LG X Power Release Date, Price and Specs – CNET
The X Power promises monster battery life.
César Salza/CNET
Two days of battery life. That’s how long LG says its X Power phone, which it officially announced earlier this summer, is expected to last between charges.
You might think that such a giant 4,100mAh battery would top a list of other high-end hardware, but LG takes the opposite approach, surrounding the (nonremovable) battery with midrange specs that help pin the full retail price to $130.
Already available for US Cellular and Cricket Wireless, Sprint and Boost Mobile’s version contains one important difference: it uses MediaTek’s Helio P10 chip (1.8GHz octa-core) rather than the quad-core Qualcomm processor found in other models.
While we haven’t yet been able to compare this with the Qualcomm variation, that’ll be one of the first things we do when we get our hands on both phones.
Curious about the other important specs? The LG X Power also has:
- 5.3-inch screen with a 1,280×720-pixel resolution
- 8-megapixel rear camera
- 5-megapixel front-facing camera
- Android 6.0 Marshmallow software
- microSD card slot
The LG X Power goes on sale today at prepaid carrier Boost Mobile, and arrives at Sprint next week.
SpeedX Leopard AL Release Date, Price and Specs – CNET
SpeedX
Smart bikes are real, and more affordable than you might imagine.
SpeedX debuted the Leopard and Leopard Pro smart road bikes on Kickstarter earlier this year. Both bikes featured carbon fiber frames, built-in bike computers with integrated GPS and a price that seemed too good to be true.
The campaign would go on to become the most funded bike on Kickstarter. I was initially skeptical, but that changed once I got a chance to test ride the Leopard Pro. SpeedX is now back with its third and most affordable bike yet, the Leopard AL.
The Leopard AL is a midrange bike that is designed for the entry-level cyclist. It lacks the carbon fiber frame and high-end groupset from the Leopard and Leopard Pro, but it does have an aluminum frame and fork with full internal wiring, a first for an alloy bike. The components are middle of the pack — a 10-speed Shimano Tiagra 4700 groupset — but it does include hydraulic disc brakes, which the previous Leopard models didn’t have.
But what makes the Leopard AL stand apart from brands like Trek, Cannondale and Giant is the built-in bike computer and internal sensors, which essentially replaces the need for a separate Garmin or Polar computer. The Leopard AL includes GPS, an altimeter and speed sensors all integrated into the frame.
These sensors are used to measure moving time, distance, speed, altitude, cadence, calorie burn and can provide navigation. There’s also Bluetooth and ANT+ built-in for connecting a power meter or heart-rate sensor. All of this data can be viewed in real time on a 2.2-inch color screen, which can also display incoming calls and notifications when your smartphone is connected.
The Leopard AL is available now for $1,200, which is about $350 cheaper than the comparable Giant Defy Advanced 3, which lacks a bike computer like the Leopard AL packs. International pricing wasn’t immediately available, but the US price converts to about £905 in the UK and AU$1,600 in Australia.
As I said when I wrote about the Leopard Pro, SpeedX is still a company we know very little about. This isn’t like buying a bike from Trek, a company that has been around for over 40 years and has made a name for itself with reliable service and strong frames. While SpeedX does offer a lifetime warranty on the frame, but for a company with little history some might find that warranty hard to have faith in.
Specs
- SpeedX 6061 alloy frame and fork
- Shimano Tiagra 4700 groupset
- Shimano Tiagra hydraulic disc brakes
- Forumula 24h double wall wheelset
- Vittoria Zaffiro – 700x23c road tires
- KMC X10 chain
- Integrated bike computer with 2.2-inch color display
- GPS, Altimeter, speed sensors
- Bluetooth, ANT+
- 9.9 kg (about 22lbs) for 45cm model
Sevenhugs HugOne Sleep Tracking System Release Date, Price and Specs – CNET
The SevenHugs HugOne Sleep Tracking System.
SevenHugs
French tech startup SevenHugs has a fancy-looking sleep tracking system that’s available now in the US.
Called the HugOne, the $180 system is a colorful, family friendly set of gizmos. Place one of the system’s sleep sensors on the corner of your bed (one for each person sleeping in it), and it’ll track your movements throughout the night. In the morning, after you’ve woken up, the sensor will transmit the data back to the base station using SevenHugs’ proprietary frequency, letting you track everything on your Android or iOS device.
