AirPods Review: Apple Knows I Still Want My MTV
Greg Aper ?????? ??
Design x Ai Harbinger, Trainer, Consultant, & Speaker :: Chief Exploration Officer @ Superunknown Studios
As some of you know I obtained a pair of AirPods last week and have been putting them through their paces. Folks asked for a follow up, so here's my quick take.
I love them.
I was skeptical. I like Apple products, but I'm not bathing in the Apple Kool-Aid, and they have never been a company that I recommend our clients try to emulate. The default complaint that the AirPods are overly expensive and will be easy to lose is definitely in play with me. I've lost my car before. Not stolen. Lost. As in misplaced & took a few days to find.
But I'm two weeks into ownership & still have both shiny white earbuds in my possession. Maybe it's like wedding rings or Oakley sunglasses or the like - even if something is small or an item you usually treat like dirt once you pony up a significant amount for something you watch it like a hawk. Or maybe it's the cute gloss floss charging container.
The AirPods have a lot of features that I really like. Super fast charging. Like 0 to 100 in 10 minutes or something close to that (I'm not good with numbers, that's just my precision guesswork). Auto on/off as you take them in & out of your ears. Great sound. Great for answering the blower.
But for me, there's one quality that makes them my only must-have product in recent memory. I'm a product of the rise of MTV. The infusion of music and video is irreversibly engrained in my head & soul. I'm a sucker for movie trailers and well-produced show opening credits (i.e. Game of Thrones or Black Sails).
I'm always walking through life with a song in my head, trying to match what's happening around me with the right song. Scenes from my everyday life always get me thinking of iconic music videos. When I see a group of cops, I always think of The Beastie Boys "Sabotage" video, especially when they're reaching in the bag for the donuts. Any time I see Ted Cruz on television he makes me think of Gerardo & "Rico Suave" because, well, he's just the exact opposite of Latino-smooth.
They may not be for everyone, but the cable-free, ethereal quality of the AirPods brings my MTV-inspired augmented reality to life. They enable me to experience a childhood dream as an adult, and at least for me, that's something that is worth more than almost anything else.
Notes:
- If regular Apple earbuds don't fit you well, then these aren't going to be any different. My recommendation would be to stay away from them.
- I have no issues with them falling out when doing the Macarena or some similar activity. But just like the regular Apple earbuds, if your ears get sweaty the fit starts becoming a little slippery. So if you are doing a casual work out, you are likely good to go. But if you're a CrossFit knucklehead, then you may want to think twice.
- Even though the fit is tight, don't tempt fate & leave them in when you go to the bathroom.
Cheers.
g