CNET Reviews - Most Recent Reviews

User Rating:
Good: The Logitech UE Boom is a compact, durable wireless Bluetooth speaker that plays very loud for its size and is water- and stain-resistant. It offers up to 15 hours of battery life, has speakerphone capabilities, and is well-suited to outdoor use. Also, if you buy a second speaker, you can create a completely wireless pair of true stereo speakers using the UE Boom app for iOS and Android devices.
Bad: Somewhat pricey; while the sound quality is very good for a speaker this size, the bass could be fuller.
Bottom Line: The $200 Logitech UE Boom is a versatile and durable wireless Bluetooth speaker that plays loud and is great for on-the-go use. [Read more]

User Rating:
Good: Squrl lets you search many of the Web's most popular video sites. It also serves up video recommendations, and has an interface that's both simple and attractive.
Bad: A Home button and a way to bookmark favorite channels would be nice.
Bottom Line: Rather than jumping around the Web to watch videos, download the beautifully designed Squrl, and use it as your one-stop video hub. [Read more]

User Rating:
Good: The new 11-inch MacBook Air manages a phenomenal 10-plus-hour battery life; base $999 model finally has 128GB SSD; still compact and comfortable to use.
Bad: New CPUs don’t really boost performance over last year’s Air; still lacking SD card slot; 11-inch display’s not as high-res as competitors'.
Bottom Line: Apple’s new 11-inch Air goes a conservative route in 2013, emphasizing longer battery life and more affordable pricing over any big design changes. The battery boost alone might be worth it. [Read more]

User Rating:
Good: Vevo has an extensive catalog of premium, music-related video content. Creating an account isn't required, but doing so gives you playlists and more.
Bad: Videos restart if you leave the app or receive a phone call. No search button or artist info on video page.
Bottom Line: For watching music videos, live performances, and other music-related content, Vevo is arguably the best app on the market. [Read more]

User Rating:
Good: The LG Envoy II has an extremely easy-to-understand interface and several shortcut buttons to launch frequently used applications.
Bad: The Envoy II has a grainy display with a narrow viewing angle, the headset jack is nonstandard, and the power/end button is inconveniently located.
Bottom Line: With its low-end specs and mediocre camera, the Envoy II isn't worth buying -- especially since the Samsung Chrono 2 comes in at a cheaper contract price. [Read more]

User Rating:
Good: Sized for small-to-medium hands, the Canon EOS Rebel SL1 delivers the expected photo and video quality in a comfortable and well-executed design.
Bad: It's pretty slim on features.
Bottom Line: While the Canon EOS Rebel SL1 is a perfectly reasonable entry-level dSLR, you can get the same photo and video quality in a smaller body for the same money (or less) by opting for a mirrorless interchangeable-lens model. [Read more]

User Rating:
Good: Sized for small-to-medium hands, the Canon EOS Rebel SL1 delivers the expected photo and video quality in a comfortable and well-executed design.
Bad: It's pretty slim on features.
Bottom Line: While the Canon EOS Rebel SL1 is a perfectly reasonable entry-level dSLR, you can get the same photo and video quality in a smaller body for the same money (or less) by opting for a mirrorless interchangeable-lens model. [Read more]

User Rating:
Good: The easy-to-use Linksys PLEK500 power-line kit supports the new HomePlug AV2 power-line standard and offers sustained speeds three times that of a regular Ethernet connection. It's backward compatible with existing power-line adapters.
Bad: The Linksys PLEK500 caps at just 500Mbps, well below what HomePlug AV2 has to offer, it's relatively expensive, and it doesn't have a pass-though power socket.
Bottom Line: With stellar performance and support for the new HomePlug AV2 standard, the PLEK500 is an easy recommendation. [Read more]

