How to keep YouTube audio playing in the background on iOS – CNET

Among YouTube Red’s benefits is the ability to play audio in the background while you go about your business using other apps or just sticking your phone back in your pocket. If you use headphones with their own play/pause button, then you can enjoy background-play ability on an iPhone without plunking down for YouTube’s paid service.

First of all, you will need a pair of headphone like Apple’s EarPods that feature an inline remote in order to pull off this free YouTube background play magic.

Secondly, you will need to use Safari instead of the YouTube app.

Enlarge Image

Screenshot by Matt Elliott/CNET

Here’s how it works: Open YouTube.com in Safari. Next, play a video and then hit the Home button to close Safari. The video will stop but if you hit the play button on your headphones, the video will start playing again. (You might experience a few seconds of delay before the video resumes.) With the video playing in the background, you can use other apps or lock your phone.

Because the only headphones I have with an inline remote are the EarPods that came with my iPhone 6S, I didn’t test this trick with any other headphones. I would wager, however, that it would work with other headphones as long as they have an inline remote to resume playing a YouTube video with Safari closed.

(Via Tech Insider on YouTube.)

Use this low-budget hack to control your smart home more easily – CNET

Taylor Martin/CNET

There are a number of ways to control your smart home without sifting through apps on your smartphone or tablet.

You can use the Amazon Echo to control your lights or thermostat by voice or have your coffee maker brew a cup of coffee, automatically, when your Fitbit detects that you’ve gotten out of bed. And the Flic and Pebblebee Stone are smart buttons you can use to control a number of devices through IFTTT with short or long clicks.

The above methods, however, are rather expensive ways to cut down on the number of steps it takes to perform specific tasks with connected devices around your house.

If you’re an Android user, there is a much simpler and inexpensive way to accomplish effectively the same thing. Here’s how to do it.

What you will need

Assuming you already have an NFC-enabled Android smartphone or tablet, it should only cost around $10 total and a few minutes per tag to get this set up and working.

First, you will need some NFC (near-filed communications) tags (one for every action you want to automate), which you can find on Amazon, usually for cheap. Second, you’ll need an app that will allow you to write to those NFC tags. I’m using NFC Tools, which is free.

Additionally, you will need an IFTTT account with an active Maker channel. If you already have an IFTTT account, all you need to do to activate the Maker channel is navigate to ifttt.com, click Channels in the upper right and search for Maker. Click on the channel icon and click Connect.

Using the Maker channel

To set up the NFC tags to work with IFTTT, you first have to create an IFTTT recipe using the Maker channel. Even if you’re familiar with IFTTT, using the Maker channel can seem a little daunting at first, but it’s actually very easy to use.

Navigate to ifttt.com in your browser or in the IF app on your smartphone. To create a new recipe, click on your username in the browser and click Create in the dropdown menu.

From the IF app, tap the recipe button in the upper right corner, then tap the plus sign in the upper right corner and tap Create a New Recipe at the bottom of the app. Then, to create the Maker recipe:

• Click This and search for Maker. Click on the Maker icon.
• For the Trigger, select Receive a web request.
• For the Event Name, use something that clearly defines what the action will do, such as: “toggle_lights.” Click Create Trigger.
• Next, click That and search for your smart device channel. For this example, I’m using Lifx. Click on the Lifx channel icon.
• Choose an action for the Maker event. Since I named the event “toggle_lights,” I chose the Toggle lights on/off action.
• Select which lights you want to toggle for the Maker event and click Create Action.
• Click Create Recipe to finish.

Setting up the NFC tag

Now, all you need to do to trigger the recipe is write a record to the NFC tag that will tell any NFC-enabled phone to go to a specific URL when it comes in contact with the tag.

