March 2026

There were 1,682 posts published in March 2026 (this is page 87 of 169).

The New AirPods Max 2 Will Finally Have Features Apple’s Earbuds Have Had for Years

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On Monday, Apple officially announced the AirPods Max 2. As the name implies, this is the first major update to the AirPods Max since Apple introduced the over-the-ear headphones in 2020. The company previously rolled out a minor refresh for the AirPods Max, but this only replaced the original pair’s Lightning port with USB-C, and enabled Apple to add a couple neat perks via software update. AirPods Max 2, however, come with new features out of the gate—features that Apple’s earbuds have actually had for years.

First, an answer to the question most likely on your mind: No, Apple did not change the price. These headphones are still $549, which is expensive, even for high-end over the ear headphones. Take a look at PCMag’s list of the best headphones for 2026, and you’ll see similar options from competitors like Sony and Bose reach up to $450 or $460, but none break $500—and you’ll often find huge discounts on these headphones to boot. The AirPods Max’s price tag has always made these headphones hard to recommend, even though I personally love them. That’s still the case with the AirPods Max 2.

Still, Apple is offering a lot more functionality for the same price, and seeing as $549 in 2020 is worth nearly $700 in 2025, you are getting quite a bit more for your money with the AirPods Max 2. The new headphones get Apple’s H2 chip, which Apple says improves noise cancellation by up to 1.5 times, and enables “even more natural” Transparency mode. The company says the new headphones have a new high dynamic range amplifier “for even cleaner audio,” while maintaining the sound signature from the previous generation AirPods Max. Meanwhile, Spatial Audio sounds “better than ever” with “more accurate and consistent bass response, and more natural-sounding mids and highs.” Like the USB-C AirPods Max, these headphones support 24-bit 48 kHz lossless audio when connected via a wired USB-C cable.

AirPods Max 2’s “new” features

So, according to Apple, AirPods Max 2 sound better than AirPods Max. That’s to be expected from a new generation of headphones. In my view, however, the real upgrade here are all the “intelligent” features that AirPods Max 2 now support. For the first time, AirPods Max supports Adaptive Audio, which automatically adjusts noise cancellation and Transparency levels to match your environment. That also includes Conversation Awareness, which automatically lowers the volume and reduces background sounds when you start speaking. That way, you can hear someone clearly while having a conversation with your AirPods Max on, and when you’re done talking, your audio comes back at its previous volume.

The new AirPods also support Voice Isolation, which blocks out background noise and emphasizes your voice during calls, as well as Personalized volume, which adjusts the volume based on your past preferences. There’s “Loud Sound Reduction,” which caps the loudness of externals sounds while preserving the sounds themselves. (You could wear these to a concert and still hear everything, but protect yourself from sounds that are too loud.) You can also nod or shake your head to interact with Siri, rather than speak your commands. (If Siri asks you whether you’d like to respond to a message, you can nod to accept, or shake your head to dismiss.) You can also take advantage of Live Translation, Apple’s feature that translates conversations on the fly.

The thing is, none of these features are actually new, and with exception to some (namely Live Translation), have been available on some AirPods models for years. It’s great that Apple finally added them to the AirPods Max, but it is frustrating that the USB-C model didn’t include them for that $549 price point.

Apple says that you can pre-order AirPods Max 2 starting March 25, in midnight, starlight, orange, purple, and blue, and that the headphones will be available starting early next month. Now that these headphones are official, however, keep an eye out for discounts on the previous generation AirPods Max. Amazon tends to have good deals on AirPods Max from time to time, and now that there’s a new model, the previous ones should go down in price even more—as long as there’s availability. As of this piece, the best deals appear to be on renewed models.

AirPods Max (Renewed)


$399.00
at Amazon

NBA to reportedly vote on allowing league to explore expansion opportunities in Las Vegas and Seattle

The NBA will reportedly vote to explore expanding to Las Vegas and Seattle in upcoming seasons. The league will reportedly hold a vote at its Board of Governors meetings at the end of March, per Shams Charania of ESPN.

If that vote is approved, the league will be allowed to start looking for bids and buyers in both cities, per ESPN.

The vote would not guarantee expansion to either city in the near future, but would serve as the first step toward the NBA returning to Seattle and starting up a new franchise in Las Vegas.

If the first round of voting is approved in March, the league would likely vote to finalize the motion later this year, per Charania. In order for the vote to pass, 23 of 30 team governors need to vote in favor of the motion. Charania said momentum was moving in the direction of expansion, as a “growing number of owners are believed to support” the idea.

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If that happens, and the league finds buyers in a timely manner, the NBA would look to expand to both cities ahead of the 2028-29 season. If both cities are able to get teams, those franchises would likely join the Western Conference. That would require some realignment, with Charania mentioning the Minnesota Timberwolves or Memphis Grizzlies as teams that could move to the East if Las Vegas and Seattle get teams.

For Las Vegas, it would mark the first NBA franchise in the city. Las Vegas has shown the ability to sustain and support professional sports teams, with the NHL’s Golden Knights, WNBA’s Aces and NFL’s Raiders already in the city and MLB’s Athletics on the way.

For Seattle, it would mark a return to the city after the SuperSonics left for Oklahoma City after the 2007-08 NBA season.

The NBA last expanded in 2004, when the Charlotte Bobcats — now the Hornets — started play.

World Baseball Classic: Aaron Judge’s laser-beam throw flips the inning, the game and the momentum in Team USA’s semifinal win vs. Dominican Republic

MIAMI — Six months ago, Aaron Judge could hardly throw a baseball. On Sunday night, Team USA’s captain changed the entire World Baseball Classic with his right arm.

