GameChanger's Audio Bone headphones, ideal for mud wrestlers and mermaids

Unlike a lot of the other Frankenstein-esque bone conducting headphones we've seen, the Audio Bone 1.0 headphones from GameChanger are a tad more discreet. Your $189 won't buy you an onboard MP3 player like the SwiMP3, however, so don't come crying to us when your not-so-waterproof media player electrocutes you and everyone else hanging out in the kiddie pool.

[Via ubergizmo]

[Patrick R @ Sep 16th 2008 7:40PM]

thanks, but the premium zune headphones work for me :)

[who? @ Sep 16th 2008 7:43PM]

OK

[phanbouy @ Sep 16th 2008 7:45PM]

i've got your audio bone right here

[phanbouy @ Sep 16th 2008 7:47PM]

oops... i just noticed this Post is by someone named "Stephanie". not directed at you, of course. ;P

[Zak @ Sep 16th 2008 7:52PM]

Sexual Harassment Panda is sad.

[Artie Lange @ Sep 16th 2008 8:16PM]

But Chauvinistic Platypus is smiling.

[BigBirdUK @ Sep 16th 2008 8:32PM]

...and Legal Beagle is rubbing his hands....um....paws together in anticipation of the filing.

phanbouy...why did a previous poster think you'd been banned?

[Artie Lange @ Sep 16th 2008 8:13PM]

Heheh..."Bone"...

[letstakeawalk @ Sep 16th 2008 8:19PM]

These would be nice for bike rides. You have your music, and you can still hear everything going on around you; situational awareness is a good thing to have. That they're waterproof is just the icing - there's been plenty of times when I've been caught in a sudden downpour and had to keep riding.

[phanbouy @ Sep 16th 2008 8:21PM]

"and you can still hear everything going on around you"

how does that work?

[letstakeawalk @ Sep 16th 2008 8:44PM]

FTA: "Audio Bone transmits music through your bones directly to your inner ear – so you can still hear everything around you. "

Maybe I misread that, or maybe I shouldn't believe all the ad copy in a release. Since the transducers don't block the ear canal, they don't block outside noise. That said, I'd like to try them and find out for myself.

[mkeough23 @ Sep 16th 2008 8:22PM]

These remind me of the motorola s9 headset

[BigD145 @ Sep 16th 2008 8:55PM]

Women's mud wrestling is worth any price.

[Steven Flockhart @ Sep 16th 2008 9:04PM]

I couldn't think of a time when waterproof head phones would be of use. thanks "letstakeawalk"

[Wasko @ Sep 16th 2008 11:10PM]

YEAH@!!!! Now I can watch the videos on my water proof video camera after i shoot it!!! /sarcasm

[cr @ Sep 17th 2008 1:42AM]

Mer-man! [high-pitched cough] Mer-man!

[Cooter @ Sep 17th 2008 2:18AM]

I'm very intrigued, but at nearly $200? Yikes! That's more than a new iPod nano.

[kaician @ Sep 17th 2008 3:36AM]

I don't know what country these are from, but I tried these out at the local electronics store the other day (Japan)
I didn't know they were supposed to be a big deal, but I must say I was not impressed. You have to turn the volume up to obscene levels just to actually hear the music, and normal sound around you drowns out the music that you do hear.

I must admit that if you did listen to them underwater it'd be pretty cool. You can close your ears and still hear the music as clearly (and in most cases, more clearly) than with your ears open. Course, that really doesn't speak for these cans everyday usage...

Swimmers (with waterproof media players) rejoice...

[PaulyJay @ Sep 17th 2008 5:15AM]

They use these things to talk to all the climbers on Sydney harbour bridge.
I always thought they'd be good for music as they don't 'give off noise' like traditional headphones.

[ivanotter @ Sep 17th 2008 12:04PM]

the Obvious seems to have been missed:

These are waterproof, so you can wear them outdoors, say camping or bike riding, and if it starts raining, you can STILL listen to music.

Not SWIMMING, just in inclement weather where most headphones have a high possibility of getting damaged.

or preventing you from looking like a total idiot with huge ziplock bags tied around your headphones to keep them dry.


Or if you Do feel like swimming.... http://www.otterbox.com/ipod-cases/

[TedGCP @ Sep 17th 2008 2:49PM]

Hi folks. This is a very engaging (and entertaining!) conversation. I'd like to jump in, if you don't mind.

First off, I want to let you all know that I work for the company, GameChanger Products, that has brought Audio Bone to the U.S. from Japan. So, you all now know that I have some interest in this discussion (thanks for all your comments!). Now, with that disclosure out of the way...

