Apple - AirPods with Charging Case (1st Generation)
Model: MMEF2AM/A
SKU: 5577872
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Customers love the AirPods with Charging Case (1st Generation) for their exceptional sound quality, wireless connectivity, and comfortable fit. Many users appreciate the convenience of the charging case, while some find the price to be a bit high. Overall, customers are highly satisfied with the product's performance and ease of use.
After using the AirPods for several hours a day for a month, there's a lot to like about Apple's first foray into truly wireless headphones. I used the AirPods just one bud at a time while listening to music/podcasts and for short phone calls in an office setting. ----- Pros: Bluetooth Connection: Due to Apple's W1 chip, the bluetooth connection is very strong, seemingly up to and beyond 30-50 feet. I was able to walk downstairs in a building and still maintain connection while my iPhone was still on the second floor. Also, the phone reception seems strong as whenever I was on the phone people generally heard me fine. Auto Stop: If you're listening to music and you remove one of the buds, whatever you're listening to will stop automatically due to sensors in the buds. I've used this feature countless times, especially whenenver someone starts a conversation with me while I'm listening to music while sitting at my desk. Now I just remove the buds(s) and I don't have to worry about fumbling around for the "pause" button either on my headphones or iPhone. Single Pod: I nearly always use the AirPods just one bud at a time, both in an effort to conserve battery life and to be more aware of my surroundings. This is a huge plus for me, since I'm used to the neckband-style headphones in which one of the buds was never used (and usually just dangled down the front of my shirt). Also a plus is that there's a microphone in both buds, rather than just a single one. Case: An underrated element of the AirPods is the thing that you don't actually put in your ears. It's the charging case. This thing will always be by your side, because once you take one of the buds out, there's nowhere to put it without risk of losing it. The buds magnetically lock into place in the case, so once they're in, they're not going anywhere, even with the case lid open. The case itself could feel a little sturdier as you'll almost want to buy a case for your case, but it's a great way to keep both pods and the charging system all in one little package that's barely larger than a pack of floss. Charging: Whenever you put the buds in the case, they'll automatically start changing. And these things charge fast. I placed one bud in the case once its battery life was down to 11% remaining and in exactly 10 mins it was already up to 77%. You do have to charge the case itself occasionally, but as long as you have the case around, the 5-hour battery life will never become an issue. Pairing: Thanks to Apple's W1 chip, these are the easiest bluetooth headphones to pair for iOS devices. For intial pairing, simply open the top of the charging case next to your iOS device, tap "connect" on the popup, and that's it. No messing around in the Settings section of your device, no holding a combination of buttons a certain number of seconds. And everytime after that, simply remove the bud(s) from the case, place it in your ear, and you'll be automatically connected. Convenience: This might be the AirPods' biggest pro. I'm not sure the convenience of a truly wireless experience and automatic pairing can be overstated. Being able to pop a single bud in your ear, have it connect automatically, and almost always have a full battery is like magic. Taking the headphones off and not having to turn them off/on is also a nice cherry on top. Fit/Comfort/Audio Quality: I have this listed as both a pro and a con. Simply put, these aren't the most comfortable or best-fitting set of headphones. The one-size-fits-all approach means these are going to fit similarly to the Apple Earbuds that come for free with every iPhone, and they're going to sound basically identical. However, I will say that despite what it looks like, these things aren't going to fall out of your ears (even if they may feel like it at times), and they sound good enough for being truly wireless. Ambient noise is inevitable since they aren't noise-cancelling and aren't shoved deep into the eardrum, but that's a personal plus for me. I also find the buds sometimes rubbing up against my beard, creating a bit of a popping noise, so I'll have to readjust when that happens. ----- Cons: Fit/Comfort/Audio Quality: See above. Price: These things aren't cheap. $160 for headphones that sound similar to the same pair that you received for free with your last iPhone? You're not really paying for premier sound quality as much as you're paying for the convenience factor. Lack of Physical Controls: There are no physical controls on the AirPods, so if you want to skip a track or change volume, you'll have to do on your actual iOS device. However, you can use the AirPods to play/pause or call up Siri, which brings me to.... The Double-Tap: This might be my biggest gripe with the AirPods - the double-tap should work while wearing an AirPod and giving it two sharp taps, which will either summon Siri or play/pause (depending on your settings). But it doesn't work for me a lot of the time and I resort to making these changes on my iPhone. I hope that the AirPods 2 or a software update either improves the double tap, or allows for some new gesture controls that make it easier to change volume, skip track, etc. Color: Yes, the white is Apple's bread-and-butter color, but it would have been nice to have a space gray/black option like the iPhone lineup. Fragility/Wax Buildup: Fragile might be the wrong word, but I live in fear of dropping an AirPod in the street, down a sewer grate, or anytime I get up and start walking around. Irrational perhaps, but the neckband headphones do provide a sense of security. I also find myself carrying around a microfiber cloth and cotton swab to clean off the AirPods whenever I take them off, since these things get ear wax on and in them just like the Earpods. ----- All in all, I've enjoyed the AirPods. The auto pairing, the convenience, the case, the sound quality, and the lack of wires all contribute to a great product. They could be better (physical controls, shorter stem, more color options, maybe $15-20 less expensive, a comply eartip version). If you're looking for something with similar features, but you want more bass, longer battery, then check out the BeatsX. I almost went with that option, but I really didn't want to deal with any more wires. I recommend these over neckband headphones, especially in a office setting. For truly wireless headphones, these are among the best in the market, especially if you already live in the Apple ecosystem.
Posted by jediknight
They’re very easy to use, great sound, they connect AUTOMATICALLY once place in your ear, double tap the earpiece to utilize siri everything including player controls or set that gesture for just “play/pause,” the white box they store in has an independent battery to charge the AirPods. Use one peice at a time for maximum use (one charges while the other is being used) ... Pricey, yes, but the last ones you’ll ever buy. Worth every penny!
Posted by Danny
I have gone through so many headphones and speakers just because I am never satisfied! And I have found the speaker and headphones I can recommend. First off these headphones DO NOT fall out of my ears, I unload trailers and load trucks and NOT once have they fallen! If you're scared of losing your headphones well you probably need to take care of your stuff better. Second, I absolutely love that the case charges them! They last about 4 1/2 hours on music playtime and I can charge them for 10-15 minutes on my break and be perfectly fine again! Which is excellent to me because no other headphones can do that for me! The case I probably charge once a week as well! I do recommend buying a little pouch case for your headphone case, I bought one off amazon just because I didn't want lint or anything getting the case or headphones dirty and it was worth it. I also love the instant connection to your phone it gives as soon as you open the case and it shows you the battery life as well. Also if you pull out a headphone the music automatically stops, so in case everyone's concerned about your earphone falling out lol.. Overall this is a great product! Especially for the price, like I said I have tried many brands. And I also loved my Powerbeats but when they recently started tearing I wasn't willing to spend $200+ on the new ones! I love no wires and and am truly satisfied with the product Only thing I didn't like was it doesn't come with a cleaning cloth lol And also wish they came in black! Other than that the sound is great and it's a great product!
Posted by Cortes0215