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2
Mar

Sony delays ‘Uncharted 4’ again, to May 10th


If you’re waiting for the next installment of the Uncharted series, get ready to wait just a little bit longer than you might have planned. While its open beta may be just days away, tonight Sony announced that Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End will launch on May 10th. That’s instead of the plan to launch April 26th, which was a delay from the previously announced release date of March 18th. According to Sony it’s still on track to go gold for disc manufacturing later this month, but the delay is to allow for more manufacturing time.

Update: New worldwide release date for Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End: https://t.co/Um1Iuh5JeV pic.twitter.com/wyhwyxKFDv

— PlayStation (@PlayStation) March 2, 2016

Source: PlayStation Blog

2
Mar

The best Android phones of 2016


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If you’re looking for a new Android phone and you’re shooting for the top, this is the place to start.

One of the strengths of the Android ecosystem is the diversity of smartphones to choose from. If you can’t find a suitable Android phone to meet your needs and desires, then such a phone may not exist at all.

But while there’s a lot of stuff to choose from, it can also be tough to find out what’s the best one for you. And that’s where we come in.

If you’re looking for the very best Android phones available right now, then look no further.

New for March 2016: We’ve updated this list with fresh picks for March, including the new Galaxy S7. We’ll update this list again next month.

Samsung Galaxy S7 and S7 Edge

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Samsung, much refined

Pros

  • Fantastic design
  • Excellent camera
  • Gorgeous looking display

Cons

  • Samsung software still an acquired taste
  • A little bit slippery to hold

Launched to the world at Mobile World Congress, the two new Galaxy S phones are mostly the same save from some obvious features. The Edge is larger, has the curved display and has a larger battery inside. But that apart, mostly the same. Which means you’ll get a great experience from either of them.

And make no mistake. While the Galaxy S7 hasn’t shipped at the time of writing, it’s already the phone to beat for 2016. Samsung has refined from the Galaxy S6 while actually listening to its customers. There’s a bigger battery, resulting in a slightly thicker phone to accommodate it. Which is absolutely fine. The camera has been improved, the microSD card slot is back, all the while being wrapped in a similar, highly attractive package to last year’s phones.

There are still questions we have over the Galaxy S7, ones which may ultimately result in it dropping further down this list. One of the biggest is the monthly security patches from Google. The Galaxy S7 should be up to date out of the box, but we’re still not that sure on how Samsung is going to fare in pushing these out timely. And this stuff is important.

More: Check out our Samsung Galaxy S7 and S7 Edge preview

  • See at AT&T
  • See at Sprint
  • See at T-Mobile
  • See at Verizon

Nexus 6P

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The best big phone you can buy. Period.

Pros

  • Great build quality
  • Excellent camera
  • Pure Google software

Cons

  • It’s pretty big
  • Lacks wireless charging
  • A little bit slippery to hold

We’ve usually had to recommend a Nexus phone with a rather large caveat — and that’s usually had to do with the camera. Not so with the Nexus 6P, manufactured by Huawei.

It’s got a camera that doesn’t make us want to carry around a second shooter, just in case. It’s got the design and build quality that stands up against any other phone. And perhaps most important is that it’s going to always be updated to the latest version of Android, and that goes for the monthly security updates, too.

More: Read our full Nexus 6P review

See at Amazon

Samsung Galaxy Note 5

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It’s big, and it’s spectacular.

Pros

  • Gorgeous display
  • Full-featured S Pen stylus
  • High-quality camera

Cons

  • More pricey than other offerings
  • Slippery glass back
  • Underwhelming speaker

Samsung did the big screen thing first with the Note line, and now in its fifth iteration the Note 5 is just average sized at 5.7 inches. In fact, Samsung has shrunk down the bezels around the Note 5 so much that it’s actually smaller than the Note 4 even with the same screen size. It’s got a beefy processor, an ample 4GB of RAM and a high-resolution QHD display. It’s running Android 5.1 Lollipop, with an update to Android Marshmallow on the way eventually, and comes with a 3,000 mAh battery.

The addition of optical image stabilization (OIS) on the 16-megapixel camera makes it one of the better low-light shooters available. And Samsung Pay is an excellent contactless payment option. Plus, the Note 5 has Samsung’s excellent pen input features, which nobody else has even bothered to attempt to replicate. It’s that good.

