Month: February 2016

By Ed Sum (The Vintage Tempest)

Can QuietOn’s earplugs be a geek’s convention-going dream piece of travel equipment come true? This Indiegogo crowdfunding campaign has been extended by 20 days and I’m stepping up on my soapbox to scream, “Heck yes!”

Many of us can relate to the pains experienced when sharing a room with friends or traveling miles and not getting any nap-time due to the noisy environment around us. Come night-time, I’m sure a few us had the misfortune of dealing with a freaking loud snorer. Earplugs can work to block some noises, but they are not effective when the noise drops below a tuba. While riding in certain vehicles, some of us need blissful silence to nod off.

There’s plenty of commercial headphones which does the trick of blocking out the noise of either, but that depends on how low the rumble is or in how baritone the offending person can get as the sound echoes in the room. Bose’s QuietComfort series does the job quite well, but they are not designed for extended use. Because of its high cost, to break them will set anyone back $300 USD every time. Side sleepers are out of luck when certain materials used in the making of a headphone are prone to pop or break during sleep.

Another crowd-funded product, the Kokoon, is due to ship at the end of this year and it does more than offer noise-blocking in a sturdy design to roll around in. This device is a wireless headphone (using ONKYO technology speakers) and an EEG (brain) monitor. Not only does it detect when to best adjust the volume, it doubles as an alarm clock! But its $229 USD price tag may not be for everyone.

I have gone through plenty of cheap $25 phones over the years in my attempt to mute out noisy roommates only to find it broken the next day.

Continue reading “Can QuietOn’s Earplugs or Kokoon’s Headphones Satisfy a Grouchy Geek?”