Adonit Pixel Release Date, Price and Specs – CNET

When it comes to iPad styluses, the Apple Pencil has understandably gotten most of the press. But that digital pen only works with iPad Pros.

Adonit’s new Pixel, which the company calls its most accurate and responsive stylus to date, with an improved 1.9 mm Pixelpoint tip, is compatible with several iPads — nine to be exact — not just the top-end ones. Its list price is $80, £80 or AU$129, or about $20 or AU$45 less than the Apple Pencil (they’re the same price in the UK).

Like Adonit’s two earlier styluses, the Jot Script and the Touch, the Pixel is Bluetooth-enabled and turns on automatically when pressed to the screen when using certain note-taking and sketch apps that have built-in Pixel support. It also ships with a magnetic charger/dock that plugs into the USB port on your computer.

The Pixel in its magnetic charging dock.

Sarah Tew/CNET

According to Adonit, Pixel’s highlights include:

• Bluetooth 4.0 enables 2,048 levels of pressure sensitivity, shortcut buttons, palm rejection and offset correction
• More user-friendly setup process
• Improved offset correction allows for more accuracy and precision, providing a more natural pen-to-paper experience
• Enhanced tip drag ensures users have a natural writing and drawing experience
• Increased responsiveness improves lag time with predictive touch technology that places the point of the pen exactly where it’s intended
• Grip Sensor turns the stylus off when not active, and turns it on when the user picks it up
• Compatible with: iPad Pro 12.9- and 9.7-inch, iPad Air and Air 2, iPad 4, and iPad Minis 1 to 4
• Compatible with more apps: Goodnotes, Concepts, Notes Plus, Astropad, Medibang Pain, Autodesk Sketchbook will have Pixel integration at launch with Adobe Sketch, Adobe Draw, and Procreate supported soon

OnePlus 3 Release Date, Price and Specs – CNET

OnePlus is getting ready to launch its fourth smartphone, an exciting event for the young brand’s fervent followers. The OnePlus lineup (One, 2, X and now 3) is known for challenging larger, better-known competitors with hardware whose middle-to-high specs come in at much lower prices than your typical top-dollar superphone. For some, the OnePlus 3 will battle the iPhone SE, just-announced Motorola G4 phones, Nexus 6P, and maybe even the upmarket LG G5 or Samsung Galaxy S7.

Here are the most important things we know so far.

The OnePlus 3 could look like this.

Evan Blass/Twitter

The name’s a sure thing

OnePlus is already using the name OnePlus 3 on its public channels, so there’s no dangling question mark there.

The OnePlus 3 will launch over VR

Just like last year, OnePlus is going to announce its next phone in virtual reality. Specifically, in outer space, focusing on a futuristic OnePlus headquarters/space station called The Loop. In anticipation of this VR launch, the phonemaker is shipping 30,000 Loop VR headsets to fans for free — and at the time of writing, they’re already out of stock.

VR-watchers can buy it first

OnePlus also announced that people who watch the keynote in VR will get first dibs ordering the phone directly from the Loop headset. Everyone else will have to wait. OnePlus didn’t say for how long, but the company is (in)famous for hosting limited sales windows to both drum up excitement and control a more limited supply than competitors.

It’ll launch by June

In February, we found out first that OnePlus would reveal the OnePlus 3 by June, and so far, the timeline works out.

Getting one of these Loop VR headsets puts you at the front of the line for ordering the OnePlus 3 phone first.

OnePlus

It’ll look different than the OnePlus 2 and OnePlus X

If you’re worried that the OnePlus 3 will rehash 2015’s two models, pause your fretting. Co-founder Carl Pei told CNET in February that this forthcoming flagship will feature a “new design.”

According to an image posted by Evan Blass, now with Venture Beat — who has built a reputation for reliably breaking stories through his Twitter handle @evleaks — the OnePlus 3 looks like it has a silvery metal build and some detailing that’s reminiscent of the HTC 10.

