The Wireless Tax

Is the price right?

OnePlus makes two sets of earbuds - the Bullets V2 and the Bullets Wireless. Both are among the best earbuds I've used in their price range, and I'd wholeheartedly recommend them to anyone looking for a cheap pair of well-designed, gets-the-job-done, decent quality earbuds. This post isn't about them. It's about the realization I've come to over the last few months, that the "wireless tax" - the price differential between the wired and wireless version of an otherwise identical product - companies are charging is still too high.

Let's start off by talking about that tax: Apple charges $160 for their AirPods, which are wireless versions of their $30 EarPods, so their wireless tax is $130. OnePlus' Bullets Wireless are $70, and the Bullets V2 are $20, so OnePlus' wireless tax is $50. Now, it's true that AirPods are different from the Bullets Wireless in that they're truly cable free, and it's also true that both wireless products have a few more features than their wired counterparts, but let's focus on the fact that these companies could have added all of the wireless features into the wired products.

Left-to-right: Bullets Wireless ($70), Bullets V2 ($20), AirPods ($160), and EarPods ($30)

One of the best intangibles that AirPods have is a sensor that detects when the earbud is in your ear. If you take an AirPod out, the music pauses, and it resumes instantly once you put the AirPod back in. On the Bullets Wireless, that's done via snapping the magnetic backs of the two buds together and pulling them apart again (assuming, of course, that you have an iPhone or a OnePlus phone, respectively). But why do these features need to be only available on the wireless versions of these products? Certainly, magnets are possible to fit into wired earbuds. Sensors couldn't be that hard to fit into an EarPod, given that both AirPods and EarPods share the exact same in-ear design.

The same goes, so I'd assume, for the waterproofing and splash (or rain) resistance for both wireless products. Ignoring the waterproofing of the 3.5mm jack, why should the wired versions of a product be any worse for the wear if I was walking home or running in the rain? It's possible that the wired versions are already waterproof, and that OnePlus simply chooses to not advertise their products as such, but in that case that's one less feature to differentiate between wired and wireless earbuds.

And of course, the primary purpose of earbuds is to play music. OnePlus says they incorporated an "Energy Tube" into the earbud to minimize distortion, and from my personal experience, I will say that I've heard layers in music using the Bullets Wireless that I've never heard before. Most AirPod reviews mention that they sound marginally better than EarPods. But again, what's so special about wireless earbuds that OnePlus couldn't have incorporated an "Energy Tube", or that Apple couldn't have made EarPods sound better?

I don't believe that wireless earbuds add any value other than the fact that they're wireless. They're less likely to get in the way, you don't always need to bring your phone with you, the lack of cables means they're more likely to stay in your ear, etc. But there are also drawbacks, like less reliability than a wired connection, the hassle of charging one more device, and not being able to use them in while traveling until you're 10,000 feet in the air (at least, you're not supposed to use them).

On its own, how much do you think you'd pay for that? As a runner, that cable-free convenience is worth a lot. And while I might have complained at the $160 price point of the AirPods, they were sold out for quite a while (though that was likely due to artificially restricted supply). While I may be complaining about the wireless tax, I daily the Bullets Wireless. Greater industry trends are heading toward a world without the 3.5mm port. And while I'm no audiophile, I've never been happier using a pair of headphones/earbuds before. So the $50 premium is fine by me. $130? Probably not as much, but that won't stop others.

There's still something that nags me in the back of my mind, and I think it's the $70/$160 price tag. People are clumsy, and shit happens. I was walking down the street one day fiddling with my Bullets V2, when they fell out of my ear (my arm got caught on the cable) and they fell to the ground just as/where I put my right foot. Crunch. They're gone. Within a week, I had found the time to pick up another set of Bullets (again, for $20), and due to some shipping problems and excellent customer support from OnePlus, I actually ended up with another two pairs of earbuds for $20. People lose things - and the price of a mistake shouldn't be $70 or more. Blame the wireless tax.

Update [07/22/2019]: It’s worth mentioning that the true Apple analog to the Bullets Wireless would be the BeatsX Earphones.

OnePlus Travel Backpack

Why does a phone company make such a good backpack?

It's so no secret that I like OnePlus' products. They're well-designed and value-priced. More than other companies (at least, at the moment), the product design decisions seem to keep the end-user in mind (e.g. keeping the headphone jack). But I think that the Travel Backpack is the best product that the company has produced. For $69, there's just nothing else that combines form and function as well.

