Cyclotricity Wallet review – CNET
The Good The Cyclotricity Wallet’s electric motor kicks in quickly and makes your inner-city commute a breeze.
The Bad It’s heavy, so even when it’s folded down you might struggle to carry it upstairs. The brakes and the gears could be better, too.
The Bottom Line It’s not perfect, but the Wallet is compact, easy to ride and most importantly, it’s affordable.
Visit manufacturer site for details.
Electric motors have made cycling to the office a sweat-free breeze. Once you arrive at the office though, it’s still handy to fold your bike away to carry it inside. That’s where the Cyclotricity Wallet is worth a ride.
It’s a compact, city-centre bike that folds in two main places. The rear point allows the back wheel to swing forwards, while the second point lets the handlebar stem fold down on itself. Once collapsed, you can then lift the Wallet by its seat and push it along on the two conveniently-located caster wheels.
It’s a nice idea in theory, but the problem is that the bike weighs a really rather hefty 37 pounds. It’s a struggle to carry it up and down stairs, and trying to lug it onto public transport will no doubt be met with a few raised eyebrows. Still, it’s easy enough to wheel through office doors and into a sturdy lift. Also, the smaller footprint of its folded form makes it much more inconspicuous than a full-size road bike.
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Andrew Hoyle/CNET
Actually folding the bike down is something of a challenge, though. Even after multiple practice attempts, I still felt like I was wrenching apart the metal welding points when I tried to pull the handlebar stem from its socket. Maybe it’s something you’ll get used to in time.
Logitech Create for iPad Pro (9.7 inch) review – CNET
The Good The Logitech Create has backlit keys, a Pencil-holding loop, connects via the iPad Pro’s Smart Connector so it doesn’t need recharging, and costs less than Apple’s Smart Keyboard.
The Bad The case feels a little bulky. There’s only one keyboard angle. The case works well when typing, but feels awkward as an everyday case for reading or movie-watching.
The Bottom Line The Logitech Create might be the best way to get productive on a 9.7-inch iPad Pro, but only consider this case if you’re ready to use your iPad in laptop mode most of the time.
The iPad has always been a few steps away from being something like a laptop replacement for me. That gap seems to hover like a carrot on a short stick.
It’s not a fault of the hardware, the iPad Pro, especially the 9.7-inch version, is fantastically built. Its accessories are pretty nice, too. Logitech’s new Create keyboard case aims to make a streamlined backlit keyboard-plus-case that works with the side Smart Connector and works well enough to be an everyday tool.
I like Apple’s own Smart Keyboard for its small size, but it’s super-expensive, a bit floppy, and only covers the front of the iPad. The Create costs less ($130, £109, AU$200), has a better keyboard (but with little gaps where dust could sneak under the keys, unlike the one-piece Apple keyboard), and even has a little Pencil-holding loop in the back. Typing on it feels pretty great…but I like typing on Apple’s, too.
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Typing on the keyboard feels great, and it’s backlit.
Sarah Tew/CNET
Logitech’s keyboard has an extra row of shortcuts keys, something Apple’s lacks. The backlight automatically turns on when I start typing, but doesn’t stay on for more than a handful of seconds. The key layout feels a little more cramped than an 11-inch laptop, but it’s better than the similarly-sized one on the Chromebook Flip. It’s easy to type fast on it.
HP x4500 review – CNET
The Good The HP x4500’s sloping surface and large thumb rest hold your hand in a natural position for all-day comfort. The small wireless receiver offers the ease of plug-and-play, and the laser sensor has razor-sharp precision across most surfaces.
The Bad It’s not quite as good as some cheaper competitors. The mouse is contoured for right-handed users only.
The Bottom Line The HP x4500 is a reliable and comfortable mouse, but it’s just not quite as good as some rival models you can buy for less.
Let’s face it: buying a new mouse for your computer is something even less than an impulse purchase. You want to spend as little time as possible doing research for this purchase, so I’ll give it to you straight. The only three reasons to buy the HP X4500 are if (1) you just need a basic three-button wireless mouse; (2) you’re right-handed; and (3) you have an aversion to the many better Logitech and Microsoft mice available.
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For shoppers on a budget with simplicity at the top of their list, the HP x4500 is a reliable mouse that cradles your hand with all-day comfort.
Sarah Tew/CNET
The allure of the x4500 isn’t its contoured platform or the razor-sharp laser sensor. It’s actually the bargain price tag. You can get it online right now for less than $25 in the US, £21 in the UK and AU$40 in Australia.
The x4500 keeps it simple with standard left and right clickers on top and a notched scroll wheel in the middle that also works as a third button. If you’re looking for a faster way to access application shortcuts, the Logitech M510 is a tinkerer’s dream with seven buttons and a budget price tag.
LG WT1801HVA review – CNET
The Good LG’s $1,150 WT1801HVA top-load washing machine has a next-gen front-mounted display panel that looks great and is very easy to use.
The Bad This washer didn’t impress when it came to stain removal and its Smart Diagnosis troubleshooting app needs some work.
The Bottom Line LG’s WT1801HVA will add style to your laundry room, but won’t necessarily clean better than your current washer.
With a different design layout than most of today’s top-load washers, LG’s $1,150 WT1801HVA is a truly innovative machine. Leading the charge against tired, outdated top-loaders of generations past, this modern update is very welcome.
