3 reasons why I like the Samsung Galaxy Bud Pro as a journalist

Never enough time.

Never just in one place.

Never seem to please the pushy editors.

And that was before social media swarmed the world.

Now with Clubhouse and all before it, all of the above plus juggling the traditional media tasks and the digital ones simultaneously.

The mobile phone is now the infinity stones of the heroic like duty of the day to day journalist.

Not only it is their direct line to the newsroom on location, it is also their in hand Gutternberg machine.

Printing presses bulky letter blocks of yesterday, mobile keyboard touchscreens of today.

I have already reasoned out why the smartphone of today is even more essential to a journalist in terms of the picture, video and connectivity functions. My 3 ultra likes in the new Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra 5G

This time I would like to highlight the often underestimated value of the audio tools and its' practiality.

Just like the days where you had the mobile audio player, a digital camera and also your not so yet smart phone in different gadgets, the tasks today for a journalist is pretty much the same.

Except the tools are now just in one powerful gadget.

So the audio part might not be the main focus but it is essential in the especially digital media consumption space where visuals and sound are the primary sought after content.

Also a clear communication with our 'Houston' as in the newsroom and/or studio is imperative.

3 reasons why I think a journalist's job gets easier with Samsung Galaxy Bud Pro.

1. A snug fit 2. Saving us "Silent Please!" 3. Powered enough to last the assignment

A snug fit matters. As a journalist on ground I have found out to much dismay (heart and wallet) that even premium (like more than RM1000) TWS (true wireless sound) bluetooth enabled devices do not necessarily fit snugly when put to the ears.

A journalist's daily task can be robust in terms of movement mobility with sudden spurts of speed and stops and rough jostling in between.

Not losing our 'earpiece' while going through all that chasing our news subject would really be a great support and even saving us from harm.

Imagine kneeling down to grab your dropped item with dozens of feet around you in a mini stampede going after that VVIP being hastily ushered down the court's staircase.

So the ergonomic design and make really is a plus for me. I totally dig the Wired review on this.

"At first, I was concerned that the headphones, which lack ear fins to keep them stuck in your cartilage, would lose their grip during more demanding physical activity.

Often, buds like this are great to listen to, but if you start running or doing pushups, they’ll slip right out of your ears. Not so with the Buds Pro. I took them on numerous multi-hour runs, and they easily stayed put the entire time."

TV broadcast journalism is my bread and butter and has been so for more than two decades. One thing that has not changed from back then is "Silent Please!"

Just like in the movies, before the camera rolls, before the clapper board snaps, before "Action!", asking the whole set and crew to hush is a must. For news crew on the ground it is not just the team but even the crowd around will have to be managed for sound disruptions, which is not as easy compared to studio settings.

If you are in Pasar Borong for instance, it is just nearly impossible to manage this. So noise canceling is essential. You can't filter out the sounds from being recorded by the camera, but if you and your crew are there, you have factored that into the content anyways.

But for your own presentation like stand-upper or piece-to-camera especially for live telecast or streaming, being able to hear and communicate with the control room be it in the OB (outside broadcast) van or the PCR (production control room) at headquarters, is a must to not make mistakes and god forbid, an unwanted viral on the web bloopers.

I have tried many, even the more than RM1000 premium ones, and this Galaxy Bud Pro, in terms of being able to tune out the noise from the surroundings, is right up there with the more established audio product brands. In movement control order, I tested the buds during the call for prayers (azan) as obviously I can't go to the market.

My house is close to the speakers where the azan was coming out of and I was having an e-meet while standing at the balcony, I can still hear every single syllable of the others online.

Even the loud black smoke belching engine of the garbage truck passing did not cut of my hearing of the meeting's audio.

I guess I can testify to what Samsung meant when they were stating effective noise canceling.

https://news.samsung.com/global/expert-review-effective-noise-canceling-and-impressive-sound-quality-put-the-pro-in-galaxy-buds-pro

Powered enough to last the assignment

Journalists on ground always have their hands full, literally or otherwise.

For a TV journalist which I had been for about 25 years, there will be the microphone in one hand, notebook an phone in the other.

Unfortunately sometimes, the already hardly grasped in hands essential items will be crowded out by one more essential thing, the often bulky power bank.

Being on location for long periods mean being away from fixed power source and plugs. So as heavy duty users of phones and other energy powered stuff, having a gadget with enough power to last the distance (assignments) really does matter.

Samsung promised about 5 hours of use for a fully charged Galaxy Bud Pro.This covers at least an assignment and with luck, two or three, for a typical journalist on the ground.

Apart from active use during recording on scene, playbacks and note takings are just seamless with a wireless audio device at hand or ear.

So while you are heading back to base (news room), listening with active noise canceling drowning out the vehicle's engine and other sounds in the cabin of the vehicle, enables you to make and submit the digital version of your story to the CMS (content management software) for further processing by the editors and visual editors.

May be also just enough juice left in the buds for you to either do your homework by listening to resources online for your next gig or just importantly chilling out with the favourite tune of yours that hopefully lulls you to a short power nap.

All these without the hassle of an additional cable and powerbank.

So as a journalist this buds are powerful enough for me (albeit with the empowered bass mode activated for my Linkin Park tunes).

The Samsung Galaxy Bud Pro really suits me as being a Samsung gadget user for phones and other stuff, it also unleashes additional benefits for Samsung only ecosystem.

Additional benefits like Bixby mode, Find My Earbuds (SmartThings Find) and Auto Switch (between Galaxy devices).

The lesser qualities that I think can be improved would be first about how the tap/touch command on the buds can be a bit more discerning as even touching them to snug in more comfortably also activate the unwanted command.

Second, I personally wouldn't mind an increase price for the next model to make it more premium so I can make the Galaxy Bud Pro my only listening device for TWS and allow me to dispose of the others like Bose and Sony.