Anker’s Zolo Liberty+ hearable promises to solve the problems inherent in “traditional wireless earphones”, through enhanced technology to offer a “zero compromise” wireless headphone alternative. The hearable will be among the first devices to incorporate the new Bluetooth 5.0 protocol.
The company’s Kickstarter campaign, which began in June 2017, has vastly exceeded its fundraising goal of $50,000, totaling nearly $3 million by mid-August.
New Tech to Improve Connectivity
The Liberty+ is said to integrate the Bluetooth antenna with the earphone body itself, which offers a stronger connection and less chance of dropped signals. According to the company, using Bluetooth 5.0 means:
- Doubled data transmission speed
- Bigger range (approximately 10m)
- 800% increase in data-transfer capacity
Liberty+’s rechargeable battery offer 3.5 hours of streaming time and its charging case offers up to 48 hours of charging capacity. The devices are hydrophopic and nanocoated for moisture protection.
The Liberty+ offers a graphene driver for enhanced fidelity, according to the company
Unique features of the Liberty+ include the incorporation of a larger LDS antenna for superior connection, as well as a graphene-coated driver, which the company claims offers “superior sound across the entire frequency spectrum; with a dramatic enhancement for treble and overall clarity”.
Other features include:
- Compatibility with Siri, Google and Alexa voice assistants
- Audio transparency function
https://youtu.be/uGaDk1OqEmM
Early backers of the company’s Kickstarter campaign can get a set of the Liberty+ for $99/pair. The devices are expected to be available for retail sale in October 2017 for $149.
The Liberty+ has great potential as a hearing device, however, the Zolo Life App (ios) that works with the ear buds has no hearing settings, such as crowded room, TV, restaurant, etc. It does have an EQ for different types of music. Hopefully, an upgrade for the app will appear soon that gives some attention to the hearing aspect.