• Open the IF app on your smartphone and tap the Recipe button in the upper right corner, then tap the Settings cog. Tap Channels and search for the Maker channel.
• When you open the Maker channel page, tap How to trigger events. Select and copy the URL under Make a POST or GET web request.
• Next, open the NFC Tools app on your smartphone and switch to the Write tab.
• Tap Add a record and select URL/URI.
• Paste the text in the URL field, delete “https://” and replace “event” with the Event Name. In my case, the Event Name is “toggle_lights” from the IFTTT recipe.
• In the dropdown menu to the left, select “https://” and tap OK.
• Tap the Write button and hold the NFC tag near the NFC chip on your phone. The record will write to the NFC tag.

Now you can peel the protective coating off the back of the NFC tag and stick it on the wall near your front door or in a less conspicuous place near the entrance. A few seconds after you tap your phone to the NFC tag, your lights will turn on.

You can use similar recipes to trigger all sorts of events in your house. For instance, you could create a recipe with a Maker event called “Home.” When you walk in and tap your phone to the tag, you can have the lights turn on, the thermostat switch on the heat or air conditioning and your doors lock.

Since these tags are so cheap, you can stick them all around your house. Place one on your coffee table to turn on the TV and activate dimmer lighting for the evening and one by your bedside to start the coffee maker and turn on the lights around the house when you wake up or to turn everything off when going to bed.

Share Web links in a flash with Send from Gmail – CNET

Want to share a link with someone? The usual drill: Copy the URL, open up your mail page, compose a new message, paste in the link and click Send. It’s not difficult, but it’s definitely more steps than it should be.

In fact, there’s an easy way to cut out several of those steps. If you’re a Gmail and Chrome user, Google’s Send from Gmail extension greatly simplifies the link-sharing process.

This isn’t new; it’s been around since 2013. But it was new to me, and so I’m guessing it’ll be new to at least a few of you as well. Hopefully useful, too.

Enlarge Image

Click this one icon and presto: a new Gmail window with the link already pasted in.

Screenshot by Rick Broida/CNET

Once installed, Send from Gmail adds an icon to your Chrome toolbar. When you’re looking at a page you want to share, just give that icon a click.

In short order, you’ll see a new Gmail message with the link pasted into the body and the name of the page in the subject line.

For your part, you just need to type the recipient’s name and click Send. Doesn’t get much easier than that.

Sure, there are lots of other ways to share links, but if you share a lot of them and want to do it faster, this is definitely worth a try.

Use your fingerprint to authorize Google Play purchases on Android 6.0 Marshmallow – CNET

Before the latest version of Android, only one option existed for keeping Google Play purchases secure: entering your password. But if you’re using Android 6.0 Marshmallow — on devices like the Nexus 5X or Nexus 6P — then you’ve gained the ability to authenticate with your fingerprint instead.

Using a fingerprint is faster than typing in a complex password, and gives you the final decision on purchases if you share an account with someone else. Here’s how to set it up:

Note: You will need to have fingerprint security enabled for this setting to work. For more information on setting this up, check out this post.

Step 1: Head to the Google Play store, open the slide-out menu and head to Settings.

Enlarge Image

Nicole Cozma/CNET

Step 2: Scroll down to Fingerprint authentication and tap the check box next to it.

Step 3: Enter your password when prompted, and you’re set.

Now you can skip typing in a password for any Google Play purchases. Instead, you’ll see a pop-up asking for your fingerprint.

Which method do you prefer? Share your thoughts in the comments.

Shortcut Labs Flic review – CNET

The Good Flic is easy to set up and even easier to use. The partnerships all work well, and the button’s potential is high.

The Bad The iOS app isn’t as sharp or deep as the Android counterpart. The Bluetooth dependency also limits Flic use to those who always carry their phone — so the cool use cases for older folks or young children might not be possible.

The Bottom Line Flic is a clever device with plenty of uses, and its functionality is quickly growing. Today, it’s a cool product. In a year, it could be one of the best smart-home purchases out there.

Visit manufacturer site for details.

