AirPods to be Available in Apple Retail Stores Starting Monday Morning

[yegon]

I used wireless jaybirds before they were known. It was still when I was in Japan so maybe 6 years ago.

My first were Sony MW600s in about 2011, used BT earbuds ever since. I loved them so much I bought a second pair, as for a long time BT earbuds seemed universally flakey and unreliable judging by reviews, and the MW600s worked flawlessly.

I mentioned Jaybirds because they seem to be the ones everyone knows. Not a fan personally, had some X2's, the remote glitched out after 13 months due to, presumably, sweat. Pressing pause sometimes initiated a call and I'd have to cancel the call quickly. Jaybird quoted me about £50 to repair them, plus had to arrange my own shipping to the states. Nope. Last of their products I'll buy.
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hadn't heard anywhere in reviews about your #1. Very interesting in the case of fit and the fact that they are cheaper at costco, I love that place! Even at $250 (plus the 2% points and the money back that costco gives you at the end of the year so more like 240) I would rather have all Apple products on the things I use every day. I have found, as I dive deeper and deeper into the apple ecosystem, that if everything you use is apple things tend to run seamlessly across the board. So with that said, at $150 they are the same i paid for my powerbeats wireless I bought for a headless headset for work, and I can use them seamlessly across my mac, iPhone, iPad, watch and while not seamless you can very easily use on the ATV4. I ended up leaving the job but had the powerbeats wireless 16 days when I tried to bring them back (they work and sound great for music and for people on the other end I'm told). So I have a feeling my powerbeats wireless will collect dust come monday even more than they already do unless I can find someone to buy them lol.

I'd strongly advise you don't buy the Bragi Dash until you've read loads of reviews and feedback from users. I followed their development very closely and a LOT of people had problems with losing connection and all sorts of of problems.

There's a reason the latest Bragi's eschew a lot of the features of their first product - they simplified it to make it work better. I remember reading endless complaints on Reddit about how (fairly frequent) firmware updates would alternately make the Dash better/worse from people using same firmware. I honestly suggest you avoid them like the plague.

 

[Stjuls]

Rushed? These are 2 months late lol, they were supposed to be out in October

They delayed the rushing.

 

[Phightinphils]

I got a bad feeling about these being rushed to market the week before Christmas

I think they've learned their lesson with this dilemma. Otherwise they would've pushed BeatsX too.

 

[oftheheavens]

My first were Sony MW600s in about 2011, used BT earbuds ever since. I loved them so much I bought a second pair, as for a long time BT earbuds seemed universally flakey and unreliable judging by reviews, and the MW600s worked flawlessly.

I mentioned Jaybirds because they seem to be the ones everyone knows. Not a fan personally, had some X2's, the remote glitched out after 13 months due to, presumably, sweat. Pressing pause sometimes initiated a call and I'd have to cancel the call quickly. Jaybird quoted me about £50 to repair them, plus had to arrange my own shipping to the states. Nope. Last of their products I'll buy.
[doublepost=1481909293][/doublepost]


I'd strongly advise you don't buy the Bragi Dash until you've read loads of reviews and feedback from users. I followed their development very closely and a LOT of people had problems with losing connection and all sorts of of problems.

There's a reason the latest Bragi's eschew a lot of the features of their first product - they simplified it to make it work better. I remember reading endless complaints on Reddit about how (fairly frequent) firmware updates would alternately make the Dash better/worse from people using same firmware. I honestly suggest you avoid them like the plague.

Thanks for the input! Like i have said in a few different threads about the AirPods, I pulled the trigger quick like simply because they are apple (although I have take off the hair-trigger mod with apple's attitude and direction lately) headphones and I know they will work so simply across all my products that it would be silly to get anything else unless there was EarPods verified to be much better with apple product and was superior from specs to customer support. I am surprised to hear about your bad experience with jaybird. Guess they changed their ways when they got on their feet.

 

[MacsRuleOthersDrool]

Not sure why you are so sure these are immune from potential problems. If the MBP is any indication, I would say anything is possible.

What great problems do you think were plaguing the MBPs?

1. Video driver issue with certain 3rd party apps. Happens in the Windows and Linux worlds ALL THE TIME. Fixed with the latest update.