The problem is that the WT1801HVA isn’t a great performer. While it was fairly gentle on clothes during our wear and tear tests, it didn’t do as well with the whole stain-removal thing — especially compared with its Kenmore 29133 competition. This doesn’t mean you should rule out the WT1801HVA, but be sure to weigh this washer against some other options before you make a final decision.
Take a closer look at LG’s WT1801HVA washer
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A different kind of top-loader
LG’s WT1801HVA doesn’t look like your standard top-load washer. With front-mounted controls that more closely resemble a front-load machine, the WT1801HVA is a bit of a trendsetter in terms of layout. That snazzy front-mounted, touchpad display is also missing the standard cleaning cycle knob you see on most models today. I like this style departure, especially because the display panel buttons are responsive without being overly sensitive. It does look similar to Samsung’s second-gen Activewash model, although that display panel is still located behind the cleaning drum. Either way, I hope to see modern display like these on more top-load washers.
This attractive graphite-steel-wrapped washer has solid specs, too. Take a look at the comparison chart below to see how it stacks up to the competition:
Comparing washing machines
| LG WT1801HVA | Kenmore 29133 | GE GTW860SPJMC |
| $1,150 | $1,100 | $1,200 |
| Graphite steel, white (for $1,050) | Metallic, white (model #29132 for $1,180) | Metallic, white (for $1,100) |
| 4.9 cubic feet | 5.3 cubic feet | 5.1 cubic feet |
| 12 | 9 | 13 |
| 135 kWh/year | 259 kWh/year | 152 kWh/year |
| 15 gallons | 17.7 gallons | 12.3 gallons |
| 27 x 40.2 x 28.4 inches | 27.5 x 42 x 27.9 inches | 28 x 44.5 x 29 inches |
| 10-year, limited | 1-year, limited | 1-year, limited |
| 120V; 60Hz | 120V; 60Hz | 120V; 60Hz |
| Yes, Android and iPhone | No | Yes, Android and iPhone |
With an estimated yearly energy usage of 135 kilowatt hours (kWh), a high-efficiency 15-gallon water usage average, 12 cleaning cycles and integration with LG’s Smart Diagnosis tech (more on that in a bit), the WT1801HVA doesn’t skimp on options. The one drawback is its cubic-foot capacity: 4.9 cubic feet is plenty big enough for regular laundry needs, but both the Kenmore 29133 and GE’s GTW860SPJMC offer 5+-cubic-foot capacities.
Here’s a list of the WT1801HVA’s cleaning cycles:
- Cotton/Normal
- Bulky/Bedding
- Perm. Press/Casual
In other washer news:
- How to buy a washing machine: The CNET washing machine buying guide
- How we test washing machines
- This giant washer dominates its top-load competition
- Speed Wash
- Delicates
- Tub Clean
- Sanitary
- Allergiene
- Heavy Duty
- Bright Whites
- Wool
- Towels
Software stuff
Screenshot by CNET
So let’s talk about that LG Smart Diagnosis troubleshooting feature. The idea is that you can press a button on your washer, and your smartphone’s microphone will listen to a “tone transmission” that sounds like old-school dial-up internet. From there, Smart Diagnosis will tell you if something’s wrong with your washer and try to determine what the exact issue is.
This feature worked well for me on the WT1801HVA, but it’s a little tricky to figure out which app to use. That’s because there’s an LG Laundry and DW app, an LG Smart ThinQ app and a LG SDS app (all available for both Android and iPhone). To complicate things further, an LG rep told me Smart Diagnosis is “available on all LG washers,” but not every LG washer is Wi-Fi-enabled (the WT1801HVA doesn’t have Wi-Fi). So which app do you use? Unfortunately, LG doesn’t make that clear on the WT1801HVA’s dedicated page or anywhere else that I could find.
BlackBerry DTEK50 review
BlackBerry launched their first Android smartphone ever last year, and while there were a lot of people who were eagerly awaiting its launch, the Priv fell short of expectations. Granted, there were some good things going for it, but a lackluster camera and premium pricing meant that their first effort wasn’t exactly a smash hit.
- BlackBerry PRIV review
- BlackBerry DTEK50 hands on
Now, BlackBerry is back with their second attempt, and what BlackBerry is touting as the most secure smartphone in the world. What else does this device have to offer, and is security enough of a selling point to make this phone worth buying? We find out, in this in-depth BlackBerry DTEK50 review!
Buy the BlackBerry DTEK50 now
Design
When looking at the BlackBerry DTEK50, you will find that this device appears to be eerily similar to another phone that we’ve seen before, but not to worry, your eyes aren’t playing tricks on you. The design of the DTEK50 is actually based on the same TCL reference design that Alacatel used with the Ido 4, making them pretty much identical.
Everything from the curves at the top and bottom, the rounded corners, flat sides, and the dual front-facing and rear-facing speaker setup is found with the DTEK50, and the only distinguishable design element that separates this from the Idol 4 is on the back. Instead of a glass backing that is available with the latter, the DTEK50 features a textured material with a silicone-like feel.
This difference actually works in favor of the BlackBerry smartphone, with it not attracting fingerprints, and allowing for a lot of grip. The general shape of the DTEK50 is reminiscent of the Nexus 4, especially when looking at it from the front, so I’m definitely a fan of the design. It’s simple, clean, and easy to use with one hand, thanks to the thin side bezels and small top and bottom chin.