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Image from the OnePlus product page.

Form

It's beautiful. I've never received compliments before about a backpack, but one look is all it takes to fall in love here. I was at Trader Joe's the other day, packing in my groceries, and the clerk asked me about it. At the airport, at the university - just about anywhere that I've gone, I've had someone ask about it.

I think the main draw is the color palette. OnePlus calls it "muted," and I'd have to agree. It doesn't have as saturated of a blue or orange as in the image, so the color pops without being too aggressive or in-your-face. On the inside, the lining is all grey, continuing the muted, reserved feel. The backpack has an overall boxy shape to it, but the corners are rounded. It reminds me of a "squircle".

What separates this backpack from the rest is just how unique it is. Not many people have heard of OnePlus, and even those who have rarely know about the backpacks. I haven't seen any backpacks so far that look like the Travel Backpack, and the uniqueness factor is a huge plus.

Function

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Image from the OnePlus product page.

The Travel Backpack is absolutely loaded with pockets, and this is why the backpack shines. Few companies can make a useful-looking backpack. Fewer can make them look good.

Let's work our way from the rear (the part next to your back) to the front (what everyone else will see). The shoulder straps aren't anything special - they're padded and comfortable, just as you'd expect. But the attention to detail shines through on the straps used to adjust height - the company includes a simple piece of black plastic that keeps the two parts together and prevents them from flapping around while you walk. I haven't seen other backpacks that do this (though to be fair, I haven't paid attention), and it's something that every backpack should have. It costs maybe ten cents and improves the experience by a mile. There's also a luggage strap on the back to attach the backpack to your suitcase handle. I've never used it, however.

Next up comes the laptop compartment. I've never used a backpack that has side access to laptop storage, and it's great (which is why so many enterprise/tech backpacks do it). Accessing your laptop takes no more than five seconds, which is especially handy in class or at the airport. Most newer 15" laptops fit fine, but older, bulkier ones (especially gaming laptops) probably won't, and will probably end up going into the main compartment. I feel reasonably safe putting my laptop there - the padding on both sides seems sufficient, and OnePlus uses a foam on the bottom to protect from drops. Still, I wouldn't recommend slamming your backpack down.

On both sides of the backpack are the side pockets, which have their special darker orange color. They're not too big, but they're certainly nice to have. I usually carry my umbrella on one side and a plastic water bottle on the other. There's no nylon or elastic material used for these, so bigger items probably won't fit. OnePlus could improve this in the second iteration, if there ever is one. I'd like to see more flexible pockets (that don't wear out or expand over time).

The hidden storage pocket is probably my favorite feature of the Travel Backpack. If you look at the side view, you'll notice a black zipper toward the "front" of the backpack, directly above the white zipper in the photo. It's discrete and subtle, and spacious inside - certainly enough to fit a wallet, a phone, some gum, and a few other smaller things. When it is stuffed, it just looks like the top zipper pouch inside the main compartment is full. It's a great place to stash stuff at the beach.

That brings us to the two major compartments. The main compartment is on the cozier side of things, with about 20 liters of capacity. Still, it has a plethora of pockets that makes organizing what you put inside a breeze. The tablet pocket on the other side of the laptop compartment fit my iPad Pro and Surface Pro well, and allowed quick access to whatever I stored in there (as long as the backpack wasn't full). It's wide enough to fit a basic paper folder, and it's best to store loose papers there. On the other side on the main compartment, there's a large zipper pouch where I throw my various chargers and cables into, and underneath that there are two larger pockets without zippers (I use them for holding sunglasses and headphones, though they aren't deep enough for the sunglasses), and in the middle there's a slot for a pen. Finally, the front compartment is the blue section of the backpack, and it has two very similar pockets in addition to a smaller storage space.

One extra: OnePlus includes a small clothes bag with the Travel Backpack. It's small, light, and an easy way to add two pockets or store clothes for the gym after work.

Time for the gripes. For such excellent pockets, you'd expect the zippers to be wonderful. While they look good (a double knot of grey nylon), they frequently get caught in the corners on the main compartment, slowing you down when you need to get something out. I've gotten used to it over time - learning how to coax the zipper in the right direction, but this demands improvement more than anything else.

The Travel Backpack also isn't weatherproof. It's reasonably rain resistant, and I've never had problems, but I'm not extremely confident in how this would protect the inside contents during a rainstorm. If you need something to weather the elements, it's probably best to look elsewhere. Honestly, though, if you bring an umbrella with you, you'll be fine. The laptop sleeve is always closest to your body anyways, so the important stuff usually stays dry.

