Hi-tech Frontier

Hitachi Maxell HP-CN12 Bean-shaped Canal Earphones Hitachi’s Maxell announced the HP-CN12, bean-shaped in-ear earphones that is available in eight colors. It comes with also a bean-shaped cable keeper so users can adjust the length of the cable. The HP-CN12 features 10mm sound driver, 20-22,000Hz frequency response, and 16ohm impedance. The Bean will be released in Japan on 24 July.

Python skin-covered HOON headphones likely to get PETA in an uproar French accessories company HOON has teamed up with audio company The Perfect Unison for a line of python skin skinned headphones. The cans are made of nine layers of birch wood, lined with goat skin, and finally covered in the skin of a mighty snake for the ultimate, luxurious audiophile experience. The ear pieces are made of hand-varnished carbon fibers, presumably because the beaks of dodo birds were unavailable. These high-tech, beastly beauties will run you €1,160.00 (roughly $1,650) should you choose to make them yours.

Nica Bluetooth Headset Nica Bluetooth Headset is a latest creation by Maverick featuring excellent functionality along with exceptional and stunning outlook. This open air design incorporates a breakthrough in acoustics for maximum comfort and secure attachment aside from the classically modern look. Pure round shape of this headset will enhance your look and the thinner dimension will allow easy fit in your pocket. The inner soft pad will gently rest with maximum comfort against your ear, while providing ambient sounds for both ears. Instead of plugging in a cable, Nica will attach magnetically with the car dock and desk doc. The innovative charging options of the headset include the car doc that can be installed in the cigarette lighter jack of any car.

Sony Ericsson intros T715 slider, VH310 Bluetooth headset Sony Ericsson's pushing its Walkman and Cyber-shot sub-brands harder than ever these days, but there's still plenty of good stuff in the regular range, too -- take this T715, for example. The newly announced slider features a 3.2 megapixel camera with "photo light" (don't call it a flash), sunlight-viewable 2.2-inch QVGA display, 3G, an impressive claimed 20 days of standby time, and a compact shell -- SE says it's the size of a credit card when closed. Launched alongside the T715 is the VH310 headset, available in your choice of silver or black with three different earpieces and two loops to fit your screwed-up head perfectly. Look for the phone to launch in Galaxy Silver and Rouge Pink (isn't that a contradiction?) in the third quarter -- and yes, both global and North American 3G versions will be available.

Skullcandy intros Decibel Collection headphones for the young, hip, and colorblind We thought that Skullcandy might not be able to top its Special Edition Metallica Death Magnetic headphones in terms of aesthetic loudness, but we were apparently mistaken. The company's just launched its vast Decibel (dB) Collection, a wide range of wildly styled, Limited Edition "high performance" cans that take design up to eleven, to say the very least. With customizable lines including Big Slick, Vibe, Dream Team, Lurker, Catfight, Audiophile, and Illustrative, it's safe to say that Skullcandy will probably have whatever it is you're looking for in headphones... as long as what you're looking for is truly insane.

Sony’s New DR-BT100CX In-Ear Bluetooth Headphones The last moment announcement that the iPhone 3.0 firmware update will finally add A2DP bluetooth support means I can start looking at wireless BT headphones again. At the moment there’s a few contenders on the market, but as of today there’s now one more thanks to Sony announcing their new DR-BT100CX in-ear headphones. While the wires aren’t completely gone, you at least won’t be tethered to your cellphone while listening to music, and the small dongle hanging off the earbuds lets you control playback, volume and even answer calls. It’s also recharged via USB instead of some proprietary cable, and you can expect to get about 8 hours of use between charges. According to the Sony press release, the DR-BT100CX headphones are available for order on the Sony Style Europe site, but I can’t seem to find them at the moment.

