For someone who spends their life dealing with technology, it may surprise you to learn that I can’t stand 99% of it. Most technology is clumsy; overly complicated, poorly designed for human factors, not thought through. It’s surprisingly hard - as somebody who’s been involved with this - to build technology and stay focused on the fact that it’s designed to solve a human problem. Which is why I love my AirPods. Now, they certainly aren’t perfect. It sucks that the battery can’t be replaced which makes them essentially eventual eco-trash. They don’t work as well with non-Apple products. They’re in-ear headphones, which means that if not treated carefully they can cause hearing loss. But for what they are, they are the best. I’ve bought other in-ear bluetooth wireless headphones, and they all “work”. But AirPods just work. Like, every time. Pull them out, put them in, listen to music. Put them away. Music turns off when they come out of your ears. Music starts again when you put them back. Every time.

Seems simple, right? But apparently it isn’t. Behind the scenes, a ton of people work on making that magic happen so that I don’t have to care, and can just throw them in my ears and expect them to work. Not 99% of the time; 100% of the time. And what I’ve noticed is that my behavior patterns - and my stress level - change significantly when I use technology that I trust, that I know will work. When I expect things to work, I move smoothly through experiences and my day. When I have to deal with things I don’t trust, then - even when they do end up working - I have to focus so much more of my attention on them.

Not every product Apple makes is great. But AirPods are, and Apple, I salute you for them.