Sunglasses, Meet MP3 Player
Posted by Richard Baguley | Friday, August 27, 2004 10:56 AM PT
Sunglasses and sporting goods maker Oakley has just announced an interesting new product: the first MP3 sunglasses. The Oakley Thump is a 128MB or 256MB MP3 player built into a pair of high-end sunglasses, with the controls on the frame and a pair of fold-away headphones. But they aren't cheap: at $395 for the 128MB model and $495 for the 256MB one, they are significantly more expensive than a normal MP3 player. Mind you, you do get a cool pair of sunglasses with them...
We had a quick look at a prototype, which was rather interesting--it is not much heavier than a normal pair of sunglasses, and the controls (on the top of the ear) are pretty easy to use. The headphones are ear bud types with an adjustable stem that connects to the frame, and they fit pretty comfortably in the ear, and can also be flipped up out of the way if someone actually wants to talk to you while you?re wearing them.
Oakley claims a play time of up to six hours from the built-in Lithium Ion rechargeable battery, which recharges through the USB 2 port.
The Oakley Thump is scheduled for release on November 15 and will be sold through the Oakley Web site and Circuit City stores.
At that price, are the lenses interchangeable and replaceable? Otherwise, this is just a throw away product for a really rich person.
$500 -- IPOD =)
Good for a rockclimber who likes to listen to music while rockclimbing, but doesn't like to carry a credit card-size card mp3 player.
would it be legal to use these on a motorcycle?
Nope, wearing dual earphones are illegal while driving any vehicle. But wearing one earphone isnt.
I got my 256mb MP3 player for 200... That means if I got thsoe, I'd be paying 300 for the glasses, design and compactednessness....
They look too bulky and awkward to me. What do you do when you're inside, or if it's dark out? And, for that price, I'd better see the title of the song flash across my lenses, along with playtime, volume, etc.
To answer the questions that people have posted here:
- The lenses are not interchangeable, but they do flip up so you can use the MP3 player indoors. To replace the lenses, you have to send it back to Oakley
- Bulky and awkward? They didn't feel that way to me, but I've been wearing glasses for years, so they might feel that way to someone else. There is no display at all on the device: all of the feedback is through bleeps in the headphones.
I'd be very interested in seeing an article about
sunnies that double as a display / monitor.
Have always wondered why these have not been developed with a bluetooth / wireless connection
to whichever device you choose to receive input from.
You would think in the future everyone will have a cool pair of personal monitors stuck on their face.
Anyone know of developments in this area?
i got a 20 GB mp3 player for a total of 250 plus tax, n u can get nice sunglasses 4 about 15 bucks, y spend all that money for a 128/256 mb mp3 player and ugly looking sunglasses.
I think you are missing the point, OG. You are still tethered to your box. No wires on this baby!
I think you are missing the point, OG. You are still tethered to your box. No wires on this baby!
Whoa. Is this for real? If so, I don't think anyone is going to want their old-style MP3 player anymore. No more wires and crap hanging of my body. Makes total sense that they'd come up with this form factor - after all, your ears *are* located on our head. Are there more models coming? Other colros? How light was it? When can I get one? These are going to sell like crazy. Is it just CC? I like near an O Store - what about thosee?
I can?t believe that a product like this is finally out on the market. With a quality sunglass that includes a MP3 player, the price seems okay to me. I am glad that Oakley came up with this. In the past Oakley?s have always been light weight and durable, these look like they will carry the same qualities. Thump will be perfect for mountain biking or snowboarding.
But, I'm still wondering about what to do when it's dark or when you're inside? Does Thump refer to the sound you make when you walk into walls or other various objects?
Not to try and bash Oakley (I used to have a pair myself), but I think this is a waste of money. Too expensive and too goofy looking.
I don't like all Oakley stuff but I like this. I can see using this on my bike and walking around Denver in my own world. I think it looks ok considering it has a chip and battery set inside. I don't see how it could be much smaller. The other Oakley sunglass I own is a Monster Dog. This doesn't seem any bigger.
i think that they look kind of heavy to have on your ears....other wise its a cool invention
Pete-
They DO have monitor-sunnies out there somewhere... the way the display works creates the illusion of a three-foot-by-three-foot translucent screen floating in front of you at approximately eye level. They don't even need auxillary side-mounted devices, the projector is worked through incredibly small microchips embedded in the lenses.
I don't believe these are yet practically available, as the production cost is HIGH, but it's a damn shame. I would buy some.
this is the studist idea. they are ugly and thier is no point and i dont think anyones going to buy them
wow that is crazy
I think it is a great idea for anyone that is into recreation activites such as mountain biking, jogging, snowboarding, mountain bicking ect. But if your just an average person, its a wast of money. but if your into recreational activitites like i said, its a great deal.
wow ensid you need to grow up. You sound like your 13 years old. who are you trying to impress?
wow ensid you need to grow up. You sound like your 13 years old. who are you trying to impress?
