best

Best of CES 2013: Razer Edge

LAS VEGAS--It's clear that computers, and tablets, are evolving. In a show full of some very big ideas, the Razer Edge gaming tablet takes the concept of tablet PCs championed by Windows 8 and devices like the Microsoft Surface and applies them to gaming. In doing so, it succeeds in showing us where tablets, computing, and even entertainment will be heading very soon. That's why it won Best of Show this year, and why it compelled us to award it as the best in its category. The Edge is evolutionary computing, but in a product that is very real, with little that's left to proprietary question marks.

The Edge went head-to-head with fellow gaming tablet nominee, the Nvidia Shield. The Shield got a splashy CES press conference unveiling and got many of us talking about the future of tablets and gaming. We were thrilled, in the middle of this conversation, to spend time with the Razer Edge and discover that this device offers a lot of what the Shield promises -- a gaming tablet with an attachable game pad that offers a variety of streaming and media features -- as soon as February. … Read more

Top new iPhone 5 cases at CES 2013

LAS VEGAS--Apple may not be at CES, but accessories for its products seem to be everywhere.

I went out in search of new iPhone 5 cases, including extended battery cases, which a lot of readers have been asking about. Alas, Mophie still isn't ready to introduce its popular battery case for the iPhone 5, but a few other companies are getting ready to ship theirs.

I was also on the lookout for tough cases. While Lifeproof has already shipped its industry-leading waterproof case for the iPhone 5, other companies debuted waterproof cases, some slimmer than others.

Here's a … Read more

7 reasons to get excited about CNET at CES 2013

What happens when 90 editors, writers, photographers, and producers from CNET relocate all our operations to Las Vegas to cover the biggest U.S. tech trade show of the year? The most comprehensive coverage of 2013 CES, that's what.

If you live and breathe tech and you'll be at the show in Las Vegas next week, you'll want to park yourself at the CNET booth in the South Hall to watch the action. Our live stage show will include celebrities, live Always On torture tests, product demos galore, panels, interviews of top tech execs, and the best … Read more

G-Form drops new Xtreme cases

G-Form, the company known for dropping iPhones and iPads from the stratosphere to show off how tough its Xtreme cases are, is rolling out new cases next week at CES.

The Xtreme iPhone 5 ($39.99) and Samsung Galaxy S3 ($39.99) cases are already shipping, and G-Form has unveiled new cases for the iPad 3/4 ($89.95) and iPad Mini ($89.95), as well as the latest iPod Touch ($39.99) that should be available in the next month.

According to G-Form, the secret sauce behind its cases is its three-layer "technique," which combines its "… Read more

How Best Buy can learn from B&H Photo

This is how you sell tech gear:

Yesterday I walked into B&H Photo in New York, which claims to be the country's largest non-chain camera store, and asked one of the many sales representatives if he was an expert on tripods. He smiled and responded: "It's a ball and three legs so you really don't need to be an expert."

I told him I needed to upgrade my tripod and he showed me how to get more life out of my old one. A few weeks ago, a B&H sales person … Read more

Best Buy employee asks for receipt, allegedly attacked

It's a curious business when Best Buy employees ask you for your receipt as you leave the store.

But never so curious that you want to physically assault them.

However, as CBS St. Louis reports, at the Fairview Heights Best Buy in St. Louis, an altercation allegedly occurred when a 61-year-old employee asked a couple if he could inspect their receipt.

Latoya Thompson, 38, allegedly found the request somewhat offensive. The result was that she has been charged with disorderly conduct and her 39-year-old husband Hickey with felony aggravated battery, after the employee was allegedly beaten to the ground.… Read more

Here comes Microsoft Surface Pro, 64 bits and all

Microsoft's Windows 8 Pro version of the Surface will arrive soon, giving consumers probably one the highest performing tablets to date.

Microsoft is already dropping not-so-subtle hints that the device is coming "early in 2013." And now it appears to have made its debut at the FCC.

Let's look at what else Microsoft is saying about the 2-pound tablet that sets it apart from the current Surface RT tablet.

64-bit computing in a tablet: Surface with Windows 8 Pro is "a 64-bit tablet PC." That's not a trivial point. You get all of … Read more

BestBuy will now convert your discs to digital files from your PC

People who want to convert their physical DVDs to an online digital format can now do so via Best Buy, and without leaving home.

Now available as a beta program, Best Buy's CinemaNow service promises to convert your discs into an UltraViolet format that you can store and watch online. UltraViolet is a system that lets you house your movies and TV shows in the cloud and then access them from an Internet-enabled device.

To use Best Buy's CinemaNow service, you have to create an account and then download the CinemaNow Player for your PC or Mac. Choosing … Read more

The best-sounding audio products of 2012

I've covered a lot of great sounding budget gear this year, but the very best audio is far from cheap. That's hardly unique to high-end audio; the best cars, cameras, and clothes are always pricey, so it shouldn't surprise anyone that cutting-edge audio can be crazy expensive. What follows is a list of most astonishing gear I listened to this year. I love my job!