connected

Attention Android fans who wouldn't be caught dead with an iPod Touch. Philips is breathing some new life into its GoGear line of MP3 and portable media players by introducing the Connect, a new Android 2.3 device.

Due out in September with pricing starting at $179 (8GB), the GoGear Connect is chasing after the same Android-loving customer as the Samsung Galaxy Player. Most importantly, the device will come with Google's suite of mobile apps, including a fully stocked Android Market.

Fickle listeners will also appreciate the inclusion of Philips' own sound-isolating earphones, and FullSound audio enhancement. The … Read more

With all the talk lately about working in the cloud, you might think desktop applications were about to go the way of the dot-matrix printer. In fact, running our everyday apps off the desktop remains the norm, especially in organizations. And considering the slow pace of technology change at most companies, the norm isn't likely to change anytime soon.

Still, there's no denying the long-term trend toward Web-hosted applications and storage. Facilitating the transition from local to remote apps is Google Cloud Connect for Microsoft Office, a toolbar that adds a Sync button to Word, Excel, and PowerPoint … Read more

Hi Jeff,

I've read almost all your reviews about the gaming headsets that give you wireless surround sound, but there's a problem for us gamers who own more than one console. How do I hook up both my Xbox 360 and PS3 to one wireless gaming headset? Is it even possible?

Thanks, Paul, Chicago

Hi Paul,

Thanks for writing. Accomplishing this isn't impossible, but it's certainly an issue we think gaming headset manufacturers need to become more aware of. We've received dozens of similar questions with gamers anxious about having to finagle a way to get more than one source into a wireless gaming headset transmitter.

We'd love to see a device that allows for more than one digital input, though we are fans of Logitech's F540 system, which accepts up to three analog sources. However, if you're using something like the Turtle Beach X41s, Astro A40s, or Tritton AX 720s, you'll have to manually swap out the digital audio cables each time you want to switch consoles. Not only is this an arduous process, but if you're like me, most of these ports and wires are not conveniently accessible without some serious furniture moving.… Read more

Links from Thursday's episode of Loaded:

YouTube may start offering original content on new channels

Toyota will use Microsoft's Azure technology in its electric vehicles to establish a cloud platform by 2015

LinkedIn lets you access and sign into other sites with your LinkedIn account, much like Facebook Connect

A new version of Final Cut Pro may launch next week

GameStop may create a gaming tablet

Netflix acquires the rights to stream the "Mad Men" TV series

The next NBA Jam game will be called NBA Jam: On Fire Edition

If you have read the review of the Linksys E4200 router and decided to move on, thinking "It's just so sweet but it's too expensive, plus I don't want all the bells and whistles anyway," perhaps you don't need to walk away. As it turns out, the E4200 is just a teaser of an entire new generation in the Linksys E series that Cisco announced today.

Apart from the E4200, the new generation includes four new routers: E1200, E1500, E2500, and E3200. Except for the E1500, which is a new tier of its own, … Read more

It's no secret that Kia and its parent company, Hyundai, have been making almost quantum leaps in the quality of their vehicles in the last generation or two. Comparing, for example, the 2011 Kia Optima to its 2010 iteration is almost like comparing apples to oranges. The new model is larger in nearly every dimension, but thanks to its sportier proportions, it looks much more menacing than its pudgy predecessor. While both examples offer 2.4-liter engines, the 2011 Optima's gasoline direct-injection system gives it a 24-horsepower advantage while also gaining 2 mpg in both city and highway … Read more

After keeping us in suspense for the last couple months, Sprint today finally laid out concrete plans for the future of Nextel's Direct Connect network. The carrier says it will retain the basic elements of the push-to-talk (PTT) network, but it will transition the service from iDEN to CDMA by the fourth quarter of this year.

The move will be a centerpiece of the carrier's "Network Vision" program that it announced last December. By consolidating the incompatible networks, Sprint promises to enhance coverage and data speeds, boost capacity, increase network flexibility, and reduce operating costs.

Since … Read more

This BMW concept starts to stretch credulity with its changing colors and other silliness. But another part of the Connected Drive platform is very real and very enticing. Brian Cooley shows us another reason why BMW tops surveys when consumers are asked about connected cars.

(CNET's full coverage of the 2011 Geneva auto show)

Now that the iPad 2 has video capabilities, storage on the device is more important than ever. According to commenter "nigelgoodman" at Mac OS X Hints, you can create a workaround using SD cards and the iPad's Camera Connection Kit to get extra storage for your media.

Videos stored on an SD card can be imported with the Camera Connection Kit when formatted properly.

Formatting your SD card First, you must set up your SD card. In order for the iPad to recognize your media files, it has to think that the card you store your media … Read more