2016 Honda CR-V review – Roadshow

The Good The 2016 Honda CR-V delivers and engaged driving feel, with good power and steering response. The small SUV form factor serves a variety of uses, from commuting and shopping to weekend recreation.

The Bad The available navigation system makes address entry tedious due to slow responses and piece-by-piece inputs. The collision warning creates false alerts and doesn’t sync up with adaptive cruise control. Ride quality suffers from a tightly-tuned suspension.

The Bottom Line The 2016 Honda CR-V sacrifices comfort for an engaged driving experience, not necessarily the right trade-off in a small SUV, while features such as navigation work poorly or in an unnecessarily quirky fashion.

Driving over mildly rough pavement, the 2016 Honda CR-V’s ride felt like the equivalent of fingernails on a chalkboard. It subjected me to every nuance of the road when, in a small SUV like this, I would prefer some serious cushioning.

Heading down the freeway, I tried unsuccessfully to turn on the adaptive cruise control. It wasn’t until I pulled over on a surface street and could safely poke around that I figured out the button on the steering wheel labeled “Main” enabled cruise control.

The CR-V wasn’t making a good first impression.

I would like to say that the Honda CR-V finally won me over through sheer precociousness, but there was no Hollywood ending here. While I eventually gave the CR-V respect for its on-road handling, I wouldn’t buy a small SUV for fast cornering. That’s why the gods made sports cars.

Honda gave its CR-V small SUV an update for the 2015 model year, unfortunately too early for its latest navigation head unit, which supports Android Auto and Apple CarPlay.

Wayne Cunningham/Roadshow

As a small SUV, the CR-V has always been a practical alternative to a midsize sedan for families, offering seating for five and a good amount of cargo space, coupled with decent fuel economy. The upright seating position and ride height make for a nice view of the road, putting drivers on par with the rash of full-size SUVs hogging the lanes. Honda gave the CR-V a few upgrades for the previous model year, including a powerful yet economical engine.

However, unlike Honda’s most recently upgraded models, such as the Civic, the CR-V suffers from an older dashboard infotainment system that doesn’t include Android Auto or Apple CarPlay.

Honda
CR-V
an
engaging,
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A litany of quirks

I mentioned the “Main” button above, which most automakers would simply label “Cruise.” Pushing that button, then setting my speed, the CR-V used its radar sensor to automatically match speed with slower traffic ahead, a reasonable adaptive cruise-control system. But the CR-V also has collision warning, and these two systems don’t talk to each other.

For example, the cruise control sensed slow traffic ahead, so it began braking from 65 mph down to about 30 mph. At the same time, the collision-warning system sounded an alert and flashed me a “Brake” warning. Um, the cruise control had me covered here, although maybe the collision system was prepping me for the fact that the cruise control cuts out under 20 mph.

The collision system also proved error-prone, flashing its warning and even hitting the brakes as I approached one of San Francisco’s steep hills.

Figuring out how to turn on lane-keeping assist and adaptive cruise control will be a challenge if you don’t…RTFM.

Wayne Cunningham/Roadshow

Rather than a typical blind-spot monitor system, with a warning light to right or left when there are cars to the corresponding side, Honda insists on using its LaneWatch system, showing a right-side camera view on the center display when I hit the right turn signal. The left side merely uses a larger side mirror.

And don’t expect a volume dial for the stereo — I had to contend with plus and minus buttons on the head unit bezel and steering wheel.

As another quirk, putting down the rear seat backs to maximize the rear cargo area first requires lifting the seat bottoms. That may lead to a flatter load floor, but the overall cargo space of 70.9 cubic feet is only average in the segment. And most owners will likely prefer the simplicity of just pushing the seat backs down, as in the Ford Escape and Toyota RAV4.

Oreck Touch Bagless Vacuum review – CNET

The Good The Oreck Touch is a powerful performer from a long-trusted brand. At a price of $399, it flat-out beat the $649 Dyson DC41 in our basic cleaning tests.

The Bad A few minor design imperfections detract from an otherwise flawless build. Also, the Oreck isn’t quite as versatile a vacuum as the DC41 or the Shark.

The Bottom Line The Oreck Touch is an exceptional vacuum that left us all highly impressed. It’s an excellent choice for anyone looking to upgrade to a high-end machine.

