Streamz Reveals Android-based Smart Headphones
These headphones have a built-in processor, storage, Wi-Fi connectivity and more.
Mozaex spin-off company Streamz revealed a set of headphones with the same name, dubbed as the world's first due to its "smart streaming" properties.
According to Streamz, the headphones can stream music and audio to the headset from multiple sources like onboard stored audio, streaming online radio, and streamed phone music. The headset can even pull in audio from typical devices like TVs and game consoles.
The Streamz headset, slated to make its debut at CES 2014 in a next week, is based on Android and features an unnamed dual-core processor clocked at 1.6 GHz, Smart Wi-Fi and Bluetooth connectivity, and internal storage. The Smart Wi-Fi will auto-detect and connect to the local Wi-Fi hotspot, whereas the Bluetooth aspect connects to a smartphone, tablet or other Bluetooth-enabled audio/video device.
Streamz is based on patent-pending Smart Headphone technology, and is the first headphones to incorporate a music player, a 48 kHz/16 bit CD quality Digital Analog Converter (DAC) plus individual 3 Watt vibration drivers and 160 mWatt dynamic amplifiers. With these ingredients, Streamz promises CD quality sound with optimum dynamic range, equalization, and amplification.
"Since most phones and mobile music players have sub-par quality DACs and amps, they are unable to play true FLAC, ALAC, and WAV CD quality music without adding cumbersome external components," reads the company's announcement. "To address this problem, the company built the finest quality audio components inside the headphones."
A spec sheet (pdf) provides a bit more detail, showing 4 GB of internal storage and a microSD card slot for 32 GB of additional storage. The specs don't reveal the actual processor, but do show Wireless N and Bluetooth 3.0 connectivity.
The specs also show that the Play, Pause, Skip Forward and Skip Reverse buttons are on the right earset, and Volume Up, Volume Down, Mode and Function buttons are on the left earset. The specs even list a standalone Streamz software app for Android, iOS, Windows and Mac, and a built-in Lithium Polymer rechargeable battery.
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Based on the product page, the smart headphones won't be made available until March 2014 for $549 USD. The company plans to release an SDK and launch a Kickstarter Streamz for app developers in the near future.
Kevin Parrish has over a decade of experience as a writer, editor, and product tester. His work focused on computer hardware, networking equipment, smartphones, tablets, gaming consoles, and other internet-connected devices. His work has appeared in Tom's Hardware, Tom's Guide, Maximum PC, Digital Trends, Android Authority, How-To Geek, Lifewire, and others.
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brazuka331 one thing the world does not need anymore of is headphones, everyone and their cousins makes freaking headphones! This could not be a more saturated market.Reply -
excella1221 Reply12307947 said:one thing the world does not need anymore of is headphones, everyone and their cousins makes freaking headphones! This could not be a more saturated market.
Hence, the innovation. Lol. -
mohjong Great, at the end, you still need an Android phone which might cost more than a much superior source device like the Fiio X3.Reply -
beppomarx Loving this product, but trying hard to justify $550. I mean even with quality pieces the parts list shouldn't exceed $200. I know there's overhead and r&d but still the price seems a little ambitious.Reply -
Citizen XVIII mohjong, the headphones themselves operate on Android, they don't require an Android device to operate. Since they have built in storage and a micro SD slot, they don't actually require any source device.Reply