Announced last September two days before the Apple iPhone 7 event, and originally planned to launch in November, Bragi's $149.00 wireless Bluetooth hearable, called "The Headphone," is now available for all users to purchase online. The Headphone includes a number of changes from Bragi's The Dash ($299) in order to make it cheaper, ranging from having physical inputs instead of touch inputs and no activity tracking.
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These feature removals have also boosted battery in The Headphone, however, with users able to get up to six hours of music playback on a single charge instead of the four hours that The Dash gets in one life. With the three physical buttons on The Headphone, users can skip through tracks, take calls, make voice commands, activate audio transparency, and more without needing to take out their connected smartphone.
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At $150 The Headphone is $10 cheaper than Apple's AirPods, with a few alternative design changes that might make Bragi's device more enticing for some users, like the physical playback buttons and slightly longer battery life than the AirPods' five hours. Bragi itself took to comparing The Dash, The Headphone, and AirPods in a Facebook post last September centering around nine categories that omitted the AirPods' flagship features like Siri, seamless device pairing, and iCloud sync.
Those interested can order The Headphone today from Bragi's website for $149.00, with shipping currently estimated to arrive within the next two weeks. Although The Dash is available in Black and White, The Headphone is only made in Black. A range of other Bragi accessories can also be purchased from the company's online shop, including The Leash to connect The Dash buds together and extra FitSleeves.
Top Rated Comments
The Dash and Headphones sound quality is completely odd -- a lack of mids, and what sounds to me like a lot of added reverb. The AirPods sound way better to me, they fit better, and the battery life and case are great. The Headphones buttons are HORRIBLE and borderline unusable (too stiff & you have to press them into your ear). With the AirPods, you just pop one out to pause. A light double tap on the AirPods and Siri pops up. And the Headphones don't even have a charging case. Sure the AirPods look a little goofy, but people know what they are -- I get stopped on the street, at work, at the gym, and people ask about them -- and sometimes flirt a little. Hey, thanks AirPods! :D
I think the Dash has potential -- but even though it had a big head start to the market, it was a total technological failure. It'll be interesting to see if they can fix the problems and keep developing the product -- it will do a lot that AirPods can't. But in my opinion, the Headphones are a joke. It's subjective though. Do what we did, buy them both, and keep what you prefer. :)
But competition is of course a great thing so I wish Bragi all the luck with these. I'm sure other companies are also soon to launch their own versions of this idea, I know Samsung already beat Apple to market with their ones.
The W1 chip is simply outstanding.