When I was a kid, I remember seeing commercials for Oreck vacuum cleaners on TV. David Oreck himself usually starred in the ads, and when he did, he’d always cheerfully proclaim the merits of his machine, the 8-pound Oreck XL. The XL had the look of a complete clunker, with an ugly, dated design that seemed like it hadn’t been updated since 1963, when Oreck first started selling vacuums in Louisiana. All the same, there was just something endearing and perhaps infectious about Oreck’s unapologetic confidence. Sure enough, everyone I knew who used an Oreck XL swore by the thing.

Fast forward twenty years or so to today, and you’ll still see Orecks on the market (David Oreck, by the way, just celebrated his 90th birthday last month, and is still an active entrepreneur, lecturer, and philanthropist). You won’t, however, see anything quite like the good ol’ Oreck XL. It seems that somewhere between those TV commercials and the present day, the company finally caved in and decided to update its design — which brings us to the new Oreck Touch. I was almost disappointed as I took the thing out of the box. It looked… modern. It looked… great. Was this really an Oreck vacuum I was looking at?

Twist and go with the Oreck Touch Bagless…
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The Oreck Touch is as modern as the Oreck XL was vintage.
Colin West McDonald/CNET

By the standards of the many Oreck loyalists out there, I’m happy to say that yes, this is most definitely an Oreck vacuum, the kind of vacuum you’ll swear by. We put it through hours upon hours of tests, throwing everything from sawdust to Labradoodle hair at it, and in the end, we found that it was one of our top scoring vacuums, right up there with the most expensive, high-end models. At a price of $399, the Oreck Touch isn’t cheap, but as a high-quality appliance in a category with more variance than you might think, it still represents real value for consumers looking for a dependable, easy-to-use cleaning machine.

Design and construction The Oreck Touch is a vacuum cleaner built for the 21st century, and if Oreck was late to the party in this regard, it’s only helped it to make a big entrance. The minimalist, utilitarian design of fifty years ago is gone, replaced with something truly modern and elegant-looking. If there was an old chalkboard at the Oreck factory with the word “flourishes” boldly crossed out for all to see, it’s been thrown out the window

This is a vacuum with style to spare. The thick, pale blue bag is gone — the Oreck Touch uses a sleek-looking translucent blue canister, instead. The handle isn’t just a boring, industrial-looking loop of white plastic anymore — it’s a futuristic joystick buttressed by arcs of brushed steel. I hate when writers refer to appliances as “sexy,” but I’m really struggling to not call this thing a sexy vacuum.

Thankfully, these design touches have a degree of functionality to them. The brush roll is housed in a body with stylish cutaways that actually allow you to immediately see if you’ve missed anything on the floor as you’re cleaning. The great-looking canister is amazingly easy to take out, empty, and replace. And, of course, there’s the fact that the Oreck Touch conveniently relocates the power switch, along with the brush roll button, to the tip of the handle, where they sit just beneath your thumb. From start to end, you could clean with this vacuum and never need to bend over once.

This is a vacuum designed with maneuverability in mind.
Colin West McDonald/CNET

The most noticeable function of the new design is how maneuverable the Oreck Touch is. The curves of the machine’s body create a pivot point at the base, allowing you to turn the thing with a simple twist of the wrist, similar to how you would with a ball-based design, like Dyson vacuums use. The comfortable angle of the handle seems designed to make this kind of turning even easier — it juts out in front of the vacuum, giving your wrist more leverage.

It’s a subtle, surprisingly smart build, and I was struck with how much I enjoyed using it in comparison with other machines that we tested. It isn’t without its minor imperfections, though. I wish that the hollow loops connecting the brush roll to the back wheels were a bit sturdier, since these are what you’re supposed to step on in order to click the vacuum down out of its resting position. While we’re at it, a dedicated button or latch for this function would have left me feeling much more comfortable. All in all, when it comes time to criticize the build, minor quibbles are the best I can come up with.

One last design note: as Oreck vacuums go, the Oreck Touch is a heavyweight, weighing in at about 16 pounds. This isn’t to say that it’s noticeably heavy or difficult to lug around, but don’t expect to see David Oreck lifting one with a single finger the way he used to do regularly while hocking the 8-pound Oreck XL.

Performance So the Oreck Touch looks and feels great, but the real question is how well does it clean? After all, it’s going to spend most of its life stashed away in a closet. How… ugh… sexy it looks is a trivial concern next to knowing how much dirt it’ll suck out of your carpets. For $399, you want a vacuum cleaner that’s going to do the job, and do it well. So how does the Oreck stack up?

Cheerios, 1 oz. (percentage picked up)(Longer bars indicate better performance)

92
97
95 Dyson DC41
92
97
93 Shark
73
88
97 Electrolux
93
88
92 Dyson DC50
80
83

Let’s start with cereal. For our purposes, we used Cheerios (Fruity Cheerios, to be exact — they photograph a little better against beige carpet and plus, they were on sale).