If you had a button that could do anything, what would you make it do? In my ideal smart home, that button would simplify otherwise complicated automation: press it once, turn off the lights; press it twice, turn on my game console; hold it down, order a pizza. And as it turns out, Flic, a smart button from Sweden-based Shortcut Labs, does exactly that and more.

Flic started as an Indiegogo darling in 2014, and received over eight times its funding target (nearly a million dollars). Now it’s making its way into the wide world of smart stuff, priced at $34 (about £24 and AU$47) per button or $99 (about £70 and AU$147) for four. The concept is simple: take a Bluetooth-enabled button, put it anywhere you want, and connect it to every app and device you can imagine. And it works, for the most part. Flic is a great product, especially for Android users and UK residents, and it looks like it will only keep getting better with each new partnership it adds.

What can you do with a smart button? (pictures)
See full gallery

1 – 5 of 11

Next
Prev

An integration device like Flic is all about the partnerships. Shortcut Labs has partnered with Spotify, Logitech, Philips Hue, LIFX, Unified Remote, WeMo, Sonos, Zapier, IFTTT and even Domino’s. Yes, that means you can order a pizza with the press of a button — if you live in the UK. Users in the US will have to wait for that feature to cross the Atlantic.

View full gallery
Chris Monroe/CNET

The big question is this: Should you buy Flic? And the answer is, probably. It’s relatively cheap — if you get the four-pack, it’s about $25 (£18 or AU$35) each — and the button has something for everyone. That said, Android devices have around 50 Flic functions at present, as opposed to 27 functions on iOS devices. And UK users will get that awesome pizza-button function, whereas US and Australian users will have to wait for that. So some people definitely get a more flexible product out of the box than others.

Sigma sd Quattro and sd Quattro H Release Date, Price and Specs – CNET

Sigma

Sigma follows up its must-have new lens announcements with a who-wants-it? debut of its first mirrorless interchangeable-lens cameras, the Sigma sd Quattro and sd Quattro H. Sigma didn’t release a lot of specs for the cameras (though B&H seems to have them), so it’s possible there’s some buried treasure in there somewhere. But aside from the Foveon sensor and the Sigma lens mount, there doesn’t seem to be anything novel or noteworthy about them. And as yet there’s no price for them, and that will factor heavily in just how much even those will matter. Sigma hasn’t revealed an expected ship date, either.

The two cameras differ by the sensor. The sd Quattro uses the same APS-C sensor as the Sigma dp2 Quattro line, while the sd Quattro H uses the same sensor technology in the larger APS-H format, which has a focal-length equivalent of 1.3x of full frame, about the same size as the 1.5-inch sensor Canon uses in its G1 X series.

The structure of Sigma’s APS-C Foveon sensor.

Sigma

The Foveon X3 sensor is composed of red-, green- and blue-sensitive layers; the top blue-sensitive layer has four times the number of photodiodes as the red and green channels. It uses those to create a luminance channel (that’s the image detail), which is then combined with the color data to form the full-color picture. Sigma math — in which the company defines a “pixel” as a single color element rather than an actual picture element — takes the 19.6-megapixel sd Quattro and 25.5MP sd Quattro H sensors and claims they’re equivalent to 39MP and 51MP Bayer-array sensors, respectively.

As always with the Foveon sensors, my belief is that they might deliver better color and detail than other sensors with similar numbers of pixels, but the spatial resolution of the final files is represented by the lower numbers. Sigma includes a new Super-Fine Detail mode that’s really in-camera HDR, but unlike other cameras it merges seven exposures together rather than two or three.

The magnesium-alloy body is dust- and splashproof, which is nice, and it has an electronic viewfinder, but otherwise the specs are kind of ho-hum. It’s fairly large and heavy — close to the size and weight of a midrange dSLR like the Canon EOS 70D. And it doesn’t support video, lacks Wi-Fi connectivity and built-in flash, and has rated continuous-shooting speeds of just under 4 frames per second (and it’s not clear if that’s with or without autofocus).

