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Super compact wireless stereo headphones from Sony Ericsson

As an increasing number of mobile phones incorporate a music player, more and more stereo Bluetooth headphones are unleashed onto the market. The audio quality offered is still not on par with wired models, but the headsets offer the advantage of cord-free listening. Still, size can be an issue for some: very few models offer an earbud-style design, and even then, there are often larger earpieces attached.

Sony Ericsson addresses this issue with its HBH-IS800 Wireless Stereo Headphones, which are the tiniest wireless earphones we've ever come across. With a suggested retail price of $200, this set is far … Read more

107: The first car built around an iPhone

First car built around an iPhone, Audi's TT grows some bigger ones, Cadillac's V cars are safe for now, and where to find Bluetooth that sounds great.

Listen now: Download today's podcast Show notes

• Rinspeed iChange

• Cadillac CTS-V review & video

• Audi TT RS debuts soon in Geneva

• Alpine PND-K3 goes for a lot less money now

• Best car stereos for digital sources

Swap your old hi-fi for cash

Adam Wexler, who was always into hi-fi equipment, started hanging around high-end audio shops when he was just a kid. By the time he was in college, he was selling a local shop's traded-in components and speakers.

He wasn't just into it for the money; he wound up with a really cool hi-fi on the cheap.

After college, he worked for a couple of stores before landing a sales-and-design position gig with one of New York's top high-end dealers. Now with Stereo Buyers Wexler is ready to take it to the next level. He buys high-quality audio for cash in the tri-state area of New York, New Jersey, and Connecticut, though he will occasionally accept equipment shipped to him.

Please understand: Wexler isn't interested in your Sony receiver, Marantz CD changer, or the Pioneer cassette deck you bought at a yard sale for 10 bucks 20 years ago. No, he's looking good stuff, high-end audio of any vintage, in good working condition. Tube gear, sure, and high-end solid-state amplifiers, turntables, tuners, speakers, etc. E-mail him a list of your gear, and he'll get back to you. … Read more

GoStereo Tune In Tune Out: Headphones and speakers in one

An MP3 player is mostly a personal music device, but it also provides a great way to share music with others or even--in a pinch--satisfy your home stereo needs. To satisfy both the personal- and public-listening experiences, logic dictates you need two separate gadgets: a pair of headphones and a set of speakers. Or you could pick up GoStereo's Tune In Tune Out Headphones, which combine the two into one handy, simple device.

The headphones sound about average and the speaker quality is only so-so, but the superfair price of $50 for a 2-in-1 product makes the whole concept … Read more

iHome's chameleon iPod audio system

iHome is highlighting a few products at this year's CES and one of them, the iH15 LED Color Changing Stereo System, is actually available now for $59.99.

The concept behind this simple and compact iPod audio system is that you can customize its color thanks to an LED behind the iH15's translucent cabinet. It's unclear whether you get the full range of colors pictured in the photo or just four (as the specs imply below). We'll let you know was soon as we get that little detail confirmed.

Here's all the company has to … Read more

Ludacris gets down with Monster (and me) at CES 2009

Excuse me a moment while I brush the stars out of my eyes. I just spent the better part of my lunch hour chilling with a bunch of Monster executives and rapper Ludacris, who creates some of my favorite workout-friendly and anger-releasing tracks. OK, so maybe I only spent 5 minutes one-on-one with the guy, but it was enough to ascertain that he's not only a talented artist, but also an exceedingly nice and polite guy. He also has no idea what an MP3 player is. Well, now he does. But when I asked him what MP3 player he … Read more

BackBeat boys: Altec Lansing unveils new Bluetooth stereo headphones

Altec Lansing has introduced "its first wearable stereo Bluetooth products," the BackBeat 906 and 903 Stereo Bluetooth headphones. The higher-end model, the 906 ($129.95), comes with a stereo Bluetooth 2.0 adapter for iPhones, iPods, and other MP3 devices, while the BackBeat 903 ($99.95) is just the headphones. Both offer wireless stereo-music listening and a built-in mic for making and receiving calls on your Bluetooth-equipped cell phone. They're due to hit the market in late February.

Altec, which is owned by Plantronics, is counting on the expertise of the two companies to bring together a … Read more

Radius Atomic Bass earphones for iPhone offer improved style and sound

The iPhone is a great multimedia device, but it's not perfect. One of the most glaring oversights for this music phone is the lack of stereo Bluetooth (A2DP) compatibility. As a result, you're limited to clunky adapters or wired headsets if you want to enjoy music and conversation to the fullest.

Now, you can count on another wired option from Radius, the Atomic Bass earphones for iPhone. These headphones will only set you back about 50 bucks, and they retain the built-in mic found on the set included with the phone while offering improved audio and comfort. In … Read more

Cut the cord with $19.99 stereo Bluetooth headset

Grumble, grumble. I was going to post about the Asus Eee PC 900a that Best Buy is selling for $299, but fellow CNET blogger Michael Horowitz beat me to it. (Still waiting to learn what Netbooks have to do with "defensive computing," Michael. Ahem.)

Instead, let's revisit the Jabra BT8010, a stereo Bluetooth headset that TigerDirect has on sale for $19.99. I've covered it before: CNET rated it four stars out of five for its convertible design, OLED display, and music-playback features.

During business hours, the BT8010 functions as a fairly standard headset, albeit one … Read more