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Motorola Edge Plus hands-on: A $1,000 5G phone with premium specs
Motorola Edge Plus hands-on: A $1,000 5G phone with premium specs
Motorola, a company best known for its budget and midrange phones, on Wednesday took an enormous step forward into the premium phone market and launched the Motorola Edge and Edge Plus. Both phones join the Motorola Razr as high-end offerings from the Chicago-based company. Whereas the Razr was criticized for its middle-of-the-road tech, the Edge and Edge Plus are brimming with cutting-edge specs that rival Samsung, OnePlus and Apple. It is as if Motorola went to the specs grocery store and emptied the shelves.
The $1,000 Motorola Edge Plus has the same price as the Samsung Galaxy S20, the same size screen as the Galaxy S20 Plus and the same 5,000-mAh battery and 108-megapixel camera as the Galaxy S20 Ultra. (The Edge Plus is not currently available in the UK and Australia, but as a guide, the Galaxy S20 starts at £799 and AU$1,349 in those countries. The Edge will cost £549 in the UK.)
The Edge is meant as a slightly pared-down and less expensive option. Motorola hasn't announced the price, but the more affordable phone will launch sometime this summer. Motorola is taking a similar approach to both phones as OnePlus did with its 8 and 8 Pro, although both Edge phones use the same size display.
Motorola Edge Plus specs vs. Motorola Edge, OnePlus 8 Pro, Samsung Galaxy S20 Plus, Samsung Galaxy S20 Ultra
5G enabled; 120Hz refresh rate; water resistant (IP68)
5G enabled; 120Hz refresh rate; 100X zoom; water resistant (IP68)
Price off-contract (USD)
$999 - Verizon exclusive
TBD
$899 (8GB RAM/128GB), $999 (12GB RAM/256GB)
$1,199, $1,349
$1,399 (128GB), $1,599 (512GB)
The Motorola Edge Plus has 5G
We've seen a lot of phones with 5G launched this year, and the Edge was designed from the start to run on 5G. The Motorola Edge Plus supports both sub-6 and millimeter wave up to 5 gigabits per second. Motorola claims its optimizations will result in the "fastest ever" 5G. We'll have to test those claims.
The Motorola Edge Plus was built from the ground up to be a 5G phone.
Sarah Tew/CNET
The Edge Plus has a 108-megapixel rear camera
There are three rear cameras on the Motorola Edge Plus. The main camera has a 108-megapixel sensor which combines groups of four pixels to produce a 27-megapixel image. Motorola says that the sensor is almost three times larger than the 12-megapixel sensors used in other phones, which could help improve brightness and reduce image noise.
I'm excited to try out the Edge Plus camera system in more depth. But the few photos I took looked good on Edge Plus' screen.
The Edge Plus can record 6K videos with 20-megapixel photo grabs during recording. Despite the Edge Plus having a Snapdragon 865 processor, which is capable of 8K recording, Motorola thought 6K better paired to the main camera sensor.
There are three rear cameras: A main wide-angle camera, a telephoto camera and an ultrawide-angle camera.
Sarah Tew/CNET
There's also a video portrait mode, a special long exposure mode with a shutter speed of up to 32-seconds and Night Vision which stacks eight photos and combines them into a single shot that's brighter, sharper and has more detail.
And then on the front, housed in the hole-punch display, is a 25-megapixel selfie camera.
The Motorola Edge Plus has a 90Hz waterfall display
The name Edge refers to the 6.7-inch "endless edge" display that wraps around the sides of the phone. While it's not the first phone to have a waterfall display, it is absolutely stunning in-person. The edge can light up different colors to show your battery charging, alarms and notifications. There's also a neat widget you can access for shortcuts. Motorola built-in grip and touch suppression to minimize any accidental screen touches.
The display wraps around the edges and has a tiny hole for the 25-megapixel front-facing camera to poke through.
Sarah Tew/CNET
If the edges are too much, you can go into Settings and select which apps use the edges and which don't. When the edges are off, they turn black and the screen looks like a normal regular display. During my time with the phone, I didn't see an "all or nothing" switch for turning the edge on and off.
The edges get well-used in the new Moto Gametime mode. You can set them up as shoulder buttons or reposition your on-screen buttons so they're in a better place for gameplay.
I'm not sure how helpful the Edge screen will be in daily use. It's obviously reminiscent of Samsung Galaxy phones and their edge displays. But the gaming functionality pushes it toward gaming phones such as the Asus ROG Phone 2 and Black Shark 2 Pro but without the glowing logo.