Finally, the size of the Travel Backpack is a strange pro and con for me. On the upside, it's large enough for 96% of tasks that I throw at it, and the dimensions are just right such that fits underneath the seat in front of me when I fly Southwest (again, attention to detail). Still, a slightly larger backpack would have so much more room to store and stash items inside. Perhaps OnePlus might offer a 30L version to address those of us who need slightly more space for binders and notebooks.

The Competition

I'm no backpack connoisseur, so it's not like I spent much time looking around at all the options. Most of the backpacks I looked at were those that I found on campus or those that tech YouTubers mentioned (namely, MrMobile and Dave2D).

The most direct competition will probably come from Herschel's Pop Quiz ($75). It's also able to fit a 15" laptop, looks pretty good in the right color combinations, and Herschel will likely be an easier company to deal with should things go south (specifically, their return policy is longer, shipping is free, and they have lifetime warranties). Still, I prefer the Travel Backpack's flatter top, both for functional and aesthetic reasons (namely, it lets me avoid putting my things in at awkward angles). The PopQuiz also has no side pockets, which made it a no-go for me. Plus, backpacks aren't tech products, so I'm not worried about any QC issues.

Other competition might be found from North Face, or a number of other brands. For me, my daily use case wasn't going to align well with what those other products had been designed to do. 

Final Thoughts

Don't get this if you need a lot of space, if you need really good weatherproofing, or if your laptop is bulky.

If you're looking for something with a minimal aesthetic without compromising on functionality, this is probably the best daily backpack out there. Hell, I love it so much that I bought a second one, just in case.

Exploring and Exploiting in Employment

Let's set the scene. I'm from Texas, and for the first time ever, I'm interning for a summer in a brand new location, Chicago. I'm also a foodie, so my goal is to be able to eat as much good food as possible, but I can't do that without first discovering the best places to eat. Of course, once I find the best places to eat, I shouldn't be venturing out to new restaurants, only to have an inferior meal. The challenge is simple, then: how do I know when to explore the area around me for a new restaurant versus exploiting the information I already have?

If we were able to quantify the utility from previous choices, and the expected utility from future choices, and how much a good meal tomorrow is worth in terms of a good meal today, then this would be fairly straightforward, using a variety of explore/exploit frameworks that the field of computer science has developed. We might look into the Gittins Index, which is well suited to just this type of quantitative analysis. But our tastes change, it's hard to quantify just how good a restaurant is, and doing so would be quite a bit of work, so we need a more "gut-feel" solution.

Jeff Bezos, when he started Amazon, said that all he thought about was how much he'd regret not doing it. He termed it a "regret minimization framework," and it's a perfectly valid way that we as humans can solve the explore/exploit problem. Let's simply do whatever we would most regret not doing. We could spin this into a similar (though not quite identical) formulation: do whatever you think will end up turning out the best, a framework which others called the Upper Confidence Bound.

The interesting thing, though, is that there's so much more that you can think of as an explore/exploit problem than just restaurants. I've approached the search for a full-time position much in the same way. With a career, there are certain factors that feed into job satisfaction: location, coworkers, salary and benefits, work/life balance, promotional opportunities, the work itself, etc. An internship is a great way to learn as much as possible about how those factors look, and how much you might personally weigh those factors.

But that's just for one particular job. If the goal is to not just get a job, but to get the right job, you need to explore.

I'm still in college, with another three years to go. That's a fair bit of time. Nevertheless, with my current internship and the two that come afterwards, I have three questions I need to answer:

1. Which industry do I want to work in?

2. Where do I want to be?

3. How much I do weigh one factor over another?

I'm currently enjoying a really amazing internship at Akuna Capital. The salary is amazing, Chicago is great, the work is stimulating… there's nothing that I could complain about, other than the impact that my work has. And if I were to pick one job to do for the rest of my life, I'd probably pick trading at Akuna. It's unlikely that I could find anything that really beats out working with Australians.

But I still want to explore some more. I don't yet know how I feel about data science or consulting - while some of the niceties might not be as ideal, it's unlikely that I find those jobs to be worse across-the-board. Even if I end up deciding to stick with trading, I'll only have had more confidence in my decision.

P.S. I was first exposed to the explore/exploit framework in a book, Algorithms to Live By. The book is one of my all-time favorites, one of the few that I recommend without reservation. It's by Brian Christian and Tom Griffiths.