The sensors also track the temperature and humidity conditions in each room. If anything’s amiss, the base station will change from a blue glow to a pink one to let you know to take action and open a window.
SevenHugs
The system is also compatible with a few notable smart home gadgets. Sync it up with a Nest Learning Thermostat, and you’ll be able to trigger your thermostat whenever everyone’s in bed, and again when everyone wakes up. You can also connect it with Philips Hue’s smart LED lighting system and trigger your bulbs to turn off when you get in bed, or to fade on in the morning. Take advantage of the system’s channel on the free automation service IFTTT, and you’ll be able to trigger even more smart home gadgets.
The system is also compatible with Amazon’s Alexa, which lets you ask the voice-activated virtual assistant to tell you the air quality in each bedroom.
This isn’t the first we’ve seen of SevenHugs. Back in January, at CES, the startup offered CNET a look at a prototype of a touchscreen remote for the smart home, with contextual controls that change depending on what you’re pointing it at. The SevenHugs team had it on hand again at this week’s CEDIA tech expo in Dallas, but tells us that it’s still a work in progress with an ETA of early 2017.
The HugOne sleep tracking system is available now through Amazon Launchpad. Additional sensors cost $50 a piece.
iOS 10 review: Apple evolves
With iOS 10, Apple is basically polishing a pearl. iOS 8 introduced a vibrant and “flat” new aesthetic. iOS 9 was focused on refinement. So by this point, we should get something completely fresh and new, right? Well, not quite. Just like the iPhone 7, Apple’s latest mobile OS doesn’t look that much different on the surface. Instead, the company once again chose to focus on improving the overall experience. In particular, this year’s refinements collectively make the OS a lot more convenient (and help Apple play a little catch-up). If you’ve longed for some of the features you’ve seen on your friends’ Android phones, iOS 10 is more than enough to keep you under Apple’s spell for another year.
Getting started
At this point, moving to a new version of iOS probably feels routine. While there were widespread reports of the update “bricking” devices during its launch day, it looks like most of those issues have been ironed out. As always, though, be sure to back up your device before doing any sort of major upgrade. Even if you have your current iOS device set to automatically back up on iCloud, it’s still worth making a local copy through iTunes in case all hell breaks loose. (Also, restoring your phone from the cloud is much slower than with a local copy.)
There’s a good chance you’ve already been prompted to upgrade, but if you’ve procrastinated, head to the “General” section in the Settings app to manually initiate the update. Then just wait for the installation file to download (it’s over 1GB, so it takes a few minutes), and proceed with the installation. You’ll want to have your phone connected to a charger while you’re going through this process, unless your battery is almost full.
A revamped lock screen
Assuming all goes well, you’ll be presented with the all-too-familiar lock screen. This time around, though, it brings some new tricks. Swiping left bring you to the Today screen, which is now far more customizable than before. It’s basically a quick way to access widgets, which can do things like show you the weather, the latest news and your upcoming appointments. Naturally, there’s a bunch of built-in Apple widgets, but plenty of third-party developers are building them as well, including The New York Times, The Weather Channel and yes, even Google.
Swiping right from the lock screen brings up the camera, something that happens almost instantly on my iPhone 6S. Previously, you had to drag up from the bottom right of the screen to open the camera, which was a bit more difficult. I often missed the touch target completely, which left me swiping up a few times in futility. And, come to think of it, I’ve missed out on a few great photo opportunities because of that. Swiping right (get your jokes in now) has turned out to be a much more accurate gesture.
You can also do a lot more with the notifications that appear on the lock screen. If you have a 3D Touch-capable phone like the iPhone 6S or 7, you can interact with things like text messages without even leaving the lock screen. Some notifications will require you to unlock the phone to use 3D Touch features, but that’s just good security. Swipe down from the top of the lock screen to get your full list of notifications, all of which are also interactive using 3D Touch.
