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What you need to know before building a HiFi system
The process of building a stereo can be overwhelming. Should you buy new gear or trawl the local stereo shop for vintage equipment? Do you need a subwoofer for music? Are high-end speaker cables really going to make a difference in sound? It's no wonder, then, that smart speakers have become so popular: They're available in a variety of sizes and, when paired with a music streaming subscription, are a simple way to access a world of music. But the trade-off for that convenience is sound quality. While an Echo or HomePod is perfect for listening to podcasts, it can't stack up to the power and fidelity you get with a traditional stereo. If you're looking to upgrade, rather than ponying up $500 for a single Google Home Max, consider an alternative solution: building your own stereo HiFi system. While the initial setup and research are more intensive than simply telling Alexa to order more Echo Dots, after it's done you'll have a much more versatile -- not to mention better-sounding -- way to listen to music at home.
What we're using: Getting back on the smart bike saddle
Bike rental services are spreading, going beyond early adopter epicenters like New York, London and Tokyo. And it's dockless systems that seem to be gaining both more traction and umbrage. Daniel Cooper explains why Ofo's bikesharing platform has totally replaced his own bike.
What you need to know before going with a smaller wireless carrier
Let's face it: picking a carrier worth pledging your smartphone allegiance to can be a hassle, and plans offered by massive companies aren't right for everyone. These days, you can get cheap, reliable and surprisingly feature-rich wireless service without worrying about a bill from Verizon or AT&T every 30 days. You'll just have to start looking more closely at MVNOs, short for mobile virtual network operators.
What to keep in mind before switching to a mobile-first bank
The day I got my first-ever paycheck, I scrawled my signature on the back, went to the bank, dropped it off with a kindly teller and left with a deposit slip and a smile on my face. A few years after that, a Canadian financial titan bought my bank and started managing it differently. That made the decision to embrace an upstart, mobile-first bank -- Simple, in this case -- that much easier. I can't pretend that the idea of trusting my money to a startup wasn't a little worrisome, but the appeal of novel features and Silicon Valley speed quickly won me over and I haven't looked back. You might enjoy making the switch too, but before you pull the trigger, here are a few questions to ask yourself.
What to look for when buying a tablet as a laptop replacement
Tablets didn't exactly take over the computing world, as Apple and Microsoft had predicted years ago. But they have been evolving to the point where they can fill in for a laptop under the right circumstances. Still, how do you ensure that the tablet you buy is good enough for you to leave conventional PCs behind? It's not always easy -- a tablet that's powerful enough for one person might be overly complicated for another. We have some tips to help you navigate the shopping maze.
The gear you need to celebrate 4/20 like a responsible adult
It's 4/20 everybody, the High Stoner Holiday where we burn our trees rather than decorate them! The celebrations mark a magical moment when everybody can get the giggles with reckless abandon while satiating their munchies with traditional holiday tidings like Abba-zabba and Taco Bell. Today offers neophyte cannabis enthusiasts and hardcore stoners alike an opportunity to indulge in the mild euphoric of their choice with like-minded friends and family, or really, anybody standing with a dutchie on their right-hand side. But just as Christmas suffers from SantaCon, 4/20 celebrations attract their own brand of red-eyed knuckleheads who make the rest of us look bad. So unless you want to get lumped in with the folks who still proudly display their Scarface poster from college, put down that comically large blunt and read on.
What we're buying: Toto's toilet upgrade and an old Game Boy Advance
This week's hardware IRL is still in the bathroom. Devindra Hardawar explains how his toilet upgrade bested even the SNES Classic to make it his most recent must-buy. Elsewhere, Rob LeFebvre (once again) gets his hands on a Game Boy Advance SP.
The best tablets for kitchen use
Tablets may not be for everyone, but they're uncannily well suited to the kitchen. They can guide you through recipes or play Netflix shows without taking up as much countertop space as a laptop. And unlike the Echo Show and other screen-equipped smart speakers, you can move them anywhere you like while you prepare your meal. But how do you go shopping for a tablet with kitchen use in mind? It can be tricky, since some of the usual shopping advice goes out the window. Here's what you'll want to consider if you're buying a tablet as a cooking companion.
