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A bit off topic, but if you wear those around Stockholm, Sweden where I live, you will probably be robbed. I never really understood the combination of noise c

A bit off topic, but if you wear those around Stockholm, Sweden where I live, you will probably be robbed. I never really understood the combination of noise cancellation and home use only. I think noise cancellation really shines when out and about in public, like the subway. But I can't imagine anyone using those things on the go, at least not where I live.

kilroy123 6y ago
I thought Stockholm was ridiculously safe? (I've never been to Sweden)
- progre 6y ago
  Depends on where you are and the time of day.
- dagw 6y ago
  It's safer than say London, Birmingham, Paris or Rome. Less safe than say Oslo, Amsterdam, Edinburgh or Copenhagen. Basically in the middle among major European cities. Compared to the US it is much safer than Chicago, Detroit or Atlanta and less safe than for example Denver or Boston.
  - mrisoli 6y ago
    Comparatively it's one of the safest cities in the world, as in, its less safe then maybe 4-5 cities in your list? Sure it has a couple of dodgy areas, but I lived in Sodermalm and Kungsholmen and never felt unsafe around those, I moved from Brazil and my hometown gets as many robberies reports in a day as Stockholm gets a year. I can understand some people might be targeted for these status items but I never had any issues moving around even with an expensive laptop, phone, headphones with me, taking the public transport every day.
  - jonwinstanley 6y ago
    It’s hard to say a city is safe/not safe as they are so big, and it varies wildly across areas
    - mettamage 6y ago
      When it comes to Stockholm, I can have an image. I've been there on vacation for a total of 2 months. I've made friends in Tensta, Södermalm and in Östermalm and slept in all places. If someone tells me that Östermalm is now a place where people rob you more easily than 10 years ago, then I have enough of a feeling how the social landscape changed. In Stockholm, I've experienced a couple of crime-ish situations in those 2 months that I didn't experience to such a frequent or great extent in Amsterdam (where I live). In short: it might be that things in Stockholm have gotten a bit more sour.
      - threeseed 6y ago
        Honestly, what is the point of this comment ? It’s an isolated anecdote of which there are tens of millions of others just like it in the cities you mentioned. Crime stats should be based on up to the minute evidence not anecdotes.
        mettamage 6y ago
        Thanks for the feedback. I dislike reading anecdotes as evidence as well. However, sometimes I personally simply feel free enough to express myself on HN and don't think any further than that. In most cases, this is fine, but in some cases I become part of the problem (posting anecdotes that are interpreted as "evidence"). So I'm happy you posted your reaction as I feel it's the reason why I've been downvoted a couple of times as well. Upon rereading my comment, I agree with your comment. I'll try to finetune my behavior accordingly.
- mongol 6y ago
  Used to be. Those days are past us.
  - ksec 6y ago
    Why is that? Any pointers for further reading?
    - jesperado 6y ago
      Sweden has taken in around 1-1.2 million people in the last 10 years or so, roughly 10% of the population. Mainly from countries that have vastly different values than swedes. These huge numbers in combination with really poor integration has lead to a very segregated society. You now read about gang shootings, rapes, humiliation robberies (they rob the victims then piss them in the mouth or cut off an ear or so, just for fun). These things are happening daily now, it used to be maybe once a year you read about a shooting or particular nasty rape/robbery.
      - ksec 6y ago
        >You now read about gang shootings, rapes, humiliation robberies... Oh my god.... And then I realise last time I was there it was before GFC. This is very sad to hear / read.
    - bitcharmer 6y ago
      It looks like it has gotten much worse in recent years. There was a 60-minutes block from Australian TV on the topic. I couldn't find the whole video, but here's a fragment: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3kpRVk9KOmo https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3kpRVk9KOmo
    - mongol 6y ago
      Just to pick one reputable source in English https://www.economist.com/europe/2020/11/28/why-sweden-struggles-to-curb-gang-violence https://www.economist.com/europe/2020/11/28/why-sweden-strug...
- rasz 6y ago
