July, 2020 - Simply put, AirPods 2 work like magic. They automatically turn on when placed in my ears and off when removed. To adjust the volume, change a song, make a call or get directions, simply say, “Hey Siri,” and make a request. I can also play or skip to the next song with a double-tap.
AirPods 2 deliver 5 hours of listening time and 3 hours of talk time on a single charge, and the case will hold an additional four full charges. The charging case itself charges fast - 15 minutes will give me three additional hours of listening time.
These are, as the name suggests, the second generation AirPods and they feature the all-new Apple H1 headphone chip, which among other benefits allows for much quicker pairing. Whether you’re using both 'pods or just one, the H1 chip automatically adjusts the audio and engages the microphone accordingly. And when you’re on a phone call or talking to Siri, an additional speech-detecting accelerometer filters out external noise and focuses on the sound of your voice for crystal clear communication. Phone calls sound clear and crisp.
AirPods 2 are especially magnificent if you own an iPhone, iPad or Mac because they work flawlessly with all things Apple and will even intuitively switch between them.
These are not the AirPod Pros so they don't have any form of noise cancelling - but I wasn't looking for that in a pair of earbuds. I have a pair of Bose noise cancelling headphones for serious headphone listening, but truthfully I only ever use them when I'm on a plane or train. For me, my AirPods are used primarily while I'm working and want to listen to a podcast or when I'm walking the dog. Noise cancelling, to be honest, would be a minus in an earbud for me, although I know a lot of people would welcome it. And they can get it with the pro version of the AirPods.
AirPods 2 were designed to fit "almost" any ear. In my case, they fit perfectly. They are very comfortable and don't feel as loose as I thought they might, given some of the reviews I read prior to purchasing them. So far, they have not fallen out of my ears even once, unlike the Jabra Elite 65ts, which would not stay in my ears and were extremely uncomfortable. I have a pair of those for sale cheap, if you are interested (update: sold).
This 2nd generation AirPods have some extra loudness and a touch more sonic sophistication over the first generation. The sound is neutral and well balanced. There may not be a ton of bass, but the bass sounds natural and full. I like to compare it to my home stereo system, which does not have any bass or treble or other equalization controls. All it has is "on" and "off," "balance" and "volume". It is meant to play the music truly flat, and I think AirPods 2 have that same kind of flatness to them. I'm pretty picky when it comes to sound, but I have no real complaints with the sound of my AirPods 2. But I also wasn't expecting audiophile sound from a pair of earbuds because it doesn't - it physically can't - exist.
AirPods 2 are on sale at Costco for $187 as I write this, which is $30 cheaper than anywhere else. If you buy online, shipping is free. Took a couple of days to arrive, despite the pandemic causing shipping delays everywhere.
July, 2020 - Simply put, AirPods 2 work like magic. They automatically turn on when placed in my ears and off when removed. To adjust the volume, change a song, make a call or get directions, simply say, “Hey Siri,” and make a request. I can also play or skip to the next song with a double-tap.
AirPods 2 deliver 5 hours of listening time and 3 hours of talk time on a single charge, and the case will hold an additional four full charges. The charging case itself charges fast - 15 minutes will give me three additional hours of listening time.
These are, as the name suggests, the second generation AirPods and they feature the all-new Apple H1 headphone chip, which among other benefits allows for much quicker pairing. Whether you’re using both 'pods or just one, the H1 chip automatically adjusts the audio and engages the microphone accordingly. And when you’re on a phone call or talking to Siri, an additional speech-detecting accelerometer filters out external noise and focuses on the sound of your voice for crystal clear communication. Phone calls sound clear and crisp.
AirPods 2 are especially great if you own an iPhone, iPad or Mac because they work flawlessly with all things Apple and will even intuitively switch between them.
