Both options offer a range of audio quality, but always limit what you can hear of your surroundings. Now this might sound great if you’re sitting next to a baby on an airplane, however, what if you’re biking through a crowded city? Or hiking next to a winding river in beautiful windy canyon? You may end up missing out on calming nature sounds or the honk of a crazed city driver.

Science has come through once again with a new audio option that allows you to listen to your favorite tunes without blocking out the sound around you. They are called Bone conducting headphones. Yes, you read that correctly. Instead of covering up your precious ear-holes, the AfterShokz Bluez 2S use your cheekbones to communicate with your inner-ear bone. By sending the sound vibrations through your cheekbone, you can leave your ears open to your surroundings. The coolest part is that you can plug up your ears and you will actually hear your music better!

You’re probably thinking, “that sounds cool and all, but I bet the sound quality is pretty low.” I was in the same boat, thinking that the quality will get lost when communicating through the density of my skull. So I purchased a Bluez 2S a while back and have found myself coming back to them again and again (to the point of listening to them while writing this.) I was skeptical before, but I am a believer now. The sound quality is great, with high treble coming through spectacularly and low bass less so, but still equivalent to other in-ear headphones in the $99 price range. The volume range is extraordinary, with only the faintest buzzing audible by others at high volume in a quiet room.

I thought I would be using these while I bike around downtown Philadelphia, or at least while working-out. However, their most useful application is in the office. I have two co-workers who enjoy politely playing classic rock at low volume on either side of me. During those not so rare stretches where the office goes completely quiet, I feel like my brain is slowly turning to pudding from front to back. The AfterShokz have solved that problem while simultaneously allowing me to hear when the boss starts making his rounds, giving me enough time to close “non-essential” tabs.

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I decided to replace them with the Skullcandy Smokin Buds 2, thinking they would be a better choice for exercising, capable of being stuffed into gym shorts, jackets, and drawstring bags – the bulkiness was the only shortcoming my Heshs had. The sound quality was quite good, and I was quite pleased with how well they isolated outside noise, even though they aren’t “noise isolating.” Unfortunately, my listening pleasure was abruptly cut short the first day into their deployment as I was cruising down campus on my long board. Initially, I believed I had inadvertently disconnected the Buds. Upon further observation, I couldn’t find anything wrong with them, other than I could get audio through one ear. Miffed that I couldn’t jam out to B.B. King as anticipated, I continued my ride but couldn’t help but miss my Hesh headphones, which had put up with significantly more abuse. Upon arriving home, I goog’d around a bit, and found familiar frustrations and complaints from others, all of whom had Buds that had also failed.

I had total confidence in my Skullcandy earbuds due to my positive experiences with their products in the past, but my intuition told me to purchase the extended warranty – luckily. After navigating the extensive warranty claim process I received another pair the following week. To my frustration, these too did not last more than a week before they lost exactly half their value, and one bud was no longer functional.

Although the Skullcandy Smokin Buds are a budget earpiece, even when they’re not broken they simply do not allow for the escape I had come to enjoy and expect from my other Skullcandy products. The Smokin’ Buds are an excellent choice for anyone who is deaf in one ear.

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Personal Accessories

We’ve all seen those desks piled high with trinkets, photos, books, and the like, leading to a bit of clutter.  I am not a fan of clutter, and having gone through a few layoffs in the past, have rarely settled into a desk beyond what I can put in one box for a quick exit.  I am not saying you should plan to be fired or let go, but it’s a good rule of thumb I preach to new hires.  From moving desks often to needing to clean up quickly, limiting the amount of desk accessories to one box full.  Pictures, pinned to the wall, a business card holder, and a pen cup really are all that adorn my desk aside from the standard equipment.

Keyboard

When I got to my new office, sitting on my desk was this old, crusty keyboard that just, well, I didn’t want to touch.  I could see the filth, and for me, that was too much.  Now, I could have replaced it with another generic, but as someone who types all day, I wanted to get something that was comfortable and fit my needs right away.  Having been a fan of the older, heavier mechanical keyboards, I picked up the Nixeus MODA Mechanical Keyboard and did not look back.  It has a great, firm feel when you type, and I always found that the number of finger-slips and mistakes dropped as I was more confident in the placement of my fingers on the keys.  It is also one of the smaller width keyboards that I like, keeping my desk clean and minimalist still.

The nice thing beyond that?  When I needed to clean it, I can remove the keys with ease and wipe it all down.  Everything can be placed back easily and quickly.  While the price might be a bit steep for some, I found it to be a worth-while investment for a tool I used 75% of my time at work.

