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Bang & Olufsen is one of the oldest brands in the consumer electronics business, manufacturing products ranging from loudspeakers to telephones. Throughout the years, the B&O creed has been simple: create quality, user-friendly products for everyday use. B&O has been largely successful in upholding this standard. Many will say B&O has traditionally been overpriced and, until recently, has built products that cater almost exclusively to a richer Bose clientele. While there is some truth to this statement, B&O has been manufacturing quality, affordable products that fit within its brand image for years, as evident in the Form 2 headphones reviewed here.

The Form 2 headphones retail for $100 and are attractive, to say the least, if not a touch '80s a la Miami Vice. Though unlike neon and black lacquer furniture, the Form 2 still looks high end in every way its smooth black matte and chrome finish. The Form 2 has an over-the-skull design and is not sound-isolating in any way, unlike many of the popular headphones on the market today. While most over-the-skull headphones feature massive padding to aide in long-term use, the Form 2 takes a different, lightweight approach. The Form 2 weighs a stunning 2.4 ounces. To put that into perspective, that's the weight of nine one-dollar bills stacked atop one another. It features simple rectangular earpieces that rest gently on the ear, padded by simple foam caps. B&O doesn't go to any lengths in describing what sort of driver is used in the Form 2, except to say it is extremely dynamic and natural, regardless of volume. The Form 2 has a frequency range of 40-20,000Hz, with 30-ohm impedance. The Form 2 has a nearly ten-foot-long cable, capped by a mini-jack plug. The Form 2 comes equipped with a quarter-inch jack adapter that allows the headphones to be plugged into a wider variety of electronic components. Additionally, it comes with replaceable foam ear pads.

High Points
• The Form 2 headphones sound wonderful at all but insane levels, possessing incredible dynamic prowess, high-frequency detail and surprising and true bass response.
• The Form 2's high-frequency response is light, airy and natural. The midrange, a Form 2 strength, is warm, rich and very non-headphone-sounding, but it's the bass that is most surprising.
• The Form 2 sounds good plugged directly into a source, negating the need for a separate headphone amp.
• While the Form 2 has a distinct style that some would criticize as "out of date," I would argue it's far more fashionable and timeless than many "look at me now" headphones of today that make users appear as though they belong on a jetway at LAX.
• I've personally owned a pair of Form 2s for over six years, using them daily since purchase, and they work as well now as they did the day I bought them. Two other pairs of headphones I've owned during the Form 2s' reign, both costing more than the Form2s, have not fared as well.

Low Points
• While lightweight, the Form 2 can become a bit physically fatiguing on the ears after long periods of wear. Around the two-hour point, I had to give my ears a break, for the foam padding had become a bit flat. Having been a Form 2 owner for over six years, I can attest to the lack of longevity of the foam pads, which need to be replaced every six months or so.
• The Form 2 cord is ungodly long, thin and prone to twisting over time, which can cause some static in the Form 2's performance. I've found a simple cable spool, usually used for hiding or simplifying computer cables, helps keep the Form 2's cable neat and tidy.
• The Form 2 does not collapse or come with any sort of carrying case, other than the box it's sold in, making storage and travel a bit of a pain.

Conclusion
I'll be the first to admit I'm not much of a headphone fanatic, though I use them every day, sometimes for hours on end. My headphones still must sound good and that's what I've found with the Form 2 from Bang & Olufsen. It is every bit as good as similarly-priced competition and then some, and looks good while being incredibly lightweight for an over-the-skull design. It is dynamic, musical and possesses an upper-end sweetness and low-end slam that you wouldn't expect from a somewhat old-school design. However, the biggest draw for me is how reliable and trouble-free it's been over the years, out-performing and outlasting several other brands by wide margins.

I don't know about you but I wouldn't mind getting my hands on these glasses made by Vuzix. The Wrap 920AV are going to be shown of at CES 2009 and they are going to feature virtual reality capabilities and augmented reality is also one of their characteristics. That sounds great, but will we have what to use them for?

