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CNET Reviews - Most Recent Reviews
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CNET Reviews are the most comprehensive resource for unbiased personal technology advice.
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Lenovo ThinkPad T420 (2nd-gen Core i5)
 Editor's Rating:  User Rating: Good: The ThinkPad T420 has several things going for it: performance, plenty of ports, excellent battery life, and a very comfortable keyboard. Bad: The design of the bulky, business-oriented T420 is positively Stone Age. It's also priced well above similar consumer laptops. No HDMI, no USB 3.0. Bottom Line: The Lenovo ThinkPad T420 is as straight-up and unassuming as a business laptop can be on the surface, souped up with faster performance, long battery life, and a flexible selection of ports under the hood. [Read more]
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RunCore Pro V Max (480GB)
 Editor's Rating:  User Rating: Good: The RunCore Pro V Max SSD provides fast boot times and great application performance. The drive supports SATA 3 (6Gbps) and comes in a sturdy aluminum casing. Bad: The RunCore Pro V Max's current price is above average for its copy speed, which could use some improvement. Bottom Line: While the RunCore Pro V Max SSD will greatly improve a computer's overall performance, its for now unreasonably high price tag will steer you to the alternatives. [Read more]
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RunCore Pro V Max (120GB)
 Editor's Rating:  User Rating: Good: The RunCore Pro V Max SSD provides fast boot times and great application performance. The drive supports SATA 3 (6Gbps) and comes in a sturdy aluminum casing. Bad: The RunCore Pro V Max's current price is above average for its copy speed, which could use some improvement. Bottom Line: While the RunCore Pro V Max SSD will greatly improve a computer's overall performance, its for now unreasonably high price tag will steer you to the alternatives. [Read more]
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RunCore Pro V Max (60GB)
 Editor's Rating:  User Rating: Good: The RunCore Pro V Max SSD provides fast boot times and great application performance. The drive supports SATA 3 (6Gbps) and comes in a sturdy aluminum casing. Bad: The RunCore Pro V Max's current price is above average for its copy speed, which could use some improvement. Bottom Line: While the RunCore Pro V Max SSD will greatly improve a computer's overall performance, its for now unreasonably high price tag will steer you to the alternatives. [Read more]
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Amped Wireless High Power Wireless-N 600mW Gigabit Router (R10000G)
 Editor's Rating:  User Rating: Good: The Amped Wireless High Power Wireless-N 600mW Gigabit Router R10000G offers exceptional range and decent data rates. Bad: The Amped Wireless R10000G doesn't offer dual-band, runs hot, and is a little hard to get a connection to at long range. The router's plastic housing feels flimsy. Bottom Line: The Amped Wireless High Power Wireless-N 600mW Gigabit Router R10000G would be a good choice for those who need exceptional Wi-Fi coverage. [Read more]
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SMS Audio Sync by 50 (black)
 Editor's Rating:  User Rating: Good: Four SMS Audio Sync-equipped users can connect to the included wireless dongle for group listening, Kleer Wireless streams sound much better than Bluetooth, and SMS includes a 3.5mm cable to use when the battery runs out. Bad: The delicate plastic housing and the flimsy 3.5mm dongle both suffer heavy creaks under light pressure, and the headphones don't fold up for easier transport. I'm also disappointed that the headphones don't actively cancel noise and that the single USB charger means charging the dongle and headphones separately. Bottom Line: The Sync by 50 wireless headphones made the right move using Kleer technology for lossless sound, but SMS Audio needs to fix severe design flaws and lower the price before they're ready for battle. [Read more]
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2012 Volkswagen Jetta GLI Autobahn
 Editor's Rating:  User Rating: Good: With its dual-clutch transmission and turbocharged 2-liter engine, the 2012 Volkswagen Jetta GLI delivers enjoyable and economical performance. The Fender audio system produces incredibly good sound, the best available for cars in this segment. Bad: Unlike its sibling GTI, the Jetta GLI lacks launch control and a hatchback. The iPod connecter is placed inconveniently in the glove box. Bottom Line: Cabin tech in the 2012 Volkswagen Jetta GLI may not be cutting-edge, but the Fender audio system sounds excellent. The boring sedan body belies the superior handling and quick-shifting gearbox. [Read more]
