Bose’s QuietComfort 35 II ($350, £330, AU$500) wireless noise-cancelling headphone looks, sounds and performs just like the original except for one key feature: There’s a new “Action” button on the left ear cup that allows you to connect to your Google Assistant without having to touch your phone. And that makes the QC35 II — available in black or silver — the first headphone to integrate Google Assistant.
Similar to Amazon’s Alexa voice assistant, Google Assistant is available for Android and iOS devices. Instead of talking to your phone to access Google Assistant (you have to download the free app), you just press and hold the Action button on the QC35 II and issue commands such as “Tell me the latest news,” “call Mom” and “What are some good Indian restaurants nearby?” You can also use your voice to control your music playback and compatible smart devices in your home.
The new “Action” button is in the left ear cup.
Here’s the better news: You don’t have to use the Action button for Google Assistant. Using the Bose Connect app, you can choose instead to map the Action button to noise-cancellation levels, toggling between Low, High and Off with each button press. You can also adjust the noise-cancelling settings in the app, an important feature for those who may be sensitive to the feeling of light pressure that can be the by-product of active noise-cancellation.
vCard.red is a free platform for creating a mobile-friendly digital business cards. You can easily create a vCard and generate a QR code for it, allowing others to scan and save your contact details instantly.
The platform allows you to display contact information, social media links, services, and products all in one shareable link. Optional features include appointment scheduling, WhatsApp-based storefronts, media galleries, and custom design options.
Aside from that new button, nothing else has changed. The QC35 has the same comfy fit, same top-notch noise cancelling, identical controls on the right ear cup — yes, you can access Siri on iPhones — and the same battery life at up to 20 hours in wireless mode with noise cancelling on. If the battery runs out, you can still use the headphone in passive mode (it sounds good not great) and you get a cord for plugging in when you need to.
The QC35 II comes in silver or black.
Sarah Tew/CNETNot the best sound, but among the best
As I said in my review of the original QC35, this may not be the best-sounding Bluetooth headphone out there, but it’s certainly among them. In the past I’ve compared it to the Sennheiser Momentum 2.0 Wireless, noting that the Sennhesier sounded slightly better, with a bit tighter bass, slightly better clarity and was overall more natural sounding.
Sony’s MDR-1000X, which has now been updated to the WH-1000X M2, may also be slightly ahead on the sound quality front. But how you feel about each headphone will be impacted by the recording quality of the tracks, which means it’ll vary depending on the types of music you listen to and where you get it from.
