As the headphone jack slowly goes extinct, the market is not so coincidentally being flooded with Bluetooth headsets. The requests to review them are constant. They exist in semi-wired, cans, true wireless, etc. They exist at every price point as well.
So when Mobvoi reached out to me to review their TicPods Free, I was going to say no. Yes, I’ve loved their Android watches (and still think the TicWatch Pro is the best Android watch right now), but will that translate to headphones? I kept skimming the email. OK yeah, so they’re AirBuds for Android? Bori—hold the phone.
They.
Come.
In.
Orange.
People, I could go on about objective testing standards. I could point out the TicBuds Free have better-than-good if not great sound. I can talk about the easy pairing and pleasing design of their charging case. (I like to play with it in my pocket.) I suppose I should talk about the swipe gestures that you use to control the TicPods—swipe up or down for volume on the right, double tap to skip, hold to get your assistant. I should mention that they are a bit big for small ears but a comfortable fit for me. They have better noise cancellation than some of the other sets I have tested. People have yet to complain about wind issues when I call them on these.
None of that matters though.
They’re orange.
Gloriously, fabulously, garishly orange.
They are my TicPods and I loves them and you are not taking them from me and ORANGE!!!
*ahem*
Seriously, though, at $130 on Amazon, they are affordable and they work as well as some $180 sets I’ve tested. Yes, the design bites Apple’s style a little bit, but that lets them have those neat gestures. That charging case I mention could have a better “door” (it feels flimsy), and I wish I could pair it to two devices at once (phone/tablet), but none of that takes away from the fact that they are wonderfully expressive mobile headphones that work. They are the perfect headphones to be my Last Headphone Review*. Oh, and they come in boring white and basic blue.
Also?
ORANGE.
Note: Mobvi sent me the TicPods Free. They sent me the orange. I am a free elf.
*Yes, I say last review. I am going to be slowly wrapping up my reviews here. Stay tuned for my last TV review, last smartphone review, and last toy car review.
