But to Bono’s point about Apple being a band, Steve Jobs has created so
mething bigger than just another grift to get our dollars, he’s created a culture in
REPLY to the state of the music business that you want to be a part of. A
culture that instead of treating you like an idiot with a wallet seems to
basically say, "We get it, there are those of you that are operating steps ahead of
the so-called music business. We see the proof of your demand and we’ll supply
it, and more than that, we’ll innovate to drive it, because we’re in the same
club."

On the street, especially in midtown, the last thing I want anyone to think
is that my headphones lead to a portable CD player and that I’m still about the
CD in any way shape or form — the CD that dinosaurs my age are sitting in
major label conference rooms thirty floors OFF the street trying to convince
each other is still relevant.

To me the white cords feel like flying the pirate flag — and even if they
kind of suck sound-wise, you’re almost willing to take the hit to differentiate
yourself from dinosaur culture. There’s a bit of a, "Screw the man!"
statement there.

There are other white cords, I know. I bought some white Sony EX71 earbuds,
but they have this weird cord management system; one goes around the back of
your head, one goes this way, that way, whatever…total hassle and turns out
the sound is only marginally better than the stock iPod ear buds.

I have a pair of Shure e2c’s I use on planes, and at home I listen to AKG
K-240′s if I use phones at all. I usually play my iPods through an amp and four
Mission m-5′s in the living room. But when I’m on the street I always come
back to those iPod earbuds…especially if I’m going to be walking around the
Midtown stomping grounds of major labels.