Though it’s oddly designed, with the sensor section much bigger than the grip, it actually looks fairly comfortable to hold. But overall, unless all you care about is the sensor, they don’t seem very compelling; and if the sensor matters that much to you, the sd Quattro H looks like a more attractive option.

LG LFXS32726S review – CNET

The Good This LG French door model performed extremely well in our cooling tests. The thoughtfully designed interior takes full advantage of the fridge’s abundance of storage space.

The Bad An uninspired exterior design and lack of interesting features make it tough to get excited about spending thousands of dollars on this fridge. The adjustable temperature settings on the deli drawer barely made a difference, if at all.

The Bottom Line If you want a high-end French door fridge with powerful performance and plenty of storage space, then the LFXS32726S deserves strong consideration.

There’s a fresh crop of fridges coming our way this year, many of them hopping on with the latest trends in order to tempt you into a splurge. We’ll see plenty of models with a black stainless-steel finish, plenty of doors within doors, and even a couple of splashy new smart fridges. They’re all undeniably modern — but they won’t come cheap.

If that previous paragraph elicited a yawn (or maybe an eyeroll), then perhaps the LG LFXS32726S is for you. It’s a French door model from last year that missed the memos on black stainless steel, smart features and doors in all of the doors. Instead, it offers size — a whopping 32 cubic feet of storage space, to be exact. On top of that, it’s about as strong a performer as you can expect to find for your kitchen.

The suggested retail price is a hefty $3,600, but given that this fridge has been on the market for about a year, you should expect to pay a lot less than that (as of writing this, the LFXS32726S is down to $2,800 at retailers like Best Buy, Home Depot and AJ Madison). At enough of a discount, it’s an easy recommendation, especially if you put a premium on performance or capacity.

Chris Monroe/CNET

Flat-out big

The LFSX32726S is a fine-looking fridge, but it’s largely derivative of the past decade or so of refrigerator design. Like so many fridges before it, it’s a big, boxy, stainless-steel appliance that doesn’t do much to set itself apart visually. At a time when manufacturers are looking for new ways to get people to make a fridge upgrade, the LFXS32726S is inoffensive rather than innovative.

More than anything, this fridge puts the focus on capacity. With 31.7 cubic feet of total storage space (more than twenty of which are allocated to the fridge), the LG LFXS32726S is about as big as classic French door refrigerators come. If you want something bigger, you’ll almost certainly need to upgrade to a four-door “t-type” model, like the 34-cubic foot Samsung Chef Collection fridge.

But capacity is more than just a number — design matters, too. We’ve seen plenty of fridges outperform larger models in our storage tests thanks to smartly designed interiors that help you take full advantage of the space. Fortunately, LG did a nice job here, with a thoughtful interior design that maximizes what you’ll get out of those copious cubic feet.

Take the shelf at the bottom of the right door, for instance. It’s a smaller shelf that sits tucked underneath the larger shelf above it — a fairly common design that’s largely intended to house snacks for your kids at a kid-friendly height. The only problem with these kinds of kid shelves is that they’re often too skinny and too awkward to really be of use. That’s not the case with this LG fridge — I had an easy time getting pudding, Jell-O and juice boxes in and out of the shelf.

The “Glide N’ Serve” drawer was big enough to fit this party platter — a better result than we’ve seen with similar drawers in competing models.

Chris Monroe/CNET

The shelves in the left door — the ones that sit against the back of the in-door ice maker — are even more successful. In a lot of French door models, the ice maker bulges out, making it tough to fit much of anything into the shelves. With this LG fridge (and a lot of LG’s fridges), the ice maker is designed to lie flat, and as a result, the shelves are dramatically easier to use. The trade-off is that the ice maker is about 25 percent smaller, but I think that’s a fair deal, given how rarely people empty their ice makers.

