Review: Apple's new wireless AirPods put a smile on 2016

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Comments

  • Reply 41 of 87
    sog35 said:
    Only problem i have is the double tap to envoke Siri does not work. I don't know why. Tried it dozens of times.

    The key is to realize that it's NOT a "double-touch"... it's an accelerometer based "double-tap".  The _movement_ is what triggers it.  Just smack your ear twice.

    After a while you start to learn just how much movement is needed and what kind of movement is best.  I've got it down pretty well at this point.
    kevin keeDave Spence
  • Reply 42 of 87

    michelb76 said:
    Have you used it in places where there is no or bad internet connectivity? Hearing reports that for example in subways(generally no connection) you cannot change the volume on the earpods themselves..
    You can't use Siri anywhere you can't use Siri... the AirPods didn't change that.

    Like the reviewer mentioned... these really work best if you also have an Apple Watch... because you can do all of those activities on the Apple Watch without taking out your phone (even when Internet access isn't available).

    Your other option, of course, is just to pull out your phone and change the volume ;-)
    SoliDave Spence
  • Reply 43 of 87
    viclauyyc said:
    From now on, it will be a lot of smashing head robbery 

    Why do you think these will be more popular for robbery than wireless headphones?

    I commute via subway everyday with my Beats Studio Wireless headphones on.  They are double the price of AirPods and _MUCH_ easier to steal.  All you have to do is rip them off my head and run out.  You get everything you need.  Even with that I don't hesitate to use them.

    With AirPods it will be essentially impossible to quickly snatch everything from someone.  Even grabbing one is tough... they are small and really close to your head.

    Even if you grab one... how are you going to sell it?  Who's going to buy it?  Without the other one and without a way to charge it it's useless.

    Grabbing both is going to be exceedingly difficult.  I have no doubt that a thief could get good at it and get it done... but there are going to be very limited opportunities to deploy that skill.  And...

    The big problem is that even if you steal the AirPod earbuds... you don't get the charging case!  What good are the earbuds without the ability to charge (or even pair them!).  We haven't even heard yet if there's going to be an ability for you to buy a charging case separately (but we do know you can buy earbuds separately).

    In general: for the low price ($160 is really not much) and for all of the problems... I can't see thieves really caring about this much.

    That said: it _will_ happen... and when it does we're going to hear ALL about it... on every damn website.
    SoliDave Spence
  • Reply 44 of 87

      2. Siri phrases for direct volume level ("Set volume 80%")

    "Set volume to 80%"

    That one works fine and is very convenient.
    StrangeDays
  • Reply 45 of 87
    SoliSoli Posts: 10,038member
    dacloo said:
    "Review: Apple's new wireless AirPods put a smile on 2016"


    Somebody hand over a vomit bag please. 

    Was this a sponsored article btw?
    Why would you think it's sponsored simply because it's a positive review of technology? What about AirPods do you think are so shitty that a positive review is questionable?
    Dave Spence
  • Reply 46 of 87
    chromos said:
    sog35 said:
    andrewj5790 said:

    You have to tap pretty hard. It's more like a finger hit
    I've tried it. VERY HARD. Still does not work.

    probably will return it for a new pair when these are in stock in a few months.
    Try to tap with your fingernail instead of the fleshy part of your finger.
    Actually it's controlled by the accelerometer. So all it needs is a certain type of jiggle. Fingertip or fleshy part of the finger doesn't matter. Don't try too hard and don't try to sort,  just tap tap. Works fine for me.
    Soli
  • Reply 47 of 87
    kevin keekevin kee Posts: 1,289member
    chromos said:
    sog35 said:
    andrewj5790 said:

    You have to tap pretty hard. It's more like a finger hit
    I've tried it. VERY HARD. Still does not work.

    probably will return it for a new pair when these are in stock in a few months.
    Try to tap with your fingernail instead of the fleshy part of your finger.
    Actually it's controlled by the accelerometer. So all it needs is a certain type of jiggle. Fingertip or fleshy part of the finger doesn't matter. Don't try too hard and don't try to sort,  just tap tap. Works fine for me.
    For me it works by just 'tap to move it slightly'. It's not 'tap to press it', on the contrary, you need to 'move it'. As someone pointed out, it's not a button somewhere in there, but the movement is the one which activate Siri.
  • Reply 48 of 87
    dacloo said:
    "Review: Apple's new wireless AirPods put a smile on 2016"


    Somebody hand over a vomit bag please. 

    Was this a sponsored article btw?


