Back in May, Bose announced its new $850 FDA-cleared SoundControl Hearing Aids, which are available directly from the company and don’t require a doctor’s visit, hearing test or prescription. They had a limited initial release but are now available nationwide. And that’s why Bose just sent me a sample to test out.
First, a disclaimer: Because my hearing is still relatively good I’m not the true target audience for this product. While it’s intended for people with mild to moderate hearing loss, as we get older, all of us tend to have some hearing loss — I can’t, for instance, hear high frequencies as well as I once did. But I do have some previous experience testing hearing aids, including a pair of custom-fit $6,000 Phonak buds that I wore around CES a couple of years ago. And I recently tried a pair of Signia Active Pro hearing aids that are designed to look and fit more typical ear buds but are still pricey.
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These Bose SoundControl Hearing Aids are both similar and different from traditional hearing aids. If you’ve ever shopped for hearing aids, you probably know that they can cost a lot of money — well over $2,000 and sometimes much more for premium models. My stepmother just picked up a pair at Costco for around $1,500. These don’t look much different from the ones she bought, but the key here is that Bose says its new Bose Hear app for iOS and Android allow you to set up and customize SoundControl Hearing Aids from home in less than an hour with “audiologist-quality results.” Cutting out the audiologist helps cut the price.
Other companies like Zvox have created low-cost personal sound amplification products, or PSAPs — its VoiceBud VB20 amplifiers cost about $300 for a pair — but in order to call a product a “hearing aid,” you need FDA clearance, which is a notch below FDA approval. As hearing aid regulation has evolved during the pandemic, plenty of new products have been falling into the PSAP gray zone.
For instance, Vivtone says its $500 Pro20 model is FDA-cleared and “medical grade” but then refers to the product as both a “hearing aid” and “hearing amplifier” on its Amazon product page and its website. (A quick search of the FDA website did not turn up any search results for Vivtone Pro20 or Vivtone, but the Bose SoundControl Hearing Aids are there.) Previously, Bose dabbled in hearing amplification with its experimental $500 Hearphones, which were discontinued in 2020.
For your typical behind-the-ear, receiver-in-canal designed hearing aids (these come with three sizes of open and closed dome eartips) the SoundControl Hearing Aids are lightweight and well designed. I liked their protective carrying case. Bose says each hearing aid weighs 3 grams and contains two microphones, one tiny speaker and a standard 312 zinc-air battery. A battery lasts up to four days when used for 14 hours a day and eight batteries are included in total. They’re water-resistant “to survive light exposure to rain or water.”
The included cable that runs from the hearing to the tip should be a fit for most ears but Bose will send you a different size one if it doesn’t work and these come with a 90-day risk-free trial as well as dedicated support, including one-on-one video appointments with Bose Hear Product Experts to get personalized help and guidance. They are eligible for FSA and HSA reimbursement.
The hearing aids in their included case.
Bose
After I put the batteries in, I had no trouble pairing the hearing aids to the Hear app on my iPhone via Bluetooth. The buds turn on when you push the battery door closed and turn off when you pop it open (when not in use, you store the hearing aids in their case with the door open to save the batteries). The instructions are clear and the process is straightforward.
I’ve had hearing tests and worked with audiologists in the past to tweak the sound of the hearing aids I was testing. The audiologist will tune the hearing aids based on your hearing test and then she’ll make some tweaks based on your feedback after you use them. Typically, hearing aids take some getting used to because you hear more sound (including your own voice) than you’re used to and that can be a little jarring. With these Bose Hearing Aids, you put them on and start experimenting with the tuning in the app. You can start off on a lighter setting initially then dial more amplification in as you get used to the hearing aids.
Bose says the CustomTune technology that’s incorporated into the Bose Hear app offers hundreds of options for fine-tuning from just two simple controls: “World Volume can be turned up to amplify quiet sounds more than loud ones so listening is more comfortable, while Treble/Bass can adjust tone to accentuate or diminish certain vocal frequencies.”
A Focus feature allows you to focus on sound that’s directly in front of you (for restaurant conversations, for example) and presets for activities and places can be named and stored in Modes for easy retrieval. Directional audio features are pretty standard on medical-grade hearing aids, many of which now have companion apps for iOS and Android to customize your settings, although they still require an audiologist for initial tuning.
Like other behind-the-ear hearing aids, you can barely tell I have them on (only the clear tube is visible from the front).
David Carnoy/CNET
In my few days using them, the Bose Hearing Aids worked as advertised. I didn’t turn up the World Volume very high — I stayed between 12-15; it goes up to 100 — because you can hit a level where things just sound too amplified (read: unnatural) and if you cross a certain threshold you will experience some feedback (whistling) of the hearing aid. I didn’t do much to amplify the bass or treble because even though my hearing tests say I have some small hearing loss in the higher frequencies, accentuating the treble even a few clicks gave everything a little too much of an edge. So I left it at 0 or even added a little more bass to smoothen the sound out a touch.
One of the big use cases for hearing aids is TV watching. While I can watch TV at lower to moderate volume levels without a problem, we have a heating/air conditioning unit in our TV room that competes with the sound when it kicks on. My kids have no problem hearing everything when the unit kicks on but I always find myself raising the TV’s volume a bit (I do have a 7.1 surround system, so I’m bypassing the TV’s internal speakers). With the hearing aids on in TV mode, I didn’t have to raise the volume; I just raised it in the Hear app a bit.
They’re powered by standard hearing-aid batteries — they aren’t rechargeable.
David Carnoy/CNET
I should note that a lot of hearing aids these days allow you to use them for taking calls on your cell phone and listening to music over Bluetooth. Also, many hearing aids have rechargeable batteries. The Bose Hearing Aids don’t have any extra features — Bose reps told me they wanted to concentrate on getting the hearing experience right. Also, it’s very hard to do music well with hearing aids. Even those $6,000 Phonak hearing aids I used were mediocre for music listening. I can see why Bose would leave off music listening because people expect a lot from Bose when it comes to audio quality and it would certainly fall short with these hearing aids. However, including voice-calling capabilities would have been nice and I’d expect Bose’s next hearing aids to have that feature. But it’s not a deal breaker.
If you’re comparing these to those $1,500 hearing aids my stepmother got at Costco, I’d say these are a good value at $850. As I said, they’re lightweight, well designed and fit my ears comfortably. You can barely tell I’m wearing them. All that said, I’d like to see these get to $499. That’s probably not going to happen any time soon, but that would seem to be a magic price point that would entice even more people to get hearing aids earlier.
We are seeing a smattering of earbud-style “smart” hearing devices hit the market. Companies like Nuheara with its $499 IQbuds2 Max, Olive Union and others are marketing hearing-enhancement buds. Jabra just unveiled its Jabra Enhance Plus earbuds that are medical-grade hearing aids (and thus, have no fixed price). And Apple is rolling out a “Conversation Boost” feature for the AirPods Pro that will be available with iOS 15 next month. That upcoming software upgrade marks Apple’s entry into the hearing-enhancement arena and it only seems a matter of time before we see even more Apple hearing-enhancement features that will likely become more advanced and adaptive.
But for now this is Bose’s take on a traditional hearing aid — and it’s mostly quite good for a first-generation product. While the hardware may not be groundbreaking, the package as a whole — and that includes its user-friendliness — make it worth trying before spending more on an entry-level hearing aid that still may cost you $1,500.
Microsoft recently invited me to join mixed reality pioneer Alex Kipman, the company’s technical fellow for Windows mixed reality, in a one-on-one chat. The difference was it wasn’t on Zoom, or Teams: It was gathered around a virtual table that sprouted up in my home office.
A holographic cartoon version of Kipman hovered in my space, and I walked around him. The only thing I needed to connect was a self-contained visor I wore over my face: the Microsoft HoloLens 2. My test-drive of the HoloLens 2 at home, for the first time ever, showed me where AR glasses are likely to head. And, also, the challenges that have yet to be solved. Microsoft Mesh, a technology promising a way to beam people into the same shared virtual space, shows amazing promise. But the hardware that will make the most of it hasn’t quite arrived.
The HoloLens 2 has been around for over a year, but not to you or to me. It’s sold as an enterprise device, meaning it’s a $3,500 headset that’s intended for people in workplaces that can afford it. Unlike VR headsets, it’s not really designed to play games. And Microsoft never sent review units of the HoloLens 2 out before this: My demos were always in controlled spaces, for limited amounts of time. When Microsoft offered to send a loaner HoloLens 2 out as part of its mixed-reality software announcement, I was extremely intrigued. It’s still a really new device to me.
Bear in mind that this is an AR headset, not a VR headset: Its lenses are transparent. The HoloLens 2 overlays glowing virtual objects that seem to exist in the real world. The only other headset like it is the Magic Leap One, also a business device (which I once got to try in my office for a week or so). It’s not about entering a virtual space, but about being in my own space and putting stuff on top of it. All those Marvel and Kingsman and Star Wars dreams about holograms you can interact with, well, that’s Microsoft’s goal. As Qualcomm and Facebook and maybe Apple (and others) work on AR headsets, the HoloLens 2 looks like the prototype for what’s next.
The HoloLens 2 isn’t quite at that goal, but no one is. Still, it may come closer right now than anything else.
HoloLens 2, Oculus Quest 2: both standalone, both easy to start up. One’s AR, one’s VR.
Scott Stein/CNET
It reminds me, oddly, of the Oculus Quest 2
The headset is surprisingly compact and about the same size as (though it feels lighter than) the Oculus Quest 2, Facebook’s self-contained VR headset. While the Quest 2 is $300 and the HoloLens 2 is more than $3,000, there’s a spiritual similarity to both. They’re both standalone devices that don’t need PCs or phones to use. They both fit easily over my head and fit over my prescription glasses.
The self-contained and easy-to-use feel of both serves a similar purpose: get people into VR (or AR) fast and without cable tangles or weird interfaces.
That’s where the similarities end.
Look, no controllers
The Oculus Quest and HoloLens 2 both allow hand tracking, but Facebook uses it as an alternative to the Quest’s controllers. Hand tracking on the Oculus Quest works surprisingly well, but the HoloLens 2 has no controllers at all: Everything is done with your hands. That’s where the HoloLens 2 shines… and has awkward moments, too.
To touch virtual things, like buttons or keyboards, I reach my fingers out and tap them. To grab an object, I pinch the edge. I open the HoloLens menu by looking at my wrist and tapping a button that appears there, glowing. To control far-off things, I open my hand and cast a beam like I’m Vision. There’s a feeling of having supernatural powers that flows through the HoloLens interface.
On my own, I try playing a game called Roboraid on the HoloLens 2, where things pop out of my walls — I tried a variation of this game many years ago at an E3 demo, but at home, I use my hands to play. Pinching and pointing and tapping my fingers together is a lot of what HoloLens 2 requires. The arm gestures can get tiring. I’d like simple shortcuts. And also, a controller would be nice. I can’t get any feedback like vibration, which is where a wristband or ring or neural input tech down the road, like what Facebook has planned, comes in. Some sort of controller could help make gestures more minimal and even let me feel what I’m doing.
Even with the limits of the HoloLens’ smaller-than-desired display, I can draw in 3D in my room, scribbling lines from my bookshelf and annotating actual objects. I put virtual objects alongside real ones. The virtual, glowing ones stay in place, and when I come back later, HoloLens 2 on, they’re still there.
The HoloLens 2’s flip-down lenses. The headset can also track my eyes.
Scott Stein/CNET
Eye tracking: A technology waiting in the wings
The HoloLens 2 also has eye tracking, something that current non-business VR headsets don’t. Eye tracking is subtle, but it allows me to look at an object — like an open app window across the room — and say “close app,” and it knows which one to close. For moments where I talk to people in AR, they could potentially see my virtual avatar eyes moving because the eye tracking is noticing where I’m looking.
Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg wants eye tracking on future VR and AR headsets for that same purpose, to map facial expressions and eye movements to realistic avatars. Microsoft’s tech, however, being business-focused, contains the use of that eye-tracking data to specific, secure instances. In mainstream headsets and glasses, how will that data be used and shared? We don’t yet know.
A floating virtual desktop full of windows
I demoed Microsoft’s software and also tried a few other apps. I sat down and tried opening web browsers, then played a game or two (yes, there are a couple). What really struck me was how windows could pop up and float on my desk, or in whatever formation I wanted. I could get up and they’d stay pinned there. They’d even be there the next day.
Qualcomm’s AR smart glasses are designed to be connected displays for phones and PCs. What I’m seeing on the HoloLens 2 feels like a preview of those glasses and what they’ll eventually be able to do.
On the HoloLens 2, I’m limited to using my hands (although I guess I could pair a keyboard). I’d love to see what it’s like for my laptop to suddenly sprout extra windows and monitors hovering in the air when I put my future smart glasses on.
The cameras on the HoloLens 2, which can depth-scan my room much like the iPhone 12 Pro’s lidar.
Scott Stein/CNET
The displays aren’t perfect yet
The HoloLens 2’s limited field of view feels like a large window floating in front of me where glowing 3D things appear. But the window isn’t wide enough, which means I have to move my head to take in things around the room that I don’t know are there.
The display also has a slightly hazy rainbow-like quality. It’s not the perfect vivid display I’d expect on a monitor, or even recent VR headsets. If I want to use an AR headset to see movies, or play games, I’d want something more evolved. It’s not easy on a transparent lens, but maybe Micro LED tech could help improve things soon.
What will the killer apps be?
Microsoft’s HoloLens 2 uses communications and telepresence as its killer apps for business. It could also excel at giving heads-up instructions in the workplace. But what would the killer apps be for AR glasses sold to everyday people? Would it be fitness? Games? Virtual movie glasses? An extra monitor that can go anywhere?
No one’s figured this out yet. Companies like Niantic, makers of what’s arguably AR’s ultimate killer app, Pokemon Go, are exploring what it’s like to play on AR glasses using a HoloLens 2. Microsoft’s headset isn’t meant to go everywhere. It’s not great in bright daylight; it looks big and helmet-like; and the battery life isn’t long. But it’s probably the best prototype I’ve ever tried for what AR glasses will need to do next.
The Sims 4’s 10th expansion pack Snowy Escape is available to play now, and promises to whisk players away on a mountain vacation for PC, Mac, PS4 and Xbox One. The new pack introduces Mount Komorebi, a Japanese-inspired destination world for the life simulation game. It arrives on the heels of September’s new game pack, Star Wars: Journey to Batuu.
Snowy Escape lets you take your Sims on a wild winter adventure with skiing, rock climbing and snowboarding, or on a relaxing mountain retreat with Komorebi’s bathhouses, meditation centers and peaceful walks. Mount Komorebi is the first Sims 4 world where Sims can either visit on vacation or live permanently as residents.
CNET got an early look at the game with Graham Nardone, the new expansion pack’s producer from Maxis Studios at EA Games, who showed off the new pack’s features. We also got to play a bit of the game early.
A carefully constructed cultural world
The new expansion pack has a number of traditional and modern Japanese-inspired items.
EA
Snowy Escape adds two new aspirations — Extreme Sports Enthusiast and Mount Komorebi Sightseer. Players can take advantage of over 130 new Create-a-Sim items when making their Sim, like L.L. Bean-style winter wear and traditional Japanese kimonos and geta (wooden footwear resembling flip-flops).Build Mode will also have new options for players to build themed creations in or out of the new world. These will include shoji doors, windows and screens; tatami mats; paper lanterns; koi fish for fountains; rock gardens; and Japanese maple trees. Plus there’s a new building option to create split-level homes (hallelujah!). The new stackable platform feature opens up floor plan restrictions. Players will also notice homes in Mount Komorebi featuring the sunken genkan entryway, where Sims will remove their shoes.
While developing the concept of Snowy Escape, Nardone’s team worked with an EA internal group called Aspire (Asian and Pacific Islanders Represent) to have conversations about aspects of Japanese culture that would better represent Sims players and expand on gameplay. “One of my favorite things we collaborated on was coming up with a modified version of simlish — the unique language inherent to The Sims — to create simlish characters that are evocative of kanji, hiragana and katakana,” Nardone said in an email. “It’ll stand out in-game to anyone familiar with those characters, but, like basic simlish, there are no direct written translations.”
Snowy Escape introduces the sprawling world of Mount Komorebi with plenty of places to explore.
EA
Aspire was also part of the team that developed Sims 4 Island Living, which came out last year. Nardone said that diverse representation within the game is a prominent focus for its developers, and players can expect to see more of it going forward. The Sims 4 is also launching a free update in December to add at least 100 more base skin tones and a slider for further modifications.
In addition, when creating new content the studio tries to stay in communication with players, Nardone said. Because of this, he said, he doesn’t necessarily consider the 10th expansion pack to be a celebratory milestone, since there are still more wish-list items to deliver to players.
“An exciting milestone for me would be, what does it look like when we’ve entered uncharted territories for The Sims, and pushed past what any previous installment has achieved?” he said.
Snowy Escape also revamps aspects of Sims’ personalities and relationships with the Lifestyles and Sentiments feature, which should allow for more-realistic gameplay. Depending on your Sim’s actions and habits, up to 16 Lifestyles can manifest. Some examples of Lifestyles your Sim can embody include “energetic,” “health food nut,” “workaholic” and “frequent traveler.”
This changes their behaviors, going beyond the traits players would enter in Create-A-Sim, to reflect the Sim’s lived experiences. Lifestyles occur over long periods of time and enhance your Sim’s autonomy, Nardone said. And if your Sim doesn’t keep up with a certain lifestyle, it’ll fade away.
Lifestyles and Sentiments make gameplay a bit more realistic for players, without the use of mods.
EA
To see what Lifestyles your Sim has achieved, just open the Simology tab and scroll down to Lifestyles. Players can also opt out of Lifestyles in the options menu.
The Sentiments feature affects the relationships between Sims. Two Sims can now feel differently about the outcome of a shared experience, which can have a lasting impact on their relationship and social interactions — just like in real life.
“Everyone will have a chance to enjoy the increased depth in relationships between Sims, and those who own Snowy Escape will have even more group activities that can lead to new Sentiments forming between Sims,” Nardone said.
When a Sentiment populates, you can explore it by opening the Relationships tab. The Sim who you’ve developed a Sentiment for will have a yellow glow around them. You can then click on the Sim’s photo and click Open Sim Profile to dig deeper. When two Sims are talking, you can also keep an eye out for Sentiments by watching the interaction bar at the top of the screen. Sentiments are indicated by a little book icon with a heart on it.
A fun escape, but beware the wildlife
Similar to the community boards in Eco Lifestyle, Snowy Escape has information boards to inform your Sim of upcoming festivals (where you can get collectables and unlock new outfits), the daily wildlife report (there are a few unfavorable creatures you might stumble across on a hike), the weather and how to learn more about the world’s activities.
Sims can also interact with vending machines throughout Mount Komorebi. You can stock up on sprays to keep creatures away in the woods, medicine and special skis. Special vending machines, like the little toy machines kids can get trinkets out of at grocery stores, sell Simmi Capsules. Each capsule contains a little doll, or Simmi, to add to your collection. You might even find a rare one or two.
Snowy Escape has a slew of new Japanese-themed building items.
EA
“For many people, I expect, Snowy Escape will be the right experience, at just the right time,” Nardone said. “Your Sims can escape to the world of Mount Komorebi on vacation, or make it the place that they call home. It’s delivering things you’ve never seen in The Sims before.”
The new expansion pack for the Sims 4 will be available now for $40 (£35, AU$60).
If you’re craving even more Sims in your life, the life simulation game was recently turned into a reality game show called Spark’d, which you can find on Buzzfeed Multiplayer’s YouTube channel.
It’s new mice season for Logitech. Having recently released its MX Anywhere 3 and MX Master for Mac, the peripheral-maker is adding the Ergo M575 Wireless Trackball to its Ergo Series lineup. The M575 is a little smaller and little less swanky feeling than its MX Ergo wireless trackball, but at $50, it costs half the price and replaces the M570 wireless trackball.
I’m a fan of trackballs — they’re good for people who have limited desk space within which to move around a standard mouse, or need to keep arm movements to a minimum to avoid repetitive strain. With a trackball, the device remains stationary and you use your thumb to maneuver the ball.
See it at Amazon
The M575 doesn’t feel as sturdily built as the MX Ergo (yes, it’s lighter) and the trackball doesn’t feel quite as precise as the MX Ergo’s. Also, the MX Ergo allows you to pair with a second device — and switch between them — while this model doesn’t. All that said, while I prefer the MX Ergo, I didn’t feel I lost that much with the Ergo M575 and its upgraded design (from the M570) fit my medium-sized hand well.
Its design has been upgraded in small but significant ways from the M570 wireless trackball.
David Carnoy/CNET
Indeed, Logitech seems to be targeting people with more diverse hand sizes with its latest mice. It says the Ergo M575’s “ergonomic design allows for a wide range of hand sizes to rest on the sculpted shape” and the “angled scroll wheel keeps your fingers in a more natural and comfortable position.”
Available in graphite and off-white colors for right-handed people, the trackball runs on a single AA battery and includes Logitech’s USB Unifying Receiver (which requires USB-A) for Windows and Mac PCs, which can be stored in the battery compartment. Thankfully, you can also connect via Bluetooth and not use the USB dongle, which I ended up doing with an Apple MacBook Pro. Logitech’s Options software allows you to customize the buttons to your preferences.
The older M570 is down to $30 on Amazon, so maybe we’ll see the M575 come down in a bit in due time. But if you like trackballs but found the MX Ergo a little out of your price range, the M575 is a good alternative for less.
The Xbox Series X is here. Sort of. While we have a final hardware unit of the coming-soon new game console from Microsoft, our hands-on experience to date is with a handful of backwards-looking features and technical improvements to how games load.
See it at Amazon
That means no impressions — yet — of next-gen games running at 4K on the Xbox Series X. Instead we got to try a selection of previously released games running in backwards compatibility mode and got to play with the improved loading times and a new feature called Quick Resume, which is frankly one of the most impressive things we’ve seen in game hardware in some time.
Read more: GameSpot’s full Xbox Series X coverage
CNET’s Jeff Bakalar and GameSpot’s Michael Higham both got to test out these new features on Xbox Series X hardware and spoke about their experiences in the accompanying video.
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Xbox Series X hands-on shows off impressive Quick Resume
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“I kinda slept on that a little bit,” Jeff says about the Quick Resume feature. “Now, having played a bunch of games with Quick Resume, right now, for me, this is the sort of game-changing feature of Series X.”
Michael was impressed with the load times from the new NVMe SSD. “Now [Xbox Series X] has caught up to something gaming PCs have had for a while,” he says. “So no more doom-scrolling on the Twitter timeline while you’re waiting for a game to load.”
The console has run nearly silently so far, although these older games aren’t exactly taxing the hardware
Loading times are much faster than the Xbox One X (Microsoft’s high-end version of the Xbox One). That includes both initial boot-up, loading saves and transitioning between sections of a game.
In an unscientific test, loading a Red Dead Redemption 2 save took around two minutes on an Xbox One X and about 30 seconds on the Xbox Series X.
Quick Resume feels like a game-changer. You can jump between games in about 10 seconds and Mike had four different games running at once. Games resume in the exact state you left them in, no reloading saves or returning to menu screens required.
The new controller is very similar, but benefits from a better grip surface on the back, an 8-way d-pad, and is a tiny bit smaller. And, it’s got a USB-C port.
Additional details of the Xbox Series X are coming, including our impressions of new Series X games and much more about the hardware itself, the operating system and the multimedia features.
SteelSeries has dropped the “X” from its Xbox-intended Arctis 9X wireless gaming headset, simply calling its PC and PlayStation-compatible model the Arctis 9. Like the 9X, the 9 supports simultaneous Bluetooth and 2.4GHz connections, though they have to be with separate devices, like talking on the phone while gaming on a computer. You can also use it wired through USB. Its pucklike dongle has an analog 3.5mm input for game audio and a line out to the headset. It costs $200, which converts to about £160 or AU$280.
In all other respects it’s the same, with a suspension and steel-reinforced headband, Discord-certified noise-cancelling retractable microphone and support for DTS Headphone:X v2.0 and Windows Spatial audio. SteelSeries also claims this new model has the same 20 hours of battery life (which is a good thing, as it seems to charge slowly).
I never had an issue with the audio or microphone quality on the Arctis 9X. When I tested the 9, the noise-cancelling function worked well enough, blocking out the hum of my ancient air conditioner and desktop PC fans without degrading the sound too much. I do have some nitpicks with the design, though.
A lot of people find the Arctis headsets comfortable and well designed. The cushioning is great and the Airweave fabric breathes well enough to prevent the ear sweats. But I find the Arctis 9 a little too tight. The elastic headband is easy to adjust for vertical length, but (as with many headsets) there’s no way to loosen it, at least without suffering while you break it in.
Lori Grunin/CNET
That’s because gaming headsets are frequently designed with larger heads in mind. The assumption is that the earcups will be extended more, which means less tension on the headband. My ears seem to be too high for that, though. It also makes it uncomfortable when I have it around my neck with the earcups folded. It’s also on the heavy side, adding to my discomfort.
A retractable mic is a great feature — less likely to get lost than a removable one — but it’s not easy to retract the Arctis 9’s single-handedly, because the stem has too much flex in it.
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On the upside, the power and Bluetooth buttons are easily differentiated by feel and the headset seems well-constructed. The big mute button is easy to find and depress, and there’s a bright red light when it’s muted.
I wish there was more control over the mic in the SteelSeries Engine software. There are a few equalizer presets, a volume slider and a choice of off, low, medium and high sidetone levels for hearing yourself speak. I’d at least like something between “off” and “low,” and more equalizer presets. You can set how long to wait before it drops the connection to save power, and choose whether or not to automatically connect the Bluetooth when you power on.
For the right size head, the Arctis 9 has a great, if expensive, combination of features, quality and design. Sadly, my head is just not the right size.
This story is part of WWDC 2022, CNET’s complete coverage from and about Apple’s annual developers conference.
Apple has launched the public beta version of iOS 14. The latest iPhone operating system includes new customizations for the home screen, picture-in-picture video, better widgets, a new Siri interface and App Library, a new way to organize your apps. We had been using the developer beta since it came out earlier this summer and are now trying out the similar public beta of iOS 14 with features such as the Translation app, Back Tap, new group Messaging options and new Memoji customizations, which include the option to add a face mask. (The MacOS Big Sur public beta was released last week as well.)
The final version of iOS 14 will be released in the fall alongside the heavily rumored iPhone 12. Over the coming weeks and months we’ll continue updating this article with previews of new features and changes as subsequent updates to iOS 14 are released. This isn’t a review of the public beta software; rather it’s a hands-on preview of some of the significant features in iOS 14 and how they work.
The iOS 14 home screen is the same, but also different
It would be easy to compare the App Library to the Android app drawer. But Apple has put its own twist on things by grouping apps into categories. Twitter, Instagram and similar apps are grouped together under the Social category, for example.
The App Library organizes all your iPhone apps into one space.
Patrick Holland/CNET
The groups look like large app folders but there’s no need to open one up to get to an app. You simply tap the app and go. Groups with more than four apps have mini app clusters. You can tap them to expand the cluster and then tap the app you want.
When you open the App Library search bar, an alphabetical list of all your apps appears. So between Siri, search, your home page and the options on the App Library page there’s now a bunch of ways to find and open your apps in iOS 14.
Widgets can be pinned to your home screen
With the announcement of iOS 14, Apple now has three forms of apps: There are apps, widgets based on those apps and App Clips. That last one I’ll talk about momentarily. In iOS 13, widgets showed up in the Today View page to the left of the home screen. But now you can pin widgets directly on your home screen. You simply long press on the screen, tap the plus button and the Widget Gallery pops up.
The Widget Gallery is a mix of suggested widgets as well as a list of apps that have a widget you can install. Since this is the beta version the only widgets are currently for Apple apps.
Each widget comes in three sizes: small, medium and large. Widgets have a fixed width that lines up with app columns on the home screen. So you can’t put one in the middle of your screen. Having widgets that are different sizes integrated among my apps makes the iPhone home screen look contemporary and compelling. And let’s acknowledge there is definitely a Windows Phone tile vibe going on, which isn’t a bad thing.
Widget stacks and the Smart Stack
Perhaps one of the coolest customizations on the home screen is a widget stack. You create one simply by dragging one widget on top of another that’s the same size. To view the widgets in a stack, you swipe up or down, which brings a different one to the top.
Who would have thought widgets could be so exciting in 2020? And before you comment, I know Android did widgets a long time ago. But it’s lazy to dismiss iOS 14 widgets simply as a copied feature, especially since Apple’s put its own spin on widgets with what’s called a Smart Stack.
You can find the Smart Stack in the Widget Gallery and then pin it to your home screen like a widget.
Patrick Holland/CNET
iOS 14 creates a Smart Stack of widgets based on the apps you use the most and the time of day you use them. So if you use the Maps app regularly after work, that’s when that widget will be at the top of your Smart Stack. If you always check the weather in the morning, then that’s one the top when you wake up. Your iPhone curates your Smart Stack for you. I’m excited to see how this will work after I’ve spent more time with iOS 14.
I’m sure many people will never touch a widget or Smart Stack in their lives and will never be the wiser, which is why Apple’s implementation is savvy. In one sense, nothing’s changed on your home screen. But in another, so much is different.
App Clips are basically mini apps for your iPhone
iOS 14 brings an entirely new way for you to interact with an app. It’s called App Clips and is aimed at apps that aren’t on your iPhone. Essentially, an App Clip is a mini app with limited functionality as determined by the app’s developer. The idea is you don’t have to take time or phone space to download an entire app and instead you can have a fast experience.
During the WWDC keynote, Apple showed off a customer signing up for a rewards club at a coffee shop via an App Clip. QR codes and NFC can trigger an App Clip. But you can also send them via a friend for ordering food, or find one for a business in Maps.
If developers widely adopt App Clips, it could help keep your iPhone decluttered and change your relationship with apps.
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iOS 14 lets you hide app pages
If you have apps that you use infrequently but don’t want to delete, you can put them all onto a page and hide it. You still have access to the apps via search, Siri or the App Library, but they’re out of view.
In theory you could hide all your apps, fill your home screen with widget stacks and still be able to use your iPhone. I think I’m going to have to try that at some point.
You can collapse videos into a tiny player window and watch it while having access to everything on your iPhone.
Patrick Holland/CNET
I love being able to turn my FaceTime chat into a tiny window so I can access something else on my iPhone. It allows me to keep the conversation going without that blank screen showing up to people on the other end of the call. And you can pretty much move the mini FaceTime window anywhere you want.
