In an effort to support more sustainable practices, Sonos has announced a push to make its speakers use less energy and last longer — a move backed by a desire to make its audio products easy to repair or recycle in full. This “Design for Disassembly” program will go into effect in 2023, and focuses on a few different initiatives. For starters, Sonos is planning on changing its assembly materials and releasing repair manuals to make items easier for customers to fix at home without the need for specialized equipment. Sonos is also leveraging details like a recently established “sleep mode” to increase efficiency over time; according to Sonos, 75 percent of the company’s carbon footprint comes from its products’ energy usage over their respective lifetimes. (For comparison, Greenpeace reported the wider consumer electronics carbon emissions mostly come from manufacturing). While time will tell if these initiatives are really going to create noticeable change, we’re definitely all for some of our favorite companies trying to take long-term sustainability seriously. Sonos aside, we’ll be talking about NBA super-agent Rich Paul’s collaboration with New Balance, a watch with a Japanese swordsmithing legacy and Smith’s new glacier glasses. This is Today in Gear.
Today in Gear is our daily roundup of all the latest product announcements, drops and news. Want your question featured in our weekly “Ask an Expert” column? Send your most pressing product questions to [email protected].
Roll Away Back Pain With the Chirp Wheel+
ChirpIt can be hard to justify spending time at a chiropractor when you’re simply looking for quick fix for that stubborn knot in your lower back. This is where Chirp’s Wheel+ comes in. Coming in four separate pressure levels — Gentle, Firm, Focus or Deep Tissue — simply stick the wheel between your shoulder blades and… well, roll. The contoured spinal canal allows you to target back and neck muscles on either side of the spine as you rock back and forth.
