Atari’s Speakerhat is like a connected boombox for your head
It also marks the start of branded lifestyle play for the gaming company.
Atari is coming out with a line of connected wearables.
Gaming company Atari says it is “[blurring] the line between fashion and future” and "transcending its traditional gaming roots" with the launch of Speakerhats – baseball hats with high-fidelity stereo speakers embedded into the brims.
Speakerhats are the first in a line of wearables to emerge from what Atari calls its Connected Life initiative, which will eventually include additional lifestyle products, with the iconic brand also planning a co-branded Speakerhat in honor of the upcoming film Blade Runner 2049.
Atari says its Bluetooth-enabled Speakerhats “take enjoying and sharing music, games and entertainment to the next level.”
In other words, think of it as a connected boombox for your head.
That’s because Speakerhats are compatible with any Bluetooth-enabled device, facilitating phone calls, audio – including music – and voice control. Atari also says its Speakerhat includes Social Synchronous Broadcast technology, which will enable multiple Speakerhat users to simultaneously listen to a single audio stream in perfect synchronization.
What’s more, Atari says the Speakerhat “feels natural and normal to wear for long periods of time and achieves a balance of weight vs. sound quality and functionality”. However, the brand also notes its “intent is to continuously improve on design and engineering, until the technology is completely invisible”.
Speakerhats have been designed for a range of consumers, including gamers, outdoor and fitness enthusiasts, skaters, musicians, sports fans and tech early adopters. Atari is seeking such consumers for a Speakerhat beta program. Interested parties can sign up on the Atari Life website.
The initial Speakerhat will be followed by a limited-edition co-branded Speakerhat in honor of Blade Runner 2049, which comes out in October, via way of a tie-up with NECA.
“Atari has transcended its seminal gaming origins to become a true pop culture lifestyle brand, but disruption remains deeply rooted in our DNA,” said Atari Connect chief operating officer Michael Arzt in a statement.
“With the recent reveal of our Ataribox project and now with Speakerhats, we envision a full range of connected personal devices that live at society’s intersection of entertainment, technology and social connectivity that legendary film worlds like Blade Runner 2049 foretell. Our new products will speak to a whole new generation of Atari fans, while also honoring the decades of affection and devotion by our most loyal ones.”
Speakerhats are powered by Audiowear, a technology company focused on audio experiences.