headset

I've seen some hair-brained (hey-ooooo) ideas in my time, but this just might take the cake. For those of you who find Bluetooth headsets or the wired headsets that come with your cell phone too pedestrian, here's something that will certainly turn heads: a wired headset that looks like a hair dryer. Trust me, I wish I were making this up.

Yes, for just $7.59, you can talk to your family and friends through a hair dryer and be the object of various onlookers' ridicule envy. The cell phone hair dryer headset comes with various adapters that … Read more

From the plains of southern New Mexico, we bring you a story of headset-wearing cows. The U.S. Department of Agriculture and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology are teaming up to remotely corral cattle using a wireless device that sends sound straight into the bovines' ears. HDTV-watching pigs can't be far behind.

The solar-powered "Ear-A-Round" is a naugahyde "helmet" held in place by the cow's ears. Atop the holster sits an electronics device hooked to sound-transmitting stereo earphones and containing a GPS unit that could let farmers monitor the animals' whereabouts from afar.

"It's a marriage between biology and electronics," said USDA research animal scientist Dean M. Anderson, who has been collaborating with MIT on the project for the last several years, but has focused on the concept of "directional virtual fencing (PDF)" for more than three decades.

"When I started, the letters 'GPS' meant nothing to me," Anderson said. "But...animal distribution on the landscape has been an age-old challenge. With free-ranging animals, you get areas on the landscape that are overused and other areas that are underused."

The patent-pending device is scheduled to be tested on about nine cows later this month at the USDA's Jornada Experimental Range in Las Cruces, N.M. Anderson noted that not all cattle in a given location will need to be fitted with the instrument--only herd leaders. The animals that will participate in the early testing are currently undergoing a sort of "IQ test for cows" that will identify herd leaders in that group, the researcher said. … Read more

I admit it; I've been in denial about my cell phone habit.

I'm a multitasker on the phone and I tend to make calls when I'm in transit. Why not get some of those calls I have to make out of the way while I'm walking or driving? (I really do try to not use the phone while on the bus so as not to annoy other passengers, but sometimes it just can't be avoided.)

Of course, I've known for months that I was going to have to curb the habit while driving because … Read more

At first, I thought California's new hands-free calling law was a great idea. Though it's debatable whether cell phones in the car can ever be safe, I took a lot of comfort in knowing that holding your phone to your ear while driving was now illegal. True, there's no guarantee that both hands will now be on the steering wheel, but I thought my chances of being run down by a yakking driver were just a bit smaller.

But, only a few days after the law went into effect I realized that it had one unfortunate consequence: … Read more

In the perfect world that exists only inside my head, all cell phones and MP3 players incorporate A2DP, also known as stereo Bluetooth. Consequently, they're all compatible with stereo Bluetooth headsets like the Jabra BT8010, which CNET rated 8/10, and which CompUSA and TigerDirect (different outfits, same owner) currently have on sale for $37.99. That's a pretty big savings over the original $149 list price.

During business hours, the BT8010 functions as a fairly standard headset, albeit one with a cool OLED display and jog dial. When you want to get your groove on, you just … Read more

Headset makers probably aren't hurting for business these days, at least in California and Washington state. But even without the new laws, Nokia may have found another market.

Its "Wireless Loopset" is a device designed to hang around the neck that basically turns a t-coil-equipped hearing aid into a Bluetooth headset. In addition to providing the wireless connection, the Loopset includes such features as vibrating alerts and single-button dialing, according to Gearlog, and willl also work with cochlear implants.

While looped around the neck, the device greatly reduces the chance of interference because of its close proximity … Read more

Break the law, get a free headset?

It might sound a little odd, but online retailer Headsets.com has decided to make that idea the focus of a new marketing and educational campaign related to the new hands-free legislation that takes hold Tuesday in California and Washington.

In effect, if you get ticketed for talking on your cell phone without a headset while driving, pony up the $20 or $50 (depending on how many times you've been caught), then send documentation of your offense to Headsets.com.

The most surprising part? You'll be making a hefty profit by … Read more

Anyone can have a Bluetooth headset nowadays and, unfortunately, it often seems like everyone does. But there's one way you can separate yourself from the loquacious crowd--with a model branded specifically for your favorite game.

Just as Metal Gear Solid 4 got its own headset, SOCOM Confrontation--another PlayStation 3 title--will get one as well. Sony says it will available both as a standalone product and as part of a bundle with the Blu-ray version of the game, according to SlashGear, though no pricing has been disclosed yet.

The headset will come with its own USB charging dock and, … Read more

Ever imagine having abilities like Professor X from the X-Men? Some envision at a day when a mind-control device will come one the market, and it'll take the shape of a Nintendo Wii console.

T3 believes that in a future iteration there will be a Wii headset which will use our brainwaves to control our onscreen characters. It would also feature an immersive in-ear headphone for the sound effects, and the Wiimote would be updated to having only one button to point and press.

Gaming via brainwave activity isn't a new or novel idea; Singapore Science Center organized … Read more