Introducing Jvc's Nearphone: the earbud-shaped earphones that are both comfortable and fashionable

Every now and then, consumer electronics designers try new ways. The direction is almost never artistic: the market and what comes out of the R&D labs are in command. However, when technology is not in command, design prevails, understood as the ability to solve problems.

In-ear earphones, those that fit inside the ear, do not appeal to everyone. If they are of quality, they sound really good. A driver in each earphone emits music through a tube, directly into the ear canal and up to the eardrum. Usually attached to the end of the funnel is a silicone 'tip' designed to create a seal, thus insulating the wearer from outside noise. Regardless of the materials used and the shape, some consider them invasive and annoying. And also unhygienic.

Open-ear earphones, which 'hang' on the ear like an earring, have appeared on the market for a few months now. Audiophiles don't like them. Real ones don't like open-ear either, because many claim that over-ear headphones, the classic ones with large earcups that surround the ear, sealing it off, remain the best for listening to music. But it is a sign of the times that the combination of smart working, podcasts and artificial intelligence has led Big Tech engineers to study new forms to make wearing headphones more comfortable.

The latest idea is the earbud-to-earbud. Already on the market are Bose's Ultra Open Earbuds, Sony's WF-L900 Linkbuds and Huawei's Freeclip. Now the JVC brand joins the ranks with its first true wireless open-ear earbuds, which we previewed. The Nearfone HA-NP1T - that's what JVC called them - are inspired by earrings without holes. The autonomy is very good: using them often to listen to podcasts and phone calls, I ended the day peacefully. A 24-hour battery life is promised, so no frequent recharging.

The connection is Bluetooth 5.3, the most stable. They are light and comfortable, no doubt about that. IPX4 certification makes them splash-proof, and they have touch controls, voice activation and a built-in microphone. They are therefore suitable for those who are always connected, those who want to interact with their AI and those who are podcast enthusiasts.