Taking a look around the device, the SIM and microSD card slot is on the right side, and the headphone jack and microUSB port are at the top and bottom respectively. The volume rocker is also on the right, and below it is a large circular button that you would expect is the power button. Instead, it is what BlackBerry is calling the “convenience key.” This is a completely programmable button that can be used for a variety of functions, like composing a text, controlling the LED flash, toggling Wi-Fi, or opening any app.
The power button is located on the upper left side of the phone, and that is actually my biggest gripe with the design of the DTEK50. Unless you use the phone with your left hand, it can be quite awkward and difficult to reach the power button, and will certainly take some getting used to. Thankfully, the phone does come with a double tap to wake and sleep feature, and even though it may not work as well, and can be quite slow at times, it’s still better than having to reach for the power button all the time. The convenience key can be used to lock the device, but unfortunately cannot wake it.
Display
The BlackBerry DTEK50 comes with a 5.2-inch IPS LCD display, with a Full HD resolution, resulting in a pixel density of 424 ppi. It’s not a display that is going to amaze, but you certainly won’t have any complaints either. It gets bright enough to see outdoors, has decent viewing angles, and offers a good amount of color and contrast, without being oversaturated. 1080p is more than enough at this display size, and reading text, watching videos, and playing games are all enjoyable on this screen.
Performance
Under the hood, the DTEK50 comes with an octa-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 617 processor, clocked at 1.5 GHz, and backed by the Adreno 405 GPU and 3 GB of RAM. This processing package is pretty standard fare when it comes to mid-range smartphones in 2016, but the performance is a little bit of a mixed bag. With normal, everyday use, the smartphone works perfectly well.
The touch responsiveness is good, and opening, closing, and switching between apps doesn’t result in any problems, even if there is an occasional stutter here and there. While gaming, however, is where you will notice a lot of hiccups. Games are very playable for the most part, but load times can be pretty long, and there tends to be a lot of choppiness and lag when playing a game as basic as Pokemon Go.
This issue is even more pronounced if there are a lot of graphical elements on the screen at the same time. Games like CSR Racing 2 have to render graphics at a much lower resolution, and also limit some in-game functionality in order to run smoothly, which is a little disappointing. If you’re big into mobile gaming, the DTEK50 won’t make the cut, but for everything else, this phone will certainly get the job done.
Hardware
You only get 16 GB of on-board storage with the DTEK50, but the device does offer expandable storage via microSD card up to 256 GB, so if you are looking to download a lot of apps and games, you will definitely need to pick up a microSD card.
One of the best aspects of the DTEK50, as is also the case with the Idol 4, is the speaker setup of the device. You get dual front-facing speakers as well as dual rear-facing speakers, and the sound quality is pretty good. They get plenty loud, and the audio doesn’t sound tinny, or become distorted at the highest volumes. Since the speakers are also mirrored on the back, and you can put the phone face up or down without any deterioration in sound quality. The only issue with these speakers is that because of the tiny machined holes, they are very prone to getting dirty and trapping dust.
On the battery side, the DTEK50 comes with a 2,610 mAh unit, which is rather small when compared to other similar smartphones that are available. As such, battery life proves to be a weak point for this device. You can get a full day of battery life with light usage, but if you are someone who likes to play games, watch videos, and check social media often, the phone will unfortunately not last a day.
With similar usage, I needed to charge the device after just 7 or 8 hours. You do get Qualcomm QuickCharge 2.0 support, so it doesn’t take long to get back to a full charge, but if you are on the move often, picking up a battery pack may be a good idea.
Camera
The BlackBerry DTEK50 comes with a 13 MP rear camera, with a f/2.0 aperture, phase detection auto focus, and a dual LED flash, along with an 8 MP front-facing shooter, with a f/2.2 aperture.
As far as the camera app is concerned, it is quite simplistic, with not a lot of bells and whistles. You don’t get any extra shooting modes beyond the standard video, photo, panorama, but it does have a bunch of live filters built in. There is also a HDR Auto mode, and a built-in manual mode for controlling the focus, white balance, shutter speed, ISO, and exposure.
To get a great looking photo with this camera, the lighting conditions have to be perfect, but even then, there is a noticeable lack of sharpness and detail when zooming in. The color reproduction is good though, when shooting outdoors or in well-lit areas.
However, in low-light conditions is where the image quality really deteriorates. The camera constantly hunts for focus, making it very difficult to take a photo, and when you do take a shot, they’re usually very noisy with a lot of artifacts, and the images just look soft and muddy.
The front-facing 8 MP isn’t particularly noteworthy either. You can take some decent selfies with it, and the notification LED can also double as a front-facing flash to help you get slightly better results in low-light situations, but the results are still typically not that great.
Software
The big selling point of the DTEK50 isn’t the design, the camera, or the specifications. It’s all about the software, and the security that comes along with it. The majority of the security comes from the DTEK application, which is also what gives this phone its name. DTEK will show you the security status of the device, and this can change over time the more you use the phone. With DTEK, all your data is encrypted, and you can control the permissions of individual apps and what they’re allowed to access, so you never have to worry about apps having access to things that you don’t want it to.
There’s also a factory reset protection, so in the event that someone steals your phone and factory resets it, they still won’t be able to use the phone without knowing your Google account info. Whether it really is the most secure smartphone in the world is pretty tough to say, but BlackBerry is promising that they will be very quick to release security patch updates as soon as they are available.