Videos work similarly: If I’m watching a video in fullscreen via an app like Safari, I can swipe up to enter the app switcher view and then tap the home screen to minimize it. You can resize the video window and move it around accordingly. If you push it off to the side, the audio will keep playing without the picture.
Set a third-party browser or mail app as default
It wasn’t mentioned in the keynote, but at the bottom of the iOS 14 preview page on the Apple website is a small announcement for a feature many of us have yearned for: You can now choose system default apps from third parties.
iOS 14 will let you set a third-party app as your default internet browser or mail app. The catch here is that developers need to flag their app as a browser or mail app for it to work. In theory, this means you could use Chrome or Firefox as your default mobile browser or Gmail as your default email app. I’m excited to see this in action once developers have enabled their apps.
iOS 14 adds the Translate app to your iPhone
The new Translate app has a couple of modes. In the vertical position you can have it translate words and phrases as well as showing the definition of those words. When you rotate it into landscape, it enters conversation mode, allowing each speaker to have half the screen with their translation showing. You can even have the app show the translation in full screen or speak it for you.
The translate app works between 11 different languages.
Patrick Holland/CNET
Apple Maps gets cycling directions
Google Maps has had directions for bike routes for a while. But with iOS 14, Maps is adding cycling directions of its own. And there are some well-thought out options: You get elevations and warnings about streets or where you’ll need to walk your bike. You can also toggle options to avoid like stairs, hills and busy roads. Bike routes in Maps show locations such as bike repair shops and coffee shops along the way. At launch, cycling directions will only be available in a handful of cities.
Maps now supports directions for cycling.
Patrick Holland/CNET
Green light means your camera is on
A useful feature in iOS 14 is an indicator light that lets you know if an app is using your camera or mic in the background. When your phone’s mic is on, an orange dot appears on the top right side of the screen. The dot shows up green when an app is using your camera, leaving zero doubt about what’s going on.
Trigger a shortcut by tapping on the back of your iPhone
There are a ton of new accessibility features, but one that stands out to me is Back Tap. In the Touch section of the Accessibility settings you can enable Back Tap, which lets you trigger an action or shortcut by double-tapping or triple-tapping the back of your iPhone. For example, I can double tap to bring up the Control Panel. And if I double tap again, the Control Panel goes away.
You can select from over two dozen actions and shortcuts to be triggered with Back Tap like taking screenshots, or bringing up the magnifier.
Sound Recognition can alert you to alarms and animals
Another compelling Accessibility feature is called Sound Recognition. It can alert you if your iPhone detects specific sounds, such as a fire or smoke alarm, or an animal. You select which sound you want to be notified about and when your iPhone detects one of those sounds, it will notify you with an on-screen alert.
Sound Recognition helps people with impaired hearing know what’s going on around them.
Patrick Holland/CNET
Messages get Memoji face masks and new group thread mentions
If you’re big on group threads, iOS 14 makes them even more manageable. You can mention a specific person in a thread and only alert that person. You can also pin conversations to the top of the app.
In a sign of the times, you can now add a face mask to your Memoji.
Patrick Holland/CNET
There are a bunch of customizations, including new hair and headwear styles for Memoji, as well as the ability to add a face mask.
Phone calls and Siri get small
Instead of an incoming call taking up your entire screen before you answer it, it will now show up as a banner notification across the top. You tap to answer or swipe it away.
Chinese phone-maker Vivo recently unveiled its X50 series, marking the launch of its first global flagship this year. Vivo, which is one of the top 10 phone manufacturers by market share despite being relatively unknown in the West, advertises its latest phone as a “professional photography flagship.” It introduces an internal gimbal camera system to the series, which it’s selling outside China for the first time.
There are three phones in this range, the X50, X50 Pro and X50 Pro Plus. The X50 Pro Plus has a cutting-edge Qualcomm Snapdragon 865 processor (as seen in the Galaxy S20, among others), while the X50 and the Pro both have Snapdragon 765G CPUs. But although the X50 Pro has a slower processor, it also has a gimbal. Vivo said it chose to add the gimbal to the Pro, rather than the more costly Pro Plus, to make the feature more widely accessible.
The company says the X50 Pro’s system has a 300% increase in performance over more traditional stabilization technology. That’s thanks in part to that gimbal, which uses a “double-ball structure to achieve triple axis rotation,” effectively letting the camera float inside the phone.
Vivo
While only the X50 has the hyped-up gimbal, all three devices support 5G. All three phones have the same 6.56-inch displays, too. But there’s one other key difference: the processors these phones run on. The X50 Pro Plus gets the best CPU, a Qualcomm Snapdragon 865, while the Pro and the X50 both run on a Snapdragon 765G.
Vivo says it doesn’t currently have plans to release the phone in the US. But X50 phones will be released in parts of Asia, Africa and Europe over the next three months, so they’ll be reasonably easy to import.
Pricing details haven’t been shared yet, but the cost will vary based on country. In China the X50 Pro starts at 4,298 yuan, which converts to roughly $610 (about £490 or AU$880), while in India it starts for 49,990 rupees or approximately $660. As usual, you can expect higher price tags in Western countries. If you want more details on specs, scroll down to the chart below, which compares all three phones.
The X50 Pro cameras in depth
The X50 Pro’s rear camera system is headlined by a 48-megapixel main camera, which relies on a gimbal-like camera system along with optical image stabilization and electronic image stabilization technology for video stabilization. When I first tested it, I compared it with the one-generation-old iPhone XS Max while walking in daylight, but I didn’t see much of a difference between the two phones, even while panning the cameras. Both phones captured stable footage without any obvious jerkiness. The differences were noticeable, however, when I was capturing video while running and in darker conditions The X50 Pro captured more stable video compared to the iPhone, but the video did blur occasionally, especially when I was running.
When I used ultra-stable or anti-shake mode, the Vivo X50 Pro’s video stabilization tech was kicked up a notch. This is where the difference between the iPhone XS Max was more evident. Footage I captured was buttery-smooth and glided seamlessly. Even when I shot with my nondominant hand, which usually produces shakier videos, the footage was unusually smooth. There is a tradeoff though: It couldn’t capture much detail in subjects that were further away. From what I gather so far, ultra-stable mode seems like a fantastic tool for shooting steady close-up shots.
The Vivo X50 Pro (picture) has a 6.56-inch AMOLED screen.
Vivo
The X50 Pro has 4 rear cameras
In general, the X50 Pro made it easy to take crisp, color-accurate and vibrant photos that captured my surroundings wonderfully. I’ll have to spend more time with the phone, but so far I’ve noticed that in certain lighting conditions — during sunset for example — photos were more saturated and punched up. iPhone XS Max captured photos that were more true-to-life, by comparison. Whichever photo you prefer is likely a matter of personal preference, but you can see the difference for yourself in the photos below.
The Vivo X50 Pro captured a fiery yellow-orange sunset (left), while the photograph taken by the iPhone XS Max (right) was more true-to-life.
Sareena Dayaram/CNET
There are four cameras on the rear of the X50 Pro. In addition to the main 48-megapixel shooter, you’ll find a periscope zoom lens and an 8-megapixel ultra wide-angle lens. There’s also a 13-megapixel portrait telephoto snapper. I look forward to trying out the X50 Pro’s camera system in more depth.
The X50 Pro has 60x zoom
An 8-megapixel periscope lens is one of the (three) sidekicks to the main 48-megapixel shooter on the Vivo X50 Pro. I was blown away by the power of the Vivo X50’s 60x Hyper Zoom. Although the photos were blurry — 60x is a long way away, after all — it still managed to capture detail that I couldn’t see with my own eyes, including the sign on this hotel across the harbor in Hong Kong. I’d love to compare it to the Samsung Galaxy S20 Ultra’s 100x Space Zoom.
Vivo’s X50 Pro has range. Using its 60x hyper zoom, I was able to zoom into the sign on the hotel on the opposite side of the harbor. I couldn’t see the sign with my naked eye and did not know it existed until I zoomed in with the phone.
Sareena Dayaram/CNET
This photo was taken on default settings (1x).
Sareena Dayaram/CNET
Zooming in 5x.
Sareena Dayaram/CNET
Zooming in 10x.
Sareena Dayaram/CNET
Zooming in 60x.
Sareena Dayaram/CNET
The four zoom modes side by side.
Sareena Dayaram/CNET
A 4,315-mAh battery with fast charge
In the few days that I used the phone, the Vivo X50 Pro’s 4,315-mah battery life was strong on default settings. My daily activity typically involves making a few short calls, regularly using WhatsApp and Facebook Messenger, checking emails, reading news apps and playing music on Spotify. I also used social media, including Facebook, Instagram and Twitter. I don’t use my phone for heavy-duty gaming. The X50 Pro’s battery easily lasted a whole day.
Using Vivo’s 33-watt “flash charge,” I was able to fill up the battery in 52 minutes. That’s great, but not as fast as Oppo’s pricier Find X2 Pro flagship, which charges its battery in 38 minutes. What was incredible, though, was when it revitalized a dead battery by nearly 60% in just 15 minutes.
I’d love nothing more than to say the iPad is truly a laptop. It’s so close now, I can taste it. The latest version of iPadOS supports trackpads and mice now, and that means you just need a killer trackpad/keyboard case to add on. The problem is, there aren’t a lot of options. Apple’s version for the newest iPad Pro is expected in May. Third-party keyboard/trackpad cases will also start to arrive, and Brydge’s new Pro Plus is the first I’ve gotten to try. Mostly, however, it’s proven to me that if you’re interested in a trackpad-enabled iPad keyboard case, you may want to wait just a bit longer.
I tested it on the iPad Pro 2020, but the Brydge cases will work on 2018 iPad Pros, too. Brydge made previous iPad keyboard covers, and the Pro Plus looks basically the same, but adds a trackpad. It totally seems like a MacBook bottom half, and with the iPad attached, you’d never really know I wasn’t on a MacBook at first or second — or even third glance.
See it at Brydge
I used Brydge’s trackpad-enabled keyboard case with the Google Pixel Slate years ago, which was an excellent laptop-like accessory (to a not-great tablet). This iPad Pro keyboard is very similar to that, but made to work with iOS, and with an improved keyboard, according to Brydge.
There’s good and bad news about Brydge’s case, so far. The best may be that it arrives a month ahead of Apple’s Magic Keyboard case, which is coming in May. I’ll tell you what I’ve been noticing so far, and some of it is surprising.
The Brydge Pro Plus (left) compared to the 13-inch MacBook Pro (right).
Scott Stein/CNET
The good news
It’s less expensive. At $200 or $230 for the 11-inch or 12.9-inch version, respectively, the Brydge Pro Plus is hardly cheap — but it’s a lot less than what Apple will charge for its Magic Keyboard ($300 and $350).
The keyboard is fantastic. So far, the raised keys have great travel, are backlit, and feel excellent and responsive at high speeds. I’m typing on this as well as on my 2015 MacBook Pro. I love typing on it.
Comparing Brydge’s keyboard, and its extra function keys (right) to Apple’s existing Smart Keyboard (left).
Scott Stein/CNET
There’s a whole row of extra function keys, which Apple’s Smart Keyboard case completely lacks. There’s volume, play/pause, a keyboard switcher for emoji access, brightness and a totally useful home button that brings up the home screen grid of apps, or that can be double-pressed to bring up currently open apps. It works like an Escape key. There’s a Siri button on the bottom left, too. This keyboard is aces.
It feels sturdy. The metal construction is great, and it feels like a laptop.
It can open up like a normal laptop, and even stay anchored in my lap (imagine!).
Scott Stein/CNET
It’s totally lap-friendly. Apple’s flexy Smart Keyboard Case (the one that’s already available, not the Magic Keyboard case coming in May) is hard to balance on my lap, and the keyboard base wobbles. The Brydge case is solid and weighted well, and the 12.9-inch version opens and stays on my lap normally. Microsoft could take a lesson from this for its Surface Pro line.
The bad news
The trackpad support works… but it’s not as smooth as when I tried Apple’s Magic Trackpad. The Brydge Pro Plus pairs via Bluetooth, and it seems that right now iOS 13.4 doesn’t play as nicely with all trackpads, as I expected. Apple’s own standalone Magic Trackpad (previously used largely with iMacs and Mac Mini desktops) scrolls through apps buttery-smooth and has two- and three-finger gesture support for accessing and switching apps.
I.. .wish this trackpad worked better. (Apple’s Magic Trackpad is a lot more refined right now on iPadOS 13.4.)
Scott Stein/CNET
The Brydge trackpad works for single-finger things, and also does some two-finger scrolling, but the scrolling ends up looking juddery. It lacks three-finger gestures, too, which are something the case can technically do, but iOS 13.4 doesn’t allow for in the case yet. Whether that’s Apple working with accessory makers to enable better support for peripherals, we’ll see — I hope Apple and Brydge end up working that part out. I’m using an early version of the case, and Apple just released iOS 13.4 recently, but it’s a disappointment for now.
These clamp-like feet make me nervous.
Scott Stein/CNET
I’m not wild about how the Brydge case connects to the iPad. Unlike Apple’s magnet-based cases that snap into place, the Brydge Pro Plus has rubberized clamplike grips on either side of the keyboard that the iPad has to be gently pushed into. The grips hold the iPad, but it’s not easy to pull out again, and I’m worried about possibilities of damage. The Brydge case has a back cover that magnetically attaches for a bit of protection, but the preproduction version I tried didn’t have the right camera cut-out for the new iPad Pro’s camera array. (Brydge promises that anyone who orders one now won’t have a problem and will get the right back cover.)
The keyboard comes with a back cover for the iPad, too, but I just wanted to show you this without because it looks cool.
Scott Stein/CNET
If the trackpad worked as well as Apple’s Magic Trackpad works with iOS 13.4, this would be my easy go-to. But right now, you might consider waiting things out to see how options like Logitech’s trackpad cases and Apple’s expensive Magic Keyboard pan out.
I’ve settled for using the Brydge case with Apple’s Magic Trackpad sitting by the side as a solution for now — which isn’t ideal, but it’s more than I had a month ago. But again, considering how early out of the gate Brydge’s iPad keyboard solution is, odds are that future trackpad/keyboard solutions (including Brydge’s) will be more polished.
The LG V60 ThinQ 5G (pronounced “thin-queue”) is a premium phone that’s poised to compete with the Samsung Galaxy S20. Similar to the LG V50 ThinQ and the G8X ThinQ from last year, the V60 works with a Dual Screen case that essentially adds a second display to the phone.
LG hasn’t announced availability dates and prices yet, but the company said that the V60 will be cheaper than the Galaxy S20, which currently starts at $999 (£899, AU$1,499 for the 5G versions). Whether that means the V60 ends up being $998 or $100, I don’t know. But since last year’s G8X cost about $780, I anticipate the V60 would start around that price or likely higher. LG’s first 5G phone, the V50, launched with an initial price of $1,152, so the fact that its successor will be cheaper already signals that more affordable 5G phones are indeed in the making.
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Though 5G deployment kicked off in 2019, more will take place throughout this year and next. As such, though you may not have 5G in your area now, the next generation of high-speed mobile data could be coming to your market later. In the US, the V60 will be available from AT&T, T-Mobile, US Cellular and Verizon. It’s LG’s second 5G phone for the US, and more 5G devices are expected to come down the pipeline not only from LG, but from other phone-makers as well.
Design: Big screen, big phone
Compared to last year’s V50, which had a 6.4-inch display, the V60 has an even larger 6.8-inch OLED display. That extra real estate does make viewing YouTube videos and browsing the internet more comfortable, and colors are indeed rich and vibrant. But the phone is also very large. If you have a small grip like mine, maneuvering with one hand will be tricky. And once I added the accessory case, I could forget about fitting it at all in my pants pocket. The case’s grooved back, which has ridges running vertically down its back, doesn’t help with the bulk either. Last year’s V50 was just smooth plastic and I’m not sure why LG didn’t go with the same look.
LG’s V60 ThinQ phone sees double in blue and white
Taking advantage of the Dual Screen does require some time to learn. When I first got my hands on a preproduction unit, I found myself tapping around the screen several times to find specific actions, even though I already had a chance to use this accessory last year. But after a while, I did get the hang of it. With the Dual Screen you can use one display as a virtual game controller that you can customize, or multitask on both screens, or expand certain apps across the whole thing like a tablet. Keep in mind though that there’s still a big hinge that cuts right down the middle. It will obstruct videos and apps in expanded view, so it’s definitely not the same kind of seamless folding experience as, say, the new Motorola Razr or Galaxy Z Flip. That being said, there are other advantages — you can use the case as a kickstand, for example, and it’s entirely removable.
Exactly how the case will be bundled with the purchase of the phone will vary from carrier to carrier, so keep an eye out for any restrictions. Last year, a few US carriers included the case for free. But after a limited time, users had to pay extra for it, and carriers like AT&T ended its two-for-one deal.
Google Maps and the Chrome web browser on both of the V60’s displays.
Angela Lang/CNET
Camera: Doing more with less
Unlike some premium phones today that have three, four or even more cameras, the LG V60 has two rear cameras. This isn’t a deal-breaker for me though; having more cameras does give me more photo options, but two is more than enough for most people. The setup includes a 13-megapixel wide-angle lens and a 64-megapixel standard camera. You can take photos with the latter at full resolution, but there is also an option to shoot images in a 16-megapixel resolution that yields the same kind of closeup, crop job as a telephoto lens. This is due to a technique called “pixel binning,” which at its most basic, combines a sensors’ pixels. While this method decreases resolution (by a factor of four), it improves the camera’s performance in low-light conditions.
On the back there’s also a third time-of-flight camera for AR and depth-sensing applications, like selfie stickers and LG’s native 3D photo effect, which is new to the V60. This lets you take portrait pictures with a moving sense of depth — you may have seen similar photos posted on Facebook. The feature is a bit rough around the edges, though. When I took a photo holding up a peace sign, the depth effect ended up being grayed out and wonky around my fingers and flyaway hair.
You can capture 8K video too, and digitally zoom up to 10x. Keep in mind that Samsung‘s latest Galaxy S20 phones can also record footage in 8K, and the S20 and S20 Plus has a digital zoom up to 30x. (The S20 Ultra can zoom up to 100x using both digital and optical zoom combined.) On the front is a hole-punch, 10-megapixel camera for all your selfies.
I only had the chance to take a few shots with the camera during my time with it, but so far the images looked great. I particularly liked how the phone handled low light and white balance in these two shots. Even though the lighting was dim and warmly orange in this room, the photos still have a lot of detail, and colors look accurate.
The V60’s camera did a good job at handling this tricky lighting situation.
Lynn La/CNET
Other LG V60 features and specs
One standout feature of the V60 is that it has a headphone jack. Unlike most high-end phones available today, the phone still has that beloved audio port so you can plug in your wired headphones. The phone also runs Android 10, has wireless charging, an in-screen fingerprint reader and it’s water resistant. For more specs, check out our chart below.
LG V60 vs. Galaxy S20 and Pixel 4 XL
LG V60 ThinQ 5G
Samsung Galaxy S20
Google Pixel 4 XL
Display size, resolution
6.8-inch OLED; 2,460×1,080 pixels
6.2-inch AMOLED
6.3-inch OLED; 1,440×3,040 pixels
Pixel density
395ppi
563ppi
537ppi
Dimensions (inches)
6.67 x 3.06 x 0.35 in.
2.72 x 5.97 x 0.311 in.
2.9 x 6.3 x 0.3 in.
Dimensions (millimeters)
169.3 x 77.6 x 8.79 mm
69.1 x 151.7 x 7.9 mm
75.1 x 160.4 x 8.2 mm
Weight (ounces, grams)
7.72 oz.; 218g
5.75 oz.; 163g
6.8 oz.; 193g
Mobile software
Android 10
Android 10
Android 10
Camera
64-megapixel (standard), 13-megapixel (wide-angle), time-of-flight camera
This story is part of CES, where CNET covers the latest news on the most incredible tech coming soon.
The first things I noticed about the new Galaxy Note 10 Lite and S10 Lite when I saw them at a small press preview here at CES are their giant 6.7-inch screens. The second is the rectangular camera array on the back, a bold new look that seems to confirm rumors that the Galaxy S11 will have a similar shape to house its cameras. It looks a lot better on the Note 10 Lite than on the S10 Lite, where the module protrudes from the back and takes up more space than it really needs to.
Otherwise, these new Lite Samsungphones bring a good heap of specs that make them appealing — especially the bright red Note 10 Lite, because I’m a sucker for that color on a phone. We don’t know how much they cost or where they’ll go on sale, but it’s a sure bet that Samsung’s new Lite phones will be cheaper than their Galaxy Note 10 and Galaxy S10 counterparts.
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From the massive screen size to the three rear cameras and a big 4,500-mAh battery, the Note 10 Lite and S10 Lite have a lot in common. Compared to the Galaxy S10 and Note 10, their screens aren’t curved or as brilliant, and the materials are more modest. But they have the advantage of running Android 10 right out of the box. They also support dual SIM cards.
The Galaxy S10 Lite’s camera awkwardly pops out from the surface. There’s a lot of empty space here, too.
Juan Garzon/CNET
There are important differences between the two Lite phones. The most obvious is the Note 10 Lite’s S Pen stylus, which was just as responsive on the Note 10 Lite as it is on the Note 10 Plus. The 10 Lite also uses Samsung’s Exynos chipset, while the S10 Lite has a Snapdragon chip inside. Importantly, the Note 10 Lite has one feature many fans have been clamoring for — a headphone jack. The S10 Lite does not.
There are separate camera sensors, too, with the Note 10 Lite having main, telephoto and ultrawide-angle lenses at 12 megapixels each. Meanwhile, the S10 Lite has a 48-megapixel main camera, 12-megapixel ultrawide-angle and 5-megapixel macro lens.
Of the two phones, I prefer the Note 10 Lite, which has the more advanced camera specs (at least on paper) and the more attractive design. Scroll below for the full specs.
Note 10 Lite and Galaxy S10 Lite: Samsung’s flagship phones done cheap
Why did Samsung make the Note 10 Lite and S10 Lite?
What’s even more interesting than the square camera array is that these phones exist at all. For the Note 10 Lite in particular, the fact that Samsung made this phone in the first place signals a shift in how it perceives its Note line. The Note has traditionally been the all-singing, all-dancing device for power users, the one to showcase every top-shelf spec and feature that Samsung has.
By bringing out a Lite version, which is undoubtedly more downmarket — in a good way — Samsung is taking its most different phone (the one with a stylus) and making it available in more places for more pricing options. With the Note 10 Lite, you now have a family of three Note 10s, ranging from it to the Note 10 Plus.
The Galaxy S10 Lite is a slightly confusing addition to an already jam-packed lineup that ranges from the more affordable Galaxy S10E to the Galaxy S10 5G. With the Lite, Samsung is pushing prices and features south.
For Samsung, that provides a golden opportunity to sell more of its most popular phones.
This story is part of CES, where CNET covers the latest news on the most incredible tech coming soon.
There’s no escaping the fact that foldable phones in 2019 cost double what they “should” for the specs they carry. Developing new technology is expensive, from the research to creating the hinge and flexible screen. There’s also the premium you pay for owning a futuristic device. But phone brand TCL is working on a foldable phone that will cost less than the $1,500 foldable Motorola Razr flip phone. (And also less than this concept phone that folds into three parts.)
I first saw the concept for this phone last February at Mobile World Congress, but here at CES, I got a chance to play around with a working prototype. The phone is fairly square and opens in the center to reveal a 7.2-inch plastic display bordered by thick black plastic bezels. There’s no selfie camera on the inside, but it does have a strip of four cameras along the back, and a deep emerald color with a slight diamond pattern on the back. It’s definitely eye-catching.
TCL’s new foldable, a $500 5G phone and this gorgeous Galaxy S10 clone
Unlike other foldable phones I’ve seen, this one has enough tension to stand up on its own and any stage of the fold. Others tend to snap fully open or closed at a certain point. Because of the relatively square shape, it felt natural to hold it in both orientations. I could even see sitting it up and using one half of the screen to type on.
The experience itself was a bit clunky. The software was slow to respond when I rotated the device, and frequently got stuck on a screen. I could actually hear the phone squeak when I opened and closed it — I’m not sure if this is the hinge or the screen itself.
I’ll forgive most prototype foibles like that since the company is making the effort to be transparent about what it’s working on. TCL, a brand best known for affordable, high-quality TVs, said that it has a dozen foldable designs in the mix, from conception to working prototype phase, and not just phones, either — wearables and smart home products could bend, too.
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This foldable phone will cost less than the Razr
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The brand sees foldable devices as a way to establish the TCL name at a time when phone-makers are scrambling to shake up the slowing industry through new design and the race to adopting 5G speeds.
There’s no pricing, release date information or even a name for this TCL foldable phone, but we do know that if it comes out this year, it’ll be a relatively more affordable option for people who want to try life with a foldable screen.
The Pixel 4 starts at $799 (£669) for a 64GB version and $899 (£829) for the Pixel 4 XL. Both are available in black, white or orange, which Google calls “Oh So Orange.” In the US, you can upgrade either phone to 128GB for $100 more. Preorders are live and the phones ship starting Oct. 24. And for the first time, you can buy the Pixel 4 directly from all major US carriers.
While it’s Google’s turn to take the phone spotlight, the 2019 stage is already full of new competitors, including Apple‘s iPhone 11 and 11 Pro and Samsung‘s Galaxy Note 10 and relaunched Galaxy Fold. The iPhone 11 and Galaxy S10E are two of the better-matched rivals to the Pixel 4 and both are $100 cheaper. Then there’s the OnePlus 7 Pro, which packs a 90Hz screen like the Pixel 4 but costs $130 less. And of course there are last year’s Pixel 3 phones, which Google has chopped $300 off.
Pixel 4 vs. Pixel 4 XL
Not a whole lot is different between Google’s two newest phones: They both come in the same three colors, with the same “Smooth Display” (more below) and, most importantly, the same cameras. The Pixel 4 and Pixel 4 XL do differ on a handful of specs, namely the size and price. (Plus, here’s how the Pixel 4 and Pixel 4 XL compare to last year’s Pixel 3 phones.)
Price: The Pixel 4 XL is going to set you back $100 more than the Pixel 4. The phones start at $799 (£669, AU$1,049) and $899 (£829, AU$1,279), respectively, for the 64GB base model, up to $899 for the Pixel 4 and $999 for the Pixel 4 XL if you upgrade to the 128GB version.
Dimensions: The Pixel 4 XL is slightly bigger and heavier than the Pixel 4, measuring 6.3 by 2.9 inches to the Pixel 4’s 5.7 by 2.7-inch body. (The two phones have the same 0.3-inch (8.2mm) depth.)
Weight: The Pixel 4 XL’s larger size makes it a bit heavier at 6.81 ounces (193 grams), while the Pixel 4 weighs only 5.71 ounces (162 grams).
Display: The Pixel 4 features an FHD display with 444 pixels-per-inch density, and the Pixel 4 XL is higher definition, with a QHD display and a pixel density of 537 ppi. But again, both phones feature a 90Hz OLED Smooth Display.
Battery: The last big difference between the two phones is the battery. The Pixel 4 uses a 2,800-mAh battery (which is actually even lower capacity than its predecessor, the Pixel 3), while the Pixel 4 XL has a 3,700-mAh battery.
A new industrial design
The Pixel 4 comes with a new design and square camera element all belted in neatly around the sides by a slick-looking aluminum band. Good news: The Pixel 4 XL loses the Pixel 3 XL‘s ugly notch and instead has a forehead bezel that houses the selfie camera and face unlock sensors.
On the left, the Pixel 4; on the right, the Pixel 4 XL.
Angela Lang/CNET
The new Pixels are just a millimeter or so bigger and a tad heavier than last year’s Pixel 3 and 3 XL, giving the 4 and 4 XL a more robust feel than previous Google phones. There’s Gorilla Glass 5 on the front and back, and the phones are rated IP68 for dust and water resistance. Both phones have a Snapdragon 855 processor, 6GB of RAM and wireless charging. On the bottom you’ll find stereo speakers and a USB-C port.
Curiously, the batteries on the Pixel 4 and 4 XL are lower-capacity than the ones on the 3 and 3XL. Android 10 should help maximize the battery’s efficiency, but I look forward to seeing how the phones handle in real life, especially with that high-refresh-rate screen.
Some of the biggest changes are on the front, with the Pixel 4’s new 90Hz OLED Smooth Display. Like the OnePlus 7 Pro and last year’s Asus ROG Phone, this screen refreshes 90 times a second, making graphics and animations look smooth and text appear sharp. For reference, the majority of phones sold today have a 60Hz display, including the latest phones from Apple and Samsung. I should note that Asus recently released the ROG Phone 2, which has an OLED screen with a 120Hz refresh rate, the first on any phone.
Depending on what content is onscreen, the Pixel 4 will automatically switch between refresh rates to best optimize performance and reduce battery drain. So if you’re reading an email message, the display might drop down to a refresh rate of 60 times a second, but if you’re scrolling through Instagram it might bump up to 90 times a second. You can keep the Pixel 4’s display at a constant 90Hz if you choose.
The Pixel 4 has a 5.7-inch screen, which is larger than the 5.5-inch one found on the Pixel 3, while the Pixel 4 XL has a 6.3-inch display, the same size as last year’s Pixel 3 XL.
The new displays also have a feature called Ambient EQ that adapts the screen’s color temperature to make colors look more natural under different lighting situations. It’s similar to Apple’s True Tone displays on the iPhone and iPad. By the way, you can turn Ambient EQ on or off.
Pixel 4 and 4 XL: Industrially chic in glowing orange
But it’s the feature located above the screen that’s really impressive. It’s called Motion Sense and it uses a mix of sensors, infrared and a tiny radar to let you unlock the Pixel 4 with your face. The Pixel 4 and 4L are the first Android phones with face unlock that’s secure enough to be used for payments with Google Pay as well as with password apps. That’s a good thing, because Google nixed the fingerprint scanner on the Pixel 4 and 4 XL.
When I demoed face unlock it was quite fast. Part of that speed comes from the fact that the phone’s radar detects your hand as you reach for it and preps the infrared cameras to unlock. Motion Sense can also be used in other instances. If you’re listening to Spotify, for example, you can swipe through the air above the Pixel to skip to the next track. Google also has live wallpapers that react to your hand motions. You can even swipe your hand through the air to dismiss a call or an alarm. In the demos I was shown, it worked consistently well.
