Samsung Radiant360 R1 WAM1500 review – CNET

The Good The Samsung Radiant360 R1 is a likable and unobtrusive speaker if you’re looking for “cafe ambience” and not “Madison Square Garden.” It has a wide sweet spot and works well in the center of the room. It’s compatible with numerous streaming services including Spotify Connect.

The Bad The sound is diffuse, and several competitors offer better sound for the same price. The speaker’s height makes it awkward to use as a TV speaker, and it lacks a line input. The app can be a little daunting for beginners.

The Bottom Line Although it doesn’t have the best overall sound quality, the Samsung Radiant360 R1 is a welcome departure from most Wi-Fi speakers and works well if you primarily want background music.

There has been an explosion of Wi-Fi-connected speakers in the last couple of years, all fueled by the success of industry leader Sonos. Wi-Fi music is the natural successor to Bluetooth, with the same kind of convenience in using your phone for control. But it has better range, fewer dropouts, better audio quality and no interruptions from calls or other phone sounds.

Samsung’s new Radiant360 series of Wi-Fi speakers replaces the existing “M” or “Shape” models, which have been around for two years, and all of them can coexist and use the same app. The cylindrical R1 is in some ways an upgrade from the M3 in that it can now be placed pretty much anywhere, but its height means it’s no longer really suited to serving as a TV speaker.

The advantages Samsung’s system offers over Sonos are Bluetooth support, integration with (some) Samsung TVs, and hi-res playback for the audiophiles. While sound quality takes a hit due to the omnidirectional nature of the speaker, the R1 is a unique product in the ridiculously full clown car that the wireless audio market has become. Samsung’s product shows off some really good ideas, even if Sonos remains the ringmaster.

The Samsung R1 is available in the US for $179, the UK for ‎£169 and Australia for $229.

Design

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Is there an Echo in here?

Sarah Tew/CNET

Taking its design cues from Amazon’s Echo, the Samsung R1 is a cylindrical, full-range speaker that features a 360-degree soundfield. The speaker incorporates a driver pointing upward toward two separate “acoustic lenses” which distribute the sound in all directions.

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Sarah Tew/CNET

The top of the speaker features a touch-sensitive surface that supports two main gestures: swipe in either direction to skip tracks; or tap to play or pause. The other controls include a mode button which switches between TV Connect (for use with Samsung TVs), Wi-Fi and Bluetooth in addition to volume buttons.

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Sarah Tew/CNET

The speaker is five inches across and nine inches tall which makes it a little tall to use as a center speaker (although if you insist, you can easily stick it on either side of the TV). The speaker tapers out towards the top and is covered in black acoustic cloth. The bottom of the speaker hides the power cable and the connect buttons.

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Screenshot: Ty Pendlebury/CNET

The Samsung device is controlled with the company’s Multiroom app. I found it serviceable, if subject to a little bit of a learning curve. For example, looking at the image above, which button should you press to get more music? The answer is the three line “hamburger button” on the top right but it’s not immediately obvious what the other speaker-themed buttons do, for example. We kept hitting the top left speaker to get more music by mistake.

Features

In 2014, Samsung’s “Shape” Multiroom speakers were introduced as one of the first competitors to Sonos. While the original Mx speakers that launched the line have been replaced, the new R1 takes on most of that series’ features.

Dell Inspiron 15 7000 (2016) review – CNET

The Good The Dell Inspiron 15 7000 will play any PC game you want, without having to spend a ton of money to get that performance.

The Bad It’s a thick, heavy, ugly black slab with mediocre battery life. And a fingerprint magnet, too. You’ll want to pay extra for a solid-state drive to avoid annoying stutter.

The Bottom Line That boring black obelisk look notwithstanding, the Dell Inspiron 15 7000 is a great PC for gaming on the cheap.

The first laptop I ever bought with my own money was a Dell Inspiron. It was big, ugly, and exactly what I needed at the time — a cheap computer with just enough processing power to play the latest Half-Life game.

