s an ideal entry point for users creating basic informational sites but lacks the advanced features required for professional marketing or e-commerce operations.

Primary competitors include Wix, WordPress.com, Squarespace, Weebly, and specialized platforms like Webflow. Wix offers superior design flexibility and hundreds of templates, while Squarespace provides professional aesthetics and better SEO tools. Meanwhile, WordPress.com delivers more robust content management capabilities. However, none of these alternatives offer zero cost websites, unlimited hosting, and free real-time collaboration.

Google Sites: Summary

Google Sites delivers exactly what it promises: a completely free, user-friendly website builder that removes traditional barriers to web publishing while integrating seamlessly with Google's productivity ecosystem.

Its strength lies in collaborative website creation for educational, internal, and basic informational purposes, offering unlimited sites and hosting at zero cost with enterprise-grade security.

However, the platform's deliberate simplicity becomes a significant limitation for users requiring advanced features like ecommerce, sophisticated SEO tools, or extensive design customization. While it’s just usable as an entry-level solution for budget-conscious users, most will eventually outgrow its capabilities and need to migrate to more feature-rich platforms.

Google Sites review: FAQs

Is Google Sites really free?

Yes, Google Sites is entirely free for personal use with a Google account. You can create unlimited websites, use Google hosting, and access all core features without any subscription fees or hidden costs. The only limitations are storage quotas (which are generous) and the inability to use custom domains without a paid Google Workspace account. Even with these restrictions, you get more value than most paid website builders offer in their basic plans.

Can I use my own domain name with Google Sites?

Custom domains are only available through paid Google Workspace plans, starting at $6 per user per month. Free Google Sites accounts must use Google's subdomain format (yourname.sites.google.com). While this limitation may seem restrictive, the subdomain is perfectly functional for most use cases, and the upgrade cost is reasonable if custom branding becomes essential for your project.

How does Google Sites compare to WordPress or Wix?

Google Sites prioritizes simplicity over functionality, making it ideal for basic websites but inadequate for complex projects. WordPress offers superior content management and customization options, while Wix provides more templates and design flexibility. However, neither matches Google Sites' combination of zero cost, unlimited hosting, and collaborative editing capabilities. Choose Google Sites for simple, collaborative projects; select WordPress or Wix when you need advanced features and don't mind paying for them.

Can multiple people edit a Google Sites website simultaneously?

Yes, Google Sites supports real-time collaborative editing using the same system as Google Docs. Multiple users can simultaneously edit website content, leave comments, and track changes with full version control. This collaborative functionality is one of Google Sites' strongest features, making it exceptional for team projects, educational assignments, and organizational websites where multiple contributors need editing access.

What happens to my Google Sites if I delete my Google account?

Your Google Sites will be permanently deleted along with your Google account, as they're stored within Google's ecosystem. Unlike some website builders that allow account transfers or data exports, Google Sites doesn't offer migration tools to preserve your content outside of Google's platform. Always maintain backups of important content and consider the long-term implications of building your web presence on a free platform tied to a specific account.

Motorola lists Edge 70 along with its full specs on its official website
2:37 pm |
Author: admin | Category: Mobile phones news | Comments: Off

In a move that's as close to an official announcement as it gets, Motorola has listed the Edge 70 on its official Polish website, along with the phone's full specifications. The Motorola Edge 70 is the global variant of the China-locked ultrathin Motorola X70 Air, but it wasn't yet clear whether it will share its exact specs. It seemingly is now. The Edge 70 comes in three Pantone-branded colors - Gadget Grey, Lilly pad, and Bronze Green. All three colors come with a unique nylon-textured finish on the back of the phone, the frame is an aircraft-grade aluminum, and the front is a...

Some of my favorite earbuds from last year just got a massive upgrade and the sound is excellent – bar one key issue
1:30 pm |
Author: admin | Category: Audio Computers Earbuds & Airpods Gadgets Headphones | Tags: | Comments: Off

Creative Aurvana Ace 3: Two-minute review

Earbuds specialist Creative is back with another fully-fledged assault on our list of the best earbuds with its Aurvana Ace 3. And like 2024’s Aurvana Ace 2, one small piece of tech makes these a shoo-in for audiophiles’ wish-lists.