The Pixel 4 has two rear cameras and can photograph stars
Perhaps the most obvious design change is to the rear cameras. (Here’s what photos from the Pixel 4 camera look like.) And yes, that’s cameras plural. All previous generations of the Pixel only had a single rear camera, but the Pixel 4 has two cameras nestled into its square camera array. The main camera is the same 12-megapixel one found on the Pixel 3 and has the same f/1.7 wide angle lens. The new f/2.4 “telephoto” camera has a 16-megapixel sensor and provides 2x optical zoom.
When I asked Google why it opted for a telephoto camera instead of the more trendy ultrawide-angle camera like ones found in the Galaxy S10 family and the new iPhones, a spokesperson said they thought that zooming in on a subject would be more important to Pixel owners.
The dual camera system brings a bunch of improvements and new features. Night Sight, which launched on the Pixel 3 and captures a series of images to make low-light photos brighter, is now capable of taking photos of stars. Yes, that’s right. You can now be an astrophotographer using nothing more than your phone.
The square camera array on the back of the Pixel 4.
Angela Lang/CNET
When taking HDR Plus pictures, the Pixel 4 now shows a live preview of what the photo will look like before you take it. On the Pixel 3, you had to wait a second or so for the phone to process the data before seeing how your final image turned out. Google also added dual sliders that let you adjust highlights and shadows independently in the viewfinder preview instead of just the overall exposure.
Portrait mode photos are now created using both rear cameras. Google claims that this improves the cut and edge blur of subjects over previous Pixel phones. You now also have the option to take wide-angle portrait mode pics. All these improvements are powered by a new Neural Core chip that processes everything locally on the Pixel 4.
The dual selfie cameras of the Pixel 3 are gone, with Google opting for a single 8-megapixel camera with a wider default field of view. Video largely remains the same but now is capable of live real-time audio transcription that adds captions to your videos as you record them. In fact, Google launched its first audio recorder app built upon the same technology for instant audio transcription. Sorry. Otter.ai.
Google Assistant is better integrated throughout
There’s a new version of Google Assistant that’s better integrated throughout the phone. You can still trigger it by squeezing the sides of the phone or by saying, “Hey, Google,” but you can also activate it by swiping up diagonally from one of the bottom corners of the phone. Google says that voice commands are improved and that the phones have better app control, contextual commands and sharing options.
Car crash detection with the Safety app
The Neural Core that powers the cameras is also used by the Pixel 4 to detect car crashes. The feature is part of the Safety app, which is currently only available in the US. If you’ve been in a serious car accident, car crash detection will automatically call 911. Google said that fender benders shouldn’t trigger it.
Check back with CNET as we test the Pixel 4 and 4 XL for our upcoming in-depth review.
Pixel 4 specs vs. Pixel 4 XL, Pixel 3, Pixel 3 XL, OnePlus 7 Pro
Update, Nov. 13, 2019: Apple has introduced a new 16-inch MacBook Pro with a larger screen and improved keyboard. It completely replaces the previous 15-inch model.
Getting an update are the MacBook Air and the lowest-end version of the 13-inch MacBook Pro. For the Air, that’s a significant point, as the system received its largest overhaul in a decade just last year.
Both new MacBooks have arrived in the CNET Labs for review. Our testing is ongoing, but here’s an early look at some of the initial results and our first hands-on impressions.
The entry-level MacBook Pro now includes Apple’s Touch Bar.
Sarah Tew/CNET
The new MacBook Air doesn’t look any different, but it adds Apple’s True Tone display, which can adjust the screen’s color temperature based on the ambient lighting. It’s already found on iPad Pro, recent iPhones and some MacBook Pros.
But more important than that, the starting price has been cut by $100, from $1,199 to $1,099 (£1,099, AU$1,699). That’s still not the classic MacBook Air price of $999, but it’s getting closer and students can get it for $999.
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Back-to-school MacBooks get faster, cheaper
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More consequential are the changes to the 13-inch MacBook Pro. That $1,299 model was a favorite for some, as it excluded the Touch Bar found in more-expensive MacBook Pros. Now you can no longer avoid the Touch Bar, but it’s included for the same $1,299 price, along with the TouchID fingerprint reader and T2 security chip.
It also jumps from an older dual-core Intel CPU to a newer quad-core version, so the least expensive Pro feels more like, well, a Pro. Case in point, we ran the new quad-core 13-inch MacBook Pro against an older dual-core version. Yes, the eighth-gen chips have an advantage over the seventh-gen ones, but the difference between the two base models is huge.
MacOS Sierra 10.12.6; 3.1GHz Intel Core i5-7267; 8GB DDR3 SDRAM 2,133MHz, 1536MB Intel Iris Plus Graphics 650; 256GB SSD
We’re currently testing both the new MacBook Pro and MacBook Air, and will report full benchmark results, including battery life, in upcoming reviews. While the Pro is getting a big speed boost, I wouldn’t expect any real change in the MacBook Air performance — the biggest move there is the price.
Last week Bose unveiled the Noise Cancelling Headphones 700, the long-awaited successor to its popular Bose QuietComfort 35 II noise-cancelling headphones. They aren’t available until June 30, but I got some early hands-on time with the headphones at a Bose media event in New York, where I played around with a final production unit that was running beta software.
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Bose’s new Noise Cancelling 700 Headphones live up to…
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The first thing you’ll notice about the Noise Cancelling Headphones 700 is that they have a totally new design — and it really is a new headphone, both on the outside and the inside, with new drivers and a total of 8 microphones to help enable Bose’s “evolved noise-canceling functionality.”
The design and technology upgrades come at a price: The Noise Cancelling Headphones cost $400 or £350 (Australian pricing isn’t yet available but the UK price converts to about AU$640). That list price is $50 higher than that of the QuietComfort 35 II and the Sony WH-1000XM3, CNET’s current top-rated noise-cancelling headphone. Both those models are on sale right now for $300.
Pre-order at Amazon
Note that CNET may get a share of the revenue if you buy anything featured on our site.
One of the biggest external changes is to the headband. The QuietComfort 35 II has a high-tech resin (read: plastic) headband, while the Headphones 700’s headband incorporates a single, seamless piece of stainless steel that would seemingly make it a little sturdier. However, as a result of the new design, there’s no hinge, so they don’t fold up, just flat, and you simply lay them into their protective carrying case, which is larger than the QuietComfort 35 II’s case.
Some will like that you don’t have to bother folding the headphones while others will prefer the smaller case. I did like that there’s a little compartment in the case — its door closes magnetically — for storing the USB-C charging cable and the cable for wired listening. It’s worth noting that the port on the headphone is the smaller 2.5mm variety so, bizarrely, it’s a 2.5mm to 3.5mm cable.
The headband is reinforced with a seamless piece of stainless steel.
Sarah Tew/CNET
In the past, Bose has tried to shave weight off its headphones, but this model is actually about half an ounce heavier than the QuietComfort 35, which will remain in the line for now. You can feel the weight difference, but I didn’t find the headphone any less or more comfortable than the QuietComfort 35 II; it just feels a little different on your head.
Built to communicate
Bose is really touting the voice communication features of the headphone. While the overall sound quality is a relatively small step up from the QuietComfort 35 II — more on that in a minute — the Noise Cancelling Headphones 700 should perform significantly better as a headset for making calls. The new microphones are designed to pick up your voice better (some of them are beam-forming mics) and reduce noise around you so people can hear you better in noisier environments. That goes for voice assistants as well — the headphone supports Siri, Google Assistant and Amazon’s Alexa, all of which should better understand what you’re saying in noisier environments.
There’s also an adjustable sidetone feature that allows you to hear your voice in the headphones. The QuietComfort 35 II has some light sidetone that not everybody notices, but you can really sense it in this new model.
The headphones fold flat into their case. There’s a small compartment for storing the cables.
Sarah Tew/CNET
In Bose’s Music companion app for iOS and Android, you designate which assistant you want to use and then access that assistant with a button push like you do on the QuietComfort 35 II. However, if you choose Alexa, Bose says you’ll be able to activate Amazon’s voice assistant by simply saying the wake word “Alexa.”
I didn’t get to try that feature — Bose is still tweaking the software for the headphones — but if it indeed works, this will be one of the few headphones to offer always-on Alexa. The Jabra Elite 85t, another headphone equipped with lots of microphones that’s great for making calls, was supposed to have this feature but Jabra ended up leaving it off after it discovered that it had too great an impact on battery life.
I asked a Bose rep about the possible adverse impact on battery life when using always-on Alexa because the Noise Cancelling Headphones 700’s 20 hours of battery life is shorter than that of a lot of its competitors (a quick-charge feature does allow you to get 3.5 hours of battery life from a 15-minute charge). The rep said that it did not have an impact on battery life and that the battery life was the same whether you had Bluetooth on or off, say, if you were in wired mode on a plane. He did add that you can use the headphone in wired mode if the battery dies. Presumably it won’t sound as good, but at least it will work.
New for Bose
This is the first Bose headphone equipped with touch controls. The touch area is on the right side of the right ear cup. I found that they worked well and that same Bose rep told me that Bose’s engineers were aware of the problems that some Sony WH-1000XM3 users were having with that headphone’s touch controls in cold weather and that the Noise Cancelling 700 Headphones had been tested in the cold. Supposedly, the touch controls work but we’ll have to wait until winter to test it out ourselves (maybe someone in the southern hemisphere where it will soon be winter can test it for us).
Typically, Bose hasn’t offered users much in the way of customizable settings but it is here. You can adjust the level of noise-cancelling in the app and there’s a dedicated button on the headphone that allows you to toggle between low, high and a zero noise-cancelling mode that Bose refers to as a true “transparency” mode.
The headphones are slightly heavier than the QuietComfort 35 II but are just as comfortable.
Sarah Tew/CNET
Impressively, when you’re in that transparency mode you essentially hear the outside world as your ears normally would. In the demo, it was hard to tell the difference between having the headphones on your off. Holding the noise-cancelling button puts you right into transparency mode so you can talk to someone while you’re wearing the headphones — to a flight attendant on a plane, for example.
They’re also enabled with Bose AR, the the company’s audio-augmented reality platform, and in the future, Bose says it will add new features — the headphones are firmware upgradable — including an equalizer for tweaking the sound to your liking, a Dynamic Transparency mode that allows you to hear the outside world but muffles loud noises like sirens as they crop up and a Noise Masking feature that creates white noise to help you block out the outside world and help you concentrate without listening to music. Bose lists those features as “coming soon.”
So how do they sound? Well, I brought along the QuietComfort 35 II and Sony WH-1000XM3 to the event to make some quick comparisons. I’ll need a little more time with them to make a final judgement on sound quality, but my initial impression is that they do sound a little better than the QuietComfort 35 II, with slightly more overall clarity and bass definition. I listened to a few of our test tracks, including Alt-J’s 3WW, Ran ‘n Bone Man’s Human and Spoon’s You Got Yr. Cherry Bomb and came away thinking that the Sony‘s bass had more energy and a little more oomph it but the Bose’s bass sounded a little tighter. I’ll be interested to hear what CNET’s home audio editor Ty Pendlebury and Steve Guttenberg, who writes CNET’s The Audiophiliac
column, think of the new Bose’s sound compared to the Sony’s when I get a review sample later this month.
I’ll post a full rated review around the time the headphone ships on June 30, but for now I’ll say that despite the Noise Cancelling 700’s high price, it will tempt a lot of people who might be looking to upgrade their noise-cancelling headphones, particularly those who value some of the new voice — and voice calling — features Bose is touting.
Here’s a quick look at the Noise Cancelling Headphones 700 key specs, according to Bose.
Weight: 254g
Over-ear design
New acoustic and electronics package with new digital signal processing
New 8-microphone system
11 levels of noise cancellation
Adaptive voice system
Built-In voice assistants (one-touch access)
Low-power wake word (for Amazon Alexa voice assistant)
Conversation mode
Active EQ Sound Management (coming soon)
Touch controls
Over-the-air updates
Bluetooth 5.0
Bluetooth range: Up to 33 ft. (10m)
Battery charging time: Up to 2.5 hours
Quick charge time: 15 min for 3.5 hours
Battery life: Up to 20 hours
USB-C charging
Supported codecs: SBC and AAC
Two color options: Black and silver
Price: $400
Shipping date: June 30
This story originally published June 5.
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Moto Z, Z Force and Z Play owners will have two new snap-on Moto Mods to choose from: a car dock from Incipio that automatically triggers Google’s car mode when you attach it, and a Mophie-made battery pack.
I got a chance to look at both Mods here at Motorola’s headquarters in Chicago. The car dock is the more interesting of the two, with hinged grips that clamp onto your car’s dashboard air vent. You simply squeeze two plastic wings on the back to release the unit. Since it’s a Moto Mod, attaching the phone to the car dock is as simple as connecting the two through the phone’s magnetic backplate.
The dock will turn on car mode and surfaces a list of common activities represented by big, easy-to-tap buttons, like playing your Pandora station.
Mophie’s Juice Pack for the Moto Z family (which you can currently buy with Verizon), is much more straightforward. The top-up battery just clicks into place and forms a deeper rounded back than any of the phones have on their own. Its built-in 3,000mAh battery promises up to 60 percent more power. It has USB-C charging and Mophie’s signature LED indicator to show your charge status. It competes directly with Incipio’s own battery packs.
The Incipio Car Dock sells for $65 starting next week, while Mophie’s Juice Pack goes for $80.
I continue to be amazed by the virtual-reality experiences you can have right on your smartphone. To ride a virtual rollercoaster, sit onstage with Paul McCartney or blast away at waves of incoming aliens, all you need is Google Cardboard or a similar headset.
In fact, now you don’t need a headset at all. With VR Cups, you just suction a pair of lenses onto your smartphone screen for instant VR. Genius, right?
The VR Cups seem like a great idea, but they’re more hassle than they’re worth.
VR Cups
The VR Cups look like a pair of oversize plastic shot glasses, but with plastic lenses in the bottoms. The cup lips are treated with a sticky substance so they adhere to your screen. The end result is something akin to binoculars-meet-smartphone, which in theory is great for quick-fix VR.
It didn’t take long before I realized the problems with this theory. For starters, with many VR headsets, you turn a dial to adjust the focal width — the distance between the two lenses. This is crucial for achieving the best possible focus. But with the VR Cups, it’s really challenging because they’re stuck to your screen.
I found that if I stuck the left one in place, then held the right one just above the screen and looked through both, I could make minor adjustments to get the images in focus, then plunk the right lens down. But if it shifted just a bit during this process, I’d have to do it again.
The bigger problem is there’s no easy way to interact with the screen once the cups are in place. If you need to tap someplace to select a menu or you just want to switch apps, you’ll have to remove one or both cups.
I will say that once I got the VR Cups settled, they worked well enough. And the lenses are a hair larger than those of another quick-fix VR product, the Homido Mini, though I can’t say that made much difference in the quality of the experience.
Indeed, to my thinking, the folding, clip-on Minis are the much better solution. They’re easier to travel with, and they cost less: $14.99 from Amazon (or £10 in the UK and AU$20 in Australia when purchased direct from Homido), versus $19.99 U.S. from Amazon for the VR Cups. (The company’s Web site doesn’t list any other distributors.)
Much as I love the idea of the VR Cups, the execution just doesn’t make a lot of sense. Either buy a full-blown headset, or go truly mobile with the Homido Minis.
Have you found a better VR solution? Name it in the comments!
Update 4/6/16:Because the cups have notched cutouts, and because they do leave corners uncovered, it is possible to touch the screen while they’re attached. However, that amounts to a “blind” touch, which is helpful for some onscreen activities but not for others. In my tests, I found it frustrating having to remove — and then reposition — the cups every single time I wanted to switch apps.
Also, I neglected to mention that the cups leave behind thin but noticeable rings of gel residue when removed, hence the inclusion of a cleaning cloth in the box. I can’t imagine any user would be willing to tolerate this, but of course that’s your call. In addition, each cup measures about 2.7 inches across, so together they’re a poor fit on any phone with a screen smaller than 5.5 inches — especially if you need to separate them for better focus.
Finally, the vendor recently lowered the price to $15 US.
This is the story of an Indiegogo campaign that barely raised $8,000 of its $25,000 goal, but went on to become a real product anyway.
That product is the super cool-sounding Siam 7x, a mash-up of Android phone and e-reader. To look at it is to see a fairly normal 5-inch phone, but to flip it over is to find a 4.7-inch e-ink display. This despite a body that’s just 8.9mm (or 0.35 inch) thick.
In other words, imagine something like a Motorola Moto E gene-spliced with an Amazon Kindle. It’s a capable (if basic) Android phone for everyday use and an e-reader when you want to conserve battery (and reduce eyestrain).
Though a decent dual-SIM smartphone, the $550 Siam 7x is a big letdown on the e-ink side of things.
Siam
There’s another nice trick up the Siam’s sleeve: dual SIM slots, meaning you could effectively make this a two-line phone. (More likely, however, you’ll use one of the slots for a microSD card, as the 7x comes with just 16GB of storage.)
But let’s be real: it’s all about the second screen. And after more than a week of monkeying with the Siam 7x, I’m forced to admit a hard truth: that second screen is terrible.
For starters, there are strict limits on what you can do with it. Out of the box, the phone came with five “e-ink apps,” one each for books, photos, music and address book. More are on the way, including GPS, stock ticker and social-media feeds. Those weren’t available for testing, but I did install a sixth compatible app: the completely broken, utterly useless News.
This crash icon pretty much summed up how I felt about the Siam 7x’s e-ink screen.
Photo by Rick Broida/CNET
On the Android side, News displays a list of headlines alongside small thumbnails. Tap any of the stories and the app displays a message like, “You clicked at Bing.” Um, OK. Even worse, if you flip the phone and fire up the e-ink screen, you get a faded, unreadable version of that feed — and tapping does absolutely nothing.
So, yeah, News is a wreck. I could see the appeal of reading news stories on an e-ink display, but this flat-out doesn’t work. I tried to test the Music app, but it wouldn’t recognize any of the tracks I’d downloaded from Google Play. The misnamed (but useful) E-Notes app displays a clock, calendar, weather summary and upcoming appointments — stuff that’s nice to have at-a-glance without worrying about draining your phone’s battery. (E-ink pixels stay “lit” while drawing very little current.)
Finally, there’s the E-Reader app, which provides access to public-domain books and nothing else. If you were hoping for a more Kindle-like experience (or even access to your Kindle library), forget it. The reading experience itself isn’t bad, except the washed-out, low-resolution display flashes every five pages or so (shades of early e-reader devices), and it’s not backlit.
I could give you some detail about the Android side of things — the bright, colorful screen (which looks sharper than its 1,280 x 720 resolution would suggest), the built-in FM radio and IR remote, the very solid (if slightly hefty) feel of the handset itself. Heck, there’s even a lifetime warranty that includes accident coverage. But there’s just no point.
At $550, the Siam 7x is priced inline with premium smartphones that offer vastly superior features. I’m not sure the occasional power-saving benefits are in any way worth the hassles and disappointments of switching back and forth between screens. So, as much as I admire the idea of the dual display, the execution here falls short. Way, way short.
If you still want a 5-inch Android phone with dual SIM slots, the new Kphone K5 offers exactly that — for $200. That leaves you plenty of money to buy a proper e-reader, one you’re sure to enjoy more than what’s presented here.
VR is cool and getting cooler, but the way you consume it definitely isn’t. Google Cardboard, Samsung Gear VR and most other VR headsets are big, bulky and hard to travel with. They also make you look, well, the word “dorky” comes to mind.
The Homido Mini is a pair of folding VR glasses that clips to just about any smartphone. It’s an ingenious solution to the problems of bulk and dork, but not without a few issues of its own.
The Mini is elegant simplicity, just a solid plastic frame with lenses that fold together for easy transport and apart for VR viewing. Just slide the clip down the center of your phone and you’re ready to queue up your favorite apps, games and whatever. It makes Google Cardboard and other headsets feel like a huge hassle in comparison.
What’s more, it affords easy access to the screen, meaning you don’t have to remove and open up your headset every time you need to tap an onscreen menu or switch apps.
Perhaps best of all, it works. When you think about it, Google Cardboard and its ilk are just special lenses and a holster for your phone. Here you’re just getting the lenses, but it turns out that’s enough. I looked at apps like Cedar Point VR as well as New York Times VR, and found them nearly as immersive as a headset.
However, there’s obviously no way to go hands-free with this; you’ll have to hold your phone rock-steady as you turn your body and/or head, and keep holding it throughout the game or video. Thus, the Mini is better for quick-fix VR. This could be demos you want to show friends or new apps you want to evaluate before switching to a hands-free headset.
What’s more, I found the lenses delivered a lower-resolution experience than in other headsets I tried. I’m not sure if this is because of my eyesight (I wear glasses) or a quality difference in various VR lenses. But while some apps looked sufficiently sharp, others seemed fuzzy. I can’t explain why.
Also, it’s a bit disappointing that the Minis don’t come with a case, as smudged lenses are likely to result from carrying them in your pocket or a purse.
Now for the big question: How much? Homido charges about $16.45, converted from the €14.99 cost for the Mini. The price converts to about £10 in the UK and AU$20 in Australia. But for U.S. customers, Amazon sells them for $14.99 (shipped free with Prime). That’s about what you’d pay for an assembled Google Cardboard, or one of the various no-brand VR headsets available from sites like Gearbest. Most of the latter come with headstraps, and in some cases adjustable focal distance or even a Bluetooth remote.
Thus, the Homido Mini is no real bargain, but it’s definitely the fastest and most convenient way to enjoy VR on a smartphone.
What has the back of your phone done for you lately?
Probably not much. There’s a lot of unused real estate back there, which makes you wonder why phone makers — other than LG — don’t add programmable shortcut buttons. How about one for the flashlight? One to launch the camera? One to speed-dial your significant other?
That’s the idea behind Air Button, a programmable shortcut button that sticks to the back of your phone. I spent the last few days programming and pressing one (two, actually), and I must admit it’s pretty sweet — though there are a couple caveats.
Air Button relies on NFC, meaning you need an Android phone that has the technology built in. Sorry, iPhone owners: Apple doesn’t allow for third-party access to your phones’ NFC capabilities. What’s cool — no, amazing — is that the buttons require no batteries of their own. You literally stick them to the back of your phone and they work.
Exactly where you can stick them depends on where your phone’s NFC antenna resides, and there’s no way to know that without a little trial and error. Fortunately, before you peel off the adhesive backing, you can test the buttons just by sliding them around the backside and discovering where your presses register.
Peel-and-stick NFC buttons? Yes, please.
Air Button
I tested the dual Air Button with a OnePlus One, and the optimal spot turned out to be just about dead center. This made it easy to accidentally press the side-mounted volume buttons when I was pressing an Air Button, so I had to adjust my grip.
Available in five different colors, the button itself offers a nicely tactile response. That’s in contrast to the Dimple, a similar product with decidedly mushier buttons. But a quick-press won’t register; by design (to avoid accidental pocket-presses), you need to press and hold the button for a full second.
The Air Button companion app then executes whatever task you’ve programmed for that button. This can be a function (or series of functions) or a shortcut to a particular app or setting. Function options range from toggling various options on and off (Bluetooth, flashlight, rotation lock and so on) to snapping a photo to checking in on Facebook. Of particular interest, there’s an “alert” option that immediately sounds a loud alarm — a great safety feature.
This is undeniably handy stuff, though with a few limitations. For starters, if your phone rides around in a metal case, the buttons won’t work.
That’s a minor issue; the major one is that your phone must be unlocked (i.e. screen on, not in standby) for button presses to register. I believe this is true for all NFC operations, such as mobile payments, and it’s intended to preserve the battery, but it’s still kind of a bummer. If you’ve programmed a button to, say, launch the camera app, you first have to hit the power button and swipe to unlock your phone. (Of course, on most phones you can accomplish the same thing with the power button and swiping in a particular direction, so you’re better off assigning the Air Button to something else anyway.)
Another thing that really bugged me: There’s no way to disable the sound effect that’s triggered every time Air Button registers a press.
Finally, I’m a bit disappointed by the price: $15 for a single button, $21 for a double, meaning two buttons on one sticker. (Air Button’s distributor apparently ships overseas; the US prices convert to £10 and £14, or AU$20 and AU$29.) Just for sake of comparison, the two-button Dimple Mini costs $17. From a “hardware” standpoint, this is the better product — and I love the convenience. A play/pause button for music apps? A speed-dial for my spouse? Love it! I just think it’s a bit overpriced.
I’ve seen mobile chargers slim enough to fit in a wallet, but I’ve never seen a wallet with a built-in mobile charger. Until now.
The Nomad Wallet is a black leather bifold with something a bit unusual sewn into the middle: a 2,400mAh rechargeable battery. When you open the wallet, there’s a Lightning cable ready to plug into your iPhone. The idea, of course, is to put power in your pocket, ready to come to the rescue when your phone’s battery gets low.
This crazy high-tech bifold wallet will charge your iPhone (pictures)
You could say I’ve been sitting on this review for the past couple days. The Nomad measures about five inches across when folded, only about half an inch longer than the bifold wallet I’ve carried for years. Even so, it feels a bit smaller on the inside, with six very snug card slots (three on each side) and no picture window.
Once I’d packed in the fairly modest amount of stuff from my previous wallet, the Nomad wouldn’t lay flat — I think because of the bump caused by the Lightning cable that runs up the center. The whole thing will probably loosen up (and lay flatter) with time, but right now it just feels tight. If your current wallet resembles George Costanza’s, you simply won’t be able to carry everything in the Nomad.
Another issue: Like most gents, I carry my wallet in my back pocket. Because the battery has an aluminum housing (translation: metal tube under your butt), it’s not super-comfortable to sit on.
There’s an easy workaround for this: Put the wallet in your pocket fold-side-up. That goes against some 30 years of wallet orientation, at least for me, but it does solve the problem.
The real pain here is the price: The Nomad Wallet sells for $99.99, though until Nov. 15, you can preorder it for $79.99. Given that a standalone 2,400mAh mobile charger can be had for all of around $10, and a black leather wallet for $20-$30, it seems ludicrous to pay more than double just for the convenience of meshing the two together.
That said, I do love the convenience, and although I probably wouldn’t spend that kind of money on a wallet for myself, I’d certainly welcome one as a gift. Food for thought as December rolls near.
In most homes, the kitchen is king. It’s the place where people congregate, where food and drink are stored and prepared, where notes are left for family members.
Triby, a new product from French tech company Invoxia, wants a place in your kitchen. It’s a speaker, speakerphone and message center designed to mount on a refrigerator. I’ve spent the last few days living with one, and although I’m not completely sold on the concept, I will say this: It’s interesting.
Not especially attractive, though. The device looks a bit like a Playskool toy, a nearly all-grille speaker surrounded by a plastic bezel. Strong magnets keep it firmly adhered to your fridge, but the handle allows for easy toting. It has play/pause and volume buttons up top and various shortcut buttons on the front — the latter flanking a 2.9-inch e-ink screen.
That screen displays not only various status messages, but also custom messages — text and/or drawings — sent from the Triby app on your phone or tablet.
When a new message arrives, a little yellow flag slides out from the side, accompanied by a musical notification. The screen also flashes a few times while the e-ink updates, reminiscent of early-generation Kindle e-readers. These flashes can get annoying, as they occur every time the screen updates itself — even for simple things like volume changes.
As a Bluetooth speaker, the Triby is just OK. Though it’s loud enough to overcome everyday kitchen noise and it delivers a decent bass response, there’s a noticeable lack of range. Everything I played sounded a bit muffled. That’s a disappointment given that music is arguably the gadget’s primary purpose.
Setup can be confusing, especially with regard to radio. In addition to streaming tunes from your app of choice, the Triby can deliver Internet radio (or Spotify, if you have an account) with the push of a button — no phone required. You can program up to three presets, but the app makes this a chore, and the onscreen keyboard often got in the way of actually assigning a preset following a station search.
You can also use the Triby to make (and take) phone calls, but this can get a bit confusing as well. As a speakerphone for your smartphone, it’s pretty straightforward (though my iPhone sometimes refused to “hand off” the call to the Triby). However, as a voice-over-IP phone, it limits you to family members (or anyone you assign to your “group”) and requires each of those people to have the Triby app. Plus, with only two outgoing-call preset buttons (or three if you add one of the nondescript — and poorly named — “list” buttons), you don’t necessarily have the option of calling everyone in your group.
It comes in colors, but it’s still not the sexiest piece of electronics.
Invoxia
This whole arrangement sort of raises the question: Why not just use your smartphone? OK, the Triby does have a bigger, louder speaker, and it could potentially come in handy if your phone is in the other room. But how often does that happen? Really, any Bluetooth speaker with a microphone accomplishes the same thing, at which point the Triby’s only assets are its message board and shortcut buttons.
The message board is cool, but there’s a fairly major flaw: There’s no way to cycle between notes, so the only one you see is the most recent — meaning it’s easy to miss something important if a newer note replaces it.
Triby’s main rival is Amazon’s Echo, the monolithic voice-activated speaker and Siri-like companion. It doesn’t do phone calls or display messages, but ultimately it’s a lot more versatile — and less expensive at $179.99. The Triby sells for $199 (which converts to around AU$245 or £130).
I can’t see spending that kind of money for a magnetic speaker that doesn’t sound particularly good and offers few truly compelling features.
Unofficial Cardboard’s 2.0 Plus VR viewer includes something unique: adjustable lenses.
Unofficial Cardboard
Last year, Unofficial Cardboard was one of the first vendors to offer a Google Cardboard kit for folks who didn’t want to scrounge for parts, print diagrams, cut and fold cardboard and so on.
Now, hot on the heels of Google’s Cardboard 2.0 announcement, UC is back with an update of its own: Google Cardboard 2.0 Plus. And it’s exactly what a second-generation product should be: better in small but meaningful ways, yet still very affordable.
Where first-edition Cardboards looked like, well, folded-up cardboard, UC’s version boasts precision cuts and your choice of seven colors. My white sample looks less like a homemade project and more like a product, despite (or perhaps because of) having “Unofficial Cardboard” plastered on almost every side.
In keeping with Google’s Cardboard 2.0 specs, the 2.0 Plus can accommodate phones as large as 6 inches. But it cleverly includes an extra-wide gap to allow for phones in cases — even ones as bulky as an OtterBox. If your phone is “naked,” however, don’t worry about it sliding out: the 2.0 Plus includes a small “microsuction” pad that temporarily sticks your phone into place.
Nothing too revolutionary, there, but here’s what puts the “plus” in 2.0 Plus: It has adjustable lenses. Using sliding tabs on either side of the rig, you can independently slide each lens left or right to ideally match your interpupillary distance.
