earphones

Turn your headphones into earmuffs

Hacking your own touch-screen gloves will certainly keep your hands warm this winter, but what about your ears? Well, Instructables user Grissini shares a clever trick to mod your existing earphones into a cozy set of earmuffs. He calls them Muff-Fones.

Here's what you'll need:… Read more

Multi-deal Monday: Router, earbuds, multifunction printer, and more!

I'm usually pretty good at making decisions. Chocolate or vanilla? Easy: chocolate. Red wine or white? Easy: red. Coach or first class? Hey, this is the Cheapskate you're talking to, remember?

Today, however, I simply couldn't make up my mind. So many good deals, so little time. In no particular order:

1. Mwave has the Zonet ZNS8030 for $25.99 shipped. This little gizmo lets you attach a USB hard drive to your router, effectively turning it into network-attached storage. It's kind of like the Pogoplug, only smaller and cheaper.

2. Speaking of Pogoplug, last week … Read more

B&W C5s review: Great sound for $180

First it was iPod docks. Then it was computer speakers and over-the-ear headphones. Now, Bowers & Wilkins, a brand once known for expensive high-end speakers, expands its product offering into the mainstream with the $179.95 C5 in-ear headphones.

Along with touting the C5s' "pristine, natural audio," B&W is highlighting its signature Secure Loop, "an ingenious innovation where a cushioned loop fixes quickly and comfortably in the inner ridge of the user's ear." The company adds that the Loop is "infinitely adjustable, so it works perfectly with anyone's ears."

That … Read more

Get a pair of Klipsch Image S2 earphones for $17.99

Your ears have always been good to you, right? So why are you jamming those cheap, uncomfortable, tinny-sounding plastic earbuds into them? You know, the ones that came bundled with your phone or MP3 player, and that consist of about 16 cents' worth of materials.

When it comes to comfort, sound quality, and outside-noise dampening, you can't beat a good pair of in-ear earphones. Like this pair: Newegg has the Klipsch Image S2 In-Ear Headphones for $17.99 shipped. (Earphones, headphones; tomato, tomahto.)

Update: Sold out, I'm afraid. (Keep checking, though, to see if Newegg makes more stock … Read more

Marc Ecko earbuds replace cords with zippers

Don't you just hate it when your earphones get tangled up? Apparel brand Marc Ecko has a interesting take on the problem with its new "Zip" earphones, which replace the traditional wired cord with a zipper.

Apart from hopefully getting rid of tangle issues, the earbuds also feature a built-in microphone and volume control for use with iOS and Android devices.

These zippy earphones will be available in red, gold, blue, white, pink, and purple. People looking to purchase them will have to fork out a mere $29.99, so we're not expecting much in terms of sound quality from them.

Alternately, you could get Marc Ecko's other new earbuds: Zone ($13), Chaos II ($15), Stomp ($20), Lace ($25), or Chain ($40). Each model features its own unique design. For example, the lace comes with a shoelace-inspired cord. All styles will be available worldwide through authorized retailers.

(Source: Crave Asia via Engadget) … Read more

iHome and New Balance ship fitness headphones

iHome and New Balance have teamed up for a new set of "fitness evolved" earphones that come equipped with a detachable in-line unit that features a built-in chronograph, pedometer, and heart rate monitor. Here's the quick details for the NB639, which is available now for $99.

Chronograph workout timer Pedometer (tracks total number of steps and distance traveled) Heart rate monitor (measures heart rate beats per minute and calories burned) Real-time voice-over feedback (heart rate, caloric burn, steps taken, and distance stats, without pausing your music) Includes HeartPal graphing software to chart and parse your exercise data … Read more

Earphones to save kids' hearing shown at IFA (Podcast)

Etymotic Research was at the giant IFA consumer electronics trade show in Berlin to debut its new earphones designed to protect children's hearing.

The product, ETY*Kids Safe-Listening Earphones, consists of noise canceling in-ear earphones (or "earbuds") that allow parents to insure that the volume of sound that reaches their child's ears doesn't exceed safe levels. The earphones will be available in October, starting at $49.

In a podcast interview (scroll down to listen) recorded at the Showstoppers press event at IFA, Karnes said that, by proportion of population, there are now more hearing impaired … Read more

Monster debuts new Lady Gaga earphones

Beats by Dr. Dre and Monster have rolled out a new set of Heartbeats earphones designed Lady Gaga that the company says were "inspired by leather and studs."

There's a tremendous amount of marketing garbage in the press release with all kinds of celebrity name-dropping, but suffice it to say, Monster is touting the Heartbeats' unique styling and "unprecedented level of audio performance."

All kidding aside, these Hearbeats do have a much more appealing design than the previous model, which featured a triangular, earring-like outer cover that people either loved or hated (I strongly suggest … Read more

B&W intros loopy C5 in-ear headphones

First it was iPod docks. Then computer speakers and over-the-ear headphones. Now Bowers & Wilkins, a brand once known for expensive high-end speakers, is further expanding into the mainstream with a set of $179.95 C5 in-ear headphones.

Along with touting the C5's "pristine, natural audio," B&W is highlighting the earphones' signature design trait, the Secure Loop, "an ingenious innovation where a cushioned loop fixes quickly and comfortably in the inner ridge of the user's ear." The company adds that the Loop is "infinitely adjustable, so it works perfectly with anyone's ears.

The C5 comes with a Made For iPhone-compatible cable, which allows you to make calls, and a quilted pouch. For more specs, you can go to the C5's product detail page.

The C5 earphones will be available in August for $179.95 (U.S. & Canada). We'll let you know what we think of them as soon as we get our hands on a set. We're particularly interested in trying out that Secure Loop. … Read more