  They have great statistics, but then you read something like this https://www.economist.com/europe/2020/11/28/why-sweden-struggles-to-curb-gang-violence https://www.economist.com/europe/2020/11/28/why-sweden-strug... https://www.thelocal.se/20200923/the-situation-right-now-is-very-stressful-swedish-polices-fight-to-crack-down-on-gang-crime https://www.thelocal.se/20200923/the-situation-right-now-is-... https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-50339977 https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-50339977 and realize Police simply lets criminals walk free without charges. Remember Gizmondo? Failed mobile device startup from around 2005 that turned out to be a big scam? You might remember famous Ferrari Enzo crash in LA https://www.latimes.com/local/la-me-ferrari28feb28-story.html https://www.latimes.com/local/la-me-ferrari28feb28-story.htm... https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gizmondo https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gizmondo That was part of Swedish mafia.
- bitcharmer 6y ago
  Not any more. Stockholm (and Sweden in general) has problem with rape: https://www.nationmaster.com/country-info/stats/Crime/Rape-rate https://www.nationmaster.com/country-info/stats/Crime/Rape-r...
  - threeseed 6y ago
    Statistics from between 10-16 years ago. Not sure how it is remotely relevant to life today.
    - bitcharmer 6y ago
      This section of Wikipedia article refers to data from 2018. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rape_in_Sweden#Birthplace_of_perpetrators https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rape_in_Sweden#Birthplace_of_p... Is this recent enough?
  - dijit 6y ago
    I'm generally the person to be very critical of Sweden, but this is somewhat unfair as the definition of "Rape" in Sweden is incredibly broad, and includes people who can't give consent such as those experiencing fear. Heck in 2018 they passed a law that says "Any sex act which does not have explicit consent is rape"[0] including those where there are no threats, coercion or violence of any kind. I mockingly considered creating a "consent" app which could be signed with BankID. Sweden is also unique in that it counts every offence as an occurrence of rape- meaning that if you're "raped by your husband 12 times a year" those are 12 separate cases of rape and not 1 (like it would be in the UK). There is also speculation that in Sweden they take rape reports very seriously, which leads to more people coming forward with cases of rape. This line of thinking has been discussed before, sadly by the extreme far right.[1] [0]: https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-44230786 https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-44230786 [1]: https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-politics-39056786 https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-politics-39056786
    - stedaniels 6y ago
      > I'm generally the person to be very critical of Sweden, but this is somewhat unfair as the definition of "Rape" in Sweden is incredibly broad, and includes people who can't give consent such as those experiencing fear. I'm unsure if I'm reading the way you worded this incorrectly or not. Are you saying people who are too scared to say no are only included because the definition is "incredibly broad"?! Do you think people too scared to say no shouldn't be included? If so, I'd argue you must have a very narrow personal definition, which worries me.
- mstade 6y ago
  It is. All these other kids saying otherwise are just spouting poppycock, and some of it frankly seems like thinly veiled racism. (It's the immigrants, you see!) Look, if there are people there's gonna be crime. That's just the way it goes. But as far as moderately large cities go, Stockholm is far from dangerous. Like anywhere else some areas will be worse than others, but the parts being discussed in these comments – the inner city – are not the favelas these people seem to claim. Stockholm is a perfectly fine city, but haters gonna hate and all that I guess. Thugs getting off too easy though, now that's a real thing.
mfi 6y ago
Where in Stockholm do you live? IMO, you're giving an unfair and exaggerated view of Stockholm as a whole. Yes, there are some areas that are more affected by criminal gangs than other areas. But I wouldn't go as far as saying that there's a high risk of getting robbed "around Stockholm".
- bjornedstrom 6y ago
  I've lived in the inner city parts of Stockholm most of the time (Östermalm/Norrmalm, Södermalm, Kungsholmen). I would definitely not wear 500-600 USD headphones in any of those areas. But I think crime in Stockholm is a bit off topic. However I don't think the inherent risk of being robbed - wherever you are in the world - is off topic for the discussion. People rob kids of Airpods all the time, because it's a status item. These new Airpods will be a status item too. This will increase the risk of robbery - be it in Europe or the US or elsewhere. I'm sure there are larger cities in the world where the likelihood of getting robbed is low (Tokyo?), but that'd be the exception rather than the norm.
