Phone Conversations Are Now Clear for Both Parties
May 27, 2020
“I also find this to greatly help with TV listening.”
Neil sporting his BeHear NOW headset. Note how it doesn’t interfere with his glasses!
♦ We love hearing back from our customers about their experiences with our products. Of course, it is always wonderful to learn that your efforts have led to an improved quality of life for someone, but constructive feedback about how to improve our products is also welcome!
Neil Nedrow is a relatively new customer who shared his thoughts with us by completing our customer survey, and then adding comments in e-mail correspondence.
Neil wrote:
“In the past, I’ve had trouble understanding people in phone conversations. But BeHear Now has completely eliminated that problem. And everyone has been able to hear me clearly. This is something I highly value. It works excellently. I also find this to greatly help with TV listening. I use the transmitter with headphones and the comprehension is quite good.”
It works excellently. – Neil Nedrow, Satisfied Customer
He suggested:
Run the earpiece wires from the back part of the device on each side below and slightly behind the ears. That would keep them away from the face.
Put a magnet at the bottom of each controller piece (where the earpiece wires are currently located) so it would be easier to find at you throat. I’ve taped magnets there and it’s helpful as it keeps everything in place.
He added:
“I also think there is a market for people who have some hearing loss who love listening to music and would like a device that would compensate for their hearing loss. Just for listening to music and not as a ‘hearing aid’.”
“Even when I was facing the computer instead of her, she could hear me!”
“I’ll never forget the day I put BeHear NOW in her ears. She immediately liked them. She could hear me clearly and the headset was so comfortable in her ears.”
♦ Although Lori Cunningham, an editor at the WellConnectedMom.com Web site, doesn’t have hearing loss, her mother-in-law does.
Lori decided to review the BeHear NOW personalizable hearing amplifier, testing this “hearable” out on her mother-in-law.
Lori reports “I wasn’t sure if the BeHear NOW hearable would work with my mother-in-law. She already has hearing aids and yet we still struggle in our attempts for her to hear us.”
“As BeHear NOW is designed for those with mild-to-moderate hearing, I had my doubts. But I thought, if perhaps this hearable could work, it would be a blessing for both her and my family!”
I’ll never forget the day I put BeHear NOW in her ears. She immediately liked them. She could hear me clearly and the headset was so comfortable in her ears. – Lori Cunningham, Editor at WellConnectedMom.com
Lori continues:
“Even when I was facing the computer instead of her, she could hear me! It was truly amazing.
And with the convenience factor built into BeHear NOW, she can wear the headset around her neck to have the earpieces close by.
If she’s at home, she doesn’t need them in her ears, but she can easily tuck the earpieces in her hears when the phone rings or when she goes outside and sees her neighbors.
It’s a convenience she’s never had before because she doesn’t do this with her $4,000 hearing aids that most often sit in their case.
Her hearing aids are uncomfortable, so she doesn’t wear them much. And sometimes, she’ll only wear one.”
“I’m 90 years old and completely deaf in my right ear. My hearing loss in my left ear is rated as ‘moderate’ in the low frequency range and ‘severe’ in the higher frequencies, not unusual for a person my age.
When my 3-year-old Resound Hearing Aid stopped working I decided to search for a lower cost alternative. After many hours of research I zeroed in on the ‘BeHear Now’ device. Attracted by its reviews and apparent versatility, I ordered it through Amazon and received it 24 hours later.
‘BeHear Now’ is a viable and functional alternative to conventional $3000-$7000 hearing aids. It certainly is for me. – Ed Cornachio, Satisfied Customer
I read through the manual and watched each of the online tutorials. That was five days ago. Now I can honestly say it exceeds all my expectations.
Pair your headset to a smartphone and download the W&H BeHear app to set up your new hearing baseline. Hear what you want to hear!
