July 9-10, 2013
San Francisco, CA

Tickets On Sale Now

Once, I was sitting at the legendary Rainbow Bar & Grill on Sunset Strip, nursing a cranberry and tonic (and a Djarum Black) at the outside patio bar. I looked to my right, and who should I see? Rock god Lemmy Kilmister, ringleader of Motörhead, one of the most objectively awesome bands of all time.

At that moment, I had a one-track mind. I sat frozen in time and space, wanting desperately to bite the bullet and go say hello — even just to tell him I was a huge fan — and end up with tales of glory with which to regale my metalhead friends ever after.

But I ended up chickening out like a loser and deciding that in this case, the chase was better than the catch. By the time I got the nerve to say hi, it was too late, too late — Lemmy was absorbed in a video poker with a face that said “Die, you bastard” to anyone who might have the temerity to interrupt him.

Meanwhile, back at the funny farm, I’m going through my morning email, and what should I find?

Motörheadphönes! The newest gadget from music legends to satisfy your burning earholes with expensive ‘phones and ‘buds for those times when the devil’s in your head and you need to rock out.

Beer drinkers and hell raisers, this line was created (or at least marketed) with you in mind. The earbud line, with models called Overkill and Trigger, are all-metal, “no silly plastic pieces here!” And the headphones, called Motörizer, Iron Fist, and Bomber, promise to deliver DJ-caliber sound quality and cradle-to-the-grave physical durability — fit to earn the ultimate badge of honor, the logo of the self-proclaimed “loudest band in the world.”

For the naysayer with a heart of stone hollering, “I won’t pay your price; I don’t believe a word,” we can only respond: Listen to your heart and shut your mouth. God was never on your side.

These mean machines were built for speed and will leave you stone deaf in the USA. For example, the Bomber ‘phones bring you “extra powerful 30mm speakers that can take stand six times the standard amount of power.” You might think that’s overkill, but the fools will tear ya down, steal your face, and leave you smiling like a killer.

So, one more f***ing time: If you were born to raise hell and demand ace-of-spades-level quality and sheer loudness from your audio gear, don’t play fast and loose with those Beats pieces of garbage. Seriously, Dre and those guys are out to lunch. Don’t waste your time; you’ll be the one to sing the blues.

Motörheadphönes are enjoying a preview at CES next week. Down the line on another perfect day, I hope to be able to report back to you, “I got mine.”

Can you spot all the Motörhead song titles in this post? List them in the comments for your chance to win!*

*You get NOTHING! You LOSE! Good DAY, sir!

July 9-10, 2013
San Francisco, CA

Tickets On Sale Now

Timbuk2 founder Rob Honeycutt has devoted his career to solving tricky manufacturing problems.

When Honeycutt bought his first iPhone several years ago, he loved being able to use the earbuds to talk to a friend on the go, but he was irritated by the tangled-up iPhone cord. So he cut off two-thirds of the chord and linked the remaining part to a Bluetooth device, which can be neatly attached to your collar.

This week, the serial entrepreneur launched a Kickstarter campaign with a goal to raise $150,000 in funding for the mass production of his customizable bluetooth earbuds, known as “Elroy.” Honeycutt understands the risks and potential rewards of starting a manufacturing company. In the late ’80s, he was the one-man operation behind Timbuk2, making bags in his apartment in San Francisco.

Elroy is a bit of a departure from sporty messenger bags, but since selling Timbuk2 five years ago, Honeycutt has been looking for a new challenge.

“We’re going to do something different that can’t be done in Asia,” said Honeycutt. “The real excitement is when you build it [the product] and get it [to consumers] within a day or two.” Elroy will be produced in the U.S.

He was the first to implement an online ‘build-your-own’ mass customization, which would later become the inspiration for the NIKE iD customization program.

According to Honeycutt, the competition includes Skullcandy and Jawbone, but these players only offer a limited production selection. “With our domestic customization processes we will be able to offer a much, much wider variation of product and we will be able to keep retailers in stock on all models,” he said.

Elroy’s parent company is Snik LLC, which was founded in 2007 and is based in Berkeley, Calif.  Snik owns a series of patents addressing earbud cord management devices. Honeycutt told me that Elroy is a one-man show for now (although there are half a dozen contractors working on the product), but hiring will commence when they open a production facility.

Here’s the explanatory video:

Most sensible people snag a serviceable set for $20, but are earbuds really the place to skimp? With smartphones, tablets, flights, fitness crazes, and on-the-go lifestyles people are consistently phoned in. For only $15 more you could improve your listening experience ten-fold! These Moxy earbuds are the closest you can get to bulky high-fi earmuffs, but at a fraction of the size and cost. Worried about durability? Bodyquardz replaces the generally cheap plastic of other earbuds with an ultra-lightweight aluminum encasement scientifically angled for a perfect fit and flawless sound that lasts. When not in use, toss them in the hard case and zip ‘em up for added protection.

The bass these little guys produce is incredible, and you don’t need to pump rap or techno to take advantage of it. Movies on your laptop or tablet sound as if you’re in a theater. The Moxy earbuds also include a mic so you can keep those hands free while on a business call or catching up with friends. A multibud tip kit is included as well to ensure the earbuds stay put our more outdoorsy, athletic fans.

Realistically, think about how frequently you utilize headphones. Considering earbuds as an object you insert into your head for multiple hours a day, is this really where you want to practice frugality?

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July 9-10, 2013
San Francisco, CA

Tickets On Sale Now

Major electronics manufacturer Philips debuted a new line of headphones and earbuds targeted at Android phone owners at the Consumer Electronics Show this week.

The company makes some of the best-sounding, affordable earbuds on the market, and now it is extending its focus to Android, which has the largest market share for smartphones in the world. While you can use any pair of standard headphones with an Android phone, these models are specifically designed to work with the Philips MyHeadset Android app that helps make music sound better.

There are four models in the lineup, with three earbud editions and one traditional headband headset. Each model has a microphone for hands-free use, and call management features to answer/end a call, reject a call, voice dial and redial the last number.

One other thing that makes the Android headphone lineup interesting is that if you go to a consumer electronics store, the number of iPhone-focused products heavily outnumbers that of Android products. Whether it’s the mobile section of Best Buy, Target or Walmart, the iPhone and iPod touch accessories always get more love. But as Android’s dominance grows and continues, we’ll likely begin to see more Android-specific offerings.

The Philips Android headphone line will go io sale in the second quarter of 2012. The models range from $30 for the least-expensive earbuds to $100 for the headband headset.

More photos from the upcoming Android line can be viewed below:

For more news out of this week’s Consumer Electronics Show, be sure to check out VentureBeat’s live coverage from CES 2012.