Headphones were invented in 1881 for the use of telephone operators. The very first model was merely functional but freed the operator’s hand, which was the main requirement. It would be difficult to believe today that the first models sat on the operator’s shoulders and weighed around 10 lbs. As industries and technologies developed and found way into sound reproduction, improved materials, and miniaturization of components, headphones with improved sound qualities also were realized. From the ten-pound shoulder breaking behemoths, they were metamorphosed into invisible plugs that sat discreetly in the ear canal. The twentieth century saw many technological breakthroughs like high-fidelity sound, dynamic headphones, stereo sound headphones portability, and miniaturization in the form of in-ear earphones, etc. By the late twentieth century, design started gaining importance. Improved sound reproduction and lighter stronger materials started to impose demands for better sound, aesthetics in designs, comfort, and sound isolation

It was in 2008 that Dr. Dre, a rap enthusiast and creator of quite a few famous groups, and his associate at Interscope records, Jimmy Iovine, came together and decided to change the way music is reproduced in headphones. They roped in Monster Cable, with decades of experience in speaker and AV manufacturing. Dr Dre gave the engineers a new perspective on sound reproduction in headphones. He wanted people to hear music the way an artist heard it. The engineers achieved this by wizardry in hardware and software. High efficiency drivers and magnetic technology boosted the volume without the distortion or interference giving a boost to the bass hitherto without sacrificing the mid and treble performance. Sound cancellation technology made sure that music lovers could isolate themselves using over-the-head earphones from the surroundings and enjoy their music as long as the wanted. The high bass produced less hearing fatigue.

The designers made sure that the products were very elegant that they admirably met the customers needs and went beyond the limit to create a need for the brand. They ensured that Beats became one of the leading brands of headphones available in the US. It is head hugging and incredibly comfortable. The headphones come in a variety of colors including blue, black, white, and red. These headphones have great flexibility, no sound leakage, and it always give you a crisp, clear quality of sound. Beats headphones are great to mute out the outside world. They are of a good size and easily portable.

With the wonderful advances that have been occurring in the field of computation and technology, headphones are a luxury that everyone has been welcoming with arms wide open. Although they are a lovely luxury, given below are some important health issues that can crop up by using headphones continuously.

Adverse effects of headphones

1. Complications in hearing: When headphones are used, the sound goes straight into the ears. If the volume goes over 90 decibels, there is every chance that it can result in hearing complications or loss of hearing in extreme cases.

2. Infections of the ear: Suppose you have been sharing your headphones with others like family and friends, this can trigger ear infections very easily. Bacteria travel from one person’s ear to the other via headphones very easily. So, either sanitize your headphones or refrain from sharing them.

3. No passage of air: With top branded companies taking all necessary measures to improve sound quality of the headphones, these headphones do not permit air entry into the ears while you are listening to music. This increases ear wax in the ears and triggers tinnitus or hearing complications too if used for hours together.

4. Numbing of ears: Ears begin experiencing numbness for people who use headphones daily for many hours. The hearing ability itself becomes numbed and then returns to normal after some time. This is not a very safe situation.

5. Ear ache: People who are in the habit of using headphones normally complain of ear aches and even buzzing noises inside their ears.

6. Adversely affects the brain: Ear phones produce electromagnetic waves that can adversely affect your brain. Studies have revealed that prolonged use of headphones can cause brain related issues later in life. This is due to the fact that the ears have direct link to the brain and even a minor infection of the inner ear can have a direct effect to the brain and cause dangerous health issues.

7. Dangerous accidents: Road and automobile accidents are now on the increase with more and more people using headphones while travelling. When they use headphones while travelling, people are unable to hear honking and fall prey to untoward and life threatening accidents. There are even umpteen cases of unfortunate train accidents also occurring due to people wearing headphones.

So, although headphones are a wonderful luxury, be careful with over using as it can lead to the above-mentioned issues with prolonged and continuous usage.

