HWYC

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  • How would you change Sony's PlayStation Vita TV?

    by 
    Daniel Cooper
    Daniel Cooper
    04.19.2015

    It's a PlayStation Vita that you can connect to your TV, but that doesn't mean you should automatically go out and buy one. When we reviewed the hardware last year, we found that the low price and ability to play retro games were great, but the media streaming let the side down. That said, it was a much better crafted piece of hardware than some Android-powered consoles our reviewer could have mentioned. So, what we want to know is do you like your Vita TV and if so, why? Hop over into our forum and share the love, the hatred and everything in between.

  • How would you change Maingear's Pulse 17?

    by 
    Daniel Cooper
    Daniel Cooper
    04.12.2015

    When Maingear's Pulse 17 launched, it was famous for being the world's thinnest 17-inch gaming laptop (not that that's a big achievement) and its sports car paintjob. Jam packed with top-of-the-line hardware, the Pulse 17 was an easy device to fall in love with, except for a few minor gripes that knocked some of the sheen of the experience. After all, if you're spending $3,000 on a laptop, you expect a working keyboard, right? Still, now we turn the question over to you, so head over to our forums and talk about what you loved and loathed about this device.

  • How would you change Nokia's Lumia 1320?

    by 
    Daniel Cooper
    Daniel Cooper
    04.05.2015

    Nokia's Lumia 1320 was the underpowered sibling of the 1520, which had the same screen and battery but little else. If you wanted a 6-inch device but couldn't afford the premium edition, then you were stuck with this device, but was that a problem? According to our Brad Molen, it stood in no man's land, not cheap enough to really entice you, and not premium enough to justify buying this over the 1520. We imagine that some of you did splash out, however, so why not head over into our forum and tell us what life has been like with this device?

  • How would you change Sony's Xperia Z1?

    by 
    Daniel Cooper
    Daniel Cooper
    03.29.2015

    There's a familiar theme whenever Engadget reviews a Sony smartphone, which is that the hardware's great, but not compelling enough to make you buy one. When Sharif Sakr got his hands on the Xperia Z1, he found that the headline feature -- that 20 megapixel camera -- wasn't strong enough to compete with the Lumia 1020. That said, we imagine that some of you did splash out on this handset, so why not come to Engadget's product forums and spill your brains as to what you liked, and hated, about the Z1?

  • How would you change Sony's QX10?

    by 
    Daniel Cooper
    Daniel Cooper
    03.22.2015

    Sony's WiFi lens camera, the QX10, was one of the oddest and most brilliant devices we saw at IFA two years ago. Once the hardware was dropped into Zach Honig's lap, he found that the gear was, in his words, "pretty accomplished." Given that it's both a little better than a point-and-shoot and is a handy add-on to your existing smartphone, we imagine a couple of you picked one up. So then, what did you think of it? Why not hop over onto the forums and tell us your feelings.

  • How would you change Nokia's Lumia 625?

    by 
    Daniel Cooper
    Daniel Cooper
    03.15.2015

    The company formerly known as Nokia liked to release a lot of devices, to the point where its round-number naming system got a bit confusing. Instead of being a spec-bump replacement for the 620, the Nokia Lumia 625 was an entirely different device altogether. The handset came with a 4.7-inch display and LTE, but no compelling reason to own one instead of the many other units in the range. If you wanted to sum up the piece in a single word, it'd probably be: ehhhhhhhh -- not because it was bad, but because it had little reason to be there. We imagine plenty of you grabbed one, so what we'd like to know is why, and did you regret the decision? Head on over to our forum and tell us about life with the 625.

  • How would you change Motorola's Droid Ultra?

    by 
    Daniel Cooper
    Daniel Cooper
    03.08.2015

    Sometimes, a musician tied down to a long contract will fire out a sub-par record to fulfill a contractual obligation to their label. In some ways, Motorola's Droid Ultra felt like an exercise in contractual obligation rather than a handset in its own right. After all, the Ultra was, more or less, the Moto X in another body, and since the X was also available on Verizon, our Brad Molen felt that the Ultra had no reason to exist. We wager, however, that plenty of you bought this handset, so why not hop over to the forum and tell us why you did?

