In a very crowded, celebrity-saturated area of the music accessory market, Torque Audio is carving out a place in the grounds of in-ear audio innovation. Their Zoom Series…
Continue Reading…
I thought it was just me and my tiny ears, but apparently Apple’s Earpods are a tough fit for lots of us! Instead of replacing the buds, just snap on a pair of Sprng clips to make em’ stay put. The ergonomic design stabilizes the Earpods with a soft elastomer tip that snaps into the concha of the ear and won’t interfere with glasses or hats. You can even slide the pods up and down for a custom fit. Ordering mine now! Get yours here!
Designer: OHM Industrial Designers, Inc.
–
Yanko Design
Timeless Designs – Explore wonderful concepts from around the world!
Shop CKIE – We are more than just concepts. See what’s hot at the CKIE store by Yanko Design!
(Quick fix to an Apple goof! was originally posted on Yanko Design)
Related posts:
     |
Today Bose gave new application to the phrase “turn on, tune in, drop out” by announcing the QuietComfort 20—a pair of snug-fitting, noise-canceling earbuds with an ultra-convenient new feature. The earbuds not only allow you to…
Continue Reading…
It’s time to get serious about mobile phone radiation – and what better way to do it than with a lovely design concept to completely do away with it? This is the “ER”, a smartphone that works with a Bluetooth-connected detachable microphone/earbud combo. When it’s docked, the earbud charges up. When it’s out, it’s instantly connected wirelessly to your phone.
This device was made not just for those people who love to keep their phone in their pocket when they talk for fashion, but for those worried about the radiation emitted by phones on a regular basis. For them, there’s this surprisingly reasonable docked earbud-in-phone concept – have at it!
Designers: National Chiao Tung University
–
Yanko Design
Timeless Designs – Explore wonderful concepts from around the world!
Yanko Design Store – We are about more than just concepts. See what’s hot at the YD Store!
(This Smartphone Packs a Hidden Earbud was originally posted on Yanko Design)
Related posts:
 |  |
Three music players fit for life on the road
Summer is here, and it’s time to get the hell out of Dodge. As frequent travelers we can best survive a road trip, long-distance flight or lengthy train ride with easy access to good tunes, and we like our gear to match form for function. So, with this in mind we’ve shortlisted three minimally designed devices engineered to enhance any journey.
This compact, wireless and durable device hits all the necessary marks for a portable speaker. The tall boy-sized speaker packs two drivers for impressive sound quality inside a reinforced casing that’s both shock and splash resistant. The cylindrical design allows for use in a prone or standing position, both offering slightly different listening experiences. Connecting through bluetooth to any mobile device is a breeze. Additional impressive features include a motion sensor to change songs with the wave of your hand, the option to pair two speakers for surround sound and a wireless range of over 30 feet—perfect for rooftops and backyard BBQs. Purchase the Shoqbox directly from Philips for $180.
Building off the basics of the much adored P5 headphone, the slender P3 retains its big brother’s sleek looks and unparalleled audio performance with a lighter footprint and foldable body. Each ear pad features a specially engineered “acoustic fabric” for audio transparency, and the sealed pads boost bass and actually form to the wearer’s ears with heat-sensitive memory foam. Plus, the P3 comes equipped with a remote and microphone to seamlessly link to your iPhone. The travel-friendly headphones pack up neatly into a clamshell style hard case for portability. The newly released P3 is available from Apple for $199.
With the tagline of “Made for many”, the One+ Earbud is compatible across multiple device brands. Optimized for Android phones, the headphone’s multifunction controls are compatible with everything from Windows phones to Apple iOS devices and all the way down to your old Nokia flip phone. In addition to the universal workability, the flat, tangle-free cables are really what makes these puppies portable. The smooth rubber coating and uniform surface of the cords keep them from jumbling, letting you toss them in your bag or stuff them in your pocket without getting tied up in knots. The A-Jays One+ sells online for just $60.
Images by Graham Hiemstra
Tech-centric highlights from our 2011 holiday gift guide
Many adults—including a majority of CH staffers—classify their favorite toys in the tech sector. We’ve culled a batch of coveted electronic items from the Cool Hunting Gift Guide for all the gadget lovers on your list.