I strongly recommend, however, that you download the W&H BeHear app and pair it with your cell phone via Bluetooth. The app allows for individual customization, adaptable to your specific hearing problem. For me, the app is more than just a convenient accessory. It’s a necessary addition to adapting to environmental differences.”
“There needs to be an increase in public awareness about alternative solutions to hearing enhancement, such as Wear & Hear.”
♦ Hillel Fuld is a global speaker, tech blogger, startup marketer, and leading online influencer. His work has been featured by CNBC, Forbes, Inc, Entrepreneur, TechCrunch, and many others. His latest column in “Hillel’s Tech Corner”, published weekly in The Jerusalem Post, focused on how Wear & Hear can alleviate added stress experienced by those with untreated hearing loss during the age of the Corona virus.
In his post, Mr. Fuld mentioned the effects the COVID-19 pandemic is having on our daily lives, focusing on various types of mental anguish. He noted:
One thing I recently came to realize is that stress levels are much higher for those who don’t hear well.
Mr. Fuld poses the question: “So now, in the age of COVID-19, when mobility and income are even more restrictive, can anything be done to assist those with hearing loss?” and comes to the conclusion that Alango Technologies, with our Wear & Hear products, have some great solutions.
…these devices resolve difficulties of face-to-face communication between people confined inside their homes. They also enable mobile phone calls with high quality sound optimized for the user’s specific hearing loss.
This can mean an end to at least some of the frustration experienced by those with untreated hearing loss, AND of those who want to communicate with them. He further notes:
FOR USERS, this means television can be watched at a volume acceptable to all housemates as there is no longer a need to crank up the volume in order to understand dialogue. Also, listening to calming music can be made pleasurable again, as the devices amplify notes that previously went unheard, to provide a richer listening experience.
What’s next?
There needs to be an increase in public awareness about alternative solutions to hearing enhancement, such as Wear & Hear. Hearing loss is natural and extremely common, and I feel we must collectively do our best to accommodate those with hearing loss by letting them know of their options in an effort to ease their frustrations in daily life.
“Two weeks ago, with great satisfaction, I received my second BeHear NOW set (the first one for forgetting I left it in another city where I have not been able to return because of the restrictions of Covid-19).
I am 75 years old and about 20 using hearing aids because my current hearing loss is profound. Also, I am an electronics engineer, so I can say that I have good experience in the handling and evaluation of hearing aids from the patient’s point of view.
For example, about the last two years I have been looking, analyzing, and testing (when the few distributors allow it) various brands and ranges of hearing aids to replace my old pair that has about 7 years of use. The result is that I have not found one that meets my personal needs more than BeHear NOW. So, my honest review and conclusions about this product are as follows:
PROS
PRICE: There is a huge price difference between most conventional brands, that are above the US$3600 for a mid-range hearing aid pair, and my BeHear NOW (they cost me US$200 plus shipping costs each set).
DELIVERY TIME: 7 days in total, from the moment I placed the order and the product was ready to deliver to my door. Extraordinary, since it was sent from Israel to Bogota, Colombia, and considering the delays and problems in transport and customs generated by Covid 19 and the commercial inactivity of Easter week in my country. If I had made the purchase from a local dealer, I am sure that I had not yet received them and would not have a date of receipt, or less, of an appointment with a hearing care professional to adapt it.
Check your own hearing with the simple assessment in the W&H BeHear app.ADAPTATION: With all my respect to hearing professionals, the process of adaptation with the test-and-error method used, in my case, has been traumatic and inefficient, perhaps due to the difficulty of accurately explaining what characteristics and defects the patient perceives with a particular graduation of his hearing aids. And when you go out to “the real world”, it’s a totally different situation! So, you must request another appointment for a new review and the time is passing and patience is running out and the famous and expensive hearing aids can end up in the drawer of a desk. Very different is the adaptation and adjustment process used by the BeHear NOW because the patient hearing evaluation and device graduation is made direct and easily by the patient himself using the application installed in his smartphone, in real time, for different environments and as many times and places he wants to do them, achieving the quality that often does not reach through an audiologist, regardless of his experience. Surely, this direct method will be the trend in the next future hearing aids if there are no contrary pressures to do it.