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T-Mobile MyTouch (black)
 Editor's Rating:  User Rating: Good: The T-Mobile MyTouch is a simple starter smartphone that's compatible with T-Mobile's 4G network. It has good battery life and you can get it for nothing. Bad: Despite the phone's midtier specs, it lacks a camera flash. Also, the speakerphone quality was poor and the interface was a little sluggish. Bottom Line: Though not without its merits, this most recent addition to the MyTouch family has too many things against it. No one issue was unbearable on its own, but when I add up all my qualms about it, I'd ultimately suggest another phone within its class. [Read more]
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T-Mobile MyTouch (white)
 Editor's Rating:  User Rating: Good: The T-Mobile MyTouch is a simple starter smartphone that's compatible with T-Mobile's 4G network. It has good battery life and you can get it for nothing. Bad: Despite the phone's midtier specs, it lacks a camera flash. Also, the speakerphone quality was poor and the interface was a little sluggish. Bottom Line: Though not without its merits, this most recent addition to the MyTouch family has too many things against it. No one issue was unbearable on its own, but when I add up all my qualms about it, I'd ultimately suggest another phone within its class. [Read more]
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T-Mobile MyTouch Q (violet)
 Editor's Rating:  User Rating: Good: The T-Mobile MyTouch Q offers a satisfying physical keyboard and a fast 4G data connection for people on a budget. Bad: With a sluggish single-core CPU, a pokey 5-megapixel camera, and a low-res display, the MyTouch Q won't impress either gadget hounds or shutterbugs looking to replace their point-and-shoot cameras. Also, the phone is loaded to the gills with bloatware and it suffers from a blah user interface. Bottom Line: If you absolutely crave a physical keyboard and swift 4G data for less, you'll find plenty to like about T-Mobile's MyTouch Q. More selective smartphone shoppers, however, will want to look elsewhere. [Read more]
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T-Mobile MyTouch Q (gray)
 Editor's Rating:  User Rating: Good: The T-Mobile MyTouch Q offers a satisfying physical keyboard and a fast 4G data connection for people on a budget. Bad: With a sluggish single-core CPU, a pokey 5-megapixel camera, and a low-res display, the MyTouch Q won't impress either gadget hounds or shutterbugs looking to replace their point-and-shoot cameras. Also, the phone is loaded to the gills with bloatware and it suffers from a blah user interface. Bottom Line: If you absolutely crave a physical keyboard and swift 4G data for less, you'll find plenty to like about T-Mobile's MyTouch Q. More selective smartphone shoppers, however, will want to look elsewhere. [Read more]
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TiVo Premiere Elite DVR
 Editor's Rating:  User Rating: Good: The TiVo Premiere Elite can record on four tuners at once to its 2TB of storage. TiVo continues to offer a best-in-class DVR experience, plus a top-notch suite of streaming-video services including Netflix and Hulu Plus. Bad: Cable cutters and satellite subscribers will be disappointed that the Elite works with digital cable and Verizon Fios only. And even if TiVo does work with your cable provider, you won't be able to access any pay-per-view or VOD content. The Elite is $500 plus $500 for lifetime service or $19.99 a month, which is much more than the alternatives. And there's still no built-in Wi-Fi. Bottom Line: The TiVo Premiere Elite might be a luxury, but it's definitely a luxury worth paying for. [Read more]
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RunCore Pro V Max (240GB)
 Editor's Rating:  User Rating: Good: The RunCore Pro V Max SSD provides fast boot times and great application performance. The drive supports SATA 3 (6Gbps) and comes in a sturdy aluminum casing. Bad: The RunCore Pro V Max's current price is above average for its copy speed, which could use some improvement. Bottom Line: While the RunCore Pro V Max SSD will greatly improve a computer's overall performance, its for now unreasonably high price tag will steer you to the alternatives. [Read more]
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Pantech Element (AT&T)