Developed in 1995 by Van Halen’s touring monitor engineer and drummer, this line of earphones ranges from the simple $50 set for the daily commuter to the extravagant professional in-ear monitor custom-made to mold to your ear ($450-$1350).
The gorgeous display on this digital wall clock will deliver accurate readouts without the stress of a ticking second hand. Qlocktwo comes in multiple colors and sizes, with a design fit for home or office.
Power your life on the go with pure sunlight from ray, a portable solar charger for digital devices. The handy contraption comes with a silicone suction cup and kickstand to harness solar power anywhere. Coupling convenience with responsibility, this is a sure win for conscientious gadget users.
French designer David Turpin presents Moshi Moshi 03i, a wireless handset and dock for iPhones and personal computers. Link up via Bluetooth or USB and use the slick desktop accessory to call and Skype to your heart’s content.
Digitizing all kinds of clutter from tax returns to receipts to business cards, NeatDesk is a scanner-and-software combo that records and organizes your most essential information. The intelligent software is able to digitally categorize the content of your scans; in the case of receipts, it finds the date, payment type, purchase amount as well as other important details.
The second installment of SF-based industrial designer Joey Roth’s ceramic speakers pump out massive sound in a simple package. Made with durable and natural materials like cork, porcelain and maple plywood, this classic set will enliven your living room for years to come.
The adorable Dot from Kogeto snaps onto your iPhone 4 or 4s to enable 360-degree recording from the palm of your hand. The attachment comes in a rainbow of colors and is a perfect gift for amateur videographers to record their latest youtube shenanigans.
The nifty iPong robot provides expert ping pong training without a partner. Best of all, the cylindrical, super slim design allows setup in less than a minute.
Custom molded earphones deliver pro-level sound with up to six speakers per ear
In the ongoing quest for the perfect earphones, I gladly accepted Ultimate Ears’ offer to try their custom program recently. The resulting UE18 earphones are by far the best-fitting and sounding pair I’ve experienced so far.
Like any bespoke earphones, the experience starts in the office of an audiologist, who takes impressions of your ears. I visited Dr. Julie Glick from Musician Hearing Solutions and the process was fast and easy. Conveniently, Dr. Glick had samples of the different Ultimate Ears models (from those designed for acoustic gigs all the way up to multi-speaker versions better suited to stadium shows) made in generic shapes to give a sense of the differences between each of them.
Once Ultimate Ears received the impressions from Dr. Glick, it was time to spec out my pair. The customization options are endless—colors, patterns and logos are all fair game—but I decided to keep it relatively simple by using translucent Cool Hunting green, adding a little glitter for fun. A few short weeks later, the earphones arrived in a personalized protective case.
Since Ultimate Ears were developed for professional musicians, their sound capabilities are top-of-the-line. A six-speaker sound system (in each ear!) drives the UE18s, with wiring designed for durability and minimal distortion. The buds also feature three acoustically-tuned sound channels and multiple passive crossover points, “creating the ultimate in separation, detail and clarity.” Even though I’m not a musician, I can attest that the sound quality is top-notch. And the custom fit not only makes them very comfortable, it also helps block out surrounding noise.
Ultimate Ears custom molded earphones range from $400-1350. For a more affordable, but still high-quality custom earphone solution, check out Etymotics Custom Fits.
Find the perfect fit with custom molded earbuds
Custom-fitted to the unique shape of your ear in just four minutes, the Sculpted Eers earbuds from Montreal-based Sonomax deliver dynamic sound in an ultra-comfortable way. The DIY kit comes with easy instructions for achieving a perfect fit for either of their two models—a single speaker PCS-100 or superior dual driver PCS-200.
The recently-launched earbuds will be available beginning spring 2011, and will sell for $200-300. To keep tabs on their arrival, follow Sculpted Eers on Twitter.
This is site is run by Sascha Endlicher, M.A., during ungodly late night hours. Wanna know more about him? Connect via Social Media by jumping to about.me/sascha.endlicher.
