Top-rated reviews of the week (photos)
Here are a few of CNET Reviews' favorite items from the past week, including the Klipsch Image X10i headphones, Toshiba Satellite E205-S1904, and the Motorola Quantico phone.
Klipsch Image X10i headphones
Klipsch Image X10i headphones
Editors' rating: 4 out of 5
The good: The Klipsch Image X10i headphones are extremely comfortable and feature superslim, tiny earpieces. They offer exceptionally clear and balanced audio, with good bass response and a reasonable amount of passive sound isolation. A module integrated into the cable includes an inline mic and a call answer button that doubles as a playback control for the iPod. There are other useful extras in the package, too, such as a case and a quarter-inch adapter.
The bad: The Klipsch Image X10i headphones are expensive and the wire is thin and tangle-prone.
The bottom line: The Klipsch Image X10i headphones are a great option for iPhone and iPod owners who listen mainly to lossless audio.
QNAP TS-259 Pro
QNAP TS-259 Pro
Editors' rating: 4 out of 5
The good: The QNAP TS-259 Pro offers top throughput speed, an overwhelming list of useful features, and an excellent Web interface. Also, it supports hot-swappable RAID configurations, Apple's Time Machine, and IP cameras for an automatic surveillance system.
The bad: The QNAP TS-259 Pro takes a long time to switch from one RAID setup to another and is expensive. Its surveillance system doesn't support motion detection, and it also requires some networking know-how to set up and operate.
The bottom line:The QNAP TS-259 Pro is a dual-bay NAS server that offers great performance and features for a high premium. It's a device best suited for environments with high networking demand and for those who possess an intermediate to advanced know-how of networking.
Seagate BlackArmor PS 110 USB 3.0
Seagate BlackArmor PS 110 USB 3.0 hard drive
Editors' rating: 4 out of 5
The good: The Seagate BlackArmor PS 110 USB 3.0 has fast throughput speeds, a large capacity, and a portable and sleek design at an affordable price. The bus-powered device is backward compatible with USB 2.0 and comes bundled with backup software and a generous five-year warranty.
The bad: Seagate BlackArmor PS 110 USB 3.0 doesn't have FireWire or eSATA connections, and the included backup software only works with PCs.
The bottom line: The Seagate BlackArmor PS 110 USB 3.0 is a well-designed external hard drive that is fast, portable, and future-proof.
Toshiba Satellite E205-S1904
Toshiba Satellite E205-S1904
Editors' rating: 4 out of 5
The good: Slim design; easy-to-use Intel Wireless Display built-in; speedy Core i5 processor.
The bad: Unimpressive speakers; no dedicated gaming graphics; unimpressive battery life.
The bottom line: As one of the first laptops to feature Intel's Wireless Display technology, the Toshiba Satellite E205-S1904 is a slim, fast, and affordable package for mainstream users.
Read CNET's full review
Price: $999.99
Acer Aspire One 532h-2326 - Atom N450 1.66 GHz
Acer Aspire One 532h-2326 - Atom N450 1.66 GHz
Editors' rating: 3.5 out of 5
The good: Solid Netbook for less than $300; great battery life.
The bad: Few frills; lackluster touch pad.
The bottom line: The Acer Aspire One 532h-2326 is just as good for basic tasks as Netbooks costing $100 more, making it a solid sub-$300 option.
Audio-Technica ATH-ANC1 QuietPoint headphones
Audio-Technica ATH-ANC1 QuietPoint headphones
Editors' rating: 3.5 out of 5
The good: The Audio-Technica QuietPoint ATH-ANC1 headphones are reasonably priced, lightweight, comfortable, and super compact; they offer clear and balanced audio with a tight low-end; they can be used with or without the noise cancellation feature; and they come with a few handy extras.
The bad: The headband of the ATH-ANC1isn't padded and may not be durable in the long run. The headphones require a lot of headphone amp power.
The bottom line: The Audio-Technica QuietPoint ATH-ANC1 headphones are a great option for frequent fliers, thanks to their compact, lightweight design, noise cancellation functionality, and good overall sound quality.
LG HBM-800
LG HBM-800
Editors' rating: 3.5 out of 5
The good: The LG HBM-800 is both a Bluetooth headset and a speakerphone all in one. It's easy to use, stylish, and affordable.
The bad: The LG HBM-800 headset has small controls, and we wish it had a more comfortable fit. The call quality could be improved.
The bottom line: Despite a few issues, the LG HBM-800 is a good solution if you want both a Bluetooth headset and a speakerphone in one package.
Motorola H790 headset
Motorola H790 headset
Editors' rating: 3.5 out of 5
The good: The Motorola H790 is slim, easy to use, and has multipoint technology. We also like the power slider and the comfortable fit in the ear. It has good call quality as well.
The bad: The Motorola H790's call button is a little hard to press, and the buttons might be too skinny for some.
The bottom line: The Motorola H790 is an attractive and affordable headset with good sound quality.
Motorola Quantico
Motorola Quantico
Editors' rating: 3.5 out of 5
The good: The Motorola Quantico is well-built and durable against a variety of harsh conditions. It has a 1.3-megapixel camera, a music player, A-GPS, and a roomy keypad. It has good call quality as well.
The bad: The Motorola Quantico's screen could be improved, and it's quite bulky.
The bottom line: The Motorola Quantico is a rugged midrange phone that doesn't offer too many surprises, but it makes it up in reliability.
Read CNET's full review
Price: $99.95
Sony Alpha DSLR-A550 (body only)
Sony Alpha DSLR-A550 (body only)
Editors' rating: 3.5 out of 5
The good: Generally above-average performance for its class; excellent high ISO sensitivity profile relative to competitors; large, tilting LCD; fast Live View autofocus.
The bad: Poor color accuracy; Live View provides only 90 percent coverage; awkward design for shooting via optical viewfinder; no video.
The bottom line: If you're a Live View-oriented shooter who doesn't care about color accuracy, the Sony Alpha DSLR-A550's good performance and decent noise profile make it attractive for the money. Otherwise, you can find a better camera.
Sony Cyber-shot DSC-W350 (silver)
Sony Cyber-shot DSC-W350 (silver)
Editors' rating: 3.5 out of 5
The good: Simple to operate; reliable auto shooting; 26mm-equivalent wide-angle lens; decent high ISO results.
The bad: Generally soft and somewhat noisy photos at full size.
The bottom line: A sweet little wide-angle compact, the Sony Cyber-shot DSC-W350 should make a lot of snapshooters happy.