NOISE

We had vowed not to post any more items on alarm clocks, but this could be a Valentine's gag gift for a loved one obsessed with 24. As you rightly guessed, the alarm on Banpresto's "DangerBomb Clock" can be disarmed only if the wires are connected in the correct sequence, according to Akihabara News. It might not be quite so lame if they combined this with the "Sonic Bomb," blowing out the eardrums of the hapless victim who doesn't get to it in time. But that's just us.

Our feelings about student gear with external speakers should be fairly clear by now, so one can image how we reacted upon learning of a binder that comes with stereo satellites, as seen on Electronista. We're thankful, at least, that it can take headphones as well, so the rest of us won't necessarily be subjected to our kids' blaring tunes.

We can't really blame school supplies companies for keeping up with the times, but we can't help but feel somewhat betrayed by the one that makes this binder--Mead--because it used to make classroom products that were … Read more

It still smacks of urban legend to us, but some people swear that teenager-repelling sounds do exist--and work. So we wouldn't be surprised to see some desperate parents and shop owners rushing to order the "Mosquito," an ultrasonic youth deterrent from the United Kingdom, which Gizmodo says is being imported to North America. The device, distributed by a company with the irresistible name of Kids Be Gone, supposedly creates an adolescent-free zone with a range of 40 to 60 feet. We'll be right back (need to find a tape measure).

Because of the popularity of last week's post on the "Sonic Bomb" alarm clock, we feel obligated to pass along this latest update from Gadgetizer on an analog version of the eardrum-shattering timepiece. Or, for a sleeker design, you can go for the AM/FM "sonic" clock radio for a few dollars more. And yes, don't worry, all of these versions have the same earth-shaking alarm and bed-shaking features as the original. Your neighbors will love you.

Those of us at Crave enjoy our sleep. So much so that it may show in some of our postings from time to time. It behooves us, then, to have an effective alarm clock so we can do right by you.

We've had our fair share of industrial-strength alarms (with dubious success), but Mr. Sandman may have met his match with the "Sonic Bomb." This master blaster drops a sound bomb at 113 decibels, which Gadgetizer says is "the same thing as a loud car horn" nearby. And if that's not enough, you can … Read more

Sennheiser is clearly gunning for number one with its latest noise-canceling headphones. The PXC-450 is a set of full-size closed-back cans that make use of Sennheiser's brand-new NoiseGard 2.0 technology to make mincemeat out of ambient noise. But unlike a certain other brand (ahem, Bose), these will still work when the battery is drained. Another nice touch is a "TalkThrough" button on the right earcup, which lets you hear what's going on around you without removing the headphones. There are also volume and on/off buttons right on the headphones, and the detachable cable is … Read more

The battlefield medic is a staple of war movies, but rarely depicted is one challenge that goes beyond dodging bullets: noise.

U.S. Army acoustical engineers have developed a new stethoscope that can outperform its electronic predecessors by detecting a human heartbeat in intensely noisy environments, such as inside a military helicopter, according to LiveScience. Unlike others before it, the new stethoscope has a special head that can generate ultrasound waves, or sound frequencies that can cancel out external noises as high as 120 decibels.

Background noise on ambulances, helicopters or within crowds typically render electronic and traditional stethoscopes useless. … Read more

Yes, we know. We're tired of iPod accessories too. But this one cries out for attention--literally.

A new G-Tech messenger bag has a built-in speaker for external sound, as well as the requisite sewn-in controls sported by so many other iPod couture items, according to Gizmag. Depending on where you stand on the ubiquitous music device, this is either good or bad. We're agnostic toward the iPod itself, but we're certainly not wild about the bag's noise potential. (It also comes in a generic MP3 version, which we assume would be just as irritating.) Sound Guy, … Read more