The new Dell Inspiron 15 7000 is my college laptop on steroids. Starting at just $800 (£749, AU$1,699), it’s a cheap 15-inch laptop that can run any game on the market. And, just like my old notebook, it’s a clunker with an utterly forgettable design. But that melts away when you realize this inch-thick obelisk can play the most demanding games, including Fallout 4, Grand Theft Auto V and The Witcher 3, albeit with graphical detail settings at low. Slightly older games like Bioshock Infinite ran better, however.

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With this $800 laptop, I was able to play Fallout 4, Grand Theft Auto V and The Witcher 3 at 1080p resolution and low levels of detail. BioShock Infinite and Tomb Raider ran at 1080p and high detail.

Josh Miller/CNET

The secret is Nvidia’s GeForce 960M graphics chip, a prime piece of silicon that’s only typically found in computers that cost hundreds of dollars more. While some of those computers have sleeker bodies, Dell chose to make an affordable gaming laptop instead. And though Dell may have cut a few corners to get to that magic $800 price, I couldn’t find any major deal-breakers when I made it my primary computer for weeks at a time.

Sure, the backlit keyboard is a little shallow, but it’s responsive. The touchpad sucks, but most will want to add a mouse for gaming anyhow. The 15.6-inch 1080p screen is a little dull and can bleed a bit around the edges, but games look great on the display — and the LCD’s matte finish means no distracting reflections while I’m aiming.

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With less demanding games, like Superhot, I was able to max out the graphics.

Josh Miller/CNET

The only real issues I’ve got with the new Inspiron 15 are the hybrid hard drive, which can make for slow game and application load times, and the battery, which only lasts four hours on a charge. (It ran for 6.4 hours in our standard battery drain test, but my real-world use tends to be harsher, and I was lucky to see 30 minutes of gaming away from an outlet.) Savvy gamers can solve the speed issue by opting for a 256GB solid-state drive, which Dell sells for just $50 more. For $850, I doubt you’ll find a better gaming laptop.

Android Wear 1.4 now rolling out to the ASUS ZenWatch 2

If you’re rocking an ASUS ZenWatch 2 on your wrist, you’ll want to keep an eye out for an update to Android Wear version 1.4. According to tipsters, along with some users on the Android Central forums, the latest version of Android Wear — based on Android 6.0.1 Marshmallow — is now rolling out to the smartwatch.

It’s unclear how wide the rollout may be at this point, but it looks to have started for some within the last few days. To recap, Android Wear 1.4 brings some fairly notable features to the fore, including additional gestures, speaker support and more.

Have you received the update to Android Wear 1.4 on your ASUS ZenWatch 2 yet? If so, let us know what you think of the update in the comments below!

Thanks for the tips, Ryan and Derrick!

Watch our Samsung Galaxy S7 edge review video!

A complete multimedia experience for one of the biggest phones of the year.

This year the “edge” version of the Galaxy S phone is actually notably different from the standard model, and in the Galaxy S7 edge we have a really interesting phone to get to know. Aside from our full written review, we have an awesome full-featured video for you to take in and get to know the brand new phone.

Read: Our complete Samsung Galaxy S7 edge review!

The Galaxy S7 edge is the absolute top of Samsung’s phone range right now, and with everything it offers it’s easy to see why. Lots of power, a big battery, the return of the SD card slot, waterproofing, new software features and what still amounts to a great camera all come together to make this phone so appealing. There’s a ton to take in here, so after you see our full video review above be sure to read our entire written review to get the best feel for the phone.

Samsung Galaxy S7 and S7 edge

• Galaxy S7 review
• Galaxy S7 edge review
• Galaxy S7 edge with Exynos: A Canadian perspective
• Here are all four Galaxy S7 colors
• Details on the Galaxy S7’s camera
• The SD card is back on the GS7
• Join our Galaxy S7 forums

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Watch our Samsung Galaxy S7 review video!

So much to see. So much to learn.

