canceling

Creative intros new $99 noise-canceling headphones

I'm always looking for cheaper alternatives to Bose's highly regarded but expensive Quiet Comfort noise-canceling headphones, which is why Creative's new HN-900 headphones caught my eye.

In the past, Creative's noise-canceling headphones have been pretty decent, and the nice thing about this one is that unlike the Bose and many other noise-canceling models, the HN-900 has an integrated microphone for making cell phone calls. One AAA battery gives you about 40 hours of active noise-cancellation.

At the same time Creative released the HN-900s, it also announced the impending arrival of a higher-end model noise-canceling model, the $… Read more

Wolfson DS-421D noise-canceling earbuds are worthy of an Iron Man

LAS VEGAS--When Tony Stark developed the latest MK VI armor for the classic red and gold Iron Man suit, he probably forgot to engineer a way to listen to music, but Wolfson Microelectronics picked up the slack and is showing off a Digital Silence DS-421D headset here at CES that appears to draw aesthetic inspiration from the superhero's exoskeleton.

Best of all, it features a special "Aeroplane filter" that removes typical aircraft noise, though I doubt it'll overpower the sound of boot-mounted rocket thrusters.… Read more

Can these new AKG noise-canceling headphones top Bose's?

Have a peek at AKG's two new pairs of noise-canceling headphones, the $349.95 K 495 NC and $249.95 K 490 NC.

AKG is highlighting that these both are on-ear models that fold flat and have built-in rechargeable batteries that charge via USB. Unlike a lot of noise-canceling models, including those from Bose, these can play sound when the battery dies or if you simply want to turn off the active noise cancellation.

The marketing line on the higher-end K 495 NCs is that they "deliver high-quality audio defined by a clarity of sound across all ranges, from crisp highs to deep lows." They feature brushed-metal parts, leather earcups, and an adjustable leather headband, and ship with a small carrying case, two audio cables, a USB charging adapter, and a flight adapter.… Read more

Apple patent applications detail noise-cancellation tech using voice recognition

In a series of patent applications, Apple has outlined how it plans to combat noisy environments by using voice recognition to activate and control noise-cancellation technologies.

By changing the noise-cancellation process to fit specific voices, Apple thinks it can better manage noise-ridden spaces, especially for mobile devices while making calls or recording voice memos.

Four patent applications relating to this technology were uncovered by AppleInsider at the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office:

User-Specific Noise Suppression for Voice Quality Improvements Active Noise Cancellation Decisions in a Portable Audio Device User Interface Tone Echo Cancellation System and Method for Removing TDMA Audio Noise … Read more

Google kills Knol, Wave, and others to focus operations

Google continued to kill off businesses today, as it streamlines operations, axing its would-be Wikipedia rival, Knol, and Wave, a real-time collaboration tool.

Earlier this year, Google Chief Executive Larry Page announced plans to shed businesses that didn't offer big opportunities in order for Google to focus on the ones that do. Along the way, the company has killed off Buzz, a social-networking attempt; Google Health, a personal health records service; and Google Desktop, a PC application that let users search for files and documents on their computers, among others.

The latest round of cuts, announced in a blog post … Read more

Do Sony's $200 NC200D noise-canceling headphones beat Bose (review)?

If you're considering Sony's MRD-NC200D noise-canceling headphones, the first thing you'd probably ask me is whether they're better than the Bose QuietComfort 15 or Bose QuietComfort 3 models.

The short answer is no. I found the Bose headphones slightly more comfortable to wear, and they effectively block out more noise than the Sony headphones. On top of that, I'm more partial to Bose's sound.

That said, there's a lot to like here. Excellent design, flavorful sound, and the NC200Ds cost $100 less than the Bose QuietComfort 15s. At $200, they're not cheap, … Read more

The 404 914: Where we hope no one gets died (podcast)

With Justin out for the rest of the week, today we bring in CNET duo Bridget Carey and Mark Licea to run through the ashes of Amazon's Kindle Fire announcement with price cuts for both the BlackBerry PlayBook and the Barnes and Noble Nook Color.

A listener's girlfriend, Laurie, completes her mission to take a photo of The 404 logo at an Apple Store, though Apple employees refuse to take part. We also get a look at the next version of the Android operating system codenamed Ice Cream Sandwich. Finally, Jeff's fear of flying also isn't helped when we learn that pilots can now flip a plane with the push of the wrong button, but Bridget is traumatized even more by the Dead Island trailer and nwo movie.

The 404 Digest for Episode 914

16 GB BlackBerry PlayBook now just $299 at Best Buy Amazon is losing $50 per Kindle Fire Amazon's Silk browser may come to Mac and Windows PCs Airline pilot almost flips a plane by pushing a wrong button Netflix cancellations slowing down Android Ice Cream Sandwich gets leaked Lionsgate to make movie based on Dead Island trailer Fitocracy gets 700+ new 404 group members Bathroom Break #1: Floppy disk drives perform Star Wars' Imperial March Bathroom Break #2: Best NASCAR prayer ever (in song) Episode 914 Subscribe in iTunes (audio) | Subscribe in iTunes (video) | Subscribe in RSS Audio | Subscribe in RSS Video… Read more

TouchPad buyers say Barnes & Noble reneged

This weekend's Internet fire sale of HP TouchPads ignited a fury of interest from bargain hunters, as well as just plain fury from some who say Barnes & Noble reneged on their purchases.

The tablets, which Hewlett-Packard announced last week it would discontinue, went on sale at a steep discount this week, with the 16GB model dropping in price from $399 to $99 and the 32GB model dropping from $499 to $145. The price drop sparked a frenzy of bargain hunters and reduced to a crawl many retailer sites rumored to have stock of the phased-out tablets. By this morning, most sites were sold out of the devices.

Barnes & Noble was among the handful of sites offering the device. However, many unhappy buyers lit up Twitter today with complaints that the Internet retailer had sent them e-mails informing them that the orders they placed for TouchPads over the weekend had been canceled, presumably because B&N oversold the tablet (see Barnes & Noble letter sent to CNET reader below).

Barnes & Noble representatives did not immediately respond to a request for comment, so it's unknown how many orders had been nixed. But judging by the number of tweets on the topic, it's more than just a few. … Read more

Able Planet NC1100B review: Bose busters?

Able Planet makes a number of noise-canceling headphones, and the NC1100Bs are the Colorado company's highest-end model with a retail price of $299.99.

Let's start with what's good about these guys. For starters, they're comfortable and appear to have a sturdy design and a nice soft-touch black finish. While the earcups aren't quite as soft as those on the Bose QuietComfort 15, the fact that they're a bit thicker and firmer doesn't hurt their comfort level and may be more appealing to some.

Aside from their black coloring, the NC1100Bs look similar to the QC15s (and QuietComfort 2s), with the same over-the-ear design and earcups that swivel and fold flat to fit in a simple black case. The resulting package is slightly bigger than a CD wallet, which makes it easier to tote, though it's still not terribly compact. As you'd expect from a set of headphones designed for frequent travelers, Able Planet throws in a two-prong in-flight adapter.

Like with Bose's active noise canceling, the earcups' cushions effectively sealed off our ears from the noisy environment. Flipping on the noise cancellation dampened the noise even further. While the NC1100Bs aren't as effective at canceling out noise as the QC15s, they did noticeably muffle the sound of a very loud air conditioning that this reviewer has in his office (it isn't quiet as loud as the inside of an airline cabin, but not too far off).

Read the full review of Able Planet's NC1100B headphones.… Read more