You can see the signature OnePlus notifications slider along the phone’s left edge.

The OnePlus 3 could have an AMOLED screen and 3,000mAh battery

Blass’ tweet also claims that the OnePlus 3 will have a screen using AMOLED display technology (versus an LCD screen), a material that’s known for saving battery while boosting contrast (making blacks blacker). Rumors from around the Internet also point to a 3,000mAh battery and two versions of the phone: one with 32GB of internal storage and 4GB RAM and one with 64GB of storage and 6GB of RAM.

Other rumored specs

We don’t know any of this yet for sure (because these are rumors), but hardware could also include:

• 5-inch, 1080p display
• Qualcomm Snapdragon 820 processor
• Android 6.0 Marshmallow software
• 16-megapixel rear camera
• 8-megapixel front-facing camera
• NFC (for mobile payments)

Pricing

Since the OnePlus 2 came it at about $330 and £240 (which converts to roughly AU$460), we can guess that the OnePlus 3 will land in about the same bracket. I personally wouldn’t be surprised to see the price hike up a tad if it does wind up including more premium features, but undercutting the likes of Samsung and LG is too important to OnePlus’ sales strategy to really see costs climb.

It’ll sell in the US and other markets unlocked and shipping will be free

As co-founder Pei told CNET in February, the OnePlus 3 will arrive in the US and other markets as an unlocked phone and will be sold directly through OnePlus’ site. OnePlus has gotten flak for making phones hard to buy, which is why OnePlus is working on a “better buying process” that extends to credit card payments (not just PayPal), Pei told CNET. Like last year, the phone will ship to you for free.

More to come

We’ll update this as more facts come in, so check back! Meanwhile, be sure to brush up on our reviews of the OnePlus 2 and OnePlus X.

Jaybird Freedom Release Date, Price and Specs – CNET

When it released its X2 wireless sports headphone in 2015, Jaybird’s drew some criticism from some users because — despite some improvements — it didn’t seem like much of an upgrade over its predecessor. Well, now the company finally has a headphone with a totally new design: The Jaybird Freedom.

Originally showcased at the CES show back in January, the Freedom is finally shipping a month after Logitech acquired Jaybird for $50 million. It carries list price of $200 in the US, with international pricing yet to be announced (it converts to around £140 or AU$285).

Some of Jaybird’s earlier models were also named Freedom, but this new 2016 model doesn’t look anything like them and has a couple of distinguishing design features. For starters the buds have a proprietary “tapered step­down” design, which is a fancy way of saying the buds have been trimmed down and now fit better in your ears. You can also wear a helmet over them without a problem.

The Jaybird Freedom Wireless headphones come with a lot of accessories.

Sarah Tew/CNET

Jaybird has built all the electronics into the inline remote and it says the buds and inline remote are made of metal, not plastic, which is mostly true (there is some plastic that’s part of the design). The headphones are sweat­proof, though not waterproof, and Jaybird expects people to use these not only as a sports headphone but an everyday headphone.

Battery life is rated at 8 hours, which is good for this type of headphone — but it’s a bit misleading because you get 4 hours from the buds and an additional 4 hours with an included charging clip that has a second rechargeable battery inside it. You can continue wearing the headphones with the clip attached, but the package does look a little funny dangling down near your cheek.

You charge the headphones’ internal battery and the external battery clip at the same time via a micro USB port in the clip. It’s a cool concept to have the extra juice at your disposal when you need it, but the battery clip does seem a little easy to lose.

An external battery attaches to the inline remote and adds 4 hours of battery life.

Sarah Tew/CNET

Luckily the headphones, which are available in five color options, come with a nice little carrying pouch, where you can store the battery clip and any extra tips and ear fins that come with the headphones. A set of cord shorteners is also include, but they aren’t the most elegant solution. Jaybird needs to find a way to integrate a cord adjustment design element into the product, not have you attach something to it.

