I spend a lot of time with my folks, and even when we aren’t together, we’re typically always on the phone for one reason or another. Connecting with my mom is easy — she throws her AirPods in, and we’re able to talk with little to no issues. My Dad, on the other hand, is a bit more difficult to connect with. Even with a rather loud Motorola Razr, he still has to throw me on speakerphone, no matter where he is.
After seeing someone wearing a pair of bone conduction headphones during a video call, I had an idea — my dad despises wearing hearing aids, so why not try something like this? Needless to say, we were both pleasantly surprised by the end result, and conversations, music, and more have picked back up for the two of us.
What are bone conduction headphones, even?
I wasn’t incredibly familiar with the concept before getting him these
Bone conduction isn’t a new technology by any means, but to me, it feels like a miracle. Rather than using your eardrum and ossicles to transmit sound, it uses the bones of your cochlea to directly “beam” sound to the user. Cochlear implants are very similar to this technology, but are far more advanced and much more expensive.
Using vibrations to transmit sound is a wild concept, but after just a few weeks of using these, my dad fell in love with them. Listening to music was always a favorite hobby of his, with countless vinyls that used to sit dormant in the basement. Now? He can use his phone or any Bluetooth device to listen to his favorite Pink Floyd albums on repeat.
I Didn’t Realize My AirPods Could Do This—Now I Use Them Differently
Your AirPods can do so much more than you initially thought.
They’re cheap, but incredibly effective
The price of technology is astounding sometimes
I’ve spent a lot of money on different things like headphones and electronics over the years, so before we dove into the high-end equipment, we wanted to ensure that these headphones would work for Dad. Even after testing them for myself, I was genuinely impressed by the quality. They seem rather durable, and offer a surprising amount of elasticity — even when testing them on my big ole watermelon head. They sit snugly on the side of the head, right near the ears, and are incredibly comfortable.
Bone conduction headphones are great for runners, motorcycle riders, or someone who doesn’t like the look or feel of standard hearing aids. Some earbuds also allow users to amplify conversations or offer live translations, even when you’re not listening to music, but these headphones don’t have that particular feature. If they did? They’d be absolutely perfect, especially for the price.
- Battery Life
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12 Hours
- Microphones
-
Yes
- Brand
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Cevinily
- Waterproof
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IP55
He hasn’t complained about them at all
New-age technology can be confusing sometimes
When it comes to understanding new technology, my dad is normally pretty good about it. But for some reason, Bluetooth headphones and speakers are the bane of his existence. I’ve bought him some in the past that he’d used for a while, and then they just sit in a box alongside his other stuff, in a pile that I like to refer to as The Island of Misfit Electronics.
Maybe it’s because these are really no-frills, and just work right out of the box without any major adjustments. If dad isn’t happy about something, he’s often quick to note it. But bigger buttons, straightforward use, and comfort may be the reason why these haven’t ended up taking an extended vacation yet.
Getting him to remember to wear them, though?
That’s a completely different struggle
Every Tuesday, my folks go grocery shopping. While mom is inside getting what they need for the week, dad will typically call me. On our most recent call, I noticed that his audio sounded suspiciously like it was on speakerphone, like it normally is. He had forgotten his headphones at home, and I know that this won’t be the first or last time it happens. MagSafe connections for earbuds make bringing them with you much easier, but there aren’t a ton of low-profile options for something like this.
There are a lot of different carrying cases and accessories that work with bone conduction headphones, and I may need to eventually invest in something like that for him in the future. Or when it’s time to upgrade to something like bone conduction headphones/hearing aids, it can make remembering to wear them much easier.
This has been a blessing in disguise
I was shocked to see how well these worked for him
Having a chance to help my dad reconnect with something that he holds so near and dear has been wonderful. Listening to his favorite tunes, chatting with his kids with fewer issues, and so much more. Bone conduction was something I was completely unfamiliar with before, and I’m so glad to have learned about it firsthand with him.
Seeing how well this experiment panned out, I’m already on the hunt for an improved pair that can offer him even more flexibility in how he uses them. Or maybe we go to the next step and get him into the realm of smart glasses. The possibilities seem endless now that I’ve discovered this technology, and I’m excited to make him my subject for the foreseeable future.
