World’s First Smart Headphones Stream Music from Pandora, Spotify, and Cloud Storage
Headphones have come a long way in the past few years. First, they ditched the wires and went Bluetooth; now they’re getting rid of the music player all together. A recently launched Kickstarter campaign is raising money to produce the world’s first smart headphones. The STREAMZ headphones feature a built-in WiFi Android music player that streams music directly from the headset, eliminating the need for an additional music player.
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Available in 4, 20, and 32 GB options, these over-ear headphones allow you to store CD-quality FLAC/ALAC (lossless audio) music files on the cans or in Google Drive. You can upload files or purchase tracks from the STREAMZ music store, which currently features 300,000 albums. If that’s not enough music, you can also stream music from Pandora or Spotify via Bluetooth.
Currently, there are two ways to play music on the STREAMZ: navigating the large buttons on the earcups or using a complementary smartphone app. The company is using the Kickstarter campaign to raise enough money — $50,000 — to add voice-control software and a developer’s kit.
In terms of hardware, STREAMZ will feature a pair of 50 mm drivers, 1 GB of RAM, a lithium rechargeable battery, and a 3.5 mm audio port, just in case you need to use the cord. STREAMZ’s Kickstarter campaign closes on May 2, with units shipping to backers in August 2014.
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