aussiephil's Journal: Hearing Aid technology

What is it with hearing aid technology? Having reluctantly discovered I need one, I find that they are stuck in 19th century technology, with anti-competitive practices selling old tech at high prices. I have a nice phone, with a bluetooth headset. My phone plays the radio until a call comes in. Why can't I buy a phone that doubles as a hearing aid, amplifying sounds instead of playing a radio? Come to that, why can't I buy a nice looking bluetooth hearing aid headset? Why do all hearing aids look like they were designed a century ago in Russia? There must be a great product/design opportunity here.