The rest of the software is a very stock-like Android 6.0 Marshmallow experience, with a lot of Blackberry’s software enhancements on top, many of which were seen with the Priv last year. It comes with BBM installed by default, which is something I personally don’t use, but could be ideal for those who still love communicating via BBM.
However, I do like a lot of the features from BlackBerry, and many of them are actually pretty useful. You have the productivity tab, which you can access by swiping from the right, to see your current calendar events, emails, tasks, and your most recent contacts.
My favorite feature of the lot definitely has to be the BlackBerry Hub. If you aren’t familiar with it, the BlackBerry Hub is your one stop shop for virtually all your notifications. It aggregates your BBMs, text messages, emails, phone calls, and social media, all in one place, making them very easy to check. It does have some issues, such as Gmail not rendering properly through the Hub, but for the most part it does what it is suppose to do extremely well.
You can also swipe up from the bottom, similar to how you would access Google Now before, but here, you get access to three app shortcuts, which are set to BlackBerry Search, the dialer, and the Hub, by default. You can change them to whatever you want though.
BlackBerry gives you a lot of room for tweaking and customization, and something that I really enjoy is the fact that you can use third party icon packs to customize the default launcher. If you’re a fan of widgets, the Pop Up widgets is another very useful feature. Basically, any app that you have that supports a widget will display 3 dots beneath it, and all you have to do is swipe up to open the widget. It’s a really elegant solution to using widgets without having them take up any space on your home screens.
Of course, you can’t talk about a BlackBerry without talking about keyboards. The DTEK50 is an all touch screen device, so it obviously doesn’t have a physical keyboard, but it does come with BlackBerry’s own software keyboard. It’s accurate and easy to type on, and I like that the predictive text allows you to swipe up on a letter to quickly complete a word.
BlackBerry’s software isn’t perfect, and it does have some minor quirks, like the way the app drawer looks when the apps are sorted alphabetically. They’re not only sorted alphabetically, but it’s also sectioned out by the letter, and visually just doesn’t look very appealing. Overall though, I’m a fan of the software package, and their features add a lot of value, without making the experience feel boated, or taking away from the stock Android experience.
Specifications
| Display | 5.2-inch IPS LCD display 1080p, 424 ppi |
| Processor | 1.5 GHz octa-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 617 Adreno 405 GPU |
| RAM | 3 GB |
| Storage | 16 GB expandable via microSD card up to 256 GB |
| Camera | 13 MP rear camera, f/2.0 aperture, dual LED flash 8 MP front-facing camera |
| Connectivity | Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac Bluetooth 4.2 NFC GPS + GLONASS microUSB 2.0 |
| Battery | 2,610 mAh |
| Software | Android 6.0 Marshmallow |
| Dimensions | 147 x 72.5 x 7.4 mm 135 grams |
Gallery
Pricing and final thoughts
The BlackBerry DTEK50 will be priced at $300 in the US, and will be available unlocked, and can be used with AT&T and T-Mobile.
There you have it for this in-depth look at the BlackBerry DTEK50! $300 is relatively cheap, especially if you want a smartphone that prioritizes security. If that is the case, you’re probably not going to find a better deal.
However, as far as phones go, there are a few better options out there that offer a lot more for similar prices, like the OnePlus 3, the Moto G4 Plus, and the Axon 7. If you do store a lot of sensitive information on your phone, the DTEK50’s top notch security will be well worth the investment, but if there is one major flaw, it is that BlackBerry didn’t make it a better phone all around.
What do you think about the BlackBerry DTEK50 and would you buy one? Is smartphone security as important to you as say, things like the camera, display or battery? Let us know your views in the comments below!
Buy the BlackBerry DTEK50 now
Dell Inspiron 7000 2-in-1 (2016) review – CNET
The Good The Dell Inspiron 7000 2-in-1 comes with all the trimmings — a slim metal chassis, backflipping touchscreen, speedy solid state drive and accurate touchpad — for hundreds less than you’d expect. A face-recognizing camera, rare for any laptop, is icing on the cake.
The Bad The glossy touchscreen creates distracting reflections, and a poorly-placed power button is easy to press by accident. Uninspired design, heavier than competing laptops and battery life is slightly below average.
The Bottom Line Whether you need a 13-inch portable or a 15-inch workhorse, the Dell Inspiron 7000 2-in-1 offers unheard-of value for money. You can invest in an external battery pack to extend its battery life.
I’m going to save you a lot of time. Do you like how this laptop looks? Does it meet your tight budget? Then buy it. Buy it and never look back.
I’ve never said that about a laptop before, but the Dell Inspiron 7000 2-in-1 series is truly exceptional. For just $750, these 13- and 15-inch laptops don’t merely punch above their price bracket, they do it without removing any of the features you’d want and expect from a PC in 2016.
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The Dell Inspiron 7000 2-in-1, in 13- and 15-inch models.
Josh Miller/CNET
Where Dell excels
To reach a sub-$800 price, PC manufacturers typically cut a lot of corners. This Dell doesn’t.
- While manufacturers are usually happy to sell you a plastic laptop by adding a thin veneer of metal up top, this Dell is metal all the way around.
- While some vendors stuff a crappy low-resolution LCD panel into their cheaper computers — or maybe one with terrible viewing angles — both the 13- and 15-inch Dell come standard with a crisp 1,920×1,080-pixel IPS touchscreen display that’s completely competent.
- While some cheaper laptops start with a slower Intel Core M processor, Dell goes tried and true here with a current-gen Core i5 chip.
