New products: earphones block noise and take calls
- New earbuds are Bluetooth-enabled and cancel background noise
- Watch Over Me Dream Station can coax a baby back to sleep
- Epson's new wireless printer can handle jobs from tablets and smartphones
Earphones block noise, take calls
If you crave peace and quiet while you listen to music, the Phiaton PS 210 BTNC Bluetooth earbuds could prove a good fit. Equipped with noise-canceling and 3.0 Bluetooth technologies, the earphones minimize background noise while delivering wireless sound from a Bluetooth device stashed in a bag or pocket. Expecting an important call while on a morning walk? An in-line remote clip with a built-in microphone lets you take the call without slowing down to find your phone.
Sporting a "half-in-ear'' tilt design, the earphones can be a bit tricky to place in your ears the first time but once you get the hang of it, they generally stay put, even on a brisk walk.
About the size of a USB drive, the remote control clip has a cord that's just long enough to attach to the top of a shirt. With the clip's controls, you can turn on the noise-canceling feature, adjust the volume, jump to the next tune or repeat the last one. You also can accept an incoming call, dial back the last incoming call and lock the current settings. Don't like the feel of the clip on your shirt? The remote can be attached to the included neckband.
When fully charged, the earphones deliver about 12 hours of talk, 14 hours of music and 250 hours of standby. Recharging can be done via a USB connection to a PC or adapter. No worries, however, if you don't have time to recharge: When the built-in battery runs out, you can continue listening to music with the included audio cable. If the device is charged and you're on a plane where you can't use Bluetooth, you also can use the audio cable to listen to music while blocking background noise.
Priced at about $130, the earphones includes a pair of foam tips, four sizes of ear tips, a neck strap, a USB charging cable and an audio cable.
Music and calls on the cheap
If you can live without a wireless connection, there are plenty of less expensive corded earphones that deliver music and calls without the added expense of Bluetooth technology. JVC's A-FR6 Gumy Plus Inner Ear Headphones, for example, come with a one-button remote and a microphone that let you accept incoming phone calls while listening to music. Designed with a soft rubber body, the corded earphones are available in white, black, blue, green, orange, pink, red and violet. They cost $15 and will be available this fall.
www.jvc.com
Device soothes baby
When the baby wakes up during the night, sleepy parents don't always have to wake up, too. The Watch Over Me Dream Station, a high-tech monitor from B kids, can help soothe the baby before the cries wake mom and dad. Designed with smart sensors, the device detects motion and voice and then adapts its responses. Depending on the baby's perceived needs, the sensor provides soothing sounds, lights or songs, which hopefully will coax the baby back to sleep without interrupting the parents' shut-eye time. It costs $80. Available this fall.
www.bkidsfun.com
Save time and more
Have a print-worthy picture on your iPad or iPhone? You can print it wirelessly via the Epson Expression Premium XP-800 Small-in-One printer. Equipped with a variety of wireless options, the printer can handle wireless jobs from networked computers throughout the home as well as tablets and smartphones, with or without assistance from the home network. The printer's 30-page document feeder can also handle two-sided printing, scanning and faxing, which saves paper, not to mention time. And its 3.5-inch touch screen provides easy access to its controls. The printer costs about $280 and will be available this fall.
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