Tom Bedford

Tom Bedford

Contributor

Tom Bedford joined TechRadar in early 2019 as a staff writer, and left the team as deputy phones editor in late 2022 to work for entertainment site What To Watch. He continues to contribute on a freelance basis for several sections including phones, audio and fitness.

He graduated in American Literature and Creative Writing from the University of East Anglia. Prior to working on TechRadar, he freelanced in tech, gaming and entertainment, and also spent many years working as a mixologist.

He grew up in Bristol, UK, and has also lived in Norwich, UK, Salt Lake City, UT, and currently resides in London, UK.

Articles by: Tom Bedford

The Anker Soundcore Aerofit 2 Pro in a man's ear while he looks the wrong way to wait for the train.

Only 5 days in, the best fitness headphones of 2026 have already been announced — if they’ll stick the landing

By Tom Bedford published

The Anker Soundcore Aerofit 2 Pro are open earbuds that can switch over to become standard fitness 'phones, fixing problems with the form factor.

A hand holding the Boox Palam 2 Pro in front of a Christmas tree

Goodbye, brain rot – I'm ditching my smartphone for this tiny ereader in 2026, here's why

By Tom Bedford published

Can an ereader do everything a phone can? I found out by giving the Boox Palma 2 Pro a whirl, comparing its features to those of my Android phone.

The AllTrails app on an Android smartphone.

I've been addicted to AllTrails this year – here's why it's your key to an outdoorsy 2026

By Tom Bedford published

Here's why AllTrails is the fitness account you really need, if you want an adventurous new year.

The Google Pixel Buds 2a buds in the case.

Google's new cheap earbuds are its best in years — though it must be said, the bar wasn't especially high

By Tom Bedford published

Google's latest low-cost earbuds may solve issues with older buds, but they don't crack the market yet.

The Shokz OpenDots One on a white windowsill

I tested 30 pairs of headphones in 2025, and these are the 4 I still want to use

By Tom Bedford published

Narrowing the bunch to a wishlist

The Fitnexa SomniPods 3 on a bedside tablet, with a stuffed lion examining it.

I used the thinnest noise-cancelling sleep earbuds for two weeks and it had one fascinating statistic

By Tom Bedford published

Meet the Fitnexa SomniPods 3. They have some problems but look beyond them, and you'll find smartly-framed buds with a few interesting twists.

The Soundpeats Clip1 buds on a table next to the case.

I've found a new favorite pair of sub-$100 cuff-style open earbuds, with some surprisingly premium features

By Tom Bedford published

The Soundpeats Clip1 are budget clipping open earbuds done right, and they're great budget alternatives to Shokz or Bose options.

The Fairphone Fairbuds XL 2025 on a bench.

Fairphone's newest eco-friendly headphones have a feature I wish Bose or Sony would use – and the sound's good too

By Tom Bedford published

The most eco-friendly headphones just got a little bit eco friendlier – and slightly better sounding, too

The Nothing Phone (3) leaning on a wine rack.

I was skeptical about the Nothing Phone 3, but after a month of testing, I finally get what it's all about

By Tom Bedford published

The Nothing Phone 3 matches Samsung and Apple flagships in price, but has its own novel appeal.

The Sony PS-LX310BT on a table.

I tested the entry-level turntable that everyone raves about, and I totally get it

By Tom Bedford published

Recommended

Sony's PS-LX310BT turntable is a delightfully cheap record player that's an absolute dream to listen to – once you've set it up

iPad Pro 12.9 2021

I bought a refurbished iPad, and you should do the same for Black Friday – here's why

By Tom Bedford published

Here's how you can save money (and the planet) by buying a refurbished iPad over Black Friday.

Online Web Browsing

Best online courses and online class sites of 2025

By Tom Bedford last updated

Updated We list the best online courses and online class sites, to make it simple and easy to further your education and learn specialized skills at home.

The Motorola Edge 70 perched on a brown table.

I tested Motorola's cheaper iPhone Air alternative, but it still didn't win me over to team thin-phone

By Tom Bedford published

The Motorola Edge 70 is a surprisingly expensive thin-body Android, which doesn't live up to the expectations past generations have set.

The Earfun Air Pro 4 Plus on top of a keyboard.

I tested the new cheap Earfun earbuds everyone’s raving about; here's how they compare to my favorites

By Tom Bedford published

The Earfun Air Pro 4 Plus are more solid earbuds from the brand, with a few rough edges.

The Shokz OpenDots One in a man's hand.

I tested 12 pairs of open earbuds in 2025: these are the only 5 you should look for on Black Friday

By Tom Bedford published

The open-ears you’ll want to open your wallet for

The Majority Folio on a bronze table with plants in the background.

High price of a vinyl collection putting you off? Follow my lead and get this new one-stop-shop turntable

By Tom Bedford published

Majority Folio is a simple and easy-to-use record player that won't break the bank.

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

Some of my favorite earbuds from last year just got a massive upgrade and the sound is excellent – bar one key issue

By Tom Bedford published

The Creative Aurvana Ace 3 take the framework of their predecessors and fix a few of the biggest issues, delivering better earbuds.

The Xiaomi Smart Band 10 atop a stone wall.

Xiaomi Smart Band 10 review: few upgrades over the best cheap fitness tracker around

By Tom Bedford published

The Xiaomi Smart Band 10 doesn't bring many upgrades over its highly-rated predecessor.

The Skullcandy Crusher 540 Active on a sofa.

I wanted to love Skullcandy's workout headphones, but one big issue makes them a poor fit

By Tom Bedford published

The Skullcandy Crusher 540 Active are designed especially for working out and have some neat features, but they are hampered by a poor fit.

The Realme 15 Pro Game of Thrones Edition ahead of a leafy background and a distant fortress.

I took the Game of Thrones smartphone to a real castle to see if it could stick the (King's) landing

By Tom Bedford published

Realme has made a Game of Thrones smartphone, and I took it for a spin around some European landscapes.

The Soundpeats H3 on the arm of a sofa.

Audiophiles on a budget need to buy these wireless earbuds now – I've tested them and they're the real deal

By Tom Bedford published

Recommended

Soundpeats steps up with a higher driver count than past earbuds but a price that’s not elevated to match.

The Xiaomi OpenWear Stereo Pro in a sunny outdoor setting.

Xiaomi's shiny new open earbuds fix one massive problem with this kind of headphone design

By Tom Bedford published

The Xiaomi OpenWear Stereo Pro fix the ever-present noise leaking problem of open earbuds, but they only sound okay and the design has some issues.

The Status Audio Pro X on a window sill.

Forget AirPods Pro 3, these premium buds sound fantastic and look so much classier

By Tom Bedford published

Recommended

The Status Audio Pro X cost a little more than the AirPods Pro 3, but take on Apple's heavyweights with a more refined audio set-up.

The Fairphone 6 standing before various boxes.

I tested the world's most eco-friendly phone, and was surprised by this one small addition

By Tom Bedford published

The Fairphone 6 brings some upgrades on its predecessor and has a few surprising bells and whistles that you might not have expected for the latest iterative eco-phone.

The Skullcandy Method 360 on a shelf.

After a year of searching, I’ve finally found a rival for my favorite earbuds

By Tom Bedford published

Bose’s helping hand pays off in the Skullcandy Method 360, great-sounding mid-range earbuds.

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