A more useful Control Center
If you swipe up from the lock screen, and indeed anywhere else in iOS 10, you’ll bring up the ever-useful Control Center. Instead of cramming all of its functionality in a single screen, it now spans two separate pages. The first houses all of the quick settings you’re familiar with — toggling on and off Airplane mode, WiFi, Bluetooth, Do Not Disturb and screen rotation lock — along with buttons for managing AirPlay Mirroring, AirDrop and Night Shift. And of course, those handy quick tools like the flashlight and timer are still at the bottom.
But, you might be wondering, what happened to the media controls? All of that is handled in the second page of the Control Center, which has room for more options. In addition to merely playing and pausing songs and skipping tracks, you can jog through your location in a track without leaving the Control Center. That’s particularly useful for longer files like podcasts and audiobooks. The bottom of the screen lets you easily switch between all available AirPlay devices on your current WiFi network.
The redesigned Control Center has ended up being one of the highlights of iOS 10 over my past few months of testing. I don’t have to jump into my iPhone’s settings or music/podcast apps nearly as much anymore. What’s the word for that? Oh right: convenience.
3D Touch (and Taptic Engine) finally feels useful
Apple introduced 3D Touch in last year’s iPhone 6S as a new method of smartphone interaction. Sure, it basically just replicated the “right-click” from PCs, but there was a lot to like in theory: What if you could just quickly access the most popular features of your favorite apps? Who wouldn’t want that? Even I was sold on Apple’s pitch back at the time, and over the past year I’ve grown to rely on it for apps like Swarm and Evernote.
The problem, though, is that Apple didn’t pay nearly enough attention to 3D Touch and the Taptic Engine in the 6S. While a handful of built-in apps and some third-parties adopted it, Apple almost seemed to distance itself from the feature after the 6S launch. Perhaps it was focusing its energy on the more powerful Taptic Engine that would be coming in the iPhone 7, but whatever the reason, many iPhone 6S owners felt like there was a lost opportunity to tap into 3D Touch (heh).
That’s less the case in iOS 7, where 3D Touch works in almost every part of the OS. There’s the notification integration I mentioned earlier, but I also learned to love the smaller additions, like using 3D Touch to change the brightness of my iPhone’s flashlight. Thanks to its more powerful Taptic Engine, the iPhone 7 also brings haptic feedback to simple things, like scrolling through the time in the Clock app, or scrolling through your library in the Music app. It gets to a point where you almost feel like you’re scrolling through a physical book, or a pile of CDs.
The Messages app takes on Snapchat
Apple really focused on improving its core apps in iOS 10, and the Messages app got the bulk of the upgrades. You can now change the intensity of iMessages (the chats labeled in blue that you’re having with other iMessage users), from a huge “Slam” effect that almost takes up the whole screen, to an obscured “Invisible Ink” message that has to be swiped to be read. The latter is particularly useful if you’re in a public place with lots of prying eyes. There are also screen effects that can accompany your notes, including a bunch of balloons, falling confetti, laser lights, fireworks and a shooting star. They’re fun at first, but they’ll be particularly useful for annoying your friends endlessly.
Just like the Apple Watch, you can send hearts (but of course, not your actual heart rate) and other symbols from within Messages using Digital Touch. You can also react to things people send you with “tapback” responses by double-tapping on them. You can also send a handwritten message by turning your iPhone into landscape mode (of course, you can also bring up the keyboard if you prefer typing this way). In the iOS 10 beta, you had to manually enable the handwriting mode, but it was also a bit hard to find.
The biggest change in Messages is that it now has an ecosystem of its own apps and sticker packs. By default, it includes apps for image and video searching (hooray easy-to-find animated GIFs!), as well as for sharing your most recently played Apple Music tracks. But you can easily add even more apps by hitting the icon of four dots at the lower left of the screen. (If that sounds confusing, you’re not alone. Apple’s interface around the entire Messages App experience needs some work, especially once you start piling in more software. It’s one area where I seriously began to feel the limits of the iPhone’s 4.7-inch screen, though it doesn’t seem much better on the 7 Plus either.)
Once you’ve made your way to the Messages App store, you’ll see a plethora of stickers, games and software that will appear right within your chats. It works just like the normal app store, except this time whatever you download shows up in the Messages app section. There’s also a good chance you’ve already installed apps that have brought along their own Messages apps, like Yelp, Evernote and Venmo.