Add all that up, and you’ve got a major contender. But it’s lacking in the software update department and is still very expensive. On the other hand, it’s also available.

More: Check out our in-depth Samsung Galaxy Note 5 review

  • See at Amazon
  • See at AT&T
  • See at Sprint
  • See at T-Mobile
  • See at Verizon

BlackBerry Priv

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It’s really good. Even we were surprised.

Pros

  • BlackBerry’s superb physical keyboard
  • Excellent battery life
  • Mostly stock Google interface

Cons

  • Wireless charging not available in all models
  • Weak front facing camera
  • Still no Marshmallow

BlackBerry is a legend in the smartphone arena. The question is whether it’s a relic. The Priv hopes to stave off that title, promising privacy and privilege — and it’s certainly a privilege to use. This is the best physical keyboard ever seen on an Android phone to date — though it’s been a long time since anyone’s actually attempted one — with the rest of the hardware matching up to the rest of the smartphone elite.

Plus it’s got a gorgeous high-resolution screen, excellent battery life, good camera and a mostly Google Android experience, enhanced in places with BlackBerry’s own apps and services.

Lots of people wanted BlackBerry to do well with its first experiences on any Android phone this year.

More: Read our full BlackBerry Priv review

  • See at Amazon
  • See at BlackBerry

Moto X Pure Edition (2015)

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A larger yet predictable Moto X.

Pros

  • Moto apps are still awesome
  • Battery life is decent
  • MotoMaker options are exceptional

Cons

  • Camera performance is inconsistent
  • Uncomfortable to use with one hand
  • No wireless charging

The Moto X line keeps getting bigger and better, though depending on who you ask only one of those is a good thing. This generation saw Motorola switch from an AMOLED to LCD display, as well as a noticeable reduction in starting price.

The Moto X Pure Edition is also the first Moto X where there were almost no “new” software features, due largely to Motorola’s decision to constantly update features through the Google Play Store.

More: Check out our Moto X Pure Edition (2015) review

  • See at Amazon
  • See at Motorola

LG V10

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Bigger, beefier but still really good

Pros

  • 32-bit audio with DAC
  • Fingerprint scanner
  • Excellent camera with manual video mode

Cons

  • LG’s software still isn’t great
  • Launched with Android 5.1.1 Lollipop
  • It’s a really big phone

The LG V10 is a bigger, beefier LG G4 with more camera features, a Second Screen and two front-facing cameras for dual-angle selfies. And it’s not a bad phone by any stretch of the imagination. But it’s really big, and really beefy.

But once you get over the size, and LG’s software quirks, you’re left with a great experience. The camera is one of the best you’ll find on an Android phone anywhere right now, and the DAC is superb to have if you’re into great sounding audio. Besides the size, the biggest drawback is availability, with the V10 still not on sale in nearly as many places as the G4. But if you can get one, you’re getting a lot for your money.

More: Read our in-depth LG V10 review

  • See at Amazon
  • See at AT&T
  • See at T-Mobile
  • See at Verizon

Samsung Galaxy S6

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Still a great phone one year on

Pros

  • Great design
  • Excellent camera
  • A fingerprint scanner that works

Cons

  • Battery life is poor
  • User interface still busy
  • Horrendous speaker

It’s sort of been a while since we’ve really been excited about Samsung’s Galaxy S line — go all the way back to the Galaxy S3, really. But the GS6 had us singing its praises, and for good reason. It’s got a design and build quality as good as anything you’ve seen before — and that’s without even talking about the curved “edge” model.

The 5.1-inch display is gorgeous. The fingerprint scanner is usable, even if we’d prefer on-screen buttons most of the time. And the 16-megapixel camera is as good as you’ll find in any other phone on any platform. And Samsung Pay is a nice addition.

But the battery life turned out to be anything but acceptable. The speaker is underwhelming. And while Samsung has included wireless charging out of the box, it’s taken away the removable battery, and the expandable storage. But it has increased the top on-board storage level to a full 128 gigabytes. It’s about to be replaced by the Galaxy S7, but consider that an S6 should now cost a whole lot less, you’re getting a top phone for mid-tier money.

More: Check out our Samsung Galaxy S6 review

  • See at Amazon
  • See at AT&T
  • See at Sprint
  • See at T-Mobile
  • See at Verizon

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2
Mar

HP Colour LaserJet Pro MFP M477FNW: 7 ways it reinvents the office


Small businesses searching for a printer need look no further than HP’s Colour LaserJet Pro line.