The Creative Aurvana Ace 3 are the latest earbuds to have thoroughly modern solid-state drivers by tech manufacturer xMEMS, which are designed to bump up the phase consistency and allow audio to be dynamic while still coming from small drivers (and by ‘small’, I mean ‘ones that fit in tiny earbuds’). People who are put off by tech jargon may be scratching their head and preparing to tab out, but the gist is that the buds are designed to sound especially great. They do.

I said this about the Ace 2, and it’s true again: the buds provide high-quality well-defined sounds, bristling with energy and with a cosy, all-embracing soundstage. Fantastic. Audio spec-wise, though, the Aurvana Ace 3 take this pairing of xMEMS driver and a 10mm dynamic driver, and copy it wholesale. No hardware changes, but given what I thought about the previous buds, that’s no bad thing.

Instead, Creative has made improvements across the board to lots of other aspects of the previous buds that needed some help – mostly, but more on that in a moment – and brought some extras which make it easy to award the buds a higher star rating.

The battery life of the Ace 3 is greatly improved from the previous buds, touch controls feel a little bit more intuitive, the maximum volume has seen a bump, there’s LDAC support and the equalizer has a more palpable impact on sound quality. Plus, the introduction of a sound profile test (in collaboration with experts Mimi) provides you with a bespoke sound mix and, in my humble opinion, it’s one of the best listening tests I’ve taken in a pair of earbuds.

One area hasn’t seen a major improvement, and it’s ANC – noise cancellation still isn’t on par with rivals. And if you’ve just tabbed out to read my Ace 2 review, and were curious about the strange screaming sound the buds could make when in ANC mode, you’ll be confused to hear that it’s back – but only for ambient mode.

I first noticed this when I cycled to the cinema early on in my testing. I used ambient to be safe on the road but when I stepped into the foyer while removing my buds, I started getting odd looks: they were making a loud, shrill screaming sound, one far more pronounced than on the Ace 2. It stopped when I put the buds in the case, but on other occurrences, this wasn’t a reliable way to silence the noise; on one occasion they started making the sound out of the blue a few seconds after I’d cased them. It’s a shame, but having experienced the issue with the Ace 2, I did not request a fresh sample since I knew it had happened before. I’ve also occasionally faced it with other buds – it’s an odd side-effect of how noise cancellation works. Still, it's my job to notice these things and the simple fact is that many of the rival earbuds I have tested over the years do not suffer from this issue (and that is largely why this set of earbuds get the star rating you see above). If you use ambient and ANC sound profiles a lot, this will likely affect your decision on whether or not to purchase Creative's Aurvana Ace 3 earbuds – excellent audio performance or not.

Creative Aurvana Ace 3 review: Price and release date

The Creative Aurvana Ace 3 buds and case on a pink bass guitar.

(Image credit: Future)
  • Announced on October 1, 2025
  • Priced $149.99 / £139.99 / AU$259.95
  • Price increase, decrease or no change depending on where you live

The Creative Aurvana Ace 3 were released on October 1, 2025, roughly 18 months on from the release of their predecessor.

Oddly, at the time of writing it seems difficult to buy the buds from anywhere other than Creative's own website, but I'll keep checking since major third-party retailer support is expected.

Anyway, the Creative Aurvana Ace 3 can be bought for $149.99 / £139.99 / AU$259.95, a fairly mid-ranged price for earbuds. For a bit of context, the Ace 2 sold for $149.99 / £169.99 / AU$229.95 so the new buds are cheaper in some places, more expensive in others but the same in the US.

That’s quite a competitive price point. Furthermore, out of all my favorite pairs of buds I tested in 2025, none are more than $50 / £40 above or below that (that’s about AU$80, but not all of the pairs were actually released in Australia, making it a harder comparison). You’ve already read the introduction though; you know the Ace 3 hold their own.

Creative Aurvana Ace 3 review: Specs

Drivers

xMEMS solid state driver + 10mm dynamic driver

Active noise cancellation

Yes

Battery life

7 hours (buds) 26 hours (case)

Weight

4.7g (buds) 43g (case)

Connectivity

Bluetooth 5.3

Frequency response

5 - 40,000Hz

Waterproofing

IPX5

Creative Aurvana Ace 3 review: Features

The Creative Aurvana Ace 3 buds and case in front of a stripy colorful screen.

(Image credit: Future)
  • 7-hour buds battery, 26-hour with case
  • ANC doesn't cut the mustard
  • Highly intuitive sound profile test

One of my gripes with the Aurvana Ace 3’s predecessor was that the Active Noise Cancellation (or ANC) didn’t match up to rivals. Unfortunately that’s no different here and if there are improvements they’re not on par with the big leaps rivals are making. The buds will dampen surrounding sounds but you can still hear most of what’s going on around you – essentially, the ANC still leaves a lot to be desired.

