Airpods ring in new craze
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Apple AirPods were first released in 2016 when wireless headphones were becoming mainstream in the tech world. They recently became a hot talking point amongst social media users; with the various memes and references, AirPods have also become a satirical indication of wealth as they sell at a retail price of $159.
“My favorite [feature] is obviously how they are 100 percent Bluetooth and wireless,” sophomore Ryan Fung said. “Sometimes I have them in my ear without music playing, and I’ll forget I have them on.”
San Gabriel has a growing population of AirPod users listening to audio wirelessly. Their Bluetooth connection reaches far distances and allows friends to listen to music with each other even if they are on opposite sides of a room.
“I would recommend AirPods to my peers,” senior Summer Macias said, “especially if they love to listen to music or just watch videos. [They’re] very reliable and convenient in most situations.”
AirPods have the ability to be tracked when lost and are marketed to stay put in the ears, even during a fast-pace workout. While this may hold true, some students are not keen on this feature.
“I definitely do not [exercise with them], because I have a bad history of dropping them, but I know you can solve that by paying for silicone ear covers,” Fung said.
There are some flaws that come with owning AirPods. According to the Los Angeles Times article, “No, Apple’s new AirPods won’t give you cancer, experts say,” they are known to emit a larger amount of electromagnetic frequencies than the usual wireless headphones. The article states that this is harmful for students as it causes a lack of focus and an impairment of sleeping schedules if they use AirPods for long periods of time. There are other alternatives to listening to music wirelessly that does not have the same effects.
“I got wireless Bluetooth earphones that are way more high-quality for half the price,” junior Vincent To said. “It’s easier to conceal, and they look less stupid. It’s literally not worth it to even buy [AirPods].”
Although they were initially ridiculed, AirPods are currently booming in the market and can be found on campus almost everywhere. This brings up a concern among some teachers who see it as a discreet way to listen to music during class. However, for math teacher Ronnie Woo, it does not pose as a problem in his class as hoods and caps are not allowed during instructional time.
“Teachers have to be checking up on students [and] be more attentive and alert,” Woo said.
