JBL's new wireless headphones charge from light, deliver unlimited listening
What's the story
Every wireless headphone owner knows the pain of plugging their device to a power adapter after every few hours of usage.
You can't go on listening endlessly without hooking up to a charger - a problem that is particularly annoying when you are on the move.
However, JBL has a solution: a pair of wireless headphones that can charge from light.
Headphones
Solar-powered Reflect Eternal over-ear headphones
Just recently, the Harman-owned brand launched a crowdfunding campaign for a revolutionary pair of wireless headphones dubbed Reflect Eternal.
The over-the-ear device looks just like any regular pair of headphones. But, in reality, it carries the tech that allows charging from sunlight and indoor light, giving virtually 'unlimited listening' to the owner - without any worries of hooking up to power adapter.
Working
How these headphones charge from sunlight
The Reflect headphones, JBL says, have been developed with the Powerfoyle material created by Swedish deep tech company Exeger.
It transforms natural and artificial light into free and sustainable energy, which essentially allows the device to charge itself from sunlight as well as indirect and indoor lighting.
Now, this means that as long as you are around some light, these headphones will keep charging.
Backup
An hour and half outside equals 68 hours of listening
As the power of the device comes from light, JBL says that the more time you spend wearing these headphones outside, the more time you will get between charges.
In fact, according to the company, in certain conditions, just an hour and a half of outdoor time with this device is enough to get around 68 hours of listening.
USB charging support
USB charging backup also available
Apart from this, the headphones boast standard capabilities with 40mm drivers with a 20Hz to 20kHz frequency response range, hands-free calling, IPX4-rating, and a mode to amplify ambient audio.
Also, if things go dark someday and you need to juice up the device real quick, there is also the USB alternative, which you can use to get 2 hours of backup in 15 minutes.
Cost
How much you have to spend for these headphones?
The market price of JBL Reflect Eternal would come out when the final product is ready. However, if interested, you can back this project at a price of Rs. 7,019.
The campaign has met its target and JBL has a working prototype, which means that there is a good chance that backers will be getting a unit around the estimated October 2020 release date.