    Hey, we've placed a vomit bag for you on the other side of the door. Go get it like a good boy and don't let the door hit you on the way out!

    williamlondonStrangeDaysbrucemcDave Spence
  • Reply 49 of 87
    Rayz2016Rayz2016 Posts: 6,957member
    dacloo said:
    "Review: Apple's new wireless AirPods put a smile on 2016"


    Somebody hand over a vomit bag please. 

    Was this a sponsored article btw?
    Yes, it's sooooo annoying when Apple gets something right, isn't it.
    williamlondonStrangeDaysbrucemcDave Spence
  • Reply 50 of 87
    djsherlydjsherly Posts: 1,031member

    djsherly said:
    Dang, somebody got paid for writing an article...
    With your logic, I guess no one can write a positive article about a product they really liked. 
    I'm sure they're amazing headphones, but effusive isn't the word I'd use for this article. Fawning might be a better one. 
    Why? Because he really liked the product? The product that has people lining up outside of stores for? If he found it to be as good as hope, why on earth wouldn't be enthusiastic in his article? Should he throw in some made-up negatives in an attempt to be perceived as "fair & balanced"? I think that would be disingenuous..
    Allow me to go back... 

    "I'm sure they're amazing headphones"

    It's a comment on his writing style, his assessment that these headphones cancelled out all the bad of 2016 (I don't think he meant solely from an Apple perspective, btw) was particularly ridiculous. It's one of those things I'm sure he'll read in a few years and cringe. 

    Btw he messed up a statement. I'm pretty sure it's the "intersection of technology and the liberal arts", not the "corner".

    at 0:50


  • Reply 51 of 87
    My only annoyance is if I leave the airpods out their case, the battery continues to drain even when no device is connected to them. No auto-off I suspect, something that can be fixed with a software update I hope. I'm using my watch as the physical controls, seems to be the best option for quickly changing the volume without pulling out the phone. For any London-based readers, yes these are just as bad on tube for sound leakage. I've had to switch on subtitles so I can still watch stuff on the commute!
  • Reply 52 of 87
    Soli said:
    dacloo said:
    "Review: Apple's new wireless AirPods put a smile on 2016"


    Somebody hand over a vomit bag please. 

    Was this a sponsored article btw?
    Why would you think it's sponsored simply because it's a positive review of technology? What about AirPods do you think are so shitty that a positive review is questionable?
    Because it goes against his forced narrative about Apple sucking. 
    brucemcmac_128
  • Reply 53 of 87
    djsherly said:

    djsherly said:
    Dang, somebody got paid for writing an article...
    With your logic, I guess no one can write a positive article about a product they really liked. 
    I'm sure they're amazing headphones, but effusive isn't the word I'd use for this article. Fawning might be a better one. 
    Why? Because he really liked the product? The product that has people lining up outside of stores for? If he found it to be as good as hope, why on earth wouldn't be enthusiastic in his article? Should he throw in some made-up negatives in an attempt to be perceived as "fair & balanced"? I think that would be disingenuous..
    Allow me to go back... 

    "I'm sure they're amazing headphones"

    It's a comment on his writing style, his assessment that these headphones cancelled out all the bad of 2016 (I don't think he meant solely from an Apple perspective, btw) was particularly ridiculous. It's one of those things I'm sure he'll read in a few years and cringe. 

    Btw he messed up a statement. I'm pretty sure it's the "intersection of technology and the liberal arts", not the "corner".

    at 0:50


    That's your criticism? Corner vs intersection? Try harder man. 
    brucemcmac_128macgui
  • Reply 54 of 87
    woot -- my AirPods have shipped! originally slated as a 4-week delay for mid January, they'll now be here tuesday!

    This confirms that it would have been a terrible idea to sit on all of them indefinitely until every order could be fulfilled at once, as was suggested by somebody. Sell the inventory you have and continue selling it as you catch up!
    brucemcmac_128
  • Reply 55 of 87
    avon b7avon b7 Posts: 7,972member
    friedmud said:

    michelb76 said:
    Have you used it in places where there is no or bad internet connectivity? Hearing reports that for example in subways(generally no connection) you cannot change the volume on the earpods themselves..
    You can't use Siri anywhere you can't use Siri... the AirPods didn't change that.

    Like the reviewer mentioned... these really work best if you also have an Apple Watch... because you can do all of those activities on the Apple Watch without taking out your phone (even when Internet access isn't available).

    Your other option, of course, is just to pull out your phone and change the volume ;-)
    For this kind of use (voice controlled playback plus options), it would be better if the commands were resolved directly on the phone seeing as the controls themselves are very limited. For other Siri stuff a data connection could be used just as it is now.
  • Reply 56 of 87
    avon b7avon b7 Posts: 7,972member
    Soli said:
    dacloo said:
    "Review: Apple's new wireless AirPods put a smile on 2016"


    Somebody hand over a vomit bag please. 