Why is this a big deal? If you’ve ever experienced motion sickness while using Google Cardboard (or another VR headset), this can help. According to the developer, “The motion sickness comes from your brain trying to compensate for the fact that the centers of your eyes do not line up with the centers of the lenses.”
With a little experimentation, you should be able to find the ideal placement for each lens. (Once that’s done, I recommend using a marker to draw a small line in each tab so you can easily find that placement again.) I found this a huge help, if only to help me get the best possible focus when looking at VR content. I can’t comment on the motion-sickness benefits, as I haven’t encountered that issue.
The Unofficial Cardboard 2.0 Plus is currently on sale for $19.95 (and will be for about another week), the same price as the non-Plus 2.0, which doesn’t have the adjustable lenses. I highly recommend the add-on head strap, which costs $5. Shipping adds $3.
I’m not saying you couldn’t build a Google Cardboard 2.0 yourself for less money. But if you just want to enjoy all the fruits of the technology (here’s how to get started) without any of the DIY requirements, UC’s 2.0 Plus is a great option.
The Quicklock can be opened with a key card, shown here, or a ring or fob.
Rick Broida/CNET
Padlocks date back to Romans, though the etymology of the word itself is a bit more recent: sometime between 850 and 1000 A.D. such locks were used to secure livestock in their pens — better known as paddocks. So: “paddock lock” became “padlock,” at least according to Wikipedia.
Functionally speaking, not much has changed. Then, as now, most padlocks relied on a key or combination. That’s one reason I’m so fascinated by the Quicklock: It’s the first padlock that can be opened with the simple wave of a card, fob or ring. (A tap on your smartphone will work, too.)
The Quicklock fob.
Quicklock
That’s because the Quicklock incorporates near-field communication (NFC) technology, the same exact tech that drives Apple Pay and various other forms of wireless wizardry. It also features Bluetooth, meaning it can be unlocked via Android or iOS app, should you prefer that option. (As of press time, the Android version was still awaiting approval for the Google Play Store. The developers expect it to arrive in a matter of days.) Update:The Android app isnow live.
I got the chance to test-drive a Quicklock and came away mostly impressed. Available in four colors, the die-cast zinc body resembles that of a traditional padlock, albeit without the usual combination wheel, and feels very solid and substantial. The shackle seems a bit flimsier, if only because its matte finish gives it a sort of plasticky look. The entire package is waterproof, and therefore suitable for outdoor use.
Because there’s wireless technology behind the scenes, the lock does rely on a rechargeable battery. But it’s good for up to two years(!), according to the company, and you can recharge it via an included standard Micro-USB cable.
The various NFC “keys” incorporate RFID and therefore require no batteries of their own. They’re also waterproof. To unlock the Quicklock, you simply press the sole button on the front, then pass your card, fob or ring over the logo. I tested this dozens of times with the card; it worked flawlessly every time.
However, even if your smartphone has NFC capabilities, it can’t be used in the same pass-over fashion. That’s due to the limitations of the implementation, according to Quicklock. Instead, you have to pair it via Bluetooth — and I had trouble accomplishing this with my iPhone: the app simply wouldn’t detect the lock.
I’m waiting on a response from the company’s tech-support department and will update the post if and when this issue gets resolved. Update:App pairing is now working. Make sure to tap Add Lock even if the app appears to be trying to connect already.
When it’s working, the app allows you to not only unlock the Quicklock, but also see a record of other users who unlocked it, and when, using what method (card, ring and so on). This could prove extremely handy in a work environment, where multiple employees have access to, say, a supply locker.
When it was first announced in February, the Quicklock had a starting price of $79 — steep for a padlock, even one as advanced as this. I’m happy to report that it now sells for $49.95 (around £30 or AU$60; it ships worldwide), a price that includes one NFC card. You can purchase additional cards in packs of 5 or 10 ($11.95 and $21.95), while a set of three NFC keychain fobs will run you $11.95. A single NFC ring runs $36.95, which seems disproportionately high.
Even so, the Quicklock is a very cool product, and definitely more practical than a traditional padlock, at least for some applications. Is it wrong that I now want a compatible RFID tag embedded in my finger?
The Neo N2 smartpen, shown here with the Livescribe 3 and Equil Smartpen 2.
Photo by Rick Broida/CNET
The NeoLab Neo N2 smartpen debuted on Kickstarter about eight months ago, where it smashed its $20,000 funding goal and raised nearly $360,000. Although backers have already received their pens, the N2 officially went on sale earlier this week.
The big question: How does it compare with the two other most popular smartpens already on the market, namely the Livescribe 3 and Equil Smartpen 2? To find out, I spent some time scribbling with the N2.
The write stuff
The idea behind a smartpen is simple: Ink notes scrawled on paper get simultaneously captured in digital form, then transferred to a PC or mobile device for easier organization, storage, sharing and the like.
For this to work, the Livescribe 3 relies on special paper, while the Equil Smartpen 2 employs a sensor that must be clipped to the top of whatever you’re writing on — but that can be anything (legal pad, cocktail napkin, or what have you).
The Neo N2 requires special paper.
Photo by Rick Broida/CNET
The Neo N2 is not, sadly, the first smartpen to do away with these requirements. Like the Livescribe, it requires special graph-like paper, the only source of which is NeoLab. In my tests, the N2 worked really well on that paper, but it’s still a hassle — to say nothing of an ongoing expense. (A 5-pack of spiral-bound notebooks, each 152 pages, runs about $20; a 5-pack of pocket-size memo pads, about $15.)
Meanwhile, while Equil offers companion apps for both Android and iOS, the Livescribe 3 remains — for the moment — an iOS-only device. (This despite the announcement in January of Android support.) The Neo N2 is also cross-platform compatible (Android and iOS).
Physically, the N2 is the smallest of the three — not quite as sharply triangular as the Equil, but not quite as luxurious-looking as the hefty Livescribe, either. It’s attractively sleek, with a cap instead of a retractable tip.
As for pricing, all three products fall within a few dollars of each other: $150 for the Livescribe 3, $170 for the Neo N2 and Smartpen 2. Again, though, only the latter can work with plain paper. With the Neo, plan on having ongoing consumable costs.
Pen and sync
I tested the Neo N2 with an iPad Air and the included Pocket Note notebook. You don’t have to use a mobile device at the same time you’re writing, though, and it was pretty cool to see my written notes magically appear inside my digital notebook immediately after the two established a connection. How the pen can tell which page I’m writing on at any given time, I have no idea.
That said, there are some confusing aspects to both the pen and the app. For example, the latter is supposed to automatically start “recording” when you start writing, but this didn’t work in my tests; I always had to press the power button. What’s more, the app lets you create multiple digital notebooks (each with a fancy, colorful cover), but it’s not clear how to associate any of them with a real-world notebook. Every time I tapped a new notebook, it merely said “There is no page in this notebook.”
Finally, the Neo N2 can record voice memos in real-time as you write, but I couldn’t find any information anywhere on how to actually enable this feature. (The included quick-start guide barely covers setup, and if there’s a more expanded manual online, it’s not readily apparent.)
But there are some other decidedly cool features I did figure out, like transcribing handwritten notes into text (in your choice of languages) and quickly emailing a page. This last option is launched simply by drawing a check-mark on the mail icon in the corner of the page. In short order your mobile device creates a new outgoing email with the page attached as a PDF. Similarly, the app can automatically sync new notes to your Evernote account.
Writer’s block
The need for special paper will undoubtedly limit the N2’s appeal, at least to some scribblers. In that respect, it’s similar to the Livescribe 3, just a little thinner and able to work with Android out of the box. But is that enough to justify a price tag that’s $20 higher, especially when Livescribe users have the option of printing their own pen-compatible graph paper? (That option is coming to the N2 as well, according to a company rep.)
Given the existence of two very competent (and competitive) smartpen alternatives, I’m a bit surprised the Neo N2 was such a Kickstarter darling. I like it, but to me it’s not a standout product in the category. That’s too bad, because I would totally buy a smartpen that worked on plain paper, didn’t require a separate receiver, and costs under $100.
Android Lollipop is here, and likely making its way to your phone or tablet in the coming months. The update is packed with exciting features, including a new design, revamped notifications, device sharing and more. I go hands-on with the most-talked-about features in the videos below, so you can see them in action.
First up, here’s an overview of what’s new in Android Lollipop.
Now playing: Watch this:
Get to know Android 5.0 Lollipop
1:31
Next, check out the new notifications features.
Now playing: Watch this:
Android Lollipop brings new and improved notifications
1:25
Finally, learn how to share your tablet or phone using Lollipop’s sharing options.
Now playing: Watch this:
Sharing your phone or tablet gets easier with Android…
The E Fun Nextbook 7 is surprisingly decent for a $79 tablet, but there’s one frustrating issue.
Photo by Rick Broida/CNET
If you’ve ever shopped for a sub-$100 tablet, you know the drill: weak processor, limited storage, old version of Android, and so on. In exchange for that double-digit price tag, you have to make a lot of compromises.
That’s why my Cheapskate radar went ker-tilt when E Fun announced the Nextbook 7, a seemingly loaded 7-inch Android tablet priced at just $79.
E Fun
On paper, it looks impressive. The processor? A 1.6GHz ARM Cortex-A7 quad-core. Storage? A generous 16GB, plus a microSD slot for adding more. Android? Good old (make that new) KitKat. It even packs a few bells and whistles, like GPS and a front-facing notification LED. But could this thing really be any good?
E Fun agreed to let me find out. When my demo unit arrived, I was struck by how much it resembles the first-generation Kindle Fire: compact, narrow and surprisingly solid. The Nextbook 7 neither looks nor feels like a $79 tablet. And with its rounded edges, it’s very comfortable to hold one-handed.
With most bargain-basement tablets, the screen is the Achilles’ heel. The Nextbook 7’s resolution is definitely on the low side at 1,024×600 pixels, and the only viewing angle that’s any good is straight-on. It’s sufficiently bright, though contrast could be better.
But you know what? The screen is good enough. Text looked reasonably sharp, even at small sizes, and games and movies appeared smooth and colorful. Sure, a higher pixel count would be nice, but for the Nextbook 7’s intended audience, it’s fine. Better than fine, really.
As for performance, I streamed movies and loaded graphics-intensive games like Asphalt Overdrive, FIFA 15 and Star Wars Commander. To my surprise, everything played butter-smooth. In fact, the Nextbook never felt the slightest bit sluggish, a refreshing change from earlier cheapie tablets.
I especially liked the location and layout of the controls: the power button high on the right edge, a large volume-rocker just below it. Everything else — MicroUSB port, headphone jack, and microSD slot — can be found along the top edge. (On a lot of cheap tablets I’ve seen, controls and ports are scattered all over.)
Now for the bad news. (You knew it was coming, right?) The single, rear-facing speaker sounds tinny at best, and the sole, front-facing camera is a low-res waste of space. The bundled Vudu app was surprisingly glitchy, failing to bookmark my place in a movie and often locking up when I tried to scrub to particular spot. (That’s not the tablet’s fault, but I mention it because it’s bundled — and prominently featured on the box.)
The real problem, though, is storage: Although the Nextbook 7 comes with 16GB, E Fun inexplicably partitioned it into 1GB and 15GB sections — and apps can reside only in the former. That means you rapidly run out of app space, with no easy way to work around it. (Android experts, if you know of a way to repartition internal storage, or force the OS to install apps on a microSD card, share your wisdom in the comments.)
Update 11/27/14:E fun has released a firmware update that addresses the partition issue. Look for it in the Updates section; choose Firmware Downloads from the pull-down menu.
That may be enough space to install a couple dozen key apps, but it’s a frustrating limitation that simply shouldn’t exist.
The bigger question, though, is how the Nextbook 7 compares with the recently announced Amazon Kindle Fire HD 6 , which offers a 6-inch screen (at 1,280 x 800), a choice of colors, dual cameras, and just 8GB of non-expandable storage — for $99. I suspect most bargain hunters will go that way, even though the Nextbook offers a more “pure” Android experience, plus GPS and an expansion slot.
Still, if you’re looking for a tablet for the kids, or just a capable model at an impulse-buy price, the Nextbook 7 delivers a surprising amount of bang for the buck.
Update (10/1/2014):According to a company rep, E Fun is working on a firmware update to correct the partition issue.
The white Dimple is a perfect match for the white Moto X.
Photo by Rick Broida/CNET
One of the coolest concepts I’ve seen this year is the Dimple, a plastic strip with four (or two) physical buttons that you stick to your Android device. It’s powered entirely by NFC, and an app lets you program the buttons to do your bidding: run an app, toggle the flashlight, launch the camera, or whatever.
Sounds pretty cool, right? But I couldn’t help wondering if the reality would live up to the promise.
Fortunately, the Dimple folks were kind enough to send me a four-button prototype to check out. I fished out my NFC-equipped Motorola Moto X, installed the Dimple app, and put the four-button strip to the test. (Alas, I wasn’t able to test with a case, though the devs say it’ll still work.) How’d it do?
For starters, it’s a little tricky to know where to place the sticker, which is about the length of your pinky (well, my pinky) from the knuckle to the tip. And it turns out it can’t go just anywhere. On the Moto X, for example, I wanted it near the upper-left corner of the back cover, which is roughly where my left index finger lands when I hold the phone. But the NFC signal wasn’t strong enough there, so I ended up with it on the right side, just below the speaker. (Your mileage may vary; you’ll want to experiment before removing the adhesive backing, though I was able to remove and reapply the sticker numerous times.)
Because the buttons are a little stiff, though, I couldn’t just tap them. I had to give them a firm press, which requires a somewhat awkward adjustment of your grip if you’re trying to one-hand it. I found it more comfortable to brace the phone with my right hand while pressing a button with my left.
The Dimple will come in two- and four-button versions. But what about three?
Dimple
I actually think the two-button Dimple will prove more practical, as it should give you more placement and orientation options. A three-button version would make sense, too. As it stands, it’s a bit tough to remember the programming for four buttons. (Let’s see, was it Flashlight, Camera, Kindle, and Cozi, or Flashlight Camera, Cozi, Kindle?) That may just be my issue.
The app walks you through every setup and programming step, making both a snap. There’s no pairing required other than enabling NFC on your device. And it’s a thing of beauty that the Dimple requires no external power.
However, one small letdown: It doesn’t function when your screen is off. It would be nice if a button-press could wake your device and perform its action, but on the Moto X at least, that doesn’t happen. You have to tap the Power/Wake button before the Dimple can operate. I’m sure that’s a power-management issue; full-time NFC would probably drain your battery more quickly.
The four-button Dimple will go on sale (online) in August for $27, with the two-button version following in September for $17. Again, I suspect the latter will prove more popular, both for its lower price and easier accommodation.
One thing is certain: the Dimple works as advertised, and it’s a really terrific addition to any phone that supports NFC.
How about one that livens up the way you receive notifications? That’s the Sparkbeats in a nutshell: it’s an iPhone 5 / 5S case that lights up and flashes whenever there’s an incoming call or text. And because it leverages a little-documented feature in iOS, it requires no external power to do so.
Available in black or white, the case sports two clear, raised channels that run from the camera LED all around the back and sides. To take advantage of this, you need to delve into your iPhone’s settings (General > Accessibility) and enable LED Flash for Alerts.
With that done, the LED will flash whenever a call or text message comes in. And with your iPhone inside the Sparkbeats, that entire channel will flash as well. The effect is pretty cool, and it certainly has practical value: even if your phone is set to mute, you can see the flashing, making it less likely that you’ll miss an important call or message.
Timed Company Limited
There’s also a “pass-through” switch that allows you to use the LED for its intended purpose (i.e. flash photography). And if you want to have a little more fun with the case, the free Sparkbeats app lets you enable Flash Light mode (complete with an SOS option), a motion-sensitive flash, and Follow the Beats, which makes the LED strobe in response to sound picked up by the microphone.
Ironically, though, it doesn’t seem to work with music you play on your iPhone proper.
All told, the Sparkbeats is a pretty cool gimmick. However, although the raised rear channels offer some added anti-slip gription, the case itself has zero lip to protect your screen in the event of a face-down drop. And it’s necessarily on the thick side to accommodate the side channels.
Most of all, the Sparkbeats is a tough sell owing to its $50 (£30, AU$54) price tag. Last December I wrote about a similar product priced at just $20 (though it’s no longer available, at least from that vendor). Cool and practical as this case is, I think a lower price is in order. Your thoughts?
Pluggy Lock offers an ingenious way to add a hook to your phone.
Erasnep LLC
A lot of early mobile phones had little eye-hooks so you could attach them to a lanyard, belt hook, stylus, or even one of those cute little charms the ladies like.
Alas, that feature really doesn’t exist on modern-day smartphones. So what happens if, say, you want to wear your phone around your neck? Typically that would mean shoehorning it into a special case.
Not any more. Pluggy Lock is an ingenious little hook, currently seeking funding on Kickstarter, that plugs into any 3.5mm headphone jack. What good does that do? Won’t it just pop right out again?
Nope. Because science! When you insert the Pluggy into the jack, the rubberized stem expands ever-so-slightly as you twist the hook. (Think: balloon catheter.) The result is a surprisingly secure bond between the stem and the jack.
This makes total sense once you see developer Erasnep’s demo animation:
Erasnep LLC
Assuming Erasnep is able to hit its funding goal ($40,000, with about $14,000 raised so far), the Pluggy Lock should hit the market around September.
However, the developers were kind enough to send me a prototype, which helped answer several of my burning questions. First and foremost: could it really hold, say, an iPhone securely enough to be worn on a lanyard?
Answer: yes. Although I’m not sure I agree with Erasnep’s claim that the Pluggy Lock can hold up to seven pounds, nothing short of a very firm tug was able to pull mine loose. I walked around for quite a while with my iPhone 5S on a lanyard, and the hook never budged.
Next question: Isn’t it too easy to lose the plug when you remove it? Thankfully, no, because an included keychain holster gives it a magnetically secure home. But won’t it disable your phone’s ringer, just like a pair of headphones?
My biggest concern is whether the Pluggy Lock could somehow damage the headphone jack, though it seems unlikely that a rubber gasket could physically alter a metal tube. And according to the developers, using the gizmo won’t void your warranty.
Erasnep LLC
The plan is to offer the Pluggy Lock in a variety of styles, with the “fashion color” versions selling for around $22 and the metallic Ambassador Editions priced at $28. Early backers can still get in at $15, $19, and $20 levels, with these last two including a Selfie Dock that’s essentially a stand for Pluggy Lock-enhanced phones.
I must admit I’m impressed with this product. Although my prototype failed to expand at times (until I fiddled with it), when it worked, it worked like a charm. Clever bit of engineering, this. Your thoughts?
Sony has unveiled its 2014 4K televisions with a private event in New York designed to illustrate the new models’ video and audio performance, as well as give a preview of 4K content including House of Cards.
The company pitted its X950B , X900B and X850B televisions against its rivals and highlighted the evolution of its own local dimming system: which has powered notable past models including the W900 .
Hands-on with Sony’s 2014 4K televisions (pictures)
The X-tended Dynamic Range PRO is Sony’s best full-array dimming system and is featured on the X950B, while the stepdown X900B gets the non-pro version which is edge-lit dimming only. Meanwhile, the X850B is frame dimming.
Sony assembled four TVs for a comparison which included the 65-inch Panasonic ZT60, the 65-inch Sony X950B, the 65-inch Samsung UH9000 and the 55-inch X900B.
Compared against the Samsung HU9000 specifically, the X950B had better blacks and shadow detail, according to the demonstration. The X950B held up remarkably well against the ZT60 as it was able to get better white highlights than the now-discontinued plasma. Sony claims the TVs were set to their default cinema modes, but traces of motion compensation were visible on the Panasonic and we would have preferred to see it placed in THX mode instead, or calibrated would have been even better.
While color wasn’t a focus of the demonstration, Sony’s TVs now feature version II of the Triluminos technology it debuted in 2013. While the company is mum on the details Triluminos is now developed inhouse and no-longer includes Quantum Dots.
Sound, on the other hand, was a big focus, with particular attention paid to the speakers on the X900B. The TV incorporates front-facing “Magnetic Fluid” speakers alongside a separate fabric tweeter and incorporating a dedicated cross-over network. The speakers have changed subtly in appearance over last year’s X900 with the biggest change now a transmission line-type wedge at the bottom for better bass response.
Content
David Katzmaier/CNET
Sony said that unlike Netflix, which is now streaming in 4K, its own Video Unlimited 4K content will remain a download-only service for the immediate future via the FMP-X10 or FMP-X1 players, not the TVs. This is because the TVs don’t have onboard storage and according to Sony adding a hard drive won’t work. The representatives who were on-hand said this was to ensure sufficient bandwidth, which it said was over three times that of the Netflix streams (~15 Mbps versus 50 Mbps).
The highest profile 4K content at the moment is undoubtedly House of Cards, and Sony allowed CNET a preview of how it appears. Though both seasons of the show may bear the 4K logo only the second season of House of Cards is currently in 4K resolution. We saw a brief excerpt of the program, but the scene looked really grainy and it wasn’t enough to tell if the extra resolution is beneficial or not. Watch this space.
Smart TVs have always had a big problem: smarter, more capable external devices.
Roku, Apple TV, Google Chromecast and now Amazon Fire TV are directly competitive with TVs’ built-in Smart platforms, and often provide a better experience: more apps, slicker interfaces and more updates. Video game consoles are smarter than ever, incorporating the same apps and, in the the case of the Xbox One , essentially the same TV-centric functionality as an advanced Smart TV. And of course external cable or satellite boxes are necessary, in the U.S. at least, to provide TVs with most television programming and all-important DVR time-shifting.
The latest new Smart TV platform, and the one with the most positive buzz after LG acquired it last year and again at CES in January, is LG’s WebOS. The name invokes one of the most beloved and dearly-departed smartphone platforms, and promises the same revolutionary simplicity that caused us to name the WebOS-powered Palm Pre one of the best products of its time, cerca 2009.
But is its simplicity-focused design enough to best other Smart TV platforms, let alone face the challenges posed by external devices?
Smart TVs with WebOS have just started shipping, and LG invited myself and a few other journalists to its Silicon Valley lab, the primary hub of WebOS development–it’s a joint effort with the mothership in Korea–for some hands-on time. I expect to get a review sample shortly to put the system through its paces more thoroughly in our own Manhattan lab, but in the meantime here’s some early impressions.
The system treats apps and live TV similarly.
David Katzmaier/CNET
Simple is good, and WebOS is simple
“TV technology is incorporating both hardware and software, and at LG we wanted to double-down on the software,” said Sam Chang, LG corporate VP and head of the lab. “That’s why we set up a lab here, in the heart of Silicon Valley, right down the street from Google and Facebook. We wanted to think outside the box.”
The slide behind him read “Make TV Simple Again,” LG’s thesis for WebOS.
And yes, WebOS is good. The interface immediately impressed me with its thoughtful, colorful layout. Hitting the Home button on the remote brings up a band of diagonally-aligned, pastel “cards,” laying atop but not obscuring whatever program or app you’re watching at the moment. Unlike some Smart TV systems–including LGs and Samsung’s from 2013–that program stays full-screen as opposed to shrinking to an inset window and giving way to a profusion of icons, menus and/or ads.
Notably, Vizio and Sharp have been taking the same approach for years with their simpler overlay bands, and in 2014 Samsung’s Smart interface is also less intrusive than before, with a similar band of app icons as its initial offering.
LG’s 2014 Motion Remote
LG
But LG’s interface is prettier than any of those, and its slick motion remote it has most other clickers beat too (although most of Samsung’s 2014 Smart TVs now include a motion remote as well). Waving the cursor around the screen–it behaves just like a Nintendo Wii controller, and is just as precise–is easier and more fun than repeatedly clicking from one icon to the next, and allows very quick selection of items on the home page. I called last year’s LG clicker
and this year’s looks just as good.
You can customize and reorder the band to populate it with your favorite apps, and unlike most Smart TV systems WebOS aims to treats everything equally. So Netflix and Pandora get cards, of course, but HDMI 1 and 2 do as well, along with the web browser and local media available from USB or DLNA (WebOS also supports Plex). If you set up cable box control (see below), the name of the input changes to that of your cable system. On the demo TV I asked them to set up, the name changed to “Comcast Corporation,” but I was assured that name could be changed; I’d probably opt for a simpler “DVR” or something.
Many Smart TV systems require multiple “pages” to show all of the content but WebOS takes a novel approach. Click to the left of the main band, which LG’s Director of Product Management (and head demo maven) Colin Zhao said was envisioned as “The Past,” and a history of the last few apps and other functions used appears. Conversely, the right of the band is “The Future,” where reside the additional apps and functions you can launch and/or add to the main band in the middle. Another click to the “LG Store” takes you to the firehose; the many many other smaller apps. The arrangement makes intuitive sense, and also keeps down clutter.
The system also aims to simplify initial setup, or at least make it more entertaining. A Bean Bird cartoon character (seemingly stolen whole-hog from Angry Birds) rewards completion of the setup steps, like selecting your location and cable TV provider, with somewhat amusing animations and a prompts. In one example it marches at the head of what seems like a protest event, holding a sign that reads “We want our set-top box.”
Quick app switcheroo with Netflix 4K
As I’d expect from a modern system LG’s Smart TV felt very quick and responsive, with very few delays in bringing up content and other screens. When there was a delay, LG’s reps were quick to blame the slow, crowded wi-fi in the lab.
It couldn’t have been that bad, however, because one of the most impressive demos involved switching back and forth between streams of Netflix’s House of Cards– the 4K version–and a YouTube video. Zhao claimed that including the 4K stream would really tax the system, and that seems logical to me. And the demo was impressive indeed. I hit “Home” while the stream played and selected YouTube, started a video there, hit “home” again and flipped back to Netflix and House of Cards resumed from where I’d left off, quickly and seamlessly.
Netflix’s House of Cards streaming in 4K
David Katzmaier/CNET
If that worked with live TV from a DVR–sending a pause command automatically when you flipped over to Wikipedia or Twitter, for example, then resuming upon return–I’d be even more impressed. With no cable box available, however, I couldn’t test that demo.
By the way, this is the first time I’ve seen Netflix’s 4K streaming in person, but the demo was too brief the situation far from ideal to render a verdict on “is it better than 1080p Blu-ray?” All I’ll venture to say now is that it looked great for Netflix; I’ll wait to get it into CNET’s lab before I go any further.
The fly in the ointment: cable box control
I’ve mentioned the cable box and DVR a few times already because it’s still the main way people in the U.S. watch TV. Many Smart TV systems offer some way to control the cable box, usually via blasting IR (infrared) remote control commands via dongles or, in LG’s case, the motion remote itself.
Unfortunately, none of these systems is as good as using the box’s included remote, especially for DVRing. By that I mean pausing, fast-fowarding and resuming play, primarily to skip commercials. If you’re a heavy DVRer, chances are you’ll be unsatisfied using a Smart TV and its included remote to control your box.
I called the LG’s 2013 version “the best example of cable box control I’ve tested on any TV,” but I still prefered using a good universal remote . For 2014, despite all the improvements to interface design and switching brought by WebOS, LG told me its control system is the same as last year’s. That means my complaints about lack of dedicated buttons for DVRing, the need to resort to an on-screen “virtual” remote for most control functions, and an inability to learn new commands and customize buttons for different devices, still remain.
Preliminary verdict: Maybe the best Smart TV yet, but boxes still win
After playing with WebOS and learning its advantages and weaknesses, I’m fairly certain it’s “just another evolution” in the genre, not a game-changer that’ll replace all those external boxes.
It definitely won’t replace my Roku, for example, because LG doesn’t have HBO Go. And my Roku, as well as Apple TV, Chromecast and the rest, are already very simple to use themselves. Yes, setup is a bit more complex, and you do have to deal with an external box, but those are minor issues in my book.
It also won’t replace my universal remote, because I’m a heavy DVRer with a TiVo and an aversion to wasting my time watching ads. And of course, as someone who places picture quality higher on my TV wish list than Smart features, not even the best Smart system can overcome a mediocre image–and LG’s picture quality has been disappointing in recent reviews .
On the other hand from what I’ve seen WebOS is the frontrunner for best Smart TV system of 2014. When I get the chance to compare it head to head against competitors from Samsung, Sony, Panasonic, Vizio and others in my lab, I’ll know for sure.
Few posts I’ve written have generated as much interest as the one about the Republic Wireless Moto X, and I’m not surprised: For $299 you get one of the most celebrated phones of 2013, with no-contract service plans starting at an impossible $5 per month.
The key question on everyone’s mind: How is it? Does Republic’s version of the Moto deliver the same awesome experience as the mainstream model? Or is this deal too good to be true? (CNET’s Maggie Reardon tackled that very question back in January, but I’m here to expand on it with some personal experiences.)
Then and now
Back in November, I had the chance to test-drive a preproduction version of the phone, though my aforementioned post reflected only a weekend’s worth of use. That wasn’t intended to be a full review, but more an overview with some quick-take impressions.
Last month, I pulled the trigger and made the Moto X my primary phone. Now I use it all day every day, including a recent week-long trip to Mexico. I feel I’ve lived with it long enough to render a more decisive verdict. Should you buy this phone?
Yes, but with a few caveats. The first, and biggest, relates to call quality. As you may know, Republic modified the Moto X so that phone calls are routed over Wi-Fi. Only if there’s no Wi-Fi network available does it tap Sprint’s cellular network.
In theory, that’s ingenious. In fact, during my aforementioned trip to Mexico, I was able to make and take calls via my condo’s free Wi-Fi. No roaming, no crazy overseas rates, and no shopping for local SIM cards — just easy, seamless calling using my own number. The couple of calls I made sounded great.
At home, however, my experiences were mixed at best. Though I have a robust Wi-Fi signal throughout my house, I’d say many — if not most — of the Wi-Fi calls I placed or received suffered from garbled and/or clipped audio.
After some troubleshooting, I determined the reason: Despite the strong Wi-Fi signal, the Moto X was quickly (and inexplicably) handing off my calls to Sprint’s cell network — and coverage inside my house is poor at best. Republic’s tech support couldn’t give me a good reason why this was happening, but at least there was an easy fix: disabling the handoff feature for my home network. Now I’m enjoying very good audio quality, though if I ever need to leave while on a call, I’ll have to manually switch the phone from Wi-Fi to cellular. That’s no big deal for me, as it rarely comes up.
Other thoughts
I do have some other complaints, though mostly they’re with Android. As a longtime iPhone user, it’s been hard to make this adjustment. (See the five ways I survived the switch.)