Sony rolls out new Bluetooth headphones for in-ear or out: DR-BT100CX and DR-BT101CX They're not exactly breaking down any barriers of style or function, but those looking for some straightforward Bluetooth headphones may want to consider one of Sony's latest offerings, which come in both in-ear and over-the-ear varieties. On the in-ear front, Sony has the DR-BT100CX , which includes some USB charging capabilities, a promised eight hours of playback time, and three different silicon ear buds to ensure a snug fit. Those looking for something a little less discreet can opt for the DR-BT101CX, which offers the same USB charging, a slightly better 12 hours of playback time and, most notably, a 30mm neodymium driver for a bit more oomph. No word on pricing just yet, but it looks like both should be available any day now -- in Europe, at least.

Nikon UP300: A multimedia playback headset device that also supports internet connection Nikon, a manufacturer which is usually known for its camera, released a new device of Media Port UP which is a multimedia playback headset device that also supports internet connection. This product is very innovative since it does not only deliver sound but also pictures. It has so many features such as incorporate display, headphones, mobile A/V player, Wi-Fi capability, massive memory, and has a power source in a single compact unit. Therefore, you do not need to buy anything else if you want to enjoy your favorite songs and videos wherever you are. The quality of the headphones is quite decent and you can enjoy the image or video as if you are watching from 50 inches large screen. It also equipped with built in motion sensor, so you really do not need to use your hand to control this device since you only need to move your head. You also be able to store all of your music collection since UP300...

YI Zipper Earphones I know they’re just a concept design, which I usually try to avoid like the plague, but I’m really hoping that someone makes these a reality. Instead of mashing your earbuds into a ball of tangled cable when you’re done using them, the YI Zipper earphones (designed by Ji Woong) feature a… wait for it… zipper design that you can… yep you guessed it… zip up, keeping them considerably tidier when crammed in your pocket. And as an added bonus, the zipper pull also features volume and hold controls, though I’m not going to hold my breath for that to happen.

Aliph Jawbone Prime Bluetooth headset It's been almost a year since Aliph last graced the Bluetooth headset world with its presence, and now it's back with the Jawbone Prime to reclaim the throne. The Jawbone Prime is only a minor update -- on the surface, anyways -- to its predecessor, and in fact the only visible change is a slightly different surface pattern and a minor indentation to denote one of the headset's two invisible buttons. Other than the quite welcome addition of Bluetooth 2.1+ EDR (multipoint connections, easy pairing), almost all the improvements under the hood have to do with the algorithm tweaks of NoiseAssassin 2.0 to improve noise reduction. It's really too bad the original isn't firmware-upgradable (we asked). The Prime will be replacing existing Jawbones at retail for the same old $130 pricetag, and comes in Blah Blah Black, Coffee Talk and Going Platinum, while an "EARCANDY" edition is available in Frankly SCARLET, 'YELLO!, Drop...

Plantronics Voyager PRO Bluetooth headset Plantronics isn't planning to share intimate details about its Voyager PRO Bluetooth headset until April 23rd, but evidently its supply chain executives didn't exactly touch base with marketing before sending out stock to Best Buy. Jeff and John both managed to procure the $119.99 Bluetooth headset over the weekend, and we've got the shots to prove it. Based on the teaser site down in the read link, this here headset should be it's most advanced yet, but for a buck twenty, it better answer and respond to our calls without us having to intervene.

Ultimate Ears 700 noise-isolating earphones Logitech's high-end Ultimate Ears division just announced these new Ultimate Ears 700 in-ear headphones. Weighing in at 11.6-grams, the dual-armature layout separates the 10Hz to 16.5kHz frequency response into two high-fidelity channels per ear while offering passive noise-isolation of up to 26dB. While the press release touts iPod compatibility in the boisterous headline there doesn't seem to be anything about these -- like Apple's proprietary in-line remote control (and chip) for the new iPod shuffle -- that's unique to the iPod... other than the price. Available in the US and Europe for $230 sometime this month.