Letstakeawalk and ivanotter are on the right path. Audio Bone is terrific for the cyclists and runners out there who want to enjoy music while they are pursuing their exercise hobbies. You can listen to music AND keep your ears free so you can hear any environmental sounds around you...like a car coming up behind you or someone shouting, "Look out for the runaway stroller!"

Those ear buds and over-the-ear headphones block out those types of ambient sounds...which makes Audio Bone a SAFER option, in our opinion. They are also good if you are working in an office, but still need to keep an ear peeled for something (or someone) going on around you.

And, yes, they really are waterproof, so you could swim laps with them (but make sure you get a watertight case for your iPod first!). :-)

We've also been looking at research studies on ear drum damage/hearing issues. Many (if not most) people who experience hearing loss do so because of ear drum damage. And, there's mounting research that indicates growing concern for music listeners' ears (see this study from Northwestern U. http://www.northwestern.edu/newscenter/stories/2005/12/garstecki.html ). Think of Pete Townshend, who attributes his hearing issues to his use of studio headphones for so many years: "...Today Townshend is struggling with irreparable hearing loss. But rather than blaming the group's on-stage antics he believes it's down to his years of wearing studio headphones during recording sessions. The guitarist, 60, says he fears for the "iPod generation" - his intuition tells him "there is terrible trouble ahead...".
(see the full article at: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/magazine/4580718.stm ).

Since Audio Bone rests outside the ear (sits just in front of it) and does not transmit sound through the ear canal/ear drum, these issues are avoided. So, we think it is a HEALTHIER listening alternative as well. In fact, we've had people who have some hearing loss issues tell us that they actually hear a wider range of notes with Audio Bone than they can with "regular" headphones (point of honesty - this is not a scientific survey sample...we haven't gotten that far yet!...but feedback from some users).

Then, there's the "comfort" factor...the comfort of not shoving something into your ear canal (personally, that's always really annoyed me...not to mention constantly putting those buds back in when they fall out). And, let's not forget the "ick" factor...no more sticking ear buds in your ear canal with all the lovely things that can stick to your buds.

I want to acknowledge Kaican's point about volume. You won't have the same level of volume with Audio Bone as the method of transmitting the sound vibrations through the bone vs. the ear canal does not generate the same volume level...yet. R&D is still working on that one. But, you won't blast your ear drum, either, like poor Pete Townshend.

One final thought: this is really just technology catching up with nature. We've all experienced bone conduction. When you hear yourself talking, and wonder why you sound different when you hear a recording....that's because you hear your own voice partially via bone conduction. Put your hand on the back of your head when you speak...you'll feel the vibration (yep, bone conduction).

Hopefully this answers some of the questions folks have raised. Again, we appreciate the lively discussion and hope that some of you give Audio Bone a try. Feel free to check out our site and send us any comments or thoughts: www.audioboneheadphones.com.

Cheers!
Ted

[AudioBones @ Sep 29th 2008 12:07PM]

Before we brought these headphones in to our unique product offerings we wanted to make sure they were good headphones.
After we tested them in water and all kinds of bouncing, we knew that our customers would like them.

But we knew that Mom would be the real test -- we let Mom try these on last night ... and she was shocked, finally she can hear music in both ears. A few years back she ruptured her eardrum and hasn't been able to hear from that side of her head. It was cool to see her bopping her head to the music. So she gave us two thumbs up to offer them, so we have added them to our site http://www.waterproofmusic.com/waterproof-headphones-audio-bones.html

The sound volume is lower than other headphones, but if you want to hear around you at the same time, it's an OK volume. If you want to blow out your eardrums, these are not the headphones for you, stick with something else. If you want a good sound without killing your ears, and like being able to hear everything around you, then these will definitely do the trick. And their not as strange looking as the Swimp3.

[lizzy @ Dec 3rd 2008 2:04AM]

Hi Ted,
I know you are working for the company. So I expect some professional advise from you .
When you use this I mean the headset for a longtime, just 4~5 hours , will people have a headache?
my friend told me last year she bought one in Japan . After she used for a whole afternoon she feel painful on her head. So does this do some harm on people's head or ear? I am so worried about this because I am considerating buying 50pcs for children.Are there something or somepeople which can make sure this is healthy? Thank you.

[Benjamin @ Nov 10th 2008 9:17AM]

Hay,

do you know where I can order AudioBoneHeadphones in Europe.

Benjamin