Battery life continues to be my chief hardware disappointment; I suspect Republic’s internal tweaks cause the battery to drain more rapidly when the phone is idle. There are other possibilities, but the easiest remedy has been to keep the phone in airplane mode (with Wi-Fi on, of course) until I leave the house. Small hassle, but it definitely improves battery life.
On the flipside, I’m loving the Moto’s bigger screen and Swype keyboard, and I’m especially loving paying $25 per month for virtually unlimited service. (That’s for 3G; the phone is capable of 4G, but I really don’t need it — and don’t want to step up to the $40/month plan to get it.) Not so long ago I was paying AT&T $80 for the same thing.
The one thing I’d advise potential buyers is to peruse Republic’s user forums, just to get an idea for issues other users have encountered — and the solutions they’ve found, if any. This is, after all, a modified Moto, and glitches can arise (as I already discovered).
Overall, I find the Republic/Moto package to be an excellent value for a fine phone backed by an impressive service. After a month, I have no qualms about recommending it.
Wednesday is usually the hump day of any tech trade show. The big guns have announced their main products, and everyone is generally a bit tired. But there’s still plenty going on at MWC. Like Sony’s SmartBand, for example, that we went hands-on with.
Throw in Sony’s wearable camera concept that tracks everything you do, some cool new in-car tech, and news of a Motorola smart watch, and you’ve got quite a day.
We saw a deluge of fitness tracker wristbands at CES in January, but Sony’s SmartBand promises to go one further. Instead of just logging your movement, it tracks your whole life. You can add “life bookmarks”, and the device will remember where you were, with who, and what you were doing, along with any photos you took. It’ll go on sale next month.
Talking of the wrist, Motorola is making a smart watch. One exec spilled the beans at MWC, saying the device will “solve real user problems” and will look more like an item of jewellery. Motorola will announce the device later this year.
Still with wearables, how about a camera that records everything you do? That’s the idea behind the Sony Lifelog. It looks like the Autographer, and could use the same Lifelog app as Sony’s SmartBand. The Autographer was a nice idea, but failed to take off in part because of its high price. It’ll be interesting to see if this concept ever makes it to the shop shelves. It’s good to see Sony getting all conceptual on us though. Let’s not forget that techy tennis racket it showed off at CES last month.
The Nomad ChargeKey aims to solve a common problem: There’s never a sync cable around when you need one.
You know the routine: You’re killing time at the airport and suddenly realize that your iPhone battery is down to 6 percent. There are USB charging ports everywhere, but you don’t have a cord. As long as you have your keys, however, you’re in business.
True to its name, the ChargeKey is a key-shaped cable with a USB plug at one end and a Lightning (or Micro-USB) connector at the other. With it, you can sync or charge any late-model iPhone, iPad, or iPod Touch. I tried it with a fifth-gen Touch and an iPhone 5c, and it worked as advertised (which is to say the Lightning plug would appear to be certified; a lot of cheapie cables are not, and flat-out don’t work).
The ChargeKey is currently available for pre-order, with shipping expected to start in February. Same goes for the Micro-USB version, which is identical save for that connector. Both “keys” are made of a very durable-feeling bendable rubber.
Needless to say, this is a really convenient item to keep on your keychain. It would have made for a great stocking-stuffer if it had been available in time for the holidays, when finding an ideal gift outweighed a somewhat inflated price.
Now, however, $25 (the preorder price for both versions, shipping included) seems pretty steep. I’m all for convenience, but to me this is a $10 to $15 item. (Cheapskate tip: If you sit idle on the Nomad site for a few minutes, you should see a pop-up window offering you a 15-percent discount code in exchange for tweeting, following, or liking Nomad. That’s a savings of $3.75, for a total price of $21.25 — still on the high side, but a bit more palatable.)
That said, if you frequently find yourself in need of a charge cable and don’t want the hassle of packing an actual cord everywhere you go, the ChargeKey makes an excellent travel companion.
I did not expect to like the TaskLab TaskOne iPhone case.
After all, my last experience with a multifunction holster — the ReadyCase — was decidedly disappointing. Mostly it was an interesting idea marred by less-than-stellar execution.
The TaskOne takes many of the best assets of a multitool and shoehorns them into an iPhone case, the idea being to keep all those handy tools close at hand without having to carry a separate item. Of course, surely some sacrifices must be made to accomplish such a feat of engineering, right?
Yes and no. The TaskOne is way cooler than I expected it to be, in part because it does more than I ever thought a case like this could. It packs a whopping 22 tools, and while not all of them are outstanding, most work as advertised — and without a lot of hassle.
Finally, an “app” that turns your iPhone into a saw.
TaskLab
And just to be clear, these are tools in the true sense of the word. Whereas the ReadyCase incorporated things like a flash drive and cord wrap, the TaskOne gives you a pliers, a bottle opener, three screwdrivers, six Allen wrenches, a wire cutter, a wire stripper, a ruler, and so on.
But what really makes friends’ jaws drop is the combination knife/saw, a 2.5-inch blade that slides up from the top of the case. Sure, you can whittle with it, slice an apple, gut a fish — all your basic daily chores — but the reality is this looks like (and could function as) a weapon. I’d call self-defense the twenty-third “tool” in the TaskOne’s arsenal.
Obviously the TSA would balk at letting you on an airplane with this, but the good news is the blade is removable. The bad news is, I couldn’t remove it despite following the instructions.
I also found the kickstand capabilities, leveraged by inserting the small flathead screwdriver into either of two slots on the back, awkward at best. There’s nothing really holding that piece in place, so it’s easily knocked loose. More than once my iPhone just toppled over.
All the TaskOne’s tools reside in a very heavy-duty (and heavy) hard-plastic housing, which consists of a rear backing and two pieces that screw together around the edges of your iPhone. Ironically, those screws require an Allen wrench, but the six-tip one that’s included lacks the proper size — so you have to use a separate Allen wrench (also included, but not stowable).
The case adds only about 5mm of thickness to your phone and about 0.2 pound, though it feels heftier than that — in a good, protective way. The TaskOne is available for iPhone 4/4S and iPhone 5/5S. They’re priced at $79.95 and $99.95, respectively.
Steep, yes, but when you consider that you’re getting not only protection, but also a Leatherman’s worth of neatly stowed tools, this might be just the case for the family handyman, the mechanical engineer, the cyclist, or anyone else who’s always in need of a screwdriver. Or pliers. Or 1.8-inch sawblade.
Ultimately, although I’m done testing the TaskOne, I’m surprised to find I don’t want to take it off my iPhone. It’s just that cool.
Cellular provider Republic Wireless, best known for offering $19-per-month service with low-end Android handsets, recently announced plans to carry the Motorola Moto X, a decidedly high-end handset (and a widely loved one at that). Although the $19 plan is no more, you can operate the Moto for as little as $5 per month, or as much as $40. Additional options fall in between.
Too good to be true? Or bargain of the century? Over the weekend I was able to put the Moto X through some preliminary paces. Though I did encounter a few bumps along the way, I was ultimately left with one conclusion:
This is a game-changer.
The buy-in
Republic Wireless will sell the Moto X for $299 (as early as Wednesday, according to a company rep). That’s an unsubsidized price, meaning you’re not locked into a two-year contract like with the big carriers. If you were to purchase the phone directly from Motorola, unlocked and without a contract, it would cost you $599.99.
Needless to say, this is an incredible deal, but there’s one small catch: The phone is inextricably linked to Republic’s ecosystem, so you can’t take it elsewhere for service. Whether or not you’d want to remains to be seen (more on that below).
After you pony up $299 for the hardware, you’re given a choice of four monthly plans:
Monthly plans for the Moto X range from $5-40, no contract required.
Republic Wireless
$5: Unlimited talk, text, and data on Wi-Fi only
$10: Unlimited talk and text on cellular, unlimited data on Wi-Fi only
$25: Unlimited talk, text, and data on Wi-Fi and 3G
$40: Unlimited talk, text, and data on Wi-Fi and 4G LTE
So there’s an option for just about every user need. Interestingly, Republic will allow you to switch plans (which you can do right on the phone) up to two times per month, and will prorate your bill accordingly. (So I was told by a Republic rep, although the prorating isn’t mentioned anywhere on the company’s FAQ page.)
So, for example, as someone who works from home and spends most of his time blanketed by Wi-Fi, I could choose the $5 or $10 plan. If I’m going on a trip and know I’ll need high-speed data, I could bump up to the $$25 or $40 plan, then back down again when I get home.
Of course, even the top-end $40 plan costs considerably less than what Sprint charges for unlimited 4G LTE service: $80 monthly as part of a two-year contract.
The service
How can Republic Wireless offer such low rates? As with its previous phones, a custom ROM inside the Moto X makes use of any available Wi-Fi network — not just for data, but also for calls and text messages. No Wi-Fi? Only then does the phone tap Sprint’s cellular network.
Yep, Sprint. And there’s the rub, at least for me: In my neck of the woods (the fringes of metro Detroit), Sprint coverage is terrible. There’s no 4G, and 3G data speeds (based on my tests with the SpeedTest app) were a woeful 0.18 Mbps (download) and 0.24 Mbps (upload).
Your mileage will almost certainly vary, of course. And when I drove just a few miles up the road, I found myself in a lovely 4G pocket and enjoyed vastly superior data performance. This inconsistency doesn’t bother me much because, as I mentioned, I spend most of my time connected to Wi-Fi anyway.
One key area where Republic Wireless needed improvement was in hand-offs between Wi-Fi and cellular. Specifically, if you were on a Wi-Fi-powered call and then moved out of range of the network, your call dropped. The Moto X promises a seamless hand-off between networks, and in my tests, dang if it didn’t actually work.
The phone
The Moto X from Republic Wireless.
Republic Wireless
This was my first encounter with the Moto X, and I quickly came to understand why it’s such a popular model. It’s remarkably thin and light, with a gorgeous screen and some truly nifty features — especially the always-on Google Now voice control. You don’t have to pick up the phone or activate the screen or anything; just say, “OK, Google Now,” then your command or query, and the phone handles the rest. That’s some space-age magic at work right there.
I should note that although most reviews have praised the Moto X’s battery life, my review unit seemed battery-challenged. I’d go to bed seeing a half-full battery gauge and wake up to either a dead or near-dead phone. I’m sure some tweaking of the power and perhaps notification settings would help, but ultimately I was expecting much better battery performance.
I’m in
This is the phone (and phone service) I’ve been waiting for. After two years of squinting at my iPhone 4S and paying AT&T $80 per month for service, I’m ready to make a change. But no way am I getting roped into another two-year contract, especially at that rate.
As it happens, I just switched the 4S over to Walmart’s Straight Talk service, which costs $45 monthly. So I may give that a little time before making the move. But as of right now, I’m planning to make the Republic Wireless Moto X my next phone. In terms of pure bang for the buck, no major carrier offers anything close. (No smaller carrier does, either.) This is one cheapskate who’s looking forward to a much lower monthly bill — and a state-of-the-art phone.
New photos and details of both Google’s forthcoming Nexus 5 smartphone and the Android 4.4 KitKat operating system running it have popped up all over the Internet from sources claiming they’ve gone hands-on with the device.
From a Google+ profile page to Italian and German Android sites to Reddit and more, the early news confirms the story we’ve been putting together one piece at a time: that the LG-made Nexus 5 smartphone will feature a 5-inch 1080p HD screen and run Android 4.4 on a 2.3GHz quad-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 800 CPU with Adreno 330 graphics.
The various sites go on to collectively confirm an always-on microphone for touchless voice control, a feature that’s also on the Motorola Moto X, and a backup solution similar to Apple’s iCloud.
Physically, the device looks similar to the LG G2, with rounded corners and a black backing, but with Nexus branding on the back and none of the G2’s back-panel controls for volume and power.
It isn’t clear what the camera specs are, but the photos do show an enlarged module on the upper left of the back panel, with what looks like an LED flash just below.
Reddit user bckbck/throwawaynexus5guy says that the Nexus 5 will have 17 hours of talk time, 8 hours of Web surfing, and 6 hours of video playback. I’d hold out for the official specs, though.
A look at LG’s Nexus 5 with KitKat, reported by an Italian Web site.
HDblog.it | Android
The price is expected to come in at around $349 for the unlocked device, which is rumored to go on sale November 1 through carriers and through Google’s Play store in both black and white.
Google’s Nexus devices run the stock version of the operating system, which Google just renamed from Key Lime Pie to KitKat. Keep your ears and eyes peeled for official news from Google, which we can anticipate any moment now.
When Apple unveiled the Lightning connector last year, it created a problem for anyone who owned a speaker dock with a 30-pin connector: new iDevices couldn’t connect.
C4 Electronics’ Dolry HiFi Stone solves that problem by turning those old docks into AirPlay speakers, able to connect wirelessly to iPhones, iPod Touches, iPads, Macs, and even a handful of Samsung devices.
C4 Electronics
There are similar gizmos that endow speaker docks with Bluetooth capabilities, the closest being the Auris freeDa. But the Stone looks far more elegant: a thin, glossy black (or white) oval that looks like, well, a stone; something you’d skip across a pond. And it affords the benefits of AirPlay, which trounces Bluetooth in a few key areas.
For starters: range. While Bluetooth typically limits you to about 30 feet, AirPlay relies on Wi-Fi, and therefore your iDevice works anywhere in the house there’s a signal. In other words, you can move from room to room and not have to worry about your music cutting out.
AirPlay is also a lossless technology, unlike Bluetooth, which compresses the audio stream. That means you should enjoy roughly the same audio quality from your speaker that you’d get if your iDevice were docked directly. To my ears they sound about the same, but I know the audio purists out there definitely prefer an AirPlay solution.
Finally, AirPlay doesn’t saddle you with Bluetooth’s one-device-at-a-time pairing limitations. Although that’s been remedied in the Bluetooth 4.0 specification, few Bluetooth speaker docks support it. (The Auris, to its credit, remembers up to eight paired devices.) Here you can use multiple devices without having to jump through a bunch of pairing/unpairing hoops to switch between them.
Speaking of hoops, my Stone setup required few. After plunking it down onto my Fluance speaker dock’s 30-pin connector, I went into my iPhone’s Wi-Fi settings, found the Dolry entry, and connected. Then I switched to the Music app, chose the HiFi Stone from the list of connected devices, and let the music play.
Of course, you’ll want to leverage the Stone’s Direct Wi-Fi capabilities so you can remain connected to your home network at the same time. For that, you’ll need the Dolry Music iOS app and about 30 seconds to walk through a few simple configuration steps. With that done, I could continue to use Wi-Fi while enjoying my wirelessly streamed audio.
I tested the Stone with both a Fluance FiSDK500 and a DLO iBoom Jukebox. When I moved it from the former to the latter, the Stone no longer appeared on my iPhone’s list of available Wi-Fi devices. After a bunch of fiddling, I decided to try resetting the Stone — a process made difficult by the placement of its reset hole, which requires a needle or paper clip. The hole faces upward, but it’s at the rear of the case, and therefore very difficult to see on some docks. Fortunately, it did the trick, and after that I had no trouble hot-swapping the Stone between the two.
Save for that glitch, the Stone worked splendidly. It’s definitely a great way to breathe new life into an old speaker dock — or even a new dock that happens to be incompatible with some or all of your iDevices. (iPads typically don’t fit on docks anyway, so this is a perfect solution.) However, you’ll want to check C4 Electronics’ compatibility list (PDF) to make sure your devices and speaker dock are compatible. Older docks, those that were expressly designed for older iPods (and therefore use a different charging standard), may not work.
Ready for the bad news? The Dolry HiFi Stone sells for $89, while the HiFi Stone S (which I tested) goes for $99. That extra $10 nets you three touch-sensitive buttons, only one of which (mute) seems to actually do anything. The others, Internet Radio and My Favorite, appear to serve no purpose — at least for the moment. (I’m guessing a software update will let you tie them to certain apps.) Given that the whole point is to use your phone or tablet to control your music, I’d stick with the cheaper model.
Update:If you want to purchase directly from Dolry (as opposed to Amazon), use coupon code CNETDOLRY or CNETDOLRYS to get the Stones for $87 and $97, respectively. The codes will be good through the end of August.
Alas, this will probably prove way too expensive for most buyers. At $89, you’re probably better off investing in a new speaker with native AirPlay (or Bluetooth) capabilities. I thought the Auris was pricey at $50, but this is especially hard to swallow. The HiFi Stone makes sense only if you’ve invested hundreds of dollars into a state-of-the-art speaker dock that you don’t want to go to waste.
We’ve all seen them: smartphones with shattered screens, the unfortunate victims of sudden outbursts of gravity. Your heart sinks a bit, watching your friends, loved ones, even total strangers slide their fingers over that sad, spidered glass, thinking, “There but for the grace of…”
Knowing full well the costs and hassles of replacing a busted screen, I pressed a BodyGuardz ScreenGuardz Pure onto my daughter’s hand-me-down iPhone 4. At 13, well, she’s been known to drop stuff.
And just the other day, she did. I’d been planning to write about the ScreenGuardz Pure already, just hopefully without any drop-test data. So much for that.
The all-glass ScreenGuardz Pure can withstand scratches and knocks, but when it comes to gravity, well, it’s still glass.
BodyGuardz
Unlike most screen protectors, this one is made of glass — specifically a “special chemically tempered glass exceeding the hardness of steel.” Hardness notwithstanding, the ScreenGuardz Pure looks and feels just the same as the iPhone’s own glass. That’s definitely not true of most of the plastic protectors I’ve tried, which add drag to your screen swipes and can definitely reduce screen clarity. Save for a sliver of extra thickness (which can get in the way of some total-enclosure cases), it’s like there’s nothing there at all.
But if it’s really harder than steel, can it survive teenager-level abuse? BodyGuardz has a couple videos demonstrating the shield’s ability to withstand scratches from metal objects and hard knocks from other metal objects — though most modern smartphones can already do likewise.
No, the only litmus test that really matters is phone + gravity = pavement. In theory, the extra layer of glass should bear the brunt of any damage — but would it?
When my daughter called from another room, “Dad, my screen broke,” I expected tears and dollar signs. And, sure enough, upon inspection, I discovered cracked, spidered glass in one of the top corners. But no tears from me or my daughter: the cracks appeared only on the ScreenGuardz Pure. Underneath, the iPhone appeared undamaged. Huzzah!
Available for iPhones, iPads, the Samsung Galaxy S4, and the Samsung Galaxy Note II, the ScreenGuardz Pure starts at $39.95. It includes membership in the company’s Advantage program, which affords you 20 percent off on future purchases and lower-cost replacements. For example, a new protector for our iPhone 4 would run $12.95 shipped, not another $40.
Ultimately, I’m glad my daughter’s iPhone was wearing one of these, though I’m a bit disappointed it cracked like, well, glass upon hitting the ground. Maybe a better form of insurance would be a Cellhelmet case, which offers a kind of extended warranty: If the iPhone breaks while inside, Cellhelmet will repair/replace it for you.
What are your thoughts on screen protectors in general? Have you found one that’s particularly good at surviving drops? Tell me your horror/salvation stories in the comments.
When the Une Bobine made its Kickstarter debut about a year ago, I had the same reaction as a lot of people: What the heck does “Une Bobine” mean?
One look at the product and I definitely wanted to find out. Alas, I’ve forgotten too much of my high-school French (sorry, Mrs. Herman), but Google knows all: Bobine means “coil,” and that’s exactly what this thing is: a coiled, goose-neck sync/charge cable for the iPhone. (There’s also a microUSB version for Android and other phones.)
What does a coil get you that a standard sync cable doesn’t? In this case, a flexible metal arm that can bend, twist, and, well, coil in nearly any position you want. Thus, it can hold your iPhone upright next to your PC for, say, clock or slideshow duty; hold it sideways for easier video viewing; or even raise it to eye level in your car for GPS navigation. The possibilities are fairly endless.
Neat, right? Unfortunately, the Une Bobine doesn’t quite live up to its promises, because the 24-inch arm just isn’t strong enough to handle an iPhone’s weight, at least in some configurations. (Point of clarification: I tested it with my iPhone 4S. An included adapter lets you use it with an iPhone 5, but you have to wrap your Apple sync cable around it for a decidedly kludgy workaround.)
For example, after plugging the coil into a USB port, I tried to get my iPhone to stand more or less upright. It promptly fell over. After coiling up a base of sorts, I had better luck, but still had to position the phone “just so” to keep it from toppling.
Likewise, it’s difficult to manhandle the arm for a landscape viewing position, especially if it’s not plugged in and using the USB port for added support. What’s more, the extra pressure the Bobine puts on that port made me a little nervous. Unless you’re careful with your bending, you could weaken both the plug and connector.
Once you do get everything positioned to your liking, the slightest nudge (like from typing on your laptop) causes the iPhone to wobble. Speaking of which, the Une Bobine is all but unusable in a car, and for exactly that reason: way too much wobble. If you can find something to wrap it around, like your rear-view mirror’s base, you might have better luck. But if you’re hoping to pair it with an in-dash USB port, you probably won’t be able to raise it to eye level for GPS duty — not without some added support.
Ultimately, your enjoyment of the Une Bobine depends on your expectations. With a little practice, you can get your iPhone positioned in some nifty ways — just not always the ways you want.
The Une Bobine sells for $30; there’s also a 12-inch Petite Bobine for $25. I didn’t try that one, but it seems like it would have even worse iPhone-balancing problems because you’ve got less coil available to make a base. If you’ve tried one yourself, hit the comments and let me know if I’m right. And if you have an old goose-neck lamp lying around, find out how you can build a DIY Une Bobine.
In case the name didn’t make it abundantly clear, the ClamCase Pro provides a clamshell-style case for your iPad. Open it up and you’ll find a decidedly MacBook Air-style keyboard, albeit one that’s necessarily a bit narrower. Indeed, with its white polycarbonate shell and gorgeous aluminum-finished keyboard bezel, the ClamCase Pro comes closer to Air-like elegance than any other keyboard case.
The ClamCase Pro is thin but heavy, adding another 1.5 pounds to your iPad.
ClamCase
But like the Air itself, the case will cost you. It’s priced at $169, though a current promotion will knock $20 off when you apply coupon code MARCH20 at checkout. That’s still $50 higher than the Logitech Ultrathin, which is widely regarded as the top product in its category. Is it worth it?
Yes, with a few qualifiers. The Pro houses your iPad (2, 3, or 4) in its upper half, which features cutouts or extended buttons for everything but the mute switch. I found it very easy to pop my iPad 3 into the case, and fairly easy to pop it out again.
A stiff hinge joins the keyboard and tablet, allowing the iPad to rest at a comfortable typing angle with almost no unwanted movement. You can flip the iPad further around for viewing movies and whatnot (the keyboard becomes a down-facing stand), or go a full 360 degrees for more traditional tablet use. As with a Smart Cover, the iPad automatically wakes or sleeps when you open or close the case.
Unsurprisingly, Bluetooth provides the functional link between the hardware. You can tap any key to wake the keyboard from sleep mode, which it enters after a period of inactivity. My only complaint with this whole arrangement is that you must manually power off the keyboard (via a tiny switch) when using your iPad in tablet mode, as any left-handed grip involves mashing multiple keys. (It feels awkward, too.) Thankfully, when you turn the keyboard on again, it reconnects almost instantly.
The big question, of course, is how the keys feel when you’re typing on them. As I noted before, the ClamCase is a bit narrow, perhaps 85 percent the width of a standard keyboard. Although my fingers occasionally got in the way of each other, for the most part I was able to type comfortably. The keys are maybe a hair stiff, but with good travel and response. As a writer, I could get my work done here, despite feeling a bit cramped along the way.
ClamCase promises an incredible six months of standby time from the keyboard’s battery and 100 hours of functional use. I’m not sure how big the battery actually is, but it might help explain why the ClamCase Pro weighs 1.5 pounds — twice as much as the Logitech Ultrathin and nearly double that of the iPad itself. All told, it makes for a very heavy package, to the point where I found it uncomfortable to use in tablet mode.
That’s a shame, because otherwise the ClamCase Pro is aces. It looks dazzling, works wonderfully, and vastly improves your iPad’s versatility as a work tool. Of course, if you start looking upon your iPad as a laptop, the weight doesn’t seem that egregious. And if that’s your goal — to use your iPad like a laptop — I suspect you’ll be quite pleased with the ClamCase Pro.
I first laid eyes on the Archos Family Pad at CES. And I needed both eyes to take in this behemoth of a tablet, which sports a whopping 13.3-inch screen.
At that size, you don’t really travel with it — though you could, no differently than you would with a 13.3-inch laptop (minus the keyboard, natch). No, the Family Pad is best suited to the family room, if not the kitchen, den, bedroom, or other semi-permanent spot. It’s not a tablet you walk around with; it’s a tablet you sit around with.
I liked the idea right away: a seriously roomy screen for surfing the Web, looking at recipes (without squinting), playing games, watching movies, and the like. Just one problem: What would it cost me? The 10-inch Nexus 10 starts at $399, the 9.7-inch iPad at $499. Surely a 13.3-inch Archos would run, what, $699? $799?
Nope: $299.99. That’s the price for a 13.3-inch Android tablet running Jelly Bean (aka Android 4.1). Color me impressed.
Now for the bad news?
But also skeptical: Archos must have cut some corners to get the price that low. And most spec-hounds will immediately zero in on the screen resolution: 1,280×800 pixels. That is fairly low by today’s standards, but think of it this way: most 13.3-inch laptops run at a very similar 1,366×768 pixels, and nobody complains about that.
And in my real-world testing, I thought the Family Pad’s IPS screen looked pretty good: bright, colorful, and sufficiently sharp for playing Jetpack Joyride, reading CNET, streaming Hulu Plus videos, and other tablety tasks. Plus, it’s a 10-point multitouch screen, which in theory would allow more than two people to get in on some multiplayer game action. (“Gather ’round the tablet, kids!”)
Most of the other specs belie the low price: a 1.6GHz dual-core CPU, a quad-core Mali 400 MP GPU, 1GB of RAM, dual cameras, dual speakers, and a boatload of expansion options. The Family Pad does come up a bit short in the storage department, with only 8GB onboard, but you can easily expand that with microSD cards, same as on most Android tablets.
I did find it a bit sluggish at multitasking, like trying to play a game while other apps were installing. And the two small speakers, which reside at one of the narrow ends of the tablet, aren’t nearly loud enough. Also, my demo unit didn’t come with a stand, though a small one is normally included. This thing desperately needs a stand, especially if you plan to interact with it on a countertop or coffee table.
How big is too big?
Indeed, holding the Family Pad for long periods, even if it’s just sitting in your lap, can get uncomfortable. This big baby weighs around 2.9 pounds — less than most laptops, but because you’re constantly holding it, it feels heavier. Plus, you simply can’t use it one-handed, and that limits its versatility.
I’m also not wild about Archos’ proprietary charger, which has a pin-style connector, not the more common Micro-USB. (The Family Pad itself does have Micro-USB ports, though — two of them.) So, yeah, one more AC adapter to keep track of. Of course, because the tablet probably won’t travel much, maybe that’s not such a big deal. I haven’t had the unit long enough to speak to battery life (an Archos rep promised two weeks of standby, which seems optimistic), but I will say it’s unusually slow to charge.
So is the Family Pad perfect? No. Does it deliver a hell of a lot of bang for the buck? Definitely. At times I can’t help wondering if it’s impractically large — maybe a 10-inch tablet is sufficient for around the house — but every time I look at the thing (or play a game of pinball on it), I can’t help breaking out in a goofy grin.
The Family Pad goes on sale at the end of February. Archos doesn’t yet have a product page up on its site; I’ll update the post when it’s live.
Update: It appears the Family Pad is now going by the name FamilyPad 2. Alas, as of late March, it’s still not available for purchase.
In a small room away from the main convention center at the CEDIA Expo, LG showed off its upcoming 84-inch 4K LCD, the LG 84LM9600.
I got a close-up look at the new ultraresolution panel, got a lot of questions answered, and got a rough idea what we can expect when it starts shipping next month.
For those of you who read the articles, I’m very specific in my complaint about 4K TVs: it’s that in the sizes most people buy, and at the distances most people sit from a TV, 1080p is largely unnecessary, making 4K ridiculous overkill.
But 84 inches is not a “normal” size. At that size, it’s far more likely you’d be able to see the added resolution with 4K.
However, at the demo, LG wasn’t showing any 4K material. Instead it showed upconverted 1080p content, which, let’s be honest, is going to be the vast majority of the content this TV will get throughout its life. Unfortunately, with this early prototype, the scaling wasn’t great.
Also, we saw significant edge enhancement that might have been in the source, but without access to the menus (we were denied, when we asked), we don’t know if this was in the TV. So without 4K material, and without knowing the source, and without final programming of the scaler, I’m not going to make a judgment on picture quality.
However (No. 2), I did get to see the Sony 4K, which is also 84 inches, and is also passive 3D. You can read CNET’s take on the Sony XBR-84X900 here or my take at HDGuru.com.
A few questions answered
During LG’s event, fellow journalist David Birch-Jones asked the question on everyone’s mind: LG, Sony, JVC, and others have all announced 3,820×2,160-pixel-resolution, 84-inch, passive 3D LCDs. Who, and it’s likely just one company, is making this panel?
LG’s representative was adamant the company does not and will not discuss panel sourcing. He did add, “All I can say about our panel is that we make it.”
On the question about 4K in smaller sizes (which I’d find useless), LG’s thought is “bigger, not smaller.” I found that interesting. TVs larger than 84-inches? Personally I think you should not buy a jumbo LCD TV, but buy a projector instead. Larger sizes can’t help but drive the price down of smaller TVs, so it can’t hurt. LG also said the company feels 4K is necessary for TVs over 65 inches. A coincidence that 65 inches is the largest non-4K TV LG currently sells?
The 84LM9600 will accept a 4K signal, so even if the internal scaler doesn’t get sorted out, there are other devices on the market right now that you can use to scale video to 4K to watch on this TV. Plus, it allows one of the few endless sources of 4K right now: an HTPC.
What about 3D, 4K content, OLED?
At 6 feet, Sony’s recommended distance, you can just barely make out the interlaced lines when viewing through the passive 3D glasses (Note: we didn’t see 3D content, but the glasses were there for some reason). At 10 feet, you couldn’t see the lines, but at that distance, the additional detail with 4K might be less noticeable.
One last point on 4K content. 4K TVs are often derided for the lack of 4K content. I think there are many issues to consider with 4K TVs, but content isn’t the biggest one. It’s a tiny one. When HDTVs started shipping, there was basically no content. We had years of HDTVs where the only HD content was over-the-air, or a couple of HD channels on cable. Blu-ray came out over half a decade after the first HDTVs. LG feels hardware will drive content, and I agree. Yes, early adopters will get mostly upconverted 1080p, but that’s what being an early adopter is all about.