- While some of the very best laptops pretend to give you a deal by sticking you with a paltry 4GB of memory or 128GB of solid state storage and charge extra for more, this Dell comes standard with 8GB and 256GB modules that won’t bog down your system.
- While some laptop manufacturers forget about having a decent backlit keyboard and touchpad in their never-ending quest for thinness, the Dell is well above average on both counts. No issue with scrolling or pinch to zoom, which is rare for Windows laptops.
- And while some laptops have drastically different specs, ports and prices if you opt for a version with a larger screen, the 13- and 15-inch Dell Inspiron 7000 2-in-1 are practically identical. (Only the 17-inch version is different — we’ll review it separately in the weeks to come.)
But Dell’s new laptop isn’t merely competent for less money, it goes above and beyond. This $750 computer is one of the very few with a Windows Hello face-recognizing camera, and it’s one of my favorite new features in years.
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This infrared camera lets you log into Windows with your face. Watch our video to see how.
Josh Miller/CNET
The camera lets you securely log into Windows with your face just by looking at the screen. Just train the computer to recognize your face (Start -> “Set up face sign-in”) and there’ll be no need to type passwords when you log into Windows. Because the infrared camera can see in 3D, it can’t easily be fooled by a picture of a face: Only the real deal.
It’s a shame the camera’s a little sluggish to start up — way slower than the one we tested in Toshiba’s pricier Radius 12 late last year — but it’s still faster than typing a password. I use it constantly.
The only notable flaws
The Dell Inspiron 7000 2-in-1 has two weak points. The first is the terribly-placed power button on the front right edge of the machine. I’m still trying to train myself not to accidentally put the computer to sleep when I pick up this PC.
The second is battery life. I only saw about 6 hours from the 13- and 15-inch models in our standard video streaming playback test, and roughly 4-5 hours of real work. That’s not great for a thin-and-light laptop — in our tests, the best usually muster 8-10 hours of streaming video playback on a charge.
BlackBerry DTEK50 review: Cheap, secure and better than expected
BlackBerry’s first Android phone was a curious, ambitious machine, so it’s funny that the company’s second turned out to be so … practical. The $299 DTEK50 is affordable from the get-go, lacks a physical keyboard and was basically tailor-made for corporations to buy in bulk. Seriously: BlackBerry has been pretty candid about the fact that this is a “fleet” device, a supersecure phone it hopes will attract companies trying to trick out their mobile workforce. BlackBerry is trying to pitch this to regular people too, though, and in the process, it’s hurling the DTEK into a crowded, crazy-competitive pool of midrange phones. Spoiler alert: It’s probably not for you.
Hardware
If you’re reading this, there’s a good chance you already know BlackBerry didn’t design the DTEK50 by itself. Instead, the company chose a reference design from TCL — the folks behind the Alcatel brand — that offered the level of performance it was after. That decision was… divisive, to say the least. CEO John Chen has long said that BlackBerry would stay in the hardware game as long as there was money in it, and by customizing an existing design, the company just saved heaps of money on product development. The flipside is that the finished device doesn’t really feel like a BlackBerry.
I’ll be the first to admit that sounds a little silly, but still, I was a little worried when I first heard the news. BlackBerry has historically taken pride in designing its devices, from pint-size beauties like the Pearl series to last year’s delightfully bonkers Priv. Pulling an existing design off a shelf and adding BlackBerry accents like a logo and a textured rubber back didn’t sit right with me at first, even though the company maintains it’s a pretty common practice.
Ultimately, though, it’s safe to say that these concerns only really matter to mobile wonks like me. Once I got down from my high horse, I was met with a device that’s respectably well built and even sort of handsome (in an understated sort of way). The company also says the DTEK50 is the thinnest BlackBerry ever, which helps explain the mediocre 2,610mAh battery squeezed in there. I’ll dig into that a little later; for now, just know that the DTEK50 manages to be very light without ever feeling cheap. Nice work, TCL.
Unlike last year’s premium Priv, we’re working with a midrange list of specifications: an octa-core Snapdragon 617 chipset with 3GB of RAM and an Adreno 405 GPU. Alas, there’s no physical keyboard this time; you’ll be typing your messages on a 5.2-inch, 1080p IPS LCD touchscreen. Flanking the display is a surprisingly capable pair of stereo speakers, an 8-megapixel front-facing camera and a notification LED up top. But don’t get too excited, BlackBerry loyalists: It only blinks white. Meanwhile, the DTEK50’s backside is home to a 13-megapixel camera (with phase-detection autofocus, no less) and a two-tone LED flash.
For a phone that’s so focused on security, it’s a little odd that the DTEK50 doesn’t have a fingerprint scanner. The reason is purely practical: BlackBerry had to keep costs down. That’s probably also why the DTEK50 comes with only 16GB of internal storage. (Thankfully, you can add up to 2TB of storage by way of a microSD card slot.)
What we got instead of said scanner is a convenience key that sits below the volume rocker on the phone’s right edge. The premise is simple, enough: You can set it to launch apps or perform specific actions like calling someone or turning on the flashlight. Alas, the convenience key isn’t always very convenient. It won’t work while the phone is locked — something its distant relative, the Idol 4S, does just fine — and you can’t use it to snap a quick photo or take screenshots. More important, that key sits where most phones have their power buttons, and it took me an entire week to get used to that tricky placement. (If you’d rather not reset your muscle memory, you can make the convenience key unlock the phone too.)
