DX Skullcandy/ Ionized Snow Goggles with matching headphones- cos it’s cold again…

Ok I apologize. Last week I complained about the sun and how I didn’t like summer, and this week the heat has gone away and we’re left with rain and cold. I’m taking full responsibility for the change in weather with my jinxing powers, and I’ll go talk to Zeus about it later, see if I can’t get the sun back.

In the mean time, I think we should be preparing for snow (well, not really, but stranger things have happened right?). If not in England then in some of the places the adventurous amongst you will be jetting off for a cold summer holiday sliding down mountains with one or two bits of plastic strapped to your feet. And if you’re doing that, you’ll be needing to protect your eyes from the glare of the snow, and what better way to do it that with a pair of Dragon Alliance Snow Goggles- especially these ones with Skullcandy collaboration. I’m a big fan of two in one gadgets, and this one allows you to be safe and look kind of cool on the piste as well as integrating a pair of headphones into the mix so you can zoom off (or fall off) to your favourite tunes.

They’re helmet compatible, with 100% UV protection and fog free lenses in a Polyurethane frame. The colour scheme isn’t exactly the coolest (they look a little like surfer shorts to me, but that might be the look snow bunnies go for these days- I wouldn’t know as I prefer curling up in bed when it snows to throwing myself around in the wet and the cold!). But even with slightly dodgy aesthetics you got to admit they do look rather cool. And any gadget that means you don’t have to stop what you’re doing to put your ear phones back in position is great by me- especially if I’m going at stupidly fast speeds down a big hill at the time!

If you’re off to the snow this summer, head over to Dragon Alliance and check out the retail list- they’ll cost between $77 to $130 online, and theres lots of other styles that could grab your fancy.

Review: Logitech G35 7.1 surround sound gaming headset

Highlights:

• USB connection
• 7.1 surround sound powered by Dolby technology
• Enclosing-ead design - blocks ambient noise
• 40mm laser-tuned speaker drivers with neodymium magnets
• Unidirectional, noise-canceling microphone reduces background noise.
• Three swappable headband pads and plush ear pads
• Precision headband adjustment- with numbered metal inside (spring steel-core headband)
• Three customizable keys. Uses include music, voice morphing, etc.
• On-ear controls: volume, microphone mute, and surround sound adjustments.
• Flip-down microphone with auto-mute: Microphone mutes automatically when rotated up
• Microphone mute light: Glows red when mic is muted.
• 10-foot cord

What you can do with the software:

• Adjust levels: volume, bass, treble, microphone,
• Create profiles
• Customize G keys- shortcuts to launch software or commands (play/pause, etc). These can also be set to do commands with the G35 (like decrease treble), or trigger voice morphing.
• Set voice morphing (powered by Screaming Bee)- set voice pitch and then choices include android, troll, giant, alien, mutant, and squirrel.
• View the G35 manual.

Verdict:

Retailing for $130, the G35 is not cheap. That said, it’s a full-featured and extremely capable product that is, or is very close to, the best option available for PC gamers today. Aside from being a bit heavy the G35 feels great and it has no pinch-points so extended use is not a problem (probably the biggest complaint with most headsets) and it is packed with thoughtful features. The software is not particularly incredible, but it is simple and easy to use, and it allows the hardware to shine. The microphone cancels almost all ambient noise (listen to it in use in our podcast) and the fact that it shuts off when you flip it up is just plain smart. Shifting the controls to the side of the headset (instead of inline) was a good move and while you have to learn where they are positioned, that will just take an hour or two of use. The sound quality is very solid, and it’s well suited for games like COD4 and Fallout 3. General music listening was satisfying as well. A shortcoming that is worth noting is that user has no controls over individual channels, so if you really want to tweak the volume/settings you might find this aspect lacking. Also watch out: not every game works with the surround sound.

Overall, it’s a fantastic headset that is possibly the best-in-breed, but it’s a bit pricey at the moment.

Razer Pro|Tone m250 Headphones

In ear headphones are great for isolating outside noise and listening to your music in private. However, the earbuds that come with the iPod don't particularly fit everyone's ear size. Even with the newest iPod earbud design, people still complain about them falling out or being uncomfortable.

When I opened up the packaging, I was immediately impressed by the sleek black metallic look of the pro|tone m250. Included is a zipper case showing off Razer's non-ostentatious embroidered logo. The case features 3 mesh pockets to hold the headphones and it's included airplane adapter. The case and aircraft adapter is a very nice touch not seen in price comparable units, and provides added value for the traveler.

Attractively designed in white or black, the m250s' are secured to your ear via an extremely durable hinged rubber clip. You open the hinge, and slip it over your ear, and then press on the headphone and the hinge snugly closes around your ear. If you aren't used to wearing headphones on your ears, it takes a few minutes to get used to them. After wearing them for a long time (longer than an hour in my case), when you take them off, you feel like something is missing. I sort of equate it to 'hat head'. For those that aren't familiar with that term, it's a feeling you have when you have been wearing a hat for an extended period of time, and then when you remove it, you feel like something is missing. This isn't necessarily a bad thing, but it does take some getting used to.

JayBird JB-200 Bluetooth Headphones

Most Bluetooth headphones have a neckband style design and there are few over the head style Bluetooth headphones out there. Even more rare are Bluetooth earbuds, as the technology simply won't fit inside such cramped space. JayBird have found a way to circumvent this problem with their JB-200 earbud hybrid.

The JB-200 is a combination of earclip style headphone and earbud with IEM style tips on them. It's extremely small for a Bluetooth headphone and is barely visible if you have any hair at all. How do these headphones hold up to the big clunky headphones with plenty of room for the tech needed? Read on to find out.