Hey Lucyd fam,
A few interesting bits of news to share today. We're all familiar with the ubiquitous craned necks that define our smartphone culture. But what are some of the effects of bending over your glowing rectangle, day after day?
Scientists have discovered that prolonged smartphone use actually causes some bones in the neck to begin reshaping. This effect is most pronounced in youth who have begun smartphone use at an early age. To reduce the pressure caused by constant tension of some of the neck muscles, the body has been found to adapt by adding bone mass. Whether this should be seen as a rapid evolution in the human body, or the onset of serious malformation, remains to be seen. Read the full article on Wash Post.
One of the major benefits of Lucyd Loud is that it lifts many smartphone functions off your phone and into your glasses. This will help you keep your neck straight and reduce fatigue over time. To name a few of the functions that normally have to be performed by a smartphone, which can be done more comfortably with Loud: changing the song or album you're listening to, changing the volume, taking a phone call, getting directions, asking Siri or Bixby a general question, using Cashapp, and calling an Uber or Lyft.
Another concern with looking down at smartphones is coming to a head this week, with the Guardian reporting that a cyclist in London has been found liable for thousands in damages for hitting a phone-hypnotized pedestrian who walked into oncoming traffic. Both parties were knocked unconscious and sustained injuries. The importance of heads-up solutions for staying connected without missing a beat in the real world is becoming more and more pressing. This is especially true for those who enjoy cycling, because the operator of even an unmotorized vehicle is typically responsible for any accidents with pedestrians or property.
Looking down at that distracting portal isn't the only thing causing issues for the constantly connected. Earbuds and headphones are also a problem in our info-absorbed culture. Not only do headphones make one unapproachable socially, they limit or eliminate your ability to hear the world around you. This also poses problems for cyclists, as a new study finds that car drivers listening to music at a moderate volume can't hear typical cycling signals, such as bell ringing and shouts. Therefore cyclists need to be supremely alert to prevent a road accident. To hopefully achieve this, several US states including Florida and Pennsylvania, have enacted laws making riding a bike with headphones illegal. In New York and California, you can only have one earbud in. One of the most beautiful features of our Bluetooth eyewear is that it leaves your ears totally open, letting you listen to music while still being actively aware of the social activity and traffic around you. For this reason, we believe Lucyd Loud has the potential to make life safer cyclists and pedestrians around the world.
That's it for now! Don't forget, Lucyd Loud Slim is $25 off all month at Lucyd.co, and we'll even give you a $20 gift card when you review it on our site and Amazon. Thanks fam!
