canceling

AKG earphones with dual sound-hushing capabilities...for too much money

Harman subsidiary AKG has been in the business of making personal and professional audio equipment since the 1940s, so one might rightfully expect top-notch quality from the company's line of headphones and earphones, of which there are plenty to choose. The latest offering, set to hit the States in October, is the AKG K390 Infinity Noise-Canceling earphone. This in-ear model features a double-whammy of passive sound isolation and active noise cancellation, making it a tempting option for commuters and frequent fliers. But at $249, these earphones are far from cheap, and buyers should be wary of potential fit issues, … Read more

Block out that chatter

ChatterBlocker is an app designed to help you concentrate and be more productive in noisy environments. It doesn't somehow cancel or block out noise, but rather it's intended to "blur unwanted speech," rendering conversations unintelligible so they won't distract you.

ChatterBlocker plays a combination of voices, nature sounds, and music, in several preset options or using an advanced interface that lets you mix and match. Since the effectiveness of an application like this is so peculiar and personal, this ability to tweak is extremely useful, no matter what particular sound fetish works for you. (Need … Read more

Travel in style with the Phiaton PS 300 headphones

Phiaton edged its way into the headphone market last year with its MS 400 Moderna Series headphones, an eye-catching set that brought solid sound quality and comfortable construction to the table. Now, with the considerably more portable PS 300 Noise Canceling headphones, the company continues its tradition of sleek design and plush comfort. These on-ear 'phones pack in a slew of travel-friendly accessories and, at $299, cost $50 less than the competition from Bose. However, the set failed to provide great sound quality across a wide variety of music, making it most suitable for only a certain type of listener.… Read more

Blackbox M10 headphones offer noise cancellation at a reasonable price

CNET would need an army of headphone reviewers to be able to get to every set available on the market today, but despite this saturation, we never tire of newcomers trying their best to break into the public awareness. Phitek Systems isn't a newcomer in the strictest sense--the company is responsible for the technology behind other companies' designs (Audio-Technica's ATH-ANC7, for example)--but the OEM is now trying its hand at its own brand with the Blackbox line of noise cancellation headphones.

It's clear that Phitek knows what it's doing. The compact C18 earphones certainly don'… Read more

Blackbox C18 Noise Cancellation Earphones great for frequent fliers

It's not difficult to get your hands on a good pair of full-size noise-canceling headphones, but if you prefer earbud-style 'phones, finding this technology built in is a bit more of a challenge.

Such sets do exist, though. One example is Phitek Systems' Blackbox C18 Noise Cancellation Earphones, a $129 pair that combines passive sound isolation with active noise canceling. The headphones offer very good sound quality and superior noise-hushing capability, but the lanyard-style design may not appeal to all users.

Read the Blackbox C18 review.

iPhone Users Get Their Contact Data Whacked By MobileMe Cancellations

Our friends across the pond at The Register are reporting about an issue that has been discovered surrounding Apple's much touted MobileMe trial especially when trying it for the limited time period and then canceling it.

Synchronization with MobileMe makes sure that all the devices are up-to-date regarding content, etc. However, something really bad happens "when an account is canceled; all the data is removed from the cloud, which is fine - unless the user lets their iPhone synchronize with the newly-created void. In that case they find their calendar unexpectedly clear, and a curious lack of any … Read more

LG to implement noise-canceling in many of its phones

Along with the LG Watch Phone, LG has also announced that many of its phones will feature dual-microphone noise cancellation by the end of the year. Called DSE.T, the technology promises to eliminate background noise and enhance voice quality. Motorola has a similar technology called CrystalTalk, but aside from that we don't know of too many other phone manufacturers to have noise-canceling technology built right into the phone. At the LG press conference earlier today, the company demonstrated this in a video and it looks quite promising, if indeed it works the way it should. No word on … Read more

Sony MDR-NC7: Affordable, noise-canceling headphones

Noise-canceling headphones can cost a pretty penny, which is why we always perk up when a company brings a budget-friendly option into the fray. Such is the case with the Sony MDR-NC7 Noise Canceling headphones, a $40 pair with stylish looks and handy features. These 'phones are neither the most comfortable nor the best at antinoise creation, but sound quality is passable and the design is compact. Frequent fliers with an aversion to earbuds and limited funds may want to consider them. Read the Sony MDR-NC7 review.

Able Planet's new gaming headphones

Able Planet, known for developing headphones for those with mild to severe hearing loss, recently unveiled a new high-fidelity multimedia headset for PC gamers--the PS500MM.

Able Planet's chairman and CEO, Kevin Semcken, said:

"We designed this innovative new headset specifically with PC gamers in mind. Gamers tend to spend significant periods of time playing online games and such extended play of rich multimedia sounds puts a cumulative strain on the ears this can cause hearing loss and fatigue. Our technology minimizes this risk so that users no longer have to turn up the volume just to be able … Read more

Sony announces Bluetooth headphones, travel-friendly speakers

This morning saw the release of several new Sony audio products aimed at frequent fliers and other on-the-go users. The company announced a pair of ultracompact, travel-friendly speakers and three sets of headphones: one with noise-canceling, one with Bluetooth, and one with inline volume controls. You can find out all the details about the SRS-M50, MDR-NC7, DR-BT160AS, and MDR-EX36V in our photo gallery.