We’ve recently spent some time with the HP Colour LaserJet Pro MFP M477FNW model, a compact multifunction printer that comes with a strong feature set to support fast duplex printing of both text and graphics. It’s even equipped with scanner, document feeder, Wi-Fi, and faxing capabilities, making it an appealing choice for small offices and workgroups.

To help you decide if it’s worth the $529.99 asking price, we’ve determined 7 specific features of the M477FNW that help it reinvent your office.

HP Colour LaserJet Pro MFP M477FNW: Compact

Pocket-lint

Measuring 16.4 x 18.1 x 16.7 inches, the 48-pound M477FNW is a compact printer for a MFP. 

Although it’s a mammoth when compared to typical laser printers found in the home, the M477FNW is meant for small businesses. It’s size and design therefore make sense, but it can can still fit in the corner of a large desk or be tucked away in any office without taking up too much space.

Stand-out design features include a flatbed at the top, along with an automatic document feeder that supports single-pass, two-sided scanning. There’s also a 4.3-inch touchscreen colour display to control the machine’s MFP functions, and a USB thumb drive tucked away underneath that.

HP Colour LaserJet Pro MFP M477FNW: Easy setup

The M477FNW is a breeze to setup. HP offers the ability to download the printer’s software from its website, ensuring you get the most up-to-date drivers available. Also, all software, drivers, and installation packages are bundled into a single download to make things easy.

There’s an HP Easy Start printer app for your computer too. It detects the printer and prompts you to choose the basic download as well as the scanner drivers. Installation should take less than 5 minutes.

HP Colour LaserJet Pro MFP M477FNW: 300-sheet capacity

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The M477FNW has a 250-sheet input tray and a 50-sheet multipurpose feeder, meaning it has a capacity of 300 sheets for legal-size paper. An optional 550-sheet paper tray ($149.99) can be added, bringing the maximum paper capacity to 850 sheets.

You can expect a maximum monthly duty cycle of up to 50,000 pages and a recommended monthly duty cycle of up to 4,000 sheets.

HP Colour LaserJet Pro MFP M477FNW: 28ppm speed

The M477FNW has a 28-page-per-minute rated colour printing speed. That – combined with paper capacity and substantial monthly duty cycle – make it a solid choice for up to medium-duty printing. It also has good graphics quality.

HP Colour LaserJet Pro MFP M477FNW: Wi-Fi connectivity

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The M477FNW offers both wired and wireless printing choices. There is one USB 2.0 for connecting to a computer and Ethernet for connecting to a wired LAN. The printer further comes with Wi-Fi built in and support for HP wireless direct, Apple AirPrint, and Google Cloud Print.

Perhaps our favourite option though is the ability to print straight from a mobile device in just a steps.

HP Colour LaserJet Pro MFP M477FNW: Duplex printing

The M477FNW has a duplexer for two-sided printing. HP is promising you should get your first black page out in about 8.9 seconds, while a colour page can come out fast as 9.8 seconds. From what we could tell, those quote times are accurate, and we can see this printer being especially useful for printing brochures, newsletters, and other two-sided documents commonly printed in small-office situations.

HP Colour LaserJet Pro MFP M477FNW: Double-sided scanning

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The M477FNW can handle duplex, or double-sided, printing, and it has a document feeder that allows for double-sided scanning and copying. With copying, the document feeder can make single-sided to double-sided copies and supports resolutions up to 600 x 600 dpi.

There’s also a flatbed for single-sided scanning and copying.

2
Mar

DJI’s new Phantom 4 camera drone automatically dodges things in its path


One of the world’s most recognised drone makers has unveiled its latest quadcopter: The Phantom 4.

DJI has described the Phantom 4 as a unibody drone that automatically detects and avoids obstacles as well as shoots sharper video in all directions. It is available for pre-order, but it will set you back about $1,400, making it $150 more expensive than the last-gen Phantom 3. Nevertheless, if you’re fan of consumer drones, it’s worth giving this camera-equipped quadcopter a look.

DJI’s Phantom line of intelligent drones somehow get smarter with each new model, and the Phantom 4 is no exception. It has a new camera lens that allows for sharper quality around the edge of the captured picture. There’s also an Obstacle Sensing System that’ll help you steer clear of things like trees or low-hanging lines or whatever. It uses two forward-facing optical cameras and two sensors underneath to scan for objects.

