“I’m the first to admit that Apple’s new AirPod earphones resemble Q-tips dangling from my lobes. Or maybe robotic ear antennas,” Geoffrey A. Fowler writes for The Wall Street Journal. “But I think you’ll get over looking like a cyborg and want a pair anyway.”
“Before they finally started shipping this week, I had the chance to use a set of $160 AirPods for three months,” Fowler writes. “They aren’t perfect, but they quickly became my favorite earbuds. I’ll go further: AirPods are Apple’s best new product in years.”
“For most people, the advice is easy: Buy the AirPods. They’re among the least expensive totally wireless earbuds I tested, yet no other could compete with their one-two-three punch of simplicity, sound and call quality,” Fowler writes. “The AirPods get little things right. Take them out of their case, and they’re ready to play music or take a call. Back in the case and they’re off; no messing with buttons. The AirPods run for 5 hours, and the case is also a battery pack that can keep recharging them. You basically have to plug in the case only about once a week.”
“The AirPods have never fallen out of my ears. I can go for a run, or head bang like Metallica, and they stay in there,” Fowler writes. “They also stayed in every one of my colleagues’ ears.”
Read more in the full article here.
MacDailyNews Take: Yes, we’ll all get over it:
As for the AirPods looking alien: Tape a pair of wires on the ends of each and you’ll see that they look very much like the type of earphones that everyone is very used to seeing by now (which, for those who remember, we weren’t used to seeing before iPod – people thought those looked “alien,” too). We’ll all get used to the lack of wires soon enough. — MacDailyNews, September 14, 2016
SEE ALSO:
Apple AirPods are very cool, but I am returning them – here’s why – December 22, 2016
Marathoner tests Apple AirPods on 10K run – December 19, 2016
Rolling Stone reviews Apple AirPods: ‘Surprisingly awesome’ – December 14, 2016
Apple AirPods could arrive in stores as early as November 17th – November 10, 2016
Apple’s AirPods remain on track to launch this year, sources say – November 2, 2016
Apple AirPods may be delayed into 2017 – November 1, 2016
Apple delays AirPod rollout – October 26, 2016
Survey: 12% of U.S. consumers say they’ll buy Apple AirPods; extra $3 billion in revenue – September 29, 2016
Bill Atkinson: Why Apple’s AirPods are the best place for Siri – September 28, 2016
Apple’s response to Amazon Echo: AirPods – September 20, 2016
Apple’s AirPods make Google Glass look even more ridiculous (if that’s even possible) – September 19, 2016
Apple CEO Tim Cook: AirPods won’t fall out of your ears (with video) – September 14, 2016
Why Silicon Valley is all wrong about Apple’s AirPods – September 17, 2016
What AirPods can tell us about Apple’s future – September 12, 2016
Hands-on with Apple’s new AirPods: Stayed in my ears, sounded awesome – September 10, 2016
Apple and a truly wireless future: AirPods are just the start – September 10, 2016
Whoever makes the first AirPods strap is going to get rich – September 8, 2016
I use my Sennheiser wireless BT headphones for 5 years already and with great joy. So nothing new here.
I’m not sure anyone cares what you stick in your ears. You have tried anything else other than your five-year old Sennheisers and what you have to say is”nothing new here”? Actually quite a bit is new and you have said nothing of value or made sense … nothing new there.
Well that was uncalled for. You obviously cared enough that you went on your little immature rampage.
Yikes, wrong side of the bed today? Happy Holidays to everyone.
Well, congrats to the EarPods team for shipping a compelling product. And congrats to the WSJ for its sly backhanded complement to Apple. Because it’s kinda sad when EarPods are the best product Apple has put out in years.
“AirPods are Apple’s best new product in years.”
Sadly, a very low bar at this time. Here’s to a rising tide in the QA department.
Better than any other Apple product. That is so sad.
Cool product? Yes. Works well? Yes. Do I want a pair? No. Why not? I listen to my iPhone’s music being plugged into my car… >.>
But that’s just what I do. If you really want a sleek pair of earbuds that work well and aren’t intrusive, try them out.
And are they allowed to be used on an entire airline flight? Nope, they’re wireless.
I couldn’t wait any longer (they’re still impossible to find in stores, and the order delay nows stretches into February), so a couple of weeks ago I bought a pair of Sol Republic’s Air Amps, and they’re fantastic. They’re completely wireless, just like the AirPods without any connecting wires. They don’t have dongles hanging down like the AirPods, and they’re designed to fill the entire ear. They sound *much* better than the Apple EarPods, with much richer bass. So far the Bluetooth has been rock solid reliable. If you can find them, I highly recommend them (they’re on sale right now at BestBuy…).
They sound better than EarPods, but you don’t know if they sound better than AirPods.
I have the AirPods, they are noticeably better than the EarPods sound wise. If you own an iPhone and want wireless earbuds, the AirPods are the only serious choice. Virtually everything else is more expensive, offers less connectivity, reliability and shorter battery life.
Yes, they are better – mid range is fuller with a bit more base.
Another point…if you are doing any physical work, no wires is a blessing. Third day today with the AirPods in the workshop has transformed my work. No sudden earplug withdrawal or the sickening sound of your phone being ripped out of a pocket before catapulting to the floor. I’m now forgetting to take my phone with me since the Bluetooth range is so good.
They’re better than any other new Apple product in years…
… because there haven’t really been any other new Apple products.
Case in point: 1000+ day old “Trash Can” Mac.
-hh