Our goal was to see how well the vacuums could handle lightweight particulates of a significantly larger size than your average dust mote. What percentage of the cereal would each vacuum manage to pick up? Would the cereal fit underneath the vacuum, or would it just get shoveled around? Would the vacuum grind it up and leave multicolored dust littered across the carpet? What about low-friction, hardwood floors — would any of the vacuums scatter the cereal across the floor?

See? I told you they photograph better.
Ry Crist/CNET

The Oreck Touch passed all of these tests with flying colors (or, in the case of that last one, with no flying colors.) Across all three surfaces that we tested on, the Oreck picked up more cereal than any other vacuum, averaging a very impressive 95 percent pickup rate, one percentage point better than the top-of-the-line Dyson DC41, which retails for $649. The Oreck didn’t leave any ground-up cereal dust behind, and it didn’t have any trouble on hardwoods, either. If you have a militant toddler in your home who loves lobbing his breakfast around, you’ll want to move the Oreck to the top of your list.

Neato XV Signature Pro review – CNET

The Good The Neato XV Signature Pro is simple to use, and it outperformed the competition in almost all of our cleaning tests, at substantial cost savings.

The Bad Compared with other robot vacuums, the Neato is a bit boring and feature-light.

The Bottom Line The Neato offers unmatched value in its field. Its performance, simplicity, and price make it an excellent choice for buyers seeking an effective, low-maintenance robot vacuum.

When people think about robot vacuums, the first word that probably comes to mind is “Roomba,” the signature offering from Massachusetts manufacturer iRobot. Take a look at today’s market, though, and you’ll find a variety of robot vacuums to choose from, all of which would love to make a run at the Roomba’s robo-reign over the living room. One particularly worthy competitor is the Neato XV Signature Pro, the latest model from a smallish, California-based manufacturer called Neato Robotics.

The first, most obvious contrast between the Neato and other robot vacuums we reviewed is the price. Despite being Neato Robotics’ newest and most advanced robot vacuum, the Signature Pro only costs $449.99. In comparison, the top-of-the-line Roomba 790 costs $699.99, while LG’s Hom-Bot Square costs $799.99. Those are some substantial savings, making the Neato an attractive choice for buyers who might have been curious about robot vacuums in the past, but who found the higher price tags to be a deal-breaker. But still, $450 is a lot of money — is the Neato worth it?

We say yes. After dozens of cleaning runs across multiple surfaces, and with multiple variations of debris scattered in its path, the Neato emerged as the clear favorite. In almost every situation we threw at it, the Neato picked up more debris than the competition, often in significantly less time. It’s an efficient, powerful little machine, and its laser-guided navigation system is one of the smartest you’ll find in any robot vacuum. It performed best on standard, medium-pile carpet, and impressed us with how well it picks up pet hair. If you’re a dog or a cat owner living in a carpeted home, the odds are good that you’ll love this vacuum. As for me — a non-pet owner who loves hardwood floors — it’s still unquestionably the robot vacuum I would buy for myself.

At 8.6 lbs., the Neato is the heaviest robot vacuum that we tested.
Colin West McDonald/CNET

Construction and design The Neato is sturdy and well-built, with a tough outer shell capable of withstanding the inevitable barrage of gentle bumps against the legs of your dining-room table. It sits low to the ground, too, for greater access beneath furniture and cabinetry. The bin lifts conveniently out of the top of the machine – you won’t need to flip it over or yank a drawer out to empty it, which makes for faster, easier cleaning than other models we tested. The backlit menu is easy to use, with a simple interface that makes scheduling a cinch.

At first glance, the Neato resembles the bottom section of your typical upright vacuum, at least in terms of its shape. It’s a design approach that might help the Neato feel familiar, but it’s also one that fails to highlight its modern, forward-thinking appeal. Throw in the black-and-white LCD menu that seems lifted from the very first generation of iPods, and the Neato actually feels downright dated, and certainly not as fun or quirky as other machines we tested.

Simply put, for all its smarts, the Neato feels a bit soulless. This might sound like an obtuse criticism, but for a machine that relies on artificial intelligence, subtle, playful touches of personality can really go a long way — something that iRobot seems to have mastered in the Roomba after several generations of development. The closest the Neato comes is when it offers text asking you to put it down on the floor or thanking you for cleaning its bin. It’s a polite machine, for sure, but not the life of the party.

