Earphone Alarm
The Earphone Alarm, also known as a Anshinkun-2 is a new Japanese gadget that works as a small timer, worn just like an earphone. It’s very light, so it does not cause discomfort, and small so it’s not unattractive, nor does it get in the way. Its’ portable, and runs on batteries so it does not need to be plugged in or charged. This gadget is very useful for multiple things, such as if you’re on a train for example and fall asleep, the timer will go off to wake you up so you don’t miss your stop. Another bonus about the Anshinkun-2 is because it’s in your ear, it won’t disrupt other people, and only you can hear it. Other situations it would be useful in would be if you need to work for a certain amount of time, just set it to go off when you need to stop. It’s handy when cooking because you can time your food and walk around the house or go out and not miss the alarm on the cooker, for example. Another big selling point about it is its waterproof, so you can use in when showering or skiing. It’s manufactured by the Japanese company Honda Tsushin Kogyo, and sells on the market for 11 dollars.
Though it is a great product, there are also environmental factors to take into consideration. An example of this would be the manufacturing that takes place, the use of the product and the disposal of the packaging and batteries that it needs to function, which are bad for the environment while being made, and if they are not recycled properly. Also, the actual making of the gadget is not environmentally friendly, because like many, if not all factories, the smoke and chemicals released while the product is being made are bad for the atmosphere. When the earphone alarm is actually made, it then has to be shipped to other various countries which will be selling the product. The shipping not only costs money, but the shipment also has to be disposed of once the product is in its designated area, or should be recycled properly which is no guarantee. Then once it has actually reached the destination in which it will be sold, its packaging has to be taken care of properly, or it’ll just be thrown away and regarded as waste. We also should take into consideration what will happen with the actual product or earphone alarm when the buyer has finished with it. It could be recycled for parts, but will most likely just be thrown away.
Citations-
– “i-store guide: 10/23/09.” i-store guide. N.p., n.d. Web. 9 Dec. 2012. <http://i-storeguide.blogspot.com/2009_10_23_archive
– “Coolest New Inventions from Japan: Earphone Alarm – BusinessWeek.” BusinessWeek Slide Shows and Multimedia. N.p., n.d. Web. 9 Dec. 2012. <http://images.businessweek.com/ss/09/09