  - mfi 6y ago
    > I would definitely not wear 500-600 USD headphones in any of those areas. I would say that the risk of being robbed in any of the mentioned areas is very low, even during night-time (if you don't actively are looking for trouble)
    - bitcharmer 6y ago
      I'm afraid I have to disagree. Every time I had to pass through some of those places at night it was a scary experience. Got robbed twice, I can't remember how many times I had to leg it. And I only lived in Sweden for 2 years.
    - forest_dweller 6y ago
      Whether you are targeted for a mugging is dependant on whether the criminal thinks you are an easy target. Most muggings will be crimes of opportunity. I used to live in a very dodgy part of Spain near Gibraltar. I was never mugged or beaten up. I've been told by people "You look like you can handle yourself". Some of work collegues which were skinner, more fresh faced got robbed, beaten and in one case had what they believe to be a gun pulled on them. I never had any problems. I don't look like an easy target due to my appearence and size, those guys unfortunately do due to their size and appearence.
_ph_ 6y ago
It is not the fear of being robbed, but more a general feeling of personal safety, e.g. hearing cars, bicycles or any people around you, is why I don't like to wear any kind of headphones while walking around. I feel deprived of an important sense. This of course would be worse with any kind of noise-cancellation. Only when sitting town in a train I feel reasonably comfortable, but also a bit nerveous about missing an important announcement.
deleted 6y ago
[deleted]
avian 6y ago
I remember people used to say the same thing in early days of Apple mobile devices that shipped with (then) unusual white in-ear headphones. White headphones -> high probability of an expensive gadget in a pocket.
oblio 6y ago
> I never really understood the combination of noise cancellation and home use only. Open plan office spaces and public transport, including airplanes ;-) Outside, that's a different story.
SigmundA 6y ago
> I never really understood the combination of noise cancellation and home use only. WFH kids, dogs etc. AirPods pro help a lot with that situation for me.
- FroshKiller 6y ago
  Exactly. My desk is next to my dryer, which is currently running, and my furnace is in a closet behind me. ANC helps block those noises, which would be inescapable otherwise unless I wanted to play my music way too loud.
- thom 6y ago
  Yeah, same with three kids here (although it does mean people on video calls hear them, or in one case a fire alarm, before I do). I have to admit I will sometimes wear them either way though, I feel it helps me focus.
dijit 6y ago
Really? I live in Malmo, Sweden (affectionately called "Crime City" by the locals) and I don't get the impression I'd be robbed. Mostly because criminals know that the resale of apple goods is entirely on the parts, which is not worth much.
- Hamuko 6y ago
  >Mostly because criminals know that the resale of apple goods is entirely on the parts, which is not worth much. Isn't that mostly due to activation lock? Is there any kind of similar mechanism for the AirPods Max?
- bdavis__ 6y ago
  hmm. my reading suggests you need to go a little south to Ystad for crime.
jsinai 6y ago
> I never really understood the combination of noise cancellation and home use only. I think noise cancellation really shines when out and about in public, like the subway. But I can't imagine anyone using those things on the go, at least not where I live. FYI here are some examples of why I swear by my noise cancellation headphones while working from home during a pandemic in a densely populated city: - Washing machine and dishwasher running cycles during the day - The fridge vibrating at higher frequencies (don't know much about fridge mechanics but this soemthing fridges to do maintain a certain temperature) - Other people in the household talking, cooking, making coffee, fetching cutlery and plates etc. - The high decible hum of delivery scooters/mopeds usually accelerating much faster than they should in what is supposed to be a quiet road - Road noise from delivery vehicles which are heavier than your typical car (ps admittedly the last two points are only a problem when I have the windows open but occassionaly someone revs an engine which can be heard through the windows) - During summer months with the windows open, passers' by can be heard from my desk. I live on just off a "quiet road" in my city, my desk is on the first floor and is on the other side of the room from the road. Yet people's conversations are loud enough to make a noise. Individually there is little wrong with these sounds (except maybe mopeds which I wish were quieter) but collectively they cause noises during working hours for which I am grateful to have noise cancelling headphones at home. PS I guess Apple are also targeting people who will take these to the office eventually.