Oh, and according to LG, OLED is still on track to be available this year in the U.S. market. Now that I’m excited about.
The 84LM9600 from LG is shipping this month, and will be available in October for $19,999.99. Check your couch cushions.
Got a question for Geoff? Click “Geoffrey Morrison” below, then click the E-mail link in the upper right to e-mail, wait for it…Geoffrey Morrison! If it’s witty, amusing, and/or a good question, you may just see it in a post just like this one. No, I won’t tell you what TV to buy. Yes, I’ll probably truncate and/or clean up your e-mail. You can also send me a message on Twitter: @TechWriterGeoff.
Finding a satisfying Android phone on a prepaid carrier is getting easier every day. Case in point, the new LG Motion 4G for MetroPCS. This pint-size $149.99 handset features Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich, a 3.5-inch screen, and a 1.2GHz dual-core processor, plus 4G LTE data.
Design
It’s been a while since I’ve seen an Android phone that’s as compact as the LG Motion 4G. The handset is so small, in fact, it took a while to get used to the way my fingers wrap completely around its plastic frame. Weighing a solid 4.48 ounces, though, the Motion 4G has a dense feel that belies its tiny stature. Also, while I can’t say the device oozes luxury, it does convey a sturdiness that is comforting. Too bad it’s not crafted from metal, my preferred smartphone material, like the HTC One V (Virgin Mobile).
The LG Motion 4G’s plastic construction is solid but not premium.
Sarah Tew/CNET
The Motion 4G’s 3.5-inch screen at first glance seems to get pretty bright, but its resolution looks low, rendering text and images way too blocklike for my tastes. There are three capacitive buttons in the form of Android functions (Back, Home, and Menu), which sit below the display. Above it is a VGA-quality camera that can snap vanity shots or conduct video chat in a pinch. Ports are typical for a midrange Android phone; on the left edge are small volume keys and a Micro-USB port, while the top holds a 3.5mm headphone jack and power button.
On the backside is the Motion 4G’s 5-megapixel camera and LED flash plus a speaker. The back plate is textured, too, though it still feels slippery. Under the battery cover is a 1,700mAh battery that you can remove without interfering with the phone’s microSD card slot. Still, adding widgets and app shortcuts from the app tray is easy, and Android will automatically clear a path to make room for new additions.
On back is a removable battery and microSD card slot.
Sarah Tew/CNET
Interface
Running Android version 4.04 Ice Cream Sandwich, the LG Motion 4G serves up four home screens by default but provides the option to add up to seven. The phone’s interface certainly isn’t stock Android, with LG’s special user interface enhancements evident. Instead of spinning in carousel fashion like on HTC Sense handsets, or simply sliding from pane to pane to view home screens, icons will slide up and down retreating into the distance depending on which way your swipe.
There are a few home screens to start, but you can add more.
Sarah Tew/CNET
Camera
Despite being an affordable smartphone on a no-contract carrier, the LG Motion 4G’s camera app offers plenty of shooting modes and settings. Image quality settings range from 1 megapixel and top out at 5 megapixels and you can manually adjust the ISO if you’d like. There’s a Panorama mode, Continuous Shot, and even HDR (high dynamic range) function, too. Snapping a few test shots, the device captured images quickly. I’ll hold my final conclusion on picture quality until I perform more tests.
The Motion 4G’s 5-megapixel camera has lots of extras.
Sarah Tew/CNET
Performance
With its 1.2Ghz dual-core processor, the LG Motion 4G felt lively in my hands, churning through menus and apps with surprising pep. Frankly, it seems to have more punch than Sony’s NXT line of Android handsets. Of course I reserve final judgement until I run some benchmarks.
Data throughput in New York on MetroPCS’ 4G LTE network was nimble as well. Initial tests recorded downloads hovering around 6Mbps, once breaking 7.5Mbps. Likewise, download speeds almost reached a full 5Mbps.
Outlook
For a moderately priced Android phone on MetroPCS, the LG Motion 4G offers quite a bit. It’s also fast, boasts a quick LTE data connection, and Android 4.0 ICS. Stay tuned for our full review to see just how it stacks up.
Suppose you’re taking a long trip and want to stock your smartphone or tablet with a bunch of movies.
Just one problem: there’s no room at the inn. A Kindle Fire, for example, famously has only 8GB of storage, with no option for expansion. Same goes for any iDevice you own: once it’s full, it’s full.
Maxell’s AirStash offers storage salvation. It’s a USB flash drive that also happens to be wireless, meaning it can store files and stream media to a variety of mobile devices. It’s an effective solution, though not an inexpensive one.
I’ve been fiddling with an AirStash for the past couple weeks, and for the most part I like it. You plug the drive into your PC, then copy over whatever files and media you want to bring along. Because it relies on inexpensive SDHC cards (rather than fixed storage), you can pop in an 8GB card, a 16GB card, or even a 32GB card, and swap them as necessary for virtually limitless space.
It’s too bad Maxell didn’t opt for smaller microSDHC media, though, because the AirStash is necessarily wide to accommodate the larger cards — meaning it has trouble fitting alongside other USB devices. Don’t be surprised if you have to temporarily unplug other gear while using the drive.
Your smartphone or tablet connects to the AirStash via its own little Wi-Fi network. You then browse and play your stuff via the AirStash app (which is available for Android, iOS, and Kindle Fire), though you can also connect to the drive right inside your browser. That means it’s compatible with just about any device that has Wi-Fi and a Web browser. If you use the app, however, you can export photos to the drive, a convenient backup option.
Interestingly, the AirStash also works with a number of third-party apps, including CineXPlayer, iWork, GoodReader, and Air Sharing. And up to three eight devices can connect to it simultaneously, meaning one person can, say, watch a movie while another listens to music.
One big caveat to connecting to the drive is that your device no longer has access to the Internet (because it’s connected to the AirStash network instead). Thankfully, a firmware update (still in beta) overcomes this problem, effectively allowing access to both the AirStash and a Wi-Fi network. In my tests it worked well.
My big problem with this gizmo is its price. The AirStash A02 with an 8GB “starter” card sells at Amazon for $124.42, and elsewhere for its list price of $149.99. The 16GB version lists for $179.99.
That’s just crazy-expensive for what is essentially a Wi-Fi-enabled SD reader. Make no mistake, the AirStash is a great device to have around, especially if you have a storage-challenged mobile device. But I suspect most users will balk at the price.
Late last year, Republic Wireless made a big splash by offering an Android smartphone with unlimited calling, texting, and data for the unheard-of price of $19 per month.
There were a few catches, of course, most notably the phone itself: LG’s Optimus S, a small, decidedly entry-level model with a scratch-prone screen and slow processor.
In terms of specs alone, the Defy XT blows the Optimus S out of the water. It’s powered by a 1GHz processor, and its dust-proof, water-resistant, Gorilla Glass screen measures 3.7 inches — a bit longer than the current iPhone’s. (The Optimus had a seriously cramped 3.2-inch display.)
The Defy also offers front- and rear-facing cameras, the latter good for 5-megapixel snapshots and 720p video recording. Motorola supplies a 1,700mAh battery it says is good for 9.5 hours of continuous usage. (Battery life proved decent, in that I didn’t wake up to a dead handset if I left it off the charger overnight.)
Make no mistake: This is still an entry-level smartphone, at least by today’s standards. It runs Android 2.3 and can be a little sluggish between screen taps. However, it’s appreciably thin and lightweight, and I found it perfectly serviceable for everything from sending text messages to watching YouTube videos to playing Amazing Alex.
Ah, but how does it fare as an actual phone? The reason Republic Wireless can offer such cheap monthly rates is by leveraging available Wi-Fi networks: Whenever the phone is connected to one, it’ll use it for your calls. It’s an ingenious solution — though not always a perfect one.
Indeed, although some of the calls I made (via my home network) sounded fine at both ends, others exhibited a bit of static or echo. The voice-over-IP system (Ooma) I use for my home phone rarely exhibits such problems.
The good news is that the Defy will automatically switch between Wi-Fi and the cellular network as needed. The bad news is it can’t do this while you’re on a call. If you start a conversation at, say, home or the office, then hop in the car and drive off, the call will drop.
That’s a hassle, to be sure, but it’s a $19/month no-contract hassle. For me the only real catch is the price of the phone itself: $249, plus a $29 startup fee. (Optimus S owners can upgrade for $149.) That’s a little steep, but understandable given that you’re not getting the usual contract subsidy. What’s more, amortize your total costs over two years and it’s way, way cheaper than any smartphone/voice/data deal you can get from one of the major carriers.
Interested? Be prepared to wait. Although Republic is once again accepting new customers in its beta program, it’s likely to be at least a few weeks before you get in.
In the meantime, tell me what you think of this smartphone solution. Off-the-charts awesome? Perfect for your smartphone-hungry teenager? Too many little catches to be worthwhile? I’m eager to hear your comments.
NEW ORLEANS–Seeing the Samsung Galaxy S III at CTIA was exactly what I had hoped for leading up to the show.
Samsung’s next global flagship phone packs a wallop of new software features, especially in the camera department. While there wasn’t enough time at the busy conference to inspect everything, I did return for some quality time with the 8-megapixel camera.
I took a variety of outdoor shots near the convention center to try to get a feel for real-life scenes. Photos taken in automatic mode were up to par with Samsung’s sharp Galaxy S II camera family. Pictures were sharply defined and colorful, with the greens looking a tad over saturated as they tend to do on Samsung’s camera phones.
With the help of Samsung spokesperson Jessica Redman, I also tested out the new burst mode (she gamely jogged in heels for that feature), HDR mode, friend tagging, and Buddy Share, an optional feature you can enable to text or e-mail the photo you just snapped to the person who’s tagged in it.
Unfortunately, the screenshots I emailed myself to share with you (like a really terrific sculpture right across the street from the convention center) failed to upload, and the Galaxy S III was already winging its way back to Samsung’s Korean headquarters before we could try to resend the pictures.
Testing face tagging and the front-facing camera on the Samsung Galaxy S III.
Jessica Dolcourt/CNET
Luckily, I did take a few photos with the camera to demonstrate face-tagging (on a terribly unphotogenic front-facing shot of myself, no less) and Buddy Share. I’ll reserve my final judgment for a full review when I can spend more than 20 minutes learning a gaggle of new features, but I will say that there’s a bit of the learning curve and plenty of finger-tapping as you seek out features.
Regardless, I do really like Samsung’s effort to deeply integrate the camera with the address book in an effort to make sharing photos even more seamless.
Before you take my experiences here as gospel, remember that the Galaxy S III I saw is still a pre-release product and the software isn’t final. Make sure you also catch all the latest news from CTIA 2012.
NEW ORLEANS–Mozilla may not be the first thing you think of when it comes to mobile technology, but that may change early next year. Its mobile operating system code-named Boot to Gecko is developing rapidly, but it will face challenges both technical and tech cultural.
Judging from my colleague Stephen Shankland’s take on how Boot to Gecko performed at its public unveiling in February, Mozilla has definitely made progress with the phone. The build I used was installed on a Samsung Galaxy S II.
A demonstration of B2G (Boot to Gecko) at Mobile World Congress shows that Mozilla’s browser-based mobile OS can send and receive text messages. It also can send and receive calls, play games, and be used to read e-books.
Stephen Shankland/CNET
The interface appears to be a mix of traditional iOS-style app icons, and Windows Phone-style interactive tiles. Flipping through the pages of apps, some of which were real while others were built as place-holders, was an impressively zippy experience. That may have a lot to do with the Samsung’s powerful hardware, but the Mozilla phone uses hardware acceleration HTML5 APIs to leverage the graphics processor. This is a necessity, of course: nobody’s going to want a sluggish device, even if it does promote a more open mobile experience.
Openness has always been part of Mozilla’s approach to browsers, and it’s a big part of the philosophy driving Boot to Gecko, said Todd Simpson, chief of innovation at Mozilla. “The real difference between a Web page and an app is that Apple and Android have taught people to pay for apps, and the Web has taught people that sites are free,” he said during an interview at CTIA.
The apps on the phone were not bug-free, but that wasn’t surprising for a pre-alpha build. Because the phone runs on Mozilla’s Gecko browser engine with an underlying Linux kernel, the version of Firefox is actually entirely built in JavaScript. It’s not clear what, if any, security risks that could pose, but there’s no question JavaScript exploits are a major source of headaches for browser makers.
The other apps were hardly revolutionary, but that’s fine when the point is simply to get a device working and up to public usability standards. An app created to demo the WebGL and hardware acceleration APIs showed a graphics-heavy crystal skull rotating. The game Jelly Drop, built in HTML5, CSS, and JavaScript, was responsive. While the camera itself wasn’t fully functional yet, the photo galleries were easy to navigate and video playback was smooth.
Although the company hasn’t said this explicitly, it appears that Mozilla is gunning for the feature phone. Mozilla’s first partner carrier, Telefonica, said that Boot to Gecko phones will be 10 times cheaper than the iPhone. Simpson confirmed some specifications when I spoke with him, including that the operating system will work on devices powered as low as a 600 mHz and with 256 MB of RAM.
Other key components of the Mozilla phone experience are still being developed. The biggest is Persona, a robust identification and log-in system that Mozilla hopes will present an alternative to Facebook and Google. Mozilla will use it, said Simpson, to tie together its cross-platform options, from desktop Firefox to mobile devices to Web site log-ins. Mozilla wants it to be a W3C-standards approved, Internet identity “that doesn’t leak data by design,” Simpson said. It will include payment options, too, with PayPal for people on desktops and carrier billing for Boot to Gecko.
“Identity is a messy space, and succeeding is not going to happen overnight. It’s a long road to put users back at the center of their Web experience,” he added.
One other problem that Boot to Gecko currently has is the lack of decent name. While it may sound glib, a good name can help sell a product, and Mozilla will face a steep uphill battle attempting to gain market-share against practically every major vendor in the handset and Web markets when the phones launch in late 2012 or early 2013. Simpson said that a product name hasn’t been agreed on yet, but chuckled when he said, “We are working on a better name.”
While it’s truly impressive how much progress Mozilla has made on Boot to Gecko, it’s far from a done deal. Even if the company can nail all of its ambitious technological goals, it’s hard to say that enough people will pick it up to make it successful. Critical praise isn’t enough to convince people to take on new tech, as evidenced by Microsoft’s struggle with the anemic adoption of Windows Phone. Mozilla will have to reach deep to get people to care enough about a Boot to Gecko phone, and although it sounds like its low price point will drive curiosity, converting that interest into sales could prove significantly harder.
NEW ORLEANS–Offering 4G access and hardware essentially identical to last year’s Sprint HTC Evo 3D, the HTC Evo V 4G looks even better up close than it does on paper.
Meet Virgin’s first 4G phone, HTC Evo V 4G (photos)
With the same specs as the Sprint Evo 3D, the Evo V 4G will run a 1.2GHz dual-core Snapdragon processor. What’s new, though, is that this handset will feature Google’s latest and greatest version of Android, version 4.0, aka Ice Cream Sandwich. You also get a dual-lens 3D imaging system plus a 4.3-inch Super LCD screen (qHD resolution) that can display three-dimensional images and video.
An interesting side effect of Sprint moving to LTE in favor of WiMax is the carrier will push its older 4G tech to its post-paid sibling Virgin Mobile. That means the Evo V 4G will surf on Sprint’s legacy WiMax network.
Picking up the rebranded device, I can say the HTC Evo V 4G is every inch the same phone as the previous Evo 3D. The Evo 3D weighed a hefty 6 ounces and Evo V 4G feels just as beefy. Still, that lends a solidity to the handset. Also on the phone is a switch that flips the handset between 2D and 3D modes. The screen, however, doesn’t look as impressive as the AMOLED display on HTC’s One S or HTC One X. That said, the Evo V 4G is one of the most compelling phones to hit Virgin Mobile in a long while.
AT&T Digital Life protects your home, turns on lights
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NEW ORLEANS–AT&T is proposing some serious branching out with its new services for securing your home, and managing its appliances remotely from your smartphone or tablet.
At CTIA 2012, AT&T showed off its concept with a demo house equipped in the Big Easy’s lovely Garden District.
Let’s tackle security first. AT&T lays physical sensors on the doors and windows. If they trip, or if the smoke detector trips, a couple of things happen. First, any response you’ve programmed goes into effect. For instance, you might decide to set it to blare the radio or TV, or sound an alarm or flash a strobe light.
Second, there’s the traditional security response, where AT&T’s 24-hour security monitoring team receives the message. It’ll call your preselected contacts, and if nobody picks up, it’ll also dispatch a team, or call the firefighters, or the cops, depending on the nature of the alarm.
Then there’s the app itself, which includes a schematic of your home (see the slideshow for app shots demoed on an iPad). From the app, you can select a room or area of the home to interact with, controlling your lights, appliances, window blinds, doors, security cameras, TV, and virtually any appliance with a simple on-and-off switch (dimmer lights included).
How? It’s an elegant concept, in which AT&T supplies “appliance modules,” essentially Internet-connected plugs you push into your outlets. You can then plug the coffee maker, the lamp, smoke detector, radio, thermostat, and so on, into those plugs.
Appliances communicate with the master controller (this is what AT&T professionally installs) over a variety of protocols.
While you can turn devices on and off manually, there’s an automated aspect as well. You can set up limitless profiles for different scenarios, for instance, when you go to sleep, when you go on vacation, and when you want to fill the house with music.
You can control the Digital Life app completely remotely.
The demo was a little disjointed, with separate tours in each room, but there’s still the sense of how the app would work on a day-to-day basis.
On the surface of things, it’s a pretty cool system, and one that will surely become synonymous with home security. After all, AT&T will be able to monitor security through those cameras and through its master controller.
On the other hand, it could be potentially costly. AT&T hasn’t announced pricing for the system yet. There’s also the question of failover: what happens if you lose power or connectivity?
AT&T has certainly offered an interesting glimpse of its security vision. AT&T’s trials this summer in Dallas and Atlanta will certainly start answering some of the deeper questions about the service’s ins and outs.
Come back for more hands-on photos and video of AT&T’s Digital Life house. Catch all the latest news from CTIA 2012.
Article updated at 5:15 p.m. PT to correct the remote range of use. An AT&T representative originally described the range as “line of sight,” referring to the demo station and not to the completed service.
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Last month, Republic Wireless made waves when it announced an Android phone with “unlimited” service for just $19 per month, no contract required.
I’ve spent the past couple weeks test-driving that phone and service, and I’m happy to report that except for a few wrinkles, both performed beautifully. (Read my original post for the full details on how it all works.)
Let’s start with the phone. Republic Wireless currently offers just one model, the LG Optimus S–an entry-level Android phone by any standards, but perfectly serviceable for users with simple needs.
In fact, I’ll let CNET’s review of the Optimus S give you the full scoop, and just add my two cents’ worth of sprinkles: I like the phone’s slim, lightweight design and surprisingly peppy performance. It has a decent feature set and runs Android 2.3 (Gingerbread). For its intended audience, I think it’s just fine.
(That said, I’d love to see Republic offer something like the Motorola Triumph, which offers a much larger screen and a lot more power.)
Using the Optimus is no different than using any smartphone, except that when you’re connected to a Wi-Fi hot spot (which Republic wants you to be whenever possible), calls get routed through it–just as they would if you were intentionally using a voice-over-IP app like, say, Skype.
What’s nice is that this is more or less transparent: when Wi-Fi is present, the Optimus taps it. When it’s not, the phone defaults to the available cellular network (which in this case is Sprint’s).
Where it gets tricky, from a usability standpoint, is when you move between networks. If you’re at home on a Wi-Fi call and then get in the car, the call quality will degrade and then drop as you drive away. You can tap an onscreen button to switch to cellular, but that merely ends the call and redials the number–a big hassle for you and the person at the other end. Republic Wireless says it’s working to allow this transfer to occur within the same call.
Screenshot by Rick Broida
On the flipside, cellular calls don’t automatically transfer to Wi-Fi when you get back in range of a hotspot (something else Republic is working on). That makes it that much tougher to keep within your monthly cell-service limits.
In other words, the Optimus isn’t yet as smart as it should be. And a handful of very basic features aren’t yet working, most notably MMS. (For a list of others, see the company’s “State of the Beta” blog post.)
But let’s consider the big picture. There’s considerable logic behind Republic’s approach to phone service, as a lot of talkers spend a lot of their time in range of a home or office Wi-Fi network. Indeed, for anyone who works in an office building where cell service is iffy, the defaults-to-Wi-Fi option may actually afford an improvement in call quality.
And why pay for pricey 3G service when you don’t need it? It’s kind of like paying for cable channels you don’t watch. On my iPhone, I use Wi-Fi for data probably 90 percent of the time, yet I’m paying a 24/7 price for AT&T’s 3G. That sucks!
I think Republic Wireless is onto something here. The company has a decent Android smartphone (albeit a pricey one at $199) paired with a service plan that blows everyone else out of the water. Yes, it might require some small modifications to your usage habits, but it’s hardly different than learning to turn off the lights when you leave a room so you save electricity.
Because everything’s still in beta (at press time I still didn’t have access to Republic’s customer portal, which would allow me to track my 3G/Wi-Fi usage), I’m not ready to pass final judgment. But I do think there’s a potentially huge market for a dirt-cheap smartphone service like this, and I’m eager to see how this plays out. We might just be looking at the model for the phone service of the future.
Do not adjust your monitors. This is, in fact, only a hands-on and not a full review of the Asus Transformer Prime.
Unfortunately, during the review process, we experienced some very suspect performance issues (detailed below), which led us to believe we were possibly in possession of a faulty unit. So, we are going to hold off on giving final ratings for the Prime, but check out our initial impressions.
Everything below is accurate to our experience with the Transformer Prime.
Design
The Prime comes in two colors, amethyst gray (gray and purple) and champagne gold (silver and gold). We got the amethyst gray version in for review, and while a purple tablet admittedly wasn’t the highest item on our holiday wish list, the gray and purple are blended in a sleek and sexy way.
Although the aluminum backside does a good job of resisting fingerprints, the glossy screen and bezel succumb to them easily.
The tablet is about an inch wider than the iPad 2 but a hair thinner than it and than the Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1. And while it’s slightly heavier than both aforementioned tablets, its weight is distributed evenly, so we felt only a negligible difference.
That’s the iPad 2 on the left, Prime in the middle, and Galaxy tab 10.1 on the right. They’re all really thin, but the Prime wins the supermodel contest by a hair.
Josh Miller/CNET
The Prime takes some design cues from the iPad 2 with a sloped backside and well-rounded corners that don’t dig into our palms, as the previous Transformer did.
For connections, the Prime includes a Micro-SD slot and Micro-HDMI on the left side. On the same side rest a volume rocker and a microphone pinhole. On the top is a smallish power/lock button, next to a second microphone pinhole, with a headphone jack on the right side. A 40-pin connector port for data/power is located on the bottom.
On the front bezel sits a 1.2-megapixel camera, and almost directly opposite it on the the back is an 8-megapixel camera, which is capable of recording 1080p video.
Like with the previous Transformer, the Prime connects to an optional keyboard/dock ($150), transforming it (heh) into what is essentially an Android laptop. With the previous Transformer, that connection wasn’t the easiest thing in the world to achieve, but the process has improved dramatically on the Prime, as it now easily slides into the awaiting slot.
The dock includes a trackpad, a 40-pin data/power connection port on the left, and a full-size SD slot and USB port on the right.
Once connected, the tablet feels a bit top-heavy, though, and could easily slip off a lap or table if enough care isn’t taken. Also, the dock is compatible only with the Prime and vice versa. No interswitching between the older Transformer and this newer one is supported.
Hardware features
The Prime is the first tablet to house Nvidia’s new quad-core processor, the Tegra 3. The Prime also includes 1GB of RAM and comes in either 32GB or 64GB varieties. There’s 802.11 b/g/n Wi-Fi support, Bluetooth 2.1+EDR, a gyroscope, and GPS.
The Mobile dock includes an extra battery that–while connected–“feeds” the Prime its power, meaning that the dock’s battery will deplete its reserves before the tablet’s.
Through its Micro-HDMI port, you can connect the tablet to an HDTV or monitor and play full-screen Android games using both wired Xbox 360 and PS3 gamepads as well as supported wireless pads through the use of an USB dongle.
Software features
The Prime comes preinstalled with Honeycomb 3.2.1 and is upgradable to Ice Cream Sandwich (ICS). According to Asus, ICS should arrive on the Prime before the end of 2011.
Asus MyCloud enables users to access 8GB of cloud-based storage space in Asus WebStorage, to remotely access the desktop of a PC or Mac, and to access the @Vibe online music and radio service.
MyNet lets you stream content to DLNA-enabled devices on your network, and with MyLibrary, Asus’ book e-reader software, you can read and purchase new books directly through the interface.
SuperNote is intended to help with taking notes and allows you to not only type them, but “write” notes with your fingers as well. You can also draw graphs, or take pictures or video right from the interface. This could be especially useful for taking notes in a math class.
Via Asus’s tweaks to the Honecomb interface, users can choose to run the Tegra 3 CPU in normal, balance, or power-saving modes. While in normal mode, the CPU runs at full speed. In balanced mode and power-saving mode the CPU speed is throttled to save on battery life.
Asus also adds a Super IPS+ (In-Plane Switching) mode, which boosts the brightness, making reading in sunlight a bit easier. It also adds a feature that allows you to take screenshots using the Recent Apps button.
Performance While the Prime’s IPS screen was immediately clear and sharp when first we powered it on, it was the screen transitions that really impressed us. The first time we tapped the Apps button, we were treated to a noticeably higher framerate transition than any previous Android tablet.
While we hoped this fluidity would carry over to apps like Marvel Comics, that was not the case. Reading a comic through the app on the iPad 2 is still a considerably smoother experience, but this may have something to do with specific optimizations of the iPad app.
While the resolution and contrast on the IPS panel are about as impressive as on the previous Transformer or the Asus Slider, the new Super IPS mode+ increased the brightness up to 570 candelas per square meter cd/m2, which is the highest brightness we’ve yet seen on a tablet and makes reading in direct sunlight a bit more tolerable than on other LCD tablets. Still, both the Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 and 8.9 are more impressive in terms of displaying vibrant colors.
We used Riptide GP as a games performance benchmark. On the Prime, GP runs smoothly with a high framerate, although maybe a bit lower than on the iPad 2; however, thanks to specific optimizations made by the developer, GP has added graphical effects, like water that splashes on the screen, which adds to the feeling of immersion. Also, on the Prime, the water physics knock you around more violently. Overall, we enjoyed the experience on the Prime much more.
The 8-megapixel rear camera provides the Prime with what is, on paper, the most technically advanced camera we’ve seen on a tablet. Pictures taken by the camera retained details other cameras like the Tab 10.1’s and Sony S Tablet’s rear cameras didn’t.
Also, shutter speed on the Prime is nearly instantaneous, whereas the Tab 10.1’s camera took several seconds to focus and shoot. Also, thanks to the 2.4f aperture of the camera, which allows more light through the lens than typical tablet cameras, we’re able to see more detail even in low light situations.
1080p video recorded with the camera is clear and smooth, with no noticeable artifacts like what we saw on the Tab 10.1’s 720p videos.
Performance issues
As I mentioned before, the reason you’re reading a hands-on and not a full review is because of the performance issues we experienced with the Prime, particularly with its Web page loading speed. We didn’t think it fair to post a performance rating on what could be a faulty unit.
The Web page loading was painfully slow compared with the iPad 2 and Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 in both real-world tests and using Speedtest.net. We also experienced download speeds of equally low quality when attempting to get apps from the Android Market. We used a closed Wi-Fi network to test these speeds.
Also, although the rear camera does a great job of capturing subtle detail, colors looked somewhat washed out in comparison with other tablet and smartphone cameras.
In addition, we experienced seconds of hanging when opening apps and navigating through Honeycomb menus.
While sound delivered by the speaker carried heavy bass, neither the volume nor the clarity could match the iPad 2’s sound.
We spoke with both Asus and Nvidia representatives and they were unable to replicate our performance issues. Asus is sending a replacement unit, so expect a full review with full ratings and a conclusion later this week.
The Prime will be available online on December 12 at $500 for the 32GB version and $600 for the 64GB version.The dock/keyboard clocks in at $150.
The Asus Transformer Prime in all its glory (photos)
Samsung’s latest TouchWiz user interface for Android 3.1 offers some useful enhancements to the Galaxy Tab 10.1, along with some unwelcome redundancy.
Screenshot by Donald Bell/CNET
Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 tablet owners are poised to receive a free software update tomorrow, bringing new apps, new features, and a new user interface. The over-the-air update comes by way of Samsung’s TouchWiz software, which puts the company’s unique spin on Google’s Android 3.1, and further distinguishes its product from the herd of similarly spec’d Honeycomb tablets on the market.
This morning we outlined many of the new features users can expect, including a revamped Media Hub storefront, a new Music Hub store, and Live Panel widgets.
After getting our hands on an early release, we feel confident declaring the update a worthwhile improvement to an already great tablet. You can see many of the new features for yourself in the screenshot gallery below.
Personally, I feel that the update’s standout feature is the new Mini Apps tray located on the bottom of the screen. This is a tray of utility apps (notes, calculator, calendar, task managers, and so on) that is hidden from view until you pull up from the bottom of the screen. Once a Mini App is launched, it floats as a window on top of the currently running app, offering a handy way to take notes while reading or consult your calendar while in e-mail. It’s a trick that no other Honeycomb tablet (or the iPad, for that matter) can pull off.
Now for the bad news. In Samsung’s zeal to put its mark on Android it has created many apparently redundant apps. Open up the app list and you’ll find Samsung’s e-mail app alongside Google’s Gmail, Samsung eBooks next to Google Books and Amazon Kindle, Samsung Music Hub next to Google Music, and a Samsung-designed app labeled “Video” next to a Google-designed app labeled “Videos.” As a reviewer I can empathize with Samsung’s instinct to offer something beyond the stock Honeycomb experience, but I fear that all these overlapping apps may confuse new users expecting something closer to Apple’s “it just works” philosophy.
Still, whatever minor complaints I may have, the software update itself gets an unequivocal thumbs-up, and further carves out the Galaxy Tab 10.1’s place among its Android Honeycomb competition.
