Neil Hughes
The change, spotted at the Christian Science Monitor Horizons Blog, makes the new headphone plug look like the Mag-Safe power adapter employed on MacBooks.
Though the $79 headphones, launched in December of 2008, received generally positive reviews, users peppered the upgrade with a myriad of complaints, including issues with the rubber plug protector coming loose.
While the upgrade addresses one of the device’s common complaints, other problems remain. For example, the premium upgrade’s volume buttons do not work with the original iPhone or iPhone 3G.
Many users have bought the headphones to step up from the widely panned stock headphones included with iPods and iPhones.
Apple’s In-Ear Headphones replaced the original, $39 upgrade model, which were largely considered to be a flop. The flush, almost conical shape of the first iteration was very difficult to keep in one's ear even in ideal conditions, and most of the improvement in audio quality simply came from moving the sound deeper into your ear opening.
Apple's In-Ear headphones originally used a rubber plug casing | Source: CNet News.com
Apple has since replaced the plug casing with a hard plastic one.
The new earbuds served as an admission by Apple that the original design didn't work, as the new design has a right-angled shape that fits much more directly. And after the debut of the iPhone, the second-generation iPod touch, and fourth-generation iPod nano, the ability to record voice became a crucial component of any headphone upgrade, so the improved In-Ear Headphones filled that need.
The premium upgrade features three different sizes of ear tips and a carrying case for the tips and headphones. It also has a stainless steel mesh cap, intended to keep the product clean.
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51 Comments
The cable looks darker too.
Christian. Science. Monitor. Horizons. Blog.
W.T.F.
Christian. Science. Monitor. Horizons. Blog.
W.T.F.
What's your issue? The Christian Science Monitor is a very reputable US newspaper, with some of the best international and political coverage, with seven Pulitzer prizes. You may remember hearing about their reporter, Jill Carroll, who was kidnapped in Iraq a few years back. They are based here in Boston, my lovely hometown, and are one of the latest newspapers to be forced to get rid of their print editions due to the economy and a changing market landscape.
I will assume A) that you have never heard of the CSM, since you are based in the UK, and/or B) that you confuse Christian Science with Scientology, which are two very different things, the first being an actual religion founded in the 19th century by Mary Baker Eddy with a strong focus on the coexistence of religion and scientific truth and education, and the other being a money-grubbing sect founded by a third-rate sci-fi author half a century ago whose members include unstable celebreties like couch-jumping Tommy Cruise and ought-to-diet John Travolta.
Glad we got a chance to clear this up.
*****
With regards to the earphones, yes, I recently switched mine in because of some fraying, and the replacements I got do have the harder plastic cover. I noticed it immediately. Also: they are excellent (if) expensive earphones. If you have the cash and like bass and music, blow them on a pair. For serious. They're great.
Just noticing this now? It changed over a month ago.
Sadly the ear cups come off and get lost just as easily, and they still don't ship a spare pair of medium ones. So now I have one medium and one large, which is far from optimal.
Actually if I could get them to fix one thing, it would be the sharp edges of the mic/controller. It sits right near my lapel, so when I turn my head it catches on it and sometimes pulls it out of my ear. If they rounded off the ends this would not be a problem.
Maury
What's your issue? The Christian Science Monitor is a very reputable US newspaper, with some of the best international and political coverage, with seven Pulitzer prizes. You may remember hearing about their reporter, Jill Carroll, who was kidnapped in Iraq a few years back. They are based here in Boston, my lovely hometown, and are one of the latest newspapers to be forced to get rid of their print editions due to the economy and a changing market landscape.
I will assume A) that you have never heard of the CSM, since you are based in the UK, and/or B) that you confuse Christian Science with Scientology, which are two very different things, the first being an actual religion founded in the 19th century by Mary Baker Eddy with a strong focus on the coexistence of religion and scientific truth and education, and the other being a money-grubbing sect founded by a third-rate sci-fi author half a century ago whose members include unstable celebreties like couch-jumping Tommy Cruise and ought-to-diet John Travolta.
Glad we got a chance to clear this up.
*****
well I wasn't expecting that! Cheers!