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, as well as many other websites.

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

Two Magico A3 2027 speakers either side of a cabinet.
Magico's new speakers look like they were designed by NASA and cost more than a holiday cottage... and I want them

By Tom Bedford Published

The Magico A3 2027 isn't an upgrade, but a complete overhaul — and it costs nearly £30,000 (or equivalent, where you live).

Sonos logo on the Sonos Beam Ultra
A new Sonos app update fixes one tiny but frustrating problem, and fans are loving it

By Tom Bedford Published

A new Sonos app upgrade is going down well: it brings several minor fixes, including a persistent playlist.

The TDM Neo at CES 2026, in its compressed speaker state
Is it a bird? Is it a plane? 9 months after being revealed, that twisty pair of headphones which turns into a speaker just finally became available to buy

By Tom Bedford Published

We first saw the TDM Neo at CES in January, and now you're finally able to buy the novel twisty speaker-headphone combo.

The Soundcore Space 2 on the left, and Soundcore Liberty 5 Pro on the right.
I review audio kit, and the headphones and earbuds I use in my own time have been reduced to their lowest-ever prices — it's the Prime Day deal to beat

By Tom Bedford Published

As Prime Day audio deals go, Soundcore's discounts are some to beat, reducing the headphones and earbuds I use every day.

The Earfun Wave Pro X
After two weeks of testing, the Earfun Pro X headphones reminded me of the new Bose QuietComfort (2nd Gen), except they cost half the price

By Tom Bedford Published

The Wave Pro X are Earfun's best cans so far, and the margin is wide.

A still from Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone, showing Ron Weasley being judged by the Sorting Hat.
Which Hogwarts house do you belong in? Tell us about your tech and this Harry Potter quiz will do the rest

By Tom Bedford Published

Love tech? A big fan of Harry Potter? This 31-question quiz will work out which Hogwarts house you'd be sorted into based on your gadgets.

The Fairphone 6 Plus on a window sill.
The Fairphone 6 Plus is the first real eco-friendly phone offered to US buyers in years — I just wish it wasn't so expensive

By Tom Bedford Published

Recommended

The Fairphone 6 Plus is a minor upgrade over its predecessor, despite costing more. However, it's available to US buyers, which is a significant development.

The Samsung Galaxy Buds On case and buds against a blue background.
Samsung finally announces its first ever clip-on open earbuds, with a neat Galaxy Buds 4 feature… but you can't buy them yet

By Tom Bedford Published

The Samsung Galaxy Buds On are the brand's new clip-style open earbuds, with some design and feature inspirations from the Buds 4.

The Samsung Galaxy Watch 9 on a pile of sports kit.
I was sick of smartwatches — but the Samsung Galaxy Watch 9 is a breath of fresh air as it solves one common wearable problem

By Tom Bedford Published

Recommended

The Samsung Galaxy Watch 9 simplifies the smartwatch experience, but some might find it a bit too simple.

The iFi UP Play Max on the left, and the Questyle QCC Dongle Pro 2 on the right.
Don't upgrade your handset, upgrade what it can do: these new cheap hi-fi Bluetooth dongles unlock hi-res music from your phone, and ping it to your wireless earbuds

By Tom Bedford Published

Three new hi-res USB-C audio dongles from class-leaders of the game: plug one in and get ready for LDAC and aptX, even from your iPhone

Two Shokz OpenDots Air earbuds on the arm of a sofa.
'Promises to topple giants': I've been praising open earbuds for years and now, fresh stats prove they're the anti-tech gadget you've been longing for

By Tom Bedford Published

Sales figures prove open earbuds are here to stay — and as brands continue to improve sound quality while ditching extras to keep costs low, they're a win for us

The Bose x Thom Browne QuietComfort Ultra Headphones (2nd Gen).
Emo all grown up? Got yourself a bit of money? I've found your perfect designer Bose headphones, based on the 5-star QC Ultra (Gen 2)

By Tom Bedford Published

Bose × Thom Browne QuietComfort Ultra Headphones (2nd Gen) change the design of the Boses, and add a fair markup on top

Qobuz artwork showing an AI detection tag.
No, AI music isn't taking over the world, as new Qobuz data proves — in fact, barely anyone's listening to fake music

By Tom Bedford Published

Qobuz is introducing AI-generated music tags so you can avoid the sonic slop, as it shares data on how prevalent fake music really is.

