If you’re into gadgets and having a connected lifestyle then listen up because Sony have some Smart Earbuds called Xperia Ear that are inbound and may well be available before Christmas.

They’re branded as an Xperia product, but like most accessories these days they’ll work on any Android device, via Sony’s own app that you can grab from the Play Store. While the capabilities of the Xperia Ear are similar to that of Google Assistant, it’s certainly worth noting that you can engage the Assistant functionality via any Bluetooth headset on Android 7.0, but the real hook here with Sony’s gear is the ability to have your notifications read out to you by the earbuds.

At US$199 there’s a lot of reasons not to buy these, but there is absolutely a market for people who like to keep their eyes on the world around them while staying connected.

How would you use the Xperia Ear to enhance your daily life?