TORONTO–To celebrate the announcement of the new BlackBerry OS 7 devices, RIM put on a special event for BlackBerry fans tonight to come check out the new models. Select media were also invited, and of course, we jumped at the chance to get a closer look at the BlackBerry Bold 9900/9930, BlackBerry Torch 9810, and BlackBerry Torch 9850/9860 because despite all of RIM’s recent woes, we want to see the company succeed and offer compelling and competitive products.
From what we saw tonight, there’s good news and bad news. The good news is that these new handsets brings some much-needed hardware and software improvements, and generally speaking, we liked what we saw. The bad news is that there doesn’t seem to be enough there to push it past, or even catch up, to its competitors. To be fair though, we haven’t been able to do a deep dive with OS 7 or these devices, so we won’t deliver a final verdict just yet. For now, here are our first impressions of the three models and be sure to share your thoughts on the phones and BlackBerry OS 7 in the comments section below.
As a former BlackBerry Bold owner, I was particularly interested in this model and at the end of the day, it might be my favorite of the three. The Bold 9900 (Sprint’s version will be the 9930) takes the slate QWERTY design that made the BlackBerry famous and adds a touch screen. The 2.8-inch, 640×480-pixel display looks sharp and feels responsive. The addition of the touch screen is particularly useful when browsing the Web and viewing pictures, since you can now use the pinch-to-zoom gesture to easily zoom in on text and images. Though we never had problems navigating through the BlackBerry interface (which doesn’t change much between OS 6 and OS 7) on a non-touch display, it’s nice now to have the option to simply swipe or tap the screen to complete an action.
The keyboard remains excellent. Similar to previous Bold models, the keyboard has a roomy, wide layout with good-size buttons. They have a slight ridge to them, so they’re easy to press, and it, along with the navigation controls, is also brightly illuminated so it’s easy to type in darker environments.
The general design of the smartphone takes after its predecessor, but RIM says that the Bold 9900 is its thinnest BlackBerry yet at 10.5mm thick. It indeed feels pretty slim and lighter, while still keeping a premium feel with its brushed stainless steel accents and smooth back. BlackBerry loyalists should find a lot to like in this refresh of the Bold.
The Torch 9810 also offers some nice improvements, but it doesn’t feel like the most exciting upgrade. Part of the reason why is because the overall design is very similar to the original Torch. It keeps the same shape and portrait slider design and though I understand that you can’t completely change the look of a series, it wouldn’t hurt RIM to shake things up a bit. A fresh paint job doesn’t really cut it. Even worse, I thought the phone didn’t quite have the same premium build as its predecessor and felt more plasticky.
It’s still a very solid phone, and I was happy to see that RIM included a better display. The Torch 9810 features a 3.2-inch, 640×480-pixel touch screen, which isn’t much compared to the competition, but I noticed pixels were less visible and text and images just looked smoother and brighter than before, so that’s appreciated. I was able to quickly navigate through the phone’s menus and launch applications, thanks to the faster 1.2GHz processor and improvements of BlackBerry OS 7.
The slider mechanism used to expose the keyboard is very fluid and strong as the screen locks into place when pushed up. RIM said it made some slight tweaks to the keyboard; more specifically, it’s slightly wider, but I can’t say I noticed a huge difference between this model and the first Torch. Thus, my opinion of the keyboard is the same–it’s generally comfortable and easy to use but users will larger thumbs will need some time to adjust and acclimate. One good thing is that the handset doesn’t feel top heavy with the screen open, so the phone doesn’t feel like it’s going to tip over while you’re typing.
RIM also gave me a demo of the use of augmented reality and the Wikitude app on the Torch 9810, and I have to say it’s pretty cool. Its integration with BBM is probably most interesting for BlackBerry users. Basically with the app and the phone’s magnetic compass, you can point your phone’s camera at a location and see any nearby BBM users and interact with them. If a contact has a personalized avatar, that will even show up on screen. Though augmented reality is certainly nothing new, its integration with BlackBerry-specific features is some of that uniqueness we’re looking for from RIM.
RIM’s history of all-touch-screen devices hasn’t exactly been stellar. The BlackBerry Storm 1 and 2 had their fair share of problems, from sluggishness to buggy software to clunky hardware, so I was both a bit weary and anxious to check out the new BlackBerry Torch 9860 and after spending some brief time with it, let’s just say I’m cautiously optimistic.
The Torch 9860 (and its Sprint counterpart, the Torch 9850) features a 3.7-inch touch screen, which is the largest display yet for a BlackBerry. It’s a very clear and bright screen that again, isn’t the sharpest on the block, but still, is a very good-looking screen. I watched a couple of video clips, and the images looked smooth and colors were bright. That said, the onscreen keyboard felt pretty cramped, especially in portrait mode. It was hard to type messages at a pretty quick rate without making mistakes.
On the bright side, I have to say that these are some of the fastest BlackBerrys I’ve ever used. The combination of the 1.2GHz processor and BlackBerry OS 7’s Liquid Graphics technology allowed me to easily swipe through the various menus, and apps launched quickly. RIM also touts the fact that OS 7’s Web performance is 40 percent faster than BlackBerry OS 6 and 100 percent faster than BlackBerry OS 5. Personally, I didn’t experience this, but there were network connectivity issues at the event. I did notice pages were loading slightly faster than what I’ve seen on BlackBerrys before, but this is something we’ll really have to test once we get a review unit.
I thought I could refuse Amazon’s Cloud Player. I guess I was wrong.
Amazon unveiled official browser support on the iPad for Cloud Player. For me, and for many others, that’s huge news. Previously, iOS devices hadn’t been working too smoothly with Amazon’s Cloud Player music-storage service. The newly updated Safari Web app isn’t surprising, but it does work as advertised. iPad owners, you can officially rejoice.
Albums, playlists, and songs load up just like they would on a normal computer browser. Even better, the song list can be scrolled through with a single finger swipe. Songs play smoothly, and track-skipping and other controls work as expected. The best part, though, is that the Web app works well outside the browser in multitasking, too.
Amazon Cloud Player on the iPad: Yep, it works.
Screenshot by Scott Stein/CNET
So far, after an early morning’s quick play-through, all works as advertised, including background playback. I brought up the iPad’s music controls while Lady Gaga played in the background, and could skip forward or back to other tracks. (Full disclosure: I bought Lady Gaga’s album because it was on sale for 99 cents, and was thus the cheapest way to get myself 20GB of music storage for the year.)
Combined with Amazon’s special limited offer of unlimited music storage, this adds up to a pretty no-brainer solution to upload your music for on-the-go listening without iCloud. I’m not sure what I’ll do next year when I’m asked to pony up more money to stay on Amazon’s service, but I’ll leave such decisions for 2012.
Very few cases offer true utility as well as nice style and design. The HandStand2 for iPad 2 does just that. The simple construction of the case allows you to easily attach it to your iPad 2–simply wrap the case around your iPad and you are ready to work.
The elastic hand band is tight enough to feel secure but not so tight that your fingers turn blue while using it. The rubber case holds your iPad 2 securely in place upside-down, while walking, and, of course, when actually using your iPad.
The HandStand2 also has a rotating base that allows users to easily rotate between landscape and portrait mode depending on the app they are using. If you’re on the go and need to take notes, HandStand2 offers a great way to keep your iPad 2 secure while doing so, without losing any functionality.
HandStand2 also has a raised grip on its base that gives your iPad 2 just enough tilt when placed on a tabletop to make typing easy.
Overall, my experience with the HandStand2 has been extremely pleasant and any time I need to bring my iPad 2 on the move, I’ll be using HandStand2 to protect it. The HandStand2 is designed and manufactured in the United States, is made from 100-percent recycled resin, and retails for $49.95.
Which cases have you found to be the most useful? Let me know in the comments!
Hands-on with the BlackBerry Bold 9900
CNET Australia
While we weren’t able to be there ourselves for BlackBerry World, Joseph Hanlon from CNET Australia flew all the way across the globe to be there in Orlando, Fla.. As any good journalist would, he immediately sought out the latest BlackBerry handset, the RIM BlackBerry 9900 (the 9930 is its dual-mode CDMA/GSM cousin), and gave it the hands-on treatment.
The Acer Iconia Tab delivers the specs of the Motorola Xoom tablet, but at a significant savings.
Donald Bell/CNET
Update: CNET’s full, rated review of the Acer Iconia Tab is now available.
Google’s tablet-friendly Android 3.0 OS (aka Honeycomb) is arguably the biggest advancement for tablet computers since the introduction of the iPad. It delivers souped-up versions of Google’s celebrated mobile apps (Gmail, Maps, Books, Talk, Navigation, and Market) to the big, multitouch-enabled screens of 10-inch tablets, and weaves Adobe Flash into a killer tabbed Web browser. There’s only been one big problem: the OS has been trapped on a relatively hefty, high-priced tablet called the Motorola Xoom.
The Acer Iconia Tab A500 is one of the first Android Honeycomb tablets we’ve seen to compete against the Xoom, and ultimately, the Apple iPad 2. Its promise, essentially, is all of the features of the Wi-Fi Motorola Xoom, priced nearly $150 less at $450.
Is there a catch? In the few hours we’ve had to play with the Iconia Tab, there’s nothing obvious that jumps out as a “gotcha.” It’s a little heavier than the already-heavy Xoom, weighing 1.66 lbs. The design feels a little more plastic around the edges where the tablet meets your hand. The photo and video quality don’t seem to match up to that of the Xoom (and we weren’t big fans of the Xoom’s image quality to begin with). Acer’s instinct to populate the home screen with its own app choices and bury Google’s prime products in the app drawer seems like a needless makeover, but it’s a move that’s easily undone.
The big question is whether the Honeycomb experience itself is any different on the Acer Iconia Tab than on the pricier Motorola Xoom. From our perspective, the differences are too minor to notice. The touch screen is seemingly just as responsive, and sports the same 10.1-inch screen and 1,280×800-pixel resolution of the Xoom. All of Google’s core apps, including Marketplace, are installed out of the box. You do have to take an extra step to download a free version of Adobe Flash 10.2, but it takes only a minute and a shortcut link for the download is included within the app menu.
Other specs include an Nvidia Tegra 2 dual-core processor, 1,024MB of DDR3 dual-channel memory, 16GB of built-in storage (4GB of which is taken up by the OS), HDMI output, microSD memory expansion, and a full-size USB host port.
The only obvious drawback to the Acer Iconia Tab A500 is that it’s no lighter or slimmer than the Xoom. With the razor-thin iPad 2 out there shaping people’s tablet expectations, the Iconia Tab is beefy by comparison (see our photo gallery for comparison shots). Still, we’re happy to see some competition for the Xoom and we’re elated that the price of Honeycomb tablets is racing toward affordability.
Read CNET’s rated review of the Acer Iconia Tab A500.
The Samsung Replenish is Sprint’s first eco-friendly Android smartphone.
Bonnie Cha/CNET
NEW YORK–Earth Day is fast approaching (April 22), and though you might not think it, there are some green tech gadgets out there. Take, for example, the Samsung Replenish. It’s Sprint’s first eco-friendly Android smartphone, and the carrier just happened to be in town yesterday to show off the handset at an EcoFocus media event, so we thought it would be a good opportunity to check it out.
First, what makes the Replenish environmentally friendly? Well, 82 percent of the handset is made from recyclable materials and the casing is 34.6 percent post-consumer recycled plastic content. This really doesn’t affect the quality of the build, as we found the phone to feel pretty solid in the hand and not too plasticky. At 4.8 inches tall by 2.4 inches wide by 0.5 inch thick and 4.1 ounces, it’s a good size and easy to carry around. I don’t think it’s going to win any beauty contests, but, hey, being green can be sexy, right?
The Replenish is like the Motorola Droid Pro in that it combines a touch screen with a physical QWERTY keyboard. The display measures 2.8 inches diagonally and has a QVGA 240×320-pixel resolution. After testing some of the higher-end devices, it’s a bit of a shock going to such a low-res screen, but the display is still clear and bright enough to get the job done. The touch screen felt responsive and though it’s on the smaller side, at least you don’t have to worry about pecking out messages on an onscreen keyboard.
The keyboard is a little cramped compared with the ones on the Droid Pro and BlackBerry devices, so it may take a little time to adjust and find your rhythm. The buttons are raised well above the surface so they’re easy to press, and they provide nice, tactile feedback–not too squishy. In addition to the keyboard, there are four physical buttons just below the display for the home, back, menu, and search shortcuts.
One other interesting design feature is the optional solar battery cover. This $29 accessory, made by a company called Naturacell, lets you charge your phone using solar energy. A small sun icon will appear in the upper right corner of your screen to let you know that it’s charging (see slide 4 in the photo gallery below for a closer look).
The Samsung Replenish also offers support for the newest addition to Sprint ID, the Green ID pack. The custom skin provides access to environmental news sites, green tips, and other resources. Having an interest in the environment, I actually found the Green ID pack to be really cool. I particularly liked the apps that showed you the closest recycling centers and local farmers markets. I’d have to have the phone for longer than a few minutes to really see if I’d use the features of Green ID daily or if I’d get over the novelty and remove it, but I like the option.
Aside from the eco-friendly goodness, the smartphone runs Android 2.2 and has a 2-megapixel camera, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, GPS, 3G, and a 600MHz ARM processor.
The Samsung Replenish will be available on May 8 for a very affordable $49.99 with a two-year contract, and Sprint is waiving the monthly $10 premium data add-on fee. The Replenish will come with an energy-efficient charger and its packaging will be fully recyclable. Though it may not be everybody’s cup of tea, it’s not a bad option, whether you’re looking for a budget-friendly smartphone or looking to help the environment.
NEW YORK–No big surprise, but Boost Mobile made it official and introduced the Samsung Galaxy Prevail on Monday evening, its very first CDMA Android smartphone.
Available later this month for $179.99 sans contract and with a $50 monthly plan that includes unlimited voice, text, and data (also eligible for Boost’s Shrinkage plan), the Galaxy Prevail is a welcome addition to the carrier’s smartphone lineup. We had a chance to check out the Android 2.2 device at the unveiling event this evening, and though the handset might not offer some of the higher-end features of its other Galaxy S siblings, we think it’s shaping up to be a pretty good deal.
The handset measures 4.4 inches tall by 2.26 inches wide by 0.47 inch thick and weighs a light 3.8 ounces. It’s comfortable to hold with a soft-touch finish on back (something we’d actually love to see on the higher-end Galaxy S phones) and easily slips into a pants pocket. The display measures 3.5 inches diagonally and has an HVGA resolution, so you’re losing a bit in size and sharpness, but it’s also to be expected with such an entry-level device. Plus, the touch screen is still sharp and bright enough to get the job done.
The Galaxy Prevail doesn’t run Samsung’s TouchWiz user interface, so you’re getting a pure Android experience. The smartphone does come preloaded with a few extra apps, including Swype, Facebook, Twidroyd, TeleNav GPS Navigator, and ThinkFree Office. Of course, you can download more from the Android Market. There’s only about 124MB of internal phone storage, but Boost ships the Prevail with a 2GB microSD card.
There’s a 2-megapixel camera on back, but it lacks a flash. I took a couple of quick sample photos though and was pleasantly surprised at the decent picture quality. Even though, the images were taken in dimly lit rooms, they were still bright. The Prevail’s general performance also felt fairly responsive, with an 800MHz processor under the hood.
Of course, we’ll do much more testing in the days to come. We actually have a review unit in hand, so definitely check back in a couple of days for our final verdict. In the meantime, peep our photo gallery below for a closer look at the Samsung Galaxy Prevail.
We had an opportunity to check out the HD7S last night at an AT&T reception, and there weren’t a whole lot of surprises. The Windows Phone 7 smartphone is a lot like the HTC HD7 for T-Mobile. The biggest difference is that the HD7S has a slightly better display since it’s a Super LCD screen instead of a regular ol’ TFT screen. It’s certainly something we welcome, since we felt the HD7’s display was a bit lackluster compared with other devices on the market, and we definitely noticed that the HD7S’s screen was sharper and brighter.
Beyond that, the HD7S features the same 1GHz Snapdragon processor, 5-megapixel camera, and built-in kickstand. The overall construction of the phone is very solid, and though the phone is on the larger size, it’s relatively thin so that helps make it more manageable. Performance was also smooth during our hands-on time with it.
The HTC HD7S will ship with the latest Windows Phone 7 update, which includes copy-and-paste capabilities, and is expected to hit AT&T stores in the coming weeks.
ORLANDO, Fla.–If you were a fan of the LG Optimus 2X, then you should be a fan of the T-Mobile G2X too. We had hands-on time with the sleek new LG phone today, and it feels just as fast and impressive as its European cousin.
And no wonder: The specs are eerily similar. The G2X has a 1GHz dual-core Tegra 2 processor, and the resulting performance is immediately apparent when handling the phone. Scrolling through menus felt very smooth, and launching graphic-intensive apps like Google Maps took milliseconds. We played a few high-definition videos on the device, and were able to jump to different parts of the video with zero latency.
Of special note to gamers, the G2X works with Tegra Zone, an Nvidia Android app that lets you purchase and download games that take full advantage of the Tegra 2 processor.
But the feature that is of most interest to U.S. residents is that the G2X is compatible with T-Mobile’s high-speed HSPA+ 4G network. We were fortunate enough to test it out in Orlando, Fla., and indeed loading Web pages is quite speedy. We tested it briefly with the Google Maps app, and we were impressed by how quickly it was able to render satellite images as we zoomed in. Globe-trotters will be glad to know the G2X is a quad-band GSM phone that can be used worldwide.
Other features of the phone are geared to make use of its speed. There’s a Micro-HDMI port at the top that will let the phone connect to a big-screen TV to mirror anything on the phone, and DLNA support lets you share media content wirelessly. The 4-inch WVGA display looks stunning, and we’re pleased that it has DTS audio technology.
The G2X ships with Android 2.2, and looks pretty native from what we can tell. A LG representative told us that this was no accident–this was so it would be much easier for the G2X to get the 2.3 firmware upgrade later down the road. Other specs include the usual Wi-Fi, GPS, and a microSD card slot that supports cards of up to 32GB. The latter might prove useful, as the phone only has 8GB internal storage.
We don’t yet know the pricing and availability of the G2X, but we hear it’ll be available later in the spring. Check out our photo gallery of the T-Mobile G2X for a closer look.
Ever since the debut of the Palm Pre, I’ve been enamored with inductive charging. After all, what could be easier than recharging your phone just by laying it on a special pad or dock–no cord required?
Nothing, that’s what. Straight outta “Star Trek,” inductive charging relies on an electromagnetic (i.e., wireless) transfer of energy between devices. Yet phone manufacturers still haven’t embraced the technology.
Apple certainly hasn’t, which is why third-party products like the Powermat and Energizer Qi (pronounced “chee”) have arrived to fill the void. I’ve spent some time using the latter, and I’m here to tell you: I’m still enamored with inductive charging. I just wish it didn’t require so many compromises.
For starters, unless a device manufacturer builds an inductive “receiver” into the hardware (or at least offers a specialized battery door, as Palm did with the Pre), you’re stuck using some kind of add-on. In the case of the iPhone, that means a sleeve that slips onto the back and bottom, much like an external-battery case.
As of this writing, Energizer offers just two sleeves for the Qi: one for the iPhone 3G/3GS, the other for the iPhone 4. (There’s also a Qi-enabled battery door for the BlackBerry Curve 8900.) Price: $34.99 apiece, on top of the $89.99 you pay for the Qi itself. I realize this is new technology, but $125 is a pretty steep point of entry.
What’s more, the sleeve sucks. I mean, it works, but it adds both bulk and length to the iPhone. Plus, it lacks a pass-through port, so you have to remove your iPhone anytime you want to sync it. I found this extremely difficult owing to a too-tight fit. To pry them apart even a smidgen, I had to wedge my thumbnail in between the bottom of the iPhone and the sleeve.
The Qi can charge two inductive devices simultaneously, and a third (like, say, an Android phone) via a standard USB connection. After an hour on the Qi, my fully drained iPhone had charged to about 44 percent. The battery gauge showed full at around 2 hours, 10 minutes.
That’s not bad; it’s about how long the iPhone takes to fully charge when plugged into a wall outlet. But one notable downside is that the Qi’s USB port doesn’t supply enough juice to charge an iPad.
Inductive charging is cool. All by itself, the Energizer Qi is cool. The need to use special sleeves/doors with it and pay extra for them? Not cool. Here’s hoping Apple, HTC, LG, Samsung, and all the other phone makers decide to hop aboard the induction bandwagon, and soon.
BARCELONA, Spain–In late November, Acer unveiled an Android smartphone that raised some eyebrows with its large 4.8-inch touch screen. The device now has a name, the Acer Iconia Smart, and it’s on display here at Mobile World Congress 2011, so naturally we had to take it for a spin.
To be honest, we were expecting to see a huge, clunky device, and the Iconia Smart is big, to be sure, but it’s not as unwieldy as one would expect. Admittedly, it’s on the long side, so it’s not the most pocket-friendly device, unless you’re putting it in a coat pocket. However, it’s not very wide or thick, so the smartphone feels comfortable to hold. It’s also relatively lightweight while still being solid, thanks to the unibody metal construction.
Of course, the star attraction of the Iconia Smart is the 4.8-inch display. With a 1,024×480-pixel resolution, the touch screen is sharp and bright. It was also responsive to our touches, as we were able to move through the various home screens with ease and navigate menus.
You get the maximum benefit out of the display when in landscape mode, though. The Iconia Smart’s screen has a 21:9 aspect ratio (plus Dolby surround sound) for a full cinematic experience. We watched a sample movie that was loaded on the phone, and the video playback was smooth and the picture looked great. However, I can’t say the experience was any better than other large-screened smartphones I’ve tested.
It is nice, though, that the extra screen real estate allows you to see more on a Web site and doesn’t require you to scroll left to right to view the full page.
The Iconia Smart has a pretty comprehensive feature list. The smartphone ships running Android 2.3 with Acer’s custom UI, which is pretty nice. It doesn’t completely take over the stock Android experience and you get some cool features, like a carousel showing thumbnails of your favorite Web sites.
The smartphone also has an 8-megapixel camera, a front-facing 1.3-megapixel camera for video calls, and a six-axis gyroscope sensor. It doesn’t, however, have a dual-core processor.
The Acer Iconia Smart is expected to ship in early May, but we suspect that its chances of coming to the U.S. with a carrier are slim to none. You can, of course, buy it unlocked, but pricing information was not announced at the show.
For a closer look at the Iconia Smart, check out our hands-on gallery below.
BARCELONA, Spain–The T-Mobile G-Slate by LG isn’t a new announcement. The 4G Honeycomb tablet was actually first introduced at CES 2011, but it only made a brief appearance during T-Mobile’s press conference before it was quickly whisked away by LG executives.
However, our appetite for the G-Slate was satiated at Mobile World Congress 2011 where T-Mobile and LG provided us with some hands-on time with the tablet. Now, I haven’t seen all the tablets out there, but I’ve certainly checked out a number of devices, including the iPad, the HP TouchPad, and Samsung’s Galaxy Tab line. All have their pros and cons, but right off the bat, I was impressed with the G-Slate’s design.
The tablet had a premium feel that was on par with the iPad. A soft-touch finish on back gave it a non-slippery texture, and the tapered edges and rounded corners made it easy to hold. There is some heft to it, but on the upside, it was relatively slim.
Unlike its competitors, LG didn’t go with a 7-inch screen or a 10-inch screen and instead settled somewhat in the middle with a 8.9-inch HD multitouch screen. The companies likened it to the story of Goldilocks and the Three Bears, where the 7-inch tablets might be too small and the 10-inch tablets might be too large for some, but the G-Slate feels just right. Personally, I like my devices on the smaller side, but what I like even more is that I have a choice, and the G-Slate is certainly a contender.
The display is gorgeous and sharp and felt responsive. As we noted earlier, the tablet will run Android OS 3.0 (aka Honeycomb) and it will be the stock Android experience–no custom user interface from T-Mobile or LG. The carrier did say, however, that it will preload the device with some extra content, which T-Mobile has been known to do with its smartphones.
There are other ways the G-Slate differentiates itself from the competition. It will be the first 4G Honeycomb tablet to come to market, running on T-Mobile’s HSPA+ network. Obviously, we weren’t able to test out the data speeds since we were in Barcelona, but theoretically, download speeds can hit up to 21Mbps. The G-Slate is also outfitted with a dual-core processor (Nvidia’s Tegra 2 chipset).
The G-Slate’s 3D camcorder interface.
Bonnie Cha/CNET
One feature we did get to try is the tablet’s 3D video recording capabilities. The G-Slate has two cameras on the back: one is the normal 5-megapixel camera with flash and the other is a stereoscopic camera. Both can be used to record 1080p 3D videos, and the device also supports 3D video playback but unlike the LG Optimus 3D, glasses are required to view the videos in 3D.
We certainly had fun playing with the feature and it adds a cool factor to the device, but I didn’t walk away thinking that it was a must-have either. I’m not sure how much 3D video I would take in real life, especially with a tablet. Plus, the 3D playback wasn’t all that great. The 3D effect felt very minimal.
There’s still a lot to love about the G-Slate though, so perhaps if you’re feeling a bit like Goldilocks, the T-Mobile G-Slate by LG might be the right one for you. Check out our hands-on photo gallery below for a closer look.
The companies didn’t have any further announcements about pricing or availability date. LG also announced the Optimus Pad at MWC, which is essentially the global version of the G-Slate.
Back in September, beloved gadget seller ThinkGeek announced the TK-421 iPhone Case with Flip-Out Keyboard. At the time, I was jazzed about the idea of trading my iPhone’s cramped onscreen keyboard for a roomy set of tactile keys.
Now that I’ve had the chance to try them out, I’m still jazzed about the idea–just not the execution.
The TK-421 provides a two-piece wraparound plastic casing for your iPhone 4 or 3GS (be sure to order the right version of the case for your model). All the usual cutout holes are there, but the outer shell is so thick that it’s harder to press the volume and power buttons.
The five-row, 49-key keyboard swings out from below (where, incidentally, it blocks the iPhone’s camera–meaning you’ll have to flip out the keyboard every time you want to take a photo). You’ll immediately notice how top-heavy the contraption is owing to the weight of the iPhone. Unless you squeeze the keyboard tightly between your palms, the whole thing could easily topple out of your hands.
Also, on my review unit at least, the hinge didn’t effectively lock the iPhone in its raised position. The tiniest nudge knocked it askew.
Another design flaw: the power switch is nestled so deeply behind the hinge that it’s virtually impossible to slide. The fact that it’s extremely stiff and hard to move doesn’t help.
The keys themselves aren’t bad. They’re stiff and clicky, and large enough that you shouldn’t have to worry about fat-fingering them. But the Space bar is too small for my liking. I wish ThinkGeek had ditched the functionally useless Alt and Ctrl keys right next to it and made the Space bar wider.
I had no trouble pairing the Bluetooth-powered TK-421 with my iPhone 4, and the keyboard definitely worked as advertised in all the apps I tried. The more I used it, the more I liked it, though I never did get completely comfortable with the weight imbalance.
The TK-421 is available now for $49.99. While other users–especially those who really dislike the iPhone’s onscreen keyboard–may be more forgiving of its faults, I have a hard time recommending the product.
Over the past two weeks iPhone and iPad users alike have been waiting for the promised iOS 4.2 update. After a false alarm last Friday, Apple pushed out Gold Master developer versions of the update today and Wednesday. So as we wait for the real deal–which could come as early as tomorrow–we downloaded the Gold Master to give the update a trial run.
Apple won’t release an official list of new features until iOS 4.2 becomes available to the general public, but we scanned through the additions that have been observed so far. Nothing will blow your mind, but we’re never one to pass over new features, no matter how small they are. The iPhone 4 gets a few interface tweaks, more customization for message alerts, printing for photos and Safari pages, additional parental controls, and an option for jumping directly to a FaceTime call from a messaging thread. You also get the ability to search for text on a Safari page, which is most welcome. iOS 4.1, which came out in September, added high-dynamic range photos, support for TV show rentals on iTunes and brought back the Field test mode.
iOS 4.2 for iPad has plenty of features to offer as well. Not only does it bring Apple’s tablet device up to speed with the latest iPhone OS features like Multitasking, App folders, and GameCenter, but iPad users will also get some interesting additions of their own. Under iOS 4.2, the iPad now lets you search for local printers, search for instances of a word on Web pages, adjust brightness from the multitask screen, and much more.
We’ll continue to add new features as we find them. And once the update goes live, we’ll follow up with more analysis. In the meantime, keep clicking that “check for update” button in iTunes.
A First Look at iOS 4.2 on the iPhone (screenshots)
When Google announced Google Voice for iPhone earlier today, we wasted no time putting the telephony app through its paces. Google Voice for iPhone (download) delivers much of what we expect from a native Google Voice app. In an absolute sense, it’s a terrific app because it brings much-needed native Google Voice management to the iPhone. However, considering it took a year and a half of idle time and an FCC investigation to gain Apple’s approval, we’re also wondering why the Google Voice engineering team couldn’t have designed a more seamless integration with the iPhone.
The contacts list is split in two–prioritized numbers and recent calls are in this pane; the complete contacts list is in the next.
Screenshot by Jessica Dolcourt/CNET
Setup and layout
Thankfully, setup is hurdle-free. First, log into the app with your Google credentials. Then, select the mobile number from a list of numbers you may have associated as forwarding numbers for your Google Voice account. (If you haven’t yet associated any, go to your Google Voice account and add the number in the Voice Settings menu.)
The Google Voice app itself appears straightforward. Four screens display a menu, a dialer, your contact list, and the application settings. Fittingly, the menu is the base camp for sorting and managing your voice mail by inbox, texts, and various other filters. The inbox displays your list of voice mails and text messages. From here, you can view a voice mail transcription or play back your contact’s recorded message. Tap their name to call, text, add to quick dial, or show the contact’s details. Pull the entire page down with your finger to manually refresh the list.
You’ll be able to reach out to contacts from the dialer and the contacts list, either by searching for a contact’s name or by entering a number. The dialer helpfully lets you choose to call or text a number. An icon in the Dialer that looks like it should pop up your contact search list will in fact add a new contact to your address book, if you press it after dialing a number.
The Contacts list has an interesting feature that’s unique to the iPhone version of Google Voice; it’s called Quick Dial. Google has made it easier to prioritize your favorite contacts by letting you assign some to Quick Dial–these buddies surface to the top of a list, just above another list of recently used numbers. You can tap over to another screen to select from your full list of contacts.
Screenshot by Jessica Dolcourt/CNET
What we like about Google Voice for iPhone
Apart from the most fundamental benefit of being able to natively manage the Google Voice universe from the iPhone, the app brings some localized features that make using it a joy. The aforementioned quick-dial contacts are easy to assign and remove, and they do a good job surfacing frequently used buddies.