Display and sound
The Priv’s fancy, curved AMOLED panel obviously wasn’t going to make the jump into a midrange phone, but — surprise, surprise — the 5.2-inch LCD we got on the DTEK50 is pretty damned good. It runs at 1080p (that’s a pixel density of 424 ppi, if you didn’t feel like doing the math), making for plenty of crisp text and visuals. It lacks the sort of punchy colors and deep blacks we got from the Priv, but who cares? They’re accurate, and the screen and scratch-resistant glass covering it are laminated together, so viewing angles are great. (If the color temperature doesn’t do it for you out of the box, you can tweak it in the device’s settings.)
In fact, the only time the DTEK50’s display seems to fall short is when you look at it next to other devices that cost about the same. ZTE’s Axon 7 will cost only $100 more when it launches in the US in September, and it features a beautiful Quad HD screen. Would it have been nice to get a higher-res screen on the DTEK50? Sure. Would it have made any sense, considering BlackBerry is trying to sell these en masse to businesses? Not even a little.
The audio quality another pleasant surprise, given that BlackBerry has never paid much attention to it in the past. I always feel a little twinge of giddiness when a phone I’m reviewing has stereo speakers, and the DTEK50’s offer crisp highs and decent channel separation for immersive sound. Even better, the speaker setup is replicated on the phone’s back so the jams won’t stop even when the DTEK50 is lying face down. Still, they’re far from perfect: Most songs I tried sounded hollow. What’s more, the DTEK’s maximum volume isn’t terribly loud, though it’ll do fine for podcasts and YouTube videos. The DTEK50 also comes with Waves’ MaxxAudio tuner, but your mileage may vary. The app’s presets usually succeeded in making my songs sound different, but not necessarily better.
Software and security
Now that the company is willing to almost completely outsource hardware design and production, BlackBerry’s soul boils down to two things: software and security. Unless it nails both of those things, then, there’s little reason to buy into the company’s vision. As far as the former goes, there’s no point in hiding it: I dig BlackBerry’s take. Things haven’t changed dramatically since the Priv’s days — the company didn’t mess with Android 6.0.1 itself. Most of the same tricks are back and they still focus on getting things done fast.
Swiping up from the bottom of the screen, for instance, brings up shortcuts to the dialer, the Device Search app and BlackBerry’s Hub. Long story short, the hub acts as a one-stop shop for your messages, be they emails, BBMs, texts, Facebook messages or Viber pings. I typically prefer the rush of pseudo-productivity that comes with jumping in and out of multiple apps, but it didn’t take long to appreciate having a single place to triage all the stuff that flew into my inbox. (As a bonus, you can now download this app from the Play Store and use it on other Android devices too.)
Meanwhile, peer closely enough at the screen and you’ll see the edge of a tab all the way on the right. Swiping on that opens the Productivity tab, where you’ll find a rundown of the day’s calendar events, unread messages, tasks that need completing and favorite contacts (you know, just because). Just like Samsung’s Edge UX, it’s easy to forget the feature even exists, but it’s handy when you do remember it’s there.
If that wasn’t enough swiping, you can view an app’s widgets in a pop-up window (as opposed to finding room for them on your home screens) by swiping up on them. It’s a neat touch that gives you extra context without having to fully open the app, but I never really use widgets in the first place. That swiping continues when you use BlackBerry’s software keyboard. Fan that I am of Google’s in-house keyboard, I love what BlackBerry has come up with: It’s perfectly sized, it’s precise and swiping up on word suggestions to complete messages is actually pretty fun. It’s easily one of the finest keyboards available on an Android phone, which is only natural considering the company that made it. Curiously, though, one of the BlackBerry’s neatest software touches didn’t make the leap here: You can no longer set a Picture Password, which is puzzling because it worked fine on the Priv.
Obviously, the DTEK50’s biggest selling point is security, and I haven’t dwelled on it until now is because it’s almost completely invisible to the person using the phone. You can’t tell that a hardware root of trust was baked into the phone during manufacturing, just like you can’t tell the phone is fully encrypted by default. The only real reminder that the DTEK50 is more locked down than most is the namesake DTEK app, which offers an at-a-glance look at how secure the phone is. But here’s the rub: DTEK is what you make of it. You’ll get a rating and a checklist of things that are or aren’t going well on the phone upon launch, but after you take basic precautions like setting up a PIN, the app mostly just says everything is excellent.
It’s when you dig a little further that DTEK’s value really becomes apparent — it outlines which apps have access to certain parts of the phone and counts up how many times those apps try to gain access. As of this writing, for instance, Facebook Messenger has tapped into my device’s contacts nearly 500 times. In certain cases, you can even see where you were when an app tried to gain access. More important, permissions can easily be revoked and apps can be quickly uninstalled from within DTEK, making it yet another one-stop shop for functions that would normally be buried in settings menus.
Camera
I wasn’t expecting much from the DTEK50’s 13-megapixel camera. After all, BlackBerry hasn’t had the best track record with imaging performance, and on at least one occasion it didn’t bother with a camera at all. It turns out that fretting was for nothing: The DTEK50 won’t win any photography awards, but both its main and front-facing cameras were respectable performers. That main sensor around back has a f/2.0 aperture lens and a phase-detection autofocus system; too bad it lacks the optical image-stabilization offered on last year’s Priv.