I found the headphones fit better than last year’s X2 and I was able to get a tight seal and secure fit using the included ear fins. With a tight seal this is one of the best sounding wireless in-ear sports headphones you can buy, with clean, well-balanced sound that’s close to what you’d expect from a good in-ear wired headphone. By that I mean it sounds pretty natural, at least in its default mode. The new Jaybird MySound app allows Apple iOS and Android users to tweak the sound profile to their liking.

I’d say the only downsides are that the inline remote is a little bit heavy, the price of Freedom is high, and all the little accessories that come with the product might overwhelm some people (it’s a little like opening a Lego package).

I went for a couple of runs on Randall’s Island in New York City and had no problem with the left earbud but the inline remote on the right side tugs a little on the cord as you’re running; you can feel its presence.

Monster’s Adidas Adistar Sport in-ear wireless headphones have a similar design, but the micro USB port is built into the inline remote, which I preferred. The Freedom sounds better than the Monster Adidas headphone, but the Monster costs half the price.

The Freedom in black.

Sarah Tew/CNET

Equipped with Bluetooth 4.0, Freedom can be paired with up to eight devices, and its inline remote gives you complete control over your wireless music with volume buttons, and allows for phone calls with its built-­in microphone. You hold the volume buttons down to advance tracks forward or back and hold the pause/play button to activate Siri on iPhones.

I’m still testing out the new Jaybird MySound app ­­for Android and iOS ­­that allows you to customize the equalizer settings for both the Freedom and X3, an updated and slightly smaller version of the X2 that will also arrive this spring and cost $150. Although I’m not quite ready to put a rating on this headphone, my initial take is that it’s a very strong entry in the in-ear wireless headphone arena, but it’s not perfect and it’s priced a little too high.

I’ll have a full review of the Freedom after I put some more mileage on it and compare it to a few more competing products.

HP EliteBook Folio G1 review – CNET

The Good The Folio G1 is very thin and light, with an upscale look and feel and a great keyboard for an ultraportable laptop. There are plenty of configuration options, including a 4K touchscreen.

The Bad Battery life takes a hit in the 4K version, the hinge should be tighter, and both ports are USB-C.

The Bottom Line HP’s take on the 12-inch Core M laptop could use a few design tweaks, but it evokes the best parts of Apple’s 12-inch MacBook, with better value and more options.

Some people want everything. They want a laptop that’s small but powerful. One that has a high-resolution display and a touchscreen. A laptop that looks sharp enough to show off, but refined enough for serious business meetings. Decent battery life would help, too, as would a price that’s not too much of a premium.

Apple came close with its 12-inch MacBook. It’s a brilliantly designed machine, with a high-res 12-inch display, but it lacks touch, the shallow keyboard isn’t ideal, and OS X doesn’t always play nice with the IT needs in some business or school environments. And, of course, it has only a single USB-C port for power and connectivity.

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Sarah Tew/CNET

HP has cooked up something that looks and feels a lot like the 12-inch MacBook, built for professional Windows users, but still stylish enough that anyone can feel comfortable using it.

Like the MacBook, it uses Intel’s latest Core M-series processors, but unlike the MacBook, HP includes the fastest version, the Core m7, in its lowest-end model, which starts at $999 in the US, and which seems like a really good deal. That version has 128GB of storage and a 1,920×1,080-pixel resolution non-touch display, but options for high-res touch screens, more solid state storage, and a couple of different processors can drive the price close to double that. Slightly different configurations available in the UK run from £1,222 to £1,498, and in Australia from AU$2,499 to AU$3,499.

For this review, we tested two different configurations, both built via HP’s system configurator. One worked out to $1,412, with a Core m7, 256GB SSD, 8GB of RAM and a full-HD non-touch display. The other was a higher-end configuration, with the same CPU and RAM, but a big 512GB SSD and a 3,840×2,160 4K touchscreen display, which at the time of this review cost $1,737. Note that prices for custom-configured PCs can often change, as can the list of available components.

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The Folio G1 sits to the right of a 12-inch Apple MacBook.

