Vonia Headphones from Thanko

Today, Engadget is reporting on a pair of headphones straight from Japanese company, Thanko. Their claim to fame is that they conduct sound via bone. Instead of putting them over your ears, as you might expect, you place them just in front of you ears, on what I would guess might still be considered part of your cheek bone?

Maybe they’re being marketed to people with hearing problems. I’m no doctor, but I can’t help but wonder if that would actually help the issue. For anyone who isn’t stricken with such problems, these headphones might strike you as interesting if you are into wearing electronic devices that look like they’re from the early 90’s. More practically, they would actually leave your ears free to hear what else might be going on around you, just incase you plan on crossing any streets in NY.

The idea is actually pretty interesting, the main problem I have with these headphones is their design aesthetic. It just isn’t very pleasing, they resemble the headphones that came with my first portable CD player, and I’m sure they didn’t win any awards.

On a side note, one of the more interesting items from Thanko is their Wiimote charging station. The chargers come with a replacement battery pack that fits nicely onto your Wiimote. Next the designed white cradle holds your Wiimote for your charging convenience. Better yet, the cradle uses USB, more specifically your Wii’s USB to power the charger. If I had a Wii, I would definitely be interested in getting one of these for myself.