What we're watching: 'The Magicians'
This month, contributing editor David Lumb explains the highs and lows of Syfy's book adaptation The Magicians, while senior news editor Richard Lawler digs into what he likes about professional Overwatch competition.
The best wireless headphones
Music is a necessity while I'm working. If it's not tunes from Spotify, there's at least a podcast chattering on in my ear. Of course, if you don't want to bother those around you with what you're listening to, you need a good set of headphones. The best options will also do a good job of blocking out the outside world. We've already offered some suggestions on the best wireless earbuds, so now it's time to examine the best over-ear wireless headphones. Each was selected for its mix of comfort, sound quality and effective noise cancellation. Because let's be honest: Audio is just one part of the equation when it comes to long listening sessions.
New in our buyer's guide: The Galaxy S8 and Gear VR controller
Last month we updated our buyer's guide with a bunch of stuff and whaddya know: six days later we published our glowing review of both the Galaxy S8 and S8+. With scores of 91 and 92, respectively, both deserved a spot on our shortlist. And those aren't even the only Samsung products being inducted into our guide today: The Gear VR controller was also a no-brainer. Rounding out the list, we've added BlueAnt's Pump Zone wireless exercise headphones -- we've been testing them and feel they're worth their (sharply reduced) asking price. Find all that and more in our buyer's guide, and stay tuned for more additions next month.
New in our buyer's guide: Dell's XPS 13 2-in-1 and much more!
With spring here -- and an erratic winter quickly fading from memory -- we've finally refreshed our buyer's guide with a healthy heaping of gear. This year, slim and flexible is still the norm for laptops, with Dell's XPS 13 2-in-1 and Lenovo's Yoga 910 offering great overall quality for their respective prices. If you're a gamer ready to invest, Razer's updated Blade Pro offers high-end features and processing, as long as you bring a power cord. Our guide also includes the latest consoles from Sony and Microsoft, along with a slew of audio gear. Sony's MDR 1000x takes the lead in the sound-cancelling wireless headphone category, while Bragi's Headphones top the truly wireless earbud set. Rounding out the list, Roland and Korg each have some great additions for your home studio. Check out our buyer's guide for the full rundown, and stay tuned for new additions throughout the season.
New in our buyer's guide: The iPhone 7 and Fitbit Charge 2
Well, well, well. After just a few months of phone releases and reviews, our smartphone buyer's guide section looks very different than it did recently. New to the guide, as you'd expect, are the iPhone 7 and 7 Plus, both of which earned strong reviews from us. The HTC 10 and Galaxy S7 have held their spots there, with the OnePlus 3 rounding out the list at the lower end. (And yes, we are thanking our lucky stars that we didn't have time to add the highly rated Galaxy Note 7 into the guide before it was recalled and discontinued.) We've also made some changes to our wearables section, with the Apple Watch Series 1 and Series 2 both making the cut (the Series 2 is the best in absolute terms, but we recommend the Series 1 for more people). You'll also find the Fitbit Charge 2, our new favorite all-around fitness tracker. Find all that and more right here in our buyer's guide, and be sure to check back soon -- we plan to review some highly anticipated releases like Google's new Pixel phones as well as the PlayStation Pro.
New in our buyer's guide: All the phones (just the good ones)
It took us a while, but now that we've reviewed the Moto Z, we think we're done testing flagship phones until the iPhone 7 or next Galaxy Note come out (whichever arrives first). With that in mind, we can now confidently say that the following phones belong in our buyer's guide: the Samsung Galaxy S7, the HTC 10 and the iPhone SE. (Sorry, LG, maybe next year.) While we were at it, we also inducted the Oculus Rift and HTC Vive VR headsets, since we likely them more or less equally. And, in the less-expensive realm, we added the Roku Streaming Stick in the A/V category. Head over to our buyer's guide hub for all the details on these and many more. That's it for now, but stay tuned -- who knows what we'll add after the next gadget-reviewing frenzy.