 Editor's Rating:  User Rating: Good: The Pantech Element tablet offers a waterproof design, quick-running dual-core processor, HDMI output, and 4G LTE data from AT&T. Bad: The Element's screen resolution and aspect ratio are an odd match with Honeycomb, it's not operable underwater, and it's not particularly rugged beyond water resistance. Bottom Line: The Pantech Element is a fun, midsize tablet geared more toward the accident-prone than the outdoor adventurer. [Read more]
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Samsung Replenish - onyx black (Boost Mobile)
 Editor's Rating:  User Rating: Good: The Samsung Replenish has Android 2.3 Gingerbread, a QWERTY keyboard, and a surprisingly decent 2-megapixel camera. Bad: There's no Flash support in the browser, and the Replenish feels a bit cheap and cramped. In addition, the processor is a little laggy. Bottom Line: Keep in mind that the Samsung Replenish is an entry-level smartphone, and you may enjoy the Android handset's QWERTY keyboard and camera. If it's quick browsing you're after, keep looking. [Read more]
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Huawei Ascend II (U.S. Cellular)
 Editor's Rating:  User Rating: Good: The Huawei Ascend II has an appealing, compact design, and runs Android 2.3 Gingerbread. It comes with a microSD card preinstalled and the price is great. Bad: Unfortunately, the Ascend II is saddled with a slow processor, a mediocre camera, and disappointing battery performance. Bottom Line: The Huawei Ascend II comes at an unbeatable price for an Android smartphone, but the trade-off is getting lower-end features that sometimes underperform. [Read more]
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Kodak Office Hero 6.1 All-in-One Printer
 Editor's Rating:  User Rating: Good: The Kodak Office Hero 6.1 All-in-One Printer's ink tanks cost less than the competition's, and connection options include Wi-Fi, Google Cloud Print, and Kodak's own Email Print service. Bad: The device can't print directly on blank discs and the fixed-angle display may inhibit the view for some users. Bottom Line: If you're not in a rush to receive your prints, the Office Pro 6.1 makes a worthwhile sidekick with several cloud printing options, a generous 200-sheet paper input capacity, and a 35-sheet autodocument feeder for hands-free scans on the upgraded 2,400dpi scanner. [Read more]
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Klipsch Gallery G-17
 Editor's Rating:  User Rating: Good: The Klipsch Gallery G-17 Air is a great-sounding wireless speaker with Air Play functionality. It can stream audio from any source that has iTunes installed along with any iPad, iPhone, or iPod Touch. It'll also play audio over USB with Apple devices, and has an auxiliary input. The G-17 is also very easy to set up and offers a free iOS app for help with the initial setup. Bad: The worst thing about the G-17 is its $550 price tag, which is among the higher-priced Air Play units on the market. USB playback only works with Apple products, not with any USB device. The included remote feels a bit cheap. Bottom Line: While it packs an impressive punch in terms of sound performance and feature set, the G-17 is more expensive than an iPad and doesn't seem worth its $550 price tag. [Read more]
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JBL OnBeat (White)
 Editor's Rating:  User Rating: Good: The JBL OnBeat is a fairly compact iPhone/iPad audio dock. It offers decent-enough sound for its size and a pass-through USB connection for computers that allows you to sync a docked iPod/iPhone/iPad with iTunes on your computer. Bad: The iPad can't be rotated to landscape mode when docked; speaker sounds a bit thin. Bottom Line: If you can look past its inability to dock iPads horizontally, the affordable JBL OnBeat is a decent little iPad/iPhone speaker dock that's well-suited for nightstand use. [Read more]
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JBL OnBeat (Black)
Editor's Rating:  User Rating: Good: The JBL OnBeat is a fairly compact iPhone/iPad audio dock. It offers decent-enough sound for its size and a pass-through USB connection for computers that allows you to sync a docked iPod/iPhone/iPad with iTunes on your computer. Bad: The iPad can't be rotated to landscape mode when docked; speaker sounds a bit thin. Bottom Line: If you can look past its inability to dock iPads horizontally, the affordable JBL OnBeat is a decent little iPad/iPhone speaker dock that's well-suited for nightstand use. [Read more]
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