Charging the Neato takes 2 to 3 hours. When it’s finished, the light will change from red to green.
Colin West McDonald / CNET

Usability For such a sophisticated device, the Neato is surprisingly simple to use. Just press the power button to wake it, then press it again to set the vacuum off on a floor-cleaning expedition. When it’s finished, the Neato will automatically find its way back to its charging station for a well-earned nap. It will also return home in the middle of a run if its battery is running low; once charged, it will automatically return to the spot where it left off and resume cleaning.

Even more convenient is the Neato’s scheduling ability. Just turn it on and tell the Neato what days and times you want it to clean, and it’ll take care of the rest. You can program it to skip days if you want, and you can even program it to run at different times on different days, a nice feature that you won’t find on a lot of other robot vacuums. The scheduling feature is particularly useful if you want the Neato to tidy up while you’re away at work during the day, or overnight, while you’re asleep. I wouldn’t recommend late-night cleaning runs, as the Neato was the loudest robot vacuum that we tested. While not as loud as a full-size vacuum, it’s still noisy enough to wake you up.

Performance

Rice (out of 2.5 oz) (Longer bars indicate better performance)

2.05 2.33 2.13 iRobot Roomba 790 2 2.32 2.25 LG Hom-Bot Square 1.85 1.87 2.13 Infinuvo CleanMate QQ5 1.55 1.8 0.8

Pet hair (out of 0.2 oz) (Longer bars indicate better performance)

0.15 0.15 0.18 LG Hom-Bot Square 0.083 0.02 0.08 iRobot Roomba 790 0.047 0.05 0.17 Infinuvo CleanMate QQ5 N/A 0.02 N/A

Sawdust/sand mix (out of 1.25 oz) (Longer bars indicate better performance)

0.42 0.43 0.92 iRobot Roomba 790 0.3 0.23 1.12 LG Hom-Bot Square 0.23 0.27 0.75 Infinuvo CleanMate QQ5 0.15 0.13 0.07

In our tests, the Neato was the overall standout, dominating the competition on each variety of carpet and performing well on hardwood, too — though not quite as well as the Roomba when it came to picking up rice or our sand-sawdust mix. The data paints a very clear picture of the Neato’s considerable vacuuming power, and it’s hard not to like what you see. Pet owners in particular should pay attention — the Neato honestly blew the competition away when it came time for dander duty.

The Neato is also an effective navigator. It had no trouble mapping out our test spaces and covered them with ease, rarely getting stuck and needing us to intervene. At only 4 inches high, it was able to clean beneath our couches, coffee tables, and bookshelves, and also navigated beneath low-hanging curtains, an obstacle that regularly confused some of the other robot vacuums we tested.

Hoover Platinum Collection Linx Cordless Stick Vacuum review – CNET

The Good The $179.99 Hoover Platinum Collection Linx cordless stick vacuum impressed us with its strong performance. Even Dyson’s $499.99 DC59 fell short in comparison.

The Bad This model doesn’t come with brush attachments or any other special features — it’s just a stick vacuum. It also doesn’t have as much character as Dyson’s colorful DC59.

The Bottom Line The Hoover Linx isn’t fancy, but it will clean your floors better than most of the other stick models we tested. Combine that with its reasonable price and you have one of our favorite vacuums to date.

The $179.99 Hoover Linx is an uncomplicated cordless stick vacuum. While it can’t compete with the $499.99 Dyson DC59’s intriguing design and variety of brush attachments, it offers something even better: exceptional performance. Since it also costs significantly less than comparable performers, its value is tough to ignore. I strongly recommend the Hoover Linx to anyone looking for a straightforward battery-powered stick vac.

A closer look at Hoover’s understated LiNX…
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Design and features

The design of the Hoover Linx is completely inoffensive, if not a little boring. It has a glossy silver and black plastic finish with some metal accents and a small classic red Hoover logo on the front. Basically, it looks like a pared down upright vacuum.

The $500 Dyson DC59 and $180 Shark Rocket both boast colorful, quirky looks that make them much more visually appealing than the Linx. Some people might prefer a vacuum that isn’t trying to call too much attention to itself, though.

While only 7.3 pounds (about half the weight of the upright vacuums we’ve tested), The Hoover Linx is actually on the heavy side for stick vacuums. Both the Dyson and Shark stick vacs weigh less than 5 pounds due to their unique configurations. The $230 Electrolux Ergorapido Power weighs 5.5 pounds, the $349 Electrolux UltraPower Studio weighs 6.3 pounds, and the $350 Gtech AirRam is the heaviest, clocking in at 7.7 pounds. Still, the Linx doesn’t look or feel cumbersome compared to the others.

