NZ’s Earshots named one of Time’s Best Inventions of 2022

Earshots use a magnetic clip to cling to your ear. Photo / Supplied

Earshots started the year as one of the Herald’s Startups to Watch.

Now it’s capped it off with its earbuds being named one of Time’s Best Inventions of 2022.

Founder James Bell-Booth developed the Earshots after getting frustrated with earbuds that wouldn’t stay in place, or fell out of his ears, while cycling or trail running.

Image / Supplied

He raised $2 million from Kickstarter for his project, and in 2020 quit his job as head of Palmerston North business incubator The Factory to focus on his Earshot project full time.

The wireless Earshots Gen 2 feature a wraparound loop design with a magnetic Shocklock to further secure them in your ears.

Time says the unique magnetic system “keeps each wireless earbud in place, no matter how strenuous the activity”.

Herald reviewer Juha Saarinen also found the $189 Earshots do what they say on the tin. The buds “never felt like they’d fall out as I jogged unsteadily down a slippery path on a rainy day”.

Saarinen did note that the chunky design resembled an old-school hearing aid, and could present challenges for those wearing glasses or sunglasses. He also said that the Earshots lack noise-cancellation - though argued that allowing in a degree of ambient noise was necessary for safety while exercising (read his full review here).

Earshots founder James Bell-Booth models his company's buds. Photo / File

The Kiwi invention rubs shoulders with a mix of other startups on Time’s list, plus some heavyweight multinationals, such as Samsung with its cylindrical Freestyle portable projector ($1499) and Sony with its LinkBuds “all day” earbuds ($269).

Earshots declined questions on revenue and sales at this early point.