Hoover Platinum Collection Linx Cordless Stick Vacuum review – CNET

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

View full gallery Each model has a slightly different brush roll design.
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Eureka SuctionSeal Pet AS1104A vacuum cleaner review – CNET

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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Design and features

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Usability

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

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

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Colin West McDonald/CNET

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

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

The Nucleus Anywhere Intercom.

Nucleus

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

The Pokemon Go Plus.

Nintendo

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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Mando Footloose IM review – CNET

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

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

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

Visit manufacturer site for details.

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

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

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

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Andrew Hoyle/CNET

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

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

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

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

Sony H.ear On Wireless NC review – CNET

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

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

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

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

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

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

Sarah Tew/CNET

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

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

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

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

Sarah Tew/CNET

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

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

iRobot Roomba 960 Release Date, Price and Specs – CNET

Meet iRobot’s latest Wi-Fi floor cleaner, the Roomba 960.

iRobot

iRobot makes everything from household gutter cleaners to military-grade security and defense robots, but the company is best known for its Roomba robot vacuums. And as of right now, there’s a new Roomba in town — the $700 Wi-Fi Roomba 960.

In other robot vacuum news:

• This clever, connected cleaner is Neato’s best yet
• Dyson’s first robot vacuum is good, but not quite good enough
• This bot leaves the competition in the dust
• Best vacuum cleaners of 2016

You’ll only find the 960 in the US and Canada today, but the team plans to expand overseas later this year. At the current exchange rate, that $700 price tag coverts to roughly £525 in the UK and AU$920 in Australia.

According to iRobot, the 960 shares the same software smarts as its $900 980 predecessor, but costs just $700. But for all of its app-enabledness, the 960 doesn’t seem as clever as the 980 for two key reasons:

• The 960 is outfitted with the same old motor you’ll find on the non-smart 800-series Roomba we reviewed in 2013
• The 960’s lithium-ion battery is smaller than the 980’s and claims to have a shorter battery life

iRobot first announced its now-popular Roomba line back in 2002. Since then, brands like Neato and Dyson have swooped in with autonomous cleaners able to snatch up competitive amounts of the rice, sand, and pet hair we toss on our test floors. That makes all of these bots useful from a strictly you-won’t-have-to-actively-clean-your-floor-quite-so-often standpoint.

But robot vacuums are expensive and Roombas are no exception. That’s particularly true for the small, but growing selection of app-enabled self-cleaning vacuums on the market.

The connected Roomba 980 iRobot introduced in 2015 costs $900 and the similarly smart Dyson 360 Eye that made its US debut in 2016 will set you back $1,000. Neato is the one robot vacuum company that’s managed to maintain mostly-reasonable prices. Its app-enabled $700 Botvac Connected performed better than either the Roomba 980 or the Dyson 360 and costs hundreds less.

That price difference makes Neato appealing from a pure value standpoint, but the new Roomba 960 complicates things a bit. $700 is still really pricey, but at least it’s only Neato-level pricey.

You can start a cleaning run from the Android or iPhone iRobot Home app.

iRobot

Given that the older Roomba 880 performed better than the newer app-connected 980, the 960’s old motor might actually be a good thing. We’re tracking down a unit to test now, so we’ll be able to compare the 960 with the 980 and the Neato Botvac Connected. Stay tuned.

Polar M600 Release Date, Price and Specs – CNET

Polar, best known for its line of heart-rate chest straps and running watches, feels that taking fitness seriously is what other smartwatches have been missing. Its new Polar M600 will be available towards the end of September for $330 or £300 (which converts to around AU$435).

The M600 is designed for athletes. That’s evident from its bulky design. This isn’t like the svelte Huawei Watch or Moto 360 — you wouldn’t wear it to a formal event. Equipped with both GPS and its Russian equivalent Glonass, however, the watch can measure pace, distance, speed and other metrics when running and cycling. It’s also swim-proof and can withstand the elements better than other smartwatches.

Sarah Tew/CNET

Polar did something a little different, too, with the optical heart-rate sensor. Most companies use one or two flashing LEDs to light your capillaries and measure the blood as it flows past. Polar opted for six LEDs, which it has said will help with accuracy. Heart rate is only measured continuously during workouts, but you can read it on demand whenever you want.

As for battery life, Polar has said the M600 will last up to 48 hours on Android and 24 hours on an iPhone, which is pretty standard for most Android Wear watches. Meanwhile, with an activity GPS signal, the watch will run up to 8 hours 30 minutes.

Sarah Tew/CNET

The M600, as with other Android Wear watches, works with both iPhones and Android phones. It can display notifications and personalized Google cards for quick information on local weather and traffic.

Polar also added some extra goodies. A single press on the center key will open Polar’s built-in workout app. Here you can track an activity, start an interval workout and view information on past runs. The watch also syncs with the Polar Flow app on Android and iOS to view more detailed information.

