In 1989, my father went to Japan for a three-month course and came home with Akio Morita's Made in Japan: Akio Morita and Sony. The book was about Morita, who co-founded Sony Corporation. It's also about the company's rapid rise to fame after Japan's defeat in World War II.
Sony was ahead of its time. Back when music wasn't something you could take with you everywhere you go, the Walkman enabled you to do so-- but you still had to bring your cassettes. It was a predecessor of the Apple iPod, the hugely popular Apple device that's no longer produced because everyone has music in their smartphones now.
For many people including me, Sony is known more for its engineering expertise than the cool look and feel of its products.
Using an Apple product is a status symbol for many, but most Sony users I know are the if-you-know-you-know type. There's no symbol to show off, or a logo-ed headphone for commuters to see.
OH WOW
Speaking of headphone, Sony's latest WH-1000XM4 (RM1,599) had me saying "Wow!" from the get-go. The device is flat-packed in an oval, grey hard case with zipper closure that makes it easy to transport. The case fits nicely in my hand and is less than 20cm in length.
Download the Headphones Connect app and you're good to go. Listen to music from your phone with excellent sound clarity. The noise-cancelling feature is excellent. You really don't hear anything else but what you play.
I listen to music at home knowing my son was singing loudly in the living room with his babysitter. But I could hear none of it. That's good news if you are in a noisy place but discretion needs to be exercised in other areas.
This headphone doesn't just give you excellent sound, it delivers the intelligence to distinguish when the music should stop. Enable the Speak-to-Chat function and music will automatically stops when you speak, so you can converse with others without having to take it off. And once you stop speaking, songs will resume 30 seconds after.
The headphone allows you to change tracks, turn the volume up or down, and take or make calls by tapping or swiping the panel. Touch it momentarily and the song stops, like when someone starts a conversation with you.
And that's not all. the Ambient Sound Control allows you to adjust how much of other sounds you'd like to hear, important when you are walking and need to be aware of your surroundings. But even if you don't change the sound control, there's Adaptive Sound Control, a smart function that senses where you are and what you're doing. The headphone then adjusts ambient sound settings for you.
I'm far from an audiophile but knowing that wearing a noise-cancelling headphone doesn't equal walking dangerously by the roadside is a big thing.
FOR WORK
I find virtual events tiring with an average earphone or headphone because I need to concentrate so much more than at a physical event. Thankfully, this device helps make such events more seamless because I can hear much more clearly and with the noise-cancelling feature, I no longer have to strain my ears.
I think Covid-19 has pushed the importance of headphones beyond their usual use by audiophiles and those who commute on long trips. These days, a good headphone is a necessity to navigate a virtual lifestyle-- attend meetings and events or answer an office call while you are out at a noisy place.
I can balance a lot more things without feeling frazzled with this headphone. I can take a work call while I do my groceries and hear what my colleague says without having to find a quiet spot. I can listen to soothing music when I feel stressed while still running errands.
In this economic uncertainty brought about by an infectious disease pandemic, there's more to be done in a typical day and remote working have stretched working hours beyond the traditional eight. But use this wisely and it actually helps you find balance amid the chaos, anywhere.
Choose your medicine-- verses from the Al-Quran, a good e-book, a soothing music playlist, or a much-needed conversation with your loved one, and this could help you achieve more, emotionally and spiritually beyond just "listening to music."