Airpods

[Brian Davis]

It’s always a battle to decide what to buy my son (now 10 years old) for birthdays and Christmas. It seems I’m always saying that’s inappropriate, are you really going to use it, you’ve got two of those already, that’s a crazy price etc.
Now he’s asking about Airpods. I, of course, had to research what these things were, basically wireless headphones it seems, linking with Bluetooth!
Anyone with experience of these? Is it necessary to buy the expensive ones (Apple) to ensure they work properly, or might cheaper versions be ok? Really appropriate for a 10 year old? I’m not sure it’s necessary for him to have exclusive sound to the Airpods, when e.g. whether it’s music via a telephone, tv or car system, everyone's listening anyway.
Any thoughts, advice? Thanks.

[DuiDui49]

It’s always a battle to decide what to buy my son (now 10 years old) for birthdays and Christmas. It seems I’m always saying that’s inappropriate, are you really going to use it, you’ve got two of those already, that’s a crazy price etc.
Now he’s asking about Airpods. I, of course, had to research what these things were, basically wireless headphones it seems, linking with Bluetooth!
Anyone with experience of these? Is it necessary to buy the expensive ones (Apple) to ensure they work properly, or might cheaper versions be ok? Really appropriate for a 10 year old? I’m not sure it’s necessary for him to have exclusive sound to the Airpods, when e.g. whether it’s music via a telephone, tv or car system, everyone's listening anyway.
Any thoughts, advice? Thanks.

Is he worth these:

https://www.lazada.co.th/products/jabra ... gKj3PD_BwE

If he really really wants IPods from Apple,say you make him "work"for them..give him some yardwork/housecleaning (his room)anything..see if he willing to go the extra mile for those IPods from Apple.You pay half,he pay his part by doing some work..Remember,everything in life comes with a price

//Alfie

[DuiDui49]

It’s always a battle to decide what to buy my son (now 10 years old) for birthdays and Christmas. It seems I’m always saying that’s inappropriate, are you really going to use it, you’ve got two of those already, that’s a crazy price etc.
Now he’s asking about Airpods. I, of course, had to research what these things were, basically wireless headphones it seems, linking with Bluetooth!
Anyone with experience of these? Is it necessary to buy the expensive ones (Apple) to ensure they work properly, or might cheaper versions be ok? Really appropriate for a 10 year old? I’m not sure it’s necessary for him to have exclusive sound to the Airpods, when e.g. whether it’s music via a telephone, tv or car system, everyone's listening anyway.
Any thoughts, advice? Thanks.

Is he worth these:

https://www.lazada.co.th/products/jabra ... gKj3PD_BwE

If he really really wants IPods from Apple,say you make him "work"for them..give him some chores/housecleaning (his room)anything..see if he willing to go the extra mile for those IPods from Apple.You pay half,he pay his part by doing some work..Remember,everything in life comes with a price

//Alfie

[jackspratt]

Like everything else in the Apple ecosystem, Airpods are grossly overpriced. Many other (cheaper) earpods will connect with both Apple devices, and also Android.

https://www.rtings.com/headphones/revie ... uds-iphone

A couple of things to think about:

- are earpods suitable for the developing ear canals of a 10 year old?

- how good is he at not losing stuff? Earpods are pretty easily misplaced, particularly i would think at that age.

[stereolab]

He is probably referring to the Air Pods Max from Apple, these are a premium product, 19,900 baht in Central, although available online from Powerbuy at circa 17k. I bought a silver pair last week. I am very pleased with them, as is my other half. The ear pads are held in place with magnets and so are easily replaced for cleaning, and Shopee and Lazada are now selling replacement ear pads at reasonable prices. You could have different coloured ear pads for different family members.

[Jello]

Airpod and airpod-pro are fit-in-ear earbuds. They are one-size-fits-all. Inappropriate for a 10 yo as they most likely won’t fit his ears.

Airpod-max is a headphone. More appropriate fit for a 10 yo.

I believe most any wireless earbuds or headphones will Bluetooth connect with an iPhone (assuming that’s what your looking for).

I use inexpensive (700baht) xiaomi airdot wireless earbuds with my iPhone to listen to podcasts in bed. Maybe not the greatest sound quality for listening to music, but they do work.

My 15 yo son won’t use earbuds as they don’t fit his ears. He prefers headset type headphones that he uses for gaming (so the rest of use don’t have to hear the noise).