It can sense up to 50 feet away and over 30 feet underneath, and then the system uses collected data to automatically movs the Phantom 4 around things in its flightpath. If something can’t be avoided, the Phantom 4 will just hover and wait for your next command, such as the “return to home” function. Another cool feature is something called ActiveTrack, which enables the drone to follow and video any subject or object you want.

Just open the DJI mobile app, then tap on whatever it is you want the Phantom 4’s camera to follow, and it will  keep that subject in its sight. The Phantom 4 also has a Sports Mode that allows it to reach speeds of 45 mph. So, it has a flight time of over 28 minutes, a flight range of over 5 kilometers, is smart enough to adapt to its surroundings (can even sense ground elevation), and is able to distinguish specific objects in its path.

Beyond these fancy tricks, the Phantom 4 has an updated look with unibody that is lighter and sturdier than alumimum. It also has aerodynamic lines, allowing it to reach its top speed without requiring tonnes of power. You can also now see the propeller motors, which improves heat efficiency, and the propellers work with a new screw-less locking mechanism; just screw them on, then push down and unscrew to release them.

You can pre-order from DJI.com and Apple.com. It should ship by 15 March.

2
Mar

Waze app leads IDF soldiers into Palestine, conflict erupts


At least one Palestinian man is dead, and another 10 reportedly have been severely wounded, after an Israeli Defense Force truck strayed into the Kalandia Palestine refugee camp on Monday — reportedly at the direction of the Waze navigation app. Multiple reports state that two members of the IDF’s canine unit on an “administrative task” were travelling a road they thought was within the Israeli border. It wasn’t, inciting residents who began throwing stones at the truck. When a hurled firebomb set the truck alight, the IDF soldiers ditched the vehicle and ran in different directions. One soldier managed to call for reinforcements. However, the other soldier left his phone in the truck and could not be immediately accounted. In response, the IDF deployed additional IDF ground and air forces to search for him. He was found, unharmed, a few hours later.

The IDF clashed with Palestinians while attempting to collect the abandoned vehicle. The fighting lasted for hours, ultimately resulting in the death of a 22-year old Palestinian man, Iyad Sajadiyya.

The Waze app, after being acquired by Google in 2013, incorporated a highlighting function that should have alerted the soldiers to their dangerous position, as well as refuse to provide directions through known dangerous routes, before they came under fire. Waze has countered initial reports that its app instigated this incident with a statement to the AFP.

[Waze] includes a specific default setting that prevents routes through areas which are marked as dangerous or prohibited for Israelis to drive through. In this case, the setting was disabled. In addition, the driver deviated from the suggested route and, as a result, entered the prohibited area. There are also red signs on the road in question that prohibit access to Palestinian-controlled territories (for Israelis). It is the responsibility of every driver to adhere to road and traffic signs and obey local laws.

Additionally, the soldiers “should be using maps, and they should know the route,” Lt. Col. Peter Lerner, an IDF spokesman told The NY Times.

Via: TechCrunch

Source: New York Times

2
Mar

‘Rock Band 4’ is coming to the PC with your help


If you wailed when you heard that Rock Band 4 wasn’t coming to the PC, it’s time to wipe those tears away — you now have a chance to make it happen. Harmonix has kicked off a crowdfunding campaign to bring its latest music game to Windows systems through Steam. So long as the company reaches its $1.5 million goal by April 5th, you’ll get a version of RB4 that transcends what you can do on consoles. You’ll get to directly sell your own songs through Steam Workshop, for example, recreating Rock Band Network without all the overhead. It’ll support a mouse and keyboard outside of songs, too, so you won’t have to fiddle with your plastic guitar just to change settings.

Speaking of which: yes, the odds are that your existing Rock Band controllers will work. Harmonix and Sumo Digital (the studio that will handle the PC port) are making sure that as many existing peripherals will work as possible. You shouldn’t have to re-purchase gear or leave your existing hardware gathering dust in the closet.

If you like the idea, it’ll take at least a $49 pledge to get a copy (minus instruments) around the fourth quarter of this year. That’s not cheap, especially if you already own an earlier Rock Band title, but it beats the $60 you’d pay after launch. And look at it this way: if you’ve been frustrated at the lack of big-name music titles for computers, this is a way to make your voice heard.

