25 Best Back-to-School Gadgets

There's nothing like a little head-banging to ease the pain of late-night cramming, but you won't last long in the library with a boom box, and good luck stuffing a pair of DJ headphones into your cramped book bag. Instead, try a tiny but top-notch in-ear headset — and no, we don't mean the chintzy earphones that came with your iPod. Shure makes some of the best noise-canceling earphones in the business, and its SE115 MicroSpeakers strike just the right balance between quality and price, delivering detailed, headphone-quality highs and thundering bass, all courtesy of Shure's new second-generation dynamic MicroDrivers. The SE115s also come with thick plastic earbud cords and a sturdy nylon case to protect your investment.

Price: $115