Speaking of gaming phones, the Edge's 21:9 ratio screen has a 90Hz variable refresh rate which makes animations look smoother, text and images more crisp and can make gaming (especially high-frame-rate games) more immersive. You can also choose to override the variable setting and lock it in to 60Hz or 90Hz.
The 90Hz display is impressive and automatically adjusts its refresh rate depending on what content is on screen.
Sarah Tew/CNET
Motorola Edge Plus vs. Motorola Edge
In many ways the Motorola Edge is fundamentally the same phone with the same display as the Edge Plus, but made with a more svelte body. It has Sub-6 5G support but not the faster millimeter-wave flavor of 5G. Instead of a Snapdragon 865 found in the Edge Plus, it has a Snapdragon 765 processor. Instead of a 5,000-mAh battery, it has a 4,500-mAh battery. Instead of an 108-megapixel main camera, it has a 64-megapixel main camera.
The biggest difference is price. We don't know exactly what that will be yet, but we have to surmise that if the Motorola Edge Plus is $999 then the Motorola Edge will be cheaper when it's released sometime this summer.
The Motorola Edge is a slightly scaled back and more affordable version of the Edge Plus.
Motorola
Also I should note that in the US the Edge Plus is a Verizon exclusive, but the Edge will be sold unlocked. We look forward to testing out both phones for a review.
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Dish Expands 5G, But There's a Catch: Here's What You Need to Know
Dish Expands 5G, But There's a Catch: Here's What You Need to Know
What's happening
Dish, the fourth US carrier, says it expanded 5G in 120 cities.
Why it matters
Dish took on its fourth carrier role when Sprint and T-Mobile merged, and has been under the gun by the FCC to roll out the service. It's supposed to a viable competitor to its bigger rivals.
What's next
Dish will still need to provide more clarity on the service, which is still invite only for now.
Dish Network may finally be on its way to offering a competitive 5G alternative to the big three national carriers. On Tuesday, the satellite TV provider updated its Project Genesis site to say 5G service is live in more than 120 cities, marking a claim of nationwide coverage amid a Federal Communications Commission deadline to roll out service to at least a fifth of the country's population.
The announcement, a surprise change from earlier in the morning, when Las Vegas was the sole live city, could signal that the company is finally getting serious about the wireless business. Dish acquired wireless spectrum for years, but very little of a wireless network materialized. Then in 2020, Dish entered the mobile market by acquiring some of Sprint's mobile licenses, which Sprint was shedding as part of its merger with T-Mobile. The complex transaction suddenly made Dish the country's fourth-biggest carrier and led to the creation of Dish Wireless service.
But the FCC had a stipulation. To ensure competition, the regulatory agency required Dish to make sure 20% of Americans would be covered by its 5G network by June 14. The company said in a Wednesday release that the expansion exceeds that threshold. The "beta list" for the service is only available on an invite-basis only, and the company has been tightlipped about how many people will actually be able to access it.
Dish wasn't available for comment, but Stephen Stokols, CEO of Dish-owned Boost Mobile, tweeted that 5G service is now live in 120 cities and linked to the Project Genesis site. When reached for comment, the FCC clarified that Dish is required to file status reports to the agency, with the first due on July 14.
"Consumers benefit when there is more competition in our wireless industry," an FCC spokesperson said over email. "We are closely monitoring DISH's 5G build out to ensure that they are meeting all of their requirements in the law."
A host of issues has conspired to trip up Dish. The company acknowledged during an earnings call earlier this year that it had underestimated how much work it would take to get its own 5G network up and running. Supply chain issues only made the situation worse.
It's unclear whether Dish will suffer any consequences if it ends up missing the deadline. Neither Dish nor the FCC responded to a request for comment.
Here's what you need to know about Dish's 5G plans:
Why did the FCC put this requirement on Dish?
The deadline is the result of a huge shift in the US mobile industry two years ago, when T-Mobile and Sprint combined in a $26.5 billion deal. The FCC nearly quashed the deal out of concern that it would lead to market concentration by taking one carrier out of the market. Only AT&T, Verizon and the new T-Mobile would remain.
But Dish, which tried to add mobile service to its satellite TV offerings a decade ago, saw the carrier consolidation as an opportunity to become a mobile player. The company paid $5 billion for Boost Mobile, Sprint's prepaid mobile brand, as well as Sprint's 800MHz wireless spectrum specifically for 5G. Dish also secured rights to use part of T-Mobile's 5G network.