- ahelwer 6y ago
  Don't forget the city soundscape's public enemy number one: leafblowers.
- wpietri 6y ago
  I'm totally with you on needing quiet when working from home. My much more economical solution is a pair of industrial earmuffs with earbuds inside if I want sound. In particular mine are the 3M Peltor X5A: https://www.3m.com/3M/en_US/company-us/all-3m-products/~/3M-PELTOR-X5-Earmuffs-X5A-37274-AAD-Over-the-Head-10-EA-Case/?N=5002385+3294326317&preselect=8713720+8720546+8720749&rt=rud https://www.3m.com/3M/en_US/company-us/all-3m-products/~/3M-... I've had mine 7 years and swear by them.
whiddershins 6y ago
Hmmm, sounds like Stockholm is way more dangerous than NYC? Or is just your neighborhood really dangerous.
amelius 6y ago
> I never really understood the combination of noise cancellation and home use only. Sadly, you can't (realistically) wear them in bed while you sleep.
- swaits 6y ago
  Bose makes a product specifically for sleeping. I don’t have any experience with them myself. https://www.bose.com/en_us/products/wellness/noise_masking_sleepbuds/noise-masking-sleepbuds-ii.html#v=noise_masking_sleepbuds_ii_white https://www.bose.com/en_us/products/wellness/noise_masking_s...
  - s1mon 6y ago
    Keep in mind the Bose Sleepbuds aren’t for music, just sleep sounds. My girlfriend got some, but they gave her headaches. “Unlike headphones, Sleepbuds™ don't stream music or podcasts. They play content only from the Bose Sleep app.”
- pwinnski 6y ago
  Not these new ones, no. I have worn AirPods Pro while falling asleep, both for music and for noise canceling, and in my ears, they're comfortable. The original AirPods weren't, but the Pro are, at least for me.
- vanilla_nut 6y ago
  I've actually used AirPods Pro (and my girlfriend used her Bose QC35 IIs) to fall asleep in a hotel room with a very thin wall and a loud conversation in the next room over. If you toss and turn or insist on sleeping on your side, they might not work, but if you just sleep on your back or front there shouldn't be much of an issue.
mensetmanusman 6y ago
Maybe not so off-topic if you think about it. If you recall, the early iPhones were stolen the lot until Apple tied the devices to the Apple ID. This allowed you to lock the device and make it a worthless piece of hardware when the owner wanted it to be. In principle, with all the electronics on the AirPods, one could imagine a situation where they are locked to an Apple ID and if they are stolen they could be locked down. This would dramatically lower the resale value and prevent future thefts if Apple were to implement this.
jillesvangurp 6y ago
I usually refer to my headphones as neighbor cancelling headphones. I live in an apartment and while my neighbors are nice people, inevitably you get some noise from televisions, people moving around, etc. Noise cancellation gets rid of most of that. Also, I like being able to walk around in my place without having to worry about wires.
benfrain 6y ago
I'm central UK and had the exact same thought when I saw these announced — it would be a brave soul who wears these where I grew up!
Eric_WVGG 6y ago
I was ambivalent about noise-cancellation until two things happened at home this year… - With the assistance of a friend, I rebuilt my kitchen. He swore by his AirPod Pros, I dealt with hours of tablesaws and sanding with foam in my ears. - Then my building owners jackhammered apart the rooftop overhead in an asbestos removal project. Now I’m thanking my AirPod Pro every time my neighbor’s baby wakes up at night.
- GGfpc 6y ago
  I don't think noise cancelling headphones protect you from hearing damage though so you made the right choice
prionassembly 6y ago
There’s a personality type that enjoys complaining that their city is just the worst and they would leave if they weren’t just so accommodated etc. I’m not saying that’s you; I don’t think it is. But when it happens in Sweden, do they call it “Stockholm syndrome”?
- iRomain 6y ago
  Ahah good effort!
ianwalter 6y ago
> I never really understood the combination of noise cancellation and home use only. Some of us have kids banging around the house all day.
odiroot 6y ago
Try living in a commie block in some Central European city. The walls are incredibly thin.
eCa 6y ago
> I never really understood the combination of noise cancellation and home use only. I never wear headphones when walking/biking etc, but I’ve worn mine pretty much non-srop at home for the past year. The computer fan, neighborhood noices, fridge, all is quieter and the music is better. I focus better. Where they really have shown themselves to be indispensible though is on my 2h30 roundtrip daily commute by train[1], complete bliss. [1] On hold since March..

