High end headphone maker Audio-Technica was in Las Vegas this week to celebrate its 50th anniversary, and also entered the high-end fitness headphone market with the Apple-friendly ATH-CP500i and ATH-CP500 Sport Fit In-ear Headphones. Both have an exclusive ear-hanger design and loop support system to provide a stable, comfortable fit even during intense workouts. Congrats on making it to the big 5-0 to Audio-Technia. We look forward to putting these headphones to the test later this year.
Cell phones and H2O should normally never mix, but for those who cannot live without their phones even when in or near water, the DryBUDS SPORT headphones with built-in waterproof microphone is the accessory for you.
Shown this week at the 2012 Consumer Electronics Show, the DryBUDS SPORT is completely waterproof, according to its manufacturer, Dry Corp. That means you can bring it into the pool or shower to listen to your tunes. Paired with your phone using Dry Corp’s DryCASE vacuum-sealed waterproof case, you can utilize the microphone to make/receive calls while you soap up your bod or perform your backstrokes. The ability to access your phone through the headphones is also great for times when you can’t physically reach for the phone, like when you’re busy canoeing down a river, for example.
Sports- and fitness-centric headphones aren’t anything new. Go to any shop that sells headphones and you’ll most likely find a pair with the word “sport” on the packaging. Many of them are just ordinary tinny-sounding speakers rebranded and repackaged for the “active lifestyle.” But Polk Audio’s new performance headphones might be something worth looking into and not an exercise in clever marketing.
Available in the fall, Polk Audio’s new performance lineup includes sports headphones and noise canceling headphones designed for exercise and fitness (as well as those who don’t participate in any activity, naturally). The UltraFit sports headphones are available as in-ear, on-ear and in-ear canal models that come in a variety of colors. They feature water resistance, iPhone/iPod controls, Kevlar-reinforced hinge points for durability, and comfortable non-slip materials in the ear area. For its two UltraFocus models, Polk Audio designed active noise cancelation for an in-ear model and an over-ear version. No water resistance or Kevlar here, but features include comfortable design and iPhone/iPad controls.
Polk Audio makes good stuff. We have tested their products in the past and know they put lots of effort into making great-sounding speakers. But we have only known Polk Audio for their home speaker products, and, as this is Polk Audio’s first step into the performance headphone market, we’ll reserve any opinion until we actually test one out. But if the headphones are anything like their home speaker products in terms of build and performance, the UltraFit and UltraFocus products might be some of the few legit sports headphones available.
Going for a long run often means getting away from it all, but unless you’re in the middle of nowhere your run probably doesn’t get you away from everything. But Yurbuds could just take you away, even if you’re just on a treadmill.
These in-ear headphones were developed by athletes for athletes and officially launched this week with the new Ironman Series earphones. The earbuds were designed by company CEO and Ironman triathlete Seth Burgett while he was training. The result is an earbud that won’t fall out, even when taking part in grueling training regimes.
The sport earphone was developed to match the contour of the human ear without creating any pain points – because if the earbud is uncomfortable who is going to ever want to wear it. The Yurbuds Ironman Series feature an ultra-soft comfort fit and use the company’s patented “TwistLock” technology to provide the wear with exceptional sound by channeling the audio straight to the ear via the patented funnel shape.
Truth be told, when we heard that the Powerbeats headphones were endorsed by rapper Dr. Dre, we didn’t actually think these would be athletes exactly. The good doctor may be many things but the model of fitness isn’t something that immediately comes to mind. And when we found out that the headphones were part of the Monster line we knew they’d sound good, but we weren’t convinced that these were for the fitness crowd.
But Lebron James and other athletes do swear by these. The headphones promise a full range of sound with “clarity and power,” which is what we’d expect from Monster. But then a look at these convinced us these headphones are ready for the game. These feature a flexible earhook to keep the headphones in place, while they’re also sweat resistance as well as UV protected. This means they can get down and dirty and keep performing.
The phones can also be used with a phone, as a Monster ControlTalk cable is also provided. Thus you can play hard, and trash talk on the way home.
