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OPINION

Apr 20, 2010 5:30 AM CDT

New iPhone Worth Waiting For

Features on 4GS prototype mean you shouldn't buy an iPhone until June

(Newser) - Thinking about buying an iPhone? The features on the 4G prototype lost in a bar by an Apple worker means you should think about waiting until it goes on sale in June or July, urges Dan Frommer at Business Insider . The new iPhone appears to have an improved camera and...

Double Downs,
Touchscreens Don't Mix

Double Downs, Touchscreens Don't Mix

iPad disabled by the touch of KFC diners

(Newser) - While foodies were debating the culinary merits of the Double Down yesterday, two selfless Gizmodo reporters sacrificed their guts and their gadgets to confirm the somewhat foregone conclusion that the sandwich might not pair so well with a touchscreen device. The pair were presumably unsurprised to find their iPad disabled...

Stunning iPad's
a 'Game-Changer'

REVIEW ROUNDUP

Apr 1, 2010 7:39 AM CDT

Stunning iPad's a 'Game-Changer'

Apple's touch-screen tablet's a winner

(Newser) - The revolutionary iPad's a winner that largely lives up to Apple's hype, according to overwhelmingly positive early reviews. The tablet computer could easily replace the laptop for users focused on consuming instead of creating content, and who can live without a mouse—and Flash, say reviewers.

The device is "

...

Electric Car
Hardly Electrifying

chevy volt TEST DRIVE

Mar 30, 2010 2:00 PM CDT

Electric Car Hardly Electrifying

'Unremarkable' Chevrolet Volt as much publicity stunt as vehicle

(Newser) - The Chevy Volt is “the quintessential halo product," a loss leader intended to associate GM with innovation. With the pressure to make money off, the plug-in electric car's designers had the chance to create a vehicle that would make people "coo and stare," Cliff Kuang writes....

Laptops Go 3-D

TECH REVIEW

Mar 3, 2010 6:47 AM CST

Laptops Go 3-D

Serious gamers will appreciate latest model, writes Katherine Boehret

(Newser) - Not everybody's going to want a 3D laptop, but two new models offer an extra dimension to two different kinds of computer users, writes Katherine Boehret. The $770 Acer Aspire is aimed at the mainstream market. It's designed mainly as a trusty all-round laptop and uses a "slightly clumsy"...

Pogoplug Ideal for Taking Personal Info Out of Cloud

TECH REVIEW

Feb 24, 2010 8:09 AM CST

Pogoplug Ideal for Taking Personal Info Out of Cloud

Storage device makes it easy to access your hard drive remotely

(Newser) - The Pogoplug device seems like the perfect solution for people who want to access and share their files over the Internet but are wary of storing their personal data "in the cloud," writes Katherine Boehret. The $129 device allows users to access hard drives or other devices connected...

As-Seen-on-TV MagicJack Actually Works as Advertised

Tech Review

Feb 18, 2010 8:37 AM CST

As-Seen-on-TV MagicJack Actually Works as Advertised

Walter Mossberg says super-cheap phone service worth a try

(Newser) - Walter Mossberg is as surprised as anyone to say it, but MagicJack actually works. If you haven’t seen its frequent, hard-sell TV ads, the little USB device hooks your computer to a traditional phone, allowing you to make unlimited calls over the Internet at a nigh-unbelievable rate. The first...

Don't Dump Your Old Radio for HD Just Yet

TECH REVIEW

Jan 27, 2010 10:11 AM CST

Don't Dump Your Old Radio for HD Just Yet

Sound quality not worth the delays, reviewer finds

(Newser) - In a world of Kindles and flat-screens and iPods, it may be tempting to ditch your radio for a new HD device. But Katherine Boehret decided her trusty old radio doesn't need to fear the trashcan after trying out three HD radio models. HD offers more channels and better sound...

Ultrathin Laptops
Solid Performers

WALT MOSSBERG

Nov 12, 2009 4:08 PM CST

Ultrathin Laptops Solid Performers

Walt Mossberg reviews 3 cutting-edge laptops

(Newser) - Cheap netbooks aren't profitable for PC makers, so it’s logical they're trying to lure consumers toward laptops that are just as thin, but have bigger screens, more features—and a heftier price tag. Walt Mossberg reviews three such models for the Wall Street Journal, and finds pros and cons...

'Search Engine for Fun'
Delivers Mixed Results

WEBSITE REVIEW

Oct 21, 2009 8:56 AM CDT

'Search Engine for Fun' Delivers Mixed Results

Goby great for finding activities in cities, not so hot on small towns

(Newser) - A search engine for stuff to do is a great concept but Goby has plenty of kinks that still need to be worked out before it can be the go-to site for people with time to kill, writes Katherine Boehret. Users type in the "What, Where and When" ...