kilroy123 6y ago

I thought Stockholm was ridiculously safe? (I've never been to Sweden)

progre 6y ago
Depends on where you are and the time of day.
dagw 6y ago
It's safer than say London, Birmingham, Paris or Rome. Less safe than say Oslo, Amsterdam, Edinburgh or Copenhagen. Basically in the middle among major European cities. Compared to the US it is much safer than Chicago, Detroit or Atlanta and less safe than for example Denver or Boston.
- mrisoli 6y ago
  Comparatively it's one of the safest cities in the world, as in, its less safe then maybe 4-5 cities in your list? Sure it has a couple of dodgy areas, but I lived in Sodermalm and Kungsholmen and never felt unsafe around those, I moved from Brazil and my hometown gets as many robberies reports in a day as Stockholm gets a year. I can understand some people might be targeted for these status items but I never had any issues moving around even with an expensive laptop, phone, headphones with me, taking the public transport every day.
- jonwinstanley 6y ago
  It’s hard to say a city is safe/not safe as they are so big, and it varies wildly across areas
  - mettamage 6y ago
    When it comes to Stockholm, I can have an image. I've been there on vacation for a total of 2 months. I've made friends in Tensta, Södermalm and in Östermalm and slept in all places. If someone tells me that Östermalm is now a place where people rob you more easily than 10 years ago, then I have enough of a feeling how the social landscape changed. In Stockholm, I've experienced a couple of crime-ish situations in those 2 months that I didn't experience to such a frequent or great extent in Amsterdam (where I live). In short: it might be that things in Stockholm have gotten a bit more sour.
    - threeseed 6y ago
      Honestly, what is the point of this comment ? It’s an isolated anecdote of which there are tens of millions of others just like it in the cities you mentioned. Crime stats should be based on up to the minute evidence not anecdotes.
      - mettamage 6y ago
        Thanks for the feedback. I dislike reading anecdotes as evidence as well. However, sometimes I personally simply feel free enough to express myself on HN and don't think any further than that. In most cases, this is fine, but in some cases I become part of the problem (posting anecdotes that are interpreted as "evidence"). So I'm happy you posted your reaction as I feel it's the reason why I've been downvoted a couple of times as well. Upon rereading my comment, I agree with your comment. I'll try to finetune my behavior accordingly.
mongol 6y ago
Used to be. Those days are past us.
- ksec 6y ago
  Why is that? Any pointers for further reading?
  - jesperado 6y ago
    Sweden has taken in around 1-1.2 million people in the last 10 years or so, roughly 10% of the population. Mainly from countries that have vastly different values than swedes. These huge numbers in combination with really poor integration has lead to a very segregated society. You now read about gang shootings, rapes, humiliation robberies (they rob the victims then piss them in the mouth or cut off an ear or so, just for fun). These things are happening daily now, it used to be maybe once a year you read about a shooting or particular nasty rape/robbery.
    - ksec 6y ago
      >You now read about gang shootings, rapes, humiliation robberies... Oh my god.... And then I realise last time I was there it was before GFC. This is very sad to hear / read.
  - bitcharmer 6y ago
    It looks like it has gotten much worse in recent years. There was a 60-minutes block from Australian TV on the topic. I couldn't find the whole video, but here's a fragment: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3kpRVk9KOmo https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3kpRVk9KOmo
  - mongol 6y ago
    Just to pick one reputable source in English https://www.economist.com/europe/2020/11/28/why-sweden-struggles-to-curb-gang-violence https://www.economist.com/europe/2020/11/28/why-sweden-strug...
rasz 6y ago
They have great statistics, but then you read something like this https://www.economist.com/europe/2020/11/28/why-sweden-struggles-to-curb-gang-violence https://www.economist.com/europe/2020/11/28/why-sweden-strug... https://www.thelocal.se/20200923/the-situation-right-now-is-very-stressful-swedish-polices-fight-to-crack-down-on-gang-crime https://www.thelocal.se/20200923/the-situation-right-now-is-... https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-50339977 https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-50339977 and realize Police simply lets criminals walk free without charges. Remember Gizmondo? Failed mobile device startup from around 2005 that turned out to be a big scam? You might remember famous Ferrari Enzo crash in LA https://www.latimes.com/local/la-me-ferrari28feb28-story.html https://www.latimes.com/local/la-me-ferrari28feb28-story.htm... https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gizmondo https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gizmondo That was part of Swedish mafia.
bitcharmer 6y ago
Not any more. Stockholm (and Sweden in general) has problem with rape: https://www.nationmaster.com/country-info/stats/Crime/Rape-rate https://www.nationmaster.com/country-info/stats/Crime/Rape-r...
- threeseed 6y ago
  Statistics from between 10-16 years ago. Not sure how it is remotely relevant to life today.
  - bitcharmer 6y ago
    This section of Wikipedia article refers to data from 2018. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rape_in_Sweden#Birthplace_of_perpetrators https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rape_in_Sweden#Birthplace_of_p... Is this recent enough?
- dijit 6y ago
  I'm generally the person to be very critical of Sweden, but this is somewhat unfair as the definition of "Rape" in Sweden is incredibly broad, and includes people who can't give consent such as those experiencing fear. Heck in 2018 they passed a law that says "Any sex act which does not have explicit consent is rape"[0] including those where there are no threats, coercion or violence of any kind. I mockingly considered creating a "consent" app which could be signed with BankID. Sweden is also unique in that it counts every offence as an occurrence of rape- meaning that if you're "raped by your husband 12 times a year" those are 12 separate cases of rape and not 1 (like it would be in the UK). There is also speculation that in Sweden they take rape reports very seriously, which leads to more people coming forward with cases of rape. This line of thinking has been discussed before, sadly by the extreme far right.[1] [0]: https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-44230786 https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-44230786 [1]: https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-politics-39056786 https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-politics-39056786
  - stedaniels 6y ago
    > I'm generally the person to be very critical of Sweden, but this is somewhat unfair as the definition of "Rape" in Sweden is incredibly broad, and includes people who can't give consent such as those experiencing fear. I'm unsure if I'm reading the way you worded this incorrectly or not. Are you saying people who are too scared to say no are only included because the definition is "incredibly broad"?! Do you think people too scared to say no shouldn't be included? If so, I'd argue you must have a very narrow personal definition, which worries me.
mstade 6y ago
It is. All these other kids saying otherwise are just spouting poppycock, and some of it frankly seems like thinly veiled racism. (It's the immigrants, you see!) Look, if there are people there's gonna be crime. That's just the way it goes. But as far as moderately large cities go, Stockholm is far from dangerous. Like anywhere else some areas will be worse than others, but the parts being discussed in these comments – the inner city – are not the favelas these people seem to claim. Stockholm is a perfectly fine city, but haters gonna hate and all that I guess. Thugs getting off too easy though, now that's a real thing.

