Give someone an item they carry every day and eventually they’ll find a way to make it their own—even more so when it’s a visible component of their personal style. Just look at Jane Birkin and how she treated her namesake Hermès bag. It shouldn’t come as a surprise that this mirrors our choices in technology. As it happens, clip-on earbuds have been getting the accessory treatment, too.
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Style Meets Open-Ear Sound in the Shokz OpenDots 2
Shokz, maker of the top open-ear bone-conduction headphones globally, has brought the OpenDots 2 to the Philippines. At 6.4 grams per earbud, each one clips around the ear through JointArc, a flexible nickel-titanium plate wrapped in soft silicone. The earbuds also carry an IP57 rating, so getting caught in the rain won’t be a problem.
Another convenient detail: there’s no need to check which side goes where. Put one on and it detects the ear automatically, adjusting the stereo channel accordingly. Keeping the ear open is central to how the OpenDots 2 operates. Sound comes through two custom 11.8mm drivers, while DirectPitch technology directs it toward the ear canal to limit how much bleeds out to people nearby.
Really, what maximalists (and even minimalists when the mood strikes) might love about the OpenDots 2 is how easily they encourage you to treat them as part of an outfit. The silhouette alone resembles ear cuffs, and Shokz offers a range of dedicated charms that can be added directly to the hardware.
What Fashion Collaborations in Tech Could Look Like
It doesn’t stop there. There are plenty of other ways to personalize what hangs (or in this instance, clips) beside your ears. Chains, pearls, stones, ribbons—the possibilities are endless. The same pair can look completely different the next time you put it on.
Brands may eventually get much more deliberate about this trend. Clip-on earbuds could be designed with attachments in mind from the start, opening the door to dedicated jewelry lines and fashion collaborations built directly around the hardware.
For wearable tech, that’s a far more interesting proposition than another seasonal colorway. Give people the hardware they need, then leave enough room for them to decide what it looks like.
The all-new Shokz OpenDots 2 is available now at Power Mac Center and The Loop stores nationwide.
Photos: SHOKZ
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