Via: Kotaku

Source: Fig

2
Mar

LG Smart TV owners can soon stream Gamefly titles


LG announced on Tuesday that it will be adding a streaming app from video game rental service Gamefly to its WebOS-enabled smart TVs in late April — much like its recent deal with Samsung. The new app will allow users in the US to stream Gamefly’s archive of gaming titles. You’ll need a TV with WebOS 3.0 or above to use the app, though model year 2015 sets running WebOS 2.0 will get a software update to the newest revision alongside the app’s launch.

What’s more, users reportedly won’t need an actual console to access the app, just a gamepad (ie the Logitech F710) and a Gamefly Streaming subscription to access games like Tomb Raider, Batman: Arkham Origins, F.E.A.R. 3 and Darksiders as well as more family-friendly fare.

Source: PR Newswire

2
Mar

At Congressional Hearing Apple Says ‘The World is Watching’ iPhone Unlocking Battle


Apple’s head lawyer Bruce Sewell and FBI Director James Comey today testified at a U.S. congressional hearing on encryption issues, where both sides reiterated many of the same arguments that have been circulating since Apple was ordered to help the FBI unlock the iPhone used by San Bernardino shooter Syed Farook.

Several interesting tidbits came up throughout the testimony, which lasted for most of the day. One of the most concerning points raised at the hearing (via The Verge) covered the precedent that would be set for other countries around the world should Apple be forced to break into an iPhone in the United States.

I think the world is watching what happens in our government right now and what happens right now with this particular debate. Our ability to maintain a consistent position around the world, our ability to say we will not compromise the safety and security of any of our users around the world, is substantially weakened if we are forced to make that compromise here in our own country.”

Sewell went on to say that Apple has not received similar demands for data from “any other country,” but that if the company is ordered to comply, “it will be a hot minute before we get those requests from other places.”

Sewell also shared an interesting tidbit on the disappearance of Malaysia Flight 370 when asked how quickly Apple is able to respond to government requests for assistance. When the flight went missing, Apple started working with officials “within one hour” to attempt to locate the plane. “We had Apple operators working with telephone providers all over the world, with the airlines, and with the FBI to find a ping,” he said.

At the hearing, FBI Director James Comey testified during the first panel, while Sewell testified during the second, accompanied by Worcester Polytechnic Institute professor Susan Landau, who sided with Apple, and New York District Attorney Cyrus Vance, who sided with the FBI.


Comey asked the committee to consider the implications of places law enforcement can’t reach. “If there are warrant-proof spaces in American life, what does that mean? What are the costs?” Comey also reiterated the FBI’s position that no other agency, such as the National Security Agency, has a tool that can break an iPhone 5c running iOS 9.

Susan Landau raised some salient questions about the FBI’s available technology, suggesting the government agency needs to focus on innovating and recruiting talent to build better tools rather than asking Apple to build the software. “Instead of laws and regulations that weaken our protections, we should enable law enforcement to develop twenty-first century capabilities for conducting investigations,” she said.

New York District Attorney Cyrus Vance said New York now has more than a hundred devices it would like to see unlocked, further confirming Apple’s point that the argument isn’t about just one iPhone. “No device or company, no matter how popular, should be able to exempt itself from court obligations unilaterally,” he told the committee.

Statements from Comey, Sewell, Landau, and Vance outlining their positions are available from the Judiciary Committee website, as is a video that includes some of the testimony from the hearing. Apple and the FBI will face off at a court hearing over the iPhone issue on March 22.

Note: Due to the political nature of the discussion regarding this topic, the discussion thread is located in our Politics, Religion, Social Issues forum. All forum members and site visitors are welcome to read and follow the thread, but posting is limited to forum members with at least 100 posts.

Tag: Apple-FBI
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2
Mar

Apple Leases Sunnyvale Industrial Building Near Rumored Car Development Site


Apple has expanded its real estate holdings in Sunnyvale, California with the lease of a 96,000 square foot industrial property that formerly served as a Pepsi bottling plant, reports The Silicon Valley Business Journal. Apple inked a deal for the location in November, but news of the lease has just recently surfaced and it is not clear how long Apple has been at the location.

A property lease in Sunnyvale is notable because it is rumored to be the area where Apple is working on its secret car project. Apple has several known offices at a 7-building campus at North Wolfe Road and Central Expressway in Sunnyvale and one building at the location is suspected to be a shell company serving as a front for Apple’s car development efforts.