Push notifications are also key; they appear when you receive a new voice mail or text, and when you miss a call. Handy buttons help you take the appropriate action to reply, view, or close the message.
Google Voice isn’t integrated into the iPhone’s operating system as it is on Android, so it doesn’t let you choose to automatically dial out on the iPhone with your Google Voice number. However, dialing out through the app is easy enough, and there are some nice visual menu treatments that make it obvious when you’ve sent a message. These nice touches add a layer of sophistication to the experience.
What still needs work
Unfortunately, there are still large and small potholes, and we’ll likely discover more inconsistencies as we continue to use the app. The most jarring issue is that texts between two Google Voice on iPhone users duplicated each Google voice text in the iPhone’s text app. Instead of receiving three text alerts for three sent text messages, we received a total of six alerts and messages. You can switch this off in the Settings menu of your Google Voice settings online, but it’s unintuitive for new or casual users.
Equally obnoxiously, Google Voice users we knew sometimes texted us using numbers we didn’t recognize. Google Voice uses local numbers to route calls quicker, and those are the numbers we intermittently saw in text messages, rather than the caller or texter’s single Google Voice number.
We also noticed that the notifications shortcut to view a missed call takes you to the Menu, not to the the missed call screen as we’d expect. In addition, Google Voice only works in portrait mode.
Google Voice gets more right than it does wrong overall, but the iPhone app is still more flawed than it should be after years of the voice team’s development work on Google Voice for Android. Google Voice is a confusing enough service as is to the casual observer, Google needs to ensure that its native apps remove every question mark.
Article updated at 4:17PM PT and 5:40PM PT with corrections and clarifications.
Opera Software just unveiled Opera Mobile 10.1 beta for Android tonight, but we’ve had a chance to play around with a prerelease version for several days. Opera has already had a presence on Android phones in the form of Opera Mini, a Java-based proxy browser that delivers Web pages fed through Opera’s servers. Opera Mobile, by contrast, is a standalone HTML browser that can request, render, and display Web content independently of Opera’s servers.
On the front end, the two apps look identical, down to the log-in screen and license agreement you’ll have to accept before you can begin browsing. Opera Mini 5 and Opera Mobile 10.1 beta both have tabbed browsing, and a signature nine-entry “speed dial” for storing favorite sites. There’s also a password keeper, long-press context menus, and support for Opera Link, Opera’s service for syncing bookmarks, favorites, notes, and browser history across Opera browsers.
Opera Mobile renders the heavy CNET.com Web site in desktop mode by default, but the beta won’t support Adobe Flash.
Screenshot by Jessica Dolcourt/CNET
Mobile versus Mini
Despite the similarities, there are a couple of significant differences between the two Android browsers. Opera Mini is usually the faster of the two browsers, a move that hearkens back to Opera’s days making browsers move quickly on feature phones with slow processors and slow data connections. As a result, Opera’s servers compress Web page data; this assures that pages load in a timely manner, but it also reduces text and image resolution quality. Besides that, there’s no Flash support.
Opera Mobile, on the other hand, renders images (using its Presto rendering engine) with more clarity. If the browser seems too sluggish for your tastes, you can engage Opera Turbo, Opera’s compression engine, to essentially make Opera Mobile adopt Opera Mini’s levels of compression and speed. Opera Mobile beta doesn’t currently support Flash, although an Opera representative assured CNET that the release version will.
Naturally, we tried out Opera Mobile 10.1 beta and Opera Mini 5 side by side on Android phones. In addition to rendering more clearly, Opera Mobile displays the desktop version of CNET.com, whereas Opera Mini opts for the faster-loading mobile-optimized site, which is also lighter in content and imagery.
Opera Mini loaded m.cnet.com, CNET’s mobile-optimized site, in about 4 seconds over 3G on the Samsung Transform for Sprint. It took Opera Mobile about 10 seconds to load the full version of CNET.com on the HTC Incredible using Verizon’s 3G service. The difference in visual quality is apparent.
One internal test we always perform is how well a mobile browser identifies CNET’s public Wi-Fi hot spot and processes its authentication page for use. Opera Mini, being a proxy browser, doesn’t pass the test by definition of being something other than a standalone browser. Opera Mobile beta for Android identified an error but didn’t give us a chance to accept the hot spot’s terms, which means we had to use the stock Android browser to jump this hurdle before we could browse on Opera Mobile using local Wi-Fi. Hopefully this is something Opera will improve so users can surf on hot spots that require authentication, as do many in airports, cafes, and hotels.
Why both browsers for Android?Making Opera Mobile available alongside Opera Mini is interesting for a variety of reasons, especially in light of the confusing differences between the two, as far as most Android owners could be concerned. In the end, Opera’s decision to offer both comes down to practicality. Opera could quickly port a version of its lighter Opera Mini proxy browser for use on Android while the company worked on the fuller Opera Mobile. Opera has not shared its future plans for keeping Opera Mobile versus Opera Mini in the Android Market, but it’s possible that “Mobile” could one day replace “Mini.”
Generally, Opera Mobile’s rich interface makes it a comely option on any mobile platform; however, with such a deep bench of alternative Android browsers–like Dolphin Browser HD and now Firefox for Android beta with its browser add-ons–Opera is really going to have to offer something extra to get noticed. Interface design is always one point of personal preference, but Opera’s speed and rendering crispness will also play a huge role as the app solidifies.
So will its ability to engage power Android users. Opera has a history of making its overhauled browser compatible with a mobile operating system, but without programming to the OS strengths. For instance, the Android Menu button does nothing on Opera Mobile, although pinch-to-zoom is now enabled.
Android 1.6 users and above can download the free Opera Mobile 10.1 beta for Android from the Android Market or http://m.opera.com/next. It’s available in 18 languages: Chinese Simplified, Chinese Traditional, Czech, Danish, Dutch, English, French, German, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Norwegian Bokmål, Norwegian Nynorsk, Polish, Portuguese, Russian, Spanish, and Swedish. If you try it out, let us know what you think of the beta software at this stage in its development.
As most of you have heard by now, Microsoft and AT&T took center stage in New York on Monday to officially launchWindows Phone 7.
Though handsets will launch with a variety of carriers, AT&T will soon offer three Windows Phone 7 handsets in the U.S.: the Samsung Focus, the HTC Surround, and the LG Quantum.
We got some brief hands-on time with all three phones from AT&T at the event, and you’ll find first impressions, as well as some photos, below. In general, we were impressed with the hardware, and it’s nice to see Microsoft and AT&T offering a variety of designs to ensure that there’s a little something for everyone.
Samsung Focus: The Samsung Focus will be first out of the gate with a launch date of November 8. It felt very much like a Samsung Galaxy S device, just with Windows Phone 7. The 4-inch Super AMOLED screen continues to impress, and lends itself well to the phone’s multimedia capabilities. Pictures looked awesome and when pitted against the iPhone 4, dare we say that videos looked better on the Focus. The one criticism we would have is that compared with the other devices, the Focus does feel a tad more plasticky, which is something we noticed on the Galaxy S series as well.
The Focus should be great for multimedia mavens, however. Aside from a casual game, we didn’t get a chance to really dig into any Xbox Live video games, but the phone felt speedy in general. The Focus features a 1GHz Snapdragon processor and 8GB of internal memory.
HTC Surround: We’ve got to hand it to HTC for pushing the bar on smartphone design. Though we would have never thought of it, the Surround stands out from the crowd with slide-out speakers and offers Dolby Mobile and SRS WOW HD. We didn’t get a really good sense of the sound quality since it was so loud at the event venue. Despite the noise, however, we could hear music pumping out of the phone, so at least we know it’s loud. We’ll definitely give it a sound check once we get a unit in for review, but I’m not sure how much value the speakers add to the phone. It feels more like a luxury item.
The construction of the phone is solid. The 3.8-inch, 480×800-pixel resolution touch screen was sharp and responsive. We brought up CNET’s full Web site on the phone’s Internet Explorer 8 browser, and the load time was decent. The performance felt quicker and smoother than what we experienced during our technical preview. With the built-in speakers and higher-end design, I can see the HTC Surround attracting customers who want more of a premium smartphone–perhaps the business user who also needs a device for play.
LG Quantum: Last but not least, we have the LG Quantum. The Quantum is billed as a smartphone designed for work and play. With its slide-out QWERTY keyboard, business users should be able to stay on top of their e-mail, and it is quite a decent keyboard. The buttons are a good size, and there’s enough spacing between the keys that mispresses shouldn’t be a problem.
However, the overall look and feel of the phone doesn’t really scream business device. It doesn’t have any metal parts to give it that high-quality feel, and though the all-black coloring is corporate appropriate, the overall design is very casual. To us, the Quantum felt more like a quick messaging device more than anything else, which isn’t a bad thing, but since it’s billed as a business device, we took note.
Obviously, we’ll reserve final judgment on all these phones until we get them in for review, but we wanted to give you some of our initial thoughts. Now we’d love to hear from you. Which device are you most excited about?
SAN FRANCISCO–As long as we were in the neighborhood of Samsung’s booth at CTIA Fall 2010, we took an opportunity to get a hands-on look at the Samsung Intercept for Virgin Mobile USA. This is a prepaid option that is already available in Target stores, and which will start appearing at other retail outlets this month for $249.99 with a month-to-month service plan.
We’ve already hit you over the head with the specs, but this is the first time we’ve been able to get a hands-on view. We can confirm it: the Intercept for Virgin Mobile is the spitting image of the same model for Sprint, minus some carrier-only apps, of course.
Check out our video above and our photos below, and stay tuned for a hands-on review as soon as ours arrives.
Apple isn’t likely to allow Firefox or any other competing HTML Web browser on its iOS platform anytime soon, but Mozilla’s Firefox Home for iPhone, released to the App Store late last week, does at least bring the heart of the Firefox browser to your iPhone: your URLs.
Before getting into what Firefox Home is, you should know that a browser is the one important thing it’s not.
Firefox Home is not a WebKit browser, though it does incorporate a WebKit viewer, and unlike Opera Mini for iPhone, it’s not a proxy-based Web browser that displays prerendered Web pages.
Instead, Firefox Home is essentially a syncing app that ties into the cloud-based Firefox Sync service that stores data about your browsing history, bookmarks, and open browser tabs online. Once you set up Firefox Sync as an extension to Firefox on your computer, you’ll be able to log into Firefox Home from the iPhone and start accessing those URLs.
Getting to tabs and our browsing history is much more convenient in the app than it is to search anew for half-remembered links. Once you have a link open in that WebKit-based viewer we mentioned, you can also launch it in Safari to interact with it there. Firefox Home isn’t a Safari replacement, but it isn’t meant to be. Instead, think of it as a reference app for your desktop Firefox browsing.
Since Firefox Home doesn’t operate like the Web browser some folks expect it to be, we recommend watching our hands-on video review to give you an idea of the app in action.
The iPad version of Hulu Plus looks and feels a lot like the Web version. And the video quality is superb.
Rick Broida
Today, Hulu officially announced Hulu Plus, a premium subscription service that gives you all-you-can-eat (er, watch) access to streaming TV shows and movies for $9.99 per month.
For now, Hulu Plus is available by preview invitation only, but iPhone, iPad, and iPod Touch owners can get a sweet, sweet taste of the service by downloading the new Hulu Plus app.
Here’s a sampling of what you can watch right now, for free–no invitation or subscription necessary:
“30 Rock,” Season 4, Episode 1
“Ugly Betty,” Pilot
“Spaced,” Season 1, Episode 1
“Parenthood,” Pilot
“Grey’s Anatomy,” Season 6, Episode 1
“Wipeout: The Top 10 Moments of Wipeout”
“Cosmos: The Shores of the Cosmic Ocean”
“Great Museums: Wild Thing: The Smithsonian National Zoo”
“Super Size Me”
Remember, that’s just the stuff in the Free Gallery. If you switch over to the Featured, Popular, TV, Movies, or Recently Added sections, you’ll find pretty much everything Hulu has to offer. The apps are simple, straightforward, and elegant.
You don’t need a subscription–or even an invitation–to watch the shows in the Hulu Plus Free Gallery. Some good stuff!
Rick Broida
Oh, and awesome. Having just watched “Spaced” on my iPhone 3GS and “30 Rock” on my iPad, let me just say this: Hulu Plus freakin’ rocks. Its video and audio quality are superb when connected via 3G and Wi-Fi networks. (Streaming on an EDGE network is not supported.)
But would I pay 10 bucks per month for it? I’m undecided on that point, mostly because Hulu isn’t the only game in Streaming TV Town. There’s also that little upstart called Netflix.
I’m a Netflix subscriber, already paying $8.99 monthly for DVDs by mail and unlimited streaming. (Using Netflix “Watch Instantly” on a Windows Media Center PC is practically a religious experience.) The service has a much larger movie library than Hulu does and an extremely comprehensive TV catalog.
In fact, Hulu’s only real edge is that it delivers the latest episodes of my favorite shows, such as last Friday’s “Friday Night Lights.” With Netflix, I have to wait until the entire season is available, which usually happens months after the season ends.
What do you think? After you get a chance to play with the iPhone or iPad apps, tell me if you think Hulu Plus is worth $9.99 per month, or if Netflix is the better deal. Right now, I’m leaning toward the latter–but Hulu Plus is mighty tempting.
It’s been about a month since Twitter began contributing its official apps to the BlackBerry marketplace, rather than sitting back and letting third-party developers take the reins. We checked out Twitter’s new, free, official in-house Android app over the weekend and for the most part, we’ve been liking what we see.
While there’s no shortage of third-party Twitter apps in the Android Market, Twitter’s has an edge that the others don’t–integrating contacts with the Android address book. That means you’ll be able to view your buddy’s Twitter photo and most recent update from the address book. The entry also serves as a shortcut for quickly jumping to the Twitter profile in question within the native Twitter app. (Too bad you can’t tweet someone directly from here.)
The rest of the app also holds its own against the slew of now-competing Twitter-helpers. Twitter can notify you of incoming tweets in various ways, and offers a choice of photo and URL-uploading service. Its two home screen widgets broadcast recent tweets; the larger one includes a text field for your status updates.
Twitter’s attractive splash screen lines up quick links to see your friends’ Twitterstream, mentions, direct messages, lists, retweet activity, and personal profile. We appreciate being able to upload a new photo from the smartphone, turning on geolocation, and adding @usernames from a
drop-down list.
However, we vastly prefer the @username autocomplete mechanism found in apps like TweetCaster and Touiteur. We think Twitter ought to include skinning options for those who prefer a less cheery style of Twitter-blue icon eye-candy, but that’s minor compared to our most serious complaint–support for just one user account at a time. When the app can handle multiple accounts, we might consider switching.
You can try Twitter for free from the Android Market on Android phones running operating system 2.1 and above, which limits the number of people who can currently use the app. Luckily, since co-collaborator Google plans to open the code for this build as part of the Twitter API, we’ll look forward to seeing how other developers fold in access to Android’s address book on top of what they’ve already got.
LAS VEGAS–It’s been a long time since we’ve seen a handheld device from Dell (moment of silence for the Dell Axim PDAs please), so you could say we were pretty anxious to check out the Dell Aero in person.
The Aero is Dell’s first U.S. smartphone and AT&T’s second Android device (after the Motorola Backflip) that will be available in the coming months. Dell was on hand at the Mobile Focus event at CTIA 2010 on Tuesday night with the Aero. Unfortunately, the company was apparently under strict orders by AT&T to keep the device turned off (boo!) as to not reveal the user interface and software, so we only get a feel for the phone’s physical design.
It’s just like the Dell Mini 3, which we saw at Mobile World Congress 2010. The smartphone is incredibly compact and light; probably the smallest Android device we’ve seen to date. It features a 3.5-inch capacitive touch screen but it’s void of the traditional navigation controls found on many Android smartphones, which is a bit worrisome. We remember it being rather confusing on the Mini 3 to do simple things like return to the previous page or home screen without those buttons.
AT&T and Dell will have a customized interface that will lay on top of the Android OS, and unfortunately, it looks like the Aero will ship with Android 1.5. All the other usual suspects are there, including Wi-Fi, GPS, 3G, and Bluetooth. The Aero also gets a bump in the camera department with an upgrade to a 5-megapixel camera over the Mini 3’s 3.2 megapixels.
Though we wish we could have given you a look at the Dell Aero’s insides, you can check out the photo gallery to at least get an idea of the phone’s design.
The Arena has a very interesting 3D user interface. It has multiple home screens that rotate as if they were on a three-dimensional cube when you swipe across the screen. Also, the main menu interface divides up the applications into different categories. You can then scroll through the different shortcuts underneath each category heading. The Arena has a resistive touch screen plus haptic feedback, and the three keys underneath the screen–the Send key, the Clear key, and the End key–are touch-sensitive as well. It also has a virtual QWERTY keyboard for text messaging. There are physical buttons all along the side of the phone, like a power button up top and a camera key on the side.
Features of the phone are quite impressive. They include a 5-megapixel camera with a SmartLight technology that promises great looking pictures, 3G/HSDPA, stereo Bluetooth, a full HTML Web browser, GPS with AT&T Navigator, AT&T Mobile Music, AT&T Mobile Video, and of course the aforementioned AT&T Mobile TV. The Arena is selling right now for around $199.99 with a two-year contract and a $50 mail-in rebate. We’ll be sure to give you a full review of the phone once we get our review unit.
LAS VEGAS–Earlier on Monday, Motorola and Sprint introduced the Motorola i1, the first push-to-talk Google Android smartphone due to launch on Sprint Nextel’s iDEN network. Later that evening, the companies hosted a small dinner to offer the media some hands-on time with the device.
Like a number of other Nextel handsets, the i1 features a sturdy design and meets Military Specifications 810f so it can withstand dust, shock, vibration, rain, humidity, fog, and more. To really drive home the idea of the phone’s ruggedness, Moto and Sprint invited Mike Rowe, host of Discovery Channel’s “Dirty Jobs,” to introduce the Motorola i1. Rowe’s show takes a look at some of the toughest and dirtiest jobs in the nation; jobs in which people need rugged phones.
The phone indeed feels strong, and we’re thrilled to see an iDEN device that offers a sleeker design and such advanced features as a touch screen, a decent Web browser, and a 5-megapixel camera. Of course, we wish it was running something a little more than Android 1.5. That said, we also have to wonder, will the Motorola i1 be too much for the traditional Nextel customers?
As soon as the show floor opened at CTIA, we dashed over to the LG booth to take a look at its new eco-friendly phone, the LG Remarq. LG boasts that the Remarq is made of 19 percent recycled plastic and 87 percent of its parts are recyclable once you decide to get rid of it. According to LG, it has lowered the levels of polyvinyl chloride and brominated flame retardants in the phone, and they took care to make the packaging environmentally-friendly as well. The Remarq’s charger earns high marks for energy efficiency too, and is an Energy Star certified product.
Interestingly, it also comes with something called an Eco Calculator that will help you measure your carbon footprint. For example, you can enter in the number of hours you walk or cycle, and it’ll tell you how many pounds of CO2 you’re potentially saving (or how many plants that could be planted). There’s also an option to find out your car’s fuel efficiency. It’s a little gimmicky, but for the environmentally conscious among us, the tool can be handy.
The phone’s design reminds us of the Samsung Reclaim, another eco-friendly phone on Sprint. Measuring 3.5 inches long by 2.5 inches wide by 0.6 inch thick, the Remarq has a rounded square shape when closed, and it slides upward to reveal a full QWERTY keyboard underneath. The four-row keyboard feels very spacious and the keys are nicely domed with a good click feel when pressed. As for the display, it’s quite colorful and supports 262,000 colors plus it has 320×240-pixel QVGA resolution. Even though the Remarq is recyclable, it doesn’t feel cheap or chintzy, plus the rounded shape means it comfortable feel.
Aside from its eco-friendliness, the Remarq is a pretty basic phone. Its features include the typical text and multimedia messaging, support for personal and work e-mail, instant messaging, a music player, a microSD card slot, stereo Bluetooth, a speakerphone, and a 1.3-megapixel camera with 2x digital zoom. You also get quick access to social networking Web sites like Facebook, Twitter, and MySpace. If you want, you could easily upload pictures to these social networks directly from the phone. It has a rated talk time of 5.5 hours.
BARCELONA, Spain–The HTC Legend is legen- … wait for it, wait for it … dary. Any “How I Met Your Mother” fans out there? No? OK, fine. What we’re trying to say here is that the HTC Legend is pretty awesome.
Announced Tuesday morning at Mobile World Congress, the Legend is the next evolution of the HTC Hero and really brings some nice design improvements and enhancements to the HTC Sense user interface.
Though we had to run to another meeting after HTC’s news conference, we stopped by its booth afterward for some brief hands-on time with the Android device and snapped some shots. We’ll be sitting down with HTC one-on-one tomorrow where we hope to dig into the phone a little deeper. In the meantime, check out the gallery below to get a closer look at the device and get more of our first impressions.
Snigger as you will over Microsoft’s decision to call Bing, its overhauled search engine, a “decision engine,” but those giggles should dissolve when you start up Microsoft’s brand-new Bing for iPhone (and iPod Touch). As a search app goes, Bing, which debuted Tuesday in the iTunes App Store, is the real thing.
The Bing app has a slew of expected features, including voice search, maps, directions, search suggestions, and location-awareness. That’s no surprise. Besides these being features common to Bing.com and to the Bing application on other mobile platforms, they’re also necessary to compete with Google Mobile App for iPhone.
Bing’s stylish layout is a pleasant surprise, and one that adds up, screen by screen, to a cohesive search experience. Opening Bing, you see the image of the day as your background (this doesn’t appear to be customizable,) with the search field and voice search button at the top of the app. A rounded, six-panel grid of buttons jumps you to Bing’s image collection, movie listings, maps, directions, business look-up, and a news feed. A drop-down menu on the search bar lets you filter your searches in all those categories, save directions. The semitransparent navigation strip below has a Home button and back and forward arrows, plus a button to hide the button panel, and an icon that pops up settings to clear your search history, set your search filter, and so on.
Bing gives you directions for your car and for navigating on foot, but it doesn’t yet include directions using public transit, as the Google Mobile App does. Bing, however, has a neat feature that lets you swipe a transparent ribbon to advance through each direction, which moves the satellite, hybrid, road, or shaded map along in turn. We like that tapping a search result on the map brings up a tag with ratings and with icons to call the business or launch into directions.
Another difference to keep in mind between Bing and its Google rival is that Bing smashes a map and search app into one, whereas Google’s mapping program is also the iPhone’s default map app. When you access maps from Google Mobile App, you’ll wind up opening up the Maps app for the actual search.
The Bing app for iPhone still isn’t complete. As far as we can tell so far, it lacks some of the extras of other mobile Bing apps, like the capability to lay down pushpins on the map and save locations, and the capability to view multiple locations on the map. The absent features in the iPhone app indicate the direction of Microsoft’s plans for Bing’s growth on iPhone.
While Bing’s performance during our initial testing was good, individuals may notice fluctuations based on their data and Wi-Fi connections. There may be other areas where Bing might not match up: for instance, Google claims its iPhone app can detect British and Australian pronunciation in addition to U.S. and Canadian accents. Do our international friends notice parity with Bing’s voice search?
Although Bing may not match every bell and whistle that Google Mobile App and Maps apps do combined, Bing 1.0 for iPhone does offer a viable alternative to Google’s searching and mapping dominance.
On Thursday, Samsung and T-Mobile announced that the Samsung Behold II will be available starting November 18 for $229.99 with a two-year contract.
First announced at CTIA Fall 2009, the Behold II is Samsung’s second Android device. It uses Samsung’s TouchWiz interface and includes a 3D cube navigation menu for the phone’s multimedia features.
The smartphone also has a 3.2-inch AMOLED capacitive touch screen and a 5-megapixel camera. While we’re all about the AMOLED display, we think the price is a little high, considering that the Behold II is running Android 1.5 and the Motorola Droid is running Android 2.0 and costs about $30 less.
Samsung actually stopped by our offices and left us with a Behold II of our very own. While we work on getting you a full review, you can check out a preview of what’s to come in our First Look video, and get more of our hands-on impressions in the photo gallery below.
Let’s say first of all, that from the time we spent with it so far, we really like the 42PX80B, Panasonic’s new 42-inch 720p entry-level plasma TV. It arrived on Thursday last week and like excited (and fairly dorky) children, we hooked it up straight away. For a while everything looked good, the picture was sharp, the setup was really simple and all was right with the world. Then it was home-time, so we switched the set off for the night…
The next day: disaster. The screen had developed some sort of crazy fault and now it was displaying its lovely picture with a row of brightly lit but totally useless pixels — which is what the image on the right is all about. A quick consultation with electronics guru Rupert Goodwins and we began to understand the problem. Apparently one of the processors that controls that particular segment of the plasma panel has had a little whoopsie. And so ended a beautiful, but woefully short, relationship between us and the PX80.
Fortunately, it’s pretty rare in the TV-reviewing game to get a dud TV and this one is going to where it can get the care and attention it needs to make a full recovery. With a bit of luck, it’ll pop back to see us when it’s feeling better and we’ll inspect it fully for review purposes.
What we can say, from the time we spent with it, is that the TH-42PX80 is a lovely TV. It’s going to cost about £800, at least to start with, but from what we saw of the untainted picture it’s well worth it. Panasonic seems to have hit new levels of quality — the picture was bright and colourful, with masses of detail. On-screen movement was dealt with brilliantly and there was virtually none of the traditional plasma noise in dark areas.
We also loved the menu system, which is clear and attractive. The fonts are all smooth as silk, which might sound like an odd thing to mention, but a pleasant menu screen inspires confidence in the overall product. There are also plenty of useful inputs scattered around on the set. At the rear you get a trio of HDMI sockets, and round the front there’s an SDHC memory card slot, for photo slide shows and even AVCHD video.
For a fairly low cost, you also get a pretty stylish TV. Okay, there’s none of the fancy styling you find on the premium models, but it’s smart and clutter-free. There’s only one button on the front of the set, and that’s a power switch, something we’re thrilled to see making a comeback.
We’re hoping Panasonic will send us a new 42PX80 soon, and when that happens we’ll be posting a full review. –Ian Morris
Full cinema projection is the proverbial dog’s danglies when it comes to watching movies, but some people are more than happy watching full-length flicks on their iPods. Now the portable can be projectable — with ViewSonic’s PJ258D iPod projector. We got word of this back in May and we thought it was a daring idea, but now Crave has one in the house and we’re even more excited with it.
It’s important to realise this isn’t just a projector for iPods — it’s also a normal 720p HD-capable movie projector. It’ll handle various sources — DVD from a (rather disappointing) choice of composite and S-Video and PC from VGA, for example — but yes, there’s an iPod dock sitting right there in the top too.
Since video iPods support H.264 video up to 640×480-pixel resolution, pictures look surprisingly impressive on our office wall. Pictured is a frame from our beloved Space Bubble show on Crave TV, but obviously you’re not just limited to video podcasts, as photos and music videos are also supported, and look just as stunning.
Hovering around the £700 mark, this isn’t a purchase to make lightly if you’re only interested in watching the occasional 320×240 video podcast. But it should definitely be a consideration if you’re after an HD movie projector and fancy the idea of being able to splash your favourite Internet shows up on your bedroom wall. -Nate Lanxon
BT sent a lovely chap called Dave to my flat last week to install its Vision PVR/on-demand box. Apparently we can’t be trusted to plug them in ourselves, so customers have to pay a £60 installation charge — but considering the 160GB PVR box only costs £30, this isn’t such a bad deal.
The box itself, built by Philips but not badged as such, is horrid. There’s no getting around it: this is a cheap, tacky, ugly piece of consumer electronics. It’s a boring, untrendy grey for a start. Don’t they know everything’s black these days? The buttons aren’t flush with their sockets and the front panel doesn’t quite match the rest — a sure sign of contract manufacturing.
The remote control is not so bad — it looks like it cost more than the box. Its wide, tapered design is reminiscent of a halibut, but the sturdy white plastic and trustworthy buttons are very classy.
The bargain-basement chassis belies a very elegant menu system, however — BT has clearly put some effort into making the programme guide and recording functionality simple to use and easy on the eye. The one clear downside of the EPG is that it’s piped over the Internet — the Vision has to be wired to a BT Home Hub, which means you must purchase your broadband from BT. It also means your Hub has to be next to your TV, which might not be convenient.
The upside to this symbiosis is that on-demand video is integrated into the menu system. There’s a fairly wide selection of content, from peculiar old movies to the latest DVD releases — Children of Men is on there, for instance — and you pay up to £2.99 to download them and keep them for 24 hours. They aren’t in high definition, but the box’s HDMI output means they could be, in theory at least. It all worked fine for me, with the movie playing as it downloaded, but I admit I haven’t tested it extensively.
The picture quality of Freeview channels is not as good as that through the integrated tuner in my Samsung LCD, but the recording doesn’t lose any quality at all. There’s no option to downgrade quality to save on space, but 160GB should be more than enough. The two tuners mean you can watch one channel and record another, and there’s the usual handy ‘pause live TV’ function, which is a revelation if you’ve never had it before.
My first impression is that BT Vision is not without its downsides, but if you already have BT broadband, then £90 for a Freeview PVR with the option of easily accessing on-demand video is a bargain. We’ll bring you a full review very soon. -Nick Hide
Update: A previous version of this story stated the cost of the box and installation were £20 and £70 respectively, when they’re £30 and £60. We regret the error.
Okay, this isn’t a new product, but we were so impressed with it at a trade show we felt the need to get one in anyway. PURE Digital’s Legato II is a digital diamond of a mini system, with built-in DAB radio, an SD card slot and a USB port for MP3 playback, a CD player of course, three auxiliary inputs for iPod connections and the like, and technology that allows you to pause and rewind live digital radio. It’s also absolutely beautiful.
Here at Crave we get to see so many elegant devices and products, but only a select few tick every box in terms of design and features. Aside from a wealth of features for such a system, we love the glossy piano-black finish, which is complemented by a brushed-metal front and a truly ‘as-simple-as-possible’ control method.
Now, there are hundreds upon probably thousands of mini systems like this one, but we feel this one stands out from the crowd by being as close to perfect on first inspection as it’s possible to be.
Don’t miss our full review of the Legato II very soon, right here on CNET.co.uk. If it delivers as we expect it to, everyone and their grandmothers will want one of these. If they don’t, we whole-heartedly recommend immediate therapy. -Nate Lanxon
