LG DLEY 1701V dryer review – CNET
The Good Built from premium materials such as steel and glass, the LG DLEY 1701V dryer is stunningly attractive. The dryer is also powerful enough to run through cycles quickly and offers plenty of specialty drying modes including steam cycles.
The Bad While the LG DLEY 1701V’s front-mounted controls are within easy reach its buttons are small and harder to operate than a traditional cycle knob. The dryer’s 7.3 cubic foot capacity is smaller than what you’ll find on other machines. The dryer doesn’t support pedestal attachments and can’t be stacked in vertical arrangements.
The Bottom Line The LG DLEY 1701V dryer makes sense to those who value style and fast performance more than simple operation and drying lots of clothes at once.
Dryers built to match the look and shape of top loading washers have typically been budget models with blah designs, but the $1,000 LG DLEY 1701V dryer is part of fresh crop of home appliances bucking the trend. Sleek, stylish, and crafted from premium materials this new LG dryer cuts a striking profile. The machine also has plenty of specialty cycles to choose from and it dries loads with great speed.
Of course the dryer’s top-load style body rules out stacking it on top of or below other laundry units. Likewise you can’t drop it on top of a pedestal accessory, and the LG DLEY 1701V dryer’s 7.3 foot capacity is smaller than dryers with roomier drums such as the $1,099 Electrolux EFME617S and $1,400 Kenmore Elite 81072. Both are a better fit for large families and have controls that are easier to handle as well. Still, shoppers who desire beauty and power above all will find this LG dryer hard to pass up.
Premium materials, lovely design make this…
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Design and features
The LG DLEY 1701V is composed of gentle curves, and edges softly tapered in gleaming steel. To say it looks good is an understatement. Akin to the modern Kenmore 69133, the LG’s premium build quality is simply gorgeous and a far cry from basic top-load machines such as the old-fashioned GE GTD45EASJWS dryer.
This LG dryer has lots of lovely curves, metal, and glass.
Chris Monroe/CNET
Measuring 40.2 inches tall by 28.4 inches deep and spanning 27 inches wide, the LG DLEY 1701V dryer is relatively compact compared with veritable monsters such as the Kenmore Elite 81072. Even the Electrolux EFME617S Perfect Steam dryer takes up more room. A big contributor to the LG’s smaller stature though is its modest 7.3-cubic-foot drum capacity. Both the Electrolux EFME617S (8 cubic foot) and Kenmore Elite 81072 (9 cubic foot) boast more room for huge clothing loads.
On board the LG DLEY 1701V dryer are plenty of cycle options to choose from, 14 in all, designed to tackle numerous garment and fabric types. These include standard selections such as “normal,” “delicates,” “towels,” and “perm. press,” continuing to more exotic functions including “anti bacterial”. Rolled up into this list are modes to treat clothes with steam too, specifically “steam fresh” and “wrinkle free.”
To help you access all these features, LG has placed a control panel on the front top edge of the dryer. Clearly the company opted for sleekness here instead of usability. I found that while the panel’s buttons are responsive, the combination of their small size and tiny text labels made them tricky to hit without a little hunting. Frankly I prefer the physical cycle knobs that have existed on washers and dryers for decades. Many, including LG’s own DLEX 5000, even come with a contemporary twist.
The control panel is sleek but there’s no cycle dial and its buttons are small.
Chris Monroe/CNET
I do like the DLEY 1701V’s sturdy metal door. Unlike the DLEX 5000’s flimsy lid, you can slam it shut with authority. Another nice touch is the door’s recessed hand grip, which has finger-friendly scalloped ridges running along its interior surface. As with other top-load style laundry units though you can’t stack this machine or its companion washer, the LG WT1801HVA, in vertical arrangements nor mount them on pedestals since this would render their controls out of reach.
Performance
Aesthetic beauty aside, underneath the LG DLEY 1701V runs the engine of a clothes-drying hot rod. In fact the appliance notched the third best performance of any dryer we’ve tested to date.
