Stay Aware Even With Headphones On

I love music. All kinds in fact. It was one of the main reasons I got into radio in the first place.

It was also radio that lead me to discover how much I enjoy listening to music through headphones. There's something about experiencing a song's full sonic palette mixed with the privacy headphones offer that can't be replaced. But listening through headphones creates its own problem. Namely, cutting the listener off from the rest of the world.

But there's an app for that! Awareness uses your iPhone or iPod touch's built-in microphone to play loud noises through your headphones while you're listening to your tunes. The app is even smart enough to duck the volume of your music so you can clearly hear whatever external noise needs your attention.

This could be a lifesaver while biking or jogging, or just make getting someone's attention a little easier.

I've been trying this for a few days. While it's a little jarring at times to hear real world noises intrude into your headphones, the app works as advertised. And works well.

Awareness is available now for in the App Store. Awareness is free for a limited time, so grab it before it jumps back up to it's regular price of $6.99.