    Was this a sponsored article btw?
    Why would you think it's sponsored simply because it's a positive review of technology? What about AirPods do you think are so shitty that a positive review is questionable?
    Although the review is informative, it is excessively sugary and sometimes blurs the lines between objective and subjective opinion.

    The opening is about the joys of wireless headphones. I think we've all had some at one point or another and understand that not having cables to get tangled or tugged is an advantage. It's nothing new. You go past the first ten paragraphs and you are still not really into the review. It's almost as if the reader is being pitched to.

    For the price and size of these things I wouldn't expect audiophile quality in the first place but when the issue is touched on, it is placed behind the defensive shield of 'physics', or the idea was to get you to justify any limitations on sound quality by understanding that there are limits to what can be done because of physics. That isn't really the case, the lack of better sound isnt due to physics. 

    Someone else said that the reviewer might re-read the aarticle in a few years and cringe. That might be the case.

    Whenever I read any of Daniel's pieces I turn on my sugar filters and extract the facts as best I can. They are there.

    I think that gives you an idea why the OP mentioned the article being sponsored (probably tongue in cheek). Someone else said he was fawning. I can understand these comments.

    As for the Pods themselves, they are a good first step. Now we need a solution for people with ears that can't hold them or that do so uncomfortably. Even if it means using hooks or bands while keeping the overall design discrete.
    edited December 2016 mac_128
  • Reply 57 of 87
    My only annoyance is if I leave the airpods out their case, the battery continues to drain even when no device is connected to them. No auto-off I suspect, something that can be fixed with a software update I hope. I'm using my watch as the physical controls, seems to be the best option for quickly changing the volume without pulling out the phone
  • Reply 58 of 87
    brucemcbrucemc Posts: 1,541member
    Rough summary of the comments:
    - Those who have received and used the AirPods overwhelming agree with the reviewer that they are a great product and deserve a 5/5.
    - Concern trolls who do not have them (and likely never will) consider the review biased, and have lots of criticism of the product, and also think the article had some grammatical issues.

    ...just another day on the Internet...
    StrangeDaysmac_128iosenthusiastmacguiapplepieguyapplepieguyDave Spence
  • Reply 59 of 87
    brucemcbrucemc Posts: 1,541member
    Wish List:
      1. Siri for audio controls w/o iPhone (e.g., with Watch)
      2. Siri phrases for direct volume level ("Set volume 80%")
      3. Software update to handle user taps differently in each AirPod.  e.g.,:
               Left AirPod = Volume
                   - Single Tap   = lower volume
                   - Double Tap = higher volume
                Right AirPod = Play / Pause
                   - Single Tap  = toggle Play / Pause
                   - Double Tap = Siri
    I certainly hope that Apple has some big improvements planned for Siri for localized control.  This would I imagine be part of a new iPhone with specific custom silicon dedicated to local voice/speech recognition (like the dedicated image processing).  From there it can be determined if the request is for information, or some localized control like audio, setting reminders, opening apps, etc.  For Apple, this use of custom silicon would be increasing the value of the device, rather than taking the approach that it is all about the cloud (benefits Google, not Apple).

    As for the Watch, that will take a future version with its own mobile data service to utilize its own Siri.

    Agree with the different taps or other gestures to control audio - likely a version 2 type product.

    Really looking to see if Santa was able to get me a pair of these...
    mac_128
  • Reply 60 of 87
    djsherlydjsherly Posts: 1,031member
    djsherly said:

    djsherly said:
    Dang, somebody got paid for writing an article...
    With your logic, I guess no one can write a positive article about a product they really liked. 
    I'm sure they're amazing headphones, but effusive isn't the word I'd use for this article. Fawning might be a better one. 
    Why? Because he really liked the product? The product that has people lining up outside of stores for? If he found it to be as good as hope, why on earth wouldn't be enthusiastic in his article? Should he throw in some made-up negatives in an attempt to be perceived as "fair & balanced"? I think that would be disingenuous..
    Allow me to go back... 

    "I'm sure they're amazing headphones"

    It's a comment on his writing style, his assessment that these headphones cancelled out all the bad of 2016 (I don't think he meant solely from an Apple perspective, btw) was particularly ridiculous. It's one of those things I'm sure he'll read in a few years and cringe. 

    Btw he messed up a statement. I'm pretty sure it's the "intersection of technology and the liberal arts", not the "corner".

    at 0:50


    That's your criticism? Corner vs intersection? Try harder man. 
    My criticism was that the article was fawning. I was pointing out that a favourite quote was incorrectly referenced as a side note. It was a btw. Did you miss that?

    maybe it's not me who should be trying harder. 
    avon b7mac_128
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