Sarah Tew/CNET

Both of the Folio G1 systems stick with USB-C only, but unlike the MacBook, they include two ports (both on the right side), so you can easily keep the power connected while also using a USB accessory. Still, to even use a simple USB key, you’ll need a sold-separately USB-A to USB-C adapter, which usually costs around $20.

Using both configurations side by side, the 4K display and the touchscreen on the more expensive one really jump out, compared to the lower-end model. Touch still feels like a necessity in Windows laptops, even on ones with decent touchpads like this, as no Windows laptop has yet matched the ease of navigation Apple pulls off by controlling every aspect of its hardware and software. But, the other wise of the trade-off is clear when it comes to battery life. As in other 4K versus FHD (full HD) comparisons we’ve tested, the 4K display takes a big chunk out of battery life.

HP EliteBook Folio G1 (4K)

$1,737

12.5-inch 3,840×2,160 touchscreen

1.2GHz Intel Core M7-6Y75

8GB DDR3 SDRAM 1,866MHz

128MB Intel HD Graphics 515

512GB SSD

802.11ac wireless, Bluetooth 4.0

Windows 10 Home (64-bit)

Similar to the MacBook, the Folio G1 is machined from aluminum. It has a very premium look and feel, although the shiny chrome-like finish on the hinge may not be to everyone’s taste. The hinge opens a full 180 degrees, which means the lid can be pushed back to lie completely flat. I can’t think of too many cases where you’d want to do that, but having some extra flexibility is always nice.

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The hinge always shifted a bit when picked up while open.

Sarah Tew/CNET

However, in both Folio G1 models we tested, the hinge itself tended to wobble or move back a bit when the open laptop is picked up and carried by its base. It just feels a little too loose, especially for a premium product.

G-Technology G-Drive mobile USB-C review – CNET

The Good The G-Drive Mobile has good performance and works with both USB-C and regular USB devices, right out the box.

The Bad The drive’s storage space caps at 1TB and it’s significantly more expensive than other non-USB-C drives of the same capacity and storage type.

The Bottom Line Get the G-Drive Mobile if you want a solid-performing USB-C drive, but don’t want to pay SSD prices.

The G-Drive Mobile USB-C comes with two standard USB cables, permitting it to work with any computer on the market.

Dong Ngo/CNET

You know the new MacBooks that include a single USB-C port as the extent of their connection options? G-Tech’s G-Drive Mobile USB-C portable drive was made for computers like those. Thankfully, G-Tech was thoughtful enough to pack it with two USB cables: one USB-C cable and a USB-C to USB-A cable which lets you use the drive with a non-USB-C computer.

The $130 drive houses a normal laptop hard drive inside, so it’s not as fast or as expensive as solid-state drives (SSD) such as the Samsung Portable SSD T3 or the SanDisk Extreme 900 (each of these drives costs over $400 for 1TB). Still, there are better deals out there for non-USB-C drives; the WD My Passport Ultra costs just $125 for a whopping 3TB.

Out of the box, the G-Drive is preformatted in the HFS+ file system, which means it will work with Macs without any kind of setup. Like all portable drives, however, you can easily reformat it to work with Windows or any other operating system. There are three color options: space gray, gold and silver. Space gray and gold are available exclusively at Apple Stores.

CNET Labs’ high-speed USB portable drive performance

Samsung Portable SSD T1

158.3

292.42

SanDisk Extreme 9000 Portable SSD (USB 3.1)

312.6

259.53

Samsung Portable SSD T3 (USB 3.1)

311.1

240.91

LaCie Rugged Thunderbolt All-Terrain

155.7

227.43

Seagate Expansion

125.2

127.93

G-Drive Mobile USB-C (USB 3.1)

109.9

125.75

Buffalo MiniStation Extreme

110.3

118.82

WD My Passport Ultra (Spring 2015)

110.2

117.34

Seagate Slim

110.4

111.49

WD My Password Slim

107.7

107.89

WD Elements

95.7

102.15

Legend:

Write
Read

Note:

Measured in megabytes per second. Longer bars indicate better performance.