View full gallery The Hoover Linx weighs 7.3 pounds.
Colin West McDonald/CNET

The Linx is definitely the simplest model in terms of features. It operates via lithium-ion battery and a separate charger. There’s an LED status bar that lets you know how much battery life is left. It has three options — off, on with suction only (for hardwood or other bare floors), and on with suction and brush roll (for carpets). The dust bin opens on the bottom and the handle can recline quite low for reaching under furniture. That’s it for features.

Both the Dyson DC59 and the Shark Rocket have a lot of attachments for completing all sorts of other cleaning tasks. They’re really more than stick vacuums since they can double as handhelds, and you can customize them in a variety of ways. Like the DC59 and the Rocket, Electrolux’s Ergorapido doubles as a handheld vacuum, although it retains the appearance of a traditional stick vacuum.

Many of the other models also offer multiple cleaning modes. While the Hoover Linx can transition from hardwood (suction only) to carpet (suction and brush roll) with the flip of a switch, Dyson’s DC59 has a regular mode and a max power mode that provides a quick burst of power for tackling particularly stubborn debris. The Electrolux UltraPower even offers three different modes — silent, normal, and booster.

View full gallery Each model has a slightly different brush roll design.
Colin West McDonald/CNET

Eureka SuctionSeal Pet AS1104A vacuum cleaner review – CNET

The Good You can customize the Eureka SuctionSeal Pet AS1104A vacuum cleaner to meet your flooring needs. Also, features like a retractable cord and easy-to-use controls make this Eureka stand out from the herd.

The Bad Despite its name, the Eureka wasn’t a showstopper with pet hair.

The Bottom Line If the price feels right, you like options, and you don’t have a pet, the Eureka could be a great option.

Upon unboxing the Eureka SuctionSeal Pet AS1104A, it is hard to ignore the vacuum cleaner’s size, which is enormous. This Eureka is not just statuesque, however, but also thoughtfully designed and a strong performer. At $199.99, the Eureka is a reasonably priced vacuum, especially given its performance and accessories. Because of its SuctionSeal technology, this model excelled with fine particulates, but it also performed acceptably on all floor types due, in large part, to a dial that adjusts the height of the brushroll. This dial offers a variety of choices, ranging from bare floors to high-pile carpet, giving you the option to customize the vacuum to ensure the best performance based on debris and flooring type.

The Eureka wasn’t a top performer with pet hair. I’d expected more in these tests, especially given the product’s name, but with furry cleanup, other vacuums performed better. The Eureka does, however, include a turbo-driven Pet Power Paw attachment, which collects pet hair with ease from furniture or other upholstered surfaces.

If you’re looking for a lightweight model or a vacuum that’s a knockout with pet hair, there are better options, like the Shark Rotator Professional Lift-Away. If weight is not so much an issue, the Oreck Touch Bagless was dynamite with pet hair on a variety of surfaces.

If, however, you want a vacuum that gives you lots of options and like the idea of total control of your vacuum’s performance, or have several floor types in your home, the Eureka AS1104A would be a good, budget-friendly addition to your cleaning lineup.

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Design and features

Weighing 20.7 pounds, the Eureka is anything but lightweight, especially when compared with the 15.5-pound Shark, the 11.6-pound Dyson DC50 Animal, or the 14.6-pound Dyson DC40 Origin. It’s comparable in weight to the 18-pound Oreck. Those 5 or 6 extra pounds might not seem like much to everyone, but it will matter to those with less arm strength, or to anyone who lives in a multistory home. If you worry about a vacuum being too heavy, this is probably not the model for you.

That said, I personally didn’t mind the weight. Though it reminded me of the dinosaur of a vacuum cleaner my family had when I was growing up, the Eureka didn’t feel heavy when I used it, only when I carried it. I also found that this heftiness made the vacuum feel sturdy.

Like all of these bagless vacuums we’ve tested, the Eureka uses a plastic dustbin that empties via a hatch on the bottom. The latch that closes the bin is really responsive and the bin feels well-constructed. The bin features a washable dust filter but the vacuum itself comes with a replaceable HEPA filter for those who have allergy concerns.

View full gallery This dial allows you to customize the vacuum’s performance based on your flooring, ranging from bare floors to high-pile carpet.
Colin West McDonald/CNET

This vacuum boasts a dial with which you control the height of the rollerbrush to suit your floor type. Your choices range from bare floors to high-pile carpet, with seven options total. The Electrolux Precision Brushroll Clean offers similar adjustment options, though the range is more limited.