Even so, my photos contained plenty of detail, with nicely balanced colors in good lighting conditions. Don’t expect too much from the DTEK50 in low light; you’ll see grain and soft edges everywhere (even after the phone applies it multiframe low-light enhancements). I really shouldn’t have been surprised at the DTEK50’s performance here — midrange phones have become more impressive on all fronts, cameras included. That said, I still preferred the photos I took with the similarly priced Moto G4 Plus, which packs a 16-megapixel sensor and an additional laser auto-focus module.
BlackBerry still gets some credit for piecing together a good camera app, though. A shutter button lives on the right edge of the screen, with a handy exposure slider, mode selector and a panel of photo filter effects nearby for easy access. More serious photographers will get some mileage out of the included manual mode, which allows for finer control over focus, white balance, shutter speed, exposure compensation and ISO. It’s not the most polished camera app, but it’s enough to get the job done.
Performance and battery life
This is where things start to get hairy. The octa-core Snapdragon 617 (with four 1.5GHz cores and four 1.2GHz cores) is a well-known chipset at this point and has landed starring roles in phones like the fourth-generation Moto G line and the HTC One A9. For the most part, that combination of CPU cores and 3GB of RAM keep the DTEK50 running without issue. It’s certainly not flagship level, but launching apps, multitasking and generally just getting things done generally aren’t a problem. Graphically intense games sometimes threw the DTEK50 for a bit of a loop, but I could usually log plenty of time in Asphalt 8 with the visual settings cranked up before noticing any slowdown.
Once in a while, though, the phone would start to stutter, even during pretty basic tasks, before eventually returning to normal. I didn’t see hiccups this frequently while playing with other 617-powered devices, though that’s not to say they were immune to the occasional slowdown. I could usually clear things up by closing all running apps, and I suspect at least sometimes the problem was caused by using the DTEK50 out in the summer heat. Thankfully, these issues didn’t crop up every day, and with any luck a post-launch software patch will help smooth things out a bit.
HTC One A9
AndEBench
5,758
16,371
7,505
7,570
Vellamo 3.0
2,741
2,819
3,461
2,585
3DMark IS Unlimited
9,529
9,851
19,200
9,076
GFXBench 3.0 Manhattan Offscreen (fps)
N/A
6.6
15
6.6
CF-Bench
59,170
60,998
56,206
61,789
The battery, meanwhile, has been awfully hit-or-miss. BlackBerry and TCL fitted the phone with a 2,610mAh nonremovable cell that typically saw me through a full workday and then some before giving up the ghost. That’s about 14 hours of pretty consistent, mixed use — my days involve lots of phone calls, emails, Slack messages and card-slinging in Hearthstone, for the record. That’s in line with what we’ve seen from other midrange phones, which makes the DTEK50’s lackluster performance in our standard video rundown test so surprising. The phone looped a 720p video with screen brightness set to 50 percent and WiFi connected for just under eight hours, putting it well below the LG G5 (with a similar size battery) and either of this year’s new Moto Gs. In fairness, that’s not exactly a natural use case — I don’t know many people who’d watch videos on their phones for eight hours straight — but it’s still sort of a let-down.
The competition
BlackBerry clearly wants to sell tons of DTEK50s to businesses, and among corporate buyers, the company’s storied brand and devotion to security might give the phone an edge. The thing is, BlackBerry is trying to sell these to regular people too, and on that front, the DTEK50 faces a much tougher fight. Consider this year’s Moto G Plus, an enhanced version of the fourth-generation Moto G that launched alongside it. For $299, you’ll get a phone with the same Snapdragon chipset as the DTEK50 but with more RAM (4GB), more storage out of the box (64GB), a better camera (16 megapixels), a fingerprint sensor and an almost-stock version of Android. Motorola’s tight focus has wavered a bit — there are more Moto models now than ever — but the brand can still put out an excellent cheap phone.
The problem is, you could do so much better if you’d be willing to spend just a little more cash. ZTE’s Axon 7 and the OnePlus 3 can be had for as little as $399, and they offer full-on flagship performance in impeccably built bodies. None of these options offer the same level of hardened security as the DTEK50, but if you’re dead-set on a BlackBerry, you could find a Priv online for around $300. It might be a little older, but the Snapdragon 808 chip inside it is still no slouch, and you’ll get a great physical keyboard, to boot.
Wrap-up
It’s been more than a week, and it’s still hard to judge the DTEK50. As a ploy to appeal to those crucial business customers, it’s brilliant. For them, the DTEK50 is a solid, not-very-expensive option with the security chops to put IT paranoiacs at ease. As a phone for regular people, though, the DTEK50 is a much a tougher sell. Make no mistake: The DTEK50 is a perfectly good handset, and I’ll always appreciate BlackBerry for trying to keep security in the front of people’s minds. Still, it takes more than that to make a smartphone great, and BlackBerry’s approach won’t be for everyone. Unless you’re a BlackBerry loyalist or you take your security very, very seriously, you’re better off setting your sights elsewhere.
Logitech Pop Home Switch Starter Pack Release Date, Price and Specs – CNET
The $100 Logitech Pop Home Switch.
Jacob Krol/CNET
Remember that multi-use smart home button we reviewed back in February called Flic? Well, Logitech is bringing something similar to the masses this month with the release of its $100 Pop Home Switch Starter Pack and $40 Pop Add-On Home Switch.