The former Pepsi bottling plant Apple now leases, via The Silicon Valley Business Journal
960 Kifer Road, where the former Pepsi bottling plant is located, is less than a mile away from the above-mentioned 7-building campus. According to The Silicon Valley Business Journal, it isn’t known what the facility will be used for, but it is a “warehouse-type” industrial site that sits on 5 acres of land and has truck docks in the back.

City permits gave no clues about its use, as only a seismic upgrade was on file, suggesting Apple plans to use the building as is instead of redeveloping it. Apple has also previously leased an 80,000 square foot building at 1150-1170 Kifer Road, just down the street from the new location, and a 140,000 square foot building at 3689 Kifer Road, located across the street from the building at 1150 Kifer Road.

Apple is rumored to be taking on hundreds of employees to work on its car project, which could explain its rapid Bay Area expansion. Apple has also purchased a lot of space in San Jose, including an 86-acre piece of land where it can build a campus that’s up to 4.5 million square feet.

Related Roundup: Apple Car
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2
Mar

LG WT7700HVA review – CNET


The Good LG’s $1,500 top-load WT7700HVA washing machine looks like a luxury model and is simple to use. It also boasts a supersize 5.7 cubic-foot capacity.

The Bad It doesn’t remove stains particularly well. In fact, it has the lowest overall performance score to date. The app is glitchy and overcomplicated to set up.

The Bottom Line If you value cleaning performance, the LG WT7700HVA washer isn’t for you.

The US-only LG WT7700HVA washing machine costs $1,500. That’s expensive for a single laundry appliance, especially a top-load model, which typically would cost less than its front-load counterparts.

(Most top-load units range from roughly $350 to $1,200, whereas front-load washers tend to start around $600 at the lower end, but regularly fetch prices upward of $1,600.)

Premium appliance manufacturers like LG are changing the game a bit, though, with more luxury top-load offerings available in the US market. Complete with fancier paint finishes and more features, the WT7700HVA and others are presenting intriguing alternatives to high-end front-load machines.

Luxury finishes aside, they still need to perform well — and that’s where LG’s WT7700HVA falls short. Of the four washing machines we’ve reviewed so far, this pricey top-load unit scored the lowest in terms of stain removal. It would be one thing if it cost $350, but the WT7700HVA’s price doesn’t come close to matching its performance, making it a washer I can’t readily recommend.

This pretty LG washer isn’t tough on stains…
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Why does this washer cost so much?

A growing number of washing-machine manufacturers have begun to introduce quirky features that you won’t find on typical models. Samsung sells a top-load unit with a built-in sink, the $1,199 WA52J8700, so you can hand-wash delicate items or simply presoak stubborn stains before the regular cleaning cycle.

LG itself has a new line of Twin-Wash-compatible machines. This assortment of select front-load washers can accommodate a stacked pedestal underneath — called a Sidekick — that’s actually equipped with a second, smaller washer for simultaneous cycles.

At CES in January, we even met with a startup called Marathon that thinks it’s completely ridiculous to have two laundry appliances. Instead, the company proposes doing away with separate units altogether via its vented all-in-one washer and dryer combo.

These units might justify a higher price because they offer something different, a new feature or in some cases, a new take on laundry as a whole.

Washers, washers and more washers:
  • This Samsung washer has everything, including the kitchen sink
  • This well-rounded washer offers a little bit of everything
  • Tough on stains, but that’s about it
  • How we test: Washing machines
  • Marathon wants to remove dryers from the laundry equation

LG’s WT7700HVA, on the other hand, is just a premium washer. It has a lovely brushed stainless-steel look, a transparent lid so you can watch your clothes get clean if that’s your thing and a nice-looking display panel that’s simple to read and easy to use. It also has a 5.7 cubic-foot capacity. That’s huge. Samsung’s WA52J8700 has a 5.2 cubic-foot capacity and even that’s a pretty good size.

And, at 29 inches wide and 45 inches tall, with a depth of 32.25 inches, the WT7700HVA is definitely on the larger side for top-load units, but its capacity can easily justify it. But, it doesn’t offer much more than that.

Sure, installation is simple — if you’re familiar with washer hookups. Just 15-20 minutes and you’re done; then plug it in, press the power button — and even that has a pleasing chime to let you know you’ve turned on the machine correctly.