With Team USA trailing 1-0 in the third inning of a highly anticipated semifinal matchup with the Dominican Republic, D.R. second baseman Ketel Marte clanged a two-out liner into right field. The fleet-footed Fernando Tatis Jr. rounded second and dashed toward third without breaking stride. Judge, all 6-foot-7, 282 pounds of him, charged to the bounding ball, gathered it into his 12.75-inch Rawlings glove and uncorked a 95.7-mph lightning bolt. 

The throw, Judge’s hardest since the 2024 World Series, reached Gunnar Henderson at third base 2.3 seconds later. He slapped a tag down onto an outstretched Tatis, who tumbled to the turf, disappointed and very, very out. Juan Soto, who would’ve hit next with two on and two out, trudged back to the dugout.

But Judge’s throw did more than end a threat and an inning. It flipped the entire game on its head.

“That was just a rocket of a throw,” Henderson told MLB Network’s Jon Morosi after the game. “He’s unbelievable for a reason. He got the boys fired up right there.”

“It was beautiful,” center fielder Pete Crow-Armstrong gushed.

“That [throw] was huge,” Bobby Witt Jr. said on the broadcast after the game.

Henderson, the very next USA hitter, tied the proceedings with an electrifying solo shot to right field. Two batters later, Red Sox youngster Roman Anthony doubled things up with a big fly of his own. The Americans wouldn’t score again the rest of the night. They wouldn’t need to.

A strong performance from Skenes and an absolutely dominant showing from the American bullpen propelled Team USA to a nail-biting, 2-1 victory over a Dominican team that had yet to lose in the World Baseball Classic. 

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The night was billed as a clash of titans, a showdown between the two most talented lineups ever assembled. Every single hitter in the Team D.R. lineup except catcher Austin Wells received an MVP vote in 2025. Team USA’s top four hitters — Bobby Witt Jr, Bryce Harper, Judge and Kyle Schwarber — averaged 40 long balls last season.

As it turned out, pitching ruled the night, and that kept the fireworks to a minimum. The game was more tense than exhilarating, more suspenseful than explosive, and it lacked a final act worthy of the stakes. Unfortunately, it might be remembered more for how it ended — with a brutal called third strike on Geraldo Perdomo — than how it transpired.

But nobody in attendance will forget Judge’s laser beam of a throw.

It was a remarkable play, one that seemed physically impossible toward the end of last season, when Judge was battling a significant elbow issue that left him compromised on defense. The Yankees superstar hit the injured list in July after being diagnosed with a flexor strain. He came back less than two weeks later but didn’t appear in the outfield until early September and looked incredibly tentative when throwing upon his return.

A winter of rest seems to have done Judge’s arm a world of good. When healthy, the three-time MVP has one of the hottest rockets in the sport, something Tatis and Co. relearned the hard way on Sunday.

Celebrated all tournament for their unapologetic, brash and exciting style of play, Team D.R. seemed to cocoon somewhat after Judge’s play and the two fourth-inning long balls. Crucially, Judge’s throw appeared to drastically alter how the Dominicans ran the bases for the rest of the evening. Caution, not aggression, suddenly ruled the day. 

“Doing something like that definitely puts that idea [in the other team’s head],” Crow-Armstrong explained afterward.

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Case in point: Two innings after Tatis was cut down, he cautiously pulled up at second instead of racing toward third on another Marte single. The next batter, Juan Soto, grounded into an inning-ending double play.

The seventh inning created even more regret for the Dominicans. With Austin Wells stationed in scoring position at second base, Perdomo clocked a liner just over Witt’s outstretched glove at shortstop. Wells barrelled toward third, home his final destination. But third-base coach Carlos Febles threw his hands into the air, and Wells slammed on the brakes. The throw from center fielder Pete Crow-Armstrong was offline, reaching catcher Will Smith 10 or so feet up the first baseline.

USA reliever David Bednar struck out the next two hitters, Tatis and Marte, to escape the jam.

“I think that throw today definitely changed the way … maybe it was the base coaches, maybe it was the players. It made a shift somewhere, for sure,” Crow-Armstrong said.

Team USA’s fortunes, all of a sudden, have shifted as well.

After an embarrassing loss to Italy last week, the Stars and Stripes have rattled off two elimination-game victories. They are through to the final on Tuesday against the winner of Monday’s semifinal between Venezuela and Italy. 

And while this offense, with all its household names, continues to underwhelm, Team USA’s pitching, defense and captain did just enough against the Dominican Republic to keep its tournament going.

Michigan State women’s basketball draws No. 5 seed in NCAA Tournament

For the third time in her three seasons at Michigan State, Robyn Fralick has led the Spartans to the NCAA Tournament. Michigan State checks in as the No. 5 seed in region four.

The Spartans will open their tournament run against the No. 12 seeded Colorado State. The game will be played in Norman (OK), with the No. 4 seed Oklahoma hosting the pod, where they will play Idaho. The winners of these two games will play one another.

If the Spartans were able to make it out of their first weekend, they will travel to Sacramento (CA) for the sweet 16.

Contact/Follow us @The SpartansWire on X (formerly Twitter) and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Michigan State news, notes and opinion. You can also follow Cory Linsner on X @Rex_Linzy

This article originally appeared on Spartans Wire: Michigan State women’s basketball draws No. 5 seed in NCAA Tournament