The Outdoor Technology (OT) Bluetooth Tags throw a new design into the headphone marketplace: rugged earbud headphones that hang loosely around your neck while not in use, like a pair of dog tags.
Most outdoor enthusiasts and athletes choose headphones based on utility:
The $80 OT Tags come in black and red and eliminate the fumbling and tangles that come with loose wires with two Bluetooth wireless earpieces connected with a strong braided wire. It's compatible with all A2DP device including most smartphones, but iPod users can also purchase an external Bluetooth Transmitter to even the playing field.
A lithium ion battery inside keeps the buds juiced for approximately 6 hours of talk/listening time and up to 120 hours of standby time, and a Micro-USB minicable takes care of the charging (1.45 hours for a full charge).
The company claims the OT Tags' plastic housing resonates bass and treble inside your ears for a more stereoscopic listening experience while still letting you hear the world around you, but we'll put that claim to the test in a full review on CNET.com coming soon.