LIVE CONVERSATIONS QUALITY: In my case, the quality and clarity of voice received directly from my BeHear NOW it´s not perfect, but does not have to envy anything to those of elegant brands. Specifically, I spent more than 10 months (all 2019) trying to get a decent understanding with my hearing aids from a famous and expensive brand, but I never got it; now they’re in the desk drawer.
AUDIO FROM SMARTPHONE: Although some brands and ranges of hearing aids can now be connected by Bluetooth with iPhone smartphones, and very few with Android, my experience with BeHear NOW has been very satisfactory. After many years, now I can have phone conversations quite successfully (until now I used only WhatsApp written) and mainly, I have again listened stereo Bluetooth music with an extraordinary richness of sounds and tones. Switching among different devices or modes is smart and smooth. Besides, using the “HearLink” I can now directly listen to the TV with superior quality than with my heavy and uncomfortable Sennheiser HD 175 “over ears” system.
DEVICE CONTROLS: I can control my BeHear directly from the headset controls, or with the app from my smartphone. Although initially it may seem uncomfortable to use the headset with cables at the back of the neck, with a week of use I easily manage the different controls, when it is not possible to use the smartphone app. Many models and brands only use one of the two control methods which is impractical as you don’t always have your phone handy or the manual controls are very confusing to use.
BUDS COMFORT: With BeHear NOW you do not need to take molds to fit each hearset to your ears. Your BeHear package contents a variety of types and sizes of “ear buds” that easily adapts to the shape of your ear giving you total safety and comfort. You will not have surprise losses, discomfort or hassles due use them for long periods.
WHAT I’D LIKE TO HAVE ADDITIONAL
REMOTE MICROPHONE: For conferences and presentations cases (and even in family or friendly meetings) it would be extremely useful to be able to use the smartphone as a remote microphone, or an external remote microphone. As I noted earlier, the quality of the audio coming from a smartphone is quite good. [Our remote microphone, called “YONA”, is already under development. Subscribe to our newsletter for updates on its release. – Ed.]
EXTRA 5 DBs OUTPUT. In my case of deep loss only the “Indoor” mode is useful, with the other 3 modes I hardly hear them. Somebody from Alango Technologies Customers Service informed me that “this extra power could be implemented in some weeks” (I suppose that by some software trick). Welcome this function.
LONGER BATTERY AUTONOMY. With my BeHear the maximum battery duration is about 8 hours, which is not enough in a normal journey. That’s a pity.”
I want to thank and congratulate Alango on this extraordinary product. IT’S WHAT I’VE BEEN WAITING FOR YEARS. – Jesus Campos M.
Joe Tomaso Reviews BeHear Assistive Hearing Headset
April 01, 2020
“They are so much better than traditional hearing aids.”
♦ In this 4-minute audio review, True Crimes podcast host Joe Tomaso (who suffers from hearing loss himself) packs in a lot of information. He brings anecdotes from his professional and personal lives to illustrate how much he likes the BeHear assistive hearing headsets. For example:
“As I’m hosting and doing production work and even editing my podcast, I am using both the BeHear ACCESS and the BeHear NOW personalized assistive hearing products. I have had traditional hearing aids and they cost me thousands of dollars. I also have used similar products that not only cost me a lot more than my BeHear devices, but they were big and clunky and not as comfortable. Also, they didn’t give me the personal hearing experience that matches BeHear.”
“My wife likes this as I’m not blasting the volume on the TV anymore.” – Joe Tomaso, True Crimes Podcast Host
“My BeHear devices are stylish and they help me hear better whether it’s live conversations, hearing better in public places, live music, cell phone calls or just listening to TV.”