New in our buyer's guide: Lenovo's Yoga 900 and Samsung's Gear VR
It's been about two months since Engadget's updated its buyer's guide -- we were busy eating holiday cookies, preparing for CES, going to CES and then recovering from CES (phew). Fortunately, though, even in those nine weeks, we haven't actually reviewed much that we think is worth of our shortlist. The only two exceptions would be Lenovo's thin-but-well-performing Yoga 900 and Samsung's latest Gear VR headset, which we think is a great deal at $99. That's all we've got today, but keep checking back in soon --after all, we'll soon be pretty busy reviewing the products that just debuted in Vegas.
9 gifts for the ultimate tinkerer
Winter is coming. And with it also comes the need to show the loved ones in your life just how much you care for them by spending, spending, spending on gifts. Trouble is, there are just so many options to choose from. What you really need is someone, some outside force to hold your credit card-holding hand. And boy, do we have some suggestions for you. Happy Holidays! You're very welcome.Were you or someone you know the type of kid that took apart telephones, pushed pennies into (old, CRT) TV sets or mixed as many under the sink cleaning agents together to call it a potion and see what would happen? If you answered yes to any of the above, then this is the gift-giving category you're looking for.Image credit: Getty Images
New in our buyer's guide: The iPhone 6s, Surface Book and much more
Sorry we haven't updated the buyers's guide in a couple months -- we've been too busy pumping out reviews of all the new devices. Now that things have finally started to slow down (fingers crossed), let's take a step back and look at all the awesome stuff we've had a chance to test this fall. For starters, there's a bunch of excellent smartphones that we absolutely need to add to our guide. Namely: the iPhone 6s and 6s Plus, the Nexus 6P and 5X, and the Moto X Pure. On the tablet side, we're inducting both the iPad mini 4 and the Surface Pro 4. Microsoft makes another appearance in the laptop section, where we've added the Surface Book, along with Dell's Chromebook 13. Rounding out the list, we threw in a few miscellaneous items, including the new Xbox One Elite Wireless controller, the redesigned Sonos Play:5 wireless speaker and Google's $35 Chromecast Audio.
9 naughty and nice gifts
Winter is coming. And with it also comes the need to show the loved ones in your life just how much you care for them by spending, spending, spending on gifts. Trouble is, there are just so many options to choose from. What you really need is someone, some outside force to hold your credit card-holding hand. And boy, do we have some suggestions for you. Happy Holidays! You're very welcome.Not everyone's looking to find the latest gaming console, set of chef knives or wholesome [insert foreign culture here] cookbook boxed up with a bow this holiday season. For those folks that like to unwrap their presents after dark, we've got more than a few salty suggestions to get you (and them) in the spirit.Image credit: Gamma-Keystone via Getty Images
7 awesome gaming gifts
Winter is coming. And with it also comes the need to show the loved ones in your life just how much you care for them by spending, spending, spending on gifts. Trouble is, there are just so many options to choose from. What you really need is someone, some outside force to hold your credit card-holding hand. And boy, do we have some suggestions for you. Happy Holidays! You're very welcome.Chances are you know someone you hold dear who just loves video games. Heck, that person might even make a living from playing them online for an audience. Whatever the case may be, there's no better way to treat the gaming enthusiast in your life this holiday season than with a fresh new console and some interactive art. Take a peek at our picks below.Image credit: SSPL via Getty Images
7 gifts for a killer living room
Winter is coming. And with it also comes the need to show the loved ones in your life just how much you care for them by spending, spending, spending on gifts. Trouble is, there are just so many options to choose from. What you really need is someone, some outside force to hold your credit card-holding hand. And boy, do we have some suggestions for you. Happy Holidays! You're very welcome.The advent of 4K has rendered the concept of HDTVs... 'quaint.' But now, cable's feeling that burn, too, from the likes of streaming dongles and services. Nowadays, to get that perfect home entertainment setup, you don't need anything more than an electrical outlet and a broadband connection to get your TV, movies and music wherever, whenever and however you like it. Because you're not just a couch potato anymore, you're a couch potato aficionado. See for yourself below.Image credit: Getty Images
