January 10 - 8:50am EST   Designers at Zagg audio think they've found a niche in the crowded market for iPhone earbuds: eliminating tangles. Z.buds are equipped with stiffer, yet sturdier nylon cables that are not likely to bunch together into a tangled mess, the company says. A quick hands-on demo at CES shows the technology does appear to work -- the Z.buds were hard to tangle even when wadded up. [full story]

June 19 - 1:20pm EDT   Innovelis on Thursday announced the release of BudFits, an around-the-ear product that prevents iPod and iPhone earbuds from falling out during physical activities like skateboarding, snowboarding, running, cycling, and other high-energy activities. BudFits are soft, rubber ear-wraps that snap onto an Apple's ubiquitious earbuds. They prevent earbuds from falling out and eliminate the need to tightly wedge the earbuds into the ear canal -- in addition to maximizing comfort and utility. Budfits retail between $9 and $10 at retailers such as Amazon and work with al iPod and iPhone earbuds. [full story]

February 28 - 8:25pm EST   Extended Access today released an updated design of BudCase, its earbud keychain case made for Apple's iPhone. The BudCase is designed to provide quick access to earbuds any time on-the-go, with the latest revision boasting a lighter and more compact form factor with a slightly increased width to accommodate a greater variety of earbuds. BudCase works with most earbuds -- including those shipped with Apple's iPhone -- and is available in black, red, or blue for $15. [full story]

November 30 - 4:35pm EST   Japanese device maker Radius finished its week with the launch of the radStrap NOISE CANCEL, a unique set of earbuds for owners of the third-generation iPod nano. The lanyard headphones hang around the neck like the official Apple lanyard earphones but are driven through the dock connector rather than the minijack. This both increases the output volume but also lets the radStrap achieve its namesake active noise canceling through its attached in-canal earbuds: up to 82 percent of outside noise is blocked, by Radius' estimates. [full story]