“I really can’t say enough for these devices. Recently I was also able to hear birds chirping near sunrise. I have not been able to hear that sound even with my hearing aids and it’s not just what you can hear that counts. It’s what you’re missing out as well. I highly recommend these devices.”
Elisabeth Starnes is extremely pleased with BeHear ACCESS.
♦ “The first time I truly understood the ACCESS actually works as advertised was during breakfast in the noisiest restaurant in town with friends. Midway through our meal, I realized that I was hearing the conversation just fine, and I felt my tension fall away as I relaxed and just enjoyed being with my friends.” ♦
“I am an 83-year old woman who has never worn hearing aids. When I had my hearing tested, the audiologist recommended hearing aids that cost $6,000, plus the cost of an iPhone, plus tax—roughly $7,300. I thought that was obscene! I went immediately to the internet and searched for alternatives. That’s how I found Wear & Hear. I learned that they were releasing a follow-up to the BeHear NOW, and I wanted to be one of their first customers.
All BeHear headsets are supplied with a wide variety of sizes and shapes of silicone ear buds and hooks.
It took a few months to receive my device [until the official release -Ed.], but it was worth the wait. The BeHear ACCESS is brilliant! My main problem was that my ear canal is so small I couldn’t use any combinations of the ear buds and hooks. Fearing that I wouldn’t be able to use the device, I contacted Wear & Hear and they responded immediately. Their technician suggested using it without buds or hooks. For me, that worked perfectly! I have not been self conscious about wearing it. Even people who knew I was going to be receiving the device ask me what I’m listening to. I say, “You.”
When you see this symbol you’ll know that your BeHear ACCESS can tap into the looped system to provide you with the best audio.
I discovered that the senior center where I attend an exercise class offers individual hearing loops, which enabled me to use Telecoil mode. I was surprised to be able to discern words in what had been mostly a wall of noise from the public address system.
The last time I attended a program at our local theatre, I heard about 20% of what the speaker said. I knew I couldn’t go back. After I received BeHear’s ACCESS, I contacted the theatre and was delighted to learn that they support Telecoil. I’ll be back!
EasyListen slows down speech to improve intelligibility in mobile phone calls.
My favorite feature is the [EasyListen -Ed.] Slow, Slower, Slowest settings with phone calls—so handy when you’re trying to listen to a fast talker! Next is ListenThrough. I have several friends who wear top-of-the-line hearing aids (we’re talking $6,000-$8,000), and they have nothing that is comparable. Most of them ask if I mind having something around my neck, and I tell them I don’t; in fact, I don’t even notice it except when the cords catch on my clothing. In any case, it’s a small inconvenience when you consider the price difference! I always point out that any high tech device is going to be obsolete in 6-12 months, and I can afford to buy a new BeHear device every year for the rest of my life for half of what one pair of high end hearing aids would cost in the first year. And, because it is rechargeable, I won’t be bothered with those pesky little batteries that die at exactly the wrong time.
Dr. Alexander Goldin Founder & CEO Alango Technologies
One of the things I appreciate about Alango is that they have democratized hearing help by making the device compatible with an old version of Android (4.4) at a very affordable price. Their mission is to provide hearing technology to as many people as possible; however, they are not motivated solely by money—there is an altruistic element to what they are doing. To understand what I mean, everybody should read The Future Is Now: “How we can create an affordable, self-administered solution to hearing loss” with Dr. Alexander Goldin. ”
Elisabeth Starnes Dedicated Customer
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♦ Stewart Wolpin, a writer for Techlicious “Tech Made Simple”, recently included the BeHear ACCESS in his lineup of four new “Over the Counter” (also known as OTC) hearing devices.
As per the article, “Alango’s Wear & Hear BeHear ACCESS operate as regular behind-the-neck Bluetooth headphones, letting you listen to music, take calls, and adjust the volume of ambient sound. They also have a couple of OTC hearing aid extras.
