Noise-canceling headphones let a programmer concentrate If you’re like me, you need to concentrate when you program. That’s hard to do if you share an office or work in a cubicle where other people’s noises distract you.An obvious fix is to use an MP3 player or to play music through your computer, via some sort of earbud or headphone. I find the earbuds that come with MP3 players uncomfortable for long periods. The lightweight on-the-ear headphones that come with portable CD players are comfortable, but let through too much ambient noise and leak too much of the music to others.Bose or Sony noise-cancelling over-the-ear headphones sound great and are comfortable, but they’re kind of pricey. Genius just came out with a headphone in this category that’s only $49.99, the GHP-04NC. I’ve tried these out, and they work well for me. They cut the ambient noise enough to let me concentrate, they’re comfortable for long periods, they fit my ears and head, and they pack away nicely. Technology Industry