I can't hear you

Look for even more pedestrian and bicycle accidents because of this:


href="http://www.nydailynews.com/business/story/461093p-387919c.html">I
can't hear you: Sony's new Walkman blocks out noise



BY DANIEL DUNAIEF

DAILY NEWS BUSINESS EDITOR



Sony's new Walkman wants to bring in 'da music an throw out 'da noise.



The electronics giant is eagerly trying to take a bite out of Apple's
dominant iPod market share with a new Walkman designed to cut out other
sounds...



The newest Walkman, whose different models costs $169 and $199, cuts up
to 75% of the surrounding noise, the company said.



"While
Sony has offered noise canceling headphones, this is the first time
that we've integrated the technology into the player itself," Koba
Kobayashi, general manager for personal audio at Sony Electronics, said
in a statement. "We've created an entirely new category and are
confident that even audiophiles will be pleased with this Walkman
digital music player."



I think these things should come equipped with a strobe light and a
six-foot orange flag to warn oncoming cars that the user is going to be
completely oblivious to the outside world.


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I agree with you. This gives us more of a chance to live obliviously in the world.

I find that I am a not comfortable when I ride my bicycle and wear my mp3 player as the wind is so noisy. I also hadn't realised how much I depended on sound to warn me about other traffic. Having sound blocking headphones would make that worse.

Sometimes when I am driving, if I need to concentrate on directions and busy traffic, even the radio in the car is too distracting.

I worry about these people who ride bikes with their iPods or whatever, just like the bikers who ride at dusk or dark with no lights front or back. Just like the drivers who clean off a one-foot diameter circle on their windshield in the winter, then get out on the road.