[sometimewoodworker]

There are a few points that have been given incorrectly or confused with other ear pods other points are good
The apple AirPods are one size fits all
The apple AirPods Pro are not they have customisable tip covers.
The apple AirPods Max are headphones not EarPods

Apple ear pods are quality for the price you pay and a lost AirPod can be tracked on the findmy app

There are other quality devices Xiaomi make some that are excellent possibly equal to the top in ear apple AirPods they are less expensive, you can’t locate a lost one.

There are a huge number of cheap in ear Bluetooth EarPods most of the cheap ones are also cheap in sound quality. Jabra make expensive good quality and cheap much less good quality

Battery life on all in ear devices is very limited.

Unless he is really unusual treat any present as disposable and if it lasts more than a month it’s a win 6 months is great and a year fantastic.

[Brian Davis]

Thank you for your inputs.
Dui Dui. My son is usually good( he’s been reasonably good at applying himself to the not so easy daily on-line teaching) but we have our moments! One thing is a tendency to want what he sees in the media etc., without the ability yet to judge if it’s a sensible purchase. He’s had quite a few chats about money not growing on trees!

Jackspratt and Jello Yes, thanks for pointing out health and suitability issues. I digress, but we’re always a concerned about his eyes and the time he spends in front of a screen of one kind or another, computer games, Netflix Nintendo etc. in his own time and, of course, online-teaching means,perhaps, another 3 hours + in contact with teachers. We don’t wish to worry about ear/hearing issues too. I’ve actually found some old-fashioned stereo headphones, which may appease him for a while.

Stereolab c. 17,000 – 20,000 baht. Bloody hell, your demands on sound quality and tech-awareness are clearly higher than mine! But you seem happy with your purchase, which suggests the extra cost is justified in your case. I have to admit I’d need a gun to my head, before I’d consider spending that kind of sum.
For me, not son, thinking to buy some noise-prevention earplugs. With the screeching I hear on Thai tv from some Thai ‘singers’ and the occasional Karaoke party from neighbours, thankfully not too close, that would be a sensible, necessary purchase.

[glalt]

Any product that says Apple is vastly overpriced especially iPhones.

[tamada]

I bought some no-name 'xiaomi' buds on lazada, maybe 600 baht? Work ok but easily fall out of my ears and the battery life is a tad weak, needing daily charging. While in the UK waiting for my submarine refit, I priced some JBL buds at Currys and then went online and bought some refurbished ones on amazon for 30 quid. Really good fit and I've usually had enough of listening to the radio before the battery warnings. Quick recharge and good for 3 or 4 days before the next recharge.

[sometimewoodworker]

Any product that says Apple is vastly overpriced especially iPhones.

I disagree, your opinion is different from many. Like for like iPhones are not overpriced.

It’s true that you can get an Android phone much cheaper than the least expensive iPhone but then it is not like for like. There is also the fact that the cheap Android phone will not run the 600 or so apps I have on my iPads, while almost all work on my iPhone.

Top end phones are rather similar in price the iPhone is not significantly more expensive.

Another point is that the life expectancy of apple products is, in general, significantly longer than the competition.

That you are not a fan of apple products doesn’t change the facts.

If you want a phone just to make and receive phone calls then all smartphones are overpriced, until last year when we got a car with CarPlay on it I had a 600 Baht Samsung hero, now my iPhone SE does navigation and several other useful functions.

[glalt]

My wife has an iPhone 11. I have an iPhone 10. I have used up all my swear words on my phone. There is nothing intuitive. I often have to talk to the phone using Siri or use the Internet to find many simple things. My wife often brings her phone to me when she can't find something. She gets irritated because Siri doesn't understand her English. I also get irritated when I want a new app. Apple wants you to pay for most of them. I often use my cheap backup Xiaomi on some FREE apps.

[glalt]

Any product that says Apple is vastly overpriced especially iPhones.

I disagree, your opinion is different from many. Like for like iPhones are not overpriced.

It’s true that you can get an Android phone much cheaper than the least expensive iPhone but then it is not like for like. There is also the fact that the cheap Android phone will not run the 600 or so apps I have on my iPads, while almost all work on my iPhone.

Top end phones are rather similar in price the iPhone is not significantly more expensive.

Another point is that the life expectancy of apple products is, in general, significantly longer than the competition.

That you are not a fan of apple products doesn’t change the facts.

If you want a phone just to make and receive phone calls then all smartphones are overpriced, until last year when we got a car with CarPlay on it I had a 600 Baht Samsung hero, now my iPhone SE does navigation and several other useful functions.