Notebook and Pen

Don’t be that guy coming to a meeting with an iPad or other tablet.  And the huge notepads in the supply closet are absolute crap and do nothing for your professional image.  Yes, they are free, but again, I am not discussing how to get by, but how to upgrade your office life.  When I am not at my desk, I am in meetings, and I rarely take my laptop with me so I can stay focused and engaged.  Instead, I have my trusty pen and notebook, and I always go with the same brand.  For notebooks, I trust Moleskin, and in the office, I have the Moleskine Classic Notebook.  It’s inexpensive, unique, and classic looking, all while easily fitting in your day or travel bag.  For my pens, I always buy Parker no matter the need.  They are refillable, heavy, and come in a variety of styles and point sizes for any preference.  The refills are inexpensive as well, and the ink always dries fas, meaning your nice notebook will have no additional smudges or ink transfers.

Coffee Mug

That office mug is disgusting.  Put it down and walk away.  Now, mugs can be fun little pieces of art that can spruce up anything.  Personally, I love to buy hand painted and designed mugs from Etsy.com artists, finding one that fits my style and needs.  You are supporting a local artist and getting something nobody else will have.  The second option is the travel mug if you are not subjecting yourself to the office coffee. I am a huge fan of the Contigo Autoseal mugs with the easy clean lids.  I have never had a leak or issue, and they clean quickly and easily.  Pro tip:  fill your mug with hot water before adding fresh coffee.  This will heat up the inside so that the cold temperature does not shock the coffee, causing a bitter aftertaste.  And if you are subjected to crappy office coffee that is already bitter, a sprinkle of salt in your cup will cut back on that significantly.  It’s all science, and science is awesome.

Music

Open air cubes and desks are great, but sometimes you need to escape from the noise.  You could use those cheap headphones you got with your phone or your latest flight, or you can bring the symphonic sounds of your music to your ears in style, comfort, and clarity.  I love the sound quality technology out there for this, especially when those around me tend to get a bit rowdy talking about, well, whatever it is they are talking about.  In this case, I again went with Nixeus as I was so pleased with the quality of their keyboard.  The newly released Nixeus In-Ear Earphones sit very comfortably in the ear, and with different options for the ear bud sizes, it was easy to find the perfect fit.

The cord does not easily tangle, wrapping nice into it’s little carrying case when not in use, and with the in-line mic, I am able to pop the headphones from my laptop to my phone and take a call easily.  The metal ear piece is a bit heavier than other headphones I used to use, but that’s just an orientation time to the new fit and feel.  While not truly noise cancelling, they work perfect for the office environment where I need to still be engaged to what’s going on around me.

The Bag

Out of everything, I think the bag is the most important aspect of any professional role.  From taking work home to the every day things we need, having an amazing bag is key.  I am a big fan of the messenger style bags which can hold everything I need with ease, are very travel and go friendly, and out of the ones I have bought, have stoop up to everything I have thrown at them.  Easily carried off one shoulder or across body, they also are versatile.  My recommendation are the Timbuk2 bags.  Not only do they have a style and design to fit any of your needs, but the newer ones are coming out with TSA compliant laptop sleeves and some of the best straps on the market.  You can design one however you like, showing off your favorite colors and patterns, and get all the accessories you need.  I own two actually; one for work with my laptop, notebooks, and other necessities, and another just for photography.  Another option would be the Half Mass bags from Patagonia.  I own one of these as well, and while not used as often, is still an amazing bag to use for work.

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My initial thought on them was simple: liberating. The feeling of being able to turn 180 degrees at your desk without the headphone cord snapping your headphones back is amazing. Although, I admit, I do feel like I’m having phantom pains as reminders of this feeling as I’m still getting used to the freedom that Bluetooth has provided for me. The wireless freedom is easily achieved by pairing with your Bluetooth device or NFC compatible one. Unfortunately, the latter was not an option for me, but Bluetooth pairing was painless. And if your new found freedom is overwhelming or you need to wire in on a plane to catch the movie a cord is provided for hard-wiring along with a USB cord for charging the headphones.

On the right ear you have easy access to volume, pause/play, next/last track and phone. And when I say easy I mean it as I accidentally placed a couple phone calls easily by initially mistaking the phone button for the power button which is located in the same location on the opposite ear. Ultimately, however, you will be buying these for their performance more than their ease of use or freedom they provide. Luckily they perform excellently.

The cushioning not only provides incredible comfort, but keeps outside noise to a minimum. While on the inside you get an even tone with no one element overpowering. Perhaps most impressive about the sound delivered is the near perfect level of bass, not too little and not overpowering. Something I’ve found to be bit problematic in many of the various types of headphones I’ve tested.

While I’m still not sold on over the ear headphones on the go (too big and hot for me) or at home (get a home system) the Sony MDR-1RBT are an ideal pair for the office. Or on the go or home if you’re not as picky as I am.

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