Just in case VR or AR won't be really available that soon we should at least be able to use those headphones for some music listening, shouldn't we?

via Vuzix

There's a school of thought that believes speakers should be heard and not seen; to that, BluTiger says "rubbish!"  They've taken a set of surround-sound computer speakers and strapped a couple of bright blue graphic equalizers to the front stereo pair.  Prepare to be dazzled (your eyesight if not your ears) by 200 LEDs.

Otherwise it's pretty much your basic surround-sound setup, with five speakers and a separate powered sub.  BluTiger boast 1,000 watts total, but we can't imagine any of those are particularly quality watts.  Still, there's thankfully a fader control to dim down (or switch off, but where's the fun in that?) the equalizers.

The package includes a remote control, "audio pod" with headphone jack, cellphone adapter and all the wires you need.  The BluTiger Computer Speakers are available now, priced at $300. 

[via Gizmodo]

Get innovative HD design and performance on a brilliant 52-inch LCD screen. The Samsung 52" LCD HDTV has superior picture quality with a unique bezel design. The Touch of Color accents the top and bottom edges of the bezel with a unique amber tone. Full 1080p HD resolution and 50,000:1 dynamic-contrast ratio offer stunning image detail and vivid colors. Auto Motion Plus 120Hz and Ultra Clear Panel technology work together to offer the smoothest motion and boldest bright and dark tones.

CCFL?Cold Cathode Fluorescent Lamp - Provides colors in your picture that were not available before Fast 4ms response time minimizes blurring of moving video Widescreen NTSC/ATSC Tuners with Clear QAM Ultra clear panel enhances contrast and reduces reflection Viewing Angle - 178 x 178 Degrees DNIe (Digital Natural Image Engine) delivers a crisp, lifelike picture that is closer to film Auto volume leveler Audio amplifier - Watts per channel - 10 Watts x 2 channels to bottom downfiring speakers SRS TruSurround XT sound delivers virtual surround using built-in speakers 4 HDMI, 2 Component video, RF antenna inputs S-video, A/V, PC inputs Hook up your MP3 player or digital camera via the Wiselink USB 2.0 connection Headphone output HDMI-CEC allows peripherals to be controlled by remote control Stereo broadcast reception (MTS & SAP) with 181 channels Picture-in-Picture V-Chip Auto wall mount compatible - 3-dimensional operation via TV's control Swivel stand Wheel key remote control English, Spanish & French on-screen displays Variable sleep timer Dimensions - without stand - 50.2 x 31.7 x 4.1; with stand - 50.2 x 34.1 x 12.8 Weight - without stand - 64.6 lbs.; with stand - 76.7lbs.

More Cheap HDTVs

Full HD 1920 x 1080 panel Resolution with over 2 million Pixels is exactly what you need to reproduce the 1080p content that can be delivered by our cutting edge 1080p Blu-ray Disc player. Sony's Advanced Contrast Enhancer (ACE) builds on a Dynamic Contrast Ratio of up to 7000:1 achieved by using real-time image processing to adjust the Contrast along with optimizing backlight levels. It starts with the BRAVIA Engine video processing system, which enhances Primary Colors and corrects half-tone colors for natural overall color. Designed for maximum versatility, Sony's BRAVIA V-Series LCD TVs are equipped with a comprehensive range of input interfaces such as HDMI (High-Definition Multimedia Interface), the first industry-supported, uncompressed, all-Digital audio/video interface. HDMI technology supports enhanced or High Definition video, together with multi-channel Digital audio to provide matchless image and sound reproduction. The PC input (HD-15-pin) offers easy connection to your PC, allowing you to use your high Resolution BRAVIA V-Series Digital TV as a computer monitor. 2x HDMI (High Definition Multimedia Interface) HD Component Y/Pb/Pr Video Input PC Input ATSC Digital tuner with unscrambled Digital cable (QAM) capability Space saving, bottom speaker design 20W (10W x 2) Digital Amplifier Analog Audio Inputs - 5 (1 Side / 4 rear) Variable & Fixed Audio Out - 1 (Rear) Component Video (Y/Pb/Pr) Inputs - 2 (Rear) Composite Video Inputs - 3 (1 Side / 2 Rear) Digital Audio Outputs - 1 (Rear) RF Connection Inputs - 2 (Rear) S-Video Inputs - 2 (1 Rear / 1 Side) Headphone Output - 1 (Side) HDMI Connections - 2 (Rear) - 1 rear input included L/R audio inputs Display Technology - LCD (178 degrees Wide Viewing Angle LCD Display panels) Unit Dimensions - Approximate 44.13 x 32.75 x 13.25 inch / Weight - 70.55 pounds.

