Hacker News Board Hacker News, browsed like a classic message board
Live data from Hacker News

FDA Authorizes First Over-the-Counter Hearing Aid Software

fda.gov

Post reply on HN
Print view View original

181–190 of 258 posts

Re: FDA Authorizes First Over-the-Counter Hearing Aid Software

#181

Post by HeyLaughingBoy »

llbeansandrice wrote: post #170
talldayo wrote: post #152

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The "actual complaint" is that Apple made hearing aids indistinguishable from an entertainment device. There's nothing wrong with taking initiative to a good thing, but you can absolutely pave the road to hell with good intentions. People would be rightfully outraged if Tesla drivers could ignore the road to play The Witcher 3 at 50mph on the freeway. Saying something like "either they will crash or they won't" isn't…

Playing video games when you’re supposed to be piloting a half ton death trap isn’t the same as teenagers lying to authority.

Worse. It's probably a bit over 2 tons.

Re: FDA Authorizes First Over-the-Counter Hearing Aid Software

#182

Post by karmajunkie »

SoftTalker wrote: post #159
freedomben wrote: post #98

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> In contrast, the AirPods run out after a few hours and are also destined to become landfill due to their built in battery. Also will entrench the user in a walled garden ecosystem from a very specific giant tech company that isn't big on making their products compatible with other companies.

And will put some people off from talking to them. I don't talk to people with AirPods stuck in their ears until they take them out. Too many times I have tried to start a conversation or just say "Hello" but they are oblivious because they are on a call or have music or something else playing.

that sounds more like a you problem. i use mine pretty frequently as hearing aids, especially in noisy environments.

Re: FDA Authorizes First Over-the-Counter Hearing Aid Software

#183

Post by RcouF1uZ4gsC »

josefresco wrote: post #91
car wrote: post #66

With the AirPods now officially becoming hearing aids, it will hopefully reduce the stigma and attitude towards hearing aids and allow many more people to realize how bad their hearing actually is. I have been wearing hearing aids for a few years now (Phonak). I've also used the AirPods Pro with the accessibility audiogram feature (basically making them hearing aids), which is really good and has also been around for…

You're certainly not alone in resisting hearing aids. My dad just got some from Costco (most affordable) and really likes them. He probably waited 5-10 years too long. My father-in-law however doesn't like hearing aids because he feels they amplify things he doesn't want to hear. Granted he's never been fitted to actual hearing aids. I understand his concern, but he's told me multiple times his hearing loss leaves hi…

> because he feels they amplify things he doesn't want to hear.

Could that be your mother-in-law telling him things to do?

Is he afraid of losing plausible deniability - "Sorry, honey, I didn't hear that, you know how bad my hearing is."

Re: FDA Authorizes First Over-the-Counter Hearing Aid Software

#184

Post by cryptoegorophy »

_fat_santa wrote: post #92

This is huge. Previously if you were hard of hearing, a pair of hearing aids could cost upwards of $2,000. Now Apple just brought that price down to ~$250. Even if you use them everyday and assume a shelf life of 1.5yrs (which is roughly mine and others' experience with AirPods), you would be replacing your Airpods for 12 years before the cost caught up with a single pair of hearing aids. Even if you think Airpods ar…

1.5? What happens after 1.5 years? Had mine for 5 years, no issue and sort of the same battery life or not noticeable to me (15% degradation is what I would not notice ) still charge very quick in a case.

Re: FDA Authorizes First Over-the-Counter Hearing Aid Software

#185

Post by teaearlgraycold »

dsr_ wrote: post #79
amne wrote: post #72

cue teenagers with "hearing problems" so they must wear the pods during classes in 3 .. 2 ..

What's your actual complaint? Is it that teenagers sometimes have hearing issues? That's definitely true; many people are born Deaf or with hearing impairments. Some people get injured. Is it that teenagers might fake having hearing issues in order to wear pods? Either they will be paying attention in class or they won't; this will be obvious from their grades shortly.

Just require a doctor’s note one time?

Re: FDA Authorizes First Over-the-Counter Hearing Aid Software

#186

Post by Arrath »

vel0city wrote: post #120
josefresco wrote: post #91

Earlier quoted context omitted.

