Fairbuds

Ethical AirPods, mediocre sound and a dreadful app

In my efforts to explore the tech’ world outside of the Apple ecosystem, I have obtained a pair of Fairbuds, made by Fairphone. The Fairbuds have received positive media attention due to their repairability: with user replaceable batteries in the earphones themselves and the charging case.
I’ll explore the Fairbuds by splitting what follows into three sections: design, sound and the software (app) experience.

The Design

The Fairbuds are pretty chunky, following the lead of Microsoft Surface earbuds, rather than the ‘lollipop stick coming out of your ear’ design used by Apple in the AirPods (does anyone else remember the latter being mocked when the AirPods were released and then falling by the wayside when AirPods became mainstream?). They obviously look and feel different when you are wearing them, but one becomes accustomed to this difference in short order.

The Fairbuds come with a few differently-sized silicon tips to help create a snug fit. They’re a bit fiddly to change, but it’s a straightforward enough process. The Fairbuds were comfortable for me, although your ears may vary! I found that I experienced some movement if the Fairpods during running.