dr. dre

A new alliance between hip-hop impresario Dr. Dre, Interscope Chairman Jimmy Iovine, and computer maker Hewlett-Packard aims to save digital music.

No, this is not an attempt to fix the record industry's business woes. The goal is to lift the sound quality of the too-often tinny tunes squeaking out of our ear buds, and it's an ambitious plan nonetheless. HP will release premium-priced laptops, headsets, and software featuring the "Beats by Dr. Dre" brand sometime this fall, music industry sources with knowledge of the offering told CNET News.

In an interview last week, Iovine declined to … Read more

If you enjoyed Eric Franklin's post on 8-bit NES-style hip-hop, you'll definitely enjoy Team Teamwork's "The Ocarina of Rhyme." It's a mix tape of mashups that combines hip-hop tracks with the score to the Zelda game Ocarina of Time.

Team Teamwork produced the mix, which features unique tracks by Spank Rock, Common, Aesop Rock, Clipse, and my personal pick: MF Doom. Most of the songs fit well with the background score; for example, in "Fumbling Over Words," artist Edan Portnoy's intensity melds seamlessly into the rumblings of the "Battle" … Read more

The case brought by rapper Eminem's former production company against Universal Music Group could have handed music artists a larger share of digital sales.

But a federal jury voted unanimously in favor of Universal Music and other defendants in the case, including rapper-producer Dr. Dre's record label, Aftermath Records, according to an Associated Press report.

Richard Busch, lawyer for plaintiff F.B.T. Productions told the AP that his clients--brothers Mark and Jeff Bass--were disappointed and were considering an appeal.

At the core of the case was F.B.T.'s argument that digital albums were different than … Read more

Fashion-forward designs have recently been making quite a bit of headway in the headphone space. It doesn't take much effort to find a pair that matches your MP3 player or can be coordinated by outfit, although manufacturers with true eye for design take things a step further. Take Monster Cable's Beats by Dr. Dre Headphones, a super stylish set of cans announced at CES 2008. The company is now adding to the fashionable line with the Tour In-Ear Headphones, an ultraportable set that sports the signature red and black coloring. This $150 pair once again proves that hip … Read more

Donald and Jasmine discuss two pairs of headphones that are anything but boring. Also this week: Find out how to be a nuisance on public transportation and get hints about the top 10 MP3 players for less than $100. Listen now: Download today's podcast

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Monster Beats by Dr. Dre headphones

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Love the show. My hard drive crashed recently, and while I try to back … Read more

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

When Dr. Dre rapped that he would "keep those heads ringin," the Grammy-winning artist perhaps only meant to foreshadow the Friday release of his new headphones, "Beats by Dr. Dre."

While they are marketed with the name of the rapper-turned-producer, the headphones are actually made by Monster Cable, which specializes in audio and video accessories. Jimmy Iovine, chairman of Interscope Geffen A&M Records, also was on the development team.

Monster claims that the Beats headphones are "the most advanced headphone ever built." According to the product Web site, they were designed so … Read more

As far as celebrity-branded products are concerned, at least this makes more sense than the J. Lo USB drive. Dr. Dre --never one to miss a marketing opportunity himself--is getting into audio gear with a pair of headphones made by Monster.

But we're not sure if his name alone will justify the $400 price of the "Beats" line when there are so many other high-end headphones on the market. And as MobileWhack says, it might help if there was something current by Dre to listen to.