cjsag94 said:
The one pair of knock offs I bought last fall didn't fit me either..kept falling out. It seems odd that is a common issue as physical specs should be the easiest thing of all to copy.
That's a cool feature where it pauses when you remove it from an ear..That could come in handy..but also something a simple button push could replicate easily.
There is a reason you're paying a premium. They're not for someone who's going to clinch up over paying $150 for earbuds, but if you're in the market for $150 truly wireless ear buds then they're the best available for an iPhone user.
Here's a run down of why they're awesome:
You take them out of your pocket, open the case and put one in your ear and you get a tone to let you know it's connected, you put the other in and both end up connected. I have rarely had them not connect instantaneously.
Once they're in your ears you can hardly tell they are there. They don't move at all, and they are ridiculously lightweight.
The battery on them lasts somewhere in the neighborhood of 4-5 hours if you don't ever charge them, but if they are not in your ear chances are you have them in their case and they are charging.
If you ever do run out of battery they charge to 3 hours of usable life in under 15 minutes. They charge ridiculously fast. So 4-5 hours can stretch to all day use if you put them in your pocket for even 15 minutes cumulatively all day.
If someone walks up to you to talk, you take one AirPod out and it stops playing, you put it back in and it automatically plays. The interruption to your listening lasts as long as that person requires your attention. With a truly wireless earbud you're either paying for this feature or your jamming a button into your eardrum.
The size of the charging case is basically the same size as a pack of floss. It's small and if it's in your pocket along with your keys, your phone and your wallet it's a non-noticeable addition to your gear.
With the AirPods I have had zero interference issues with my body in between them and my phone (happens often with cheaper wireless earbuds, even mid tier ones like the Jaybird X2's I own). I can get up from my desk, walk the 40-50 feet to the break room with my phone at my desk and never lose connection. The only connection issues I've ever had was from walking from my bedroom to my kitchen and there was two walls and a stainless steel refrigerator between the AirPods and my phone and the interference wasn't as bad as cheaper earbuds and my phone in my pocket.
By comparison:
I own a pair of Sony MDR-1000X headphones that I used daily prior to buying the AirPods and I haven't used them other than for flights since. These were $400 headphones brand new and they have touch features which allow you to easily pause or limit the volume to allow for conversation.
I own a pair of Jaybird X2's. They are wireless "wired" earbuds. The interference on them isn't as bad as the cheaper similarly styled earbuds I've owned, but they are bad when compared to the AirPods. The other thing about these kinds of earbuds is that the added weight of the wire on the earbud causes them to fall out. I have never had an AirPod fall out of my ear.
In summary:
1. All obstacles of pairing are removed. It is seamless.
2. They do not prevent you from easily reconnecting to the people around you.
3. Effectively all day battery life.
4. Unobtrusive case that makes them easy to add to your daily carry items.
5. They are ridiculously comfortable and lightweight.
6. They never fall out of your ears.
You can spend $30-50 on earbuds that you'll use when you work out or are at work, or you can spend $150 on a pair that you will carry with you everywhere you go. I would never carry my Jaybird X2's with me, my AirPods I do.
