In thinking about holiday gifts for oneself and others, a great idea is a good set of headphones. They don't need to be very expensive to sound much better than those that come with most portable music players, including the iPod. Those "mug-me-white" earbuds aren't horrible, but you can do much better for only about $15 at online retailers like Amazon. A set of Sennheiser MX-500 earbuds sounds far clearer and more life-like than Apple's offerings and many people think they fit their ears better, too. They also have a little volume slider on the cord which I've found comes in handy when riding DC's Metro where environmental noise comes and goes quickly (the 450's come without the slider, if you don't like that feature). Sennheiser now sells these in white in case you just can't live without the status symbol.

For listening where size is not a concern, the Grado SR-60 and SR-80 are justifiably famous in audiophile circles for their high-quality sound and low price. I've been using the SR-60s while at work for the past 2 years and they are just exceptional. The range is amazing -- the bass is clear and balanced -- and the sound never gets tiring, even after several hours of listening. I always used to save new music I wanted to hear in great detail for my home stereo; no longer, now I bring it to work where I can hear it with the Grados. The best part is the cost: around $70. Considering what some hi-fi headphones sell for, that is amazing. I recommend using the softer ear pads or, even better, getting the donut-shaped ones that feel a little more comfortable and slightly improve the highs. Unlike many larger headphones, the Grado SR-60s require no separate amplifier meaning you can plug them directly into your iPod if you so choose. A word of advice, keep the headphones out of the sun when not using them: the foam padding will degrade.

For the ultimate in personal listening, many people select In-Ear-Monitors. These tiny buds fit deep inside your ear and seal out other sound. Brands like Etymotic and Ultimate Ears set the standard for accurate sound reproduction (many professional musicians use them on stage) but prices can range from $100 to $1000. And they go way inside your ear.

For research and purchasing, I've never found a better site than HeadRoom at <www.headphone.com>. They give thorough reviews of everything they sell and even tell you when a cheap model works better than something more expensive.

Dear SprayOnSalt,
Our DirectTV service has just switched its music service to Satellite radio music. We are miserable not only with the poorer selection of music but with having to listen to DJ chatter. Any suggestions about other ways to get a music only service? Our favorites were from the 50's and 60's.
Thanks,
Joyce and Ron,

It looks like DirecTV recently switched their music-only station provider from Music Choice to XM Satellite Radio. DirecTV probably sees this shift as an improvement because of the name recognition of XM and the recent, widely publicized move of high-profile radio personalities away from the Clear Channel radio monopoly to satellite radio. Additionally, XM and Sirius Satellite Radio are in a big battle for ears right now and being able to claim all of DirecTV's customers as listeners (whether they are or not) is a big coup for XM.

None of that helps your problem with the offerings from XM. Unfortunately, it looks like you may inescapably be the victim of corporate deal-making since most people see satellite radio as the only remedy for the pathetic offerings that over-the-air radio now delivers. When the alternative isn't acceptable (while satellite radio is generally commercial free, it is rarely DJ free), your last option these days is the Internet. More on that in a minute, but first some details about what XM does offer. Channel 5 (802 through DirecTV) is the '50s channel and its playlist and schedule can be found on XM's site here. They do have regular programs, some of which -- the Doo Wop Show, perhaps? -- might be interesting. Channel 6 (803 on DirecTV) covers the '60s and once again has its own schedule of shows. The most intriguing series is definitely the remastered originals of the Wolfman Jack Show which run every evening but Saturday. If you are bothered by the switch to XM, I would recommend registering your complaint with DirecTV through their website form. I doubt it will make them switch back, but at least they will know you are dissatisfied. You might have more luck getting XM to improve their broadcasts. Tell them that you find their DJ's annoying and suggest a music-only option.

Many people are avoiding commercial radio and satellite radio altogether (myself among them) by looking to the Internet for streaming or podcast options. Apple's iTunes offers several streaming "stations" under the "Radio" tab in the player, including several that specialize in '50s and '60s music. The quality of the connection and the station can vary widely, so it is worth experimenting. For podcasts, my new addiction, iTunes has added a "Podcast" tab and a directory within their music store. A podcast is a (generally free) music file that is downloaded automatically to your computer as soon as it is posted by its creator. Once there, you can listen to it any time you want or transfer it to your iPod for listening on the go. Just about anyone can make these shows as is clear by the quantity of junk out there. Best to use the Top 100 list on iTunes or go to a place like PodcastAlley where users rate these shows. Unfortunately, you aren't going to find too much music because of draconian rules put in place by the RIAA, but there are some notable exceptions. Coverville is always excellent and is one of my personal favorites. One nice thing about podcasts is that there is a very good chance a show exists for whatever it is you are interested in: knitting, fishing, cooking, gardening -- you name it.

