regurgitatedcoprolite

The telcos’ absurd pricing for LTE capability, which is an approximate 50% tax on the watch over two years, keeps me from buying the LTE version. This reminds me of cell providers charging for texting when it costs them NOTHING. 

Having used a pair of AirPods since before Christmas (yes, I was one of the fortunate ones who ordered within an hour of them being available), I find them to be comfortable to the point of forgetting I have them in my ears after a few minutes. Before the firmware update that was recently released, I had connectivity problems a few times, i.e., they'd cut off in the middle of a phone call [using a 6s], but that seems to have gone away since the update. 

I have significant hearing loss in my left ear, so I use the accessibility settings to send higher volume to my left ear and in mono as well. The proximity sensor seems to work most of the time, but it is not perfect. When I take one of the pods out of my ear, whatever I'm listening to usually pauses but not always. This is not a big issue, more like a minor annoyance. Voice quality through AirPods, such as making phone calls, seems to be excellent judging by the feedback from those on the receiving end of my calls. I drive a fairly noisy Sprinter conversion van, and my wife says the AirPods get rid of almost all the background noise. 

Because of hearing loss, obviously, I'm not an audiophile, but I find the sound quality to be good to excellent. Siri works well most of the time; sometimes I use "her" to change volume, which works, but I mostly use her for initiating calls and such. Doubling-tapping to invoke Siri, takes getting used to, as it takes sharp taps to get the accelerometers to register the tapping, but I get the double tap right at least 3/4 of the time. 

All-in-all, I'm happy with my AirPods. In fact, amazed how much electronics Apple is able to pack inside such small devices...which reminds me how nice the charging / storage case is. As others have noted, it is typical Apple - rounded, smooth feel; lid pops open easily and closes securely because of magnetic latch, and the pods get "sucked" into the case by magnets so they are securely held in place. At first, it was awkward pulling the pods out, but after a few days, I am able to just pop them out easily without thinking. 

Very happy with AirPods and highly recommend them to anyone who likes EarPods and needs a wireless connection. This reminds me how wonderful it is to not have to mess with wires. I'm not the most patient person on earth when it comes to untangling things, so not having wires to tangle with everything and get snagged by doorknobs, things in my van, around the house, makes life calmer and more enjoyable. 

[Oh, and the only time I have lost an AirPod was sitting at my desk when I dropped one on the floor. It bounced off my foot to places unknown. Thanks to having installed the iOS 10.3 beta a few days before, I was able to use "Find My AirPods" to locate the lost pod. Obviously, this feature works and is invaluable.]

I find EarPods to be the most secure and comfortable ear pieces I've ever used, and I expect the same out of the set of AirPods I ordered the other day (which are due to arrive on the 21st). 

Every once-in-awhile I have dropped my iPhone from my hands while listening to podcasts via EarPods, and the iPhone disconnects from the headphone jack with quite a yank, yet the EarPods remain in my ears. 

I also listen to podcasts while going to sleep and more often than not, when I awaken in the morning, the EarPods are still in place. 

I'm sure there are some people who have outer ear architecture that don't mesh with Apple's designs, but I bet they fit at least 98% of the populace.