The drive supports the USB 3.1 gen 1 speed standard and delivered a sustained copy speed of 110 megabytes per second (MB/s) for writing and 126MB/s for reading, clearly slower than the more expensive Samsung or SanDisk SSDs, but still plenty fast for everyday activities like backups or movie playback. It doesn’t include any backup software but both Windows 10 and Mac OS have great built-in backup tools.

All things considered, if you’re looking for an affordable USB-C portable drive, the new G-Drive Mobile USB-C is a relatively cheap alternative to SSD-based portable drives. Those looking for a non-USB-C portable drive should check out this list for more affordable options.

Simplehuman Sensor Mirror Pro Release Date, Price and Specs – CNET

The new $250 Simplehuman Sensor Mirror Pro will work with Alexa, IFTTT, and Nest.

Simplehuman

Simplehuman, a manufacturer of everyday household items ranging from a $26 paper towel holder to the $400 Wi-Fi Wide-View Sensor Mirror, just released a new product — the $250 Sensor Mirror Pro.

In other smart home news:

• This smart mirror helps you see yourself in a whole new light
• Shining a light on high-CRI LEDs
• Here are all of the new things you can do with your Nest

The Sensor Mirror Pro has a lot of the basic stuff you’d expect from a pricey vanity mirror. It comes with 5x and 10x magnification for applying things up close and personal — think liquid eyeliner, eyelash curling, foundation contouring — and any other makeup application or general personal grooming that would be easier in tight focus.

It also has a “tru-lux light system” with a color rendering index (CRI) of 90. Check out this overview of CRI scores for more details, but generally the closer the number is to 100, the better a light approximates natural light. Professional hair and makeup artist Cynthia Laws told me that daylight is the best case scenario for applying makeup, so a CRI score of 90 seems like a very good sign for this mirror.

In addition, the mirror’s built-in LEDs are designed to light up automatically when it detects your presence. This feature is also available with the Wide-View Sensor Mirror, but it didn’t always work. The lights would shut off unexpectedly when I was applying makeup on occasion (see the video review below). Hopefully Simplehuman made some improvements with this latest iteration.

This new mirror also does some things you wouldn’t expect. It has an app and an IFTTT channel so you can create custom rules like, “If it’s overcast out, then set the Simplehuman Sensor Mirror Pro to overcast preset.” Nest also added Simplehuman to its Works with Nest smart-home integrations platform on May 17. With this partnership, you’re supposed to be able to sync the light settings from your Nest Cam to the LEDs in your Sensor Mirror Pro.

Simplehuman also has plans to add Amazon Alexa integration into the mix in early June. While this isn’t available just yet, you should be able to say things like, “Alexa, ask the mirror to set brightness to 50 percent” and “Alexa, ask the mirror to use the office setting.” I’m not convinced that these smart features add much value, but it will be fun to test them out all the same. Stay tuned.

Google Android N Release Date, Price and Specs – CNET

Back in March, Google gave a sneak peek at its upcoming mobile operating system, Android N. While the final version of the OS won’t be available until summer, the company announced more Android N features, as well as a few other initiatives, at its annual developer’s conference in May.

Currently, Android is the most popular mobile OS in the world. In addition to beefed-up security updates and new emojis, N will integrate Google’s interactive Assistant service and better battery efficiency. For now, we’re getting a taste of what the new flavor of Android will have, with more features to come. Let’s take a look at the top new features Google has divulged so far.

Google I/O 2016: Daydream, Home and other…
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Google Assistant

The new Assistant software will let you engage in more natural back-and-forth dialogue with the Android device than you can with Now (Google’s current digital and search assistant), in order to get things done, like research a restaurant and make a reservation through OpenTable.

Instant Apps

Timed with the release of N but also available on phones running OS versions as old as Android Jelly Bean, Instant Apps lets you access or use certain apps without having to download and install said apps. This is especially useful for digital payment transactions, where you can pay with Android Pay instead of whatever system the app would have made you use.

