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Sound off! What are your favorite features in iOS 8?
iOS 8 is finally here, and it's bringing a slew of new features. It's faster, more secure, and in a lot of ways, more like Android. Out of all the new bells and whistles what are your favorite new additions? Head over to the forums and let the community know what you're digging most about iOS 8. When you're done there don't forget to write your own review! We'll be rounding up the best of the best in an upcoming post. Photos by Will Lipman.
Sound off! Has your phone replaced your camera?
Photokina is in full swing, which means you can expect all sorts of exciting photographic wizardry. However, with the cameras in our smartphones constantly improving, do you still find yourself needing dedicated hardware for capturing those special moments? For some of us, our mobile devices are enough (especially in this case). Head over to the forums and let us know if you've replaced your camera with a handset.
Sound off! What apps help you get things done?
For the procrastinators among us, I share your philosophy: Why do today what you can put off until tomorrow? Sadly, the people who sign our paychecks don't really agree; they strongly encourage us to get things done today. Right now! There's a ton of different apps that help manage our to-do lists and claim to make us more productive people. With so many options, how do you choose something that gets you down with GTD? Share your favorite productivity apps in the Engadget forums!
Sound off! How often do you upgrade your phone?
Like clockwork, Apple's latest iPhone is almost here. Of course Apple isn't the only company that releases new phones on a regular schedule -- in fact, it seems like some unveil new models every month. With the latest and greatest always on the horizon, it's easy for us to feel pretty claustrophobic locked into a two-year contract and the threat of hefty early-termination fees hanging over our heads. How do you plan your upgrade cycles to get around these obstacles? Share your story in the Engadget forums.
Sound off! Do you use any speed-reading apps?
Speed-reading apps seem like the new weather apps. There are tons of different examples to choose from and they tout benefits that range from better memory retention to more free time and even healthier, shinier hair (one of those may not be totally true). So, have you used one to take your reading skills from average speed to ludicrous speed? Head over to the Engadget forums and share your experiences.
Sound off! Have you replaced your remotes with a mobile device?
Between Chromecast, Roku, Apple TV, TiVo, Xbox One and Playstation 4, our entertainment centers are getting pretty crowded. Who even has room for all those remotes? Thankfully, though, there are a number of apps and devices that can turn your smartphones and tablets into the ultimate universal remote. How have you tamed your massive controller collection? Tell us in the Engadget forums.
Wrap-up: Engadget editors sound off on CES 2013
This was our biggest CES group of all time, by a long shot. As we pack our bags and return to our home cities around the country and beyond, our team of ace editors took some time to share their final impressions of the show. Scroll down below to hear from Tim Stevens and Darren Murph, who helped to provide invaluable direction and motivation here in Vegas, then click past the break for some brief reports from the rest of the team. Tim Stevens, Editor-in-chief For me, the story of CES 2013 was the massive shift of focus from mega-announcements by mega-corporations to the micro-innovations pitched by the crowd-funded. This, to me, is far more exciting than the usual iterative advancements we fixate upon in Las Vegas every year. I don't know what that means for the future of CES as a mega-show, but I can't wait for 2014's iteration. Darren Murph, Managing Editor Here's the problem with CES 2013: nothing is shipping soon, and nothing is affordable. But that's also what made CES awesome. I'll one day be able to afford a 4K HDTV, and the new Tegra 4 / Snapdragon gear will one day be in an Android phone I'll crave. Now that the dust has settled, I'm actually pretty amazed that envelopes are still being pushed in a world where people are increasingly content with existing technologies. Onward and upward.
Sounding off on ingame sound
If you checked out the unofficial changes in patch 2.4, you'll have noticed (or just heard on the realms) that quite a few sounds got changed. Some are louder (as in that annoying PW: Shield sound), some are quieter, and some are just plain missing (it's a known bug that Tigers and Sabers don't roar anymore). But this brings up an interesting debate: many players are saying that they never would have noticed -- they rarely ever play with sound on anyway.Playing with music off is one thing (and yes, many people prefer to listen to their own music while playing), but playing with the sound completely off seems like it would be tough -- there are a lot of audio cues going on in the game, and with sound off, you might not notice that a party member accidentally pulled another mob offscreen, or that someone behind you is casting a certain spell, or any number of other things that have specific audio to them. That doesn't need to be the only thing you listen to (I usually have to turn down the game sound during raids, just so I can hear what's going on in Vent), but surely listening to game sound makes you a better player.Do you keep the sound muted all the time, and if so, why? And do you have any trouble playing if you do? Of course, it does help you avoid that annoying PW:S sound, but as someone who keeps the game sound up (though not the music), it seems like there are specific cues meant to be heard while playing the game. Don't you miss those with the sound off?