Inside the fridge, you’ll find a few more features designed to help you save space and keep things organized. The top shelf slides in and out of the way to make room for tall items on the shelf below. Below that, you’ll find a trio of crisper drawers instead of the usual two, each one taking full advantage of the refrigerator’s depth to offer a surprising amount of storage space. At the very bottom sits a fourth drawer — the temperature-adjustable “Glide N’ Serve” drawer, which offered enough depth and vertical clearance to house an entire party platter during my storage tests.

The LG LFXS32726S versus the French door competition

The LFXS32726S is an Energy Star-certified appliance that’ll consume 768 kWh each year, adding a little over 90 bucks to your power bill. That’s a relatively big number, but divide it by the refrigerator’s capacity and you’ll get the cost per year of cooling each cubic foot — and a glimpse at the fridge’s efficiency. By this metric, it does a better job than competitors like the Samsung RF28HMEDBSR, the Whirlpool WRV996FDEM and the GE Profile Series PFE28RSHSS. It gets beaten by the Electrolux EW28BS85KS, but that fridge didn’t have enough horsepower to pass our performance tests. And hey, speaking of performance tests…

Quantum Break Release Date, Price and Specs – CNET

In Quantum Break, time is broken, and it’s up to you, as Jack Joyce, to fix it. Using his singular ability to stop time, and a generous application of ammunition, you’ll fight back the foot soldiers of Monarch Solutions, a corporation trying to track you down.

Stop time (and bullets) on a whim.

Remedy Entertainment

What exactly is Quantum Break? And when can I play it?

Quantum Break is a third-person shooter. Jack Joyce gains the power to manipulate time when a time travel experiment goes wrong, and he’ll use his newfound abilities to fight the soldiers that are hunting him.

The game will be released on April 5, 2016, and it’s exclusive to the Xbox One and Windows 10 PCs. If you preorder the digital version of the game for the Xbox One, you’ll get the Windows 10 version for free.

Wait, what about the PlayStation 4?

This is a pretty ambitious game, and the developers at Remedy Entertainment have received a lot of help from Microsoft to see their dream brought to life. That’s a polite way of saying there is likely no chance we’ll ever see this coming from platform that isn’t owned by Microsoft — on the PC, it isn’t even coming to Steam. You’ll need to head to the Windows app store or get an Xbox One if you want to play.

Some bad guys aren’t fazed by time.

Remedy Entertainment

So are we talking about bullet time? Like, from ‘The Matrix’?

Sort of? I mean, this is the studio that brought us Max Payne; freezing time to dodge bullets is a defining aspect of that series’ gameplay. But the action here revolves around being able to stop time for a few seconds at a time, ducking past enemies who are pursuing you, or running right up to them and punching them in the face. It seems kind of unfair.

I dunno, this seems kind of gimmicky to me.

I thought so, too. But then those stutters come into play; a stutter is basically time pausing, involuntarily. The world freezes around you but lets Jack and specific enemies move freely. Jack can also use his powers to pull people and objects out of stutters — a car that’s frozen in time just before exploding can suddenly become a weapon when an enemy walks past it.

When stutters freeze time, you’re free to explore.

Remedy Entertainment

And it’s not all gunplay: time will occasionally break down in the middle of precarious situations, so you might suddenly find yourself scooting on and around exploding debris that’s frozen in time, trying to get from one place to the next.

OK, I’m convinced. But isn’t there some kind of live-action bit, too?

Yup. The game is split into sections, and after every section an episode of a live-action miniseries will play. You’ll play as Jack Joyce, but you’ll watch the “bad guys” in the episodes of this miniseries, and you can make choices that’ll ultimately affect Jack when you play. This is kind of a wild step here, and I’m eager to see how it actually plays out.

Eero Wi-Fi System review – CNET

The Good The Eero Wi-Fi System can create a seamless Wi-Fi network that covers a large area with reliable Internet access. The hardware is well designed, easy to use and you can quickly scale up your home network by adding more units.

The Bad The system is expensive, not fast enough for bandwidth-heavy local tasks and requires you to connect to Eero’s servers to manage it. Features are minimal, there are only two network ports and the single USB port is useless at launch.

