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Release Date: August 05, 2009
Genre: Games
Release Date: May 22, 2009
Genre: Games
Release Date: August 29, 2009
Genre: Games
Release Date: March 27, 2009
Release Date: August 07, 2009

iTunes New Music Releases

Release Date: September 29, 2009
Genre: Rock
Release Date: September 20, 2009
Release Date: September 15, 2009
Release Date: August 25, 2009
Genre: Rock
Release Date: August 25, 2009

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Release Date: April 22, 2009
StickWars $0.99
Release Date: March 31, 2009
Genre: Games
Bloons $0.99
Release Date: April 05, 2009
Genre: Games

Discover New Music

  • Now Here Is Nowhere

    • 10 out of 10
    • Secret Machines
    • The Secret Machines' inaugural album, Now Here is Nowhere is both old and new in its sonic assault. The trio's surprisingly big sound evokes Pink Floyd (without ever sounding like any Pink

  • Life's Rich Pageant

    • 8 out of 10
    • R.E.M.
    • In the long series of R.E.M.'s evolution, this album (finally?) showcases their ability to capture on tape what had been happening in the live for years: heartfelt, sweat-filled performances that just
  • An Evening with George Shearing & Mel Torm�

    • 10 out of 10
    • Mel Torm� & George Shearing
    • Of the three men who taught me how to sing, the last was Mel Torme. Apparently, Mel Torme is a joke to anyone more than a decade older than me, a living parody of a Vegas crooner. But I stumbled on th
  • Music Has The Right To Children

    • 10 out of 10
    • Boards of Canada
    • This one will haunt you. From the first notes to the last, their sound surrounds you. BOC has put out a fantastic catalogue, and this album is a great starting point for a new listener. Jump straight
  • With Teeth

    • 4 out of 10
    • Nine Inch Nails
    • In the sprawling post-A&R rock and roll world, there are two camps: the Beatles and the Stones. The Beatles are the artists that like to explore, evolve, and change styles. The Stones are the artis

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In-Depth Review

Apple iPhone Stereo Headset

I consider very few Apple products mediocre but I can't think of anything nicer to call Apple's earphones and headsets. The Apple iPhone Stereo Headset, which features the same crappy earphones included with every iPod, is mediocre at best. Among the least comfortable earphones I've ever used, they provide so-so frequency response, and little or no noise rejection. Furthermore, unlike some other earphones that come with foam or silicone tips in several sizes, the Apple iPhone Stereo Headset (and iPod earphones) come in one size and one size only. If your ears aren't exactly that size you're out of luck.

I have to admit, the one thing I do like about this headset is the design of its microphone capsule -- you squeeze it to play/pause music and/or answer/end phone calls. That's nice. And speaking of the microphone, if there's a high point to this headset, the mic is it. It includes a built-in windscreen, something I don't believe any other headsets I've tested has. I felt the sound it produced was clearer and had less noise than even the Plantronics Discovery 665 Bluetooth headset I favor, and incorporates AudioIQ, Plantronics' proprietary noise reducing/audio enhancing technology (see review here).

P.S. To test microphone quality I created a set of short audio recordings using five different headsets including the aforementioned Plantronics Discovery 665 and the iPhone alone without a headset. If you'd like to hear them, you'll find them here.

The Bottom Line

If you lost or broke your original iPhone headset, almost any other iPhone headset will be more comfortable and provide a better listening experience. About the only reason I can see to choose this headset is if the quality of your voice on phone calls is your only criteria.

Just The Facts

Pros:Very good microphone.

Cons:Mediocre earphones, uncomfortable for many users.

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