Sony PlayStation 4 (slim) Release Date, Price and Specs – CNET
Sony is slimming down the PlayStation 4, following the company’s usual modus operandi of releasing an updated and redesigned version of a console part-way through its lifecycle.
Available for sale on September 15 for $299 (£259, no price for Australia yet), the new, slim PlayStation 4 is about 30 percent thinner and adds one notable new feature, support for HDR content, which allows for greater dynamic range in lighting, for brighter, bolder-looking visuals (although we’re still waiting for games with HDR modes, so it’s not the most useful new feature at the moment).
Hardware-wise, it’s pretty much the same, with either a 500GB or 1TB of storage, and plays the same library of downloadable or disc-based of games as the older PS4. If you want improved graphics, you’ll have to look at the upcoming PlayStation 4 Pro, which supports 4K output and content.
Side by side against the older PS4, the difference in size is readily apparent. While the footprint is mostly the same (the older PS4 is just a little bit wider), the slim version shows off its successful weight-loss program results by being about half an inch shorter.
The PS4 Slim, as we’ve taken to calling it, also looks a lot better. There’s a new matte sandpaper finish, which is a lot nicer to look at than the half glossy finish of the original, and Sony says it’s about 25 percent lighter as well. Holding both in my hands, the weight difference is obvious, though I’m guessing it wouldn’t really matter unless you’re lugging your console around all the time (which doesn’t happen a lot, for most people).
There’s no longer an optical audio jack, a space and component cost savings. On the plus side, this new PS4 is supposed to run cooler and quieter. I loaded up some test games (such as Call of Duty: Black Ops II and Rebel Galaxy) to test this, and found to my surprise I could hardly hear the fan at all. I usually get very annoyed at the PS4’s loud fan, so having a quieter console really made a difference.
Other improvements include a new tweaked DualShock 4 controller that features a lighted strip above the touchpad, as well as the ability to be plugged into the PS4 Slim’s USB port for better response times while gaming.
The new controller now sports a lighted strip above the touchpad, and features slightly lighter tones for the buttons.
Aloysius Low/CNET
Overall, the PS4 Slim makes a lot of sense to get if you haven’t already succumbed to the original, but for current PS4 owners, it’s not really worth upgrading just to get a slightly quieter, slightly slimmer version of hardware you already own.
HDR support exists on paper, but to test it, we’ll have to wait for new games that support HDR to come out, or for older games to be patched, both of which are expected in several big titles this fall. We’re hoping video apps such as Netflix and Amazon get updated to support the HDR capabilities as well.
Key specs
- Price: $299, £259 (UK) for 500GB model
- Updated DualShock 4 controller
- Quieter and 40 percent smaller
- Matte sandpaper finish
GE PGB911SEJSS review – CNET
The Good The $1,200 GE PGB911SEJSS is a good gas oven that does well with basic cooking tasks, such as boiling water and broiling burgers. It also has a useful reversible griddle on its cooktop.
The Bad The oven has trouble when it comes to evenly browning two racks of biscuits at the same time, even when you use the convection fan. The Bluetooth connectivity is limited at best.
The Bottom Line The GE PGB911SEJSS is a good pick if you’re in the market for a gas range.
Chris Monroe/CNET
GE Appliances has found its sweet spot in lower-priced ovens. In the $1,200-and-less category, the manufacturer has produced ovens with simple, thoughtful designs and consistent cooking performance. Take the GE JB750SJSS electric range, which cooked up a mean chicken and costs $1,000 (and you can probably find it cheaper), or the intuitive GE PB911SJSS electric range for $1,100.
We see much of the same reliability with the $1,200 GE PGB911SEJSS gas range. The appliance delivers decent cook times and comes with a reversible cooktop griddle that makes indoor grilling fun. The range includes a Bluetooth connection, but it only controls the light and vent system with GE’s corresponding over-the-range microwave. And the oven did have trouble evenly browning multiple racks of biscuits, and none of its cook times will set the world on fire.
The GE PGB911SEJSS gas range is $200 more than a similar gas range from GE, the JGB700SEJSS. That extra money gets you a few more cooking modes, along with the aforementioned Bluetooth feature and reversible griddle. If those things are important to you, you’d be safe bringing the GE PGB911SEJSS home. But you’d also be OK with the equally solid GE JGB700SEJSS and spending your $200 on the first few meals you’ll prepare on it.