A glimpse at the Apple Music Hall, showing its chairs and boxes.
Apple just bought a London gig venue, and it means loads more live streams and Spatial Audio recordings for Apple Music subscribers

By Tom Bedford Published

The Apple Music Hall is a 600-seater venue in London which is set to offer Apple Music listeners a procession of live streams and Spatial Audio recordings.

The Honor Pad V9 on a bronze table.
Streams and roundabouts: Apple Music just fixed one long-running issue, while Spotify added a different one

By Tom Bedford Published

Apple Music has changed how songs appear or disappear in playlists, while Spotify has barred free-tier listeners from streaming new music for a set amount of time

Sam and Frodo in The Lord of the Rings, one of the best new Prime Video movies
One does not simply walk through this quiz: test your Lord of the Rings knowledge with these 30 questions

By Tom Bedford Published

A big fan of The Lord of The Rings? This 30-question quiz will work out just how well you know the franchise.

The Bose QuietComfort Headphones (2nd Gen) flat down on a gray fabric.
After a month testing Bose's new premium headphones, I would recommend them — but I'd recommend waiting more

By Tom Bedford Published

The Bose QuietComfort Headphones (2nd Gen) sound fantastic and feel comfortable to wear, but after testing them thoroughly I'm still not sure they justify their asking price.

The FiiO FT15 on a black background.
Our favorite budget audiophile brand launches new flagship planar magnetic headphones that aren't so budget — but a next-gen 86% thinner diaphragm with 'full-face diamond coating' could make them worth the price for head-fi fans

By Tom Bedford Published

The Fiio FT15 is a flashy new follow-up to the FT5, bringing refinements across the board for a slightly higher price.

The Bose Sport Open Earbuds next to their case on a shelf.
Bose just unveiled the successors to some of our favorite open earbuds — and there's even a cheaper option to make Shokz a little, er, shocked

By Tom Bedford Published

Bose has two new clip-style earbuds: a follow-up to one of our top-rated pairs, plus a more affordable model.

The Yamaha B200A on a wooden shelf under a TV.
Yamaha's new cheap Dolby Atmos soundbar could be the compact TV sound upgrade you're looking for

By Tom Bedford Published

The Yamaha B200A offers Dolby Atmos, a compact frame, several modes and a built-in subwoofer, all for a relatively affordable price.

The iFi Go Cable coiled by a laptop.
iFi's newest hi-res headphone DAC and amp squeezes into a tiny USB-C earbuds cable — you just add your own audiophile IEMs

By Tom Bedford Published

The iFi Go cable manages to fit a DAC/headphone amp into one small cable, which you can use on your phone or laptop.

The Samsung Galaxy Buds 4 Pro in their case, atop a Galaxy S26 Ultra.
Samsung's much-anticipated open-earbuds appear to leak again, this time with a new name and long list of features

By Tom Bedford Published

Another leak has revived interest in Samsung's open-ear headphones, this time suggesting a new name as well as some features which they could have.

The Soundpeats Pop Clip2 on a wooden table.
I was ready to call these the best open earbuds ever, and they're incredibly cheap — but one recurring issue ruined it all

By Tom Bedford Published

The SoundPeats Pop Clip 2 sound and fit amazingly, but connection problems let them down.

iFi iDSD GR 2 plugged into music player and headphones
Have a playlist that's full of memories? Qobuz and iFi want to hear it for World Alzheimer's Month, and you could win an elite 5-star DAC

By Tom Bedford Published

Music streaming service Qobuz and hi-fi tech maker iFi have teamed up for World Alzheimer's Month with a competition.

Beats Culver City Campus
Apple's big AirPods 5 launch event might be over, but its most anticipated headphones may well arrive later this month

By Tom Bedford Published

Rumors point to the Beats 360 releasing later in September, thanks to a recent firmware update to the cans.

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