Related Articles
Earin
If you want the world to know what brand of headphones you’re rocking, then you buy something like a Beats set in a bright color. There’s no mistaking the fact that you’re wearing some honking big ear covers while you groove out. If you’re looking for something more subtle, you might choose some dainty earbuds. If you’re looking to go totally stealth, then you should check out the Earin earbuds on Kickstarter.
Earin is advertising its product as “the world’s smallest wireless earbuds.” That may well be true, but it’s a hard claim to prove. Still, there’s no doubting these earbuds are almost ridiculously small. They look more like those little foam earplugs you use when your partner is snoring up a storm at night.
The earplugs are completely wireless; there’s nothing connecting them other than Bluetooth. They’re stripped down. You won’t find any lights or microphones here. They come with different sizes of foam tips to customize the fit, and a silicone lock is designed to help keep the earbuds in the right location.
Related stories
- Mind-reading headphones pick music based on your mood
- Split earbuds do away with tangled cords, Bluetooth
- Fitness sensor earphones gather health data, deliver music
The small size has a price in terms of battery life. You’ll get up to three hours. The earbuds come with a small charging capsule. Place the Earin inside and it will charge them up when not in use. The battery capsule itself is recharged through USB.
The Earin uses a type of speaker called a balanced armature, a kind usually found in hearing aids. They’re on the expensive side, but they’re also very small, have high sensitivity, and offer noise isolation.
These little audio accessories seem to be appealing to the Kickstarter-backing masses, even with a price tag of around $200. The original $304,000 funding goal has been blasted out of the water to the tune of nearly $600,000 with 36 days to go on the project. If the Earin holds up to its promises, it could end up being the most subtle way you can listen to music on the go.
