LAS VEGAS — Everyone hates loudmouth jerks who talk too loudly on their cellphones in public. If this is you know or someone you love, a new startup may have the answer.
Onvocal’s Mix360 is a Bluetooth headset with a microphone that detects ambient sound. So if you’re talking on your cell, you can hear exactly how loud you are and modulate your voice accordingly.
“It’ll end those annoying calls where people can’t hear how loud they are and are shouting into their phones,” said Ashley Waters, a spokeswoman for the Massachusetts-based startup.
Ending loudmouth calls is just a side benefit. The Mix360 headset is designed for people who need to hear the environment around them while talking or listening on a headset, like frequent travelers listening for announcements at the airport.
The headset ships with an app that allows audio to be mixed from three inputs — source, ambient and voice. The app allows you to adjust the different volume levels of each input. It includes presets that will lower the volume if the wearer is listening to music when a call comes in, turning the music back up when the call ends.
The Mix360 will cost $349 when it goes on sale later this spring, but the company is taking per-orders until the end of January for $299.
I like the idea of the Mix360. I would love to see a pair of sport headphones. I like to listen to music when I’m cycling, but it’s dangerous to block your ears.
But I have concerns about the design. For a Bluetooth headset, it’s big and bulky. It felt like putting a horseshoe around my neck and then I had to fiddle with putting the earbuds with the microphone in my ears. It was a bit of a dance to put it on. It also feels as fragile as hell. Maybe the final product will be more robust, but the one at CES felt pretty flimsy.
The idea is interesting, but the implementation is a commitment.