  • How would you change Sony's Xperia Z Ultra?

    by 
    Daniel Cooper
    Daniel Cooper
    03.01.2015

    When Brad Molen described Sony's Xperia Z Ultra as "the best phone you'll probably never buy," it was probably true of most Sony smartphones. The 6.44-inch device had a beautiful design, good build quality, had a fast engine and could withstand water, much like every other Sony smartphone you see. The downside to that, of course, is that it's a Sony, and that seems to have been enough for buyers to take their money elsewhere. But what did you, oh people who bought one, actually think of it? Head over to our forum and talk about what you liked, what you hated and what you wanted to change.

  • How would you change Withings' Pulse?

    by 
    Daniel Cooper
    Daniel Cooper
    02.22.2015

    Regular readers know that I don't get to review too many devices, so it's a perk when one of mine appears on the HWYC timetable. Withings' belt-worn activity monitor was one of the best in the category, but it was a category that was rapidly being superseded by wrist-based hardware. After all, it's far easier to remember to wear a watch than it is to transfer a pedometer when you change clothes. My other gripes centered around the peeling paint job, perishable rubber clip and the fact that the mobile app didn't encourage you to get up. The company has already learned from these lessons, with the Activité and Health Mate now much improved, but if you bought a first-generation Pulse, why not jump to the forum and tell us what you thought of it?

  • How would you change the original Moto X?

    by 
    Daniel Cooper
    Daniel Cooper
    02.15.2015

    Today's trawl into the annals of gadget history takes us to the first Moto X, a device that, at the time, we believed would be a turning point for Google and Android. After all, it was the first device Motorola had released since Google swallowed the firm, and came with some notable features. Between Moto Maker, the Active Display and those "always on" features, it felt as if other smartphone makers had all been placed on notice. By now, of course, we all know how that turned out. If you bought one, you're likely to have plenty of opinions about it, so why not hop over to our forum and tell the world what you would have done differently?

  • How would you change NVIDIA's Shield?

    by 
    Daniel Cooper
    Daniel Cooper
    02.08.2015

    The whole point of NVIDIA's Shield was that it could stream PC games straight to it. Rather than stopping there, however, the experimental handheld console could also play any Android title, as well as all of the other internet-based stuff you expect from a smartphone or tablet. When we shoved the device into Ben Gilbert's hands, he found that the Shield was fine for Netflix, browsing and everything else, but that the PS Vita's smaller size and better game selection made it the better mobile games platform. We imagine, however, that plenty of you folks bought one of these, if only for curiosity's sake. So, now that you've had a year and a bit to test it out, why not hop over to the forum and tell us what you think?

  • How would you change Samsung's Galaxy Tab 3 10.1?

    by 
    Daniel Cooper
    Daniel Cooper
    02.01.2015

    When we placed Samsung's Galaxy Tab 3 10.1 in front of Joseph Volpe, it was all he could do not to roll his eyes. Rather than any headline features, the slate was merely an improvement on the second generation, just with a newer version of Android and, interestingly enough, an Intel chip. When he was done with it, Volpe remained as underwhelmed as when he'd began. In his words, it'll adequately do what you need it to do, but it won't look pretty, or dazzle you with performance. At a price of $399, he suggested you take your cash elsewhere - but we imagine some of you didn't heed his sage counsel. So, if you bought one, what did you think of it? Dive feet-first into our forum and tell us what you would have changed.

  • How would you change Samsung's Galaxy S4 Mini?

    by 
    Daniel Cooper
    Daniel Cooper
    01.25.2015

    On paper, a 'mini' version of a flagship is as simple as shrinking the screen size and the corresponding components, but in reality, it's a different story. Take Samsung's Galaxy S4 Mini, which had to make several big compromises to squeeze into a smaller body. In fact, our Brad Molen felt that the phone was merely yet another mid-range Samsung, burdened with the heightened expectations that come with the Galaxy S4 name. Disappointment with the specs, coupled with a relatively high price meant that it wasn't a phone that he could recommend, but plenty of you probably bought one anyway. So, why not head over to our forum and tell us what it's been like living with one for the last year-and-a-bit?

  • How would you change Google's Nexus 7 (2013)?

    by 
    Daniel Cooper
    Daniel Cooper
    01.18.2015

    Whenever you talk about a Google device, it's hard to know where to assign credit: Google, or ASUS, the company actually building the thing in the first place. The second generation Nexus 7 may have cost $30 more than its $199 predecessor, but that cash seems to have all gone to make the hardware even better. When Brad Molen played with it, he said that it had an "incredible display" and "strong overall performance." We figure that hundreds of thousands, if not millions, of you picked up one of these slates, so why not head across the Rubicon and into our forum to talk about your experiences?

