By: Chase Childers
Yes, it has been roughly two years since I first held the beautifully simplistic Apple AirPods case in my hand. What can I say after all that time? I may never be able to wear a different pair of headphones for the rest of my life. Between the ease of use and portability of the design, they may be the complete package and blow every other product like it on the market out of the water. Allow me to explain.
They have fantastic sound quality due to their design.
Not only do the headphones produce ample bass and great higher sound quality, but the sensors built into the air pods allow them to know when they are in your ears and can start playing. The same goes for when you take them out; they stop on a dime. This allows maybe the greatest ease of use I’ve ever experienced when using a pair of headphones, and I have used them all; Beats, Sony, Bose, Skull candy, and a myriad of other off brands. The bottom line is nothing even comes close.
In addition to the sensors which detect when the AirPod is either in or out of your ear, you can also double tap on the side in order to start or stop playing, pick up a call, end a call, talk to siri, and skip through music. I cannot tell you how crucial this has been to me after wearing them all day every day at work for almost a year. There’s nothing worse than having to drag your phone out of your pocket at work every time you need to stop or change a song. These just make that experience plain better. Yes, other devices on the market can do similar things through buttons on the exterior, but nothing compares to single or double tapping on the side of your AirPod for simple functionality.
In terms of general sound quality, these headphones perform more than fine for someone who needs the convenience of AirPods, however I am not going to say that these compare closely in sound to higher end Bose or Sony headphones. If you listen to music a lot and need the absolute best quality possible, these buds may not be for you, however for the rest of us, the quality gives us an awesome listening experience.
Portability.
Apple products have a history of minimalist, simple, and attractive designs to their products, which is why many of us buy them. Not only do the buds do this, but the case makes this purchase that much more appealing. Flipping up the lid allows you to check the battery life on your iPhone, and a simple button on the back allows you to pair the earbuds to any Bluetooth enabled device. Not only is the outside of the case simple and functional, but when inside the case, your earbuds will charge. With a fully charged AirPods case, you can charge the buds multiple times, extending the battery life for a full 24 hours. And Thanks to the W1 chip, the AirPods can get 3 hours of charge in 15 minutes. Yep, with wired earphones you don’t need to worry about charging them, but none of those match the portability of the AirPods.
Portability can also speak to the ease of which you can wear the AirPods for several different uses. They can double as your headset which is extra important for individuals who spent much of their day on the phone. Walking to the store, take a call. In the bathroom, take a call. In a crowded place, take a call. In the car, pop one earbud in and boom, there you go. There’s a reason why a lot of people in business have them, and it’s not because they’re expensive. It’s because they make everyday life easier and much more enjoyable.
The aesthetics.
I would be lying to you if I didn’t say a large amount of people buy them because of the way they look and their upscale perception. They look great. Like I said earlier, Apple takes pride in their minimalistic and gorgeous looking design which has driven their company for several decades. I will say that something happens to me internally when I put them in. Laugh at me if you want, but for me when the AirPods go in, that means its time to work. If you want to look like you’re important, other than just listening to Roddy Rich on repeat, get the AirPods and a whole new level of skepticism will rise from those who want to know what is going on in your ears.
No, they’re not perfect.
Yes, I’m chubby, but I do a fair amount of running on the weekends and around work. I can say that when your ears sweat, there may be no way to keep these things in your ears for prolonged periods of time. What you gain in portability, design, and convenience, you lose in workout capability. Lifting weights? Go for it. But if you’re trying to run a marathon with these in, good luck to you, my friend.
Unfortunately, they are also easy and appealing to steal. I found this out the hard way in the Dulles Airport heading towards my direct flight to Atlanta. Not knowing how bad of an idea this was, I stuck my air pods in the bin when going through TSA. When I came through the other end, it was apparent that either the TSA staff or a stranger in front of me swiped my AirPods from my bin. Fifteen minutes of searching and a few mental breakdowns later, I remembered that I had a flight to get on soon. As an AirPod lover and someone who cannot be with their thoughts on an airplane, I reluctantly walked into the store at Dulles Airport and bought myself another pair of AirPods. I know, expensive, but I use them no less than 8 hours a day at work, so it was an unfortunate certainty that I had to get another pair.
After two years, what can I say?
I will probably use the various generations of AirPods for the rest of my life unless Apple makes some sort of catastrophic mistake. They have unfortunately turned me into an apple snob; however, I’m not too upset about it. I’ve been very content to wear these for hours on end, and I don’t plan on changing that any time soon.
If you want to get yours, here’s the link: https://www.apple.com/airpods-2nd-generation/
Epic Tech 