Now that our Galaxy S7 review is complete and out for everyone to read and enjoy, it’s worth a reminder that we also have a great comprehensive video review for you to see as well.

Read: Our complete Samsung Galaxy S7 review!

The Galaxy S7 keeps the screen small, but is still packed with features — and even though it looks similar to last year’s model you shouldn’t set your expectations too low. This is a really great phone that’s worth your consideration. After getting up to speed with the video review, be sure to check out our full written review for all of the details that can help you choose if it’s the right phone for you.

Samsung Galaxy S7 and S7 edge

• Galaxy S7 review
• Galaxy S7 edge review
• Galaxy S7 edge with Exynos: A Canadian perspective
• Here are all four Galaxy S7 colors
• Details on the Galaxy S7’s camera
• The SD card is back on the GS7
• Join our Galaxy S7 forums

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NYC’s WiFi-equipped buses will debut in Queens this year

Looks like New Yorkers won’t have to wait years before they see those high-tech buses state Governor Andrew Cuomo promised last month. Besides outfitting subway stations with WiFi connections, the Metropolitan Transportation Authority is also gearing up to deploy the first 70 WiFi-equipped buses in Queens in the second or third quarter of 2016. The new vehicles will also have up to 55 USB charging ports on board, as well as three LCD screens that flash stop announcements, transfers and other information.

After its debut in Queens, the MTA expects 70 buses to start operating in Brooklyn, 209 in the Bronx and 18 in Manhattan over the next two years. The agency plans to release 2,042 high-tech public buses in all to replace 40 percent of its current fleet. That doesn’t mean New Yorkers have to fight for space on board to be able to connect to the internet or to charge a dying phone on the road, though. The MTA is also retrofitting its existing buses with the same amenities (WiFi + USB) and aims to be done by the end of 2017.

Source: New York Governor’s Office, Metropolitan Transportation Authority

iFixit pulls apart Samsung’s new Galaxy S7

One thing that’s as inevitable as the annual appearance of a new Galaxy phone is iFixit tearing it down. The repair people have, as usual, sought to understand Samsung’s Galaxy S7 by exposing its various parts including the heat pipe it uses for cooling, which is really more of a “copper twig.” There’s also evidence of all the new seals that contribute to its IP68-rated water resistance, the larger 3,000 mAh battery (compared to 2,550mAh in the S6, 1,715 mAh in the iPhone 6S and 2,750 mAh in the iPhone 6S Plus) and Dual Pixel-equipped 12MP camera sensor. The only bad news? If repairing your own device is important to you, some of the strategies used to increase its waterproofing will actually work against you, but you can read the teardown for all of the details.

Source: iFixit

How to take a screenshot on the Samsung Galaxy S7

Three methods of shortcuts make it easy to take a screenshot on the Galaxy S7 or Galaxy S7 edge

The Galaxy S7 (and the Galaxy S7 edge) is now official. It’s time to get down to the really important stuff — like how to take a screenshot on the Galaxy S7. If you’re a Samsung Galaxy veteran you very much know what’s coming next. Been there, done that, got the screenshot.

If you’re new to Samsung phones, though, the Korean manufacturer has a trick up its sleeve that makes taking screenshots just a bit easier.

So let’s take a quick look at the methods Samsung uses for taking a screenshot on the Galaxy S7.

Method 1: Take a screenshot using the button shortcut

This is the tried-and-true method for taking a screenshot on Galaxy S phones. Press the power and home buttons and the same time will immediately capture what’s on the screen.

So here’s how to use this method to take a Galaxy S7 screenshot:

Get the app or screen that you want to capture ready to go. Press and hold the home button and the power button at the same time. It can be a bit of a stretch on these larger phones, but it works just fine. You’ll hear the camera shutter sound, along with a short flashing animation, and that’s how you know you’re good to go. You’ll now be able to see the screenshot in the Gallery app, or in Samsung’s built-in “My Files” file browser, or in Google Photos, if you use that instead. If you need to find the screenshots from a command line or through the Android File Transfer tool, they’ll be in /pictures/screenshots.

