These clips allow you to turn any pair of glasses into headphones

Everyone seems desperate to attach a pair of smart glasses to their face (or at least companies seem desperate to sell us on this solution), but the closest we have to that right now are the Bose frames at $ 200 or the Amazon Echo frames at $ 250. The problem is that they deliver only audio. That’s a lot to pay for a headphone alternative that doesn’t sound as good as real headphones, so consider JLab Audio’s new DIY solution instead, which allows you to easily upgrade your existing glasses with wireless sound.

JLab JBuds aren’t really buds in the sense that you push them into your ears like you do with a pair of AirPods. Rather, they’re designed to clip onto the temples of your eyeglasses, whether it’s prescription glasses or just sunglasses, and then play sound into your ears using upward-facing speakers. low. They are yet another open ear headset solution like the Bose Sport open headphones announced earlier this week, which lets you listen to your music while listening to everything that is happening around you. This makes ideal for runners or anyone who doesn’t want the world around them silenced. Unlike headphones and over-ear headphones, they also don’t come in physical contact with any part of your ear, which means they’re potentially more comfortable to wear for long periods of time.

The JBuds are rated IPX4 for water resistance, which means they should easily survive sweat and heavy rain, but won’t survive a soak. This is probably because of the large speaker opening that allows the sound from the JBuds’ 16mm speakers to reach your ears. It’s the same approach as in-ear headphones (the drivers are slightly outside your ears) but without the earcups, so there is a concern with these types of personal audio devices so that everyone can hear what you are listening to. JLab promises that’s not a problem given the way sound is directed to the ear canal, but it’s not a black hole that no sound can be reflected from. If you cast your tracks, you can probably expect someone nearby to be able to play as well.

The JBuds include buttons for adjusting playback volume, answering calls, and even changing EQ settings, and battery life is estimated to be over eight hours. It’s surprising to see a set of $ 50 headphones include their own custom charging cable, which in this case splits into two magnetic connectors to help minimize open ports on each speaker. But at the same time, proprietary charging cables are never a welcome solution, even with the convenience of magnets.

The JBuds will be available this spring for $ 50.