The Ambient mode is a little worse though, and sadly the buds seem to amplify all surrounding whispers to deafening proportions when in this configuration. That’s not the worst of it either; the older Ace 2 had an odd ANC issue which would cause the buds to make a squealing sound when held tight in the hand, and while I didn’t have this issue with the Ace 3 in standard ANC mode, it was a lot more pronounced when I was in Ambient. Thankfully, simply using the buds in ANC mode (or with ANC off) stopped me facing this issue, but it’s something to know about if you often use ambient modes in earbuds.

Another problem of the Ace 2 that’s been nipped in the bud is battery life; no more 4 hours of listening time, or 16 hours in the case. The figure’s been nearly doubled, to 7 hours per earbud and 26 hours from the case. That’s still far from industry-leading (some buds can go for 8-10 hours now before needing a jolt of juice), but it’s a welcome upgrade nonetheless. Just note: listening with ANC or LDAC enabled will give you a lower stat, and I got 5.5 hours with ANC on.

The Creative Aurvana Ace 3 buds on a pink bass guitar.

(Image credit: Future)

The Creative app reveals some of the earbuds’ best features; if you buy the Aurvana Ace 3, don’t be one of those people who never bothers downloading the companion software. The standards are here: you can customize the buds’ touch controls, toggle ANC, play with an equalizer and set up Auracast (although I wish the buds’ assistant wouldn’t loudly announce that it was scanning for broadcasts every time I opened the app).

There’s more: the Ace 3 has perhaps the best listening test I’ve used on a pair of wireless earbuds. It’s easy to use, not overly long and delivers noticeable results that significantly improve music. Creative’s partnership with audio profiling company Mimi for the buds pays dividends.

The buds connect to your phone via Bluetooth 5.4, and they support low-latency mode for gaming and movies as well as LDAC if you don’t mind your battery life taking a hit. I had a few issues with Bluetooth connectivity, most of which were solved by my returning the buds to the case for a few seconds and then trying again, though the app struggled to detect the buds when I began testing and it took quite a few tries to get it working.

  • Features score: 3.5/5

Creative Aurvana Ace 3 review: Design

The Creative Aurvana Ace 3 case on a pink bass guitar.

(Image credit: Future)
  • Understated purple hue
  • Lightweight case and buds
  • IPX5 rating

The Creative Aurvana Ace 3 earbuds have benefitted from big changes, but these are definitely not reflected in the design. I had to get right into the nitty-gritty of my review of the predecessors to discover that the case is in fact 3g lighter, at 43g, but to me they’re identical (other than a slight color difference).

That’s no bad thing given how the distinctive hue and zingy inside help the Aurvana stand out from the line-up. It doesn’t quite translate on camera, but the case has a purple sheen that catches the light well.

A few tiny design tweaks and a slightly lighter build do little to differentiate the Ace 3 buds from the Ace 2, but again there are no complaints on my part. They fit like a dream, didn’t feel achy even after long listening sessions, and stuck strong in my ear even when I was at the gym or cycling.

I had a little bit of trouble with the touch controls, as finding the exact correct spot at the top of the stem takes some practice. It doesn’t help that there’s no single-tap gesture, so you need to hit the right spot at least twice in a row to trigger a command. But I still found it a lot more usable than the Ace 2’s, especially when I’d gotten the knack.

One thing to note is that the buds have an IPX5 rating, which means they’re protected against jets of water. This is fine for rain or sweat but it’s not the highest kind of protection you see on earbuds – the new AirPods Pro 3 have an IP57 rating, for example, which means that Apple's newest can actually be submerged in up to one meter of water and survive (for a limited time).

  • Design score: 4/5

Creative Aurvana Ace 3 review: Sound quality

  • xMEMS + 10mm dynamic driver
  • Range of codecs supported
  • For natural-sounding detail and clarity, the audio quality is sublime

The Creative Aurvana Ace 3 buds and case on a pink bass guitar.

(Image credit: Future)

The bad news: while the Creative Aurvana Ace 3 enjoys a series of improvements across the board, that's not the case in the sonic department. The good news: that's because last year's buds were such a slam dunk that no upgrade was necessary to the sonic recipe.

