[ot-caption title=”Fully wireless, The Dash by Bragi will hopefully revitalize the earbud industry. (via, James Vincent/TheVerge)”]

As bluetooth and wireless technology improve and devices in general get even smaller, the possibility for new products widens. Today, the dream of fully wireless headphones and earbuds is slowly becoming a reality. Currently on the market are large over-the-ear wireless headphones and earbuds that are connected with a strap. However, some companies are attempting to bring to fruition entirely wireless earbuds.

Looking at the headphone industry today, one of the most popular wireless earbuds is the Jaybird X2. When first looking at the headphones, they look no different than other standard pair of in-ear earbuds, but with some inspection, you will notice that there is no headphone jack. This is because they connect to your device of choice by bluetooth. Getting 8 hours of music playback on a single charge, it is impressive how much technology can fit into such a small package. At $179.99, these sweat-proof “wireless buds” come at a steep price, but many have found the functionality (especially in an exercise setting) to be well worth the price tag.

Some startups wish to fulfill the dream of having truly wireless earbuds. The most popular of these projects have gone through Kickstarter, which allows everyday members of the public to fund a startup and potentially get the product at a discounted price. The project that I have personally funded and have come to know best is The Dash from the German startup Bragi. These flagship wireless earbuds were funded by March 31, 2014 with an incredible $3.3 million in funding from the general public. The allure of these earbuds was the fact that there would not be any cords, which intrigued many to fund it.  Currently, the price has increased significantly from the Kickstarter price of $179 to $299. The Dash has been prototyped several times and the initial developer backers of the project are receiving their earbuds now with Kickstarter backers receiving theirs in the coming months. The reliability of the technology to make them fully wireless and waterproof is unknown, but there is great potential for The Dash to define a new category of product that Bragi is calling a “hearable.” Keep a look out on the headphone market for The Dash, as it will likely be a paradigm-shifting device.

The industry of earbuds is booming with new technology and ways to make listening to music that much easier. With new technology coming on the market everyday, who knows what the next mega hit product will be.

Sources: Kickstarter, Jaybird, Bragi, TheVerge Photo Source: TheVerge