A Kickstarter project aims to offer a solution to a familiar problem: improving the audio from portable devices. Ears for the Surface Tablet is a project by Brandon Schaap that promises to increase the perceived volume of Microsoft’s Surface line by redirecting the output of the side-firing speakers directly toward the user.
The concept is nothing new — similar commercial and DIY products are available for other devices with speakers that don’t directly face the user — but the Surface “Ears” offer an inexpensive and stylish way to address volume issues that plague many Surface owners.
Each pair of Ears is formed from silicone and is available in colors that match the official Microsoft Surface keyboards. Different models are offered to fit either the Surface RT/Surface 2 or Surface Pro/Surface Pro 2 thickness, and the Ears are designed to hold snug to the Surface body, preventing them from inadvertently falling off. Plus, as a passive device, the Ears require no power or recharging, and won’t affect the operation of the Surface.
As with similar products, these won’t make your small Surface speakers sound like a dedicated 2.1 speaker system, but the Ears promise up to a 10db increase in volume which, when combined with Microsoft’s software updates to increase the volume of the Surface, may make experiences like watching movies or video chatting far more enjoyable.
Mr. Schaap and his team have already exceeded their modest $5,500 goal, but with 14 days to go, there’s still time to fund the project and pick up a set of Ears from the first run. A $10 pledge nets you a pair of Ears for either the ARM- or x86-based Surface in any available color.
Surface owners interested in the project can check out all the details on the Kickstarter page.