If you’ve ever heard of the Justice League, you’ll be surprised to find that there’s a league of Otterbox phone/tablet cases too. Unlike Justice League, who protect the world, these cases protect your device. If you’re someone who’s hyperactive or doesn’t think twice before performing daredevil stunts, you should definitely use tablet cases for maximum protection.

They are strong and sturdy, with durability factored into most of them. Protecting your device from all kinds of drops and shocks from impact is now a breeze. Your device will stay safe, secure, and happy.

Check out these four amazing series of Otterbox cases.

Otterbox Defender Series
Featuring a triple layered defense with an inner shell protection, an outer cover, and screen protection, the Otterbox Defender series will defend your device till the death.
It comes bundled with port covers that offers protection to USB and charging ports from dust, dirt and any form of residue entering through tiny gaps.
The Otterbox Defender series comes equipped with a holster which acts as a kickstand. It functions as a hands-free option for viewing videos. It also protects the camera lens from scrapes, scratches, and scuffs.

Otterbox Commuter Series
The Otterbox Commuter series is for those who love going on adventures and want their device to have adequate protection. The soft inner layers absorbs shocks and the outer hard layers absorbs external forms of impact. The port covers included protect against pocket lint too. If you’re planning to take your device into the wildlife for an adventure, make sure it has a case from this series.

Otterbox Symmetry Series
If beauty is your concern, the Otterbox Symmetry Series will provide the justice your device deserves. Ultraslim, ultralight, and ultra protective, it gives ultimate protection to your device with awesome designs.
It comes in solid color choices with a sleek design. It will make your phone or tablet stand out in the crowd. The sleek design lets your device slide in and out of your pocket without extra effort.

Otterbox Strada Series
Leather cases made of premium leather, the Otterbox Strada Series adds poshness and luxury to your device. With very stylish, soft and slim profiles, these cases are easy to attach to your device. These cases come with metallic accents and Otterbox Certified Drop+ Protection. The myriad leather patterns and cases are intricately stitched to perfection.

Otterbox uniVERSE Case
One case, endless possibilities is the tagline for this product. The case is modular in nature. It lets you swap out a piece and plug in different modules. Take professional photographs with a camera module. Charge your device with a battery pack. Increase the memory with an expandable memory module. This case maximises the phone’s protection and at the same time increases its functionality too.

Customizing your mobile phone cases has got to be one of the most creative aspects that have popped up in the cellphone industry. It is literally like dress-picking outfits for your cell phone daily. Gone are the days when the cell phone cases used to be the mundane black, brown or the transparent ones. Nowadays, with a plethora of choices and themes available, one can have images on the cover, have themes (such as nautical theme, rugged theme, nature theme and what-not), and even have famous quotes printed on from movies and series, all according to one’s likes and moods. While one can customize prints on plastic mobile cases, today there are options to customize the leather android cell phone cases too:

Personalized Designer Cases: Designer cases are the designs which are already completed and ready for sale. Customizing these types of cases can be done only by adding a particular name or quote to the case, and not changing the design in entirety. For instance, if the background is white with the design only in partial space, one can request for the quote (or even one’s name) to be printed in the rest of the space. For those people looking for some more bling, these cases even come embellished and adorned with sparkly backgrounds and fancy stones.

Custom photo cases: Customizing designer mobile cases is not just about writing names or quotes one of the most popular ways of customizing android cell phone cases is by adding photos. Whether it is the perfect family photo captured with your camera or your favorite TV series cast photo or even a great nature shot, one can get it printed either across the case as a single photo or, even better, in a collage format. Customizing mobile cases could be more attractive for the kids because they get to embellish their favorite cartoon character or their first work of art.

Popular designs: After scoring a lot of websites, we have listed the most popular designs for you these include cheetah and leopard prints, plain shaded vibrant colors, zig-zag designer prints of different shades with a plain background etc. are the most popular customized designs. One can even find the user’s name printed on a plain white/black background as a very common custom design.

The only drawback of customizing cases is that they don’t provide protection against rain, aren’t shock-proof, etc., and only add good looks to the phone. Customizing is all about getting what you like on your mobile case. It is usually done on plastic cases but it again depends on the store options. With technology and customer satisfaction at its peak, one can get it done through online shopping websites as well.

