Anecdotal.
No way to know he didn't put it there on purpose just to have something to say.
Its Twitter.
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AirPods Impressions: ‘Better Than Expected’ Bluetooth, Sound, and Battery Impress Early Users
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No way to know he didn't put it there on purpose just to have something to say.
Its Twitter.
The missing piece though is the tech. I think you're underestimating how much better the Bluetooth pairing experience plus the management of notice cancelation and Bluetooth streaming is.
You don't have to, no. But you'll also get a great accessory for your iPhone whose utility is difficult to pin down until you actually use it, as well as a remote for your AirPods.
Powerbeats3 Wireless Earphones - Black
http://store.apple.com/xc/product/ML8V2ZM/A
Don't know how close they actually are but they are in-ear ones. May be worth a look
Not an Apple hater, satisfied with my Iphone 7 and 2015 Macbookpro but returning Airpods. Sound quality to my ears is no better than those that came with the phone. Not worth the $$ and found a better wireless option.
Wrong.
You think that, because you haven't factored-in the W1 chip. It truly is an big advance of present BT.
So yes, "Impressive Tech", for those who understand what other BT headsets are like in real life situations.
For the abovementioned reasons is why I am sitting this generation out. Plus the 5 hrs of battery life kinda blows when I am used to 8 - 9 hrs on the BT devices I already have. Carrying the case around isn't the worst thing in the world, but it is an extra item to carry nonetheless.
As far as the in-stalk controls are concerned, there are only so much Apple can do in terms of the taps to control a function. Apple could leverage 1, 2, maybe 3 taps to control a function with the current tech in the Airpods. Maybe future versions will have a swipe sensor on the stalk where a swipe or drag motion could control something like volume and double tap could be play/pause.
Some say much of this can be alleviated by using the Apple watch. I have an Apple watch as well and don't really see that as a "convenient" option for audio control, especially times when wearing a coat or jacket (especially winter), with gloves on, etc. Nothing beats the convenience of a fully integrated control stick.
The range on these Airpods really is impressive, I'm able to continue to listen to my music while going downstairs at my house without any distortion or cut outs. Factor in the complete wireless and fast charging on these and they really are impressive. The W1 chip mixed with these just goes to show that Apple can still innovate.
Come on! Can't you donate them to iFixIt for the Teardown cause? We all want to see what's inside them
By follow, I meant Sammy will introduce a Galaxy phone without a headphone jack.
This is not for audiophiles, but for those who want to listen to music while doing chores around the house.
That's pretty cool! I got to menlo at 8:37am (debated stopping for tea and decided it was worth the risk, otherwise I'd have been there closer to 8). Sold out right before I got in. I have the Dash and was getting these for my wife as an added Christmas surprise so I wasn't too upset. Plus I'd chosen to stop for a drink. The only thing that I'm going to complain about is the behavior of the 60-something year old woman who got the last pair and was checking out as i was asking about the pods. The specialist said that they just sold the last pair they'd received and the woman starts cackling and says "I got it" from halfway across the store. The specialist I'd asked apologized and told me there had been a line outside before the store opened at 8. I told him no worries and that at least the elderly woman was being pleasant about it. We had a laugh at her and I continued on to my office. But just a random reminder to folks, the vast majority of whom don't need a reminder at all: don't be a jerk cause you got an unnecessary luxury item and someone behind you didn't. Be thankful that you're in a position to spend that much money on headphones. There's no need to be a Scrooge about things. I wasn't upset, but her behavior did inspire me to donate another 10 bucks to the make a wish foundation. I hope the only people her actions offend are as fortunate as I am and that she doesn't act like that to people struggling through the holidays.
Living in CA the Cupertino guys are probably not sensitive to the issue of gloves! You need to remind them of that...
Or perhaps buy those phone-sensitive gloves and use the watch?
The broader issue of UI is a tricky one. Tiny buttons on the buds are basically useless. Big buttons are problematic because you will hit them when inserting or removing the buds, or reseating them. The same is true for squeezing the bud. (And is, I assume, why Siri is a double tap not a single tap.)
