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AirPods don't “just work”

philip.design

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Re: AirPods don't “just work”

#251

Post by falcolas »

swah wrote: post #132
yoz-y wrote: post #113

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Honestly, the fact that I no longer snag my earphones on random protrusions, like doorknobs and bus ticket validating machines is a bliss. Cables inside at a desk: sure, why not. Cables outside: hard pass.

Ditto. And since we now wear masks at the office, one notices how wireless earbuds are "mask compatible" when you try using cabled ones.

Really? I always see them go flying when taking off a mask to eat or drink. The random protrusions to escape the faraday cage that is your head don't seem to interact well with elastic loops.

Re: AirPods don't “just work”

#252

Post by anderber »

IshKebab wrote: post #188
dt2m wrote: post #63

All valid annoyances, but I really think OP should try using another brand of Bluetooth headphones for a week just to get some perspective of how well AirPods "just work" compared to the competition. Manually having to re-pair once in every blue moon, one earbud playing while the other isn't, no automatic device switching without having to go through the Settings app everytime, A/V desync, dodgy mic quality, earbuds…

I have Google's Pixel Bud A series and they have none of these issues to be honest. By far the biggest issue is that they don't let you connect to more than one device simultaneously. Fine if you only use them with your phone, but a pain if you want to use them with a computer too.

Same here. I love my Pixel Buds. However, they are setup on all my devices, I just have to go and pick to connect depending on which device I want to use it with. Not sure if there's a way around that, for any Bluetooth device.

Re: AirPods don't “just work”

#253

Post by pohl »

Wowfunhappy wrote: post #100
dt2m wrote: post #63

All valid annoyances, but I really think OP should try using another brand of Bluetooth headphones for a week just to get some perspective of how well AirPods "just work" compared to the competition. Manually having to re-pair once in every blue moon, one earbud playing while the other isn't, no automatic device switching without having to go through the Settings app everytime, A/V desync, dodgy mic quality, earbuds…

Y’know what headphones really did “just work” though? Wired headphones, circa 2017. Their battery life was infinite. You could “pair” them in seconds to any device with a headphone jack, aka any device, because we’re in 2017. Oh, and they were cheaper and better for the environment. Courage, indeed. And this is why I’m currently typing my comment on an iPhone 6S...

I prefer not being at the end of a leash. To each, their own.

Re: AirPods don't “just work”

#254

Post by jmacd »

There is something weird about the AirPods Pro product line. I think a lot of us who are very technology focused can appreciate the marvel of engineering that they are. Long battery life, excellent noise cancellation, the right weight, water resistant, etc.

By many of my friends and my wife, all of who work in non tech fields but otherwise are 100% apple device people, all seem pretty much not impressed by them.

For Christmas I got my wife a pair of Nothing headphones. They are 1/3 the price and I figured it was worth a try since she basically just stopped using her AirPod Pros.

Now she raves about these cheap Nothing headphones. Tells her friends they are better. Less obtrusive, clear so they stand out less, good audio quality, and they don't try to magically switch devices, they just wait for you to decide what you want them connected to.

They support AAC on Apple, but have not great Bluetooth Audio support for Android.

Re: AirPods don't “just work”

#255

Post by 33084901 »

toyg wrote: post #177
yoz-y wrote: post #113

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Honestly, the fact that I no longer snag my earphones on random protrusions, like doorknobs and bus ticket validating machines is a bliss. Cables inside at a desk: sure, why not. Cables outside: hard pass.

I agree, but the awkward "omg an airpod fell off after bumping into something/someone" is also a real thing. They should have an optional cord between the pair.

I use the "PowerBeats Pro" for this. I don't know if they've been updated with some of the newer features, I bought mine a couple years back when they came out.

Re: AirPods don't “just work”

#256

Post by piaste »

KptMarchewa wrote: post #209
prox wrote: post #181

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I bought a Sony that does BT and wired, I love the whynotboth movement personally. Why do we have to choose?

WH-1000xm3 sound much worse when wired. They are made to use internal DAC.

That just means your phone's or PC's DAC is crappy compared to the internal one, and any other headphones would sound just as bad.

I have an older pair of JBL E55, which are about 50% cheaper than yours, and on a modern phone they sound slightly better on wire than on wireless, presumably because their internal DAC is mediocre.

Re: AirPods don't “just work”

#257

Post by jmacd »

rogual wrote: post #3

Annoyance 8: When I'm using the (good) noise cancelling of the AirPods to eliminate distracting background noise so I can focus, after a few hours the battery will run down to 15% and trigger the EXTREMELY LOUD "PING-pong-pong-pong" low-battery noise, right in my ear, without warning. And it's Apple, so of course you can't turn it off.

SO LOUD

Re: AirPods don't “just work”

#258

Post by elondaits »

toyg wrote: post #177
yoz-y wrote: post #113

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Honestly, the fact that I no longer snag my earphones on random protrusions, like doorknobs and bus ticket validating machines is a bliss. Cables inside at a desk: sure, why not. Cables outside: hard pass.

I agree, but the awkward "omg an airpod fell off after bumping into something/someone" is also a real thing. They should have an optional cord between the pair.

Beats Flex have the same BT chip as the AirPods and a different design that holds both ear pieces to the back of your neck.

Re: AirPods don't “just work”

#259

Post by chrisseaton »

xg15 wrote: post #167
chii wrote: post #156

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I used to be like you. Then i tried, for real, a pair of bluetooth headphones. The disadvantages of the bluetooth is by far outweighed by the wireless advantage. The mobility, flexibility and convenience of no tangles and accidental wire pulling and causing phone to drop - all worth it. And wireless UX is only going to get better. Wired is dead.

The mobility, flexibility snd convenience of me still sitting on front of the same PC for eight hours?

Do you never get up to make a drink or something?

Re: AirPods don't “just work”

#260

Post by davidmurdoch »

uzbit wrote: post #231

I think most of these annoyances can be taken broadly from the fact that everything about any Bluetooth experience is just absolute trash. Why does it take several tries to pair sometimes? When paired, why does it sometimes auto-connect and sometimes not? Why does it just never pair at all? What's with that pair code that it says to enter, but auto fills (sometimes)? And only sometimes do you have to use that code (w…

How have consumers let companies get away with "premium" phones being the ones with fewer features?
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