When we have a smartphone with us or when we plan to buy a Smartphone, one of the most basic aspects we are all looking for is a long battery life that will last through the day at the minimum. It is indeed a pain to be travelling around with low battery and having to charge it frequently using a charger or a power bank. Unfortunately, technology hasn’t come up with a mobile which even when used to its full potential will still back a long battery life. This could be because of the many reasons like the constant use of the GPS, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, and games. All we can do is limit the usage of several applications at the same time and set a time limit on usage. However, limiting these settings can just extend the battery life to some extent. Here are some ways to boost the battery life of your smartphone:

Screen:
A big screen and a colorful bright display definitely makes for an eye-catching background for the phone screen. However, at the same time, it is the mortal enemy of the battery. The display is said to consume the most of battery life. Most new phones have auto brightness option which automatically adjusts the screen brightness according to the ambient illuminance. This mode controls the power to some extent by not running the same brightness throughout the day, but if you’re able to adjust the brightness manually at each ambiance with a medium brightness, then it will definitely help save the battery of the phone.

Maintain screen timeout at a lesser count:
Mnay smartphones, in their general settings, have an option called auto-lock (one can adjust the time here). This feature decides how long the phone screen should be in the awake mode’. So, the lesser the screen timeout is, the better it is for your phone battery.

Hands-free handsets:
Using a bluetooth hands-free headset is the most convenient thing if you are traveling in crowded subway or even driving. However, this also means that your bluetooth is on all the time, resulting in draining of the battery to no end. If not within an hour, the battery of the phone would just drain off.

Switching off data, Wi-Fi and GPS:
Switching off the Wi-Fi connections, GPS and mobile data when you do not need it is one of the easiest and prudent ways to save battery. Also, using Wi-Fi is better than using mobile data, as a general rule.

Applications:
Users should be aware of the apps that and running in the mobile and make sure that they all don’t integrate with the camera, location, etc. Also, one should be aware that the apps shouldn’t be on auto update, or it will end with all apps downloading data whenever one is connected to Wi-Fi or mobile data. This will end up draining a lot of battery.

Mobile headsets have advanced significantly in technology. Not limited to the traditional styles, the new mobile headsets are a class apart when it comes to style, design and sound abilities. With companies offering a wide collection of different styles of headsets.

Headsets are no longer a mere audio device that transmits sound, but also come with controls over the playback of the sound from your mobile phone. This includes forwarding, muting, or pausing the playback. Below mentioned are some of the advantages of mobile headsets that make it a suitable option not only for music lovers but for everyone

Advantages of using Mobile Headsets

Easy to use: The new mobile headsets make it easier to change the playback music. This makes it a preferred choice of people on the go who often use public transport or walk outside

Sound: Wearing a headset ensures smooth flow of sound as the microphone moves in accordance with the head movement. This ensures that the voice remains consistent. Unlike the traditional models, the new mobile headsets come with noise canceling technology. Also the microphone has the ability to filter 75% of background sounds. This ensures a smooth experience as the callers are not disrupted by the outside noise. The binaural headset,covering both ears, helps in reducing distracting background clatter, thus assisting in better telephonic conversations.

Freedom and productivity: Mobile headsets lend freedom and allow users to keep their hands free for other useful purposes. For instance, in a customer care center a mobile headset allows the executive to freely use the computer, make notes, etc., thus making the entire process more productive and efficient as well. Wireless headsets comes with the additional freedom as the user can move around freely without having his hands next to his ears. It also allows the user to answer and end calls while not being on the station.

Speed: Since mobile headsets alter the playback, the users can manage it with the help of controls on a headset. This is quite useful for travelers, who have to sometimes, pause or mute the playback.

Body Posture: Holding a phone handset up to one ear for a long period affects the body posture and causes people to suffer from neck and back discomfort. For people who are constantly over the phone, this can be a cause of worry as it can lead to repetitive strain injury. This is one reason why physiotherapists’ chiropractors recommend people to use headsets.