On our last trip to my Jomtien condo my wife insisted on using her iPhone for a new route. We became lost and I used my Android to get back going the right direction. It really wasn't the phones fault. She didn't realize that there are different condo complexes with the same name. My Android phone uses Sygic. I did pay for the premium program that doesn't need an Internet connection. The iPhone needs an Internet connection. Sygic doesn't work on the iPhone.

[jackspratt]

Any product that says Apple is vastly overpriced especially iPhones.

I disagree, your opinion is different from many. Like for like iPhones are not overpriced.

It’s true that you can get an Android phone much cheaper than the least expensive iPhone but then it is not like for like. There is also the fact that the cheap Android phone will not run the 600 or so apps I have on my iPads, while almost all work on my iPhone.

Top end phones are rather similar in price the iPhone is not significantly more expensive.

Another point is that the life expectancy of apple products is, in general, significantly longer than the competition.

That you are not a fan of apple products doesn’t change the facts.

If you want a phone just to make and receive phone calls then all smartphones are overpriced, until last year when we got a car with CarPlay on it I had a 600 Baht Samsung hero, now my iPhone SE does navigation and several other useful functions.

Not everyone needs 600 apps, woody - particularly if you don't want to be locked into the Apple system.

Significantly cheaper Android phones will do everything that an iThing will do. And then in a couple of years, you can upgrade - and still be ahead of what the "locked" iPhone would have cost you.

And again 2 years later - same result.

Thems the facts.

[glalt]

I'd guess that if you bought all the Apple apps, they would cost you more than the iPhone.

[sometimewoodworker]

On our last trip to my Jomtien condo my wife insisted on using her iPhone for a new route. We became lost and I used my Android to get back going the right direction. It really wasn't the phones fault. She didn't realize that there are different condo complexes with the same name. My Android phone uses Sygic. I did pay for the premium program that doesn't need an Internet connection. The iPhone needs an Internet connection. Sygic doesn't work on the iPhone.

Both of your last two statements are incorrect. You are able to download the Google map for the area that is of interest to you. So No an internet connection is not needed. You can also use Waze that doesn’t require an internet connection. So that is the first statement refuted.

I first installed Sygic on my iPads in 2012 and have it on my and SWMBOs iPhones since we got them so it absolutely does work on the iPhones and in general it’s my navigation app of choice.

iPad Sygic

As to the getting lost, as you correctly point out that had nothing to do with the fact it was an iPhone, it was operator error not platform related.

[sometimewoodworker]

Not everyone needs 600 apps, woody - particularly if you don't want to be locked into the Apple system.

Of course little doggy - however if you are teaching tech to students who almost all have iPhones the apps build up quickly.

If they, and I, were android users the number of apps would be similar.

Significantly cheaper Android phones will do everything that an iThing will do. And then in a couple of years, you can upgrade - and still be ahead of what the "locked" iPhone would have cost you.

And again 2 years later - same result.

Thems the facts.

The thems ain’t the facts. To get a similar quality phone you will pay similar prices. If you want a crap display and CPU you can buy a lower quality phone but there is no way it will be the same.

If you have to upgrade your phone every 2 years because it’s out of date can’t get software updates, can’t update the Android version then that your bad luck. All iPhones released from 2015 can get the latest iOS version and all of them get security and other system updates.

FWIW I am still using a 2009 iPhone as a music server.

[sometimewoodworker]

I'd guess that if you bought all the Apple apps, they would cost you more than the iPhone.

It’s quite common for the software to drastically exceed the cost of the platform it runs on.

Also there are vanishingly few Apple apps that cost anything the 5 main productivity apps (word processor, spreadsheet, presentation, photo editing, video editing and music composition) are all now free.

However I am frugal so I have very few apps that cost anything.

Sygic is probably the most expensive with LumaFusion running second, and since almost all apps run on both the iPad and iPhone and I had iPads long before my iPhone I haven’t bought any apps for the iPhone, though I have got a few more free ones.

[sometimewoodworker]

My wife has an iPhone 11. I have an iPhone 10. I have used up all my swear words on my phone. There is nothing intuitive. I often have to talk to the phone using Siri or use the Internet to find many simple things. My wife often brings her phone to me when she can't find something. She gets irritated because Siri doesn't understand her English. I also get irritated when I want a new app. Apple wants you to pay for most of them. I often use my cheap backup Xiaomi on some FREE apps.

Operator error

If you are familiar with an operating system but not with another yes you will find it frustrating and apparently counter intuitive.

I had a similar experience with using a dammed Android phone.

As to voice recognition a Thai accent will make things difficult, specially if you choose American English rather than British English

[Kenr6583]

You don’t need to use Siri for voice commands