Dish still needed to build out its own 5G network, a task that it started mostly from scratch. To ensure Dish mobile customers would have solid service, the FCC originally set March 7, 2020, as the deadline for the company to have its 5G network up and running. The FCC also stipulated that coverage should reach 20% of the US population.
The deadline, however, was pushed back at Dish's request several times. The latest deadline was set for June 14, 2022. Dish Chairman and co-founder Charlie Ergen decided against requesting another extension and expected that the carrier would meet the FCC deadline, the Fierce Wireless news site reported in May.
Did Dish make the deadline?
Dish updated its Project Genesis website the day of the deadline to say its 5G network has reached over 120 cities. But we don't know how many people in those cities are covered by the network, and ergo whether Dish has met its goal of covering 20% of the US population by June 14. According to the FCC's terms, failing to meet the deadline could result in Dish's license for wireless spectrums being revoked and paying fines of up to $2.2 billion, the Light Reading news site reported earlier this year.
How far along is Dish's 5G network?
In early May, Dish made its 5G service publicly available in Las Vegas. Customers sign up for the service through "Project Genesis," an early access program that costs $30 per month and currently is only available on Motorola Edge Plus handsets. (The service plans accommodate other phones in the future.)
In February, Dish had said its 5G service would be live in more than two dozen cities by the June deadline. And after the Las Vegas service launched to the public, the carrier published a list of 113 cities it planned to include in Project Genesis. As recently as its first quarter earnings call in May, Dish had said it remained confident that it would activate 5G service in enough cities to reach 20% of the US population by the June deadline.
The carrier didn't make public where 5G service was live beyond its first city until today, when it suddenly listed over 120 more cities that now have active service on the Project Genesis site. The service remains invite-only, and we don't know how much area in each city is covered.
In addition to securing Sprint's 800MHz range, Dish has also bid in several separate auctions to secure 5G spectrum licenses. These include spending $7.3 billion in January on midband 5G in the 3.45GHz spectrum and $913 million on the so-called C-band 5G in 2020. Combined, the chunks of connected 5G spectrum will serve as the backbone of its service.
While Dish can use some of T-Mobile's 5G spectrum for years to come as part of agreements between the carriers, Dish also paid AT&T at least $5 billion in July 2021 for a 10-year contract to lean on the latter's 5G network while it builds out its own infrastructure.
What took Dish so long?
Unlike other carriers, which built their 5G networks on existing 4G LTE, Dish has more or less been building its network from scratch. It's also building the service on OpenRAN, a flexible type of cellular network that uses infrastructure from multiple vendors.
Dish executives have acknowledged that they'd underestimated the work it would take to build their network and that they hadn't anticipated supply chain issues.
How can you sign up for Dish 5G?
Right now, you can only sign up for Dish 5G's Project Genesis service by getting on a "beta list" of subscribers. First, check if you're located in any of the over 120 cities with 5G service. Then register by entering your email and address on the Project Genesis member site. Since the program is invite-only, there's no guarantee that applicants will be given the chance to subscribe.
Those in the Project Genesis Beta can use the Samsung Galaxy S22 and/or the NetGear 5G hotspot to access Dish's 5G network, while those in Las Vegas can use the Motorola Edge Plus smartphone. More devices will be made available later in the year.
Update, 1 pm PT and 3:45 pm PT: To include more details of the Project Genesis site and the 120 new cities.
LG Wing hands-on: Here's what it's like to actually use the weird swiveling phone
LG Wing hands-on: Here's what it's like to actually use the weird swiveling phone
These days, phones are either rectangular slabs with one straight screen or, in the case of the Galaxy Z Fold 2 or Motorola Razr 5G, they're slabs with flexible screens that open up. But the LG Wing is neither. Instead, it's a phone with two screens, one of which swivels on top of the other.
Yes, it's weird and yes, it's expensive at $1,000 on Verizon (UK and Australia pricing have not been released yet, but that converts to about £775 and AU$1,394). But the design isn't as crazy or pointless as it seems. After pushing through the initial learning curve, which does take some time, my experience with multitasking and recording video got a boost thanks to the Wing's unusual shape.
The LG Wing isn't for everybody, and LG knows this. Its bulkier design and potentially steep price will automatically lead to many people writing it off. Also, not all apps will accommodate the two screens. Nevertheless, I appreciate LG's willingness to try something different. Swivel phones aren't exactly new, even if they aren't around much anymore: The VX9400 from 2007, for instance, is an early example of an LG phone with a similar design, and I myself owned a beloved Nokia 7370, which featured a screen that swiveled out as smoothly as a switchblade comb. But LG has applied that design thoughtfully enough for this current era of phones.
