canceling

The 404 227: Where we're constantly waiting for MTI

Mark the Intern joins us for a hilarious show; this time around, we tackle stories breaking in mainstream media including the Mad TV cancellation, Journey greatest song of all time, the Arrested Development movie, and Stan Lee's cutting edge take on the classic superhero story.

There's a lot of music and television show news to report today, so we invite Mark the (former) Intern onto the show to help us discuss what's happening. First off, we get into the one song that can always brighten a dark day: Journey's "Don't Stop Believin." Whether it's in a crowded Karaoke Bar, in a Family Guy episode, or in a solo performance in the pajamas in privacy of my room, that song gets my juices flowing right when I hear that familiar falsetto. So a big congratulations to Journey for hitting the double platinum digital sales mark on iTunes!

Unfortunately, good news always comes with the bad kind too, and we're sad to report that Mad TV is shutting its doors after a 14 year stint on air. I personally loved Mad TV more than SNL all throughout middle school; don't you remember Ms. Swan? UBS Guy? Funky Walker, Dirty Talker? And Stewart! Look what I can do! We'll miss you Mad TV, but at least you're taking down Lipstick Jungle and My Own Worst Enemy with you. Seriously, Jeff says those shows suck.

EPISODE 227 Download today's podcast … Read more

Able Planet Clear Harmony NC200 headphones offer noise canceling on a budget

Flying the friendly skies has sure gotten a lot more enjoyable with the advent of portable media players, but frequent fliers realize it takes more than a decent MP3 player to deal with nuisance-ridden travel. A good pair of sound-isolating earbuds or noise-cancelling headphones can do wonders when it comes to escaping into your own world of personal entertainment.

Of course, active noise-canceling sets can cost a pretty penny, which is where the Able Planet Clear Harmony NC200 headphones come in. The pair is sold on Amazon.com for around $60--a palatable price if we ever saw one. You'll … Read more

Do Denon's new noise-canceling headphones beat Bose's Quiet Comfort models?

Bose has managed to persuade thousands of people to spend large sums of money on the company's QuietComfort 3 and QuietComfort 2 noise-canceling headphones. That has emboldened companies such as Denon--which can leverage its own highly respected brand--to come up with its own pair of $300 noise-canceling headphones. Alas, Denon doesn't have the marketing prowess that Bose does, so its Quiet Comfort competitors don't have an easy-to-remember name but a somewhat hard-to-remember model number, the AH-NC732.

So, do they measure up to Bose's popular headphones? (Hint: Not quite).

Read the full review of the Denon AH-NC732s … Read more

Photos: Monster Beats by Dr. Dre headphones scream cool

It's not always easy to get excited about a pair of headphones on first glance. Generally, the listening experience, which is gathered only after putting a set on and sitting down with some favorite music, is what draws people in. Not so with the Monster Beats by Dr. Dre headphones, a sweet-looking set that will relieve you of $350. While their sound quality is nothing to scoff at, their appeal as eye candy is undeniable. For audio enthusiasts who are tired of the same old look, the Beats are a must.

Read the Beats by Dr. Dre headphones review.… Read more

Denon goes after Bose with the AH-NC732 noise-canceling headphones

Denon entered the headphone game just last year, but for a freshman competitor, the company had a lot to offer. Most of the models we auditioned--both full-size home headphones and travel-friendly in-ear models--ranged from good to excellent. Now the company is expanding its offerings with a noise-canceling model. The AH-NC732 On-Ear Noise Cancelling Headphones offer a lightweight (160 grams), acoustic optimizer (said to offer deep bass), and compact hard case. A single AAA battery is needed for the active noise cancellation, which counteracts ambient noise with an inverse soundwave. In other words, the new Denons look to be targeted … Read more

Sony MDR-NC500D Digital Noise Canceling Headphones

Sony is certainly no stranger to the headphone market. The company's portable line may very well be the most popular aftermarket earphones. It has quite an array of full-size "cans" as well as a decent selection of noise-canceling models. The latest high-end set to hit virtual retail shelves combines the two. The MDR-NC500D Digital Noise Canceling Headphones offer solid sound, high-quality construction, plentiful features, and a luxury price tag ($400) to match. These 'phones aren't without their flaws, but they're still a great option for frequent fliers who have cash to spare and a distaste … Read more

MP3 Insider 93: Congrats Donald!

Donald gets called away early to welcome his new bundle of joy into the world, so Jasmine rustles up a replacement cohost in smartphone/GPS editor Bonnie Cha, who has a bone to pick with MP3-playing GPS devices. Listen now: Download today's podcast EPISODE 93

Iriver E100: meh - http://reviews.cnet.com/mp3-players/iriver-e100-4gb-black/4505-6490_7-32896226.html?tag=bubbl_1Sony noise-canceling Walkman: not meh - http://reviews.cnet.com/mp3-players/sony-walkman-nwz-s716/4505-6490_7-32893676.html?tag=links;reviewDenon AH-C551 - http://reviews.cnet.com/headphones/denon-ah-c551-in/4505-7877_7-32788210.html?tag=links;reviewGPS and music: not so much - http://reviews.cnet.com/best-gps/… Read more

MP3 Insider 90: Subscription schmubscription

Donald and Jasmine discuss the first murmurings of music rental services for the iPod. Then, a gaggle of headphones takes over the podcast. Listen now: Download today's podcast EPISODE 90

Subscription music for the iPod?http://www.news.com/8301-10784_3-9902735-7.html?tag=nefd.top http://www.news.com/8301-10784_3-9900250-7.htmlJasmine's on Crave!http://crave.cnet.com/8301-1_105-9899574-1.htmlSony PCM-D50 audio-corder: http://reviews.cnet.com/voice-recorders/sony-pcm-d50/4505-11314_7-32886466.html?tag=prod.txt.1Audio-Technica ATH-ANC3 noise-canceling earphones: http://reviews.cnet.com/headphones/audio-technica-ath-anc3/4505-7877_7-32815660.html?tag=links;reviewCrappy iTouchless headphones: http://reviews.cnet.com/headphones/itouchless-pure-ear-active/4505-7877_7-32886415.html?tag=links;review… Read more

Panasonic media player tries to cut down noise

The world doesn't exactly have a burning need for another MP3 player, but that obviously didn't stop Panasonic from making one. But the company did seem to recognize that it was going to have to do something different to get more than a passing glance from a jaded Japanese market.

So it chose to focus on battery life and noise cancellation, according to Akihabara News, claiming 100 hours of continuous play on one charge and 83 percent elimination of ambient noise. The SV-SD870N is the latest installment of the "D-snap" line of media players, which share … Read more

Sony's 2008 MP3 players priced for U.S.

After last week's UK announcement, it should hardly comes as a surprise that Sony's got some new MP3 players heading to the ol' U.S. of A. For those of you convinced that the Walkman will rise again, here's the skinny on Sony's American imports.

By the end of March, Sony will be shipping the NWZ-A820 (pictured) in an 8GB ($270) and 16GB ($320) capacity, available only in black. Both versions of the NWZ-A820 include Bluetooth audio, high-quality Sony EX earphones, and a 2.4-inch QVGA LCD, but the 8GB version also comes bundled with a … Read more