Bragi new headphones without wire are simpler and much cheaper

Bragi new headphones without wire are simpler and much cheaper ,

one of the first companies to launch the world to truly wireless headphones revealed a second generation product. Bragi, the company that transformed the $ 3.3 million in Kickstarter funding the dashboard, has announced a new pair of wireless headphones simply called the helmet. The helmet is based on the dashboard in many ways - new headphones feature the same size, the overall design, and the basic function - but they are less expensive and much simpler. Bragi will sell headphones in the retail channel in November for $ 149, but you can pre-order today for $ 119.

You can use the headset to take or make phone calls and activate voice assistant on your phone, they allow basic streaming music playback (although it does there's no storage on board this time), and they swap the touch controls Dash for physical buttons. The helmet Dash switching audio function, where you can hear the outside world through your headphones, but there is no fitness tracking, and the carrying case is not charging the headphones when you store . As CEO Bragi Nikolaj Hviid made The Verge ". The helmet is a racing bike, where Dash is much like a Formula 1 car"

the benefits of taking the Dash and dumbing down slightly three times, and the first is that the dramatic price cut. (Backers Dash Kickstarter will also get an extra $ 20, bringing the price to $ 99). Second, the helmet will be able to press twice the life - six hours - the same battery of 100 mAh found in the dashboard. Third, the Bluetooth connection between the headset and your phone should be stronger, as Bragi.

There is a big problem if Bragi solved the Bluetooth problem - but that's a big if

A better battery life and a price lower vignette seem like a luxury compared to the prospect of an improvement (or reliable) Bluetooth connection. Bluetooth connections are tenuous the problem that more consistently plagued the first generation of wireless headphones really. It's the kind of problem that kills the product idea in the first place, but it was one that startups were ready to ride if it meant beating the likes of Jabra, Samsung, Apple or even on the market.

Bragi was no exception. While the company went out of his way to replace the Bluetooth connection that synchronizes the two headphone set (he chose a hearing aid technology called Near Field Magnetic Induction instead), Bragi unused Bluetooth for connection of phone earbud. This led to hiccups in the audio streaming during my time with the Dash, especially when the phone was in my pocket or out of the line of sight. Hviid said Bragi was able to use everything he learned about the Dash fix this problem for the experiment on the helmet, but we're going to get their hands on the new product to make that call for ourselves same.

The other problem Bragi ran into the dashboard was production delays. Bragi said that the helmet is supposed to start shipping in early November, but Hviid said that the company begins production until October - a tight turnaround, even for a company with a product under his belt.

There is also a new updated firmware to the Dash

In addition to the helmet, Bragi also announced another update Dash firmware today. It follows the 2.0 update released last summer, which was the strongest Dash and has a better fitness tracking. With 2.1, Hviid said the company has worked for months to work around the consequences of having a large number of radios in a very small package. "All these elements, there is a huge amount of components, and they disrupt the Bluetooth range," said Hviid. "But most people will see remarkable improvements with 2.1. We are indeed very proud of what we did."

Hviid took care of note that guests should not wait for software updates such as these to the helmet. "The Dash is a computer, the helmet is a helmet," he said.