Whether or not people are willing to pay to give its $1,000 vision a shot is the big question. While it's not impossible to sell an expensive handset amid a pandemic when everyone is more budget-conscious, as Samsung has shown with its Galaxy Note 20, it's certainly risky to do so. And LG's record of selling experimental phones isn't stellar. Its modular G5 from 2016 and curved G Flex from 2014 weren't exactly top sellers. But fitting "more screen in less space" is always appealing, and the LG Wing, at the very least, executes its own concept well.
In the US the LG Wing will be available first on Verizon, then AT&T in the fall and T-Mobile -- all on their respective 5G networks.
LG Wing design: Spin me right round
I spent time with a preproduction model and found that the LG Wing is a straightforward phone when it's closed. It has a 6.8-inch display, wireless charging and an in-screen fingerprint reader. But it's also missing a few things that other LG phones have. It doesn't have a headphone jack, which LG usually keeps, and it doesn't have a formal IP rating for water protection.
And while it's not as heavy and thick as the Galaxy Z Fold 2 when it's folded, the LG Wing is still thicker and heavier than regular phones. It's about a third thicker than most phones, not twice like I first assumed, because the top panel is thinner than the bottom.
The phone only opens in one direction, clockwise, so to open it single-handedly, it should be in the right hand. (I'm a left-hander and I thought mine was broken and stuck when I first tried to open it, but it wasn't.) The motion does require some carry-through with the thumb, and if I didn't slide it strong enough, the top display would stop short of clicking straight. But most of the time it rotated fine and the mechanism feels sturdy. While I didn't go buck wild trying to rip these two displays apart, I didn't feel like I needed to be any more careful with it than with any other premium phone. LG estimates that the phone is durable enough to survive 200,000 rotations over the course of five years. If you want more protection, LG is working on cases, but those will undoubtedly add more bulk.
The phone has a 6.8-inch display on top that rotates clockwise.
Angela Lang/CNET
LG Wing's 2 displays do double duty
Once the phone's open, you can do a variety of things in a variety of orientations. Multitasking is the most obvious benefit, like watching YouTube while looking up something on the web. If you're talking to a buddy over the phone and want to check your calendar to schedule a time to meet up, you can do that too. My favorite way to use it is having Maps display on the larger screen and music controls on the other one. This is especially useful in the car, when I want to skip tracks without fussing too much with the phone and taking my eyes off the road. Given the bulk of the Wing though, I suggest having a sturdy phone mount. When I found myself opening the same pair of apps often (Maps and Spotify, for instance), I paired them so they could launch quickly together.
The back of the phone when opened.
Angela Lang/CNET
When held upside down, the phone opens up different experiences for gameplay. I played the racing game Asphalt 9 this way, with the bigger screen displaying the main gameplay and the smaller one displaying a roadmap. I'm not convinced this was useful, though. Plus the phone is top-heavy when held upside down, so it was uncomfortable to hold the thinly edged display in my hands after a while.
Having two screens to navigate one app is interesting too. With messaging, for instance, I can view a large part of the conversation while texting. But as I mentioned before, not every app is optimized. For instance, I'd love to watch a YouTube video while reading comments on the other screen, but I couldn't do that on the phone. And if you don't want to use the bottom display much at all, it can be turned into either a trackpad to navigate the top display, or blacked out completely and used as a physical grip.
3 cameras and a gimbal
The Wing has three rear cameras: one standard camera and two ultra-wide cameras. One of the ultra-wide cameras has a gimbal inside, which is similar to the Vivo X50 Pro. Gimbals are used to stabilize and balance video even when you're moving around a lot. LG added a special Gimbal Mode with extra controls as well, so you can pan and follow your subject as they move.
My video footage was steady, even as I was recording while walking quickly. Video looked more stable than the one recorded on the iPhone XS, which we happened to have on hand, and footage from the LG Wing lacked that pulsing effect the iPhone had too. When it came to picture quality though, colors were more true-to-life and objects looked smoother on the iPhone. On the front is a 32-megapixel camera embedded inside the phone and popup from out of the top edge when in use, which is a lot like the OnePlus 7 Pro, Vivo Nex and Oppo Reno 2. The selfies I took were bright, in-focus and clear.
Videographers may be interested in the suite of tools the LG Wing has, and Gimbal Mode adds an extra layer of control and creativity. Gripping the phone vertically while shooting horizontally also made it comfortable to shoot video. But if you're a casual video-taker, this isn't a must-have, and current iPhones and Pixel phones have excellent video stabilization features too.
