This week on gdgt: Droid Ultra, TomTom Runner and binge-watching TV
Each week, our friends at gdgt go through the latest gadgets and score them to help you decide which ones to buy. Here are some of their most recent picks. Want more? Visit gdgt anytime to catch up on the latest, and subscribe to gdgt's newsletter to get a weekly roundup in your inbox.
Motorola DROID Ultra
A thin body and nice display aren't enough to distinguish the Ultra from the rest of this year's Droid lineup -- not to mention the crowd-pleasing Moto X. Critics took issue with its unwieldy brick-like body, as well as the glossy kevlar rear, which isn't just fingerprint-prone, but incredibly slippery, too. Most damning of all was the price -- at $199 it costs the same as the Moto X, which earned good marks all-around.
Buy from $199
Read reviews and more
Time to go on a diet from binge-watching TV?
Did you sit down on your couch and binge-watch every episode of House of Cards or Orange is the New Black in one day? Netflix is counting on that being the viewing pattern most TV watchers follow in the future. But, in our gdgt Central post on the phenomenon, we examine whether that's really the best way to consume media, and if something essential is being lost.
Alienware 17
The Alienware 17 delivers everything we've come to expect from the company, including a flashy chassis and great gaming performance. Of course, it also some of the usual drawbacks -- a nine-pound body and pitiful two to three hours of battery life. Basically, you're not going to be carrying this around town much. However, critics still found it to be a good gaming machine, as well as a solid desktop replacement.
Buy from $1499
Read reviews and more
Would you buy a PS4 if a PS Vita was bundled with it?
There's already a lot of opportunities for interaction between the PlayStation 3 and the Vita. Sony is promising to take that even further with the PlayStation 4 -- essentially turning the portable console into a touchscreen controller for its next-gen system, à la the Wii U. Will the company go as far as bundling a PlayStation Vita with PS4? In this week's featured gdgt discussion, we ask if that's even something users would want to buy, especially given the lagging sales of the Wii U.
TomTom Runner
Nike and TomTom had a solid partnership going with the Nike+ SportWatch. But now TomTom is striking out on its own with the Runner, a decent fitness watch that marathoners and casual joggers alike should consider. The design is clean and comfortable, and (most importantly) it locks on to a GPS signal quickly and rarely falters. However, if you've got a bevy of ANT+ accessories you're attached to, you might want to look elsewhere, as the Runner is strictly a Bluetooth Smart device.