GE’s got you covered with this gas range
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On this GE oven, two bonus features stand out
The GE PGB911SEJSS looks similar to the other lower-cost GE ranges that we’ve reviewed. This boxy, freestanding gas range is a standard 30 inches wide with stainless steel on the oven door and control panel. The GE PGB911SEJSS comes with a 5.6 cubic foot oven that has a convection fan built into the back wall for more even distribution of hot air during baking. Cast-iron grates cover four round burners on the cooktop and a fifth, oval burner lies in the center of the surface.
GE includes a reversible griddle for the center burner; you can grill items like hot dogs or burgers on the side with the raised edges and grilled cheese sandwiches, pancakes and the like on the flat side. We’ve seen a lot of ranges that include griddles for center, oblong burners, including the LG LRG4115ST and the Samsung NX58H9500WS, but I really enjoyed cooking with the reversible option that comes with this GE range. Though it’s not a high-tech feature, it’s a wise addition that gives home cooks a few more options.
One side of the griddle works well for grilling meats like hamburgers and hot dogs.
Chris Monroe/CNET
Another noteworthy feature on this GE range is the Chef Connect button, which activates the oven’s Bluetooth connectivity. The range syncs with GE’s Bluetooth-enabled over-the-range microwave ovens so that the light beneath the microwave and exhaust fan will automatically turn on if you turn on a burner. The connection is functional but useless if you don’t have the corresponding microwave, a drawback I noted on the Bluetooth-enabled GE PB911SJSS.
Performance is on par with competition
When it comes to cook tests, the GE PGB911SEJSS held its own against similar gas ranges. None of the cook times were extremely fast or slow, but the range proved that it can complete the basic functions of an oven.
Yale Look Video Doorbell Release Date, Price and Specs – CNET
Yale’s new doorbell cam lets you see who’s rinigng
Coming in October, the $170 Yale Look is a Wi-Fi doorbell cam with its own video monitor.
by Ry Crist
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Video doorbells have gotten a lot of attention over the past year. Now Yale, best known for its locks and deadbolt, wants in on the action.
Its product is called Yale Look, and it’s a $170 video doorbell that you’ll mount directly onto your front door. When someone walks up, a built-in motion detector will see them and start broadcasting the video feed to a touchscreen on the inside of your door. When they ring the chime, you’ll get a notification on your phone, along with the ability to view the feed or engage in two-way audio.
A dedicated video monitor sits on the inside of your door. You can also view the video feed on your smart phone when someone’s at the door.
Tyler Lizenby/CNET
That’s not too much different than what you’ll get with similar smart home doorbells from names like Skybell, August, and Ring, but Look sets itself apart with the addition of that dedicated video monitor on the inside of the door. It seems handy for people who don’t want their smart homes to tie them to their phone, but it looks a bit clunky, and also requires you to drill through the door to stay connected to the exterior camera. Good luck selling your spouse on that — let alone your landlord.
The video monitor includes a rechargeable battery that promises to last anywhere from six months to a year depending on usage. When it runs low, you can pop it off of the mount and recharge it via USB. It also comes with an 8GB SD card to store motion-activated video clips.
Yale tells us that the Wi-Fi version of Look will arrive at retail in October, with a second $240 version due out by the end of the year that’ll add in a Z-Wave radio to let it sync up with larger smart home control platforms like SmartThings or Control4. We’ll keep an eye out for both.
Kwikset Convert Smart Lock Conversion Kit Release Date, Price and Specs – CNET
The Kwikset Convert.
Ry Crist/CNET
Kwikset’s been making smart locks for years, but now, it wants to make smart locks out of the dumb locks most of us already use, thanks to a new smart lock adapter called Kwikset Convert.