mfi 6y ago

Where in Stockholm do you live? IMO, you're giving an unfair and exaggerated view of Stockholm as a whole. Yes, there are some areas that are more affected by criminal gangs than other areas. But I wouldn't go as far as saying that there's a high risk of getting robbed "around Stockholm".

bjornedstrom 6y ago
I've lived in the inner city parts of Stockholm most of the time (Östermalm/Norrmalm, Södermalm, Kungsholmen). I would definitely not wear 500-600 USD headphones in any of those areas. But I think crime in Stockholm is a bit off topic. However I don't think the inherent risk of being robbed - wherever you are in the world - is off topic for the discussion. People rob kids of Airpods all the time, because it's a status item. These new Airpods will be a status item too. This will increase the risk of robbery - be it in Europe or the US or elsewhere. I'm sure there are larger cities in the world where the likelihood of getting robbed is low (Tokyo?), but that'd be the exception rather than the norm.
- mfi 6y ago
  > I would definitely not wear 500-600 USD headphones in any of those areas. I would say that the risk of being robbed in any of the mentioned areas is very low, even during night-time (if you don't actively are looking for trouble)
  - bitcharmer 6y ago
    I'm afraid I have to disagree. Every time I had to pass through some of those places at night it was a scary experience. Got robbed twice, I can't remember how many times I had to leg it. And I only lived in Sweden for 2 years.
  - forest_dweller 6y ago
    Whether you are targeted for a mugging is dependant on whether the criminal thinks you are an easy target. Most muggings will be crimes of opportunity. I used to live in a very dodgy part of Spain near Gibraltar. I was never mugged or beaten up. I've been told by people "You look like you can handle yourself". Some of work collegues which were skinner, more fresh faced got robbed, beaten and in one case had what they believe to be a gun pulled on them. I never had any problems. I don't look like an easy target due to my appearence and size, those guys unfortunately do due to their size and appearence.