User Rating:
Good: The Sony STR-DN1040 is the most feature-packed AV receiver you'll find at this price. There's built-in Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and AirPlay, plus eight HDMI inputs, which is more than any of its competitors. It also sports a truly modern user interface with crisp, high-definition graphics. And the sound quality is fittingly excellent for a premium AV receiver.
Bad: It's somewhat expensive and more than what most buyers need. The included remote is cluttered with buttons, sure to put-off nontechies. And Sony's automatic speaker calibration wasn't quite perfect in our listening environment.
Bottom Line: The Sony STR-DN1040 is a truly first-class AV receiver, boasting tons of wireless technology and a pretty user interface, at a premium price. [Read more]

User Rating:
Good: New Intel fourth-gen CPUs help the updated MacBook Air achieve amazing battery life. The multitouch trackpad is still the industry's best, and even better, the 13-inch MacBook Air now starts at $100 less than the previous model.
Bad: Newer features such as touch screens and higher-resolution displays are still missing. The ultrabook competition is catching up, in terms of design.
Bottom Line: Apple keeps the latest MacBook Air updates on the inside, but greatly improved battery life and a lower starting price make up for a lack of flashy design changes. [Read more]

User Rating:
Good: Office Mobile for iOS has an intuitive interface for making quick edits to Word, Excel, and PowerPoint documents on the go.
Bad: Limited features mean you're not getting the power of Office 365 on your iPhone, so you shouldn't have to be a subscriber to use the app.
Bottom Line: Office Mobile is worth downloading if you're a current Office 365 subscriber, but with only basic editing features, this app should be free for all. [Read more]

User Rating:
Good: A rich community of users (professional and amateur) make Ustream a unique destination for streaming-video content. Camera button and home screen widget make it a snap to broadcast your own videos.
Bad: Don't expect high-resolution video with the Ustream app. It's difficult to add users to your Favorites list on the Android tablet version, and there's no way to edit video details on either version.
Bottom Line: For watching live video streams and broadcasting your own content, Ustream is clearly a top choice. [Read more]

User Rating:
Good: The JVC Gumy Plus sounds very good for a $7 pair of earphones. It's lightweight, comfortable to wear, and attractively styled.
Bad: The treble isn't as smooth as the bass and there's no inline remote/microphone for making cell-phone calls.
Bottom Line: At around $7, the surprisingly good-sounding and comfortable JVC Gumy Plus is a bargain. [Read more]

User Rating:
Good: The aluminum body Samsung Series 7 Ultra looks and feels great; has excellent battery life; a very nice 1080p touch screen; and a comfortable backlit keyboard and a responsive, large clickpad.
Bad: The Series 7 has only one USB 3.0, and, like most ultrabooks, the battery is nonremovable and there is no optical drive. It has an older processor and integrated graphics.
Bottom Line: The shiny Samsung Series 7 Ultra has a long battery life and nice design, but its now older processor gives us pause. [Read more]

User Rating:
Good: On the road, Waze excels in one very critical way: traffic accuracy. It also helps that the app is free and doesn't require you to set up an account before using.
Bad: The user interface is unattractive and can be difficult to use. Voice command is hidden in the menu.
Bottom Line: For anyone looking for more reliable traffic data than Apple's and Google's stock maps applications, Waze is definitely worth a download. [Read more]

User Rating:
Good: On the road, Waze excels in one very critical way: traffic accuracy. It also helps that the app is free and doesn't require you to set up an account before using.
Bad: The user interface is unattractive and can be difficult to use. Voice command is hidden in the menu.
Bottom Line: For anyone looking for more reliable traffic data than Apple's and Google's stock maps applications, Waze is definitely worth a download. [Read more]

User Rating:
Good: Kingdom Rush Frontiers brings more of the same great gameplay from the original with new towers, new monsters, and plenty of action.
Bad: It adds relatively few new features over the original. The game is not universal, so you'll have to pay extra to have it on both iPhone and iPad.
Bottom Line: Fast and exciting gameplay makes Kingdom Rush Frontiers a must-have pick for tower defense fans. [Read more]