We first heard about Convert back at CES — now, months later, we got a closer look at it at the CEDIA tech showcase in Dallas, Texas. It’s basically just the interior part of one of Kwikset’s smart locks — the part with the batteries and the brains. You’ll connect it to your existing deadbolt by way of a special set of adapters designed to fit a wide variety of locks, including ones from competitors like Baldwin and Schlage.
Once it’s installed, you’ll be able to connect your lock to a smart-home hub thanks to the built-in Z-Wave radio. From there, you’ll be able to lock and unlock your door from your phone, or automatically by way of preprogrammed automations.
You’ll be able to use Kwikset Convert with a wide range of deadbolts, including those not made by Kwikset.
Ry Crist/CNET
That’s a winning pitch for anyone who’s picky about the type of deadbolt they use, or for renters, who typically aren’t able to swap their deadbolts out for smart versions. It’ll also help Kwikset keep up with the August Smart Lock, which takes a similar approach with its clamp-on, app-enabled lock-turner.
Kwikset’s approach is a bit more hands-on than that, though. You’ll still need to break out the screwdriver to disassemble the interior half of your lock, then retrofit it to work with the Kwikset Convert controller.
Kwikset Convert is slated to arrive by February 2017. Pricing is yet to be finalized, but it sounds like it’ll almost certainly cost less than August, which retails for over $200. We’ll let you know as soon as we get a chance to test one out.
Nest Cam Outdoor review – CNET
Nest takes it outdoors
Nest’s first product in a year isn’t necessarily revolutionary, but it’ll allow for Nest monitoring in an outdoor setting.
by Jeff Bakalar
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The Nest Cam Outdoor will be available this fall.
Nest
Nest Cam Outdoor, a $199/£150 outside-only Wi-Fi security camera, is slated to join the smart home brand’s product lineup this fall. International availability is expected to follow soon after.
Complete with 1080p video resolution, livestreaming capabilities, two-way talk, a 130-degree field of view, and night vision, Nest Cam Outdoor shares a lot of specs with the Google/Alphabet property’s existing Nest Cam, now called Nest Cam Indoor.
The team super-sized the power adapter for the outside version, and extended the power cable to roughly 25 feet. A magnetic disk gives you an instant base plate when it makes contact with a gutter or another obliging surface. And since the palm-sized Nest Cam Outdoor has a magnetic backing of its own, outdoor installation sounds really simple. In theory, at least. Of course, if you don’t have something magnetic handy, the team also includes a screw-in base for a more permanent installation.
In other Nest news:
- Same great Nest, now with even better looks
- CEO Tony Fadell announces he’s leaving Nest
- Nest Cam Indoor review
- A new Nest device to Protect what matters most
On the software side of things, Nest Cam Outdoor will be accessible via the same Android and iPhone apps as before. You’ll still have access to Nest Aware (the brand’s opt-in month-to-month subscription service), too — with a few changes. Nest Aware already allows for advanced features like motion and sound alerts, and continuous cloud recording, but it will add a facial-recognition feature called Person alerts with the launch of Nest Cam Outdoor.
While Person alerts won’t be able to distinguish between specific people and strangers like the ArcSoft Simplicam or the Netatmo Welcome, it is supposed to be able to tell the difference between a face and something else, like a passing car. Maxime Veron, Nest’s director of hardware product marketing, said in an interview that the Nest Cam Outdoor might be able to distinguish among more things in the future, too. Veron also confirmed that IFTTT and Works with Nest integrations will be available at launch.
No, this new security camera isn’t a huge departure for the brand. In fact, we’ve been waiting for Nest’s next piece of hardware for quite awhile. Even so, I’m intrigued by Person alerts and look forward to trying it out when Nest Cam Outdoor hits stores this fall.
Polk MagniFi Mini Release Date, Price and Specs – CNET
Polk
The competition for compact, affordable sound bars is heating up with JBL, Zvox and now Polk getting in on the act.
The Polk MagniFi Mini ($299) is an “ultra-narrow soundbar and included slim wireless subwoofer” that is designed for smaller living spaces like bedrooms.
Despite the relatively low price it appears to be packed with features, including Bluetooth, networking (with Google Cast) and HDMI with Dolby Digital decoding. It also incorporates Polk’s patented sound modes for use at low volumes or to increase speech intelligibility.