The Eureka’s controls are convenient and make using this appliance truly hassle-free. With a touch of your left foot, you can access the lever that reclines the vacuum, the power on/off lever, and the brushroll on/off lever. You’ll find these controls easy to reach and responsive. Vacuums like the Oreck put controls on the handle, but I thought the Eureka’s controls were even easier to use and appreciated nearly everything being in one place.

View full gallery The brushroll lever is easy to control, making it simple to turn it off or on, depending on your floors.
Colin West McDonald/CNET

One control you won’t find with your foot is the dial that activates either the floor vacuum or the extension hose for use with tools. This dial is on the side of the vacuum, at the base of the handle, but you can reach it without trouble. The extension hose is easy to use and, including the wand, reaches 9 feet away from the vacuum’s body. The extra hose length is welcome since the Eureka is not a convertible vacuum like the Bissell PowerGlide Deluxe or the Shark. Because of the Eureka’s weight, you won’t want to cart it to different places on your stairs in order to vacuum them.

Like every other vacuum we’ve tested, the Eureka includes attachments to use with the extension hose and wand, such as the crevice tool, dusting brush, or Pet Power Paw. The crevice tool will help you vacuum baseboards, car seats, stairs, or other hard-to-reach places and the dusting brush is designed to help you dust furniture and drapes. The most interesting of the attachments, however, is the Power Paw. Many models we’ve looked at have a similar attachment, such as the Bissell’s Pet TurboEraser or Dyson’s Tangle-Free Turbine tool. The Power Paw will help you remove stubborn pet hair from upholstery or carpets. It uses bristles similar to those on the brushroll to agitate pet hair up into the vacuum and works extremely well.

View full gallery The brushroll lever is easy to control, making it simple to turn it off or on, depending on your floors.
Colin West McDonald/CNET

Finally, Eureka offers the convenience of a retractable cord. I didn’t realize what a pain it was to wind the cord until I didn’t have to. With the touch of a button on the vacuum’s side, the cord retracts, winding around a hub inside the vacuum’s body. It can be a little bit fussy sometimes and you may need to hold the cord taut toward the end of the rewinding, but even this interaction required less time than if I’d manually wrapped the cord. In addition to the ease of rewinding, I also appreciated the fact that I only had to pull the length of cord I needed, without worrying about tripping over or running into the entire 27-foot-long cord.

Usability

You’ll find the Eureka AS1104A exceptionally intuitive to use. This is due, in large part, to the proximal location of the primary controls, operated with the touch of your left foot.

Before you turn it on, you should adjust the dial to match the floor type you plan to vacuum. This may prove to be a process of trial and error, the first time, anyway, especially where low- and high-pile carpet are concerned. Selecting low-pile may lower the rollerbrush too much, while, conversely, selecting the highest-pile setting may prevent the bristles from agitating deeply enough in your carpet. Once you determine which setting is right for your carpet, however, it’s smooth sailing. This is the hardest aspect of the controls, but once established, you’ll never have to guess again.

View full gallery
Colin West McDonald/CNET

The Eureka reclines easily when you press the gray lever with your foot. It’s responsive and doesn’t require any force like the Dysons, which require a rocking gesture to recline. Once reclined, the Eureka moves without much effort, which surprised me given how heavy it is.

Nucleus Anywhere Intercom with Alexa Voice Service Release Date, Price and Specs – CNET

The Nucleus Anywhere Intercom.

Nucleus

A year ago, Amazon invited developers to borrow the software that powers Alexa, the popular virtual voice assistant found in the Amazon Echo smart speaker. Amazon’s goal: make it easy for any device with speakers, a microphone and an internet connection to be an Alexa device.

Now, an intercom-maker called Nucleus is taking Amazon up on the offer and adding Alexa right into the $249 Nucleus Anywhere Intercom. It’s one of the first third-party devices to hop on board with the AI assistant, and the only one with touchscreen controls — though the Triby smart speaker, which added Alexa in earlier this year, comes close with an e-ink display.

The Nucleus pitch is a pretty simple one. With just a tap, you can connect with other Nucleus devices in the home, or with people outside the home who have a Nucleus of their own, or the Nucleus app on their Android or iOS device. Think of it as a dedicated video conferencing device.

Adding Alexa in doesn’t do much to enhance the video-call experience, but it does give the device a lot of new functionality. Like the Amazon Echo, the Nucleus is an always-listening device, so you’ll just need to say “Alexa” in order to wake it up and give it a command (and, like the Echo, you can press a button to mute the mic and turn Alexa off).

