Photos: Top-rated reviews of the week
Here are a few of CNET Reviews' favorite items from the past week, including Klipsch Image S4 earphones, Sony Cyber-shot DSC-W290, and the 2009 Lexus IS 350.
Klipsch Image S4 earphones
Klipsch Image S4 earphones
Editors' rating: 4.5
The good: The Klipsch Image S4 earphones offer exceptional sound quality for the money. They're also very comfortable and come with a few handy extras such as a storage box and cleaning tool.
The bad: The cable of the Image S4 earphones doesn't seem very durable, and the included eartips may not work for everyone.
The bottom line: The Klipsch Image S4 earphones offer up sound quality on par with and better than sets that cost many times as much; they are a spectacular choice for anyone looking for new earbuds.
Sony Cyber-shot DSC-W290 (black)
Sony Cyber-shot DSC-W290 (black)
Editors' rating: 4
The good: Terrific design, interface, and controls; wide-angle, 5x zoom lens; excellent price-to-feature ratio.
The bad: No optical zoom while recording video; soft photos.
The bottom line: The Sony Cyber-shot DSC-W290 is an excellent, well-balanced compact camera.
HP Photosmart C6380 all-in-one
HP Photosmart C6380 all-in-one
Editors' rating: 3.5
The good: Inexpensive; dual output trays; fast output speed; painless Wi-Fi setup; comprehensive driver software; easy to use; small footprint.
The bad: Output quality will not satisfy professional photographers.
The bottom line: The HP Photosmart C6380 is a good fit for beginning photographers that want more than just a simple printer. Its six-ink cartridge bay, scanning, and copying extend its versatility, and while the output quality suffers a few missteps, the C6380 remains a worthwhile deal for the money.
Jabra SP200 Bluetooth speakerphone
Jabra SP200 Bluetooth speakerphone
Editors' rating: 3.5
The good: The Jabra SP200 is a basic Bluetooth speakerphone with easy-to-use controls.
The bad: The Jabra SP200 doesn't have the fancier features of similarly priced models, and call quality can be a bit tinny.
The bottom line: The Jabra SP200 is a simple Bluetooth speakerphone that sounds great and is affordable as well.
2009 Lexus IS 350
2009 Lexus IS 350
Editors' rating: 3.5
The good: The optional Mark Levinson audio system in the 2009 Lexus IS 350 makes music sound superb, and we like the aesthetics and usability of the cabin tech interface. F Sport accessories tune the IS 350 for track handling.
The bad: Ride quality becomes harsh with the F Sport suspension. Cabin tech lacks iPod integration and external information sources in the navigation system. The six-speed automatic isn't up to sport driving.
The bottom line: Putting tuner components on the 2009 Lexus IS 350 gives it a more sporting character, with only a minimum sacrifice of luxury. However, outdated cabin electronics suggest waiting for the next model update.
Logitech Harmony Adapter for PlayStation 3
Logitech Harmony Adapter for PlayStation 3
Editors' rating: 3.5
The good: Provides complete control of PlayStation 3 including all 51 possible commands; allows for powering on and off; saves a USB port.
The bad: Adapter requires power; Harmony programming isn't as simple as directions make it out to be; won't work with remotes other than Harmony.
The bottom line: Setting up the Logitech Harmony Adapter for PlayStation 3 isn't completely painless (or cheap), but once up and running, it does provide total control over your PS3 including the ability to power it on and off.
Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ28 (silver)
Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ28 (silver)
Editors' rating: 3.5
The good: Useful 27mm wide-angle zoom; excellent image stabilization; full selection of manual and automatic exposure controls; 720p movie capture with operational zoom; relatively fast.
The bad: Prone to soft, noisy photos; no hotshoe.
The bottom line: Other cameras may deliver higher resolution and longer optical zooms, but the Panasonic FZ28 proves that the "more is better" presumption isn't always valid.
Seagate Replica Multi-PC (500GB)
Seagate Replica Multi-PC (500GB)
Editors' rating: 3.5
The good: The Replica backs up the entire contents of a Windows PC hard drive, operating system and all; simple setup; restoring a system is easy; step-up 500GB model offers option for backing up multiple PCs.
The bad: Only backs up your entire system; you can't selectively move files on and off the drive; no Mac support; supplied USB cable is unusually short.
The bottom line: While Seagate's Replica will seem silly and restricting to those looking for a flexible external storage option, others will welcome the singularity of its mission to back up your entire Windows PC.
Sony HT-SS360
Sony HT-SS360
Editors' rating: 3.5
The good: Blu-ray-ready 5.1 home theater system; three HDMI inputs; three digital audio inputs; three stereo analog audio inputs; automatic speaker calibration; satisfying sound on movies.
The bad: Doesn't handle music well; no analog video connections; no onscreen display; iPod dock isn't included.
The bottom line: The Sony HT-SS360 is an inexpensive home theater system with generous HDMI connectivity and satisfying sound on movies, but don't expect it to deliver with music.
Spracht Aura BluNote
Spracht Aura BluNote
Editors' rating: 3.5
The good: The Spracht Aura Blu Note is a compact and lightweight stereo Bluetooth speaker that's easy to set up and use. It has bass boost and stereo widening, which results in good sound quality. It also has a 3.5-millimeter headset jack, and can be powered with an AC adapter or four AA batteries.
The bad: The Spracht Aura Blu Note does not have any music player control buttons and it is lacking in features.
The bottom line: If you don't mind the lack of controls and features, the Spracht Aura Blu Note has great sound quality for a portable Bluetooth speaker.
Toshiba Portege R600-ST520W
Toshiba Portege R600-ST520W
Editors' rating: 3.5
The good: Truly ultraportable; very good performance for its size; impressive battery life; built-in DVD burner.
The bad: Expensive; WiMAX of limited immediate use; flimsy screen.
The bottom line: The Toshiba Portege R600 may be pricey compared with Netbooks, but it has a lot more to offer beyond its ultraportable size.
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