Messages apps are similar to Apple Watch apps: They’re typically focused on a few functions that will work well within a chat. Yelp, for example, lets you share restaurants that you’ve recently viewed. Similarly, you can share specific movie times and locations with Fandango. One of the more interesting app implementations comes from OpenTable, which allows you to pick five restaurants and vote on them with your friends. Once you decide on a restaurant, you can complete the reservation process right from within Messages. (Eater has a good overview of how the whole process works.)
The games selection in the Messages app store isn’t huge, mostly consisting of simplistic board games at the moment. But it’s still cool to be able to play a quick game of chess with friends right from a text conversation. I suspect we’ll see plenty of multi-game entries like GamePigeon, which currently packs in pool, poker, sea battle, Go and a Scrabble-esque anagram title.
The Message app’s Stickers are merely that: Images that get sent to anyone, even friends on other platforms. Much like ringtones, they’ll likely end up being an easy way for Apple to get a few bucks from its users more often. But I’ll admit, the stickers are a lot of fun to use. I dropped $2 on the first collection of Pokémon pixel art. No regrets.
Apple’s intent with all of Message’s upgrades is pretty clear: It wants you to leave the app as seldom as possible, even if that means working even closer with third-party companies. Given the fast rise of Snapchat and Facebook Messenger, it’s not surprising that Apple is actually trying to cultivate its one successful “social network.”
Smarter Photos
So, about those other core iOS app upgrades: The Photos app now uses computer vision technology to make some sense of your piles of pics. For example, searching for “cats” brings up a healthy dose of my obsessive feline photography. It’ll also automatically detect the most common faces in your photos. While it’s up to you to actually name those faces, it’s still a big help if you hate organizing photos as much as I do.
Photos also creates “Memories,” or auto-generated slideshows of pictures from your library. It’s similar to the way Google Photos slideshows work in that they’ll typically focus on a single person or photos taken around a specific event. The Memories themselves are a combination of stills, Live Photos and video in your library. You can also set the music mood and length of each Memory, which will likely be useful if you’re throwing them over to an Apple TV to watch with a group.
Memories usually turned out well, though they’re still clearly a work in progress. Sometimes the software would choose photos with fingers blocking them, or pictures that I know for a fact have a better duplicate in my library. Still, it’s useful if you don’t want to build a slideshow on your own.
Refined Music
The new Music app actually looks very different from what came before, which isn’t the case for the rest of iOS 10’s updates. The new interface is all about large fonts, bold colors and disc art wherever possible. Those of you who were annoyed by Apple focusing more on its streaming music service than your own collection of tunes will likely be pleased, as your local library is the first thing to pop up. The “For You” section also does a better job of recommending tunes (as well as explaining why you might want to listen to them).
I’ve seen both praise and criticism of the Music app’s redesign, but personally I dig the clean aesthetic. But really, anything is better than the last iteration. One nifty addition: You can quickly access lyrics of songs on Apple Music from within the Now Playing screen. It’s not there for every song, but it’s an easy way to get prepped for karaoke.
Siri gets smarter, again
After launching to much fanfare, it’s almost as if iOS users have grown to hate Siri. She had a penchant for not hearing you properly, and her actual capabilities were fairly limited. That’s changing with iOS 10, as Apple has — you guessed it — opened up Siri to other developers. I was able to book Uber and Lyft cars, as well as send cash to a friend using Venmo, with only voice commands. You’ll still have to deal with some accuracy issues, but at least now Siri is actually starting to get useful.
Siri also powers contextual awareness in iOS 10’s predictive keyboard. So, on top of just trying to guess what word you’re typing next, it can do things like fill out contact information if you start chatting about someone’s phone number. And if you’re trying to schedule something, it can also tell you when you’re available by looking at your calendar. This feature still seems to be in its early stages, but it’s a fascinating way of implementing predictive intelligence.
Odds and ends
- I didn’t talk much about iOS 10’s design because, honestly, nothing really changed. The home screen still looks like the same old wall of icons you’ve seen before.
- Yes, I know we’ve seen plenty of these features in Android already. But at this point, everyone in the mobile industry is shamelessly getting “inspired” by the competition.