_ph_ 6y ago

It is not the fear of being robbed, but more a general feeling of personal safety, e.g. hearing cars, bicycles or any people around you, is why I don't like to wear any kind of headphones while walking around. I feel deprived of an important sense. This of course would be worse with any kind of noise-cancellation. Only when sitting town in a train I feel reasonably comfortable, but also a bit nerveous about missing an important announcement.

deleted 6y ago

[deleted]

avian 6y ago

I remember people used to say the same thing in early days of Apple mobile devices that shipped with (then) unusual white in-ear headphones. White headphones -> high probability of an expensive gadget in a pocket.

oblio 6y ago

> I never really understood the combination of noise cancellation and home use only. Open plan office spaces and public transport, including airplanes ;-) Outside, that's a different story.

SigmundA 6y ago

> I never really understood the combination of noise cancellation and home use only. WFH kids, dogs etc. AirPods pro help a lot with that situation for me.

FroshKiller 6y ago
Exactly. My desk is next to my dryer, which is currently running, and my furnace is in a closet behind me. ANC helps block those noises, which would be inescapable otherwise unless I wanted to play my music way too loud.
thom 6y ago
Yeah, same with three kids here (although it does mean people on video calls hear them, or in one case a fire alarm, before I do). I have to admit I will sometimes wear them either way though, I feel it helps me focus.

dijit 6y ago

Really? I live in Malmo, Sweden (affectionately called "Crime City" by the locals) and I don't get the impression I'd be robbed. Mostly because criminals know that the resale of apple goods is entirely on the parts, which is not worth much.

Hamuko 6y ago
>Mostly because criminals know that the resale of apple goods is entirely on the parts, which is not worth much. Isn't that mostly due to activation lock? Is there any kind of similar mechanism for the AirPods Max?
bdavis__ 6y ago
hmm. my reading suggests you need to go a little south to Ystad for crime.

jsinai 6y ago

> I never really understood the combination of noise cancellation and home use only. I think noise cancellation really shines when out and about in public, like the subway. But I can't imagine anyone using those things on the go, at least not where I live. FYI here are some examples of why I swear by my noise cancellation headphones while working from home during a pandemic in a densely populated city: - Washing machine and dishwasher running cycles during the day - The fridge vibrating at higher frequencies (don't know much about fridge mechanics but this soemthing fridges to do maintain a certain temperature) - Other people in the household talking, cooking, making coffee, fetching cutlery and plates etc. - The high decible hum of delivery scooters/mopeds usually accelerating much faster than they should in what is supposed to be a quiet road - Road noise from delivery vehicles which are heavier than your typical car (ps admittedly the last two points are only a problem when I have the windows open but occassionaly someone revs an engine which can be heard through the windows) - During summer months with the windows open, passers' by can be heard from my desk. I live on just off a "quiet road" in my city, my desk is on the first floor and is on the other side of the room from the road. Yet people's conversations are loud enough to make a noise. Individually there is little wrong with these sounds (except maybe mopeds which I wish were quieter) but collectively they cause noises during working hours for which I am grateful to have noise cancelling headphones at home. PS I guess Apple are also targeting people who will take these to the office eventually.