The Bottom Line While super convenient and reliable for Internet sharing, you’re better off going with a more powerful and less expensive single router.

The Eero Wi-Fi System is an easy way to blanket your home with wireless Internet access. Its three Wi-Fi units work in tandem to create a single, seamless network. And if the coverage still doesn’t go far enough, you can quickly increase the range by adding up to seven more Eero units.

But the system is expensive, costing $499 for a set of three, or $199 for a single unit. Australian and UK availability has yet to be announced, but those prices convert to around AU$690 or £350 and AU$140 or£70.

If extending your Internet access is all you’re looking to do, the Eero system is a simple way to do it, even if it’s not the most affordable. On the other hand, if you’re serious about customizing your network, or need to perform tasks that use a lot of bandwidth (like backing up your computers to a local server or sharing a large amount of data), the Eero system isn’t up to the job.

For this reason, power users should instead spend their money one of these top 802.11ac routers on the market. They’re all fast routers with long range, negating the necessity of a Wi-Fi extender like the Eero in most cases.

Editor’s note: This review was updated on February 23 at 12:30 p.m. PT with additional context on Eero’s setup process, and how it interfaces with the company’s cloud-based optimization tools.

View full gallery

The Eero system consists of three identical Eeros.

Dong Ngo/CNET

Design: It’s a (pricey) Wi-Fi system

The Eero Wi-Fi system consists of three identical Eero units, each measuring 4.75 by 4.75 by 1.34 inches (121 by 121 by 34 mm). Any of the units can automatically function as a router, a range extender or an access point, depending on how it’s connected.

As a router, the Eero eerily reminds me of the Google OnHub. It too has just two Gigabit network ports, Bluetooth (for the setup process) and a USB port that wasn’t functional at launch. Eero says it will add USB-related features later.

The Eero’s two network ports are LAN/WAN auto-sensing, meaning either of them can be used as a WAN/Internet port (to connect to the broadband modem) or a LAN port (to connect a wired device). This makes setting it up a bit more convenient than other routers, where you have to figure out what device plugs in to which port.

The Eero is actually a notch less powerful than the OnHub, featuring the dual-stream (2×2) setup of the 802.11ac Wi-Fi standard, where the OnHub supports the faster 3×3 setup. This means the Eero has, on paper, a top Wi-Fi speed of 887Mbps.

This is where the other two units come into play. You connect one Eero to an Internet source using a network cable. After that, you put the other two within Wi-Fi range of the first unit to extend the Wi-Fi network further out.

This setup is the biggest selling point of the Eero system. Ideally, you want to put the two extra units within about 40 feet (12 meters) of the first, or closer if there are any walls or obstacles in the way. If you have a sprawling property, however, you can put the second unit some 40 feet from the first then the third another 40 feet from the second to extend the signal farther in one direction.

Alternatively, you can also daisy-chain the Eeros together using long network cables. But running a long network cables from one Eero to another can be a hassle, canceling out the ease of use and making the system way too expensive. You can get three Asus RT-AC66U routers for less than $400, for example. Using one as a router and the other two as access points will give you a faster Wi-Fi network with a lot more features than one powered by an Eero Wi-Fi system.

View full gallery

The Eero is compact and comes with two network ports. The USB port doesn’t serve any purpose at launch.

Dong Ngo/CNET

Easy setup process for smartphone users

The setup process is done entirely on the Eero mobile app (available on iOS and Android) so all you need is an Internet-connected mobile device. If you don’t have a smartphone or a tablet, you’re out of luck because there’s no alternative — you can’t set up the system using a browser or a computer.

Before you can do anything, you must register an account with Eero by submitting your email and a valid mobile phone number. While I understood the need for an email, the fact that I had to surrender my cell number made me feel a bit uneasy. Thankfully, that was the only thing that gave me pause during setup.

