Ear Pollution Plugz earphones: Easy on the eyes, but not the ears

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(Credit: iFrogz)Portable headphones come in two main styles: in-ear and on-ear. The former comprise the ultratiny earbuds and canalbuds that you place at least somewhat inside your ears, while the latter often feature a headband and circular earpads that rest over the ears. iPod accessories maker iFrogz offers several models in both varieties, including the in-ear Ear Pollution Plugz headphones featured here. Unfortunately, this $15 set rather lives up to its name, offering audio quality about on par with the stock 'buds included with most MP3 players. On the plus side, the earphones offer a hint of style, an ultracompact design, and a comfortable fit, so they could work in a pinch for those on a budget, but the similarly-priced Griffin TuneBuds are a better option for those who like bass. Read the Ear Pollution Plugz review.
For more than five years, Jasmine France has covered a variety of tech products for CNET--from scanners to keyboards to GPS devices--but she's happiest where she is now: sitting atop a pile of MP3 players, "testing" every music service known to man, and jamming a variety of earbuds in every shape and color into her absurdly small ears. E-mail Jasmine.
