Healthier options for your wallet
You know the saying, “If your head wasn’t attached to your body, you’d lose it”? Well I’m pretty certain that saying was forged especially for me and my worsening forgetfulness. Car keys, Chapstick, work badge – basically anything important – has a 100% possibility of getting lost at some point. Which is why after hearing about the new Apple AirPods, I felt like I had already lost them.
The new wireless pods boast amazing sound and take the obvious hassle out of tangled cords, but are a $159 expense. For parents and my fellow forgetful friends, $159 isn’t a price we want to pay for something we may lose and eventually have to replace. Which is why I bring to you a comprehensive list of cheaper options to the AirPods, all of which are wireless.
1. Muse 5
Price: $180
These Bluetooth dongles are fitted with patented FitSeal Sleeves that make them fit secure into the wearer’s ear. Because of this, the company describes these as being most beneficial to listeners with an active lifestyle.
Along with the sleeves and additional tips, the Muse 5 comes with 7 hours of talk time, 4 hours of listening time and a portable magnetic charging case.
The portable case allows the earphones to be fully charged two times before the wearer needs to plug into the wall to recharge. The Muse 5 will retail for $180, but is available from Indiegogo for only $99. Yahtzee!
2. Rio 3
Price: $130
If the Muse 5 is for the active folks, Rio 3 is for the even more active.
Equipped with over-ear hooks and sleeves, users can sweat, run, or jump as much as they want and these won’t budge. The pods come with a built-in remote that makes it easy to switch songs, change the volume, and interfere with Siri or Google Now. They can last for up to 8 hours of talk time or 6 hours of playback.
There is no portable charging case for the Rio 3, which may be why the retail price is only $130. Even better than that, these too are on sale at Indiegogo for $69.
3. Bragi the Headphone
Price: $120
This new and improved design from Bragi allows users to toggle between music, phone calls, and voice commands, while noise cancellation destroys any distractions.
When the wearer wants to be aware of their immediate environment, or simply hear the person next to them, they can use the new “Audio Transparency” setting that allows ambient noise to filter in. The software can also speak four new languages: Chinese, French, German and Spanish, and now configures with Google Fit, Apple Watch and Apple Healthkit.
These multi-lingual headphones are on retail for $120 until November 1; after they will be $150, so if you’re interested: get while the getting’s good.
4. Motorola Hint
Price: $130
This discreet wireless earbud, enhanced from previous versions, comes with 70% more battery life and a more comfortable gel design than before. Amongst the improvements are improved audio and CrystalTalk technology that filters background noise.
For the fashion inclined, these also come with a variety of natural materials and hues. The charging case can be used up to four times, and provides the Hint pods with 17 hours of talk time.
These are the cheapest wireless option Motorola has thus far, coming in at a still lower than Air Pod price of $129.99.
5. Bohm Audio S10
Price: $89
These powerful earbuds come with a portable charging case that is Micro USB compatible, and chargeable up to 4 times. The pods, complete with sweat proof sleeves, allow the user to pair with 2 devices, and easily switch between calls and audio. Users will also have the convenience of automatic pairing anytime you’d like.
Coming in at only $89, these are the most affordable option on the list.
Got any more?
Now that wireless ear phones are the new rage, it was pretty hard finding these affordable options. Other wireless pods range from $120-$299 and have a ton more functionalities but with the same ease of loss.
So if you want to join the wireless bandwagon, but don’t want to lose $300 in the meantime, try one of the options above. If you have any more affordable wireless options that we may have missed, please share below!
#AirPodAlternatives
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