Tech
Alas, Apple’s Latest AirPods Once Again Eschew Ear Tips
I recently learned that Apple released the first generation of AirPods five years ago, all the way back in 2016, which seems like a lifetime ago. To put things into perspective, Barack Obama was then serving as President of the United States. That means we’ve had half a decade for AirPods to permeate our cultural discourse, running the gamut from the butt of Twitter jokes to status symbol to essential tool for working from home. Last week, Apple unveiled the third generation of their ubiquitous earphones, and surprisingly they decided to keep certain design elements that prevents the AirPods from having truly universal appeal.
New Apple AirPods (3rd Generation)
Going back to their days making wired earphones, Apple has for years tried to force its distinctively shaped earbuds into the ears of every human on the planet. With the release of the AirPods Pro in 2019, however, it seemed like they had finally learned the error of their ways. Yes, the noise cancellation technology of the AirPods Pro is itself superior enough to merit its $250 price tag. But the biggest selling point has always been its interchangeable ear tips, allowing users to attach the size most fitted to their particular head shape.
When coming out with a third generation of AirPods, there was widespread hope that these would also include ear tips—or even if they didn’t come with them, they would at least support third party attachments. Neither is the case. Apple is stubbornly clinging to the delusion that all of their customers have ear shapes similar enough to use only one single design.
Apple has not taken this charge lightly. They claim that the newest AirPods boast a whole new design that is meant to fit snugly in more ears than ever before. Consider me a skeptic. Anything that simply rests on top of a body part is not going to be as secure as something that actually attaches via silicone tips. That is even more true when considering the tendency to employ AirPods in activities that require lots of motion, such as running and other forms of exercise.
Henry Ford famously said that customers could have any color Model T they want, as long as it was black. Well, Apple seems to be employing a similarly haughty strategy: You can have wireless earphones that fit any shape ear you want, as long as it is the shape and size they have predetermined.
Maybe this is a long play. Since Apple AirPods denote status, Apple may be hoping that natural selection allows only those with its sanctioned ear shapes to find mates and procreate. Solely passing along this physiognomical trait may save the company considerable amounts of money in the generations to come. This is the one of the only reasons I can think of for Apple so inconsiderately turning off a large part of its potential consumer base. It is either that or they just want those who need the tips to wait a little longer and pay the extra cash whenever the AirPods Pro 2 are finally released.
I am not a licensed psychiatrist, so I am not going to weigh in on whether Seasonal Affective Disorder is a legitimate mood disorder, as opposed to a normal human response to a change in seasons. But I will say that whoever named it obviously thought it was a joke – there is no way you can tall someone you are “SAD” and expect the sympathy that traditionally accompanies revelations of mental illness.
Whether you actually suffer from clinical depression or just would prefer more sunlit hours in a day, now is the time of year to start preparing for the winter blues. Daylight Savings Time is ending this weekend, which is the government’s way of telling you it does not want you to be happy when you get off work in the evenings.
In theory, SAD lamps can help. Contrary to their name, SAD lamps are not designed to bring you further down into the dumps but instead to make you happy. Maybe they should call them HAPPY lamps. I’ll let the professionals to come up with some appropriate backronym for that like they obviously did with Season Affective Disorder all those years ago.
SAD lamps are useful for so-called “light therapy.” Again, I’m not a doctor, so I do not know exactly how they work, besides the crucial fact that they are meant to mimic daylight while filtering out UV rays. Putting one in your home can help you combat the effects of earlier and earlier sunsets, and maybe even trick your brain into thinking you live in Florida. SAD lamps aren’t very expensive, so if your mood ever starts to sag (especially going into the holidays without being surrounded by family), you might as well give it a go.
Even though they might not admit it, every dad wants a little something special for Father’s Day. Finding a great gift that won’t get lost in the closet is never an easy task. Luckily, we’ve got you covered when it comes to finding the right gift for the important men in your lives.
1.Wireless Charging Station, $26
Why does it seem like dads are always complaining about draining batteries? You know dads; at this point, they own all the devices: smartwatch, smartphone, earphones. This sleek, wireless charger is ultra-fast and can charge multiple devices at once including an Apple Watch and AirPods.
2. Philips Norelco OneBlade Hybrid Electric Trimmer and Shaver
What man doesn’t like a clean shave? This rechargeable OneBlade can trim, edge, and shave any length of hair. A single (obviously replaceable) blade will last up to four full months.
3. Alpha Grillers Grill Set Heavy Duty BBQ Accessories
A man and his grill. It seems to be a primal instinct for men to gravitate toward fire and meat, which makes grill accessories a perfect gift for this special day. These extra thick, solid stainless steel BBQ utensils are sure to make any man happy on Father’s Day. With comfortable silicone grips, these barbecue tools will never rust.
4. Highball & Chaser Elite 6-Piece Cocktail Shaker Set
You truly cannot go wrong when it comes to a reliable bartending set. Whether for some Manhattans or a G&T, it is important to have the right tools to make great drinks. This elite set comes with an 18 oz cocktail shaker that is leakproof and easy to remove. All of the bartender tools are stainless steel and dishwasher-safe.
In the Year of Our Lord 2022, apparently CDs are still being produced. I have been brushing up on my foreign language skills recently, and most textbooks you can buy online boast that they come with an audio component to practice your listening comprehension. For some, that means recordings that can be accessed via QR code or URL. For others, it means they stick a CD in a pouch attached to the back page of the book.
Why they do this I have no idea. Presumably they do not want to pay hosting fees to maintain a website with the audio files. Whatever the reason, it is extremely annoying. How do they expect their customers to use the CDs? These days, people are more likely to own a record player than a CD player. Unless you happen to have an old PS3 lying around, the only place you might have a CD player is in your car. These publishers can’t honestly think people are going to drive around every time they want a language lesson, right? In addition to being a big hassle, that also seems rather unsafe.
All of this is to say that I had to go to Amazon and purchase a CD player. At first I bought a portable CD player, perhaps in an unconscious nod to the good times I had growing up listening to my Sony Walkman.
When it arrived, I was excited to finally get back to my language learning. Unfortunately, the thing turned out to be a piece of junk. It does not work at all. I put in the batteries and my CD, and it turned on. But no matter what buttons I pressed it would not actually produce any sound. I tried both the cheap earbuds it came with as well as my own, both to no avail. In short, do NOT buy this CD player.
Back to the drawing board. I started searching again on Amazon and decided to try a different route. At first I was leery of buying a CD-ROM drive to attach to my laptop. I figured that already spend enough time each day glued to my computer screen, so why tether myself if I didn’t have to? But all the CD players with the best reviews were that type, so I bit the bullet and bought this one:
Thank God I did! The Amicool external CD-ROM exceeded all my expectations. I was worried about having to mess with some sort of installation software, but it turned out to be truly plug-and-play. Importantly, it comes with a USB-C adapter. (Watch out: A lot of the available options only have a traditional USB-A plug, useless if you are using a MacBook.) I was able to listen to the audio files as soon as I inserted the CD. Success!
If this were all the CD player did, I would give it my seal of approval. But I haven’t even mentioned the best part. As soon as you play a track from the CD, iTunes (or whatever Apple is calling its music software these days) immediately uploads and stores it. Remember how I said I didn’t want to have to sit in front of my computer more than I had to? That is not a problem if the sound files are always in your Music app. That means you can listen to them on your iPhone or iPad wherever and whenever you please. Happy listening!
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