Sarah Tew/CNET

Key specs

• Android Wear 2.0 software
• 1.3-inch, 240×240-pixel resolution display, protected by Gorilla Glass 3
• Dual-core processor
• 4GB of storage for apps and music
• 500 mAh battery
• GPS and Glonass
• Optical heart-rate sensor
• Swim-proof

I only had a brief demo with the watch and haven’t had a chance to workout with it yet. We will have a full review of the Polar M600 in the coming weeks.

Blade Glimpse FPV review – CNET

The Good The Blade Glimpse FPV is a palm-size quadcopter with a good 720p HD video camera that can live-stream to your smartphone or tablet. Two flight speeds for beginners or experienced pilots. Strong enough to fly outside, but small and flexible for indoor flights.

The Bad The Glimpse requires a 5.8GHz Wi-Fi-capable smartphone or tablet for FPV flight. Slight latency in video feed. Its body and propellers break a little too easily.

The Bottom Line The Blade Glimpse FPV is a good way to practice flying by camera alone without the cost or concern of damaging a pricier drone.

Most toy quadcopters are piloted by line of sight, meaning you fly while looking at the drone. FPV or first-person-view flying is instead done by looking at a live video feed from an onboard camera, either on a screen or FPV goggles. It’s a necessary skill if you’re interested in piloting racing or higher-end camera drones and one you’re better off practicing with something like the Blade Glimpse FPV.

At $170 (£135, AU$260) it’s pricier than your average palm-size quad, but those typically don’t have good cameras — this one can record 720p-resolution HD video and 1-megapixel photos to an included 8GB microSD card — or built-in Wi-Fi to connect to a phone or tablet for a live view from the camera.

Turn on the included controller, connect the copter’s 3.7V 500mAh 25C LiPo battery and it will create its own Wi-Fi network. Once you connect to the network with a mobile device — it must support 5.8GHz Wi-Fi for it to work — you open the Glimpse app available for Android and iOS and you’ll see what the camera sees and you can start and stop recordings and take stills.

Blade Glimpse FPV is a tiny quad for first-person…
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The quad’s small size is perfect for navigating indoors and the landing gear does double duty as prop guards (though it doesn’t protect them from hard landings). The video downlink range is up to 80 feet (24 meters) and, while there is a slight lag, it’s still good enough to fly by in open spaces outside or around your house.

It looks and sounds like a small flying insect and although the motors are strong enough to fly outside, it’ll get blown around a bit in the wind. Otherwise, it’s very stable and getting it to hover is pretty easy. However, it will not hold altitude on its own, so you’ll need to constantly make micro adjustments to keep it at a specific height.

Battery life with video is average at about 6 to 8 minutes and will run you about $12 each for extras. Parts are reasonably priced and can be replaced with little difficulty. You’ll probably want to start by stocking up on propellers as they damage easily and tend to fly off when you crash.

Despite a bit of latency, the Blade Glimpse FPV is a good way to practice flying by camera alone without the cost or concern of damaging a pricier drone.

Skullcandy Ink’d Wireless review – CNET

The Good The Skullcandy Ink’d is a lightweight, affordable flexible collar-style Bluetooth headphone that offers decent sound and a comfortable fit. It performs fine as a headset for making cell phone calls and has reasonable good battery life.

The Bad It looks a little cheap, which makes you think it should cost a little less.

The Bottom Line The Skull Candy Ink’d Wireless is a better Bluetooth headphone than it looks.

When I first pulled Skullcandy’s Ink’d Wireless neckband-style Bluetooth headphone out its box, I had pretty low expectations. Frankly, it looks and feels a little cheap. And, to be fair, it is: it lists for $50, and we’ve already seen at least on sale at Best Buy (since ended) where it was selling for $40.

The first thing you’ll notice about the Ink’d Wireless is that it’s very lightweight. If you have a collared shirt on, you’ll barely feel it around your neck. The band’s got some flexibility to it, which is good, and while the cords that run from the neckband to the earbuds seem a little thin, some of LG’s Tone headphones have very thin cords (they’re retractable on some models) and I haven’t had a problem with them breaking or fraying over time.

We got the plain black version, but the Ink’d Wireless is also available in other color options.

Sarah Tew/CNET

You’ll find the integrated remote on the left side of the neckband. I liked that the controls were large and easy to operate by feel. There’s a pause/play button that also doubles as a call answer/end button and volume controls that double as track control buttons. You hold down the volume up button to advance a track forward and hold the volume down button to skip back a track.

The buds themselves are all plastic — they’re very lightweight — and the headphone ships with two sizes of silicon eartips. With the larger “default” set, I was able to get tight seal and surprisingly secure fit. It’s very important to be able to get a tight seal or sound quality will suffer, particularly the bass performance.

About that sound quality — it exceeded my expectations. You don’t get the treble and bass push you get from a lot headphones these days (the sound is pretty balanced). And while there isn’t a ton a bass — Chairlift’s “Show U Off” sounds fairly subdued, for example– so this isn’t going to be the greatest headphone for hip hop and club music. But it offers decent clarity in the treble and midrange and measures up well against neckband-style Bluetooth headphones that I’ve tested that cost almost twice as much. (Don’t expect the world from the sound, but most people should be happy with it for the price).