Digital Trends reviews Apple’s new AirPods 2: Impressed by Siri’s quick response to voice commands

“The new AirPods’ marquee upgrades are more talk time (three hours instead of two), quicker Siri access, and a wireless charging case (at a $40 surcharge),” Ryan Waniata writes for Digital Trends.
“I was impressed not only with the look and feel of the gleaming white AirPods as I unboxed them, but also how compact that charging case is,” Waniata writes. “The tiny case claims the same 24 hours of reserve charging it did nearly three years ago. That still beats most competitors. The only visible difference on the new wireless charging case is a transplant of the LED from the backside to front. This allows you to see charging status when the case is placed atop a Qi charging pad.”
“The always-on ‘Hey Siri’ feature does make changing volume on your preferred streaming service easy enough — as long as you don’t mind talking to yourself. I was also impressed by Siri’s quick response to my voice commands,” Waniata writes. “[AirPods ofer] a warm and readily accessible sound designed not so much to please everyone as it is to offend no one. It’s a smart strategy — especially when you’re trying to lasso the most users possible — and seems emblematic of Apple’s overall design strategy as of late.”
New AirPods build on the magical experience customers love delivering 50 percent more talk time, hands-free “Hey Siri” and the option of a new Wireless Charging Case.
 
Read more in the full review here.
MacDailyNews Take: Don’t look now, but Siri’s getting better!
We run with our AirPods and Apple Watch units and look forward to changing volume with our voice instead of having to switch to the Music app to control the volume while running.
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What we know about the H1 chip in Apple’s new AirPods – March 20, 2019
Apple’s new, 2nd-gen. AirPods offer lower latency for mobile gaming – March 20, 2019
Apple reveals second generation AirPods with new Apple-designed H1 chip – March 20, 2019