2. Battery Life (possibly). According to users, Fixed with the latest update.

And, um, I'm pretty sure that's about it. Not so bad for the launch of a new product.

 

[admob71]

Numerous people have told you why, for their needs, the Airpods are better than other competing devices. Why can't you accept that some have different, and totally understandable, needs than you?

- they're reasonably priced compared to similar earbuds
- they pair better and have a more stable link to your phone than competing devices
- you get the benefit of Apple's customer service if they fail
- they have some distinctive features : turns off when you take them out, Siri integration, etc.

Isn't that enough for some people to want these?

Spoken by someone who hasn't read all of this thread. I'm not denying they might well be the most marvellous BT headsets ever created..

But, if you had bothered to read my posts rather than shoot your mouth off you would have read that I was replying to someone saying that they had never been more exited by a new Apple product!!! Which let's be fair, considering some of the gear released over the last few years is a remarkable statement!!!

 

[profets]

Spoken by someone who hasn't read all of this thread. I'm not denying they might well be the most marvellous BT headsets ever created..

But, if you had bothered to read my posts rather than shoot your mouth off you would have read that I was replying to someone saying that they had never been more exited by a new Apple product!!! Which let's be fair, considering some of the gear released over the last few years is a remarkable statement!!!

Ahh, I see what you're saying. I replied as well, and was trying to follow the thread back to see what it was originally about.

Lol I remember the original iPhone. Not going to lie, I criticized it in person when I saw the keynote. But then the first time I picked it up in store it instantly blew my mind. I can appreciate what you're saying.

 

[admob71]

I used wireless jaybirds before they were known. It was still when I was in Japan so maybe 6 years ago. I think it was one of the "first" wireless BT headphones. They were so expensive and broke like 3 times, a couple due to sweat and at least once the earpiece swivel just gave way and let the earpiece dangle. Even though I was in Japan I got them replaced however many times for free including shipping. Great customer service and I am sure they have come a long way. To their defense they stated that they were able to withstand short runs (forgot what the suggestion was) but I was a young Marine training for a marathon at the time so they would be dripping when I was done.

I pray that these hold up better than apples EarPods which are known to suck, but I believe most of the problem was the cords could only take a tug or two before you started losing sound. I believe that the next AirPods will be water resistant, maybe even to a point of ip7 so that you can swim with them, next generation and they will also start putting effort into sound quality (hopefully using some of the knowledge they bought with beats). Next gen I think will level them out at 100 bucks and include different colors to match iPhone colors (adding at least black is my guess) and it will remain that price until they are the standard AirPods that come in the box with a new iPhone (5-10 years?).

Anyway, I am more than excited about getting these and all the new ways to use headphones to communicate and for entertainment every day. I just really hope they hold up to sweat enough to work at least until the next gen or 2 years goes by, whichever comes first. I think if I didn't have enough gift cards from my bday and xmas I would skip gen 1 but since I am getting them free I am beyond excited to get yet another gen 1 product!
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i think people saying they are ugly or "ridiculously silly" are just upset they can't afford them or just need to put people down that are excited to get them (or both). They look nearly identical to what has come in the iPhone box for 9 years and I can't remember anyone ever saying how ugly or silly they looked. I remember hearing how much they suck, even though they were free, but I can't remember ever hearing or seeing a million threads about how silly they look.

Lol, did you just accuse anyone with an ounce of taste to not be able to afford 160 bucks worth of earphones!!! OMG!!! That's so adorable..

They look nothing like the standard head sets , you look like you have 2 cigarette butts sticking out of your ears. Quite frankly the most weird new piece of tech I have seen in a long time.

 

[MacsRuleOthersDrool]

For portable audio it is. elitist

No it isn't, when you can spend nearly that on a Smartphone alone.

 

[ryanwarsaw]

Maybe it's just me but the gulf between the best bt headsets currently on the market and the airpods to my mind is significantly smaller than the gulf between the first iPhone and the best phone on the market back then. Apart from looking rediculously silly, I can't see massive benefits over exiting bt units. Where the first multi touch phone screen was something quite special.

So don't buy them?
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Lol, did you just accuse anyone with an ounce of taste to not be able to afford 160 bucks worth of earphones!!! OMG!!! That's so adorable..