Multiwindow

Looking at two apps at once will become standard on Android phones and tablets. With multiwindow, you can see apps in a split screen. This feature has been available on Samsung and LG phones for a few years, and now it’ll come to many more Android devices. It’s also very similar to what the Apple iPad Air 2, iPad Mini 4 and iPad Pro can do, thanks to Apple’s latest OS, iOS 9.

Check out two apps at once with multiwindow.

Google

Google’s adding a picture-in-picture option for apps that play video, too, similar to what we’ve seen on the iPad Air. That means, you should be able to watch a YouTube video while also browsing Twitter, or perhaps check email while watching a movie through Google Play.

Reply in a notification

Brought over from Android Wear watches, Google now lets you reply to text messages from the notification shade. When you get a new message, a little alert will pop up at the top of the screen and you can type your reply right there and go back to what you were doing. iOS has had a similar feature for awhile, so it’s great to see it come to Android.

Bundles of notifications

If your notification menu is a mess of alerts, this feature might help. Developers will be able to group together notifications from their app. You’ll see a bundle of notifications from each app in the menu, and you’ll just tap the bundle to expand it and see each individual alert.

Again, iOS has something like this for its notification menu that you have to manually toggle on, so it’s a welcome addition to Android too.

Doze on the Go

Android 6.0 Marshmallow was the first to get Doze, a battery-saving setting that halts background computing that kicks in when your phone is not in use and sitting still. Doze on the Go does the same thing, except your phone can be in motion (like if it’s inside your pocket sitting idle). Google’s also working on Project Svelte, which aims to reduce the amount of memory Android needs. The goal is to bring the latest versions of Android to more devices, especially those with lower-end specs.

Night Mode

Similar to Apple’s Night Shift feature, Night Mode aims to reduce eye strain from viewing a bright display at night. This setting tints the screen yellow, which keeps you less revved up in later hours than the usual blue tint. You can also adjust the brightness and tint of the sepia hue.

With Google’s #NameAndroidN campaign, enthusiasts can submit name suggestions for the latest OS.

Screenshot by Lynn La/CNET

Android…Nougat…Nutella?

Though we’ve seen a lot of sneak peeks, we still don’t know everything that’ll come to the final release of the OS. We don’t have a version number or a sweet-themed name yet (though Google will “allow” fans to submit suggestions). If you can’t wait until the summer rollout, however, a beta version is already available for Google Nexus 6P, 5X, 6, 9 and Pixel C tablet owners to test.

Wayv Adventurer Release Date, Price and Specs – CNET

Wayv

Gone are the days when microwaves were relegated to the kitchen — or even the house. Startup Wayv, in partnership with NXP Semiconductors, has created the $199/£135/AU$275 Wayv Adventurer, a handheld cooker that can go anywhere you go.

Intended for use during outdoor activities, as a backup cooker for busy parents in transit and even for defense and humanitarian purposes, the 200W thermos-esque Adventurer is powered by a rechargeable lithium-ion battery and is supposed to work for 30 minutes or more on a single charge. Wayv claims the Adventurer can work with solar energy, too.

While the team hasn’t shared details on availability just yet, this $199 gadget has caught my interest. As someone who occasionally camps in areas where fires are banned, a device like this could really come in handy.

Other cool tech:

• Portable thermoelectric generator powers your devices
• Mom’s wilderness camping cars
• Appliance Science: How solar panels convert light into electricity
• Microwave buying guide

Weight is a slight concern, though. At 2.6 pounds (1.2 kilograms), I certainly wouldn’t consider it an essential for a long-distance thru-hike, but it would probably be fine for a shorter trek.

And with just 200W of power, it will likely take longer than a regular microwave to heat up food or a drink (a traditional microwave typically has 600 to 1,200W; check out my microwave buying guide for more details). That makes the 30-minute battery limit seem a little low. Still, I’m definitely interested in taking one on the road to see just how well it works.