Like the JBL Boost TV the Mini is compact at only 13.4 inches long and 3.1 inches high, though the JBL lacks a subwoofer. The MagniFi Mini includes four 2.25-inch drivers and two 12mm tweeters for the main unit.
The sound bar will be available in October, while UK and Australian pricing and availability are yet to be announced.
LG V20, G5, Note 7, S7 Edge: Display Showdown
If you haven’t realized it, of late, we’ve been detailing the display section of our reviews a bit more than we’ve done in the past. Since we’re always trying to evolve our reviews process, we’re diving deeper into how we look at the displays in smartphones, by taking a deliberate path of uncovering their qualities using our new benchmark process. And with that in mind, we’re focusing our attention on the latest smartphone from LG – the multimedia powerhouse in the V20.
On paper, the LG V20’s display reads very much similar to its predecessor, but we all know that it’s unlikely that the same panel has been recycled. Yes, the V20’s 5.7-inch Quad HD IPS-LCD display with Gorilla Glass 4 is identical to specs found with the V10 last year, as well as the inclusion of its Second Screen, but the company was sure to mention that the Second Screen was brighter than before, going up to 68 nits from the former’s 35 nit reach. All of that is fine and dandy, but most of the attention will be place on the main display – so with that, we’re here to uncover what LG has crafted here with the V20.
This wouldn’t be a fair analysis, after all, if we have nothing else to compare its results against. And that’s why we’re also including the Samsung Galaxy S7, S7 edge, Note 7, and LG G5 into the mix, to see exactly how LG’s latest phone fairs against the competition.
It’s really bright, brighter than most
Right from the get-go, the V20’s display is notable for the sheer amount of luminance it’s able to muster up. Reaching a peak output of 714 nits, the display ensures that visibility isn’t compromised at all when viewing it outdoors – with the sun glaring down on it. In my experience, displays that produce 500+ nits tend to be usable under these conditions, so it’s swell to know that the V20 retains substantial visibility. That, of course, is something worth praising, just because not every phone is able to remain visible when it’s used in direct sunlight. Using them in the dark is one thing, but it’s totally another outside on a sunny day.
In that respect, the V20 earns some respect for being quite usable outdoors. Comparatively speaking, it’s definitely up there when compared to its esteemed rivals – namely the stuff from Samsung’s camp. Relying on a totally different display technology, Super AMOLED to be exact, the Galaxy S7, S7 edge, and Note 7 all produce some respectable levels at a little over 500 nits, well above other high-end phones, but none of them can achieve the same level of potency.
However, the LG G5 is just a smidgen better, but not by much at all. In fact, it tops out at 755 nits, besting the V20 in the process, but we wouldn’t say that it’s enough to make it significantly noticeable day-to-day.
Unbelievably cold color temperature
Right away, something becomes apparent the moment we start surfing the web on the V20. A keen eye is definitely needed to make it out, but as we stare at some of the white dead space while surfing through some sites, it’s quite telling that there’s a colder color temperature with the display here. The color white has a tinge of blue in it, indicating the obvious: that it’s an extremely cold panel.
In our testing, the IPS-LCD display reaches a color temperature of ~9100K, which is nowhere close to the “ideal” temperature of 6500K – indicating that it’s neither too warm or too cold. Unfortunately for the V20, it steers towards the colder side of the spectrum, making it one of the coldest displays I’ve come across dealing with high-end and flagship phones.
Ironically, AMOLEDs have been known to be exceptionally cold with their color temperatures, but in recent years, Samsung has perfected its own homemade Super AMOLED displays to be on par to those using LCD technology. In this scenario, all of Samsung’s recent smartphones exhibit color temperatures that are very close to the ideal level of 6500K.
All told, the V20’s display is just obnoxiously colder toned than most other things on the market right now.
Ouch, it’s poorly color calibrated
Things don’t get better for the V20’s ability to accurately reproduce colors in the sRGB color spectrum chart, where it just fails to hit the reference points within the boundary. Sad to say, it manages to hit only one single target, but fails miserably with everything else. Bringing your attention to its color gamut chart in the sRGB spectrum, you can see how all the colors are inaccurately produced.
