It’s not the kind of contraption you’ll see and immediately figure out what it’s supposed to do. I mean, the darn thing looks random. Once you see the things the Spark earbud accessory does, though, you can’t help but be impressed. Seriously, it’s one of the most practical things anyone who listens to music with earbuds can throw into their EDC stash.
Designed to attach to your earphone cables, it, basically, serves as a neckband, securing the cables in place to minimize instances of accidentally pulling out your earphones. Even better, it lets you hang the earbuds around your neck when they’re not in use, so you can wear them like a large pair of headphones instead of putting them away inside your pocket (where they’ll just end up tangled anyway).
The Spark uses magnetic fastenings to quickly attach the cable for instant setup, with a wire that’s firm but flexible, so it can hold shape when needed. As such, the accessory can also serve as a cable wrap when putting your earphones away (no more tangled cables), as well as a smartphone stand by simply arranging it in a stand-like shape, so you can leave the card-sized smartphone stand at home and just use this whenever one is needed.
An integrated NFC chip allows you to trigger any pre-programmed action on your phone every time you bring the two devices in close proximity, whether it be launching a music app, raising the volume, or self-destructing your phone to delete any trace of evidence of your second life as a covert international agent. Or something like that.
A Kickstarter campaign is currently running to fund the Spark. Pledges to reserve a unit starts at €14.