There is nothing quite like having your own private space while tuning in to your favorite music on your iPod. Most of us tend to ditch the standard pair of headphones that come with our iPods, investing a little bit extra for that upmarket pair of earbuds to give us a better bang for our buck. Unfortunately, most people these days equate loudness with the quality of a pair of earbuds, and younger folks tend to crank the volume all the way up while rocking to the latest Top 40 hits. This doesn’t bode too well for your ears, and it could certainly be a health hazard especially when you’re walking or jogging around in public as being tuned out from your surroundings could result in a nasty accident. The AirDrives from Mad Catz aim to prevent that from happening. More details after the jump.

While most designs these days come in cupped headphones or in-canal earbuds, both of them encourage the listener to zone out. The AirDrives takes a whole new spin on the situation, marrying the best qualities of both camps by giving us small speakers with an over-the-ear clip which make them extremely portable due to their small size. A new technique known as InAir has also been incorporated into the AirDrives, letting these buds sit over the ear canal instead of inside. This change in placement not only produces a more natural sound, but it also prevents the buds from tuning you out from your surrounding environment by letting in some ambient noise. While audiophiles will launch a vehement protest, it must be said having an idea of what’s going on around you is important especially when you’re on the road.

The AirDrives will be available in two flavors - the regular Adult-sized model and a Kids model which will retail for $100 and $70 respectively when they’re released this September across all retail stores.

Source: Electronista