I'd really like to see what they do with this and how it develops. Hopefully they will be encouraged by the initial sales to make further models. The pricing will probably come down after a while, and maybe one day I'll be rich enough to buy a pair.I'd like to see different colors and a smaller size though, those things would look awful on me. but bottom line, I love the idea.
this is another great idea from in my opinion one of the finest sunglass retailers out there true they are very expensive but then so are ipods... oakley has done it again my only question is how do u get a replacement for the battery when it dies the glasses wouldnt be very appropriate if you can only use them for a month or two
this seems kinda cool, it's great for people who want to listen to music during class...but not sunglasses probably won't b allowed in school anymore bcause of this, but it's a great push for the future
this seems real cool...i would buy it...but only when the price goes down...i mean $495 (plus tax is like $500) seems a little much for an mp3 player...no matter how good it is...but yeah definitely a good idea...great for boring classes. Also...if they can get the playlist to flash up on the screen...that would be f*****g awesome...
Try 530 with tax. I am a Oakley freak and I love how they turn everything upside down. But I will stick with my mini-disk.
dang.. that sounds hecka tight! i think they should look more aero dynamic and stuff. o yea how do you download songs into it...
and i'm a girl so i think that you should make them look like they are more ... girly.. like they were made by gucci.. maby u could ask them for designs! i think theyre awesome tho!
i think that's pretty inovative. and it looks cool too...not 2 biig and definetly not too small and also they look like an oakley design (besides the logo).
um, if i wanted 2 get the lenses changed to a perscription, i would have to send it to oakley, riiight?
Sorry but I think that looks really stupid and nerdy.
they look to big
Look Fine to me
cool baby but poiontless
they should make a model that look exactly like reagular glasses not shaded lenses ...... would be perfect for math class... =)
they should make a model that look exactly like reagular glasses not shaded lenses ...... would be perfect for math class... =)
any oppinons on my idea?
those are sick
What is the point of having a pair of mp3 playing sunglasses? I just dont see the reason u need them! I mean if u wanna buy them fine but there just not my style.
Those look really cool, but expensive.
you might as well buy an ipod i mean like people know what they are if u get those people will think u just wraped your ear buds on your sun glasses
I think that they're pretty cool and to answer some questions, u download song on to them through a USB cable and plugging it into the USB port. And you will never have to replace the batteries because u can recharge them with a household outlet. So ya I think they are pretty cool but they seem a bit bulky.
kewl lookin, kinda bulky/ expensive
I'd would get a pair if i had $530 so i wont. But if the price drops i'm truely gettin a pair. That would be tight if they did that to regular glasses. I wear glasses so i would get some and sit through French and listen to moulon rouge instead of oui oui.
Cool beginnings but there is much room for improvement in which i am sure some oakley agent is receiving many new FREE ideas and feedback here... huh. Anyway, the prob is not enough storage for songs... only up to 256mb, come on! Now, if they made a memory stick slot that would hold interchangable sticks of 256mb each, then we could have as many sticks as we want and simply change from stick to stick. Plus Oakley could sell a sleek little multi-stix case or attatch to shades case. Also... I agree with needing more designs for girls and guys plus yes, they are wayyyy tooo expensive! Still, the idea could grow into much more and yes to the 3d projection monitor but that would require much bulk and battery to be worn on hip. Logic.
I have one question??? And that is is the memory upgradeable. cuz if it is that would be awsome.
Man, these things are off the hizouse!!!
They seem cool but expensive, keep going on the idea though. Expandable memory would be a nice add-on
i think it will be better if u have changeable lens..because my product tt i come out wif in my project(sch project so oakley dun worry) include infra-red transfering instead of usb and changeable lens..
check out the oakley website, they got people skating in them, great to use when i ride. they look cool.
I think there cool, because I'm am a highschool student and you cant listen to mp3 players or headphones in school, but no one said I couldnt listen to sunglasses.
I think Apple needs to certify these in an instant: I, being an iTunes user, am impatiently waiting for a flash mp3 player (which is skip-proof by the nature of flash technology) that can play back aac's! I know how easy it is to change my songs to mp3's, but i like aac's a whole lot more, due to better battery life at comparable quality and compression size. aac playback would probably have me consider buying these. but for now, I'll live with my cd player, and fantasize about an iPod (because LCD screens and text tags are cool too).
I think Apple needs to certify these in an instant: I, being an iTunes user, am impatiently waiting for a flash mp3 player (which is skip-proof by the nature of flash technology) that can play back aac's! I know how easy it is to change my songs to mp3's, but i like aac's a whole lot more, due to better battery life at comparable quality and compression size. aac playback would probably have me consider buying these. but for now, I'll live with my cd player, and fantasize about an iPod (because LCD screens and text tags are cool too).
i think they're pretty cool for a pair of oakleyseven if the only ones who can buy em' are the rich and the famous.
wo des r vercool! i went som!
Cool...I really think the Mp3 player and the sunglasses are a great deal but it needs to get far more advanced before i even think about getting them...why would i buy an mp3 player with glasses that has 256mb storage when i can get creative labs nomad jukebox for 250 dollars great idea but maybe in a year, year 1/2 it would be a way better idea...cool
i think those sun glasses are really cool... BUT i think it would be better if they picked up bluetooth signals so you could use it with any music device you can tink of just by hooking it up to a transmiter... I WOULD BUY THOSE!!!