Category: Bulk

Are Chromebook Headphones Uncomfortable or the Best-Kept Secret in Tech?

New ideas are popping up in our technology-oriented world every day, and Chromebooks are one of the rising trends observed lately. Though Chromebooks are very much similar to other laptops and netbooks, what differentiates it from others is the OS. Chromebooks use the Chrome OS. The OS is developed by Google, with the aim of running everything on its platform. Though the features are similar to those in Windows or Mac laptops, the twist is that cloud computing is essential. The consequence is that you have to be online for almost all Chromebook activities.

But on the positive side, with the support of cloud computing technology, all your files can be accessed on any other device as well. Also, they are available at a comparatively better price as the Chrome OS uses a lesser amount of resources. However, no compromise is made on the speed, with the device booting up almost instantly as you power it on. Good battery life of at least ten hours in a single go adds to the joy. Chromebooks are gaining popularity due to all these reasons.

What is the significance of Chromebook headphones, you may ask? Though Chromebooks have numerous plus points, its onboard microphones are not up to the mark regarding quality and clarity. An additional accessory needs to be obtained to resolve the issue, the Chromebook headphones. Though they may look similar to other headphones, it provides exceptional service when used with Chromebooks.

A Chromebook has only one audio jack, to be used as both audio transmitter and receiver. So if you intend to use those regular headphones with Chromebook, you may have issues in listening and talking at the same time. For wireless headphones, there are no issues as they work perfectly fine when connected through Bluetooth. But if you are particular about using wired headphones, and need good quality audio, then Chromebook headphones are a must have accessory.

The Pros

Aspects in which the Chromebook headphones are superior to the other types.

Available in two types

Chromebook headphones are available as both On the Ear and Over the Ear types. Even though On the Ear headphones are fitting on top of the ear, they are not so good at ambient noise cancellation that is most common nowadays. On the contrary, Over the Ear Headphones provide excellent audio isolation from outside, and therefore if you are someone who needs to listen to music or something in noisy surroundings, Over the Ear Headphones best suits you.

Rotating boom mic

Rotating boom microphones with an addition of effective noise reduction is a feature that comes with the high-end Chromebook headsets. The result is that the person at the other end of your call too can enjoy good quality audio.

USB connectivity

Chromebook headphones come with USB port connectivity, as opposed to the traditional 3.5mm audio jack. The USB jack is a gem as it offers crisp digital stereo resulting in impressively clear sound.

Volume control

Obviously, the sound quality is a necessity while it comes to headphones. Besides providing excellent audio quality, the Chromebook headphones have an audio limiting cable to ensure that the noise level is not above the comfortable limits for human ears. But if you want to crank it up a little, you can only turn the volume up.

Efficient noise cancellation

The noise reduction from the surroundings is a hard-to-get feature when it comes to headphones. Chromebook headphones provide you this luxury as well, with its unique noise cancellation feature.

Device compatibility

Your Chromebook headphone is good to go with you other devices as well. Though the best fit is with Chromebooks, you can use it efficiently on your laptop as well. Every device has the same basic connectivity feature after all.

The downside

Even though there are a lot of merits for Chromebook headphones, it has its demerits too. Though it offers compatibility with any device, sometimes the headphones fail to do so. The requirement of a net connection is another black mark on the Chromebook as a whole. The possibilities of offline utilities are limited, which may frustrate you sometimes. Also, it’s a big thumbs-down while considering gaming needs, especially for hardcore gamers.

Reviews point out that sometimes it is hard for the headphones to get going as some of the Chromebooks require a somewhat rude push for the headphones to get into the Jack. Opting for a Chromebook eventually prompts you to go for Chromebook headphone also. Though they might be uncomfortable for some users, they have a reputation for delivering quality service and the tempting technology is a well-kept secret in the industry.

The Rise of Chromebook Headphones: Why Are They So Popular?

A cursory glance at Google trends reveals Chromebooks to be a very popular search topic. Lots of people across the world are looking to learn a few things about Chromebooks, with search phrases hitting the 100 mark almost every year in the last 3 years or so.

The popularity of Chromebooks has also lead to another product getting a lot of attention – Chromebook headphones. Every year, more and more people search for Chromebook headphones according to Google Trends. They are essentially one of the must have Chromebook accessories, and for good reason.

Most Chromebooks ship out with built-in microphones and speakers, but there are situations where the built-in audio system might not work out so well. Like when you are in a coffee shop and you want to catch a video on YouTube. You can’t shush everyone to in order to listen to your video. What you can do is get yourself a nice pair of headphones to use with your Chromebook.

Top Audio Equipment Manufacturers Are Getting In on The Game

Another sign that Chromebook headphones are the new popular kid on the block is the fact that top headphone brands have a line of dedicated Chromebook headphones. Bose, Beyerdynamic, Sony and Life is Good (LG) Electronics all have audio solutions for Chromebooks.

But the popularity of Chromebook headphones is all down to the popularity of the platform. To understand why these headphones are so popular, we should look at why Chromebooks are popular in the first place.

Attractive Pricing

The success of Chromebooks, and the Chrome OS is well documented. For starters, most people jump on the Chromebook bandwagon because of the price tag. Before Chromebooks, owning a decent laptop meant parting with more than $500.

Not today though because you can get a laptop powered by Chrome OS for half of that. That’s the same price for a medium range smartphone!

Performance

Once the price draws you in and you buy your first Chromebook, you don’t expect much from it. The hardware specs are not that impressive with some laptops running Celeron processors while their Windows counterparts run the latest core i7 processors with tons of RAM.

