News; The Solos impress with their build quality and folding earcups

It's looking like a busy month for HTC, Dr Dre Beats Singapore with its Bliss phone for girls getting closer to a launch (and being renamed the Rhyme), the Radar whetting our appetite, and the Vigor looking like it might have a screen to top the Galaxy S2's. Seems there's a lot more to the next few weeks in mobiles than a new iPhone. The Beats line is known for a bassy delivery that makes these 'phones ideal for listening to pop, hip-hop or rock. In our experience the cheaper on-ear cans can sound a little muddy, with the bass occasionally ballooning out of control and obscuring the rest of the mix.

As always when it comes to headphones, I'd recommend going ears-on yourself before buying, to see how a set chimes with your personal expectations of sound quality and comfort.

The Solos impress with their build quality and folding earcups, as well as a thick, replaceable cable that's unlikely to wear out very quickly. There's a cable remote with a built-in mic for iPhone users too, though the bass-heavy sound that comes through these cans sometimes sounds a bit muddy.In terms of construction, the Envy 14 Beats laptop is very similar to the regular Envy 14. With this version, however, you get a matte-black finish on the lid and wrist rest, and an attractive chrome trim around the chassis. We're not sold on the huge Beats logo that adorns the lid itself, but the more subtle design touches, such as the Beats 'B' on the keyboard and the red accent colours elsewhere look great.

That matte finish does have a tendency to attract fingerprints and smudges, so beware if you're the kind of compulsive polisher who needs their tech to remain pristine at all times.