Method 2: How to take a screenshot by swiping the screen

Samsung’s got another cool feature in its smartphones for taking screenshots. And some of us think it’s actually the easier way to take a screenshot when compared to the button method. (Though it does get a little more tricky if you’re using the larger Galaxy S7 edge.) You’ll want to tilt your hand to the side a little, so your thumb is pointing away from the screen. Then swipe your entire hand across the screen in either direction — left to right or right to left, it’s your call. Just like in the other method you’ll hear the shutter sound and see a short on-screen animation.

This method is enabled by default, but you can turn it off in the settings if you prefer, or if you find you’re accidentally taking screenshots.

Here’s how to turn off the swipe method of taking a screenshot on the Galaxy S7

Go into the settings menu. Scroll down to “Motion” and choose “Motions and gestures.” Tap “Palm swipe to capture.” Hit the toggle button from on to off.

Method 3: Capture more!

Lots of things you’ll want to take a screenshot of may be more than just one screen deep. Like a web page, for instance. To that end, Samsung has borrowed and adapted a feature from the Galaxy Note 5. When you first take a screen shot you’ll find an option to “Capture more.” Tap it, and you’ll scroll down to the next portion of the screen. Keep on tapping until you’ve got what you need.

Do be warned, though: These screenshots can get very large. Samsung helps with this somewhat. Single-screen grabs are output at full resolution — 1440×2560. But once you start adding them, the width is downscaled to 1080px, and the whole smash is saved as a JPEG and instead of a PNG. That said, we’ve saved a 6MB, 720×14990 screenshot. It’s … big.

Once you’ve taken your screenshot …

So you’ve taken a screenshot. Good for you. Your Galaxy S7 thanks you. We thank you. But what to do with it? You’ve got a couple options. One is to share or edit your screenshot (maybe you want to crop something out or leave an annotation). You can just hit the buttons in the notification to quickly do either of those things. Another options is to, well, do nothing. Just swipe the notification away and go about your business. Your screenshot will remain on the device, though.

But do remember that the Galaxy S7 is a high-resolution device, and your screenshots can eat up a lot of space on your phone if you’re taking a bunch of them. They might also get sucked into your cloud storage. So keep tabs on what’s going where, and whether you really need them, or can clean things out once you’re done with them.

Samsung Galaxy S7 and S7 edge

• Galaxy S7 review
• Galaxy S7 edge review
• Galaxy S7 edge with Exynos: A Canadian perspective
• Here are all four Galaxy S7 colors
• Details on the Galaxy S7’s camera
• The SD card is back on the GS7
• Join our Galaxy S7 forums

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Grab a 32GB Sony microSD card for just $7.50 at Amazon

Amazon is currently offering a 32GB microSD card from Sony for just $7.50 — a drop from its normal price of $13.50. If you happen to be picking up a new device and need a little bit of extra storage, this is a great way to gain some much-needed space on the cheap.

Of course, there are other capacities available in case 32GB isn’t your cup of tea. The 16GB version of the card comes in at just $5.49, for example, along with a 64GB card for just under $24. However, the price cut on Sony’s 32GB card is definitely the best bang for your buck.

See at Amazon

What’s your favorite streaming music service?

We want to know how you get your music. We’ve gotten to a place where you no longer need to hoard every song you’ve ever heard on your computer hard drive if you don’t want to. That’s because services like Pandora, Spotify and a dozen others can get you access to more music than you can shake a stick at. So if you stream your music, we want to know where you get it from.

There are tons of options out there, and each streaming service is a little bit different. That means picking your favorite is really just a matter of who does it best for you. You can listen to Pandora just like the radio, or use Google Play Music to carefully curate your favorite albums. In this week’s poll we’ve given you 11 options: Amazon Prime Music, Apple Music, Google Play Music, Last.fm, Pandora, Rdio, Rhapsody, Slacker, Spotify, Tidal, and Other.

online polls

Let us know which of these streaming music platforms in your favorite in the comments below!