Henny Baareim - Assignment #2: Will it be adopted?

EarHero - Earphones

                                         

   

http://www.thinkgeek.com/product/1431/?pfm=electronics_newest_1431_6      $149.99

Description

The earHero headphones allow you to hear your surroundings while you listen to music. The speakers are inside your ear, yet not blocking the ear canal. A security to know they are safe for your ears, is that they are designed by an audiologist. It is also possible to talk on the phone while you are wearing them and they are almost invisible.

Relative advantage

For runners who run among traffic this is a good product to run safely. You can listen to your favorite music while working out, and at the same time pay attention to traffic and other sounds that may be important. The same also go for cyclists. Compared to normal earplugs these will not bother others around you with your music in a public place. As well as being a student who wants to listen to music during class without the teacher knowing, this invisibility is an advantage.

Compatibility

If the purpose of you listening to music is to block the world out, this will not be the product for you. Though if you are using these earplugs while talking to others, people might find it rude to not have full attention on them and the fact that they are almost invisible.

Adaptability (re-inventability)

The level of adaptability for the earHero earplugs is low because they can only be used as earplugs.

Trialability

The effect of these earplugs can easily be tested in a store before purchase. Then you can try it out and see how they work and how much of your surroundings you actually hear. Also you can test the comfort of the product. This will probably determine the adoption of the product.

Observability

The observability of this product is both low and high. Compared to the effect of the product which is not observable, but trialable, the invisibility has high observability. You can see for yourself how visible they are.

Complexity

If you know how to use normal earplugs, this will not be a complicate product to use because he principle is the same as regular earplugs. All in all this is a simple product to use. 

Conclusion

I believe this is a product that many may chose to adopt. Though by only a certain group of people, because there are many that wish not to hear the surroundings while listening to music. It is a good product to use for workout and such, but not for listening to music among others. I think maybe this is a product that will be adopted slowly for the population, because of its limits. It is also very expensive, so many would rather by regular plugs, which are much cheaper. One disadvantage is that there is no microphone, so you will not be able to talk in the phone with these plugs, you will have to pull the phone up to your mouth.