Top-rated reviews of the week (photos)
Here are a few of CNET Reviews' favorite items from the past week, including the Toshiba mini NB205-N325BL, Samsung Omnia II, and the Fujifilm FinePix F70EXR.
Toshiba mini NB205-N325BL
Toshiba mini NB205-N325BL
Editors' rating: 4 out of 5
The good: Large touch pad, great battery life.
The bad: Bulky battery sticks out awkwardly; wimpy audio.
The bottom line: Toshiba's basic Netbook doesn't break any new ground, but offers better battery life and a faster CPU than many in the same price range.
Samsung Omnia II (Verizon Wireless)
Samsung Omnia II (Verizon Wireless)
Editors' rating: 4 out of 5
The good: The Samsung Omnia II boasts a spacious and sharp AMOLED touch screen. Samsung's TouchWiz 2.0 user interface gives the Omnia II great customization options and is easy of use. The Windows Mobile 6.5 smartphone also has advanced multimedia features, Wi-Fi, 3G support, Bluetooth, and GPS.
The bad: Omnia II is a bit bulky; Swype keyboard takes some acclimation; Can occasionally be sluggish.
The bottom line: While not the most powerful smartphone on the market, the Samsung Omnia II features an improved user interface and a richer multimedia experience to make it a worthy upgrade over its predecessor and one of the best Windows Mobile devices on the market.
Asus 1005HAGB-BBY-BK01X
Asus 1005HAGB-BBY-BK01X
Editors' rating: 3.5 out of 5
The good: Sleek, attractive design; great battery; includes 3G antenna.
The bad: Clacky feel to the keyboard; lacks Windows 7; wimpy mouse buttons.
The bottom line: The Asus 1005HA remains one of the best overall Netbooks available, but this model, even with a 3G antenna, is starting to feel a bit long in the tooth.
Asus G60VX-RBBX05
Asus G60VX-RBBX05
Editors' rating: 3.5 out of 5
The good: Affordable; excellent gaming performance; backlit keyboard and separate number pad.
The bad: Bulky body; poor battery life; screen isn't 1080p.
The bottom line: Packed with a great graphics card and good audio, but lacking Intel's latest Core i7 chip, the Asus G60VX-RBBX05 is a very solid all-around gaming solution for less than $1,000.
Chumby One
Chumby One
Editors' rating: 3.5 out of 5
The good: The Chumby One is a fun and adaptable way to bring bite-size Web apps and streaming Internet radio to any corner of your home or office.
The bad: The Chumby One doesn't excel at any particular feature; its design feels toylike; and the optional battery pack lasts only 1 hour.
The bottom line: It's hard to say if the Chumby One works better as an alarm clock, a photo frame, a news reader, or as an Internet radio, but for around $100, it's a great value in any incarnation.
Read CNET's full review
Price: $99.95
Fujifilm FinePix F70EXR
Fujifilm FinePix F70EXR
Editors' rating: 3.5 out of 5
The good: Overall very good photo quality; lots of useful features; very good dynamic range and high ISO performance in EXR modes; extremely compact for having a 10x zoom, wide-angle lens.
The bad: No HD movie mode; limited aperture settings; menu systems take some getting used to; above average amount of purple fringing in photos; two EXR modes use 5-megapixel resolution.
The bottom line: A compact megazoom with a lot to offer, the Fujifilm FinePix F70EXR is very good for its class, but with a few limitations.
2010 GMC Terrain
2010 GMC Terrain
Editors' rating: 3.5 out of 5
The good: A new generation of hard-drive-based navigation with traffic makes up the centerpiece of the 2010 GMC Terrain's cabin tech, and music sources include the navigation hard drive and full iPod integration. Active noise cancellation keeps the cabin insulated from the road. A direct injection engine sends plenty of power to the wheels.
The bad: The Bluetooth phone system lacks a phone book. The six-speed automatic is a little clunky.
The bottom line: Despite its strongly SUV-styled body, the construction, power plant, and cabin tech of the 2010 GMC Terrain is thoroughly modern, equal to or surpassing much of the competition.
Pantech Impact - pink (AT&T)
Pantech Impact - pink (AT&T)
Editors' rating: 3.5 out of 5
The good: The Pantech Impact has a unique OLED touch-sensitive keypad, dual-displays, and a full QWERTY keyboard. Features include 3G, GPS, a HTML browser, a 2.0-megapixel camera, and a music player.
The bad: The keypad could be a little roomier; the keyboard feels off balance; and the camera is a little tricky to use.
The bottom line: The Pantech Impact has an eye-catching style and a respectable feature set, but its design could use some improvements.
Sanyo SCP-6760 Incognito (Sprint)
Sanyo SCP-6760 Incognito (Sprint)
Editors' rating: 3.5 out of 5
The good: The Sanyo Incognito has a great messaging keyboard, a useful feature set, and satisfying call and photo quality.
The bad: The Sanyo Incognito's speakerphone is just average sounding and its volume for regular voice calls is low. The external display isn't very useful and we didn't love the touch pad interface.
The bottom line: If you can get past its disappointing exterior, the Sanyo Incognito offers an excellent messaging keyboard, useful features, and decent call quality.