If you have trouble following fast talkers or people with accents on phone calls, an EasyListen mode elongates consonants to remarkably improve comprehension. – Stewart Wolpin, Techlicious
“The BeHear Access are T-coil compliant, which means you’ll receive broadcasts directly to the headphones in loop-enabled public venues like theaters and churches. (You can tell by the ‘T’ designation on your program.)”
“And the headphones have good ergonomics: The headphone controls are extra-large, uniquely-shaped buttons you can control by feel, and there is a drop-in magnetic charger, so you don’t have to fiddle with tiny jacks and plugs.”
Mr. Blaine, who like millions of other Americans suffers from hearing loss, immediately identified with the obstacles faced by those wishing to enhance their hearing. Hearing aids, the obvious solution for providing personalized sound amplification, carry a stigma, high price tag, necessity of repeat visits to a hearing specialist, and don’t necessarily address one of the biggest difficulties: understanding speech in noisy places. To learn how Alango’s Wear & Hear line of assistive hearing headsets address these issues, watch the interview here.
Tech Expert “Ask Dave Taylor” Reviews BeHear ACCESS
March 07, 2020
“Good as Audio Headphones but Pretty Darn Amazing with Assistive Hearing”
Dave Taylor reviews BeHear ACCESS personalizable hearing amplifier in this YouTube video.
♦ Tech expert Dave Taylor of https://www.AskDaveTaylor.com/ tried out the BeHear Access and found them to be good as audio headphones but pretty darn amazing with assistive hearing. Among its many features are easy charging, long battery life and full support for telecoil.
Hearing aids don’t have to look clunky and cost thousands of dollars if you only have mild to medium hearing loss. Just pair the amazing BeHear Access Assistive Hearing Aid Headphones to your smartphone. Then you can run a simple hearing test and have the BeHear Access automatically adjust for your actual hearing loss across the frequency spectrum. – Dave Taylor, Tech Expert
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The BeHear NOW Personal Bluetooth Hearing Amplifier has been approved by the Texas Health and Human Services for STAP (Specialized Telecommunications Assistance Program). This initiative helps people who have a disability that interferes with their access to telephone networks. STAP provides financial assistance vouchers to pay for assistive communication devices and services.
BeHear NOW has been designed to help people with mild-to-moderate hearing loss. It is self-tunable, enhancing hearing for face-to-face conversations, live music, mobile calls, and TV watching. BeHear NOW can be purchased through STAP vendors. For more information about obtaining assistance to purchase BeHear NOW with STAP, click here.
BeHear ACCESS Reviewed as Up-and-Coming Technology Solution for Better Hearing
♦ Following the CES tradeshow in Las Vegas earlier this year, Brian P. Dunleavy published an article for Everyday Health reviewing the latest hearing products introduced there. He asked Beth Humphrey, a doctor of audiology in the department of audiology and speech pathology at the University of Tennessee Health Science Center in Knoxville, to provide her professional opinion of each product he reviewed.
BeHear ACCESS has been named a CES 2020 Innovation Awards Honoree in two categories: “Tech for a Better World”, and “Accessibility”.
BeHear ACCESS headed the list of Personal Sound Amplification Products (PSAPs). In addition to mentioning the product’s unique features (self-administered hearing assessment for optimum personalization, self-tuned real-time customization capability for live listening, Bluetooth connectivity for mobile calls and audio streaming, built-in Telecoil receivers for use in facilities equipped with hearing loops) Dunleavy noted that BeHear ACCESS was recognized in the CES 2020 Innovation Awards in both the Accessibility and Tech for a Better World categories.
The bottom line:
“This is a flexible PSAP with a range of connectivity options for people with difficulty listening in specific situations” – Beth Humphrey, AuD.
Wear & Hear Featured in Hearing Technology Showcase
February 14, 2020
“These are not your grandpa’s hearing aids.”
♦ Vicki Dean, writing for the Herald-Tribune, recently interviewed spokespersons for companies showcasing their solutions at the Hearing Tech Expo, held February 15 at the Manatee Technical Institute in Bradenton, Florida.
