Everyone seems desperate to attach smart glasses to their face (or at least tech companies seem to want to sell us this solution), but the closest we have at the moment are the $ 200 Bose frames or the $ 250 Amazon Echo frames. The problem is they provide audio only. That’s a lot to pay for a headphone alternative that doesn’t sound as good as real headphones, so consider JLab Audio’s new DIY solution instead, which allows you to easily upgrade your existing glasses with wireless sound.
The JLab JBuds aren’t really tops in the sense that you put them in your ears, like a pair of AirPods. Instead, they are designed to snap on the temples of your glasses – whether prescription glasses or just sunglasses – and then blow sound into your ears with speakers firing down. They are yet another open-eared headphone solution, such as the Bose Sport Open earplugs announced earlier this week, that lets you listen to your music while still hearing everything around you. This makes they are ideal for runners or anyone who doesn’t want the world around them to be silenced. Unlike earbuds and over-ear headphones, they also don’t make physical contact with any part of your ear, meaning they may be more comfortable to wear for extended periods of time.
T.he JBuds have an IPX4 rating for water resistance, which means they should easily survive both sweat and heavy rain, but not a dunking. This is probably due to the large speaker opening through which the sound of the 16 millimeter drivers of the JBuds reaches your ears. It’s the same approach that over-ear headphones use (the drivers are slightly outside your ears) but without the earcups, so there is a concerns about these types of personal audio devices that everyone can hear what you listen to. JLab promises that this is not a problem given the way sound is routed to the ear canal, but it is not a black hole from which no audio can be reflected. If you turn your tunes on, you can probably expect someone nearby to rock too.
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The JBuds include buttons for adjusting playback volume, answering calls, and even switching EQ settings, and battery life is estimated to be over eight hours. It’s surprising to see a set of $ 50 headphones include their own custom charging cable, which in this case splits into two magnetic connectors to help minimize the open ports on each speaker. But at the same time, proprietary charging cables are never a welcome solution, even with the convenience of magnets.
The JBuds will be available this spring for $ 50.