User Rating:
Good: Kingdom Rush Frontiers brings more of the same great gameplay from the original with new towers, new monsters, and plenty of action.
Bad: It adds relatively few new features over the original. The game is not universal, so you'll have to pay extra to have it on both iPhone and iPad.
Bottom Line: Fast and exciting gameplay makes Kingdom Rush Frontiers a must-have pick for tower defense fans. [Read more]

User Rating:
Good: With a better design and bigger screen than the original Vaio Duo, the new Sony Vaio Duo 13 is a solid improvement on its predecessor.
Bad: It's still tough to figure out exactly who the target audience is. The lack of screen angles is especially frustrating.
Bottom Line: The Sony Vaio Duo 13 is ambitious, but less universally useful than other Windows 8 laptop-tablet hybrids. There may not be a real need for a slider-style PC. [Read more]

User Rating:
Good: The 2013 Cadillac CTS-V Wagon combines supercharged power with excellent handling. OnStar gives this car advanced telematics support and an app with a variety of remote features.
Bad: The Bluetooth hands-free phone system offers minimal features and there is no audio streaming to the stereo. Excessive fuel consumption means frequent trips to the gas station.
Bottom Line: The wagon format of this powerful 2013 Cadillac CTS-V gives it an undeniable cool factor, while the handling is surprisingly excellent. But outdated cabin tech gives incentive to wait for an updated 2014 model. [Read more]

User Rating:
Good: The 2013 Fiat 500e's silent electric engine offers good low- and midrange acceleration and feels capable at highway speeds. Cabin tech is simple, but checks the right boxes for audio sources and hands-free calling. The mobile app lets the driver monitor the vehicle and its battery remotely.
Bad: The TomTom navigation system was disappointing. Could take up to a full 24 hours to charge on 110v outlet power.
Bottom Line: The pure-electric 2013 Fiat 500e has the looks, the range, and the power to be city-car practical, but competing models offer better dashboard tech. [Read more]

User Rating:
Good: The Onkyo TX-NR626 is an excellent value, packing both Wi-Fi and Bluetooth at a midrange price. There are six HDMI inputs, plus a dedicated turntable input -- a rarity these days. Onboard streaming-audio support is extensive, including Pandora, Spotify, Rhapsody, Slacker, and Internet radio. And sound quality is solid after a manual setup.
Bad: There's no AirPlay, which competitors offer for less money. The TX-NR626's built-in Audyssey speaker calibration also delivered inconsistent results.
Bottom Line: Onkyo's TX-NR626 is a value-packed AV receiver with Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and even a turntable input, but it's just short of being our top pick. [Read more]

User Rating:
Good: The affordable HMDX Jam Plus sounds better than the original Jam, it has an attractive, fun design, and if you buy a second speaker you can create a completely wireless pair of true stereo speakers.
Bad: No speakerphone capabilities; while the bass is a bit improved, the speaker still sounds thin and distorts at higher volumes.
Bottom Line: With an appealing design, affordable price, and the ability to combine a second Jam Plus to create a left/right stereo pair, the Jam Plus is a worthy budget Bluetooth speaker. [Read more]

User Rating:
Good: Bright clear full-HD 6.3-inch TFT display; good battery life; LTE connectivity; solid build.
Bad: TouchWiz UI; average camera, random reboots; slightly sluggish dual-core processor.
Bottom Line: With a recommended retail price of S$798, the Galaxy Mega seems a tad expensive for a midrange handset, but its solid build and brilliant screen makes this a phablet you can consider getting. [Read more]

User Rating:
Good: The Sprint Vital has a big, bright 5-inch screen, a decent 13-megapixel camera, and a competitively low price tag.
Bad: The Vital comes with a lot of bloatware, the home button can be unresponsive, and call quality is mediocre.
Bottom Line: While the Sprint Vital is ZTE's best handset to date, the HTC One outshines it by miles for the same price. [Read more]