- While iOS 9 offered up some big changes for iPad multitasking, iOS 10 doesn’t add much. The Control Center has a bit more room to breathe, but that’s about it.
- You can finally remove built-in Apple software, like the much-maligned Stock app. But, to be clear, the app basically just disappears, it doesn’t actually get uninstalled.
- It really feels like iOS 10 breathed new life into my iPhone 6S, and I’m hearing similarly good stories from people installing it on the iPhone 5. It also runs well on my first-gen iPad Air.
- I didn’t have any HomeKit-equipped hardware to test out the Home app, but I’m looking forward to seeing how Apple tries to unify the messy IoT space.
Ultimately, iOS 10 is a collection of small, but important, changes to an already solid mobile OS. I would have liked to see a whole new design too, but what matters more is that actually using the OS is a significantly better experience. The combination of the new Today screen and Control Center has already saved me plenty of time.
We’ll probably end up seeing a major facelift next year, but for now, iOS 10 is an upgrade that Apple users should look forward to.
2017 Porsche 911 Carrera 4S review – Roadshow
Sep 2016
The Good The 2017 Carrera 4S is a joy to drive, thanks to a responsive engine and an impressively quick transmission.
The Bad The 911 can pick up some serious wind noise at speed, and if you include every option, the car’s price heads north of $150,000 in a hurry.
The Bottom Line The latest iteration of the 911 might add two turbochargers, but its core character remains the same — it’s a wondrous sports car that won’t become a chore on longer jaunts.
These days, everybody wants their cars to be superheroes. We want them to be sporty, but not so sporty that we can’t be comfortable. We want power, but we’re not willing to give up fuel economy. We want our cake and, dad gum it, we want to eat it too. Cost keeps most cars from achieving this goal, but most cars aren’t the Porsche 911.
While it may have started its life as a lithe rally machine, the 911 has grown considerably, spawning many different variants along the route, nearly all of which sport turbochargers as of 2017.
It’s an efficiency move, no doubt, but the 911 has soldiered on through worse, and I’m happy to report that the car you see here, the 2017 911 Carrera 4S, hands out the cake on a fork and begs drivers to take a bite. Whether it’s cruising down the expressway in proper grand-touring form or whipping about the back roads of Insert State Here, it’s a delight.
Easy to pick out of a lineup
If you’ve seen a Porsche 911 since 1966 or so, it’s not hard to pick one out on the road. Its rear-engine layout gives it a familiar, demi-ovate silhouette that hasn’t changed much, save for generational expansions along all three axes. Mild revisions for the 2017 model year include a revised front end, new taillights and a new engine cover. This specific color, Graphite Blue, is worth the $710 cost of admission.
If you’re unsure what you’re looking at, the litany of badges across the rear end will definitely remind you.
Nick Miotke/Roadshow
Inside, 911 traditions remain, like the five-gauge binnacle and the left-side ignition, but they’re given a 21st-century update — the key now stays in your pocket, and the center-right gauge houses a 4.6-inch color display.
Even though the infotainment screen dominates the center stack, there are still loads of dials and buttons. I found the menagerie of controls below the shifter, which adjust all manner of chassis and powertrain bits, confusing at first. By the end of my week with the car, though, opening the exhaust or lifting the front end (a $2,590 option) was muscle memory.
My tester came with a blue-and-white leather interior, and it was hard to find a surface that didn’t feel nice and expensive. The seats, despite carrying a Sport moniker, are comfortable and supportive on long trips. Except for the rear seats. No matter how big the 911 gets, the rear seats are, have been, and always will be, a cruel joke.
Thankfully, I could fold down the rear seats and use the parcel shelf as additional grocery storage. If you need to grocery shop for more than two people, the 911’s frunk will need some help, as it’s just big enough for several backpacks or a smaller weekender bag.
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No longer analog
Whether tucked away inside the suspension or right up front on the gauge cluster, technology makes the 2017 Carrera 4S decidedly digital. Drop $3,970 for the Premium Package Plus, and the 911 picks up LED headlights that provide ample illumination, auto-dimming mirrors and heated and cooled seats.
Porsche’s latest iteration of its PCM infotainment system is snappy and very easy to figure out — except for the settings menus.