You're certainly not alone in resisting hearing aids. My dad just got some from Costco (most affordable) and really likes them. He probably waited 5-10 years too long. My father-in-law however doesn't like hearing aids because he feels they amplify things he doesn't want to hear. Granted he's never been fitted to actual hearing aids. I understand his concern, but he's told me multiple times his hearing loss leaves hi…

> he feels they amplify things he doesn't want to hear. I mean that's kind of the whole point of having them adjusted with an audiologist. They're tuned to your specific needs. It's too bad so many people think they're just mics and amplifiers. Modern hearing aids do a lot of signal processing.

> It's too bad so many people think they're just mics and amplifiers. Modern hearing aids do a lot of signal processing.

This is what I'm still trying to convince my dad of, after he found the pair he was fitted with ~20 years ago absolutely useless. He found that they simply made everything louder which did nothing to help him pick out what he wanted to hear.

But he's always been picky about his soundscapes, wanting the TV muted during ad breaks etc etc.

Re: FDA Authorizes First Over-the-Counter Hearing Aid Software

#187

Post by some_random »

HumblyTossed wrote: post #162
some_random wrote: post #100

Earlier quoted context omitted.

A condescending reply showing you didn't read the whole comment isn't the best look. The point isn't that they're the bestest hearing aids ever, the point is that they are an option at all at a tiny fraction of the typical price which will force manufacturers to innovate.

Condescending or not, saying "Now Apple just brought that price down to ~$250." is grossly overstating it. But Apple always gets a pass, so...

"You can now buy hearing aids (as defined by the FDA) for $250" is an objectively true statement, so unless you think the FDA is filled with Apple fanboys I have no idea what "pass" you think Apple is getting.

Re: FDA Authorizes First Over-the-Counter Hearing Aid Software

#188

Post by car »

kasey_junk wrote: post #107
alias_neo wrote: post #85

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I don't think I've ever seen someone with a hearing aid and though anything negative of it, I get it people can be self-conscious, but for something like a hearing aid I think it's unjustified. On the other hand, I can't bring myself to keep earbuds (airpods or w/e) in my ears while talking to someone, regardless of if I can hear them properly, I just seems incredibly rude. My uneducated opinion, is that someone usin…

I don’t think the stigma is around hearing loss it’s about age. And stigma is probably not the right word, it’s an internal acceptance issue.

You are right, I thought about it a bit more, and I think it was more vanity for me, since I was fairly young when the hearing loss started. But hearing aids nowadays are so inconspicuous that most people don't even notice them.

Re: FDA Authorizes First Over-the-Counter Hearing Aid Software

#189

Post by ksenzee »

righthand wrote: post #109
car wrote: post #66

With the AirPods now officially becoming hearing aids, it will hopefully reduce the stigma and attitude towards hearing aids and allow many more people to realize how bad their hearing actually is. I have been wearing hearing aids for a few years now (Phonak). I've also used the AirPods Pro with the accessibility audiogram feature (basically making them hearing aids), which is really good and has also been around for…

Most people don’t wear hearing aids because they don’t like how it looks and think their hearing isn’t bad enough to warrant social stigma from it. I don’t see how Airpods solve that problem as they are very unsightly, no matter how much pundits say they love them. In fact you mentioning how they are like hearing aids has made me justify never wanting a pair.

> In fact you mentioning how they are like hearing aids has made me justify never wanting a pair.

Why? Because hearing aids are unsightly? Are wheelchairs unsightly? Canes? Prosthetic legs? It looks to me like this idea of what’s “unsightly” is being fed by a cultural bias against the disabled. Interestingly, glasses were “unsightly” a few decades ago, and now they’re in fashion. It would be nice to see the same thing happen for other assistive tech.

Re: FDA Authorizes First Over-the-Counter Hearing Aid Software

#190

Post by car »

steve1977 wrote: post #116
car wrote: post #66

With the AirPods now officially becoming hearing aids, it will hopefully reduce the stigma and attitude towards hearing aids and allow many more people to realize how bad their hearing actually is. I have been wearing hearing aids for a few years now (Phonak). I've also used the AirPods Pro with the accessibility audiogram feature (basically making them hearing aids), which is really good and has also been around for…

Sonova (Phonak) is Swiss by the way, not Danish. They also own the consumer of Sennheiser since a couple of years.

Thanks, I stand corrected.
Post reply on HN