Hunter O. Lyle — Sports Editor
When it comes music, there is no better way to listen than with headphones and earbuds. They allow for music to be the only thing you hear, creating a void of nothing but the vicious riffs of Jimi Hendrix – or whatever you so choose.
are many kinds of headphones and earbuds that offer an array of different experiences for the consumer. A new line of headphone products has seemingly taken over the country, if not the world, by storm: wireless headphones — and more specifically, Apple’s AirPods, which were released in 2016.
A lot of people have purchased these small wireless earbuds, and assumedly enjoy them, since many people on campus can be seen wearing them almost every day. However, after being able to use AirPods for the past week or so, thanks to a friend who left them in my truck, my general, final opinion is that they are yet another over-priced, overhyped and unnecessary
product from the colossal corporate machine that is Apple.
The biggest problem with these small wireless earbuds is the price. As of now, on the official Apple website, the cost of AirPods range from $159 to $199, depending on if you want a wireless charging case or not. Spending over $150 to $200 for earbuds seems ridiculous to me, especially when they are small and easy to lose.
Years ago, a video circulated the web of someone eating another person’s Airpod. While this prank is an extreme, it can speak to how easy it can be to lose one of these expensive earbuds. Between the individual pieces, which are small and loose, to the actual charging case, which, speaking from my own experience, can be easily forgotten or left behind, this Apple product is most likely to make you buy it again — and I bet Apple knows it.
I also dislike that they do not provide a way to change songs or the volume. Being able to switch between songs with a tap of a button may not seem like such a big deal, but when you are navigating through a new playlist, the act of pulling your phone from your pocket every other song gets tiresome.
Instead of signing away your first-born child for a pair of headphones that are decent at best, I chose to go with a cheaper, reliable and more fitting brand: Skullcandy. After searching through the market for years, trying new brand after new brand, I have found that Skullcandy headphones offer a better experience.
They have a better noisecancelling earbud, volume and song select buttons attached to the wires and can be purchased at a much more reasonable price.
While I understand how convenient these new earbuds may be, they are still a little too much for me. They will forever stand as just another new invention of Apple, the money-sucking entity that has brainwashed the entire consumer marketplace into thinking that higher cost equates to higher satisfaction and higher status in society.
