Wearable Displays for iPod

Watch where you're going

As people travel more with their iPods, they continue to look for new ways to consume their iPods' contents. It's not unheard of these days to catch someone on a planes, trains, or automobiles (on the passenger side, we hope) watching movies or TV shows on the screens of their 5G (video) iPods. But not everyone wants to spend hours staring downward onto a tiny screen. Even if the screen size doesn't bother you, the pain in your neck will act as a reminder as to why it's not a preferred position.

That's where wearable video displays come into play. Wearable video isn't a new concept, but consumers have generally found very little reason to use them in the past. However, once popular handheld devices such as the iPod, the Zune, and the PSP started carrying videos, and people started used the machines to watch longer clips and even movies, the wearable display suddenly seemed to have a purpose for the average user. Well, at least, compared to before.

There are other benefits, besides relieving neck and back pain, to using a wearable video display. For one, a wearable display prevents you from bothering others with light from your iPod or other portable device—anyone who shares a bedroom with a spouse or significant other who is a light sleeper can probably relate. It also offers privacy: those around you won't be able to peer in on what you're watching. Just yesterday, I observed a rather burly man on the train watching an episode of (this is not made up, folks) America's Next Top Model on his video iPod. If he was identifiable, he would probably not be pleased with me for broadcasting that to the world.

But how practical are these wearable displays? Do they even provide a decent viewing experience? And are they worth the money? We were able to secure two of the most popular displays marketed to iPod users, the myvu by MicroOptical and the ezVision Video iWear by ezGear, and I donned each of them for hours in the service of our loyal readers. Here's what I found.

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