Nick Miotke/Roadshow
As for infotainment, I was blown away by the latest iteration of Porsche’s infotainment system, which is new for this year. It now supports Apple CarPlay, but not Android Auto. The screen features a proximity sensor, hiding extraneous bits until a hand draws near.
I found this new infotainment system easy to use, but slightly difficult to fully figure out. For example, it gave me three different ways to change settings — use of the Opt button on a specific screen, through the touchscreen’s Settings menu or forcing attention up to the gauge cluster’s information display, which has its own control stalk.
If you need to remain connected on the road, the 911 car can be equipped with a 4G LTE antenna supporting a Wi-Fi hotspot. Optional onboard apps deliver fuel prices, weather, online destination search, news and even Google Earth maps to the screen. Porsche also has the Porsche Car Connect app, which lets the driver control vehicle functions using either a phone or wearable device.
While it may not come loaded with every new safety system on the planet, Porsche will add adaptive cruise control and autonomous emergency braking for $2,490. Another $850 tacks on blind spot monitoring. Parking sensors and a backup camera come standard, which helps keep the shiny parts shiny.
Vizio M-Series 2016 review – CNET
Update August 10, 2016: Vizio has issued the software update allowing the P-series and M-series TVs to work with HDR10 sources like 4K Blu-ray players. It worked well in our initial tests. We expect to review an M-series TV soon.
The successor to CNET’s favorite LCD TV of 2015, Vizio’s M series, is getting improved image quality chops and a revamped smart TV system that includes a tablet remote in the box.
The 2016 version of the M series is shipping now, available in sizes from 50 to 80 inches, and starts at $850.
The new M series packs many of the same features as the more-expensive P series, which scored very well in our review.
Vizio M series features
- Full-array local dimming with up to 64 zones
- HDR compatible with Dolby Vision support
- 4K resolution
- Includes free Android tablet remote (6-inch screen, 720p)
- Google Cast compatible
Those are some pretty impressive image-quality specifications. The M series halves the number of local dimming zones on the P series, but 64 is still an impressive number (more zones generally leads to improved image quality), and twice as many as the M had last year. Vizio says “up to” 64 zones; smaller sizes will have fewer zones.
HDR is another high-end picture enhancement new for 2016, and Vizio will support both formats, as it does with the P series. One difference between the P and the M is that the M series doesn’t get the “Ultra Color Spectrum” feature, so I doubt its coverage of the P3 color space used for HDR will equal the P series’.
Vizio
Just like the P series, the M does away with a traditional onscreen menu system in favor of the Google Cast feature and the Vizio SmartCast app. That means it too will lack native support for Amazon’s streaming videos, including its 4K and HDR library. Amazon was the first with HDR streaming via the HDR10 format, and will offer Dolby Vision HDR later this year.
The M’s “free 6-inch tablet” has 720p resolution instead of the 1080p found on the P series, as well as a slightly worse processor (quad-core, not octa-core) and less storage (8GB vs. 16GB). Otherwise they’re very similar, and both include the slick wireless charging dock.
These TVs lack a built-in tuner, so they can’t receive local TV stations available via antenna/over-the-air broadcasts. In fact, lack of a tuner means they’re not technically “TVs” anymore, which is why Vizio’s web site calls them “Tuner-Free Displays.” If you’re someone who watches a lot of TV via antenna, rather than cable, satellite or streaming service, Vizio recommends you purchase a third-party tuner.
See my review of the P series for more details.
Here’s how the models break down.
Vizio M series 2016
| Size | Price | Dimming zones | Panel type |
| 50 inches | $849 | 32 | VA |
| 55 inches | $999 | 64 | VA |
| 60 inches | $1,249 | 64 | IPS |
| 65 inches | $1,499 | 64 | VA |
| 70 inches | $1,999 | 64 | VA |
| 80 inches | $3,999 | 64 | VA |
According to Vizio’s site, the 60-inch size in the series uses an IPS panel instead of VA. In previous testing we’ve preferred the image produced by VA panels overall, and we expect that to be the case this time around as well.
Vizio’s has also announced a new 2016 version of the less expensive E series, which lacks HDR and the tablet remote.
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.
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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.
AIVAnet 