2016 Toyota Tacoma TRD 4×4 Off Road review – Roadshow

The Good The 2016 Toyota Tacoma TRD 4×4 Off Road carries with it a tradition of off-road excellence, without sacrificing much in on-road comfort. A variety of aftermarket vendors provide numerous options for customization.

The Bad The six-speed automatic transmission searches for the correct gear at lower speeds. Real-time traffic alerts are often wrong.

The Bottom Line If you’re looking for a reliable truck to carry you from the city to the playgrounds of the deserts or mountains, it’s tough to beat the 2016 Tacoma. Consumers would be well-served by sampling the six-speed manual as well as the automatic before making a purchase.

Since its debut in 1995, the Toyota Tacoma has been synonymous with off-road capability. From casual weekend warriors to serious dirt races like the Baja 1,000, you can find stock and modified “Tacos” challenging the desert at every turn.

But how did they get to the dirt? More than likely, they had to drive on the pavement. This week, I had the 2016 Toyota Tacoma TRD 4×4 Off Road, and while I didn’t have the opportunity to test its mettle in its natural habitat, my colleague, Antuan Goodwin was lucky enough to get the Tacoma out in the dirt with professional drivers from Toyota. Here’s what he had to say about its performance:

“Toyota wanted to demonstrate how Crawl Control used in concert with the Tacoma’s low-range transfer case to to scale a steep rock incline. We lined the Tacoma up with what looked like a rock face so steep that we could barely climb it on foot holding a rope, and activated the Crawl.

Antuan Goodwin/CNET

“Most 2016 Toyota Tacoma’s have a new, front air dam that boosts fuel economy on the highway, but is situated far enough back to not affect the 29-degree approach clearance. However, the Taco TRD Off-road lacks this bit and boasts a 32-degree approach angle.

“It would appear that we’d need every one of those degrees as the digital inclinometer located in the dashboard display sharply rose and then pegged at 35 degrees, even as the incline grew more severe and nothing but sky was visible out of the Taco’s windshield. The truck continued to angle upward until we heard the tow hitch at the tail end scrape slightly on the ground below as the climb continued. Toyota’s guides reckoned the steepest part of the climb was easily more than 40 degrees.”

Cabin comforts

But while Antuan got down and dirty, I kept things clean with a 1,500 mile road trip.

Literally hopping up behind the wheel because of the 9.4 inches of ground clearance, I settled into the cloth seats nicely. The interior is built for ruggedness, not luxury, but it still offers up some impressive features.

The maps for navigation are simple, but crisply rendered. Operation is smooth and quick.

Antuan Goodwin/CNET

A 6.1-inch touchscreen is standard, but the TRD makes the jump to a larger 7-inch screen with navigation. Toyota’s Entune system is perhaps the most responsive I’ve seen in quite some time. Inputs onto the touchscreen were instantaneous, and the system switched between the home screen, apps and navigation quickly and easily. The screen can get a little crowded at times, and I noticed that the traffic guidance was often wrong, showing green while I was stopped dead in traffic, and showing red when I was happily cruising at 65 mph.

As expected, Bluetooth and USB connectivity are also available. It was a snap to pair my phone and sound quality was excellent. Entune quickly recognized my phone through the USB connection, and it was easy to navigate to my music and podcasts.

@mmmotorsports

Emme’s
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The Tacoma also has Qi wireless charging, but iPhones aren’t compatible with that technology yet. There aren’t too many driver’s aids save for a back-up camera, rear cross-traffic alert, and blind-spot monitoring. All are welcome in the Tacoma, as it’s larger than many people are used to handling.

The interior is not a place you’d be afraid to get dirty, but it’s still a vaguely comfortable place to spend a commute. Road noise is not much of a problem, though you will hear the roar of the V-6, even over the stereo. The seats are comfortable but neither they nor the steering wheel offer much in the way of adjustability. A GoPro mount is built into the windshield for those extreme wheelers.