Jabra HALO Bluetooth headset Finding awesome stereo Bluetooth hardware is challenging. There are a few good reasons for that: one, you've got to somehow pack a battery inside the headset itself, two, you've got radio circuitry in there, and three, it's all got to last a bunch of hours between charges. We're not saying that Jabra's just-announced HALO is for everyone, but it's an awfully interesting product -- probably one of the best A2DP sets we've seen -- and unlike most on-ear sets, it folds small enough to carry with you pretty much everywhere you go. The jury's out on audio quality and fit until we get our hands on an actual review unit (they're showing some pretty loose pre-production prototypes at CTIA) but considering how the HALO looks and works, we're cautiously stoked that this is going to end up being one of the better multimedia accessories of the year.

Jabra HALO stereo Bluetooth headset and SP200 speakerphone Jabra's making the wireless music game just a little bit more interesting today with the announcement of its stereo Bluetooth HALO headphones, featuring six hours of playback time on a single charge, AVRCP support, Jabra's Noise Blackout circuitry for improved clarity when making calls, and micro-USB charging. Conveniently, the HALO folds for storage, which also toggles the set's power. Staying in the Bluetooth theme, the company is also showing off its SP200 speakerphone -- a great way to avoid the fuzz, we figure -- with 10 hours of talk time, 23 days of standby, and active noise reduction. The HALO hits in May for $129.99; the SP200, meanwhile, gets real in April for $59.99.

Nokia song-inspired Bluetooth headset designs It didn't exactly cause that big a stir when it was first announced, but it looks like Nokia's Music Almighty headset design competition still managed to attract a respectable 6,000 entrants, and Nokia is now showing off the five winners that have been manufactured as fully-functional, one-off headsets. The hook of the contest is that all of the headsets had to be inspired by a song, which expectedly drew a whole range of designs from the stylish Daft Punk "Robot Rock" set above to feat of subtlety that is the R. Kelly "I Believe I Can Fly" headset.

Apple iPhone Bluetooth Headset Would it be too cruel to say we're shocked it lasted this long? Apple's iPhone Bluetooth Headset never was too popular outside of the hardcore Apple faithful, with a litany of respectable (and let's face it, far superior) alternatives available for a fraction of the $99 MSRP. To that end, Cupertino has seen fit to discontinue the peripheral, though prospective customers can apparently still buy 'em until supply runs dry. Here's a tip, though -- wait for the fire sale.

iLuv I301 In-Ear Headphones iLuv I301 Product Description: These earphones may be small but the sound is big. These high-fidelity earphones, using Neodymium (NdFeB) magnets, offer clear sound with low distortion in a lightweight, simple design. Made to either clip comfortably on your ears or rest securely in them, these earphones feature in-line volume control and an adjustable slider for more comfort, and come in a choice of colors to suit your personal style. They are an ideal connection for your iPod or other digital devices with a headphone jack. Whats included In-ear earphones 2 extra sets of ear tips (small and large sizes) Specifications of iLuv I301 In-Ear Heaphones: Speaker Driver Diameter: 10mm Magnet: Neodymium-Iron-Boron (NdFeB) Maximum Power: 10mW Impedance: 32O 15% @ 1kHz Single Variable Resistor: 1k ± 20% Frequency Response: 20Hz - 20kHz Sensitivity: 103dB 3dB @ 1kHz Connectors: 3.5mm / Nickel-Plated / “I”-type / stereo Cable Length: Approx. 4ft Unit Weight: Approx. 0.04...

Klipsch Image S2, S4 ear headphones Klipsch hasn't exactly been catering to more budget-minded customers with its earphones as of late, but that looks to be changing with its new Image S2 and S4 models, which come in at a reasonable $49 and $79, respectively. That'll still get you the same proprietary, oval-shaped ear tips as Klipsch's pricier earphones though, along with a so-called moving coil design with controlled dampening, and a "hot rod" dual magnet motor structure on the S4. The S4 set also comes bundled with a few bonuses like a cleaning tool and a "crush-resistant" aluminum case, while the S2s get stuck with a basic cloth case and a slightly less flashy solid black finish. Look for the S4s to roll out first in April, with the S2s set to follow sometime In July.