Children

Hörbert is a wooden MP3 player designed for kids

Hörbert is a wooden MP3 player designed for kids
hörbert is is a fully functional MP3 player which can be used to store your little one's music, and is designed for them to operate
hörbert is is a fully functional MP3 player which can be used to store your little one's music, and is designed for them to operate
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The makers of the hörbert say they decided on a wooden finish because many parents like the long-lasting and warm-to-the-touch feel
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The makers of the hörbert say they decided on a wooden finish because many parents like the long-lasting and warm-to-the-touch feel
At the top of the hörbert is a metal on/off switch, volume knob and a beechwood handle for carrying
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At the top of the hörbert is a metal on/off switch, volume knob and a beechwood handle for carrying
hörbert is powered by four AA batteries which are said to last for up to 45 hours of playback at an average volume
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hörbert is powered by four AA batteries which are said to last for up to 45 hours of playback at an average volume
Designed with little fingers in mind, playlists can be selected by nine brightly colored buttons on the front of the hörbert
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Designed with little fingers in mind, playlists can be selected by nine brightly colored buttons on the front of the hörbert
hörbert is is a fully functional MP3 player which can be used to store your little one's music, and is designed for them to operate
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hörbert is is a fully functional MP3 player which can be used to store your little one's music, and is designed for them to operate
The child-friendly design also sees the colored buttons made from phthalate-free ABS plastics, plus the box has a sweat- and saliva-proof soft wax coating
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The child-friendly design also sees the colored buttons made from phthalate-free ABS plastics, plus the box has a sweat- and saliva-proof soft wax coating
Designers intentionally omitted a headphone jack, worrying that children might not be able to hear and interact with their parents
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Designers intentionally omitted a headphone jack, worrying that children might not be able to hear and interact with their parents
The speaker grill on the hörbert is made of anodized aluminum
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The speaker grill on the hörbert is made of anodized aluminum
With the stylish wooden chassis, the designers are clearly going for the design-conscious audiophile kiddie market
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With the stylish wooden chassis, the designers are clearly going for the design-conscious audiophile kiddie market
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As any parent knows, there are only so many times you can listen to your child's favorite song on repeat before you want to pull your hair out and stuff it in your ears ... and listening to The Wheels on the Bus on your highly specced hi-fi can feel like overkill, can't it? Well the hörbert – a wooden MP3 player aimed at kids – promises to give you your stereo back.

The portable device from German manufacturer WINZKI GmbH & Co. KG – which has more in common with the walnut-shelled Colorfly Pocket Hi-Fi C4 pro we saw last year than a Fisher Price record player – is a fully functional MP3 player which can be used to store your little one's music or audio books, and is designed for them to operate.

The stylish wooden chassis – the designers are clearly going for the design-conscious audiophile kiddie market – houses a portable MP3 player and built-in loudspeaker, along with an SD memory card which comes holding 140 minutes of music and audio books. It is powered by four AA batteries which are said to last for up to 45 hours of playback at an average volume.

Designed with little fingers in mind, playlists can be selected by nine brightly colored buttons on the front of the hörbert
Designed with little fingers in mind, playlists can be selected by nine brightly colored buttons on the front of the hörbert

Designed with little fingers in mind, playlists can be selected by nine brightly colored buttons on the front of the hörbert – pressing the same button repeatedly advances playback to the next tracks linked to that button. There are also two buttons which allow for fast forward and jumping back. At the top of the unit is a metal on/off switch, volume knob and a beechwood handle for carrying.

The sturdy build is said to keep vibrations or shaking from impacting playback ... you know, should it take the occasional knock as children dance around it. The speaker also delivers a full sound which is a good thing, as the designers intentionally omitted a headphone jack, worrying that children might not be able to hear and interact with their parents.

The makers say they decided on a wooden finish because many parents like the long-lasting and warm-to-the-touch feel. The child-friendly design also sees the colored buttons made from phthalate-free ABS plastics, plus the box has a sweat- and saliva-proof soft wax coating. The metals used are stainless and the speaker grill is made of anodized aluminum.

hörbert is powered by four AA batteries which are said to last for up to 45 hours of playback at an average volume
hörbert is powered by four AA batteries which are said to last for up to 45 hours of playback at an average volume

Using software (Windows and Mac) which comes with the player, parents can load files onto the SD card and select which tracks will be available in what order on each of hörbert's colored buttons. The SD card is housed within the unit and accessed by unscrewing a flush-mounted screw that can be opened with the help of a coin.

Weighing 950 grams (33.5 oz), the hörbert sells for €239.00 (about US$314), and is light enough that children can carry it around with them and put it away easily.

Source: hörbert

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5 comments
5 comments
Denis Klanac
US$314, there are plenty of cheaper and better options out there.
pointyup
At nearly 1 kg its too heavy. Dont like the switch, wouldnt like to fall onto it.
Captain Obvious
They need to move the decimal point in the price, and make the batteries rechargeable.
Bryan Paschke
let's see...I can get Jr. an iPad or one of these things....tough choice!
Rainer Brang
Thanks for all the comments, I'll grab the chance to answer all of them. I'm the inventor of hörbert, and I'd like to share some of the thoughts/decisions we had in mind:
@Denis: Yes, you're right with the cheaper options, but we developed hörbert without taking any shortcuts and making no compromise concerning quality and the selection of parts. Take that and the selection of materials into account, plus the simple navigation by nine playlist buttons, then you'll know what we were after designing the device.
@pointyup: hörbert uses its weight to survive in children's playrooms. The wooden box and the comparably huge speaker give good robustness and sound, but add to the weight, obviously. We also put thought on the position of the switch: If you look at it closely, you'll find, that it is positioned between the rounded volume knob and the handle. So "falling onto" hörbert, you will be protected from falling onto the switch.
@Captain Obvious: I'm really sorry we can't do anything about the decimal point. Even the raw materials of hörbert are many times higher than that. About the batteries - you can of course insert your favourite rechargeable AA-batteries. We just don't know which ones you already have, and thus can't equip hörbert with them ex factory.
@Brian Paschke: Well, it depends on what you want to give to your kids. Probably the iPad may take not as many "hits and bruises", so personally, we still prefer hörbert for our own two little boys ;-)