review

I'll be honest. It's difficult to get excited about monitors without IPS screens, super-high resolutions, and multiple HD video inputs. Still, people do buy budget monitors. Lots of them. Why? Because they're cheap, simple, and usually get the job done. That job being delivering images to your optics.

Today Dell announced new entries into its P and E lines of displays. These fall under Dell's budgets lines, so I was surprised by the inclusion of DisplayPort in the P series.

Anyway, these go on sale today, so check them out at Dell.com if you're … Read more

The Asus Transformer Pad Infinity TF700 is the Transformer Prime as it should have been. A Gandalf the White to the Prime's Saruman. Asus has clearly listened to the grievances -- most notably, GPS issues -- of some Prime owners and in most cases, addresses said grievances and then some.

The TF700 is more than just an upgrade to the Prime. It's also a chance to represent the full potential of the Transformer line. Check out the full review to see if Asus succeeds (despite the Android market's relatively paltry support for high-resolution screens and the Tegra … Read more

Too busy dreaming of a new OS to keep up with Crave? Here's what you missed while you were obsessing with Windows Phone 8, which hits handsets this fall.

• Will Microsoft Surface get its ass kicked by the iPad?

• Hands on with the Windows 8 start screen.

• What's it like to tweet with your eyes?

• Google spills the jellybeans about the Galaxy Nexus.

• Revealed: the secret lives of pizzas in New York.

• The shocking numbers on how addicted we are to our phones. But at least now we can use them to control the lights.

• In case you'… Read more

week in review Microsoft stole the tech news spotlight this week, initially by introducing its first Microsoft-branded tablet device, the Surface, which effectively helps it play catch-up in the competitive iPad-led tablet market. And then at the same developer conference, it made its next-generation mobile operating system, Windows Phone 8, official and promised the OS would ship on handsets starting this fall.

Microsoft is breaking with its traditional business model by building and branding its own Surface tablet, effectively competing with its own hardware partners such as Dell, Hewlett-Packard, and Lenovo. The company has so far avoided irritating manufacturers that … Read more

The mystery of the magic Microsoft device is finally solved, but what's with all the unanswered questions? In trying to add fuel to the Surface hype machine, Microsoft leaves too much to the industry's collective imagination as we all keep speculating about the tablets' battery life, release dates, prices, and UI experience.

The competition among tablets is still presently in favor of the iPad, so we're hoping that Microsoft has more compelling announcements in the future that integrate some of the company's other inventions.

Jeff and I always fight about which popular musician deserves credit for this generation's aural decay, but the Imperial College in London may have a solution to our problem: let computers compose the music!

A team of researchers believe that digital music can move beyond human creation and evolve autonomously without a real composer. They've developed a learning computer algorithm that continuously creates and combines loops in a random sequence.… Read more

The screen-capture video tool Camtasia Studio has long balanced a strong set of features with a friendly interface and graceful learning curve. Version 8 continues the tradition with cool, new features that don't bog down the app with any additional complexity. Camtasia's price--$300--may raise eyebrows, but make no mistake: this screencasting software is serious business. New and advanced users both should be able to learn the software and start producing professionally looking videos in little time.

Robust in-app tutorials introduce Camtasia to users, but experienced editors can wave them aside and dive in. The main interface is … Read more

A few years back, Nvidia released its 3D Vision Kit active 3D solution. At the time, it was the only real choice for 3D PC gaming, but its crushingly dark images and abundant crosstalk were, let's say, problematic.

The Nvidia 3D Vision 2 glasses, along with Lightboost technology, attempts to address those issues. Check out my full review now.

Lightboost makes a big difference in performance, but aside from the Asus VG278H, the monitors compatible with the technology are really difficult to find.

It's too bad too. Even for a 3D disliker, like me, Lightboost makes the best … Read more

Too busy applying for .ninja and .unicorn domains to keep up with Crave this week? Well, slow down for a moment and take a look at our .weeklyroundup.

• Water-powered "bike" lets you ride above the waves (don't forget the helmet!).

• Absolute perfection: "Star Wars" M.C. Escher Lego model.

• Action figure lamps will light up your home -- and geeky heart.

• Scan a QR code, register to vote.

• Want to name your new baby Clembough? It'll cost you $1,000.

• Extremely Large Telescope lives up to its Extremely Long Name. … Read more

Last summer's Shadows of the Damned was an overlooked triumph that excelled on multiple levels. Its style, humor, campy storyline, and overall originality easily made it one of the best games of 2011.

Developer Grasshopper Manufacture and Creative Director Suda 51 are back, once again challenging mainstream gaming archetypes by approaching things from a quirky and unique against-the-grain mentality. Lollipop Chainsaw also introduces a collaboration with filmmaker James Gunn ("Slither," "Dawn of the Dead" remake), that results in arguably the offbeat developer's most approachable game yet.

Lollipop Chainsaw might not have the best graphics and it's definitely a bit rough around the edges, but it's a welcome change of pace that instills some confidence in the gamer who is bored with cookie-cutter gaming stereotypes. … Read more