ahelwer 6y ago
Don't forget the city soundscape's public enemy number one: leafblowers.
wpietri 6y ago
I'm totally with you on needing quiet when working from home. My much more economical solution is a pair of industrial earmuffs with earbuds inside if I want sound. In particular mine are the 3M Peltor X5A: https://www.3m.com/3M/en_US/company-us/all-3m-products/~/3M-PELTOR-X5-Earmuffs-X5A-37274-AAD-Over-the-Head-10-EA-Case/?N=5002385+3294326317&preselect=8713720+8720546+8720749&rt=rud https://www.3m.com/3M/en_US/company-us/all-3m-products/~/3M-... I've had mine 7 years and swear by them.

whiddershins 6y ago

Hmmm, sounds like Stockholm is way more dangerous than NYC? Or is just your neighborhood really dangerous.

amelius 6y ago

> I never really understood the combination of noise cancellation and home use only. Sadly, you can't (realistically) wear them in bed while you sleep.

swaits 6y ago
Bose makes a product specifically for sleeping. I don’t have any experience with them myself. https://www.bose.com/en_us/products/wellness/noise_masking_sleepbuds/noise-masking-sleepbuds-ii.html#v=noise_masking_sleepbuds_ii_white https://www.bose.com/en_us/products/wellness/noise_masking_s...
- s1mon 6y ago
  Keep in mind the Bose Sleepbuds aren’t for music, just sleep sounds. My girlfriend got some, but they gave her headaches. “Unlike headphones, Sleepbuds™ don't stream music or podcasts. They play content only from the Bose Sleep app.”
pwinnski 6y ago
Not these new ones, no. I have worn AirPods Pro while falling asleep, both for music and for noise canceling, and in my ears, they're comfortable. The original AirPods weren't, but the Pro are, at least for me.
vanilla_nut 6y ago
I've actually used AirPods Pro (and my girlfriend used her Bose QC35 IIs) to fall asleep in a hotel room with a very thin wall and a loud conversation in the next room over. If you toss and turn or insist on sleeping on your side, they might not work, but if you just sleep on your back or front there shouldn't be much of an issue.

mensetmanusman 6y ago

Maybe not so off-topic if you think about it. If you recall, the early iPhones were stolen the lot until Apple tied the devices to the Apple ID. This allowed you to lock the device and make it a worthless piece of hardware when the owner wanted it to be. In principle, with all the electronics on the AirPods, one could imagine a situation where they are locked to an Apple ID and if they are stolen they could be locked down. This would dramatically lower the resale value and prevent future thefts if Apple were to implement this.

jillesvangurp 6y ago

I usually refer to my headphones as neighbor cancelling headphones. I live in an apartment and while my neighbors are nice people, inevitably you get some noise from televisions, people moving around, etc. Noise cancellation gets rid of most of that. Also, I like being able to walk around in my place without having to worry about wires.

benfrain 6y ago

I'm central UK and had the exact same thought when I saw these announced — it would be a brave soul who wears these where I grew up!

Eric_WVGG 6y ago

I was ambivalent about noise-cancellation until two things happened at home this year… - With the assistance of a friend, I rebuilt my kitchen. He swore by his AirPod Pros, I dealt with hours of tablesaws and sanding with foam in my ears. - Then my building owners jackhammered apart the rooftop overhead in an asbestos removal project. Now I’m thanking my AirPod Pro every time my neighbor’s baby wakes up at night.

GGfpc 6y ago
I don't think noise cancelling headphones protect you from hearing damage though so you made the right choice

prionassembly 6y ago

There’s a personality type that enjoys complaining that their city is just the worst and they would leave if they weren’t just so accommodated etc. I’m not saying that’s you; I don’t think it is. But when it happens in Sweden, do they call it “Stockholm syndrome”?

iRomain 6y ago
Ahah good effort!

ianwalter 6y ago

> I never really understood the combination of noise cancellation and home use only. Some of us have kids banging around the house all day.

odiroot 6y ago

Try living in a commie block in some Central European city. The walls are incredibly thin.

eCa 6y ago

> I never really understood the combination of noise cancellation and home use only. I never wear headphones when walking/biking etc, but I’ve worn mine pretty much non-srop at home for the past year. The computer fan, neighborhood noices, fridge, all is quieter and the music is better. I focus better. Where they really have shown themselves to be indispensible though is on my 2h30 roundtrip daily commute by train[1], complete bliss. [1] On hold since March..