So we're looking at a fancy xMEMS solid state driver paired with a 10mm dynamic driver. The first of those is the selling point: they can deliver high-quality, natural-sounding audio that's as true as possible to the artist's (well, sound engineer and producers') vision. The effect on your ears is that music is imbued with a sparkle and energy that you're simply not getting on lesser buds: it's palpable that these aren't electronic signals being blasted into your ears, but real musical instruments being played by real people (well, unless you listen to electronic music, that is).

The glorious bagpipe solo of John Farnham's You're The Voice rocks just as much as the later guitar solo and anthemic vocals, and you can hear the vibrato of The Boss' voice in Dancing in the Dark when it comes up on shuffle next. Next up is Chesney Hawkes' The One and Only, and I've never heard the harmonies as powerful and succinct as with the Ace 3.

The Creative Aurvana Ace 3 bud on a pink bass guitar.

(Image credit: Future)

I've been focusing on treble and mids because there's no denying that the Aurvana maintain their predecessors' lovely neutral sound; you're not getting your tunes blown out by thumping bass like many cheap and mid-range earbud makers love to do.

Despite that, bass is lovely and scooping, enough that you can picture the bassist's fingers walking on the string. And when lower pitches are important, the Ace 3 delivers; Sayonara by The 502s offers a well-defined bassline that sits harmoniously against the brass stings without either losing any energy (see, I can use musical examples from the last half-century!). The encompassing soundstage of the buds gives all of the instruments in a busy composition like this enough breathing room that you don't miss a note or a line.

All of these points could equally be made about the Ace 2 (well, except Sayonara, which wasn't out when those buds were released), but that's not to say that nothing's new in the Aurvana Ace 3. The addition of LDAC and aptX Lossless means the buds are better at supporting lossless audio and there's also now support for Snapdragon Sound, which will have a similar effect if your broadcasting device also is compatible.

  • Sound quality: 4.5/5

Creative Aurvana Ace 3 review: Value

The Creative Aurvana Ace 3 buds on a pink bass guitar.

(Image credit: Future)
  • A textbook example of getting what you paid for
  • Ace 2 discounts may make it a tempting alternative

At $149.99 / £139.99 / AU$259.95, you’re getting what you pay for with the Creative Aurvana Ace 3 – they deliver a good sound quality and commendable feature set at a price that’s a little higher than some people can afford, but sits as a much more tempting alternative to many of the top-end buds on the market.

Don’t buy these expecting a bargain, but you’re certainly getting bang for your buck. Rather, you’re not getting bangs, but getting nice, well-tuned audio.

The messy price increase / decrease / maintenance of the Creative Aurvana Ace 3 compared to its predecessor, make a value comparison hard, especially with the older buds having seen a pretty significant price cut since release. The improvements may win over some people, but if all you care is the sound quality, you can save money with the Ace 2.

  • Value: 3.5/5

Should I buy the Creative Aurvana Ace 3?

Creative Aurvana Ace 3 score card

Attributes

Notes

Rating

Features

The ANC isn't great but the battery life is okay and the sound personalization is great.

3.5/5

Design

These are lovely little buds that fit well, look good and don't weigh you down.

4/5

Sound quality

The detailed, crystal-clear and naturalistic audio all create one wonderful musical package.

4.5/5

Value

The price is chosen well: you get as much as you pay for.

3.5/5

Buy it if…

You want a guiding hand with your sound mix
The Mimi customization mode is all but guaranteed to help you find a music mix for you – if you’re not keen to mess around with an equalizer, it’ll sort you right out.

You need buds that are lightweight
Even amongst other stem earbuds, the Aurvana Ace 3 are lovely and light, and you can listen for hours without feeling anything (or until the battery runs out). Perfect for people who readily feel buds in the ear.View Deal

Don’t buy it if…

You listen in ambient mode
I’ve already mentioned the strange screaming issues with ambient mode. If you tend to listen with ambient mode turned on, perhaps consider other earbuds.

You want a bassy sound profile
Some people need warm-sounding bassy buds, and the Aurvana Ace 3 are too neutral to give you those thumping rhythms that might help at the gym.