In its eighth year, this event is sponsored annually by the HLAA Sarasota chapter. Hundreds attended to take advantage of free hearing clinics and workshops, to meet with various support groups, and to try out the latest in hearing health technology.
As first-time exhibitors at this event, we at Wear & Hear were honored to be interviewed by Ms. Dean, and mentioned in the subsequent article in the Herald-Tribune. Our products caught her eye when we launched the BeHear ACCESS, a personalizable hearing headset, at the CES 2020 event earlier in the year.
Of the new technologies showcased at the event, Ms. Dean wrote:
These are not your grandpa’s hearing aids…New devices function like Bluetooth headsets to amplify relevant sounds while filtering out background noise.
“The BeHear ACCESS is among the best personal sound amplification products (PSAPs) that I’ve tried.”
♦ Karl Strom, Editor-in-Chief at The Hearing Review, included the BeHear ACCESS personalizable hearing headset in his blog covering hearing updates of note presented at CES 2020.
Specifically, he wrote:
“This hearable neckloop was an honoree in CES’s Accessibility, Tech for a Better World award category. The BeHear ACCESS is among the best personal sound amplification products (PSAPs) that I’ve tried. It has a very intuitive self-hearing assessment test (that was surprisingly accurate for my mild-to-moderate high frequency hearing loss) with corresponding ‘first-fit’ amplification and options for adjustment. Although it has a fairly high ‘nerd factor’ due to the neckloop, it does do a good job in selective listening situations as advertised: face-to-face conversations, public places, music and TV listening, streaming audio, and telephone conversations. Whenever I’m trying to remind myself about the potential bright side of future OTC hearing aids, BeHear and a half-dozen others are the ones that give me hope.”
“…it does do a good job in selective listening situations as advertised: face-to-face conversations, public places, music and TV listening, streaming audio, and telephone conversations.” – Karl Strom, Editor-in-Chief – The Hearing Review
“I previously listened to my TV at a volume level 45, now I comfortably have it set at 17.”
The BeHear NOW + HearLink Bundle includes one headset and one assistive listening transmitter.
♦ The following are excerpts from a review posted by a customer on Amazon:
“After trying many personal hearing amplifiers with lots of disappointment, I am thrilled with this product, it exceeded my expectations.
The app which sets your frequencies is fantastic. It personalizes your hearing needs at frequencies we tend to lose as we age.
I previously listened to my TV at a volume level 45, now I comfortably have it set at 17.
Setup is a breeze, and the different modes it offers is a major plus. Indoor, outdoor, crowd, live music. I absolutely love this product and would recommend it to anyone who is having any hearing difficulties.
No more awkward “what was that” during conversations. I only wish I had discovered this 2-3 years ago. I’ve shared my experience with friends and neighbors who can not wait to get their own.”
The bottom line:
“Truly an affordable solution to hearing difficulties.”
Former Military and Current Commercial Pilot Thrilled with BeHear
November 05, 2019
“I’m hearing things I didn’t know were missing.”
BeHear NOW is an assistive hearing headset that can be personalized to match the hearing profile of the wearer.
♦ The following texts are excerpts from a review posted on Amazon by Greg K. Hoggatt, a 63-year-old former military pilot and currently a commercial international captain:
“My high frequency hearing is severely limited. An audiologist didn’t think hearing aids were warranted and suggested that I use a wax remover every couple of months.”
“I’ve tried other hearing aids from KickStarter but didn’t really see a significant difference. But the BeHear NOW is simply incredible. I’m hearing things I didn’t know were missing.”
The bottom line:
“The BeHear NOW is simply incredible. I’m amazed at the difference in my hearing.”
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♦ Karl Strom, Editor-in-Chief at The Hearing Review, included the BeHear ACCESS personalizable hearing headset in his blog covering hearing updates of note presented at CES 2020.