It is hard not to love Best Buy. As a guy I love everything Best Buy, from the huge TVs to mobile phones, computers to even the appliances. But the truth is that Best Buy has also sort of been one of those stores that made me feel a little guilty too. It has so much stuff that I love; but yet very little “active” type products for on the go. While there are plenty of digital cameras, GPS devices and now tons of video games that claim to inspire fitness, the truth is that Best Buy remains about those big, big TVs that draw you in, where you just want to sit back on a couch and let the day pass you by.
However, the retailer has announced a new national rollout of health and fitness products at 600 Best Buy stores across the country as well as online at Bestbuy.com. This is truly a good thing, as it should help inspire – dare we say “guilt” – visitors to do something besides sit on a couch whilst enjoying Blu-ray and HDTV. This also comes just in time for all those New Years’ resolutions that we hope readers will keep.
“We were encouraged by the enthusiastic response we saw from our customers during the initial pilot of these health and fitness products,” said Chris Koller, vice president of the Portable Electronics Solutions Group at Best Buy. “We clearly tapped into a desire for Best Buy to provide the latest and greatest technology to enhance health regimens, and to help people discover how they can integrate these devices with other personal technology to monitor and share their progress, and to stay motivated.” Read the rest of this entry »
Music is essential in most workouts. Yet there can be a danger with headphones that block traffic and other noises. Headphones can also be a nuisance when they bounce on your ears or earbuds that don’t stay in your ears. There are a few headband-style headphones, and now AccousticSheep has come out with RunPhones, a headband with removable earphones built into the fabric. Read the rest of this entry »
One thing that technology has improved is the style in “sports” gear. Remember those old cassette Walkman players? The sports one was always so bulky and big. The same thing has been true more recently for headphones. Yes, durable is good, but frankly my shooting earmuffs have more style than many fitness headsets.
Jaybird SB2 Sportsband Bluetooth Headsets
Now JayBird has the word, with its line of Bluetooth headphones. The new Sportsband offers nine colors, from Limonade Green and Sonic Blue, to Snow Wite and Runner’s Red. More importantly these wireless headsets provide a high fidelity bass response so you can feel the music as much as hear it. The Sportsband headsets are also compatible with mobile phones, so you won’t have to miss a call while off on a run.
And least you think these are too much about fashion, and not enough about fitness, it should be noted that the headphones offer a lifetime warranty against sweat. The Sportsband headphones are available now for $99.
Chocolates are said to be good for your health, but why not give gifts that are good for the heart and get your sweetie moving. That’s a gift for the heart! KineticShift has a few recommendations to get you on the right track this Valentine’s Day.
Measure heartbeats per minute with the SmartHeart from Oregon Scientific
This water resistant monitor tracks heart rate, calories burned, average heart rate, and vibrates to send alerts. The SmartHeart features a touch-sensitive lens so you can toggle through settings with a tap.
Listen to the beat on these retro-style headphones from Urbanears.
Listen to music with style during workouts or jaunts to the store with Urbanears Tanto headphones. The retro-style headphones has a fabric cord to add strength and has 36 mm handmade drivers. The remote/microphone lets the headphones double for a headset with a cell phone.
Shield mobile phones from breaking with a silicon case from Speck.
Protect your sweetie’s phone during workouts with Speck’s PixelSkin. The no-slip grip is due to its textured silicon construction. The phone-specific case provides access to all the phone’s ports and controls. For Valentine’s Day, Speck is offering 25 percent off red, pink, and purple phones.
They say cold hands, warm heart. That doesn’t mean your love’s digits should freeze off by the end of winter. Lightweight Running Gloves from Nike uses a Dri-FIT material made from high-performance, microfiber polyester fabric to wick sweat from hands to relieve runners and those just smitten of sweaty palms.
Keep him warm on the slopes or any other outdoor activity in the extreme cold. Metal has diamond-faced ColdGear construction to remove moisture while holding in warmth. The top has ventilation zones for heat release and temperature regulation. It also features flatlock seams to increase mobility without causing irritation.
High end headphone maker Audio-Technica was in Las Vegas this week to celebrate its 50th anniversary, and also entered the high-end fitness headphone market with the Apple-friendly ATH-CP500i and ATH-CP500 Sport Fit In-ear Headphones. Both have an exclusive ear-hanger design and loop support system to provide a stable, comfortable fit even during intense workouts. Congrats on making it to the big 5-0 to Audio-Technia. We look forward to putting these headphones to the test later this year.