Designed to be a main point of access between you and your smart-home gizmos, Pop is supposed to be able to control connected LEDs, locks, blinds and more. A handful of related partners have already jumped on board to kick off the launch, including Lifx, Philips Hue, Lutron and Insteon.
Related Links:
- A DIY switch to automate ‘Netflix and chill’
- Coolest new tech: A $34 Flic smart button
- CNET’s smart home reviews
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Our five favorite uses for the Flic smart button
We find out just how flexible Shortcut Labs’ new device really is
by David Priest
Each switch is designed to handle up to three triggers using a single press, a double press and a long press. That means you should be able to turn on your lights, close your window shades, and turn on your TV all with simple button presses.
Logitech says the configuration process is simple, too. Use the Pop app for Android and iPhone to search your local Wi-Fi network for smart-home devices. From there, you should be able to assign specific triggers to specific products — either individually or as part of a combined recipe.
You can add a Logitech Harmony remote into the mix as well for a variety of TV- and music-based triggers.
Logitech’s $100 Pop Home Switch Starter Pack and $40 Pop Add-On Home Switch are expected to hit retail this month. We plan to test them out, so check back in short order.
Takeya Cold Brew Coffee Maker review – CNET
The Good The Takeya Cold Brew Coffee Maker is affordable, easy to use and a snap to clean, and uses fewer beans to create tasty iced coffee. It’s also small enough to conveniently fit inside refrigerator doors.
The Bad Though it uses less coffee grounds per batch, the Takeya Cold Brew Coffee Maker brews a weaker drink than other home cold-brew gadgets.
The Bottom Line While the Takeya Cold Brew Coffee Maker won’t satisfy drinkers of strong coffee, its low price and solid brewing chops will make budget shoppers happy.
The $25 Takeya Cold Brew Coffee Maker is both easy to use and affordable. Priced at half as much as competing products such as the $50 Oxo Cold Brew, and $15 less than similar devices from Toddy and Filtron, Takeya’s cold-brew gadget is extremely budget-friendly. Despite its low cost, the Takeya Cold Brew has the chops to make quality coffee with little mess or hassle.
Takeya Cold Brew Coffee Maker is simple and…
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Essentially a plastic pitcher, the Takeya Cold Brew consists of just four parts: the pitcher, a handle and spout section that screws down around its lip, a mesh filter and an airtight lid.
The Takeya Cold Brew consists of a pitcher, mesh filter, lid and handle.
Tyler Lizenby/CNET
To kickstart the brewing process first pour 32 ounces (1 quart, 0.95 L) of water inside the pitcher. Next add 14 to 16 tablespoons (8 ounces, 227 grams) of coarsely ground coffee to the filter (what Takeya calls the “infuser”) and attach it to the lid. Finally screw the lid (and linked filter) securely into place, give the whole apparatus a couple good shakes, then slip it into the refrigerator. After 12 to 24 hours, roughly overnight, remove the brewer from the fridge, pour and serve.
Kenmore 29133 review – CNET
The Good Kenmore’s $1,100 29133 washing machine has the best top-load stain removal score to-date and a large 5.3-cubic-foot capacity.
The Bad The touch panel display is too sensitive and the display is missing basic features like an “extra hot” water temperature setting.
The Bottom Line Test out the Kenmore 29133’s display panel before you buy this otherwise recommendable top-load washer.
Visit manufacturer site for details.
Kenmore’s $1,100 29133 is a 5.3-cubic-foot cleaning powerhouse, able to obliterate stains other top-load washers we’ve tested can only dream about. Its metallic gray finish, curved glossy black display panel and transparent lid are easy on the eyes, too.
But there are some drawbacks.
For starters, the 29133 is a little light in the features department. It has plenty of cleaning cycles, sure, but not as many as the competition. And this washer doesn’t have the “extra-hot” temperature setting that comes standard with so many of today’s models. Its seamless button-free display panel is also extremely sensitive to the touch. So while it looks very modern, it isn’t as satisfying as the tactile feel of traditional buttons.
Even so, I’d highly recommend the Kenmore 29133 for its ability to remove a lot of stains and look good doing it.
Classy lines give this Kenmore washer an…
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Modern flair
I can comfortably say that Kenmore’s $1,100 29133 washer — modeled after the Whirlpool WTW8500DC — is a beautiful appliance. Available in a metallic finish, its curved glossy black display panel is a major design upgrade over traditional top-loaders.
You’ll find everything you need on the display, too, from the various cleaning cycles on the dial to integrated touch-panel-style buttons for adjusting temperature, spin speed and soil level. The one issue I have here is that Kenmore sacrificed some ease of use for pure aesthetics. The display “buttons” work a lot like a smartphone interface; tap the option you want and you’re on your way.
But the 29133’s touch interface is extremely sensitive, barely hovering your finger over the setting you want could do the trick. While that’s technically a win in terms of responsiveness, I don’t want to have to be so deliberate and delicate when I’m making a simple selection of warm versus hot water. It takes some getting used to, but ultimately isn’t a deal-breaker.
For a high-end washer, the 29133 is also missing the dozen-plus cleaning cycles you find on many premium top-loaders. It also doesn’t have an “extra-hot” option for water temperature — something that comes standard on many top-of-the-line washing machines. Still, I’m okay with this washer’s 11 cycles and water temperature settings, especially because it’s a great performer (but more on that later).
For now, here’s a closer look at the Kenmore 29133 versus three other top-load washers we’ve reviewed:
AIVAnet 