Bluetooth Hi-Fi: The Headphones Of The Future?

For The Athletic Person Unconcerned With Appearances

Now I don't recommend you do any of that, should you get them, but they were surprisingly resilient for how thin and light they feel. At the same time, they certainly aren't made of adamantium. The i-Phono manual recommends you not use them for basketball, soccer, rugby, hockey, boxing, or tae kwon do. It's good advice, and I would add to that cage fighting and swimming. But Bluetake does say that the device is perfect for more placid activities such as jogging, calisthenics, golfing, skating, and biking.

Now, being a journalist for the computer industry, I am forbidden from engaging in any physically strenuous activities that might result in the promotion of physical fitness. (It's against the union bylaws.) But my wife isn't bound by those ancient codes of indolence, and so she did all of the heavy lifting, from a testing standpoint.

She said that the phones were very comfortable and she never felt concerned that they were going to bounce off during her jogging. Two soft rubber arms extend off the band just behind the earpieces, which help to hold them in place. But we both observed one problem - the earpieces are covered by foam pads that contact the ear, which can absorb sweat and become wet. Also, this foam can be torn fairly easily - which we have experienced with other headsets, not the i-Phono - so it would have been nice to see another material used here, especially considering the price.

"Does anyone else smell a Tibana gas leak?"

The only other concern from a use-at-the-gym perspective was their appearance. The first time I walked into the room wearing them, they elicited a laugh and the comment, "You look like that guy from Star Wars that worked for Lando."

Though not as obnoxious as Lobot's enhancements, they will attract attention.

While I don't totally agree, they are definitely distinguishable from normal headphones. The primary unit comes in white (to match with the iPod), but Bluetake has tried to correct for any negative reactions to the headphones' looks by including four sets of interchangeable color plates. The colors are quite vibrant - lime, orange, crimson, royal blue - and definitely won't help you blend in. However, they might help you pull off the whole "yah, I know what I am wearing and I think they are cool" thing.

The switchable color plates may help move observers' perceptions from "is that a Borg?" to "cool".