In the past few years we’ve seen companies including Bose and Amazon build speakers into eyeglass frames. But the US$ 250 price tags might be a bit off-putting at a time when you can find true wireless earbuds selling for a small fraction of that price. Still like the idea of speakers that are near your ears, but not in them? That’s where the new JLab JBuds come in.
They’re basically a set of Bluetooth
speakers that clip onto your existing glasses. They’ll be available this spring
for US$ 50. The JBuds are basically a pair of tiny speakers with a 16mm driver
that directs sound downward toward your ear so that it won’t be audible to
other folks in the vicinity. Since the speakers don’t actually cover your ears,
you’ll still be able to hear sounds around you, which could make these a good
choice for use while going for a walk, riding a bicycle, or any other activity
where you might get hit by a car if you don’t notice it approaching.
JLab says multiple clip sizes will be
available, so while there’s no getting around the fact that it’ll look like
you’ve attached something to your glasses (because you have), you should
hopefully be able to find the least obtrusive and best-fitting option.
The JBuds feature IPX4 water resistance
which should be enough to withstand a bit of sweat or rain. And there are
buttons that you can use to adjust volume, take a phone call, or perform a few
other actions without reaching for your phone or other connected device.
Rather than a charging case like the ones
you typically get with true wireless earbuds, the JBuds will come with a funky
looking charging cable featuring a USB-A connector on one end and two magnetic
charging connectors on the other end(s).
