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You know what I really like having in my headphones? A massive spinning fan. I'm always really fascinated to see how Dyson works. They just seem to do such crazy stuff for what is basically just a vacuum cleaner company. There's definitely more than a little of the Apple magic in their brand. But they go off and do such strange things - like their car project, or their lighting systems, or this. The vacuum business must just throw off an enormous amount of cash.
I know a few former and current Dyson engineers/designers, I really highly rate the engineering teams there.

I think Dyson (the company) are at their best when they are working in a new product category. They are very good at thinking “outside the box” and coming up with very innovative ideas. I’m somewhat less convinced by their vacuum cleaners now, they were obviously incredible 25 years ago but now competitors can achieve the same (and often better) product for far less cost to the customer.

The Air Blade hand dryer is a good example, it’s so much better than anything that came before it (if you ignore the noise) and for 3-4 years they were the best. Now others are catching up and producing products on par or better. (I would still prefer paper towels and a recycling bin)

My wife was incredibly sceptical of their hair care range when it came out. She tried a friends hairdryer and loved it, now she owns one and one of their other curler type product. Absolutely loves them. Again very different product than what came before, very innovative - and expensive - but very good. I sure that in a couple of years competitors will catch up and potentially surpass on quality and price but for now they have a winning product.

So, as mad as this thing looks, I will give them the benefit of the doubt and will watch how it goes. It would not surprise me if it does incredibly well.

However there have been Dyson flops, their washing machine for example was incredible engineering but they didn’t understand the market. For the first few years you could only get it in bright “Dyson” colours, where, with a lot people here in the UK having their washing machine in their kitchens, it didn’t sell well. Eventually they launched a white version but it was too late. I think they have since learnt from that marketing mistake though.

Just on the “tangent” of their lighting system, that was actually a separate company founded by James Dyson's son Jake. And as I recall, a few years ago Dyson acquired the company and folded it in.

I used to work for Dyson. The hair dryer is probably one of their worst products - there are actually quieter normal-priced ones on the market so really the only reason to get it is if you like the look.

The hand driers really are good though (especially the tap and V ones). I don't know why so many people dislike them. I think some people think it makes them cool, like if they don't have a smartphone.

I joined after the washing machine but from what I could gather the real reasons it was ditched were: 1. there was some kind of flaw with the drum that meant they all needed to be replaced costing some insane amount per unit; basically they were losing money on every one sold, 2. it tended to destroy clothes, especially bras. Nobody mentioned canceling it because it didn't sell well.

The lighting thing is just Jake Dyson failing to make a viable business and James bailing him out. The task lights were kind of cool but way overpriced. The massive heatsink lights (I forget the name) were terrible. Pretty much what you'd build if you wanted to deliberately make a terrible light.

Also you missed a flop: Dyson Hard (cordless vacuum for hard floors).

This thing seems extremely ridiculous. Clearly not intended for the western market though. Maybe it will be big in Japan?

> The Air Blade hand dryer is a good example, it’s so much better than anything that came before it

This is the one with the ultra-thin slots you must carefully thread your hands into and hold still against buffeting air currents, or touch the sides and sully your just-washed hands? The one that sprays bacteria directly into your face? Because I always thought that was monumentally poorly designed.

The idea was fantastic. A blade of air that swipes water off of your hands - one of the only air dryer products where you actually had dry hands after using the product.

Not sure I ever ran into the problem you did.

I don’t know how the ones you’ve used were mounted, but there should be no airflow coming to your face… the keep-your-hands-still part is indeed annoying, but when used correctly it does do the job of drying hands in a fraction of the time the old blow dryers took. That’s the main design breakthrough and it’s selling point.
> if you ignore the noise

That seems to be the problem with all the Dyson products. I don't think it will work for headphones!

I always think of Dyson as electric-engine designer company who also makes products out of these engines (i.e. vacuum cleaners or filters). It's a lot of physics, mechanical engineering, electronic, electric engineering, simulations - fun stuff all together. They're not "just a vacuum cleaner company", they really design their electric engines and turbines from scratch (they're really piece of beautiful engineering, took some Dyson things apart), they optimize for noise, vibrations, energy usage etc...

They were even working on an electric car at some moment (I think it's abandoned) - I waiting with excitement to see the electric motors they would design.

I’m curious how long they can afford to focus on other endeavors. I’ve been a massive fan of their vacuums, but after 7 years it just wasn’t preforming anymore. I 100% intended to get another Dyson, but I’m not going to spend that kind of money without some research first. The Dyson vacuum was largely unchanged. The shark vacuum can pickup larger items and has tangle free rollers. I’m quite pleased with the Shark so far, only time will tell if it lasts 7+ years or not. Dyson isn’t innovating the vacuum anymore and instead is apparently working in headphones.
>I’ve been a massive fan of their vacuums, but after 7 years it just wasn’t preforming anymore.

Did you clean the filter? They aren’t joking when they say you need to clean that once in a while. I’ve had 2 Dysons for at least 7years and they still perform well. I’ve saved Dyson’s that weren’t picking up by cleaning the filters.

I recommend getting 3rd party filters (seem to work ok so far) and swap the parts out so you can do a good clean.

Incredible, it's like the next up selfishness level from a mask with a valve. Holy heck. Really is hard to believe this isn't a joke.
It is designed for air pollution, not COVID. I understand they have been working on it for several years, pre-pandemic.
Why is it selfish? I know we should all be doing our best to cut down on air pollution but in the meantime what's wrong with using something like this?
I don’t think I agree with ‘selfish’, but I don’t think I’d ever be close with anyone that uses this product, not because of their decision to use this produce itself, but because a person to uses this product is likely very disengaged from the real world.

I don’t usually share such negative opinions on HN, so please excuse this exception.

I’m trying to make a point about how *some people will see this product and quite literally not imagine a reasonable person wearing a device that disconnects them so much from their surroundings, and others who are surprised and confused as to why anyone would ever be outspokenly critical of a device that probably does work as advertised to help the user avoid air pollution.

Cases where this overly negative point does not apply: - places where air pollution is a significant problem in daily life

What about people who suffer from allergies to things like plant pollen?
If you were to cough while this was on, you’d effectively just spread the particles everywhere.

Pre pandemic, this might have been alright. Post pandemic, it’s irresponsible.

You only have to witness people walking around today, totally immersed in their own self and oblivious to what's going on around them, to appreciate that this kind of product is going to be accepted as normal soon enough.
Accidentally released the April fools article a day early i see
Two days early.
It looked better on Star Tours: https://static.wikia.nocookie.net/disney/images/2/25/RX-24te...
> Dyson launches Zone air purifying Bluetooth headphones with visor

Well, a lot of people _love_ vacuum cleaners. I bet this is the next logical evolution of this product. Makes you feel good while purifying the air that you expelled.

It's profitable to pump pollutants into the air and it's profitable to sell you a device to filter them back out before you inhale it. Wonder if there's a better way to do things.
You need this ... in "the Zone".
The Guardian…just never seems to aiming for an intelligent readership.
Not where the money is seeing as its free.