Apple’s wireless future has been delayed.
The iPhone-maker revealed today that it is still not ready to start shipping AirPods, even though customers were told they would launch by the end of October.
Apple’s new AirPods may look dork as hell when you wear them, but they’re already proving to be more popular with fans than the new Apple Watch Series 2.
Based on a new survey of US consumers by Bank of America, about 12 percent of of respondents say they definitely will purchase the shiny white AirPods, and it could mean billions for Apple.
Everybody is hating on the new wireless AirPods Apple introduced yesterday because of their $159 price tag, but let me clue you in on a little secret: AirPods are cheap as f**k!
Seriously. Have you ever looked at how much truly wireless earbuds with a charging case cost?
The iPhone 7 was expected to be the most snooze-worthy update Apple has ever come out with, but after busting out a couple of intriguing surprises, the iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus look like the greatest smartphones ever made.
Fans will have to wait until September 16 to get their fingers all over the iPhone 7’s bright new display and sleek black exterior. For now, we’ll continue drooling over these seven new features that completely change the iPhone experience:
The headphone jack was killed at the hands of Apple today, but keeping your old 3.5mm earbuds alive won’t cost much.
Welcome to iPhone Day 2016.
Months of rumors and leaked parts finally culminate today at the Bill Graham Civic Auditorium in San Francisco, where Apple CEO Tim Cook and his merry gang of techno wizards are expected to unveil some new iPhones and Apple Watch.
Cult of Mac is set to liveblog the festivities today. We’ll be mixing real-time details and analysis with all the dull wit and pithy snark we can muster for what is expected to be one of the “most boring iPhone updates” ever. The event starts at 10 a.m. Pacific, but we’ll be getting started well before that.
For a quick recap of what to expect from today’s keynote, check out our roundup of all the announcements Apple will make, including the possibility of some new AirPods.
Today’s event promises to be Apple’s biggest event of the year, so turn on the stream on your Apple TV and join us in the iPhone 7 event liveblog below.
We’re not ignoring you, we swear, it’s just that our ears are busy with a fresh shipment of awesome earbuds and headphones. From bone-conductive to reinforced earbuds and on-ear bluetooth, these are some of the best sounding, most feature rich, and least expensive groove delivery systems we’ve had the pleasure of trying. Take a look and see if anything catches your eyes, or ears.
Beats, like their creator Dr. Dre, have become synonymous with big sounds and big personality. They’re also known for coming at a premium price, which has kept a lot of people from properly pleasing their ears with Beats’ premium sound. Right now you can get in on the fun with a set of white refurbished, warranty-backed Beats Solo HD Headphones for just $99.99.
The openings to my ear canals are small. There, I said it. Hearing is not a problem, but finding earbuds that fit is a pain in the, well, ears.
Apple’s customary earphones that came with every iPod or iPhone I bought got tossed in a drawer. At least there, they wouldn’t fall out.
Decibullz, a startup company when they hit it big with moldable earbuds last year, is now trying to bring to production a set of wireless earphones with the moldable tips. The molding process requires nothing more than a glass of hot water.
My kids are constantly breaking their earbuds. Whether a pair of Apple’s pack-in EarPods or a $40 pair of neon green ‘buds from Best Buy, anything they use ends up with frayed and broken wires.
These ruggedized earbuds from GOgroove, however, withstood both teens — and I’m still able to use them. Plus? They sound really great for the price.
If you’ve got a phone, you’ve got to have a good set of headphones. We’re all looking for something different from the music makers we put into our ears, whether it’s studio quality sound, wireless convenience, or something that can survive a daily workout regimen. No matter what your needs, we’ve got you and your budget covered with these four deals on top notch earbuds.
Too often, we either pay too much for a set of headphones that doesn’t quite meet our needs, or just spring for the cheapo brands sold next to the bubble gum. That’s why we’ve assembled a collection of premium ear-pleasers that’ll meet any preference or budget. Looking for waterproof and workout ready? Wireless and noise canceling? Durable but with studio-quality audio? You’ll find it here, and at a nice discount.
Not content with only Apple Watch pre-orders and a slim new MacBook, Apple has quietly classed up the Beats Solo 2 wireless headphone line with some fairly familiar colors: Silver, Gold, and Space Gray.
You know it’s an Apple joint when Space Gray shows up.
BlueAnt’s Pump wireless headphones caught my eye at Mobile World Congress. Sports gear that also looks cool? Count me in!
I’ve been giving theses waterproof Bluetooth headphones a workout since they arrived last week, and I love them. That’s not to say they’re perfect – they’re not. But they have a job to do, and they get on and do it.