Creative Aurvana Ace 3 review: Also consider

Creative Aurvana Ace 3

Nothing Ear (3)

Soundpeats H3

Drivers

xMEMS solid state driver + 10mm dynamic driver

12mm

12mm + dual balanced armatures

Active noise cancellation

Yes

Yes

Yes

Battery life

7 hours (buds) 26 hours total ( withcase)

5.5 hours (buds) 22 hours total (with case)

7 hours (buds) 37 hours total (with case)

Weight

4.7g (buds) 43g (case)

5.2g (buds); 61g (case)

6g (buds); 53g (case)

Connectivity

Bluetooth 5.3

Bluetooth 5.4

Bluetooth 5.4

Waterproofing

IPX5

IP54

IPX5

Soundpeats H3
A pair of similar-costing earbuds, the Soundpeats use a cocktail of drivers to offer fantastic-sound music with an equally neutral sound profile. In fact they’re pretty similar in a lot of ways, but with a different design and a feature set that gains and loses various aspects of the Ace 3.
Read our full Soundpeats H3 review here

Nothing Ear (3)
Another pair of buds with a great personal hearing system, albeit one for a little more money, is Nothing’s latest pair of earbuds. The battery life and price leave something to be desired, but Nothing earbuds have long graced loads of our ‘best-of’ lists and the (3) is no exception.
Check out our full Nothing Ear (3) review here

How I tested the Creative Aurvana Ace 3

The Creative Aurvana Ace 3 buds and case on a pink bass guitar.

(Image credit: Future)
  • Tested for 2 weeks
  • Tested at home, on walks, and the gym and while cycling

The testing period for the Creative Aurvana Ace 3 was just over two weeks, and the buds were connected to my Android phone for the entirety of the testing process.

I mostly listened to the buds using Spotify, both with Lossless and standard quality, but I also watched some Netflix and played some games with them. I tested in loads of environments: at home, at my office, on walks around my neighborhood, on buses and trains, while cycling (in ambient mode for safety, of course), and while at several different gyms.

I've been testing gadgets for TechRadar for over six years now, which has included plenty of other similar-price earbuds, the previous Aurvana Ace last year and certain other Creative products.

  • First reviewed in October 2025
Some of my favorite earbuds from last year just got a massive upgrade and the sound is excellent – bar one key issue
1:30 pm |
Author: admin | Category: Audio Computers Earbuds & Airpods Gadgets Headphones | Tags: | Comments: Off

Creative Aurvana Ace 3: Two-minute review

Earbuds specialist Creative is back with another fully-fledged assault on our list of the best earbuds with its Aurvana Ace 3. And like 2024’s Aurvana Ace 2, one small piece of tech makes these a shoo-in for audiophiles’ wish-lists.

The Creative Aurvana Ace 3 are the latest earbuds to have thoroughly modern solid-state drivers by tech manufacturer xMEMS, which are designed to bump up the phase consistency and allow audio to be dynamic while still coming from small drivers (and by ‘small’, I mean ‘ones that fit in tiny earbuds’). People who are put off by tech jargon may be scratching their head and preparing to tab out, but the gist is that the buds are designed to sound especially great. They do.

I said this about the Ace 2, and it’s true again: the buds provide high-quality well-defined sounds, bristling with energy and with a cosy, all-embracing soundstage. Fantastic. Audio spec-wise, though, the Aurvana Ace 3 take this pairing of xMEMS driver and a 10mm dynamic driver, and copy it wholesale. No hardware changes, but given what I thought about the previous buds, that’s no bad thing.

Instead, Creative has made improvements across the board to lots of other aspects of the previous buds that needed some help – mostly, but more on that in a moment – and brought some extras which make it easy to award the buds a higher star rating.

The battery life of the Ace 3 is greatly improved from the previous buds, touch controls feel a little bit more intuitive, the maximum volume has seen a bump, there’s LDAC support and the equalizer has a more palpable impact on sound quality. Plus, the introduction of a sound profile test (in collaboration with experts Mimi) provides you with a bespoke sound mix and, in my humble opinion, it’s one of the best listening tests I’ve taken in a pair of earbuds.

One area hasn’t seen a major improvement, and it’s ANC – noise cancellation still isn’t on par with rivals. And if you’ve just tabbed out to read my Ace 2 review, and were curious about the strange screaming sound the buds could make when in ANC mode, you’ll be confused to hear that it’s back – but only for ambient mode.