Once you’ve got Alexa’s attention, you’ll be able to ask her to read the headlines or the weather forecast, set a kitchen timer, or stream music, internet radio, or podcasts from iHeartRadio, TuneIn, or the Amazon Prime Music library. You’ll also be able to enable Alexa’s third-party skills (apps, essentially) by syncing up with the Amazon Alexa app.

There are a few notable limitations with Nucleus. First, you won’t enjoy access to Pandora or Spotify like you will with Amazon’s own Alexa products. Nucleus also tells us that, as of now, you won’t be able to use the intercom to control third-party smart-home products from names like Nest, Belkin WeMo or Philips Hue. That puts it somewhat at odds with Triby, which has no such limitation when it comes to turning your lights on or your thermostat down.

For now at least, the Nucleus team tells us that they’re “super-focused on the core functionality of easy communication,” but adds that “there are some fun plans on the horizon.” I’ll be curious to see if the controls get deeper moving forward, since those third-party integrations are one of Alexa’s key selling points.

I’ll also be curious to find out how powerful the microphone and speakers in the Nucleus are. The Amazon Echo uses an array of far-field microphones around the top of the device to help isolate your commands and hear you over the top of background noise, even from across the room. The Nucleus uses a single microphone, and I’d honestly be surprised if it’s as good as the Echo at picking up your commands from a distance.

The Alexa-enabled Nucleus Anywhere Intercom is available today on Amazon and at Lowe’s for $249, or $199 if you’re buying more than one. We’ll aim to try one out in the CNET Smart Home — expect to hear more soon.

Nintendo Pokemon Go Plus Release Date, Price and Specs – CNET

You want to be the very best, like no one ever was. But you don’t want to be nose-deep in your phone instead of interacting with the world.

That’s why Nintendo devised another way to play the uber-popular Pokemon Go: a $35 or £35 wearable gadget that can quietly alert you to nearby Pokemon. (We don’t have an Australian price yet, but the UK price converts to about AU$60.)

It’s called the Pokemon Go Plus, and it sounds dead simple to use. You wear it like a wristband, or pin it to your pocket, purse, lapel or sleeve. It pairs with your compatible iPhone or Android phone over a Bluetooth Low Energy connection, and connects to your Pokemon Go app.

The Pokemon Go Plus.

Nintendo

Then, instead of constantly pulling out your phone to scan for Pokemon, you just walk around town like a normal human being. Whenever you’d normally stumble across a Pokemon, the Go Plus will light up instead.

Press that light-up button, and — without needing to pull out your phone — the game will automatically throw a Poke ball to try to catch it for you. (Just so long as you’ve caught a Pokemon of that type before.)

It should work for PokeStops, too: if you walk past one, the device should light up and vibrate. Press it, and you can harvest the same items (balls, potions, berries) that would have been waiting for you if you’d activated it from within the game.

Humans of Pokemon Go
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Sound good? Thing is, the Pokemon Go craze may be over (or drastically smaller) by the time you get your hands on Nintendo’s gadget. Originally, the device was supposed to ship in late July, but Nintendo pushed it back to September.

In the meanwhile, you’ll just have to keep on using your phone.

Or a smartwatch, if Nintendo and the game’s developer Niantic stop cracking down on third-party apps. I used Pokedetector for my Pebble watch (also on Android Wear) and it seemed to work reasonably well — until the app got pulled from the Google Play Store.

We’re looking forward to checking out the Pokemon Go Plus in the weeks ahead.

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Mando Footloose IM review – CNET

The Good The Mando Footloose IM has a modern design and its all-electric drive makes for a totally effortless commute.

The Bad The lack of chain means you can’t ride the bike when the battery runs out making pedalling an odd sensation

The Bottom Line The Footloose IM may well get you into the office without breaking a sweat, but you’re taking a big risk on a bike you won’t be able to ride when the battery drains.

Visit manufacturer site for details.

The Mando Footloose IM is by far the most unusual e-bike I’ve ridden.

The reason being that it has no chain. Instead, it is entirely propelled by its electric motor. You mount the bike as normal and begin pedalling. But rather than moving the wheels, the pedalling motion simply tells the motor it’s time to start moving.

If you start pedalling quickly — when you’re setting off from a standstill at traffic lights, for example — your legs will simply flail until the motor realises what’s happening and kicks in to send you on your way. It’s an odd sensation and not one that I particularly like. It’s disconcerting having a delay between your pedalling and having the bike actually set off. Perhaps it’s something you’d get used to after a while.

