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The 404 584: Where we make the cut (podcast)

If you weren't hungry before listening to today's episode of CNET's The 404 Podcast, you definitely will be afterward. And lucky for us, there are approximately 7,291 McDonalds locations in Manhattan for us to indulge our cravings for grease. We're also considering moving our uncomfortably hot recording studio to the McDonalds around the corner, mostly because they're about to get a lot more comfortable.

Over the next year, most of its locations will transform into the fast food chain of the future with new "linger zones" that feature Wi-Fi connectivity, comfortable armchairs, … Read more

Lenovo intros budget-priced IdeaPad Z series, new U-series laptops

Beyond the quite well-known ThinkPad line, Lenovo's consumer-oriented IdeaPad series gets slightly less attention. Sometimes it can be hard to pick out differentiating features among IdeaPad lines, but they're generally a pretty attractive, affordable, and well-featured bunch of notebooks.

Furthering the budget side of the IdeaPad brand, Lenovo has announced a new Z series of laptops that angle themselves as affordable entertainment portables, with a starting price of $649.

The three announced models--the 13.3-inch Z360 and 15.6-inch Z560 and Z565--have 16x9 aspect ratio HD screens, Dolby enhanced audio, pre-set OneKey Theater II AV settings for optimized … Read more

The 404 572: Where it's time for a downgrade (podcast)

Jeff Bakalar is out sick today but luckily Natali Del Conte is back from her sojourn to San Francisco and fills in on today's episode of CNET's The 404 Podcast. I hope you had a better weekend than mine; I almost had a sleepover at the Apple Store after my iPhone inexplicably broke...again! The display on my 6-month-old phone stopped working, so I've decided to stick it out with a budget Samsung flip phone until the fourth-generation iPhone comes out.

Downgrading to a single-function handset from an iPhone requires some adjustment, but I'm quickly getting used to (and even enjoying) the simplicity of having separate dedicated devices for music and phone calls.

Boredom arrives much quicker without a smartphone, of course, but who really needs all those silly apps? I'm having a great time rediscovering the simple mundane pleasure of scrolling through "settings and options." What time increment should I set my auto-dimmer to today? The possibilities are endless!

Last night CBS' "60 Minutes" aired an interview with Conan O'Brien to get his personal take on the "Tonight Show" fiasco that left poor CoCo without a network to call a home.

Unfortunately, neither NDC nor I had a chance to check it out, but Wilson gives us the rundown on Conan's amicable responses and explains why Conan starts crying halfway through the segment. Check out CBS News for the full interview.

There are also plenty of hilarious Calls From the Public to play today including one listener who finally debuts an impression of Jeff that you won't want to miss. If you have something to tell us, leave us a message at 1-866-404-CNET or shoot us a line at the404(at)CNET(dot)com!

Episode 572 Subscribe in iTunes audio | Suscribe to iTunes (video) | Subscribe in RSS Audio | Subscribe in RSS Video

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Pod Cribs: A perfect combo of danger, ugliness

Hoo boy! This design for "Pod Cribs," spotted on Yanko Design, is as bad as it gets. Not only does it look like something out of some sort of tube-baby-growing dystopia, but it's almost designed to make sure babies fall out of it.

I mean, really. You design a crib that's open on one side? Do you know how babies work? And how often do people need an interconnected crib system that can hold eight babies outside of a maternity ward? Also, they are stupid looking. Back to the drawing board with you, Pod Cribs.

This … Read more

Do Netbooks need to be even slimmer now?

Quick: Think about your favorite Netbook. Now imagine what could make it better. Did "be even thinner" make the list?

Lenovo's quiet update to the Lenovo IdeaPad S10-3, a product we recently reviewed, is even slimmer than before. Called the S10-3s, it shaves its profile down to 16 millimeters. The funny thing is, we already found the existing S10-3 to be more compact than the Lenovo IdeaPad S10-2, albeit a bit thicker.

True, smaller portable gadgets are generally better (unless you're a Nintendo DSi XL or an iPad). But among all of our heart's desires … Read more

Le Whif breathable coffee: Skip the cup

We've covered Le Whif before. In case you missed it, by merely inhaling from a tube, one supposedly gets the full-on taste of chocolate, as well as the sensory satisfaction that comes from eating it, sans the pesky calories. While I'm all for things from The Future, I'm not quite sure how I feel about this one.

Now Le Whif is back with a version that offers breathable coffee powder along with a jolt of caffeine (all in a new, biodegradable container). I'm really not sure if I want particles of caffeine going directly into my … Read more

Is the Lenovo IdeaPad S10-3t an iPad-killer?

Sorry for the blunt headline, but the question immediately came to mind when reviewing the Lenovo IdeaPad S10-3t, a new capacitive touch-screen convertible Netbook tablet that's now available for purchase. We found its design appealing back at CES 2010, and were wondering whether Netbooks such as these could evolve to be a legitimate solution to those otherwise looking for devices like an iPad.

The connecting points are all too obvious: both have 10-inch screens, or near enough. Both have multitouch capacitive input. Most importantly, the Apple iPad's price starts at $499, and depending on where you purchase the … Read more

Hands on with Lenovo's CES showstoppers: U1 Hybrid, Skylight, and S10-3t up close

LAS VEGAS--Lenovo has made an impressive splash at this year's CES and the main halls haven't even opened up yet: its bold new takes on ultramobile notebooks--the IdeaPad U1 Hybrid, Skylight, and IdeaPad S10-3t--have caused a big stir and bigger discussions as to whether each will perform as well as they look. In a one-on-one hands-on today, we got a chance to spend time with all three and their more buttoned-down IdeaPad S10-3, and our impressions are positive but mixed.

To start with, the Lenovo IdeaPad U1 Hybrid is a fascinating idea. The sleek round notebook has … Read more