Hey {{first_name|there}}!

Welcome to October! Here’s what I have for you today:

Plus, I have a new word scramble and the latest Apple news!

I loved the OG AirPods.

I used them until the batteries were worn out and, at that point, I upgraded to the AirPods Pro (first generation). They never quite lived up to my expectations, so I wasn't overly excited when Apple announced the new AirPods Pro 3s.

But, after some (over)thinking, I decided to pick up a set to try out.

Coming from the first-gen Pros, these look like a significant upgrade, at least on paper.

Here's some of what's new:

So how are they? I was prepared to be disappointed, but they're actually pretty great.

Sound

I can't tell you if they'll sound good to you. Everyone's ears are different; as is our ability to hear various frequencies, particularly as we age, and our own personal listening tastes also come into play.

They sound really good to me.

The bass is punchy but not overwhelming, the highs are pleasant, and the vocals are clear and strong. I don't use an EQ, and I typically listen to alt rock, metal, EDM, older hip-hop, and podcasts. Everything sounds great.

Fit

Just like sound, fit is a very personal thing. With my AirPods Pro, I had to use Comply memory foam tips because I couldn't get a good fit with Apple's tips. On top of that, I found Apple's tips were itchy after about 20 minutes and just not comfortable.

Apple scanned over 10,000 ears and did more than 100,000 hours of user research when developing the new in-ear design on AirPods Pro 3.

It's paid off.

The new foam-infused tips on the Pro 3s have been wonderful. The fit is very good and, more importantly, they're comfortable for how I use my AirPods.

Active Noise Cancellation/Transparency Mode

Apple claims the new AirPods Pro have the "world's best in-ear Active Noise Cancellation."

Last Sunday, I tested them out with my mobile noise cancellation test device, my riding mower, and noise cancellation was noticeably improved over my first-gen Pros. I was able to listen to podcasts at 50% volume and hear the discussion without any problems, and with less noise from the mower.

With my old Pros, volume was usually at 75% and with more outside noise. A nice and welcome improvement.

Apple says it has also made improvements to Transparency mode. It sounds more natural and improved over my first-gen AirPods Pro.

Heart Rate Sensor

I track all of my workouts with my Apple Watch, so the new heart rate sensors aren't that important to me. But I love that they've added them, and they'll be great for people who want to track their heart rate during workouts but don't have an Apple Watch.

If you have an Apple Watch, you can use its heart rate sensors and the heart rate sensors in the AirPods in tandem during a workout. Apple says the device with the most accurate data over the last five minutes will be used as the source.

Here's a screenshot of my heart rate data during a test workout. The entries with the Bluetooth icon are the AirPods Pro 3. In my testing, measurements from the Watch and the AirPods are almost always identical, and I haven't seen a variation of more than 1-2 bpm.

Battery Life

I don’t use my AirPods for extended periods of time; my typical listening session is no more than 90 minutes long. That’s well under Apple’s estimated 8 hours so I can’t really say how they measure up against the claims.

Should You Upgrade?

If you're looking to pick up your first set of AirPods, start with the new Pros. If you don't like the feel of in-ear buds, you can try AirPods 4.

If you have the first-gen AirPods Pro or older AirPods, I recommend upgrading. I like them that much.

If you have AirPods Pro 2, it's a tougher call. If you decide to try them, pick them up from Apple (or another retailer with a no-hassle return policy). If you don't think they're worth it, return them.

Buying tip: I checked last night, and Apple still shows a 2-3 week shipping window. I picked mine up from Amazon and had them in two days (and saved $10 with an early discount), and as of last night, two-day delivery is still available with Prime.

Have questions? Let me know and I’ll do my best to answer them.

I love football season, but I just don’t have time to watch the games now like I used to.

The new Apple Sports widgets are a great way to keep tabs on the action. There are four options to choose from, with two sizes each for My Teams and Leagues.

When there are no games scheduled, you can see the upcoming schedules for the days ahead. How much you’ll see, though, will depend on the leagues/teams and how busy the schedule might be. Here’s what it had for Monday’s NFL games, for example.

Paired with Live Activities for tracking in-game action, Apple Sports has become a really great app for sports fans.

The app is free and you can grab it on the App Store.

Episode 71

Jeff and I welcome back Chris Freitag and Gannon Nordberg to share their experiences of using the iPhone Air:

Listen in for the unfiltered take: what works, what doesn’t, and whether the iPhone Air should be your next upgrade.

Listen to and follow the show in Apple Podcasts, Spotify, all the other podcast apps, as well as on YouTube and YouTube Music.

Here’s a quick rundown of noteworthy things that I’ve hand-selected just for you:

Universal Control allows users to control multiple Macs and iPads with a single keyboard and mouse or trackpad. It provides a seamless workflow by enabling easy drag-and-drop of files between devices.