Crank That Mp3

Jaybird Freedom Wireless Handsfree Bluetooth Headphones – Review

Firstly, as soon as I opened the box I knew this was a quality product – from the quality of the packaging to the case you keep your headphones in, to the actual Jaybird Freedom’s themselves – you can see and feel the quality.

Next ease of use – It took me two minutes to sync the headphones to the Blutoooth on my iPhone and be up and running. (Please note that I’m mentioning my iPhone in this review as that is what I tested the headphones on, but the Freedom’s can be used with any Bluetooth device including other smartphones, iPad etc)

Handsfree – Because they’re Bluetooth and handsfree it means my iPhone can be in my back pocket but there’s no wire trailing up my back and pulling the earphones out of my ears. This makes them ideal for use when jogging or at the gym (none of the usual wires inside or outside your t-shirt / coat conundrum).

Quality of sound – I’m a gadget man and not a sound expert but the Freedom’s gave a better, richer sound compared to any of the other iPhone headphones I compared them to.

Comfort – Because the Jaybird Freedom’s are supplied with a selection of eartips of differing sizes it is easy to find the ones that are just right for your ears. Once I had the right tips I found them very comfortable to wear and had no issues with them falling out of my ears.

Recharging – The headphones have a built in battery that lasted for hours and recharging is done via the USB cable supplied.

Control – Volume can be controlled from the headphones themselves so no need to dig your music device out of your pocket. Also because of the built in microphone I could answer phone calls and chat with the Freedom’s just like any Bluetooth headset.

So, did I find any problems with the Freedom’s?  Yes I did but they were very minor. Firstly, because the chord that goes round the back of your neck is rubber, I found that sometimes it stuck to my neck slightly when turning my head. This was more of a small inconvenience though rather than a problem and could be removed greatly by adjusting the length of the chord.

Also, I found that very occasionally if I turned my head rapidly, I lost sound briefly. I’m guessing this was somehow a short loss of the Bluetooth connection which was quickly regained. This really didn’t cause me a problem but I wanted to mention it so you had my full findings on these headphones.

Cranking The Volume On Your Ipod Or Mp3 Player Can Damage Hearing ...

Kids have always loved listening to their preferred music, and also the louder the greater - much to their parents' dismay. In the 1980s, the portable tape recorder with headphones - which came to be identified as the "Walkman" - enabled teenagers to listen to their music as loud as they wanted, anywhere they wanted, without having disturbing anyone about them. The issue is actually a combination of the technologies of portable digital devices that creates a non-buffered crystal clear sound, along with the sort of headphones typically used with them, which do not have a buffer either. In December 2005, Dean Garstecki, an audiologist and professor at Northwestern University reported that far more and far more young people were being diagnosed using the varieties of hearing loss usually discovered in older adults. He attributed this trend to the "earbud" type headphones that usually accompany iPod and MP3 Players. Using the earbud headphones, the sound frequencies are not buffered as they're using the a lot more standard, ear cup-style headsets. Newsweek Magazine lately reported that researchers at the House Ear Institute found that listeners can however increase the volume of today's portable digital devices without the "signal distortion that occurs with conventional analog audio." The older-model headphones that had been well-known just 15 to 20 years ago - that have ear cups outside of the ears - had that distortion when the volume was turned up, which functioned as a much-needed buffer to shield our hearing. Today's technology does not present that buffer - the earpiece is placed within the ear, not outside of it, and also the digital devices don't produce that distortion, regardless of how high the volume. Moreover, men and women frequently listen to these devices although they are on the go, and have a tendency to crank the volume in an attempt to drown outside noise, further posing a danger to our hearing. Using the earbud style headphones during activities for example exercise, as an example, puts the user at a greater danger. In the course of exercise, blood, which can act as a buffer, is diverted from the ears to other parts of the body - so our already vulnerable hearing is in much more jeopardy. Headwize reports that a study conducted on music listeners utilizing headphones revealed that even though indoors with no background noise, the participants had been comfortable with their music at 69 decibels. Outdoors, where the background noise was recorded at 65 decibels, participants making use of their headphones turned the volume up to 82 decibels and as high as 95 decibels to drown out the surrounding noise. The Occupational Safety and Wellness Administration guidelines limit exposure to noise at this level to no far more than four hours each day. The study concluded that the participants had been at risk for hearing harm and recommended "avoiding continuous use of [portable stereos] in noisy conditions." Northwestern University's Dean Garstecki delivers much more specific guidelines: His 60 percent/60 minute rule - listen to MP3 Players and iPods for "about an hour a day and at levels below 60 percent of maximum volume." The dilemma is, most of the population using headphones - young music fans - listen to their music for much longer than one hour per day. But, you can aid decrease hearing loss, harm and troubles even though listening to your favorite music so long as you need to - the secret is in the headphones. Headphones for example the EX29 Extreme Isolation Noise Reduction Headphones aid block out external noise permitting you to hear the fine particulars of your music without having blowing out your ear drums. The ear cup fits over the ear, and not in it, along with the headphones are lightweight, don't call for batteries and may be used along with your MP3 Player or iPod. With 29 decibels of isolation from outside sound, the quiet headphones block outside noise and there is certainly no need to crank the volume of your music. Aging rock stars like the Who's Pete Townsend, who has some permanent hearing loss from years of exposure to loud music, and Mick Fleetwood, who has teamed up with Energizer batteries to promote hearing loss prevention, have brought public attention to the truth that a lot of of us take our hearing for granted. But there's no need to turn off your music - just be smarter about how you listen to it. If you are making use of your MP3 Player or iPod when you are exercising, in a noisy environment or you just wish to hear the fine particulars of your music, ditch the earbud headphones and reach for a set of noise reduction ones instead. And you'll be enjoying your preferred music for a long time to come.

Streaming audio, the FezGuys' guide

Gonzo Marketing, Winning Through Worst Practices

Cycling Britain

Wake Up and Smell the Planet, The Non-pompous, Non-preachy Grist Guide to Greening Your Day: Easyread Large Edition

Introduction to psychology, gateways to mind and behavior