I first noticed this when I cycled to the cinema early on in my testing. I used ambient to be safe on the road but when I stepped into the foyer while removing my buds, I started getting odd looks: they were making a loud, shrill screaming sound, one far more pronounced than on the Ace 2. It stopped when I put the buds in the case, but on other occurrences, this wasn’t a reliable way to silence the noise; on one occasion they started making the sound out of the blue a few seconds after I’d cased them. It’s a shame, but having experienced the issue with the Ace 2, I did not request a fresh sample since I knew it had happened before. I’ve also occasionally faced it with other buds – it’s an odd side-effect of how noise cancellation works. Still, it's my job to notice these things and the simple fact is that many of the rival earbuds I have tested over the years do not suffer from this issue (and that is largely why this set of earbuds get the star rating you see above). If you use ambient and ANC sound profiles a lot, this will likely affect your decision on whether or not to purchase Creative's Aurvana Ace 3 earbuds – excellent audio performance or not.

Creative Aurvana Ace 3 review: Price and release date

The Creative Aurvana Ace 3 buds and case on a pink bass guitar.

(Image credit: Future)
  • Announced on October 1, 2025
  • Priced $149.99 / £139.99 / AU$259.95
  • Price increase, decrease or no change depending on where you live

The Creative Aurvana Ace 3 were released on October 1, 2025, roughly 18 months on from the release of their predecessor.

Oddly, at the time of writing it seems difficult to buy the buds from anywhere other than Creative's own website, but I'll keep checking since major third-party retailer support is expected.

Anyway, the Creative Aurvana Ace 3 can be bought for $149.99 / £139.99 / AU$259.95, a fairly mid-ranged price for earbuds. For a bit of context, the Ace 2 sold for $149.99 / £169.99 / AU$229.95 so the new buds are cheaper in some places, more expensive in others but the same in the US.

That’s quite a competitive price point. Furthermore, out of all my favorite pairs of buds I tested in 2025, none are more than $50 / £40 above or below that (that’s about AU$80, but not all of the pairs were actually released in Australia, making it a harder comparison). You’ve already read the introduction though; you know the Ace 3 hold their own.

Creative Aurvana Ace 3 review: Specs

Drivers

xMEMS solid state driver + 10mm dynamic driver

Active noise cancellation

Yes

Battery life

7 hours (buds) 26 hours (case)

Weight

4.7g (buds) 43g (case)

Connectivity

Bluetooth 5.3

Frequency response

5 - 40,000Hz

Waterproofing

IPX5

Creative Aurvana Ace 3 review: Features

The Creative Aurvana Ace 3 buds and case in front of a stripy colorful screen.

(Image credit: Future)
  • 7-hour buds battery, 26-hour with case
  • ANC doesn't cut the mustard
  • Highly intuitive sound profile test

One of my gripes with the Aurvana Ace 3’s predecessor was that the Active Noise Cancellation (or ANC) didn’t match up to rivals. Unfortunately that’s no different here and if there are improvements they’re not on par with the big leaps rivals are making. The buds will dampen surrounding sounds but you can still hear most of what’s going on around you – essentially, the ANC still leaves a lot to be desired.

The Ambient mode is a little worse though, and sadly the buds seem to amplify all surrounding whispers to deafening proportions when in this configuration. That’s not the worst of it either; the older Ace 2 had an odd ANC issue which would cause the buds to make a squealing sound when held tight in the hand, and while I didn’t have this issue with the Ace 3 in standard ANC mode, it was a lot more pronounced when I was in Ambient. Thankfully, simply using the buds in ANC mode (or with ANC off) stopped me facing this issue, but it’s something to know about if you often use ambient modes in earbuds.

Another problem of the Ace 2 that’s been nipped in the bud is battery life; no more 4 hours of listening time, or 16 hours in the case. The figure’s been nearly doubled, to 7 hours per earbud and 26 hours from the case. That’s still far from industry-leading (some buds can go for 8-10 hours now before needing a jolt of juice), but it’s a welcome upgrade nonetheless. Just note: listening with ANC or LDAC enabled will give you a lower stat, and I got 5.5 hours with ANC on.

The Creative Aurvana Ace 3 buds on a pink bass guitar.

(Image credit: Future)

The Creative app reveals some of the earbuds’ best features; if you buy the Aurvana Ace 3, don’t be one of those people who never bothers downloading the companion software. The standards are here: you can customize the buds’ touch controls, toggle ANC, play with an equalizer and set up Auracast (although I wish the buds’ assistant wouldn’t loudly announce that it was scanning for broadcasts every time I opened the app).

There’s more: the Ace 3 has perhaps the best listening test I’ve used on a pair of wireless earbuds. It’s easy to use, not overly long and delivers noticeable results that significantly improve music. Creative’s partnership with audio profiling company Mimi for the buds pays dividends.

