scrubjayspeaks (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
scrubjayspeaks) wrote2021-06-17 07:28 pm
scrubjayspeaks) wrote2021-06-17 07:28 pm
Entry tags:
Today's Keyboard Smash
So, it wasn't until I received my new tablet, back last November, that I understood it doesn't have a headphone jack. This...truly hadn't occurred to me, mostly because I believe it is the province of absolute maniacs to make devices wireless-only. (If they start making ones that can only charge on those wireless pads and, therefore, also cannot connect to my desktop computer without some kind of bluetooth adapter, I'm going to flip a table. And also, you know, refuse to buy one.) Like, I literally got to the point of having my headphones on my head, searching with increasing bafflement for a place to plug them in. Cue expression of slowly dawning horror. Thus, I've been in the market for a set of wireless earbuds to go with them.
On the one hand, it's an excessively niche purchase, which I was loath to make. I only have the one device to use them with. (Well, okay, I suppose I can use them with the old tablet-turned-alarm clock and radio, but it's of a fragile disposition and may melt down if I try to make it cope with bluetooth.) I can't even use them while on the production floor, because my little Walkman can *only* work with a headphone jack. Plus, I've been trying to spend a bit less time tethered to my devices, at least as far as having constant noise and human speech piped into my brain goes.
But on the other hand! I have been LOSING MY GODDAMN MIND at home without the ability to use headphones. I use the tablet more than the desktop. The desktop is mainly for when I need a full keyboard to cope with, say, coding HTML or doing a lot of link processing where switching between tabs needs to be easy. The tablet also has the advantage of being usable while I'm reclining on the couch, which is where my back prefers me to stay. (Yes, my office chair is new and lovely. No, my back does not give two wet slaps about that fact.) That means I'm in the living room/kitchen--you know, the one central room in my very small house where everyone is guaranteed to pass through and/or hang about in. Also, other people watch television (no, I don't know why either, we only get two channels, and there are only so many times I need to see the local weather report in a day). It is Noise Hell Central Station.
Long story not even remotely shorter, I've had a set of wireless earbuds picked out. I did a bunch of research, compared price points and features, and figured out which ones were available from what sources. I did not, however, actually buy them. Until today. Because I've been going even more wrathfully bonkers than usual lately on the weekends, when everyone has been home at the same time due to a month-long quirk of scheduling.
Of course, I chose the hottest day of the year thus far, a record-breaking day, to go galavanting about after work. It was 111 F at my house today. But I wasn't at my house, see? I was IN. MY. CAR. Even with the A/C running, my ipad overheated from the effort of playing a podcast, and it shut itself down. Which was a bit of a problem, since it was where I had the information on what exactly brand and model of earbuds I had just driven to the store to buy. It recovered when I took it indoors, but still. Uh. It was a little hot this afternoon. Why did I decide to do this today? (Because I have only variable amounts of patience, questionable impulse control, and access to spending money. Also, they were on sale at the moment.)
I am now the thus-far-happy owner of a set of JLab Epic (!!!) Air ANC True Wireless Earbuds. (So many descriptors for such tiny objects.) The smallest set of earpieces are an acceptable fit, thankfully, which had been my main concern. The nice thing about having rather low standards when it comes to audio quality, is I'll really be pleased with anything that actually conveys sound at all and stays where I put it. So far, these have done both.
On the one hand, it's an excessively niche purchase, which I was loath to make. I only have the one device to use them with. (Well, okay, I suppose I can use them with the old tablet-turned-alarm clock and radio, but it's of a fragile disposition and may melt down if I try to make it cope with bluetooth.) I can't even use them while on the production floor, because my little Walkman can *only* work with a headphone jack. Plus, I've been trying to spend a bit less time tethered to my devices, at least as far as having constant noise and human speech piped into my brain goes.
But on the other hand! I have been LOSING MY GODDAMN MIND at home without the ability to use headphones. I use the tablet more than the desktop. The desktop is mainly for when I need a full keyboard to cope with, say, coding HTML or doing a lot of link processing where switching between tabs needs to be easy. The tablet also has the advantage of being usable while I'm reclining on the couch, which is where my back prefers me to stay. (Yes, my office chair is new and lovely. No, my back does not give two wet slaps about that fact.) That means I'm in the living room/kitchen--you know, the one central room in my very small house where everyone is guaranteed to pass through and/or hang about in. Also, other people watch television (no, I don't know why either, we only get two channels, and there are only so many times I need to see the local weather report in a day). It is Noise Hell Central Station.
Long story not even remotely shorter, I've had a set of wireless earbuds picked out. I did a bunch of research, compared price points and features, and figured out which ones were available from what sources. I did not, however, actually buy them. Until today. Because I've been going even more wrathfully bonkers than usual lately on the weekends, when everyone has been home at the same time due to a month-long quirk of scheduling.
Of course, I chose the hottest day of the year thus far, a record-breaking day, to go galavanting about after work. It was 111 F at my house today. But I wasn't at my house, see? I was IN. MY. CAR. Even with the A/C running, my ipad overheated from the effort of playing a podcast, and it shut itself down. Which was a bit of a problem, since it was where I had the information on what exactly brand and model of earbuds I had just driven to the store to buy. It recovered when I took it indoors, but still. Uh. It was a little hot this afternoon. Why did I decide to do this today? (Because I have only variable amounts of patience, questionable impulse control, and access to spending money. Also, they were on sale at the moment.)
I am now the thus-far-happy owner of a set of JLab Epic (!!!) Air ANC True Wireless Earbuds. (So many descriptors for such tiny objects.) The smallest set of earpieces are an acceptable fit, thankfully, which had been my main concern. The nice thing about having rather low standards when it comes to audio quality, is I'll really be pleased with anything that actually conveys sound at all and stays where I put it. So far, these have done both.