Note: I am a cheapskate and always wanted to buy the best I could get for less than $50. Above that price range, choices abound.

I have a pair of vmoda earbuds (Vibe Duo) that have performed very well. For earbuds, the sound quality is good, and I really appreciate the kevlar-wrapped cord. I've had them for about a year and a half and they're in great shape (and I don't baby them). I got them on clearance for $21.50 because they were a previous season's design. Bass response is a little lacking, but mid and treble are nice and crisp.

I have never found any earbuds that didn't hurt my ears.

I bought these Audio Technica ATH-ANC7B headphones on ND's recommendation a few years ago, and like them a lot.

I am a cheapskate and always wanted to buy the best I could get for less than $50. Above that price range, choices abound.

I would love not to spend an arm and a leg, but if the performance warrants it, I'll spend the money. I don't want to skimp because of an artificial dollar cap.

Meara and dcp pointed out the two moderately priced noise cancelling sets that I like. One in headphone one in earbud.

A link of my suggestion, not noise-cancelling but still pretty darn good: [link] Sennheiser HD 201. Apparently available at Best Buy for $29.99 - my local stores have them.

I am completely happy with mine. The only complaint I've ever read about them is that their bass response isn't super-high, but I am not a high-volume, must-have-more-bass kind of guy and don't notice that. Some classical pieces feel just a tad underwhelming at the tympani zone, but I can fix it in software with my equalizer, and for my preferred brands of pop music I don't need to.

The also have a VERY long cord, which is sometimes awesome but also sometimes annoying. I keep a twist-tie with them for consolidation.

Here's the review that convinced me to try them: [link]

Here's the review of the Koss Porta-Pros by the same site (I liked these an awful lot too, possibly more than the 201s, and if I needed headphones more often I would buy another pair. B&M availability may be a problem though): [link]

ETA: Don't get the porta-pros confused with the sporta-pros, which are available at bestbuy. The sporta-pros are NOT the same headphone.

But with WebOS, I feel like the developer community is pricing itself right out of the market.

Since webOS is a dead platform the developers might feel it makes more sense to try to make whatever money they can now. I doubt there will be any infrastructure left to sell webOS software in a few years.

What is the official word on WebOS? Moving it to open source, and no more development?

These are the ones I bought on recommendation of ND--though they're earbuds, not over the ear, they are noise-canceling. I do like them on the plane.

Cool.

A year ago an Apple Store employee told me that noise-canceling earbuds did not exist. I'll have to try these.

dcp's recommendation are the ones I have as well. I couldn't fly without them. They are the bomb! I also use them in Starbucks.

The case they come in is a bit too bulky, so I have a mesh case with a hook so I hook them on to my briefcase.