Following the success of Apple’s buds (or in this case, pods) came a wave of alternative options. Pixel Buds came next, delivering real-time language translation powered by Google Translate. While more widely adopted than Glass (discontinued in 2015), Google’s option did not hold up, although many are optimistic about the Pixel Buds sequel—speculated to be announced next week. This year we saw Samsung emerge with the Galaxy Buds, followed by Amazon’s first offering in the category. The Echo Buds take Alexa out of the smart home, making the virtual assistant more portable and accessible than ever. Most recently, Microsoft “resurfaced” with the announcement of their own Surface Earbuds. With a day’s worth of battery life, dictation, and gesture recognition, Microsoft aims to assist users in taking control of Office (and maybe their actual office, too) via the power of voice.