Mobile headsets are excellent for organizations as they enhance productivity, health and morale within the place of work. Now although the regular headsets allow you to keep your hands free, the wireless option, on the other hand, enables users to move freely and still complete the assigned calls.

If you are planning to invest in a good headphone for yourself, you have before you a stunning array of headphones for you to choose from. Be it noise canceling headphones, wireless models, over the ear or earbuds you have in mind, the choices are just overwhelming. Given below are some simple guidelines that will help you pick the perfect headphone suitable for you in every sense of the word.

Size: One of the primary things you need to decide is whether you want to go in for small or big headphones. Different ones have different uses like for relaxing or for working. Smaller models have excellent portability and are lightweight that makes it convenient to slide into your pockets. But the sound quality is not as good when compared to bigger ones. Larger headphones although bulkier, are excellent in sound quality and are ideal for home use.

Design: Choose a model that will sync perfectly with what you are planning to use these headphones for. While over-the-ear models are ideal for use at home, they are too big to be used while traveling. If you plan on buying a headphone for some serious work or music listening, go for corded ones as they are found to be better rated compared to wireless models.

Different Types: Choosing an ideal model of headphone is completely personal. It depends on how comfortable you are inserting earphones that get embedded into the ear canal or just plain earbuds that rest on the ear bowl. The various kinds include-
On the ear: These models are quite light weight and do not put pressure on your head. They are available in both closed and open versions. However, the ear becomes hot with prolonged use.
In the ear: The earbuds position themselves on the ear bowl are most commonly found coming free along with iPods and audio players that can be ported. These models can be inserted into the ear canal isolating outside sounds.
Over the ear: They are available in two designs namely closed and open models. It depends on your preference what you would like to opt for.
Wireless models: These have become very popular and make use of Bluetooth technology. Wireless models that are digitalized have been found to offer better performance.
Noise reduction: These kinds of headphones are for people who want to cut outside noise completely and concentrate on working. There are various models of noise canceling headphones that you can browse before you make your final choice.

Headphones have had a long history of evolution into unimaginable quality, comforts, and looks. They are basically a device to convert electric impulses into corresponding sound waves technically called an electro-acoustic transducer. Headphones are designed to send the sound into the listener’s ears. The first headphones were developed for telephone operators in 1881. Needless to say, the sound quality was poor. The major requirement was to free their hands. The first models rested on the shoulders of the operator and weighed 10 lbs. The biggest revolution was the quality of sound reproduction called high-fidelity sound. This came about in the late 1930s. 1937 saw the introduction of the dynamic headphones. They are the most popular type. 1958 was when the world woke up to stereo headphones introduced by one John C. Koss. The market for the next decade was dominated by him. Sony, the Japanese company, jolted the market to another revolution in 1979 by introducing their Walkman making portability the most coveted requirement. The 80s saw the introduction of the in-ear headphones. The 2000s welcomed the QuietComfort series of Bose.

The year 2008 saw the introduction of the Beats headphones. These idea for these headphones were conceived by Dr. Dre and Jimmy Iovine. To understand the uniqueness of these headphones, it is important to know the background of these two. Andre Young grew to the sound of his mom’s record player. He became a DJ, later Dr. Dre, and became the co-creator of famous rap groups. Iovine is well known Record and Film producer and co-founder of Interscope Records and chairman of Interscope Geffen A&M. These are individuals who were involved in music all their lives. Their products were manufactured by Monster Cable, which has decades of experience in speaker and AV manufacturing. This helped the Beats engineers with a fresh perspective about what is required. Dr. Dre insisted that he wanted his customers to hear music the way the artists hear and listen the way they should. This was achieved by the engineers through wizardry in hardware and sound profiling, high efficiency drivers, and magnetic technology. They boosted the volume without distortion or interference. This led to bass performance of epic proportion, with equal mid and treble performance. With the adoption of latest sound cancellation technology, it enables the listen music in quiet solitude anywhere.

A quality of music’s most loved, wearing comfort, and iconic looks propelled these headphones to the top and attached a high status symbol in a short span of time.