Boasting 85% noise cancellation, the Audio-Technica ATH-ANC3 Quiet Point Acitve Noise-Canceling In-Ear headphones (you couldn't just say "earbuds," guys?) have the right idea. Most makers of noise-killing headphones do a lot of things wrong: First, they make them too big and bulky, which defeats the purpose of portability. Also, rarely do they include a monitor switch to allow me to hear conversations or announcements. My last complaint is many noise-cancellation headphones won't let work at all if the batteries are dead. Pocket-friendly, switch-enabled and usable with a dead batter, the ATH-ANC3 solves all of the above issues. The 'buds are available now at $170.