They look nothing like the standard head sets , you look like you have 2 cigarette butts sticking out of your ears. Quite frankly the most weird new piece of tech I have seen in a long time.

considering you are a man with nothing, you say too much.

 

[AEdouard]

On another note: Mine just shipped!

 

[sinsin07]

So don't buy them?
[doublepost=1481918314][/doublepost]

considering you are a man with nothing, you say too much.

Nice comeback!
Its amazing people post their opinions so vehemently on an item they have no interest in.
Looks are subjective, therefore opinions on them are meaningless.

 

[topmounter]

Wow, these aren't out yet? Better now than whenever.

 

[ryanwarsaw]

Wow, these aren't out yet? Better now than whenever.

Mine have a delivery date of tomorrow.

 

[Bromeo]

Looking forward to trying these out as my potential every-day 'buds. I've tried Bluetooth earbuds before, but the wire connecting them together created its own problems, and they were always discharged when I thought of using them. Taking a call on them was only fair. I went back to the bundled EarPods for the "they just work" experience, including the inline remote.

When Bose came out with their QC20i noise cancelling earbuds, I transitioned to those for the unbelievable noise cancelling performance that can be toggled on and off as needed, plus the quite useful inline remote/mic similar to Apple's, if only less sleek. I do dislike the inline battery box and lack of bluetooth option, but they are the most comfortable and pleasant sounding earbuds I've ever used. I was hoping Bose would come up with something compelling for a Bluetooth update, but a "neck collar" containing the battery just doesn't do it for me and gets rid of one of the things I love about the QC20's: impressive compactness in a zip up pouch.

I don't expect the AirPods to equal the Bose in things like isolation or rich, full sound, but they sure look like they tick a bunch of boxes for convenience and usability that no other manufacturer has quite lined up yet. I'll keep my QC20i's for travel and noise isolation needs, but I suspect the AirPods will become my daily drivers.

 

[Mac 128]

Are these hype or a necessity?

I would argue necessity for anyone who depended on the headphone jack, with earbuds, and wants as little interruption from their routine as possible. With the AirPods, they need only be paired once, and charged every 3-5 hours of use. There's nothing extra to carry around that they weren't before, no charging while listening issues, no compatibility issues with most other modern audio equipment (certainly not phones, tablets, and computers), and makes pairing within the Apple ecosystem almost as easy as using a pair of wired 3.5mm headphones. Lightning headphones don't offer all of that, and neither do 3.5mm with the adapter.

Obviously, for anyone looking for a higher quality, better sounding earbud, the AirPods aren't going to cut it. But, both PowerBeats 3 & possibly the Beats X are suitable substitutes -- especially the Beats X, which still aren't shipping. Outside of that, the loss of the headphone jack is going to have a significant impact on a user in this category. The Studio 3 is a step up to a different kind of headphone, and so far the only one that offers another alternative with as much synergy. Unfortunately both the Studio 3 & PowerBeats 3 use micro-USB ports, requiring an iPhone user to carry around a separate charging cable just for them.

Still I would argue for a probable majority of headphone jack users on the iPhone, the AirPods will serve as a direct replacement for their old Apple EarPods, and maybe even whatever other earbuds they were using, offering almost as much utility and compatibility as the wired ones, with minimal impact on their lives.

I think they've learned their lesson with this dilemma. Otherwise they would've pushed BeatsX too.

The Beats X are either a yield problem with the W1 chip which is being prioritized for the AirPods at this point, or it's marketing since they are just a cheaper version of the PowerBeats 3. I doubt it's a coincidence that the order of the W1 chipped headphones released was most expensive to least, without exception.

 

[ryanwarsaw]

I couldn't argue these are a necessity if my life depended on it.

 

[bluespark]

The pricing isn't outrageous. But if these don't deliver an abundant experience, then perhaps these will appear overpriced based on user reviews. We will know shortly.

I agree that performance is critical.

 

[6836838]

So the pointing and laughing begins on Tuesday?

iStraws alert!!!