The app will walk you through a few steps to connect the first Eero to your cable modem (or your existing network). Your phone will then connect to the Eero using Bluetooth, and after just a few seconds the first Eero will be ready to go. It will then ask you to pick a name for the Eero, mostly to indicate its location (a long list of names such as Kitchen, Living room, Bedroom and so on is provided, or you can type in your own), another name for your Wi-Fi network and a password, and you’re done.

When you want to add another Eero to the network, just place that Eero near the first and tap the Add Eero button on the mobile app. After a few seconds, the second Eero will be added to the network and automatically extend your area of Wi-Fi coverage. You repeat this to add more Eeros to the network. In my trial, getting all three Eeros up and running took me about 10 minutes, and most of that time was spent figuring out where best to place them.

Scant feature set, Internet-dependent

As a router, the Eero doesn’t have much to offer. Other than the basic settings, it supports Guest networking and port forwarding and that’s it. There’s no parental control, access restriction or other router features you might look for. It’s so thin on features that I’d recommend using the Eero system with a full-featured router, using the Eero’s Bridge mode to extend your coverage.

2016 Toyota Tundra review – Roadshow

The Good A powerful engine and decisive transmission make driving the Tundra a pleasure. It can tow almost 10,000 pounds and the larger 38-gallon fuel tank keeps you on the road longer.

The Bad No V-6 or diesel engine options. Tech in the cabin is limited and there are too few USB ports.

The Bottom Line While the Tundra is a satisfying drive, those looking for modern technical luxuries have better options.

I pulled onto the 10-mile dirt road that would take me to King of the Hammers, an off-road race that’s kind of a cross between Burning Man and Mad Max. Showing up to King of the Hammers in anything but a four-wheel drive vehicle is akin to wearing white at a funeral, so my ride for this adventure was a 2016 Toyota Tundra 4×4. And though the Platinum CrewMax trim line of my test model is built more for towing and hauling than it is for off-road hijinks, I found the Tundra to be an acceptable, though not outstanding, truck.

If you plan on doing some serious off-roading, there are plenty of after-market options for long travel suspension, engine modifications and control arm upgrades.

David Brumley

The reason I wanted a truck for this weekend trip was space for my camping gear, food and supplies for the weekend. But the Tundra’s CrewMax cab is so spacious I didn’t even need to put anything into its 5.5-foot bed. If I had needed more space, I could have flipped up the rear seats, making the rear of the cab even more practical.

The rear seat in the CrewMax flips up for extra storage space.

Toyota

The Tundra is a large truck. I am not a small woman, but I still had a tough time reaching the center stack without stretching forward and calling upon The Force to help me push the infotainment buttons, and I had to lean way out in order to close the door. Fortunately the driver’s seat is power-adjustable 12 ways, and the steering wheel both tilts and telescopes, so I was able to find a comfortable driving position very easily.

Toyota adds convenience to the cabin with storage space in the console large enough to hold a laptop, along with spaces just below the stack and on the passenger side of the console. In addition, the Tundra’s cabin includes 13 cup and bottle holders.

Too little tech

Coming from a small daily driver to the full-size Tundra is a bit of a jump. I was thankful for the blind-spot monitoring system, which eased my mind when I wondered, “Am I about to hit a motorcycle with this lane change?!?” The Tundra’s backup camera and rear cross-traffic warning are also a necessity, given its size.

Still, the Tundra lacks technical features that are available on many other trucks. Ford has technology that makes backing up a trailer a cinch, while Chevrolet has wireless charging, 4G/LTE connectivity and support for Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. Further, both Ford and Ram offer adaptive cruise control.

The throaty 5.7-liter V-8 engine rumbles off the line and produces 381 horsepower and 401 pound-feet of torque. The six-speed automatic transmission easily puts the power to the pavement. It’s much better than the six-speed transmission in the Tacoma, which can’t seem to get out of its own way. Shifting in the Tundra is smooth and easy, and it holds the revs while going uphill or accelerating past slower traffic.