If you haven't seen them around yet, you will. They're in-ear headphones, technically, but they lack the long cord that tangles up after about a week. Instead, two tiny wires connect buds to an inexplicably large band that rests loosely around your neck and houses all the circuitry necessary for wireless connectivity.
Here, it'll just be easier to show you:
That's the new Moto Surround, wrapped around the neck of a model who's trying his hardest to make them look beautiful and alluring. It's not just Motorola, of course: LG has a whole series. From there, the form factor seems to trickle down to about a dozen or so small manufacturers.
To call them "earbuds" is oversimplifying a new form factor that's becoming increasingly popular in the cheap-enough-to-be-almost-disposable headphone market. But then, what should we call these things? The most popular term, judging by Amazon product descriptions, seems to be "neckband," a sartorial term for the collar of a garment. It's not ubiquitously used, however, and also I think we can do better. So I asked my colleagues for a few suggestions, and now I'm putting it to a vote.
Update:
.@reckless the 'Bone Fone' pic.twitter.com/tXzXn6bRe7
— Joel Williams (@joelrwilliams1) August 6, 2015
Poll
Name. That. Thing.
This poll is closed
- 5%Around-the-collar wireless earbuds(229 votes)
- 8%Bluetooth choker(319 votes)
- 4%Bro buds(181 votes)
- 5%Collar jams(222 votes)
- 2%Chokeholds(89 votes)
- 8%Donglebuds(317 votes)
- 2%Donglewear(80 votes)
- 2%Eyerolls(84 votes)
- 2%Napetunes(92 votes)
- 16%Neckbuds(674 votes)
- 3%Tactical audio(121 votes)
- 3%That thing from Battle Royale but for jams(139 votes)
- 3%Throatcuffs(122 votes)
- 1%Throatwraps(41 votes)
- 12%I don't see what's wrong with neckband...(492 votes)
- 1%I have a better idea, and I'm going to leave it in the comment section below(50 votes)
- 23%I just like clicking buttons!(955 votes)