These are not the AirPod Pros so they don't have any form of noise cancelling - but I wasn't looking for that in a pair of earbuds. I have a pair of Bose noise cancelling headphones for serious headphone listening, but truthfully I only ever use them when I'm on a plane or train. For me, my AirPods are used primarily while I'm working and want to listen to a podcast or when I'm walking the dog. Noise cancelling, to be honest, would be a minus in an earbud for me, although I know a lot of people would welcome it. And they can get it with the pro version of the AirPods.
AirPods 2 were designed to fit "almost" any ear. In my case, they fit perfectly. They are very comfortable and don't feel as loose as I thought they might, given some of the reviews I read prior to purchasing them. So far, they have not fallen out of my ears even once, unlike the Jabra Elite 65ts, which would not stay in my ears and were extremely uncomfortable. I have a pair of those for sale cheap, if you are interested (update: sold).
This 2nd generation AirPods have some extra loudness and a touch more sonic sophistication over the first generation. The sound is neutral and well balanced. There may not be a ton of bass, but the bass sounds natural and full. I like to compare it to my home stereo system, which does not have any bass or treble or other equalization controls. All it has is "on" and "off," "balance" and "volume". It is meant to play the music truly flat, and I think AirPods 2 have that same kind of flatness to them. I'm pretty picky when it comes to sound, but I have no real complaints with the sound of my AirPods 2. But I also wasn't expecting audiophile sound from a pair of earbuds because it doesn't - it physically can't - exist.
AirPods 2 are on sale at Costco for about $150 as I write this, which is cheaper than anywhere else. If you buy online, shipping is free. Took a couple of days to arrive, despite the pandemic causing shipping delays everywhere.
ONE MORE THING …
The first generation AirPods went on sale in December, 2016, but they'd been in the works already for five years. In 2011, Jorge S Fino filed for a patent for EarPod-like headphones that could work with or without wires (EarPods are the wired headphones that ship with iPhones and iPods). They would require Bluetooth to work, but Steve Jobs was not a Bluetooth headphone fan because "there are quality issues," he said. "The bandwidth isn't high enough, and even if it does get there some day, people don't want to recharge their headphones."
In 2014 Apple bought Beats, both the music service and the headphone business. The Beats music service transitioned into Apple Music in 2015, which is also when a company called Entertainment in Flight LLC, which many believed to be a shell company owned by Apple, filed for a trademark on the name AirPods. If you look at that trademark filing today you'll find that Entertainment in Flight has been replaced by Apple, Inc. So …
With 2016's introduction of the iPhone 7, Apple ditched the headphone jack and from there it wasn't a stretch to assume some sort of Apple-branded wireless headphone would not be long in coming. And it wasn't. AirPods were announced in September of the same year and shipped in late December.
One thing I like about AirPods 2 is that, if you lose them, you can find them using the Find My app. I've already used it once.
The first generation AirPods went on sale in December, 2016, but they'd been in the works already for five years. In 2011, Jorge S Fino filed for a patent for EarPod-like headphones that could work with or without wires (EarPods are the wired headphones that ship with iPhones and iPods). They would require Bluetooth to work, but Steve Jobs was not a Bluetooth headphone fan because "there are quality issues," he said. "The bandwidth isn't high enough, and even if it does get there some day, people don't want to recharge their headphones."
In 2014 Apple bought Beats, both the music service and the headphone business. The Beats music service transitioned into Apple Music in 2015, which is also when a company called Entertainment in Flight LLC, which many believed to be a shell company owned by Apple, filed for a trademark on the name AirPods. If you look at that trademark filing today you'll find that Entertainment in Flight has been replaced by Apple, Inc. So …
With 2016's introduction of the iPhone 7, Apple ditched the headphone jack and from there it wasn't a stretch to assume some sort of Apple-branded wireless headphone would not be long in coming. And it wasn't. AirPods were announced in September of the same year and shipped in late December.
One thing I like about AirPods 2 is that, if you lose them, you can find them using the Find My app. I've already used it once.