Today's product is limited to a particular audience: cat owners. Of course, anyone can get one, but it's up to you to figure out what to do with it if you don't have a litter box around. The Litter-Lifter (warning: garish, confusing site ahead -- but watch the video, it's hilarious) is a simple litter scoop that actually delivers on its fairly extreme claims. While it won't empty the box for you, it does reduce dust from scooping, take less strength, and speed up the whole process. The secret seems to be that it is more of a sieve than a scoop, so the litter easily falls through the holes before you even raise the Litter-Lifter out of the box. The owner of my excellent local pet shop recommended it to me, but I have to admit I was skeptical. As it turns out, it was easily worth the wait for the next delivery. Now the only additional thing I could ask for would be an aluminum version. Even though the plastic seems pretty tough, I want a litter scoop I never have to replace. Maybe that will be their next offering.

I'm not sure this phone will ever makes it to the US, but this Swedish offering has a better chance of showing up on this side of the ocean than most of the amazing Japanese phones out there. The Neonode N1m is extremely cool: thumb-driven touch screen as the primary interface, expandable storage through SD cards, megapixel camera, MP3 player, USB port, and open to developers. The only downsides I can see are that it looks a little bulky and it lacks a miniature keyboard for easy texting. Keep your fingers crossed but don't hold your breath (you will look silly enough without passing out).

A friend asked me if I could recommend an external hard drive for her computer to help her back up photos of her new baby. As with most things technology related, I do have a preference when it comes to external hard drive manufacturers. In this case it grows from experiencing the frustration of many drive failures over the past few years. The most common brand out there -- available from practically every Staples or Office Depot -- is also one of the cheapest: Maxtor. Unfortunately, I have yet to have one of these drives last for more than a couple of months. At one point, Maxtor sent me a total of 4 drives as each one quickly went bad and had to be replaced. Eventually I got so tired of repackaging drives and shipping them off, I gave up and purchased another brand. Aside from the danger of relying on a fickle hard drive for backup, another problem I have with Maxtor drives is that they are noisy.

The drive manufacturer that I have finally settled on is La Cie. Their drives are more expensive than Maxtor's but they have been completely reliable over more than a year of heavy use. Their heavy metal shell provides heat dissipation for the internal workings and keeps the drive nearly silent, but it does make it a weighty package to carry in a briefcase. These drives are best suited to expanding a stationary home or work computer, not for shuttling large files around.

Other than size -- and La Cie's offerings now go up to a full terabyte by pairing 2 drives within a single case -- one should look for the interfaces available on the drives. USB 2 and Firewire 400 are close to the same speed so you just need to check which one your computer has. If you only have an older USB 1 connection, the drive will still work, albeit much more slowly. If you have a computer less than 2 years old, you most likely have USB 2. You can avoid the problem of connections altogether with La Cie's Triple Interface models: USB 2, Firewire 400, and Firewire 800 (available on some Macs) all in one little box. As for computer compatibility, virtually all external hard drives will work with both PCs and Macs.

[Note that some drive manufacturers cut costs by not including cables. Be sure to check the box before you buy.]

Backup is an incredibly important issue for both home and work computers. Now that many irreplaceable things such as digital photos are stored on the computer, it makes it even more important to set up a regular plan to keep at least a second copy around. When it comes to photos, a good tip is to sign up for an online photo printing service such as Shutterfly or Snapfish and upload all your photos, even if you don't intend to order anything. Their remote servers will act as a handy off-site backup system for your computer. If you ever need to retrieve your files, most services will send them to you on CD for a reasonable fee.

Sorry for the delay in getting this post on here, but I'm working on a new, super-secret project that has been eating up my evenings. I'll be sure to put up a notice here when it is ready to launch.

I don't know about you, but when looking at a kitchen, my eye often goes right to the faucet, particularly when the layout features a sink on an island or peninsula. A humdrum fixture seems to me to bring down an otherwise well-appointed kitchen. To perhaps go a little too far, it acts as the jewelry of the counter. Those of us with what is showing itself to be a faucet fixation are lucky in that more and more offerings are appearing that combine form and function into beautiful, durable, efficient sculptures. Commonly available products in stock at most home stores are now much more attractive and often only slightly more expensive than the plain apartment standbys that still seem to be everywhere. Manufacturers like Kohler, Moen, American Standard, and Price Pfister have gotten much more creative.

But what if you want that really special piece for your kitchen or bathroom? In that case, you may still have to look to smaller European brands. One of my personal favorites is Grohe. Their kitchen faucets (a sample is pictured above) are considered some of the best you can buy. Their lines run the gamut from traditional, to industrial, to sleek and modern, but the quality is alway assured. Additionally, they offer something that is always a desirable feature: a ceramic plate system instead of a rubber washer. In this setup, 2 finely-ground ceramic plates slide past each other to turn the water on and off. They will never wear out or leak the way washers will, since even the best will inevitably deteriorate.

When it comes to the bathroom, a standout brand comes from England: Lefroy Brooks. Their traditional pieces are nice, but their ultra-modern XO line is really spectacular. Their site requires Flash and a bit of patience, but they have some incredibly creative fixtures on there.

Many of the more obscure brands can be ordered by your local home store, but the following Web sites have extensive online offerings:
- Faucet.com
- FaucetDirect.com
- Waterworks
- FixtureUniverse.com