Magzet aims to reinvent the audio jack with the 'power of magnets'
Tired of having your headphone jack or plug short out and break? Magzet is hoping to change all that with a new accessory that promises safer connections.
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Apple's proprietary MagSafe power connectors have saved a lot of laptops from falling off desks, tables and other high places down the years. That's because the connector adheres magnetically, rather than being truly plugged in, which means that if you bump into the cord, the cable simply breaks away from the laptop and doesn't drag it along with it, as a traditional connector might do.
Those lamenting the MagSafe's absence in the new MacBook -- where it's being replaced by a do-it-all USB-C port -- may be first in line for a new Kickstarter from the folks at Magzet. They're trying to bring that same magnetic concept to the audio jack.
The forthcoming product, which is now live on the crowdfunding site, is a two-piece accessory. The smaller MagJack is designed to plug into a headphone jack, while the larger MagKap fits over your standard headphone plug. The two pieces then adhere magnetically -- at which time audio is cut off from the device's speaker and routed to the headphones.
It's unclear how Magzet impacts audio quality, if at all. The Ohio-based designers, Jon Hallsten and Jeff Russell,claim "audio quality is superb!" You'll be able to use all your inline remote's features for skipping tracks forward and back, answering and ending calls, and adjusting volume.