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10 alternatives to Apple's all-time most popular apps

Last week, Apple announced that its App Store is approaching 50 billion app downloads. In celebration of the milestone, Apple is giving away a $10,000 App Store gift card to the lucky person who initiates the 50 billionth download.

As part of the celebration, Apple listed the top 25 apps -- both free and paid -- for iPhone and iPad. None of the apps listed is particularly surprising (especially to someone who studies the most-popular list every day), but one thing that did strike me is that a lot of the all-time best sellers still sit near the top … Read more

Texas Hold 'em Poker 100k by A.S.H. HD 4.4.1 Review

Texas hold 'em may not enjoy the popularity that it did only a few years ago, but it is still the most popular card game in America, with hundreds of tournaments, Web sites, and apps devoted to it. There are quite a few apps that attempt to bring that experience to the app store. Texas Hold'em Poker 100K by ASH is one of the most popular and for good reason: it manages to bring the feeling of a high-stakes game of poker to the iPad in a way that few other games have managed to do.

If you've … Read more

What's more 'practical,' a Ferrari or a high-end hi-fi?

Eyeball a car magazine or two on a newsstand and there's a good chance you'll spot a 200-mile-per-hour dream machine gracing the cover. Why not? They're gorgeous weapons of speed, and they all sell for more than the price of your house. Supercar MSRP inflation shows no signs of letting up, all (three) of the $3.9 million, 750-horsepower Lamborghini Venenos are spoken for. Ferraris are priced somewhat more competitively; the legendary Italian maker will soon offer 499 editions of their $1.15 million carbon-fiber-bodied, hybrid V-12/electric LaFerrari, which has 963 horsepower and can reach 217 … Read more

Panasonic's E series LCDs are feature-rich

LAS VEGAS--In 2013, Panasonic is releasing its largest line of LCDs yet, with seven different series to choose from. While the WT60 and DT60 sit at the high end, it's the three types of E series that make up the bulk of the company's offering.

The three E series include the 50-inch and 60-inch ET60; the E60 in four sizes (42-, 50-, 58-, and 65-inch screens); and the entry-level EM60 at 39 inches and 50 inches.

Unusually for Panasonic, the ET60 and E60 are blessed with an embarrassment of feature riches. The most "gadgety" addition is … Read more

LG's $12K OLED TV ships in March

LAS VEGAS--Today LG announced it would make the first 55-inch OLED TV available to the public in the Unites States this March for a cost of around $12,000.

The announcement follows one made January 2, when the company said the TV would hit South Korea first in February. I expect LG too announce additional markets for the futuristic TV, such as Europe, soon.

The television, model 55EM9700, is the successor to the 55EM9600 that won CNET's highest honor at the Consumer Electronics Show in January 2012 but never actually shipped.

The two TVs are similar in every important … Read more

LG's $10,000 OLED: Hands-on

Big-screen OLED TV technology has taken years to come to market, and LG's 55EM9600 won CNET's Best of CES award in January, so among technology enthusiasts, it's safe to classify anticipation for the 4mm-thin television as "high."

CNET's Asia's TV reviewer Philip Wong got the opportunity to spend some hands-on time with an early version of the set yesterday in Monaco, and he liked what he saw -- from deep black levels to superb off-angle viewing, with a potential for accurate color. His conclusion?

In many ways, the 55EM9600 is the "spiritual successor" to the lengendary Pioneer Kuro. Until we have a chance to check out the Samsung OLED panel, this LG easily sets the new benchmark in terms of TV picture quality and slim design.

Check out his full impressions here, including plenty of in-person pictures and TV nerd eye candy.

Fun photo apps you may not know about for iOS

Spring has finally sprung here in Northern California, and with the nice weather and everything in bloom, it's the perfect time to check out some new photo apps.

We all know about apps like Instagram, and I've talked about effects apps like PhotoToaster here before. But I have come across some new (or new to me) photo apps recently that are great for playing with your images and sharing them with friends.

This week's iOS apps are perfect for snapping pictures of springtime (or really, any time). The first is a social photo app like Instagram with … Read more

LG's 55-inch OLED TV packed with 3D bells, smart TV whistles

This article has been updates since initial publication, and this product won CNET's Best of CES award.

LAS VEGAS--Television manufacturer LG says that by 2016, its organic light-emitting diode, or OLED, televisions will cost the same as an LCD television.

This year, the company is working toward reaching that goal with the release of its first OLED TV in the American market, the 55-inch 55EM9600.

LG announced the TV in the week before CES 2012, but it wasn't only big OLED screen announced at the show; Samsung will ship its own OLED TV this year as well.

While … Read more

Apple's first and only iOS game goes kaput

Apple has quietly killed off Texas Hold'em, the first and only iOS game the company ever offered.

As spotted by MacRumors this morning, the game is no longer available on the App Store, giving users an error message if they try to click through to its product page.

An Apple spokesman confirmed that the company is no longer selling the app, but declined to elaborate.

The $4.99 card game, which continued the card-playing franchise from the clickwheel iPod era, went on sale just weeks after the launch of the original App Store. Apple pitched it as an example … Read more

Bionic Bopper cars bring Rock 'Em Sock 'Em to life

Rock 'Em Sock 'Em robots are back, and they're bigger and more kick-ass than ever.

Just in time for the holidays, Hammacher Schlemmer is selling a pair of bumper cars designed to look and act much like the Rock 'Em Sock 'Em robots we loved as kids. The Bionic Bopper cars feature a steel-cage cockpit where the driver can sit and use two joysticks to maneuver the robot's arms and deliver metal-crushing uppercuts to the opposing robot's head.

The cars measure 74 inches high by 59 inches wide by 62 inches deep. Each is equipped with a display in its midsection to keep tally of the score (one hit equals one point).

Three wheels underneath the 850-pound machines allow you to move forward, backward, left, and right at a breakneck speed of 3 mph, and rubber bumpers along the bottom of the vehicles ensure that the fighters are at "optimal distance for scoring." Also, prepare for some epic battles because the Bionic Boppers' gas engine promises up to five hours of continuous use. … Read more