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Exod
Few things are as aggravating as untangling the fine wires of your headphone cords. Bluetooth headphones make this pesky problem disappear, but then you have the new issue of keeping your headphones charged up so you can groove to your tunes when you want them. Enter Helios, solar-powered Bluetooth headphones on Kickstarter from London-based startup Exod.
One hour of sun exposure gives you half an hour of music listening time. When fully charged, Helios can run for up to 15 hours. The solar panel does take up some space, so the headphones are slightly chunkier than some existing wireless headphones models on the market, but not by an insane amount.
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The design thoughtfully includes a mic for answering phone calls and a jack for plugging in a regular audio cable. The headphones also fold up for when you want to tuck them into a bag. Naturally, there’s a USB cable for charging the cans up on those days you don’t want to venture outside.
Helios just launched and has 38 days left to go. The project has a goal of about $78,500 and has raised about $1,570 so far. Early-bird pledge price slots of $157 (£100, AU$182) are still available. Considering a high-end set of Beats Studio wireless headphones will set you back about $350, the Helios looks pretty reasonable price-wise. If the project hits its funding goal, it will be interesting to see if the headphones can deliver high-quality audio, and if the solar-film panels are both durable and functional.
Helios headphones could be an interesting addition to a growing world of tech gadgets designed to work off the grid. We already have camping stoves that charge your smartphone, a text-messaging device that works without cell service and hand-crank chargers. If you have the gear to keep your music player running during an unexpected apocalypse, you might as well also have some cool headphones to block out the sounds of the end of the world.
Exod