The buds connect to your phone via Bluetooth 5.4, and they support low-latency mode for gaming and movies as well as LDAC if you don’t mind your battery life taking a hit. I had a few issues with Bluetooth connectivity, most of which were solved by my returning the buds to the case for a few seconds and then trying again, though the app struggled to detect the buds when I began testing and it took quite a few tries to get it working.

  • Features score: 3.5/5

Creative Aurvana Ace 3 review: Design

The Creative Aurvana Ace 3 case on a pink bass guitar.

(Image credit: Future)
  • Understated purple hue
  • Lightweight case and buds
  • IPX5 rating

The Creative Aurvana Ace 3 earbuds have benefitted from big changes, but these are definitely not reflected in the design. I had to get right into the nitty-gritty of my review of the predecessors to discover that the case is in fact 3g lighter, at 43g, but to me they’re identical (other than a slight color difference).

That’s no bad thing given how the distinctive hue and zingy inside help the Aurvana stand out from the line-up. It doesn’t quite translate on camera, but the case has a purple sheen that catches the light well.

A few tiny design tweaks and a slightly lighter build do little to differentiate the Ace 3 buds from the Ace 2, but again there are no complaints on my part. They fit like a dream, didn’t feel achy even after long listening sessions, and stuck strong in my ear even when I was at the gym or cycling.

I had a little bit of trouble with the touch controls, as finding the exact correct spot at the top of the stem takes some practice. It doesn’t help that there’s no single-tap gesture, so you need to hit the right spot at least twice in a row to trigger a command. But I still found it a lot more usable than the Ace 2’s, especially when I’d gotten the knack.

One thing to note is that the buds have an IPX5 rating, which means they’re protected against jets of water. This is fine for rain or sweat but it’s not the highest kind of protection you see on earbuds – the new AirPods Pro 3 have an IP57 rating, for example, which means that Apple's newest can actually be submerged in up to one meter of water and survive (for a limited time).

  • Design score: 4/5

Creative Aurvana Ace 3 review: Sound quality

  • xMEMS + 10mm dynamic driver
  • Range of codecs supported
  • For natural-sounding detail and clarity, the audio quality is sublime

The Creative Aurvana Ace 3 buds and case on a pink bass guitar.

(Image credit: Future)

The bad news: while the Creative Aurvana Ace 3 enjoys a series of improvements across the board, that's not the case in the sonic department. The good news: that's because last year's buds were such a slam dunk that no upgrade was necessary to the sonic recipe.

So we're looking at a fancy xMEMS solid state driver paired with a 10mm dynamic driver. The first of those is the selling point: they can deliver high-quality, natural-sounding audio that's as true as possible to the artist's (well, sound engineer and producers') vision. The effect on your ears is that music is imbued with a sparkle and energy that you're simply not getting on lesser buds: it's palpable that these aren't electronic signals being blasted into your ears, but real musical instruments being played by real people (well, unless you listen to electronic music, that is).

The glorious bagpipe solo of John Farnham's You're The Voice rocks just as much as the later guitar solo and anthemic vocals, and you can hear the vibrato of The Boss' voice in Dancing in the Dark when it comes up on shuffle next. Next up is Chesney Hawkes' The One and Only, and I've never heard the harmonies as powerful and succinct as with the Ace 3.

The Creative Aurvana Ace 3 bud on a pink bass guitar.

(Image credit: Future)

I've been focusing on treble and mids because there's no denying that the Aurvana maintain their predecessors' lovely neutral sound; you're not getting your tunes blown out by thumping bass like many cheap and mid-range earbud makers love to do.

Despite that, bass is lovely and scooping, enough that you can picture the bassist's fingers walking on the string. And when lower pitches are important, the Ace 3 delivers; Sayonara by The 502s offers a well-defined bassline that sits harmoniously against the brass stings without either losing any energy (see, I can use musical examples from the last half-century!). The encompassing soundstage of the buds gives all of the instruments in a busy composition like this enough breathing room that you don't miss a note or a line.

All of these points could equally be made about the Ace 2 (well, except Sayonara, which wasn't out when those buds were released), but that's not to say that nothing's new in the Aurvana Ace 3. The addition of LDAC and aptX Lossless means the buds are better at supporting lossless audio and there's also now support for Snapdragon Sound, which will have a similar effect if your broadcasting device also is compatible.

