This week on gdgt: Kindle Paperwhite 2nd-gen, Chromebook 11, and fitness trackers
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.
Amazon Kindle Paperwhite 2nd-gen
The second generation of the Kindle Paperwhite doesn't look much different from the original -- except for the addition of an Amazon logo with its trademark swoosh -- but it's loaded with improvements under the hood. It has a re-designed frontlight and increased display contrast, making the reading experience even better. And with a faster processor and improved touch panel, reading is also much easier. Plus, it has excellent battery life, so you won't be charging as often as you might think -- despite the improved lighting. Amazon's vast content library combined with its new internals make the new Paperwhite the best e-reader you can buy right now.
Buy from $119
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Did you get a 3DS or 2DS to play Pokémon X/Y?
With last weekend's release of Pokémon X and Y, as well as the relatively cheap 2DS, eager gamers flocked to their local brick-and-mortar stores to pick up copies of the new game, or downloaded it en masse from the Nintendo eShop. Did you get a 3DS, or perhaps even a 2DS, just to play Pokémon?
Beats Electronics Studio
Following in the footsteps of the original Beats Studio headphones, the updated version maintains the Beats line's bass-heavy sound profile, but offers some improvements like redesigned ear cups that make it more comfortable. However, they're still quite pricey, and the signature Beats sound might not be to everyone's liking, especially audiophiles. The Beats Studio set best serves a price-indifferent music lover who just needs a pair of fun, noise-cancelling headphones.
Buy from $299
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Fitness trackers and their impact on your life
In the wake of the announcement of Nike's new FuelBand SE, we examine the overall impact fitness trackers have had on our lives. It's certainly a new and exciting product category, but it still remains to be seen if trackers actually make a significant difference in activity levels. Do you own a Fitbit or FuelBand? Have you noticed a significant change in your exercise/activity habits?
HP Pavilion Chromebook 11
So far, Chromebooks have been largely underwhelming. However, manufacturers keep churning them out, and now HP takes its second crack at the category with the Chromebook 11. Unfortunately, the company fails to break the streak of disappointments. With an average (through bright) display and an underperforming battery, the Chromebook 11's only real strides forward are its surprisingly nice build quality and relatively smooth performance. If you're invested in Google's services and don't need to do much more than browse the web, this might be worth your consideration. Otherwise, you can probably cross the Chromebook 11 off your list.
