This twisty neck strap for your AirPods costs $60
Nordstrom is selling an accessory that attaches to your Apple AirPods. (Courtesy of Nordstrom)
NEW YORK - Without a hint of irony, Nordstrom is selling an accessory that turns Apple AirPods earphones—which have no wires, straps, tethers, or any other stringy things liable to get caught on something and yank the buds out of your ears—into expensive dongles that can hang around your neck.
Oh, and the price for this tech accessory, which is basically a neck strap, is $60. For earphones that cost $159.
"Avoid losing your wireless AirPods by attaching them to this magnetic-locking leather strap and wearing around the neck when not in use," reads the description on Nordstrom.com.
The strap, from the brand Tapper, is made with braided leather and brass and comes in either black or white. And just so we're clear, it doesn't come with the earbuds: "AirPods not included," the description reads.
By the way, Tapper has no shame in pointing out that its product is kind of retro. It promoted the strap in a tweet with the words "Full Circle":
Yes, people do lose their AirPods—sometimes just one. In fact, Apple will replace a single lost bud for a fee ($69 for a base-model AirPod and $89 for an AirPod Pro). So maybe if you're prone to misplacing your headphones this strap will help.
But one reason AirPods are so popular is that users appreciate the minimal design. They stay in your ear precisely because they're not likely to get jostled free.
Anyway, the backlash against the Tapper strap was predictable.
"Got some new airpods but I hated the wireless feature," one reviewer (clearly it's a sarcastic troll) on Nordstrom.com wrote. "Fortunately, I was able to spend $60 and pick this handy fake wire up to help me feel like I still live in 2002!"
The user name of the so-called reviewer?
"OkBoomer."