You’re however pleasantly surprised to see that your low-spec Chromebook boots a whole lot faster than any high end laptop. In fact, Chromebooks boot almost instantly when you turn press the power button.

That’s because they run on Chrome OS, an operating system made from Google’s Chrome browser. Chrome OS uses relatively few computer resources to get work done, unlike other platforms that require heaps of RAM and CPU cycles just to open a browser.

If you are coming from Windows, you probably know the Chrome browser takes up a lot of resources. Trying opening many tabs at once and you run the danger of having the whole computer freezing up on you.

That doesn’t happen on Chrome OS though. You can open as many tabs as you want without degrading performance. In fact, even if you open 20 tabs concurrently, the system doesn’t even show signs of lagging.

Remember, you are getting all that performance from a computer with very limited resources here, so that’s quite impressive.

Battery Life

Another thing that draws you to make a Chromebook your main computer is the battery life. Most laptops that run on Chrome OS clock more than 10 hours on a single charge. Benchmark tests show that even intensive use such as watching videos online or heavy web browsing doesn’t degrade the battery performance.

Online Apps

Traditionally, you had to purchase or download an application, install it on your computer and run it. With Chromebooks, you don’t have to. All your apps such as word processors, spreadsheets, email, and a whole slew of tools can be accessed through the internet. That means there’s no need to download any apps on your Chromebook. Just connect to the internet and you can do almost everything.

However, even if you are not connected to the internet, you can use some apps offline and later sync them to when you get an internet connection. Google also hinted that later in 2017, new versions of Chromebooks will be able to run Android apps natively. That means you’ll be able to do a whole lot more on your Chromebook.

Those are some of the reasons why people are falling in love with Chromebooks. These reasons also contribute to the popularity of Chromebook headphones. Better get yours today.

Why Schools Should Buy Chromebook Headphones in Bulk

Teaching has evolved over the decades and with each evolution, new teaching methods emerge. Today, classes operate at maximum capacity meaning we have to leverage on technology to maximize learning and facilitate teaching.

Incorporating technology in the learning environment started when the basic whiteboards were replaced with overhead projectors. Later on tablets replaced textbooks, and today, headphones are sort after to overcome audio challenges in the classroom.

Chromebook laptops have leaped into the classroom setting because of several reasons:

  • Price: A Chromebook delivers the same functionality as most laptops, but comes at a fraction of the cost. That means every student can own a laptop.
  • Security: Chromebooks are the most secure laptops in the world because of how their OS operates. Even world-class hackers tip their hat for the Chrome OS.
  • Reliability: A Chromebook on full battery can handle intensive use for an entire day without charging.
  • Instant Power On: Most laptops take anywhere between a few seconds and whole minutes to boot. Chromebooks boot up instantly meaning kids start learning immediately.

To make Chromebooks even more effective as learning instruments, it’s wise to accessorize them with headphones, preferably ones with built-in microphones. Microphones minimize the distractions normally associated with the school environment, thereby maximizing learning and teaching efforts.

Why Schools Should Buy Chromebook Headphones In Bulk

However, buying headphones in singles as opposed to buying in bulk can create a budgetary nightmare. For starters, buying individual headphones means the school doesn’t enjoy the economies of scale. Rarely will you get a discount when you buy a single item, but when you buy in bulk, the seller always cuts off a percentage off the asking price.

Secondly, by buying the headphones in bulk the school’s spending is limited to one budgetary cycle. For instance, a school can buy several thousand headphones at one go in the beginning of the school year and forget about buying new headphones for an entire school year.

However, buying a few headphones at a time means the school is always accounting for money to acquire new headphones. That’s not workable for most schools and districts due to ongoing budgetary cuts.

How to Choose the Right Headphones for Chromebooks

Now that we agree schools should buy Chromebook headphones in bulk, you might be wondering how you should go about choosing the right Chromebook headphones for a classroom setting.

There are only a few things you should really look into when buying headphones for a classroom. Some of these things are specific to the Chromebook laptops, but they can apply in other cases where you need headphones for classroom settings. Let’s kick off with the general variables you have to take into account.

General Variables

  1. Budget and Longevity

The school’s budget and that of the school district greatly influence purchase decisions. Generally, schools would prefer to spend only once on headphone purchases. Therefore, you’ll have to choose headphones that will last all year long. That includes both testing and actual use.

Ask yourself, how much will it cost the school to purchase headphones for testing and all year-long use? If the cost is a bit high, you may contemplate buying small samples first for testing, and when you get the right headphones that won’t affect the kid’s hearing; you can place a bulk order.

  1. Durability

With schools trying to rein in spending at every possible chance, the only way to get the school or district to commit to Chromebook headphones is with a guarantee from the manufacturer. The manufacturer must be able to guarantee the headphones will survive the war and tear of being folded, stretched and dropped expected among in young students.

  1. Comfort

Learning and testing call for high levels of attention that cannot be attained when an object sits awkwardly on the ears. While trying out different headphones stick with the ones comfortable for the kids. That will help them stay focused and get the most out of their Chromebooks at school. That said, the most comfortable headphones are the over-the-ear models because they sit comfortably and block out noise interference.

Chromebook Specific Variables

  1. USB Type C Connections

Chromebooks sometimes may not have a headphone jack. Instead they have a USB port where you can plug in any media you want to use with the laptop. Therefore you have to make sure the headphones you are about to buy have a USB Type C connector rather than a jack.

  1. Stereo

Almost all Chromebooks support stereo sound transmission. That means audio from the laptops goes over two channels before getting to the output device. Stereo headphones have the advantage of making digital signals sound more naturally than mono headphones.