I upgraded to a Google Pixel 9a a few months ago since I was looking for something that still received security updates. Sadly, it meant I had to say goodbye to my OnePlus 8 Pro, my favorite phone I’ve ever owned. My OnePlus 8 Pro was a great phone, but one thing it was lacking was a dedicated headphone jack. That’s something that many modern phones have gotten rid of over the years, and my Pixel 9a is no different.
That’s not a huge deal, as I have a pair of Google Pixel Buds Pro 2 to pair with it. However, I’ve been getting into hiking, and I’m scared of losing an earbud in the woods. My fix for that is a cheap pair of earbuds, as it’s much easier to stomach the loss of a $10 set of headphones instead of something that costs more than 10 times that. The only problem is that I can’t connect headphones to my phone without buying an adapter. Luckily, I found a $15 USB-C to 3.5mm headphone jack adapter from Amazon that solves this problem without adding any extra bulk. It’s the Linsoul Kiwi Ears AD1, and if you’re looking for a cost-effective way to connect your earbuds to your phone’s USB-C slot, this is a good pick. There are also many similar options, so don’t feel tied to this specific one if you don’t like the look of it.
You might think that dongles add a lot of unnecessary bulk and get in the way, but that’s not the case. The dongle attaches to your earbuds, and you don’t have to ever detach them. Yes, it adds an inch or two to the cable, but you can ball it all up all the same and put it into your bag or pocket. When I’m sitting on the couch playing something on my phone or Android handheld with these on, I don’t even notice the dongle.
It’s annoying that we have to go out and get things like this to use devices we used to be able to use with ease. It’s a problem with phones, and it’s a problem with laptops as well, as they keep getting rid of ports there, too. With that said, I’m glad there are options available and that they are cheap. A dongle like this also has some additional benefits. I’m a big fan of the Bluetooth format, and I use it nearly every day, but I can’t ignore that latency problems show up every now and then. With a wired connection, that’s something you don’t have to worry about. I notice it a lot when I’m playing games and listening to the audio. There are just a few milliseconds of delay, but it’s there. I initially bought this dongle to use with my Anbernic RG Rotate, but I ended up using it more often with my Pixel 9a. On my phone, I mostly listen to things instead of watching them, and when you’re listening to music or a podcast, that kind of delay doesn’t matter at all.
The only real downside I have with the dongle comes from wires in general. It’s a lot easier to open up the case for my Pixel Buds and just pop them into my ear. The earbuds automatically connect, and there’s nothing I need to do from there since my phone remembers they’re paired. With a set of wired headphones, I have to figure out where to place my phone at all times, and that was a big problem when I went on a hike.
On my backpacking bag, the REI Flash 55, I have a pouch on the backpack strap for my phone, and using wired headphones made that a hassle. I had to place my phone in it upside down just so I could have the wire come out smoothly, and each time I took off my bag, I had to take out my earbuds and then my phone to make sure nothing went flying away. Of course, the one time I ignored this step, I ended up losing one of the rubber membranes on the earbud. Thankfully, it was a super cheap pair, but it was still annoying. This wouldn’t happen with Bluetooth earbuds, so I can’t lie and say there aren’t benefits to going completely wireless.
Where I find that wired earbuds work the best is at home when I’m not doing a lot of moving around. Plugging them into my phone, tablet, or handheld game console is simple and easy to enjoy. I don’t have to worry about anything yanking them out of my ear, and the adapter doesn’t feel like it’s adding anything out of the ordinary into the mix.
From the original Pixel to the latest flagships — how well do you really know Google’s smartphone lineup?
In what year did Google release the very first Pixel smartphone?
Which Google Pixel series was the first to introduce a dual rear camera system?
What is the name of Google’s in-house chip that debuted in the Pixel 6 series?
Which Pixel phone was the first to ship with Android 12 and its ‘Material You’ design language out of the box?
Which Pixel model introduced the now-iconic horizontal camera bar stretching across the back of the phone?
Which company manufactured the hardware for the original Google Pixel and Pixel XL in 2016?
What computational photography feature, first introduced on the Pixel 3, lets users capture moments that happened before they pressed the shutter button?
The Pixel 9 Pro Fold, released in 2024, competes directly in which smartphone category?
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I’ve been trying to make more deliberate choices about what I do lately. This includes a return to discs, less streaming, more physical books, and more planning on what I want to do. I don’t want to spend hours scrolling on Netflix looking for something, as I’ve learned I can get a lot more done by knowing what I want to do ahead of time. I wanted to get more into the zone by using wired earbuds, but I don’t think I’m ready to take that step.
Don’t get me wrong, it’s cool to have wired earbuds like that, but it feels like I’m just making it harder on myself for the sake of making it harder. I’d much rather pop a physical cartridge into my Switch 2 and play a game through wireless earbuds or the console’s speakers instead of using a set of wired headphones. I know I said it’s not uncomfortable to do this on my couch, but it’s more comfortable to use nothing at all or something wireless. It’s hard to go back to something like wired earbuds when I’ve been used to being wireless for so long.
I’m not saying that you can’t do it, and there is something magical about using a cable instead of being totally wireless, but it’s not going to be something I reach for very often. As it turns out, even I have my limits. In an effort to capture some nostalgia, I tried to get into VHS tapes, but I found that to be too much of a hassle. I don’t like to get rid of newer technology for the sake of getting rid of it, so there are some advancements that I’m happy with. I’m fine with using 4K Blu-rays and modern TVs, and I’ve also learned that I’m fine with using Bluetooth headphones over wired ones. What’s nice is that I can do things how I want, and now that I have this dongle, I can use wired earbuds whenever I want. Maybe I’ll be in the mood for it someday, so I’ll keep them handy. I do need to buy a new set of wired earbuds, though.
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