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The main drawback of the all-electric drive, though, is that once you run out of charge, your fancy bike isn’t going anywhere. The act of pedalling turns an alternator to help power the battery, but the maximum range Mando says you’ll achieve is 37 miles from a single charge. That’s probably enough for both legs of your daily commute. But even so, you’ll want to recharge it every night to make sure it doesn’t cut out on you while you’re trying to weave your way through traffic.

As the Footloose IM is such a modern take on the humble bicycle, there’s no surprise that it has a daring design to match. Its curving metal body, minimalist aesthetic and bright colour scheme certainly stand out from other bikes on the road. Once you get going it’s very comfortable to ride as well — you certainly won’t break a sweat cycling to work.

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It’s a compact size, but at a little over 21kg, it’s a hefty thing, so you won’t relish carrying it up and down the stairs to your flat each day. There’s an easy alternative, though. Park your bike in a lock-up downstairs and simply carry the battery into your flat to plug it into the wall.

While the comfortable, all-electric Footloose IM allows you to zoom through the city with ease, I’m put off by the way it becomes unrideable once the battery runs out. Yes, you’ll enjoy an effortless cycle each morning, but is that worth the risk of running out of steam on the way? Personally, I’d rather sacrifice a touch of comfort and have more peace of mind for the asking price. You’ll pay £2,000 or $3,000 for the Footloose IM. It’s not available in Australia, but the UK price converts to about AU$3,455.

Sony H.ear On Wireless NC review – CNET

The Good The Sony H.ear On Wireless NC is a comfortable premium wireless Bluetooth headphone that sounds impressive for a Bluetooth headphone, performs well as a headset for making calls, and offers effective noise cancellation that adapts to your surroundings.

The Bad Headphones fold up but don’t fold flat; when folded up in carrying case, package is slightly bulky; somewhat expensive.

The Bottom Line Priced to compete with Bose’s QuietComfort 35, the comfortable H.ear On Wireless NC offers impressive sound and noise canceling that make it a strong contender in the category.

I’ve been a little underwhelmed by Sony’s wireless headphone offerings in the past, but the H.ear On Wireless NC headphone ($350; ‎£220; AU$500) may be its best Bluetooth headphone to date.

The headphone, which is also known as the MDR-1ABN, is very comfortable, although at 10.25 ounces or 290 grams it’s a little heavier than Bose’s QuietComfort 35 and isn’t quite as comfortable as that model. But at least it’s a close contest, and most people shouldn’t have a problem wearing this headphone for long stretches.

The H.ear On Wireless NC comes in five different colors, some of which are very eye-catching.

Sarah Tew/CNET

The H.ear On Wireless NC folds up into an included carrying case. However, it doesn’t fold flat, so the case ends up being a little bulky and I didn’t find this to be the most comfortable headphone to walk around with wearing around your neck (I usually don’t comment on what a headphone feels like when it’s off your ears, but that perspective has become part of the headphone wearing experience as headphones have become fashion accessories).

The headphone comes in five different colors, some of which are very eye-catching, including the blue version I reviewed (though it looks more like teal to me). The finish looks great but I’m not sure how it will hold up over time. A ding here or there could end up looking like a real blemish. (I’m personally very careful with review samples, but some people are harder on their headphones.)

Volume and track controls are on the right earcup and you can opt to turn the noise canceling on or off or plug in a cord if you wish to use this as a wired headphone. Sony says its Automatic AI Noise Cancelling function constantly analyzes environmental ambient sound components and automatically selects the most effective noise canceling mode.

Close-up of the integrated remote (foreground) and NC activation button.

Sarah Tew/CNET

I thought the noise canceling was excellent, though a touch less effective than Bose’s. I wore the Sony in the streets of New York, on the subway, and in an open office environment with a fan blowing in my face. Like the Bose, it doesn’t completely eliminate ambient noise, but it muffles it considerably. Also important: you don’t get the audible hiss you get from some lesser noise-canceling headphones; it’s ever so faint when no music is playing. (Note: some people are sensitive to the feeling of pressure that noise-canceling headphones inherently exhibit, and are unable to use them).

The H.ear On Wireless NC also makes for a good headset for making cell phone calls, and it has two built-in microphones, one outside and one inside the housing. The Bose QC35 and Sennheiser PXC 550 place more emphasis on this aspect of the headphone’s performance, and as far headset use goes, they have a little more business-class feel to them. But the Sony isn’t far behind.