The one obvious possibility that seems like it works is stroking the bud up or down. (Sample conversation "Can you hang on for a minute, Dad, I just need to stroke my stalk"!) That works for volume which I'm guessing would be the most important missing control today.
YES! Just as bad....
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The wired ones do not stay firmly in my ears, they barely hang one... These are exactly the same, ever so slightly better because there are no wires, but if you had problems before , then you will with these, they are exactly the same shape... Bummer for me
This guy...
Why doesn't he leave his phone and stand outside and see if the sound is still flawless?
Your right. The W1 chip is something new. No-one has had ago at solving Bluetooth. Apple have and succeeded at the first attempt. Can't wait for future products.
Oh. I nearly forgot.
Apple are Doomed...
Been using my set for a few hours now and getting used to the Siri integration - not perfect but it works. As far as range I've gone up to 50 feet inside my house on different floors from my iPhone 7 and not one break up or cut out. THAT I like. Convenient so I don't have to carry my Beats or Bose over-ears.
You guys complaining about price really know fsckall about costs do you?
The Samsung equivalent to these (the Gear IconX) costs $199.00 and is in most ways a substantially inferior product (much shorter batter life, shorter BT range, doesn't have the easy Apple set up).
What you guys don't seem to understand is that most companies have hit their competence wall at making modern phones. Even a phone like the Nexus 5 has some serious design flaws in it (which I'm afraid I can't discuss because I heard in confidence); not "it does not work" flaws, but issue around heat flow that mean it has to run at below ideal performance. A PHONE already has to get the electronics, the thermals, and the radio issues all lined up correctly, and that is getting harder and harder.
Move on to watches. Most of the initial watch companies have given up. The only three serious contenders left are Apple, Samsung and Garmin. (And how long do you think Garmin is remaining with us...). Google has dreams of a Pixel Watch but I don't know who they think will make it for them. Everyone else in this space is making much simple fitness bands, and there's no evidence that Withings or Fitbit or whatever can make the quantum leap to the complexity of an Apple Watch class smart watch.
OK, now move from wearables to hearables. The volume is even smaller. The wireless is even tougher. The health constraints are even harder (no-one wants a device that can somehow hurt or infect your ear or fall apart inside it). There have been a number of kickstarter projects in the hearables space (around 20 or so). Pretty much all have failed, most (alll?) of the those that didn't (Earin and Bragi are the only ones I can think of) have been delayed. Even APPLE had to delay. These are HARD HARD HARD things to design and manufacture. Let's be a little realistic about price!
If you don't want to pay $159 (or Samsung's $199, or Bragi's $245 or Earin's $189) then buy over the ear BT headphones. There is a REASON those are so much cheaper and have so many more brands...
Ugh. Don't mention Bragi. They're a joke.
Oh, and Apple did the right thing in delaying the AirPods, they've been excellent so far.
I'm talking about wireless earbuds. They are not the first. How is the w1 chip a big advancement? My jaybird freedoms get the same range are waterproof and I can control everything with the headset
He didn't lose it. It's with in reach from what it appears. Perhaps he should use Caution. And who knows if this is actually accurate or if he is being flippant with this picture.
This is bizarre. Of course they could "live without" wireless headphones. In fact, everyone here could live without an iPhone. So could you.
I wouldn't buy these because I only use headphones for music and I place a premium on sound quality (indeed, I use more expensive headphones). I don't need the expensive headphones I use. I could live without them. But I like them. You'll be happier when you stop worrying about what that on which others choose to spend their money.
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Jaybird Freedom is NOT the same technology. They are connected by a cord, not two independent buds.
You may not care about this difference, but it is dramatically important in terms of how difficult it is to design these --- two independent buds need something to ensure that the two buds start and remain in synch during playback and this is far from trivial.
Like I said, even more than usual for the internet, there's an astonishing level of ignorance in these comments. People claiming prices that don't exist, products that don't exist, utter nonsense.
If you want to buy Jaybird Freedom and similar tech, or over the ear BT tech, go right ahead. Those are (many of them) fine useful products. But don't pretend they're the same thing, just like it is stupid to pretend that an MS Band is the same thing as an Apple Watch.