Good Hearing for the Holidays by Amy
Lois, Susan and I attended BlogHer in August. It was an amazing opportunity to meet, learn from and be inspired by other women bloggers from around the country. We attended several lectures and break out sessions over the course of the 3 day conference. We also walked the floor of the convention center expo hall, going from booth to booth, sampling products, watching demonstrations and learning about companies of interest to women. I admit I got my fair share of food samples and coupons but I spent the longest time at the Etymotic booth. Never heard of them? Well, I am about to change that.
If you happen to work with me or know me personally, you know how many hours I log on my cell phone daily. You also know about my obsession with figuring out the safest way to talk on the phone. I have spent the last several years talking on a headset — not a Bluetooth, but a wired headset — trying to counteract the years I spent holding the cell phone to my head. I have regret to the point of paranoia over the time I have spent radiating my head. I worry about my husband, my children, my friends and family all radiating their heads as well. But it never occurred to me to worry about damaging my hearing until I met Mark Karnes, Managing Director, Consumer Products Division of Etymotic.
Oh, sure, I have joked with Paul about the hours Sophie and Dana spend with Earbuds in their ears listening to their iPods or their laptops. But it was Mark Karnes who informed me that this was nothing to joke about. Etymotic’s message is a simple one: Our kids are at a higher risk for hearing loss due to repeated exposure starting at a young age, but noise-induced hearing loss is preventable.
Etymotic specializes in high fidelity earplugs designed for musicians but this technology benefits us all. Anyone who wears Earbuds, goes to concerts, clubs or travels should really protect their hearing while using headphones that enhance the listening experience.
Check out Etymotic, where you’ll find earplugs, headsets and earphones. Search for “Awareness! For Etymotic” on iTunes and use the free app to change sound levels depending on your surroundings. As a former clarinet player and supporter of the arts, I especially love Etymotic’s Adapt a Band program, where you can help prevent hearing loss among young school age musicians.
We are all getting new headsets for the holidays and I am checking something off my worry list. A win win.
Sophie’s Review:
My mother is constantly emailing me about and purchasing the kookiest gadgets she finds. Normally I just smile and nod my head as she describes to me the wonders of her latest discovery, but when she offered up a high-tech pair of headphones I tuned in and happily accepted her offer to let me try them out. I have always had problems with Earbuds fitting in my ears- most of the time they are too big, too uncomfortable, and too difficult to actually keep in. These, however, fit perfectly and make for an air-tight listening experience. The volume can be adjusted through tiny buttons on the headset itself which makes it easy to plug in and tune out while walking to and from school without having to ever really interact with my phone. I am glad my mom offered me these headphones to try out. This is one of her gadgets that I am definitely not giving back.