Yellows seems to be influenced by greens, while magentas have a hint of blue in them. Even worse, the V20 can’t even properly recreate the color teal, which is arguably the easiest color to reproduce out of the bunch. Honestly, it’s pretty rare for a display to botch the color teal, but the V20 does exactly that – wherein teals creep into blue territory.
Now, it’s one thing to be overblown and saturated, but there’s no consistency to the V20’s color path. For those who are particular about color accuracy, the V20 is an unlikely candidate, due to how it just can’t produce realistic, true-to-life colors. Well, it definitely shows that the V20 follows after the G5, seeing that the two results are nearly identical.
Over on the AMOLED side, Samsung’s offerings are close to perfect as they come when it comes to color accuracy – albeit, you’ll need to set the display to basic mode. Under its adaptive mode, the phones tends to produce more saturation with colors, which is not a bad thing for some folks.
Conclusion
Going back to its specs, we have zero complaints about what we see on paper with the V20’s screen. Quad-HD resolution, check. Sizable screen, check. Second screen, that’s a nice addition. But even though it’s able to push out some serious luminance, the overall tone of the display is subdued. Some displays just have that iridescence and charm when we first peek at them, drawing us closer to inspect them even more. With the V20’s display, however, I didn’t find myself ogling or drooling over the screen – it just looked decent, almost blah in a way.
That, of course, could all be attributed to its poor color temperature and its inability to accurately produce colors realistically. While its luminance isn’t called into question at all, since it’s actually one of the more potent ones out there, the other two qualities I mentioned just limits its ability to be compelling – from a display standpoint, naturally. You might not feel the same way, but if you were to place it besides any of Samsung’s flagships, you’ll see exactly how its superior qualities makes for a mesmerizing display that gets more attention.
What are your thoughts? Shout them out in the comments.
Sleep Number it Release Date, Price and Specs – CNET
A good mattress can work wonders on the quality of your sleep. But can it change the way you live once you wake up?
Sleep Number’s latest mattress, called it (their lowercase, not mine), is loaded with sensors that track your heart rate, breathing patterns and nocturnal movement to gather information and use an accompanying app to suggest changes for better sleep. The it mattress was on display in January 2016 at the Consumer Electronics show in Las Vegas, and it finally goes onsale beginning September 19 at http://www.itbed.com.
More sleep technology
- Samsung wants to track your sleep and smartly wash your clothes
- Beddit Sleep Monitor Classic review
- Sleep Number x12 bed with sleep monitor, snore-stopper
The it, which will cost $1,099 for a queen (AU$1,390 or £680, converted), is similar to the last Sleep Number mattress we saw at CES 2015, the Sleep Number x12. Both versions incorporate the company’s adjustable system that lets you control your mattress’s firmness. Each mattress also uses the company’s SleepIQ technology to learn more about your sleep patterns.
The big draw of this mattress, though, is its API, which can connect with and gather information from other apps to learn what parts of your daily life are impacting the quality of your sleep. The it’s current partners include Apple Health, Fitbit, MapMyRun, Microsoft Health, Withings Health Mate and Nest.
The goal is to use the information from other apps to gain a more holistic view of your life and all the things that affect how well you sleep, said Pete Bils, the vice president of sleep science and research at Sleep Number. For example, if you let the mattress access your calendar app and it sees that you have an early appointment, the it app could send you a notification that you should go to bed earlier the day before. Or the app might suggest that you change the firmness of your mattress if you had a particularly grueling workout.
At Unveiled, we got early access to CES….
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“All of those things come into play and impact your sleep,” Bils said.
Fortunately, users will be able to choose which apps they want to connect with the it, a comforting thought considering that your mattress already knows a lot about you.
Features
- Available in six standard sizes
- The SleepIQ API and predictive modeling will be available anyone who already uses the SleepIQ sleepers as a software update in 2016
- Made of dual, foam-filled air chambers that can gather sleep information for both you and your partner
AIVAnet 