HELIX: Fashion and Function without Compromising Either
Headphones are a wonderful thing. They allow us to enjoy media in a personal, respectful way, providing a gateway to anywhere you so choose. However, there is no good way to transport earbuds, even wireless ones. They all require extra space in your main backpack if they have a carrying case or they go in one of the smaller pockets and get tangled by the little tiny elves whose sole life purpose is to live in your bag and tangle your headphones. It’s just a fact of life, these are the choices you make when it comes to earbuds and headphones…until now! There is a group of brilliant engineers attempting to kickstart a brilliant solution to this universal electronic problem. It’s called the HELIX and it is the first bracelet I’ve ever seriously considered wearing.
Looks
The HELIX looks…fashionable. It reminds me of the Jawbone UP fitness trackers in how it wraps around your wrist but it has much softer, gentler curves. The cuff is made out of a comfortable plastic composite, the exact same type found in the Apple Watch and the cuff compartment, control unit, and headphones are aluminum so you get a nice balance of comfort and durability.
All in all, the HELIX seems purposely understated and I believe this to be the reason why so many people are interested. Anybody can wear the HELIX, especially with the different color options available, and not feel self conscious.
What It Does
The HELIX is a very small device so one would expect shortcomings in durability and sound quality but the engineers managed to conquer these problems. Not only will the HELIX perform as well as other top earbuds in its price range, it is wireless with the latest version of Bluetooth, the ability to pair with multiple devices, a mice with call and music controls, decent battery life and sweat resistance.
All in all, if the HELIX was just a normal pair of Bluetooth headphones, I wouldn’t be writing this feature as it has the same specs as the other headphones in the same price range. But because the HELIX can be contained to something you wear on your wrist and still do all the things you’d expect a top notch set of earbuds to do, they are not your average pair of headphones. They are yet another sign of technology becoming a part of fashion without sacrificing functionality.
