The Allure of the AirPod

Reading Time: 5 minutes.

I’m 30 years old and I got a skateboard for Christmas this year, a Penny board, the smallest skateboard I’ve ever even thought about hopping on. I mention this because I happened to escape the polar vortex that hit New York a few weeks ago to head to LA. I had some time to kill before going out with friends the first day I was out there, so I decided to explore downtown LA a bit. However, due to packing light, I didn’t bring my Spigen AirPods hooks (but I did bring a skateboard). I was afraid that combining learning how to skate on a Penny board along with using my AirPods without the little rubber hooks would be a disaster. It wasn’t. In fact, despite stumbling numerous times (it’s tough to go to this from a “regular” sized cruiser board!), my AirPods were never an issue. I had the three things I needed for a wonderful day, beautiful weather, fantastic music, and my board.

There was part of me that felt like I was rediscovering my AirPods. I used to be more reluctant to pop them in while I was out because I’d have to take them out, get these hooks on them, and then I could start listening to music. It was more of a hassle than using AirPods should be. However, in the time since that mini vacation out west, I haven’t been using my AirPod hooks. And I haven’t had any issues yet (knock wood). As such, I feel like I’ve been getting to really enjoy these AirPods in a way I hadn’t before. But now I wonder, could I have something even better?

But more importantly, would I want to leave my AirPods behind, even though there could be better choices? Was I trapped in the cult of the AirPod?

The Alternatives

There are plenty of alternatives to AirPods. The ones I’ve had my eyes on most recently are the Master and Dynamics MW07 headphones. Terrible product name, sure, but they look and sound fantastic. They use an acetate coating and a steel housing and even a steel charging case. They produce sound far exceeding anything AirPods are capable of and look like a pair of high-end glasses frames while doing it. They’re also $299. You thought AirPods were expensive?

They’re up there with the Sennheiser Momentum, also $299. These also sound fantastic, but don’t look anywhere near as nice as the Master and Dynamic headphones. Much easier to remember name though.

Then there’s the upcoming Klipsch T5 headphones. Supposedly they’ll have great sound. They come with a charging case that looks like a zippo lighter, which looks pretty cool. They also have a design that almost reminds me of a guitar amp from Marshall, but they’re a design all of their own. It’s that kind of gold on black classic look that screams high-end music devices. Those will be just $199.

And then there’s the terribly named Sony WF-1000X. They’re $199, look pretty boring, and don’t have the best sound. However, they do have something the rest lack: active noise cancelling. If you often listen to your music or videos in a loud environment like a plane or city, that can be the deciding factor.

These are all great headphones. The Master and Dynamics are my favorite of the bunch, but I’d wait to see if Klipsch’s T5 headphones come close for $100 less before buying anything. Still, none of that is likely to pull AirPod fans away. Why?

Because AirPods, So Hot Right Now

I sort of hate myself for this section. But I’m going to write it anyway. We’re all just going to have to deal with some hard truths right now. Coolness isn’t worthless. It’s okay to do trendy things to fit in, and it’s okay to be a little basic from time to time.

AirPod Flexing

AirPods cost $159. They’re not the most expensive headphones ever. They’re actually less expensive than the Master and Dynamic headphones. However, try telling that to anyone who walks by you. In every way that screams quality, the MW07 wireless headphones should exude excellence and cool. Instead people might actually assume they cost less than AirPods.

However, people have been walking around with Beats and other on or over ear headphones for years that cost far more than AirPods. Everyone knows those headphones are expensive for their sound quality. AirPods aren’t. In fact, they’re known for subpar sound quality. That’s why the AirPod Flexing meme came to be, that is, joking that AirPods owners are super rich. AirPods were for people who could throw $159 at the free EarPods that used to come with iOS devices, but without the cord.

There’s a silliness to AirPod Flexing. That doesn’t mean it’s not beneficial. AirPods carry an air about them now, a sort of quality halo. It started out as a meme, but it has become belief. AirPods are for the rich and cool, even if they’re not that expensive.

Furthermore, can we look at Kristen Stewart up there? Fantastic hair, great outfit, cool sunglasses, but those AirPods. The striking white against the black of the outfit. The contrast! The way they seem to line up with her jawline perfectly. We thought they would look nerdy, but, no… AirPods look cool.

Kid Tested, Grandparents Confused

https://twitter.com/JoePerticone/status/978740117694238720?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E978740117694238720&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.thecut.com%2F2018%2F03%2Frudy-giuliani-apple-airpods-wrong.html

“Hello, fellow kids!”

And, like all cool things, highly uncool people who prop up evil wannabe autocrats don’t know how to use them. There’s literally a barrier to entry with AirPods that filters out uncool people like that guy who awkwardly (as if there’s another way) flirted with Donald Trump.

But Also, Connectivity

Blah blah blah, good reasons to get AirPods. Who cares? They’re cool, who needs a good reason?

Well, if that primal logic isn’t working on you, there are some… intellectual reasons to get AirPods. The W1 chip in them means they sync with your iOS, macOS, tvOS, and watchOS devices instantly. In fact, sync with one of them, and you can already sync with the rest from the Bluetooth menu. Switching between devices is fast and seamless, and only requires pairing them once.

If you want to be able to go from listening to music on your Mac while you work to picking up your iPhone, continuing the playlist, and going outside, or perhaps connecting to your Apple TV for some late night streaming, you can do it without ever taking your AirPods out. That’s incredibly handy. In fact, you can keep your AirPods in all day, just switching between devices. I’ve had someone send me a video via work chat and, rather than send it through to my phone, I’ve just pulled it up on my Mac and swapped my AirPods over. Simple!

Plus, the W1 chip gives you a bit better range than other devices. Most Bluetooth devices will start cutting out around 50-60 feet. The AirPods can work up to 100 feet. If you live in a small city apartment, you likely can just walk around with them in your ears anywhere. I know I’ve left my phone in the place where it has strong signal and just wandered about my apartment having a conversation on the phone using them.

Like any Apple product, the incredible ecosystem of connectivity, of “It just works!™” plays into your favor. These are decent enough sounding earbuds with fashion appeal and incredible connectivity through Apple’s tight ecosystem. Plus they play well with any device that has Bluetooth.

AirPods: Here to Stay

I know diehard Android fans who use AirPods with their Android devices. They do it because they look cool, they have a strong Bluetooth connection, and that connection is reliable. They might miss out on the features like rapid syncing with all your Apple devices, but they’re still great products for Android users. However, a large reason they’re using AirPods? They’re cool. Flip the top, pop them in, and you’re good to go. There’s something cool and nonchalant about it. Like flicking open a Zippo and lighting a smoke or walking away from an explosion.

Try as we might, AirPods are cool, and that’s not a feature we can ignore. Sound quality isn’t the only aspect to consider when buying a set of truly wireless headphones. They’ve got to look good and make you look good too. Much in the same way that a person is more attractive for using a pristine iPhone instead of an Android phone, AirPods make you more attractive.

We, as a species, are just going to have to live with that.

For more info, you can find my full review of the AirPods here.