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Shokz OpenRun Pro bone conduction headphones bump up the bass
Shokz, formerly known as Aftershokz, launches its new OpenRun Pro bone-conduction headphones that deliver more low-end than ever before.
AfterShokz OpenComm is a bone conduction headset for the Zoom generation
AfterShokz’s OpenComm bone conduction headset seems an ideal accompaniment to the world we live in today. It's a communications-focused product by virtue of its boom mic, good for today’s busy home or mobile workspace in the age of endless Zoom calls.
The best fitness gadgets for the athlete on your list
Pro tip: Don't buy the athlete on your list socks. (Unless they have specific tastes and love odor-resistant wool.) Instead, consider the gadgets they may or may not have in their arsenal. For some, that means a fitness-oriented smartwatch or, perhaps, a single-purpose wearable designed to go deep on a single sport. You might also consider wireless headphones that won't fall out or malfunction in the face of sweat or raindrops. Or a Nintendo Switch game for your favorite sedentary athlete who has trouble finding motivation otherwise. Our list includes some oddball entries too, including a doo-dad that straps your phone to your sports bra while working out, and a vibrating muscle massager that pro athletes swear by. Heck, we'd even make a case for smart shoes. Not all of them, by any means, but we found a pair even us skeptics can get behind. Have a look. And seriously, don't go with socks.
AfterShokz Aeropex open-ear headphones prove less can be more
I've been using AfterShokz bone conduction headphones ever since I reviewed them in 2015 and they've become an inseparable part of my bike rides. The open-ear design allows me to pump up my soundtrack, while still being able to hear traffic and other goings on around me. Improvements have come incrementally with a few notable leaps, but the new AfterShokz Aeropex model seems to be the culmination of the past years' developments. It's lighter than the previous Air model (Trekz being dropped from the product name), with better sound and improved waterproofing which should keep them from being susceptible to repeated outpourings of sweat. The new AfterShokz Aeropex is available starting today for $159.95. I've had the chance to use them for the past couple of weeks, so I can provide some perspective on how this new model works, especially in comparison to previous versions.
The fitness gadgets and apps you should be using at school
In between cramming for never-ending tests, going out with your classmates and campaigning for the student union, you still need to keep fit. The good news is, you don't have to do that last bit all by yourself. Plenty of smartwatches can stand in for your mom, reminding you to go take a walk after you've sat in front of your computer for too long. There's also gear that you can take with you on your runs to make the grueling exercise more tolerable. In curating this list, we thought not only about what could make your workouts more fun and productive, but also devices and services that help you stay on top of your fitness regimen. These include apps that help manage your diet or exercise plans, so you don't have to splurge on a whole new gadget. Some options are even free. Here's what we recommend.
OptiShokz built bone conduction audio sunglasses
Keeping your ears open to the environment is key when riding a bike or otherwise needing to stay aware of your surroundings, but music is life right? The AfterShokz Trekz Titanium and Air series have been filling that need quite well for a while, but the company has broken away into new avenues for this year's models, with all the requisite z's still in place. Today the company has announced the AfterShokz Xtrainerz MP3 headset, along with its sister company OptiShokz's Revvez bone conduction audio sunglasses. The Xtrainerz should hit the market in Q2 2019 with a price of $149.95. Revvez are heading to Indiegogo on February 19th, 2019 for the crowdfunding treatment with an early bird price of $99 (MSRP $179). I managed to get my hands on some pre-production versions of both here at CES and overall, they seem worth a look, slotting nicely into some new categories.
Aftershokz unveils its skinny Trekz Air open-ear headphones
When Aftershokz released its Trekz Titanium bone-conduction headphones, there was a marked change from the Bluez 2 line before it. The design shifted from a stiff plastic headband to a ruggedly flexible and sportier design. Today at IFA in Berlin, the company is launching the next step in the series called Trekz Air with a retail price of $150 and pre-orders beginning September 1st (in the US). The overall style and concept remain the same, except for the 17-percent lighter weight and visibly slimmer silhouette. I've been using the Titanium model on my bike rides for the past year and have enjoyed the more casual fit, but this new model that I tested for two days really raises the bar in terms of comfort. It's worth noting, though, that in a side-by-side comparison, I found this slimmer package may have lost a tiny bit of oomph in terms audio output -- but that slight tradeoff might be worth it.
Bone conduction headphones let me ditch the boombox, but still cycle safely
Long bike rides are an easy way to burn calories without terrorizing your knees, but it helps to have some tunes to keep things fun. My rides usually take me through bustling urban streets and isolated stretches of waterfront, so pumping out a soundtrack using a Bluetooth speaker is usually a viable option -- mostly, anyway. Unfortunately, the wind-dampened output is never ideal and a high audio volume can burn through battery life, and bringing a backup device adds weight. Luckily, the ideal solution recently crossed my desk: AfterShokz's Bluez 2S bone-conduction headphones.
Aftershokz adds a titanium twist to its bone-conducting headphones
Like many companies these days, Aftershokz just launched an Indiegogo campaign to support its latest offering, a set of bone conduction headphones called Trekz Titanium. If you're unfamiliar with the tech, it works by sending audio as vibrations through the cheekbone to the inner ear, bypassing the ear drum. Having wireless headphones that don't block your ears is especially useful for activities like biking, where situational awareness is key, but you still want to enjoy some tunes. These are the newest in the company's line and come right on the heels of an announced update for the existing $100 Bluez2 model with audio-enhancing PremiumPitch+ technology. The Trekz Titanium offer a nearly identical feature set including Bluetooth, hands-free calls, IP55 dust/sweat resistance and a six-hour listening time. However, the rigid plastic of the Bluez2 was traded for a more flexible exterior with a titanium frame inside making them more resilient and easier to pack away. Many of the early-bird deals have already sold out, but if you're quick, you can pre-order a set for $99 or reserve a special edition pack for the full price of $129. Otherwise, you'll have to wait for the retail release in January 2016.
AfterShokz to debut 'world's first' bone-conducting Bluez headphones at CES 2013
At first glance, you might think the guy in the photo above is wearing his sunglasses backwards. However, he's actually getting hiz groove on with the AfterShokz Bluez, a pair of Bluetooth headphones that transmits audio using bone conduction. We've seen the technology before, but never on stereo wireless headsets. Instead of vibrating your eardrums, the Bluez use transducer pads that sit on your cheekbones to send audio directly to your ears. As such, the headphones have an "open-ear" design, presumably to let you hear your surroundings while listening to tunez. If this zoundz intriguing, you can pre-order them for $100 (despite their $129 retail price) from the company's website, or just wait until January when they will make their official debut at CES 2013.