Degauss Labs’ new Pocket earbuds cost $35, which puts them on the cusp of “quality possibility” (a term I just made up) – they might sound good, or they may just use the same crappy old internals of every other cheap earbud under $50.
But what this Swedish-designed gadget does have is style, and that’s probably the most important spec in this price range.
Urban Outfitters, everyone’s favorite copyright-infringing chain store, is at it again with the Happy Plugs, earbuds from a “Swedish fashion and lifestyle brand that brings color to the world.”
Can you imagine a pair of Apple’s old Earbuds, only in color? Congratulations, because you just imagined the Happy Plugs, in a uncannily accurate piece of mind theater.
The Snap Strap does away with the annoying problem of your earbud cables ending up in your mouth when you’re just trying to enjoy a delicious hamburger and listen to some music at the same time. It’s a clever little strap that clips to the left and right cables of your ’buds and then sits across the back of your neck, keeping the cables away from your gnashing maw.
I love wireless gadgets, but sometimes they’re more trouble than they’re worth. For instance, I’m forever getting dropped connections on my AirPlay speakers, making them more annoying to use than wired speakers, despite the promised convenience. And wireless earbuds seem like an exercise in frustration. I regularly lose even my white Apple EarPods, so imagine how bad it’d be with two separate (and tiny) buds.
Jabra’s new Rox wireless earbuds at least address the last question. How? By adding a wire.
Apple EarPods are sleek and gorgeous. For most people like me though, they fallout all the time. Moshi has released its new Mythro earbuds that promise to stay in-place while still sounding good at an affordable price, so we’ve decided to put them through the ringer to see if they’re a suitable cheap earbud alternative. While we’re at it, we also take a look at Moshi’s first ever iPad charger, the IonBank 10k. It’s light, white, and sleek all over, but does it have enough juice to make it worth carrying around? Check out our findings below:
Halloween is coming soon, which means you need a costume to show off how incredibly awesome you are. Maybe you’re still undecided and need a little bit of inspiration. When it comes to Apple-themed costumes there are a lot of great ideas out there and you don’t have to spend a lot of money to make them.
We’ve rounded up some of the best Apple Halloween costumes from the past few years to help you decide what you should be. Check them out:
When our own Rob LeFevre reviewed the Earskins, he was surprised to find them to be an “essential accessory” for his EarPods. I decided to give them a go too. And guess what? They really are essential: I actually have a spare set, because now I can’t imagine using my EarPods without them.
Jabra made a big show of introducing their Sport Bluetooth music/phone earbuds at CES this year, even bringing in triathlete celeb and Ironman champ Craig Alexander to flaunt the buds while he sweat away the miles on a stationary bike. Unfortunately, the Sport has been plagued by reports of abysmal Bluetooth connectivity (possibly due to range) and poor fit ever since it shipped.
Jabra’s response is their new Sport Wireless+, the successor to the Sport, which Jabra says has made everything better.
When I opened the mailing box to find three pairs of EarSkinz, I wasn’t super impressed. Especially as this model, the ES2, so closely matched the shape of the EarPods it’s designed for use with, I figured it was just another throwaway product.
My apologies for even writing the above, but imagine my surprise when EarSkinz turned out to be an essential accessory for my set of EarPods. I’m even thinking about buying a pair of ES1s for my older Apple earbuds.
The EarSkinz marketing material claims that the little ES2 silicone earbud coverings will improve the comfort, fit, and sound of a pair of EarPods. I found that they indeed improved the comfort and fit, but I’m not so sure about improving the sound, though of course your mileage may vary.
Apple’s Earbuds and EarPods mightn’t be the best-sounding headphones around, but they come with every iPhone, and they’re tough enough to wrap up and keep conveniently in your back, unnoticed until you need them. And I would do exactly that, if the ’pods didn’t just drop out of my giant ears no matter how hard I jam them in.
What I need are some EarSkinz. Yes, that’s with a “Z.”
You just have to love the TurtleCell. First there’s the name, which conjures up images of hard-to-empty bowels. Then there’s the website, which manages to pack in plenty of Standard Infomercial Tropes: the cheesy, grinning model (usually either a family member or just the most photogenic person on the team, but never, ever a professional model), the overplayed example of the problem the product solves (in this case, an absurdly-tangled pair of earbuds) and even – yes, really – a sunglasses-wearing animal mascot in the product video.
It’s almost deliberately ridiculous. Oh, and the product is an iPhone case with built-in headphones.