Etymotic Research's ety8 Bluetooth earphones, $199 ($299 with iPod Bluetooth adaptor)
Designed to resemble and work as well as musicians' earplugs, the foam and silicon tips that attach to these earphones block out external noise. A tiny hole running through each bud is supposed to stream music directly into the ear canal. Mead C. Killion, Ph.D., 68, founded Etymotic in 1983 after he spent 20 years designing professional microphones for audio and broadcasting companies. The newest device from his Elk Grove Village, Ill., company, works wirelessly with Bluetooth-enabled mp3 players and cell phones that play music.