 

[profets]

I would argue necessity for anyone who depended on the headphone jack, with earbuds, and wants as little interruption from their routine as possible. With the AirPods, they need only be paired once, and charged every 3-5 hours of use. There's nothing extra to carry around that they weren't before, no charging while listening issues, no compatibility issues with most other modern audio equipment (certainly not phones, tablets, and computers), and makes pairing within the Apple ecosystem almost as easy as using a pair of wired 3.5mm headphones. Lightning headphones don't offer all of that, and neither do 3.5mm with the adapter.

Obviously, for anyone looking for a higher quality, better sounding earbud, the AirPods aren't going to cut it. But, both PowerBeats 3 & possibly the Beats X are suitable substitutes -- especially the Beats X, which still aren't shipping. Outside of that, the loss of the headphone jack is going to have a significant impact on a user in this category. The Studio 3 is a step up to a different kind of headphone, and so far the only one that offers another alternative with as much synergy. Unfortunately both the Studio 3 & PowerBeats 3 use micro-USB ports, requiring an iPhone user to carry around a separate charging cable just for them.

Still I would argue for a probable majority of headphone jack users on the iPhone, the AirPods will serve as a direct replacement for their old Apple EarPods, and maybe even whatever other earbuds they were using, offering almost as much utility and compatibility as the wired ones, with minimal impact on their lives.

Part of what I'm looking forward to is that they will replace multiple headsets I use (Moto Hint for calls and listening to podcasts/books as well as Jaybirds for workouts and running).

The Beats X are either a yield problem with the W1 chip which is being prioritized for the AirPods at this point, or it's marketing since they are just a cheaper version of the PowerBeats 3. I doubt it's a coincidence that the order of the W1 chipped headphones released was most expensive to least, without exception.

That's a good thought. Though if I had to guess, it does sound like the manufacturing of the AirPods themselves got tricky. Maybe the Solo3 was out earlier as they're larger headphones and incorporating the W1 into them wasn't as challenging as it is for something as small as the AirPods or BeatsX. The BeatsX looks like an excellent option as well, coming from Jaybirds that I frequently only keep one bud in my ear, I love the weights and magnets the BeatsX has.[/QUOTE]

 

[6836838]

The pricing isn't outrageous. But if these don't deliver an abundant experience, then perhaps these will appear overpriced based on user reviews. We will know shortly.

You're joking aren't you? For that Money you can buy some seriously top quality in-ear monitors with custom fitted tips! You'd be mad to pay that for poor quality wireless buds.

 

[AEdouard]

You're joking aren't you? For that Money you can buy some seriously top quality in-ear monitors with custom fitted tips! You'd be mad to pay that for poor quality wireless buds.

The pricing is the same or lower than comparable products (true wireless earbuds).

 

[44267547]

You're joking aren't you? For that Money you can buy some seriously top quality in-ear monitors with custom fitted tips! You'd be mad to pay that for poor quality wireless buds.

Nope. Not joking. So you must have already received yours then? Being you passed judgement so quickly already.

 

[oftheheavens]

Lol, did you just accuse anyone with an ounce of taste to not be able to afford 160 bucks worth of earphones!!! OMG!!! That's so adorable..

They look nothing like the standard head sets , you look like you have 2 cigarette butts sticking out of your ears. Quite frankly the most weird new piece of tech I have seen in a long time.

no I implied two things separately. You know envy brings out trolls so

1. those that can't afford come here to bash so they don't feel as bad about not getting a pair
2. They look nearly identical to those that already come in the box so you are saying that millions of people have corded cig's in their ears.

don't be so close minded man, and especially don't try to put me down over silly stuff. Or, does that make you feel better?

 

[Arran]

Part of what I'm looking forward to is that they will replace multiple headsets I use (Moto Hint for calls and listening to podcasts/books as well as Jaybirds for workouts and running).

Same here. I'm guessing mine will be used mostly on conference calls that can go on for hours, sometimes all-day. I really want to ditch my desk speakerphone. The ability to wear just one AirPod while the other is charging is neat. And the fact that they pop in and out of your ear easily and don't have any little rubber ear tips to fall off and get lost is a plus (ever try looking for one of those under an airplane seat? Forget it.)

I'm expecting they'll be just as comfortable with prolonged use as the wired EarPods. Music is a bonus.