Top-rated reviews of the week (photos)
Here are a few of CNET Reviews' favorite items from the past week, including the 2010 Audi A3 2.0 TDI, Moxi HD DVR, and the Sony HDR-CX500V.
Escort Entourage CIS
Here's our weekly roundup of the new products CNET reviewers liked best.
Escort Entourage CIS car security system
Editors' rating: 4 out of 5
The good: The Escort Entourage CIS is small, easy to install, and can be hidden out of view. Users can track their vehicle's GPS location online and can receive SMS/e-mail notifications to keep the user updated about their vehicle's status. The MyPass key fob automatically arms/disarms the device, reducing user interactions to zero.
The bad: Parking garages and tunnels can compromise the Entourage's position reporting capabilities. The cost of MyPass key fobs is a bit steep for vehicles with multiple drivers.
The bottom line: As a security solution, the Escort Entourage CIS may not prevent your car from being stolen, but by stealthily reporting the vehicle's GPS location, it goes a long way toward quickly recovering it.
Sony Vaio VPCZ116GX/S
Sony Vaio VPCZ116GX/S
Editors' rating: 4 out of 5
The good: Light and sturdy design; large SSD hard drive; switchable discrete graphics; excellent performance.
The bad: Expensive; switchable graphics options can be confusing.
The bottom line: Sony's top-of-the-line 13-inch Vaio VPCZ116GX/S has a speedy Core i5 CPU, discrete graphics, a huge 256GB SSD, and a sky-high price to match.
Asus U50F-RBBAG05
Asus U50F-RBBAG05
Editors' rating: 3.5 out of 5
The good: Great price; fast Core i3 processor; lightweight for its size.
The bad: Underachieving battery life.
The bottom line: The Asus U50F is one of the best values for an Intel Core i3 laptop we've seen, offering a great all-around package for its price--save for shorter-than-average battery life.
Read CNET's full review. Also check out the higher-end Asus UL50VT-RBBBK05, which too was reviewed highly this week.
2010 Audi A3 2.0 TDI
2010 Audi A3 2.0 TDI
Editors' rating: 3.5 out of 5
The good: With its diesel engine, the 2010 Audi A3 TDI delivers exceptionally good fuel economy. Its iPod integration and the Bluetooth phone system both work very well.
The bad: The DVD-based navigation system is slow, and tedious to use. The S-tronic transmission didn't always operate smoothly.
The bottom line: Although diesel driving takes some getting used to, the 2010 Audi A3 TDI's excellent fuel economy makes it worth it and its cabin tech provides some modern conveniences.
HP Pavilion dv4-2155dx
HP Pavilion dv4-2155dx
Editors' rating: 3.5 out of 5
The good: Excellent performance and components for its cost; built-in mobile broadband support.
The bad: Subpar battery life; no Bluetooth.
The bottom line: A fast hard drive and a peppy processor help make HP's Pavilion dv4-2155dx a solid mainstream laptop, as long as you don't need good battery life.
iTech SolarCharger 906
iTech SolarCharger 906
Editors' rating: 3.5 out of 5
The good: The iTech SolarCharger 906 is lightweight and can be mounted to your car's windshield. It comes with plenty of adapter tips to accommodate all kinds of portable devices.
The bad: The iTech SolarCharger 906 needs at least 40 percent of power already in it for it to solar charge. It also needs optimum direct sunlight.
The bottom line: Despite its limitations, the iTech SolarCharger 906 does work as a quick, easy, and eco-friendly solution to charge up your portable devices.
iTech Solar Voice Bluetooth headset
iTech Solar Voice Bluetooth headset
Editors' rating: 3.5 out of 5
The good: The iTech SolarVoice 908 has a photovoltaic cell, so it can charge via solar power. Features include multipoint technology, A2DP streaming, and noise canceling. It comes with a variety of earbud covers.
The bad: The iTech SolarVoice 908 needs direct sunlight for the solar charging to work. The multifunction button is located on the bottom left, which may be awkward for some people. The ear fit felt a little odd, as well.
The bottom line: Despite a few quirks, the iTech SolarVoice 908 is a good headset that has acceptable call quality, especially if you're into solar-powered gadgets.
Motorola Devour- silver (Verizon Wireless)
Motorola Devour- silver (Verizon Wireless)
Editors' rating: 3.5 out of 5
The good: The Motorola Devour has a sturdy design with a functional feature set and a spacious keyboard. It's a good performer too.
The bad: The Motorola Devour runs Android 1.6, and its display is small for the phone's size. The placement of some controls could be improved, and the camera has few features.
The bottom line: The Motorola Devour is built to last and it delivers on features and performance. We'd make a few usability changes, and we were hoping for more than Android 1.6, but Moto makes another good Android move.
Read CNET's full review
Price: $149
Moxi HD DVR (two-tuner)
Moxi HD DVR (two-tuner)
Editors' rating: 3.5 out of 5
The good: Dual-tuner cable high-def DVR includes support for YouTube, Hulu, and Netflix via PlayOn software; built-in Flickr and Rhapsody compatibility; streams digital photos, music, and video from networked PCs; multiroom viewing (with additional Moxi Mate hardware purchase).
The bad: Monthly fee is replaced by high upfront cost; interface and program guide take some getting used to; does not work with cable video-on-demand; no built-in Wi-Fi; PlayOn-related video services require you to run a Windows PC simultaneously; PC-based media access slows interface and introduces some instability; does not support over-the-air antenna reception; remote control isn't particularly intuitive.
The bottom line: If you can get past the high price of entry, the Moxi HD DVR's bevy of network and Internet-enhanced features makes it a potentially worthwhile TiVo competitor.
Sony HDR-CX500V
Sony HDR-CX500V
Editors' rating: 3.5 out of 5
The good: Compact design; first-rate video quality and performance; geotagging videos is fun, if limited.
The bad: No SD card support; awkward control layout; no wind filter; no manual shutter speed, iris, or audio controls; expensive.
The bottom line: The geotagging capability remains mostly a novelty, but the top-notch video quality of the Sony Handycam HDR-CX500V and HDR-CX520V make them worthy options. Because internal memory is overpriced, the HDR-XR500V is the better deal of the two, though you may want to opt for a 2010 model that supports SD cards rather than Sony's Memory Stick.