Google Wave Too Bloated, Complicated

Tech Review

Oct 14, 2009 11:13 AM CDT

Google Wave Too Bloated, Complicated

And its much-touted live-typing turns out to be a nightmare

(Newser) - Google Wave, the long-awaited chat/email/collaboration doohickey, is ambitious and sturdy, and packed with bells and whistles… and Twitter kicks its butt. See, Twitter’s main feature is simplicity, writes Farhad Manjoo on Slate, but Wave asks the world of users. It tries to replace email with “an entirely alien...

Zune HD Rivals
iPod Touch

Tech Review

Sep 15, 2009 3:44 PM CDT

Zune HD Rivals iPod Touch

(Newser) - Microsoft releases a new Zune every year, mostly to collective shrugs, but this year’s model “might be the Zune that you’ve been waiting for,” writes Mark McClusky of Wired. “You were waiting, right?” The slim, white-and-black Zune HD is “a lovely industrial design,”...

New iTunes
a Lot Like
Old iTunes

Tech Review

Sep 10, 2009 11:36 AM CDT

New iTunes a Lot Like Old iTunes

No reason not to upgrade, but program needs a bigger revamp

(Newser) - Wondering if you should download iTunes 9, the latest big overhaul of Apple’s megapopular music manager? “Overall, I can’t think of a reason not to upgrade,” concludes Nick Mediati of PC World, who tried out the latest version, which includes features like Home Sharing and Genius...

Rock Band Matures
With Beatles Edition

TECH REVIEW

Sep 7, 2009 5:06 PM CDT

Rock Band Matures With Beatles Edition

Game is good, clean cross-generational fun

(Newser) - The Beatles: Rock Band successfully brings the winning music-game formula to one of rock’s biggest names, writes Elizabeth Landau for CNN. Designed to be played by as many as six, the game "does make for a great time and will probably be a hit at parties." Meanwhile,...

Runway Still Chic on Lifetime

TV REVIEW

Aug 21, 2009 1:28 PM CDT

Runway Still Chic on Lifetime

(Newser) - Project Runway is back after an interminable absence on a new network in a new city, but critics agree the fashion design reality show has kept all its charm intact.

PR has "hopped channels from Bravo to Lifetime with none of its appeal damaged in transit," Troy Patterson

...

Toshiba's First
Netbook Is a Step Up

tech review

Aug 6, 2009 8:07 AM CDT

Toshiba's First Netbook Is a Step Up

Boasts big keyboard and touchpad, long battery

(Newser) - Toshiba, late to enter the low-end but lucrative netbook field, has finally rolled out its $400 entry, and Walter Mossberg finds that it beats competitors by solving several key problems: It boasts an easy-to-use keyboard, a long-lasting battery, and a large touchpad with big buttons. “The keyboard design resembles...

Upgraded Remote Gives Wii New Spark

Tech Review

Aug 5, 2009 11:12 AM CDT

Upgraded Remote Gives Wii New Spark

MotionPlus yields more accurate control, heralds things to come

(Newser) - With sales slowing, the Wii needs a shot in the arm, and Nintendo thinks it’s found one with Wii MotionPlus, a little accessory that plugs into the bottom of the controller, giving it a gyroscope that can detect more subtle motions. The results are nice, writes Katherine Boehret for...

Switchover to
Windows 7 a Big Pain

Tech review

Jul 23, 2009 9:56 AM CDT

Switchover to Windows 7 a Big Pain

Move from XP may require external hard drive, patience

(Newser) - The latest Windows incarnation beats Vista and XP, but don’t expect a smooth transition: upgrading from XP to Windows 7 is an ordeal, writes Walt Mossberg in the Wall Street Journal. “In fact, the process will be so painful that, for many XP users, the easiest solution may...

Sleep Coach Crunches Z's, May Even Help You Get More

tech review

Jul 16, 2009 10:45 AM CDT

Sleep Coach Crunches Z's, May Even Help You Get More

Psychology of gadget makes you sleep better

(Newser) - Strap on a headband, and the Zeo Personal Sleep Coach—basically, a $400 alarm clock—will tell you all about your night, graphing when you were in light sleep, heavy sleep, or rapid-eye movement sleep. Upload to the Web, and you can “slice, dice and cross-compare your sleep data...

Sealed-Battery Macs
Earn High Marks

tech review

Jun 25, 2009 10:44 AM CDT

Sealed-Battery Macs Earn High Marks

Batteries can't be replaced, but few do so anyway

(Newser) - Removable notebook batteries are convenient in theory, but hardly anyone actually replaces them. Apple and other firms are responding with sealed-in batteries, which, Apple says, can be bigger and thus last longer. Walter Mossberg ran his “own harsh battery test” on the new MacBook Pros and found their sealed-in...