Please excuse this seemingly stupid question...
When I purchased my n800, which I actually bought 2 because the price was right, when I took the ear buds out the length of the cord from one side is shorter then the other. I haven't played with it at all, but should they be able to be moved so that both sides are the same length? If they are supposed to be that way, then I feel like I missed the memo or something that explained it and everyone else knows it but me, so please explain.

Nope, it's right, because the box that connects them has a microphone in it that allows you to use them with googletalk, etc. The reason one side's shorter is so that it will be held nearer your mouth.

Look at the plug - it has 4 rings on it instead of the typical 3 for a stereo headset - the extra is for the mic. But regular headphones work fine in the device too for just listening.

If you search the forum the question comes up regularly.. they are of different length because they're supposed to go behind your neck and down on one side, not like proper Real Men headphones where the cables go down the front. Maybe it's some hip-hop thing..

I think it is more of a comfort thing. I had some regular sony ear buds that were like that and loved it. I now have fancy etymotics and they have the "Real Men" style, and it's not nearly as comfortable. E.g., when you take them out of your ears the behind the head ones just rest on your chest - while the in front version fall to the floor - or at least need to be tended to. I was very happy to see that they chose that style. Cheers.

To be honest, with my ears the Real Men style will make the buds fall out because there's nothing there to take the weight (I've noticed some people have some kind of flap in their ears, made to hold on to gadgets and stuff, but my ears are more "open system" and thus I need to remove all weight. The behind-the-neck system makes that a bit easier.)

No, it's because that way you only have one wire dangling on your chest, not two.

I just thought it was to make it easy to know which one goes in which ear without looking for little l/r symbols or color coding impossible to see in a dark room...

cool

the long one goes behind your neck! Now the pesky wires don't get in the way!!

... unless you scratch the back of your neck often, of course.