From budget options that get us out of a bind to ultra-premium models that do very little to justify their price, headphones have become one of our main accessories. We've been following the projects of several companies that seek to bring intelligence to classic products for some time, and Glow is the first smart-headphones concept that, besides incorporating sensors, also lights up with laser light, changing intensity according to the music.
Audiophile discussions can be disturbing. I've seen forums torn apart by conflicts over amplifiers, bitrate, and headphones, and I imagine things haven't changed much. The only recommendation I can give about headphones is to try them before you buy them, since only your ears can reach a conclusion. In recent years, many headphones have aggressively tried to occupy the premium space of the market. In fact, I'm sure you've heard about brands like Beats, and their acquisition by Apple last August. If headphones are leaving aside their technical profile in an attempt to target high-cost general consumption, what does a new product need to stand out from the rest? According to Glow's developers, the key is laser light.
Laser Light and Built-in Sensors
The first thing that stands out about Glow headphones is their lighting system. A laser device allows the cables (of the Corning Fibrance type) to adopt different levels of intensity, or respond to both the rhythm of the music and our heart rate. This last function (assuming the funding goal is reached) exists thanks to a dedicated sensor, which is basically a pulse oximeter inside one of the earbuds. Its remote control includes five commands (one of them can become a physical button for our smartphone's camera), and regarding overall audio quality, its makers place them on par with the Shure SE215, with a price of around one hundred dollars. The headphones do not draw power from the playback device; instead, they have an internal battery that is recharged via micro USB (eight hours of battery life).
The heart-rate monitoring system and iOS support depend exclusively on user interest. Glow is about to exceed $300,000 on Kickstarter (it needed $100,000), but it must reach $500,000 to offer full compatibility with Apple devices, and one million dollars for the heart sensor. The Glow headphones are available in blue, red, and green, at a price of $149. First deliveries, in July.
