ie8 fix

$50

JDS Labs' overachieving headphone amplifiers

John Seaber started JDS Labs in 2007 with the cMoyBB headphone amp, which is based on an open-source design. Seaber revamped the cMoy's power supply and volume control, added a DC power jack, and a special bass boost switch. The tiny amp sold well and got the company off the ground. The cMoyBB is still being made, in an Altoids tin box, and currently sells for $60. Seaber is 26 and has an electrical engineering degree from Missouri S&T University.

The JDS Labs Objective2 (02) sells for $144, and it's equally adept with full-size and in-ear … Read more

Headphones under $50

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If you're looking to improve the quality of your music, headphones are the most important link in the chain. Today's phones, tablets, and computers are capable of spectacular audio quality that was unthinkable just 10 years ago, but you're not going to hear it with the headphones that came in the box.

Fortunately, you don't have to spend a lot of money to hear a dramatic improvement in headphone audio quality. In this Top 5, we have the best headphones for under $50, as selected by CNET … Read more

How to save a photo in latest Facebook for iOS

Yesterday, Facebook released a new version of its iOS app. Facebook 5.0 was completely rebuilt, showing some major speed improvements. There weren't any major new features included in this release, but the workflow for some tasks did change. One of those tasks is how users saves photos to the Camera Roll.

In the old version of Facebook on iOS, you tapped on an action button while viewing the photo and were given the option to save the photo.

In Facebook 5.0, when viewing a photo there's only a "Done" button along with the expected … Read more

Can a tiny $39 amp make your headphones sound a lot better?

Some "portable" headphone amplifiers aren't all that small, but the Firestone Audio Fireye Mini is downright tiny.

It's just 1.5 inches by 1 inch by 0.5 inch, and the soft-rubber-shelled amp weighs almost nothing, so you can hang it off your iPod, iPad, iPhone or any device with a 3.5mm headphone output. Plugging in a headphone turns the Mini on and lights a bright blue LED, unplugging turns the amp off. Charge the Mini via the USB connection and it'll play for up to 24 hours. It's available in green, gray, purple, red, and white.

The Mini is no giant-killer, but it definitely bumped up the detail and resolution of my Monster Turbine Copper, Ultimate Ears UE-4, and vPulse in-ear headphones.… Read more

Six top TV values: Best screens for the buck

In 2012, we made some changes to the way we rate televisions, with the biggest one being the new Value score. CNET now apportions 40 percent of the total TV score to value. Whether it's worth $300 or $3,000, you want to know that the TV you're buying represents the best you can get for the price, and that's where Value comes in.

The following models scored superbly on Value, garnering either a 9 or a 10 on the scale. We've spoken at length about how good the Panasonic ST50 is for the money, and so it's only natural that it gets a 10. But it's not the only awesome value out there. Below you'll find five others, too, starting at a mere $250 and arranged in order of Value and overall CNET score.… Read more

Rotate your wallpaper automatically with My Daily Wallpaper

If you get bored with your desktop wallpaper but don't have the time to be perpetually seeking out new images to start your day with, the answer may be as simple as My Daily Wallpaper, a free app from My Portable Software that downloads, installs, and rotates desktop wallpaper images in a wide range of categories offering something for everyone. You can tell it to only download images of a certain size or larger, how often to download new images and change the wallpaper, and start with Windows. You can browse through groups of random images, too.

My Daily … Read more

Panasonic Este gently steams your tech-fatigued eyes

After a long day staring at your computer monitor, squinting at your smartphone, and ogling video games, your eyes start to feel like they've been lightly sandpapered and left out in a desert wind. You could use eye drops or catch a few winks to recover, or your could invest in a Panasonic Este ES-SW50.

The Este is one of the weirder eye masks ever created. It's a bit chunky, but it does a lot more than just sit there. My Google Translate version of the product page indicates the Este generates a warm steam to soothe the eyes. Essentially, this is the high-tech version of laying a lukewarm washcloth across your peepers.… Read more

The 404 1,080: Where we paint the sixteenth chapel (podcast)

Leaked from today's 404 episode:

- Ray Bradbury may soon be honored online with "451" error code for Internet censorship.

- Time Warner Cable grabs patent to prevent DVRs from skipping commercials.

- Twitter to grant Web sites extra characters with "expansive tweets."

- Select audiences at Disney-Pixar's "Brave" will be treated to Dolby's new Atmos sound system.… Read more

Unlikely Panasonic duo rules this week's top gadgets

What a week for Panasonic. Of all the products CNET reviewed this week, the company scored the best ratings for both the most expensive gadget and the cheapest. There must be some sort of award for that. (Actually, there isn't, but there should be.)

The Panasonic TC-P65VT50 (affectionately known around these parts as the "VT50") is a 65-inch plasma TV that nabbed the hardest-won praise of all: A glowing review from our own David Katzmaier. Katzmaier gets right to the point in his review, explaining that the whole line of TVs in the VT50's series have &… Read more

Follow a brand's Page in the new Foursquare app

Early this morning Foursquare rolled out a massive update, including both visual updates along with some great new features. One of which is the capability to easily discover and follow brand Pages. Up until now, there wasn't a streamlined method to follow a brand's Page when using the mobile app. 

Following a brand's page provides Foursquare users with the added benefit of seeing tips and check-ins from a particular brand. There's another incentive for following a Page -- badges.

Some badges can only be unlocked by following a Page and checking into a specific venue. … Read more