Oaklay Thump Pro, Sunglasses w/ MP3
Due Credit:
Oaklay
Oakley extends its line of-Wearable Electronics-with a pair of MP3 sunglasses designed for sports: the Oakley Thump Pro. At first sight, it resembles its older cousin, the O ROKR, but a closer look reveals a thinner and lighter design. Because athletes will train in any weather, the Thump Pro is sweat and rain resistant. The rubber surface on each side and on the nose is designed to produce more grip with moisture. Thanks to its light weight and tight grip, it is really stable.
Audio
The MP3 playing capability is the reason why it on the spotlight, so let us get to it. The sunglasses act like a USB Mass Storage Device: when connected to a computer (PC, Mac, via USB 2.0) it simply shows up as a drive. Users can copy music files with a simple Drag & Drop. It could not get any easier. Ordinary (non-music) files can also be copied to the Thump Pro, if you want to use it as a plain flash drive. The sound quality is good.
Specification
1GB / 512MB / 256MB models
6 hours of playback time (Oakley with the max. volume)
AAC, MP3, WMA and Audible formats supported
The user interface is simple and effective: there are 5 buttons (two on the left, three on the right): Previous / Play-Pause / Next / Volume up / Volume down. It is also possible to activate additional play modes like shuffling with a button combination. When reaching for these buttons I recommend putting a finger on each button to instantly know where they all are. Pushing the Previous and Next button at the same time start a favorite song saved in a special directory,not bad at all.
The speakers are fully articulated and should fit your ears easily. While it is simple to remove one speaker to answer a phone call (with one hand), it is a bit more delicate to remove the whole frame, if you are entering a dark tunnel while driving, especially in a turn. I really liked the original Thump design that allowed flipping the glasses up. I would have preferred a design with softer in-ear speakers, but it is OK because these earphones are supported by the frame and not only by the ears.
Sunglasses:
Obviously, the Thump Pro are also great sunglasses. Just like other Oakley products, it comes with lenses that will protect the eyes from UV rays, but also from projectiles (branches, rocks, screws, USB cables, mobile phones etc.).
Drawbacks
Thump Pro is a cool product but it is not perfect. It is a bit bigger than regular sunglasses, there is no FM Radio and it comes only in one size. If you have a small head/ or a bigger head you are out of luck. If there is a need to remove the glasses in a hurry, you will need both hands. It is not a deal-breaker, but depending on your activity, you should be aware of this. Finally US$250 for a pair of sunglasses is quite expansive.
Conclusion
The Thump pro are very comfy to wear and do their job very well: provide good MP3 capabilities and eye protection without tangling wires. The battery life will probably outlast most training sessions. Now if Oakley could turn the lenses into solar panels I would declare it a must buy.
Oaklay Thump Pro Red
The MP3 playing capability is the reason why it on the spotlight, so let us get to it. The sunglasses act like a USB Mass Storage Device: when connected to a computer (PC, Mac, via USB 2.0) it simply shows up as a drive. Users can copy music files with a simple Drag & Drop. It could not get any easier. Ordinary (non-music) files can also be copied to the Thump Pro, if you want to use it as a plain flash drive. The sound quality is good.
Specification
1GB / 512MB / 256MB models
6 hours of playback time (Oakley with the max. volume)
AAC, MP3, WMA and Audible formats supported
The user interface is simple and effective: there are 5 buttons (two on the left, three on the right): Previous / Play-Pause / Next / Volume up / Volume down. It is also possible to activate additional play modes like shuffling with a button combination. When reaching for these buttons I recommend putting a finger on each button to instantly know where they all are. Pushing the Previous and Next button at the same time start a favorite song saved in a special directory,not bad at all.
The speakers are fully articulated and should fit your ears easily. While it is simple to remove one speaker to answer a phone call (with one hand), it is a bit more delicate to remove the whole frame, if you are entering a dark tunnel while driving, especially in a turn. I really liked the original Thump design that allowed flipping the glasses up. I would have preferred a design with softer in-ear speakers, but it is OK because these earphones are supported by the frame and not only by the ears.
Sunglasses:
Obviously, the Thump Pro are also great sunglasses. Just like other Oakley products, it comes with lenses that will protect the eyes from UV rays, but also from projectiles (branches, rocks, screws, USB cables, mobile phones etc.).
Drawbacks
Thump Pro is a cool product but it is not perfect. It is a bit bigger than regular sunglasses, there is no FM Radio and it comes only in one size. If you have a small head/ or a bigger head you are out of luck. If there is a need to remove the glasses in a hurry, you will need both hands. It is not a deal-breaker, but depending on your activity, you should be aware of this. Finally US$250 for a pair of sunglasses is quite expansive.
Conclusion
The Thump pro are very comfy to wear and do their job very well: provide good MP3 capabilities and eye protection without tangling wires. The battery life will probably outlast most training sessions. Now if Oakley could turn the lenses into solar panels I would declare it a must buy.