  • Sound quality: 4.5/5

Creative Aurvana Ace 3 review: Value

The Creative Aurvana Ace 3 buds on a pink bass guitar.

(Image credit: Future)
  • A textbook example of getting what you paid for
  • Ace 2 discounts may make it a tempting alternative

At $149.99 / £139.99 / AU$259.95, you’re getting what you pay for with the Creative Aurvana Ace 3 – they deliver a good sound quality and commendable feature set at a price that’s a little higher than some people can afford, but sits as a much more tempting alternative to many of the top-end buds on the market.

Don’t buy these expecting a bargain, but you’re certainly getting bang for your buck. Rather, you’re not getting bangs, but getting nice, well-tuned audio.

The messy price increase / decrease / maintenance of the Creative Aurvana Ace 3 compared to its predecessor, make a value comparison hard, especially with the older buds having seen a pretty significant price cut since release. The improvements may win over some people, but if all you care is the sound quality, you can save money with the Ace 2.

  • Value: 3.5/5

Should I buy the Creative Aurvana Ace 3?

Creative Aurvana Ace 3 score card

Attributes

Notes

Rating

Features

The ANC isn't great but the battery life is okay and the sound personalization is great.

3.5/5

Design

These are lovely little buds that fit well, look good and don't weigh you down.

4/5

Sound quality

The detailed, crystal-clear and naturalistic audio all create one wonderful musical package.

4.5/5

Value

The price is chosen well: you get as much as you pay for.

3.5/5

Buy it if…

You want a guiding hand with your sound mix
The Mimi customization mode is all but guaranteed to help you find a music mix for you – if you’re not keen to mess around with an equalizer, it’ll sort you right out.

You need buds that are lightweight
Even amongst other stem earbuds, the Aurvana Ace 3 are lovely and light, and you can listen for hours without feeling anything (or until the battery runs out). Perfect for people who readily feel buds in the ear.View Deal

Don’t buy it if…

You listen in ambient mode
I’ve already mentioned the strange screaming issues with ambient mode. If you tend to listen with ambient mode turned on, perhaps consider other earbuds.

You want a bassy sound profile
Some people need warm-sounding bassy buds, and the Aurvana Ace 3 are too neutral to give you those thumping rhythms that might help at the gym.

Creative Aurvana Ace 3 review: Also consider

Creative Aurvana Ace 3

Nothing Ear (3)

Soundpeats H3

Drivers

xMEMS solid state driver + 10mm dynamic driver

12mm

12mm + dual balanced armatures

Active noise cancellation

Yes

Yes

Yes

Battery life

7 hours (buds) 26 hours total ( withcase)

5.5 hours (buds) 22 hours total (with case)

7 hours (buds) 37 hours total (with case)

Weight

4.7g (buds) 43g (case)

5.2g (buds); 61g (case)

6g (buds); 53g (case)

Connectivity

Bluetooth 5.3

Bluetooth 5.4

Bluetooth 5.4

Waterproofing

IPX5

IP54

IPX5

Soundpeats H3
A pair of similar-costing earbuds, the Soundpeats use a cocktail of drivers to offer fantastic-sound music with an equally neutral sound profile. In fact they’re pretty similar in a lot of ways, but with a different design and a feature set that gains and loses various aspects of the Ace 3.
Read our full Soundpeats H3 review here

Nothing Ear (3)
Another pair of buds with a great personal hearing system, albeit one for a little more money, is Nothing’s latest pair of earbuds. The battery life and price leave something to be desired, but Nothing earbuds have long graced loads of our ‘best-of’ lists and the (3) is no exception.
Check out our full Nothing Ear (3) review here

How I tested the Creative Aurvana Ace 3

The Creative Aurvana Ace 3 buds and case on a pink bass guitar.

(Image credit: Future)
  • Tested for 2 weeks
  • Tested at home, on walks, and the gym and while cycling

The testing period for the Creative Aurvana Ace 3 was just over two weeks, and the buds were connected to my Android phone for the entirety of the testing process.

I mostly listened to the buds using Spotify, both with Lossless and standard quality, but I also watched some Netflix and played some games with them. I tested in loads of environments: at home, at my office, on walks around my neighborhood, on buses and trains, while cycling (in ambient mode for safety, of course), and while at several different gyms.

I've been testing gadgets for TechRadar for over six years now, which has included plenty of other similar-price earbuds, the previous Aurvana Ace last year and certain other Creative products.

  • First reviewed in October 2025
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