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Most-anticipated tech of late 2015 (pictures)

2015 is rapidly coming to a close, but a number of highly anticipated products are set to hit stores before the end of the year. Here's a look at the products we're looking forward to reviewing soon.

David Carnoy
Executive Editor David Carnoy has been a leading member of CNET's Reviews team since 2000. He covers the gamut of gadgets and is a notable reviewer of mobile accessories and portable audio products, including headphones and speakers. He's also an e-reader and e-publishing expert as well as the author of the novels Knife Music, The Big Exit and Lucidity. All the titles are available as Kindle, iBooks, Nook e-books and audiobooks.
David Carnoy
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1 of 12 Tim Stevens/CNET

Tesla Model X

Tesla has made us wait for its super high-tech SUV for three and a half years. Now that it's finally here it's already backordered till 2016 for those who didn't make early reservations to buy one.

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2 of 12 James Martin/CNET

Apple TV (2015)

Arriving sometime in October, Apple's new streaming-video box offers a real app store including games, a new remote with a touchpad, Siri voice interaction including cross-app search and a revamped interface.

International pricing and availability for the new models have not yet been announced.

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3 of 12 James Martin/CNET

Apple iPad Pro

Apple's extra-large iPad Pro is a 12.9-inch tablet that's powered by Apple's new A9x 64-bit chip. It works work with a new stylus, dubbed the Apple Pencil, and a smart keyboard accessory.

The iPad Pro will be available in November in silver, gold and space gray colors starting at $799, £520, AU$1,140 for the 32GB model.

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4 of 12 James Martin/CNET

Google Nexus 6P

With a screen a scosh larger than the 5.5-inch iPhone 6S Plus and right on par with the Samsung Galaxy Note 5 and S6 Edge+, the Google flagship Nexus 6P embraces the ultralarge display in a big way. Its high-resolution display, sometimes referred to as 2K, fits in with the times as well.

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5 of 12 Google

Google Nexus 5X

The Nexus 5X, which starts at $379 or £339, is one of two new smartphones that come with Google's latest operating system, Android 6.0 Marshmallow. The smaller 5.2-inch Nexus 5X is made by LG, and the larger 5.7-inch Nexus 6P is made by Huawei.

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6 of 12 Sarah Tew/CNET

Microsoft Surface Pro 4

Shipping in October, Microsoft's new Surface Pro 4 is a evolution from the previous Surface Pro 3. Starting with a thinner, lighter chassis and slightly larger display, it adds new processors from Intel, a redesigned keyboard, improved stylus functionality, and a front-facing camera that can instantly log you in to Windows 10 using facial recognition. The entry-level model is $899, £749, AU$1,349.

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7 of 12 Josh Miller/CNET

Steam machines

Valve's Steam Machine platform, which promises to combine console simplicity with PC game depth, could have a huge impact when it kicks off in late 2015. The first Steam Machine devices are officially coming in November, with some early access hardware going out to presale customers in October.

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8 of 12 Sarah Tew/CNET

Microsoft Surface Book

Do you like the Surface, but want a more traditional laptop design? Microsoft has built the Surface Book, a Surface tablet that clicks into a keyboard dock that makes it look like a laptop.

The 128 GB model costs $1,499 or AU$2,299 (£985 converted), while the 1TB option goes up to $2,699 (£1,770 or AU$2,699 converted, no confirmed Australian pricing yet).

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9 of 12 Sarah Tew/CNET

Microsoft Band 2

Microsoft's new Band 2 fitness tracker includes more sensors and a curved screen for a more ergonomic fit. It ships on October 30 for $250, £200.

Australian pricing and availability wasn't announced, directly converts to about AU$425. (The original was never released in Australia.)

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10 of 12 James Martin/CNET

Google Pixel C tablet

Google has added a brand-new tablet to its Chromebook Pixel line of devices. The Pixel C runs the latest version of Android, Marshmallow 6.0, and features a slim magnetic keyboard case that's sold separately. It's priced at $500 for the base 32GB model (£330 or AU$715, directly converted) and $600 for the 64GB version, while the keyboard will go for $149 (£100 or AU$215, converted). According to Google, it's expected to go on sale around the holidays.

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11 of 12 Sarah Tew/CNET

Roku 4

Ever lose your remote in the couch cushions? Ever wish you could stream 4K Netflix without having to use your TV's built-in app? Roku's new (US-only) high-end player, the $129 Roku 4, brings these new extras to its best-in-class streaming ecosystem.

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12 of 12 Luke Westaway/CNET

PCs powered by Intel's Skylake chips (6th-generation Core i-series processors)

CNET's Shara Tibken writes: "Intel -- which provides the chips that power the vast majority of the world's PCs and servers -- first teased the sixth generation of its Core i-series processors a year ago and officially introduced the chip, known by the codename Skylake, in August. The processors act as the brains of devices, and Intel has focused on reducing power consumption and boosting their capabilities.

"Because of Skylake's features, companies will be able to release laptop PCs that are half as thick and half as heavy as those from five years ago, according to Intel, while at the same time enabling double the performance and triple the battery life of computers from 2010. And Intel's also making a push toward 'wire-free' computing, with many Skylake systems supporting wireless charging."

New Skylake-powered PCs are hitting stores this fall.

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