  • How would you change Nokia's Lumia 1020?

    by 
    Daniel Cooper
    Daniel Cooper
    01.11.2015

    It's a flagship Windows phone! It's a groundbreaking photography device that could revolutionize imaging! Nokia's Lumia 1020, with its 41-megapixel "Pureview" lens, promised images that could send Canon and Nikon's executives into fits of panic. When we placed it in the hands of Brad Molen, he said that the results were "stunning" and being able to tweak the focus, ISO, shutter speed etc was a revelation. That's why we said the Lumia 1020 was the best Windows Phone device to date, and we've seen plenty of them being used out and about. The question we want to ask, however, is this: was jumping ship to Windows Phone for the 1020's imaging prowess worth it? If you upgraded from an earlier WP device, was it all you hoped of? Hop over to our forum (it's right here) and spill your brains.

  • How would you change Acer's Iconia W3 tablet?

    by 
    Daniel Cooper
    Daniel Cooper
    12.21.2014

    If you want to judge a gadget on its true strengths, stick several in a room full of Engadget editors and see which one they swarm around. For that alone, Acer's Iconia W3 was a winner as soon as the eight-inch full-Windows tablet arrived in the office. When Dana Wollman was able to wrestle it away for a review, she found that there was much to love, including the reasonable price, free copy of Office and the long battery life. The only demerits were due to a slightly cheap build quality and imperfect keyboard - but you have to expect a few compromises when a product costs $380. What we want to know, dear friends, is what did you like, what did you hate, and what, if anything, would you change?

  • How would you change Lenovo's Thinkpad Helix (2013)?

    by 
    Daniel Cooper
    Daniel Cooper
    12.14.2014

    Lenovo's first Yoga machine still stands as a watershed moment in laptop and tablet design, but what of one of its successors, the ThinkPad Helix? In addition to those first two modes, you could spin the Helix's display outward, enabling you to use the device as a free-standing drawing display. When we placed it front of our Dana Wollman, however, she found that the exciting form factor had some drawbacks. Like the fact that the 'Rip'n'Flip' design wasn't all that, not to mention the last-generation internals and the short battery life. Still, we imagine some of you might have taken a liking this piece of hardware, so why not hop over to our forum and tell us what you would have changed?

  • How would you change HP's Slate 7?

    by 
    Daniel Cooper
    Daniel Cooper
    12.07.2014

    The headline for our review of Hewlett Packard's Slate 7 Android tablet says it all. When Melissa Grey described it as "Less of a hit, more of a miss," she was summing up the device's faults, which were numerous. Despite looking slim and trim, the device is unusually heavy, the display is disappointing and the specs just couldn't hold their own. All in all, it was a low-scoring device that we advised you to steer clear of. But for those of you with a contrarian spirit and a desire to go your own path, we guess you picked up one of these. So why not hop over to the forum and tell us what it's been like living with it?

  • How would you change the Razer Blade (14-inch, 2013)?

    by 
    Daniel Cooper
    Daniel Cooper
    11.30.2014

    Like its charismatic CEO, Razer is a company that's always on the go. Less than six months after we reviewed the 2013 Razer Blade, it'd been replaced with a fourth-generation edition. When our Sean Buckley reviewed the hardware, he found that it was one of the best gaming laptops that he'd used. The only demerits were given to a middling screen and poor audio quality, while overall he felt that the price could have been lower. But we're not interested in his opinion today, but yours, so why not head over to our forums and talk about what it's like to live with this device?

  • How would you change Samsung's Galaxy S4 Active?

    by 
    Daniel Cooper
    Daniel Cooper
    11.23.2014

    Samsung's bright idea with the Galaxy S4 Active was simple: Take a Galaxy S4, and shove it in a body that didn't shy away from drops, dust and water. When our Sarah Silbert put the device through its paces, she found that the device was better-looking than your average rugged handset. There was, however, a "but" lurching around the corner, since the device had a weaker battery life, camera and display compared to its older sibling. Still, plenty of you would have taken advantage of AT&T's deal to grab one of these, so why not head over to the forum and tell us what life has been like with this device?