The S Series is the latest offering from the Sony BRAVIA line of high-performance and sleekly styled LCD TVs. This 26" LCD panel features the latest in Sony's unique S-PVA technology, which delivers vivid and accurate colors along with wide viewing angles and a blazing 8ms response time. Other features such as PC input allow the user to connect a PC for viewing content in a 16:9 high resolution environment. And with integrated HDTV capabilities, you can enjoy digital programming with enhanced audio and video reproduction. While the KDL-26S2000 is valued priced, it also offers an elegant flat panel design to place anywhere in your home. CineMotion technology using the reverse 3-2 pull down technology, the Cinemotion feature provides smoother picture movement when playing back movies or other video sources from film sources Favorite Channels with the WEGA GATE function, allows you to navigate a list of up to 16 favorite channels VESA compliant mounting holes Inputs and Outputs - HDMI Connection(s) - 1 Rear (with L/R RCA audio connections) / PC Input(s) - 1 Rear (with D-sub 15 and L/R stereo mini plug connection) / Component Video (Y/Pb/Pr ) Input(s) - 2 (2 rear) / S-Video Input(s) - 2 (1 side/1 rear) rear with Auto S-Video Input Detection / Composite Video Input(s) - 3 (1 side/2 rear) / RF Connection Input(s) - 1 Rear / Audio In - 5 (1 side/4 rear) / Audio Out (Variable/Fixed) - 1 Rear / Digital Audio Output(s) - 1 Rear / Headphone Output(s) - 1 Side Wide Screen Mode allows you to watch 4 - 3 normal broadcasts in 16 - 9 widescreen Unit Dimensions (W x H x D) ? 25 29/32 x 20 5/16 x 8 5/8 (658 x 516 x 219 mm) including pedestal; 25 29/32 x 18 1/2 x 3 23/32 (658 x 470 x 94 mm) including pedestal / Unit Weight 28.7 lbs. (13 kg) including pedestal; 25.25 lbs. (11 kg) without pedestal.

As you probably know, buying good noise canceling headphones can get pretty expensive.
Top models go for hundreds of dollars.

If that sounds like a little too much to spend, consider the Sony MDR-NC7 headphones.
These are on-ear headphones for use when traveling or in noisy environments like trains, buses or even your office.
While not quite as effective as the most expensive headphones, the Sony MDR-NC7 cut out ambient noise by 87.4%, which is pretty good.

Users report that these are particularly good in office environments, but not so great on airplanes. That said, even the most expensive noise canceling headphones do a less than perfect job at 30,000 feet. They all do well when cutting out the low frequency sounds, but do less well with higher frequencies, like babies crying.

If you want to enjoy your music, or watch a movie, while blocking out most of the outside noise, these are a great choice for the price.
The audio quality is good and the noise canceling will certainly make a big difference.
They fold up nicely too, which helps when you want to pack them away in a briefcase on a carry-on bag.

The Cyber Acoustics AC-850 is a good step up from some of the flimsier headsets on the market. Better quality sound, and more comfortable too.
It has an adjustable headband, leatherette ear pads and a fully adjustable boom arm that swings through 180 degrees, so you can have the mic on your left or right side.

It also features what the manufacturer refers to as DNCT4 Direct Noise Canceling Microphone Technology, so your voice will sound clear, without all the background noise.
What is "DNCT4 Direct Noise Canceling Microphone Technology"? No idea. But a mic that can pick up your voice without too much ambient noise is a good thing.

This headset connects via any USB port on your computer and is designed for PC gaming, Internet chat, VOIP phone calls and any speech recognition programs.
I particularly like how the mic boom can be bent any way you like, so you can customize the position to place the mic head close to your mouth.

The in-line volume control is a nice touch too.

The Deal: Get the Cyber Acoustics AC-850 USB Stereo Headset/Microphone with In-line Volume Control from Amazon for ust $24.78.