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Top 5 home theater projectors

While the TV industry figures out what to do with itself as the enthusiasm for 4K, OLED, and 3D trickles out, many of you are making a very basic request. You just want a big ol' honkin' screen.

For an elegant solution that will fit through the door and won't break the bank, you need to ditch the TV and go with a home theater projector.

CNET's running list of the best home theater projectors is the first place to check for the best options available. But since it's a subject we haven't touched on Top … Read more

Tabletop PCs: The first wave

This new category of PC can be hard to pin down. To some, these are all-in-one desktops, similar to the Apple iMac, but with the added ability to either fold down flat or detach their screens. To others, these are battery-powered megatablets, with screens measuring between 18 and 27 inches, but are otherwise similar to Windows 8 slates such as Microsoft's Surface Pro. But, I think they're an entirely different animal, with features of a personal computer, a piece of consumer electronics equipment, and even living-room furniture.

That's why I call them tabletop PCs, and since late … Read more

The Audiophiliac picks the best speakers under $650

I've said it many times: the very best audio is frighteningly expensive, and so are the world's best cars, cameras, clothing, boats, and so forth. The good news is there are really pretty spectacular finds at the other end of the audio rainbow. I love it when I come across an over-performing budget-priced speaker, and lately, I've found quite a few. Here's a newly revised list of standout designs.

Since this list covers a broad range of speaker types, there's no ranking order; each one is exceptional in its own right. I have spent time … Read more

Crave Ep. 119: The flexible MorePhone contorts when you get a call

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This week on Crave, we take a look at a concept phone that can change its shape when you get a notification. Plus, Microsoft shows off the IllumiRoom projector that puts gamers inside video games and we play another round of "Into It Not Into It"! … Read more

Caffeine-infused lingerie claims to blast fanny fat

There are many ways you can attempt to fight fat. You can exercise and revamp your diet or you can try slipping into some super-slinky French undies. Not just any French undies will do. A new line of Top Model shapewear from French lingerie designer Simone Perele comes with lacy trim and some interesting cellulite-fighting claims.

We've already seen Wrangler jeans with infused moisturizers and underwear made with copper, so I guess it should come as no surprise that we can now buy shapewear infused with caffeine, vitamin E, Retinol, ceramides, fatty acids, and aloe vera. Those extras, encapsulated in the microfiber fabric, rub off on your skin as you wear it.… Read more

Best Samsung Galaxy S4 cases

Editors' note: This post was updated May 10, 2013, with eight new products, including cases from Ballistic, Bear Motion, Boxwave, Cygnett, Tech21, and X-Doria. Two cases were removed from the list.

iPhone owners have always had a variety of cases and covers to choose from, but the Samsung Galaxy S3 and S4 are among the few ultrapopular Android smartphones that have spurred cottage industries of cases and covers.

In boiling down the best of what's currently out there, I tried to provide a good mix of well-designed, affordable cases with more-expensive models that offer some unique attributes.

One thing … Read more

Busy fall for Apple, Xbox, and Amazon

CNET Update is out of breath:

Apple fans will have to wait until the fall for new "amazing" products, or so promises CEO Tim Cook.

Samsung fans will also be doing some waiting. The Galaxy S4 was said to hit stores this weekend, but the smartphone is facing supply issues -- and that's causing T-Mobile and Sprint to push back launch dates and only sell online. But you may be able to find one on Saturday in stores at AT&T, and on Tuesday at U.S. Cellular. [Read CNET's review here.]

For shoppers that … Read more

The economics behind Amazon's possible set-top box gambit

Yes, Amazon makes the successful Kindle Fire tablet computer. And yes, it's reportedly considering offering a smartphone.

But a streaming video set-top box? Bloomberg reported Wednesday that Amazon plans to dive into that hardware business, citing "three people familiar with the project who aren't authorized to discuss it." What's Amazon thinking?

It's a crowded market already. Companies such as Roku and Boxee already make set-top boxes that can stream video content to televisions. Consumers can stream video from gaming consoles such as the Xbox 360 and the PlayStation 3. And they can catch streaming … Read more

Top five power-line adapters: When Wi-Fi fails you

In home networking, the fastest way -- in terms of data speed -- to connect devices together is via network cables. However, running cables properly, which involves making networking ports and connector heads, is no easy task. This is part of the reason the wireless network (Wi-Fi) has become so popular. But chances are, there's a spot in your home that the Wi-Fi signal can't reach, because of distance or thick walls. This is when a power-line connection can be a useful alternative.

Power-line adapters basically turn the electrical wiring of a home into network cables for a computer network. You need at least two power-line adapters to form the first power-line connection. The first adapter is connected to the router and the second to the Ethernet-ready device at the far end. There are some routers on the market, such as the D-Link DHP-1320, that have built-in support for power-line connectivity, meaning you can skip the first adapter. After the first connection, you just need one more adapter to add another Ethernet-ready device to the home network.

Apart from the ability to bridge the network through thick walls, power-line connections are also a lot more stable than Wi-Fi signal and have as low latency and a regular Ethernet wired connections.

Currently there are two main standards for power-line networking, HomePlug AV and Powerline AV 500. They offer speed caps of 200Mbps and 500Mbps, respectively. The following is the list of top five power-line adapters on the market. This list is sorted by the review date, starting with the most recently reviewed. It will be updated as more devices are reviewed.… Read more