In bright, ample lighting the phone takes vibrant and clear pictures.
Lynn La/CNET
Another outdoor image taken on the LG Wing.
Lynn La/CNET
In this closeup shot, the flower petals on the foreground are in focus and sharp.
Lynn La/CNET
A photo taken with the phone's pop-up front-facing camera.
Lynn La/CNET
LG Wing's hardware and other specs
Powering the phone is a Snapdragon 765G chipset and a 4,000-mAh battery. Since I got a preproduction unit, I didn't conduct battery tests. Anecdotally though, the Wing had a decent battery life. With medium usage of both screens it was able to last a full day without charging.
LG Wing 5G specs
Display size, resolution
Main screen: 6.8-inch OLED; 2,460x1,080 pixels. Second screen: 3.9-inch OLED; 1,240x1,080 pixels
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iPad Air 2020 review: The budget iPad Pro
iPad Air 2020 review: The budget iPad Pro
It's hard to keep track of iPads. Apple's tablets are pretty fantastic and versatile, but also blend together across a wide spectrum of sizes and prices. Knowing which one to get is usually a matter of weighing what you're willing to spend and how much you're planning to do.
All iPads, right now, can do similar things. They all support Pencil sketching, keyboards and trackpads and all current models have pretty new processors. So the redesigned iPad Air, starting at $599 (£579, AU$899), is either one of two things: a fancier everyday iPad for you, or a cheaper iPad Pro. And the price, based on how you configure and deck it out in accessories, can vary widely.
After using it for weeks now, it's become my favorite iPad. In fact, I've mostly forgotten about the iPad Pro. The Air is basically as good, for less. And if you're really, really interested in a Pro, which was last updated back in March, I'd consider just waiting till next year to see what else gets introduced -- like a mini LED display, perhaps. The more I've used the Air, the more I've appreciated that Apple has really made an affordable Pro that strips out a few features you probably were never likely to use.
Adding USB-C, a crisp larger display and fast performance, plus support for the Magic Keyboard and Pencil 2, make it feel pretty great. And it's the same size as what was previously my favorite iPad, the 11-inch iPad Pro.
But that doesn't mean the Air is necessarily the best iPad for you. For its price, the standard eighth-gen iPad remains the better deal, and the go-to for most people (especially kids). Consider the eighth-gen iPad this way: basically last year's iPad Air at a lower price.
The perfect size, with one new Touch ID button
The 11-inch iPad Pro has been my favorite size for a while. This new fourth-gen iPad Air is exactly the same size and fits the 11-inch Pro's cases and keyboards, too. It feels identical, with one exception: It has Touch ID on the top power button, instead of Face ID.
So I slapped the old Smart Keyboard from the iPad Pro 11 on and things felt almost exactly the same. iPad Pro who?
The display is basically the same as the 11-inch Pro, but not exactly. It's weird. The 11-inch Pro has an 11-inch, 2,388x1,668-pixel LCD with 600 nits max brightness. The Air has a 10.9-inch, 2,360x1,640-pixel LCD with 500 nits max brightness. I never noticed the difference. The side bezels seem a hair bigger on the Air. The iPad Pro also has smoother ProMotion screen refresh, at up to 120Hz, versus the iPad's more normal feel. ProMotion is lovely, but I'm also fine without it.
Touch ID is right there, on the power button.
Scott Stein/CNET
What about the new Touch ID button, though? The Air doesn't have Face ID, which the Pros and iPhones have. The Face ID camera is cleverly hidden around the black bezel of the Pro and works at nearly any orientation. Meanwhile, the Air is Apple's first device with a fingerprint sensor on the small power button on its edge, instead of the circular home button (which this iPad doesn't have).
You have to remember which direction your iPad is facing, because that Touch ID could end up just about anywhere. Luckily, a pop-up on-screen indicator lets you know where it is when Touch ID is needed. But the orientation sometimes works for my left forefinger, sometimes for my right. I registered two fingers for practical comfort in landscape and portrait. The new Touch ID button seems to work reliably so far and there's no reason why future iPhones (or even the Apple Watch) couldn't get these little Touch ID buttons, too.
Compared to the 2019 iPad Air, the 2020 version gets a big chip boost and Pro-like extras (USB-C).
Scott Stein/CNET
How fast is it?
The new A14 chip, also in the iPhones 12, is in the Air. It sounds faster than any other iPad and that's half-true. The A14 is certainly faster than the A12 on the iPad and iPad Mini, based on benchmarks in Geekbench 5 and even in everyday use (initial runs show a score of 1,118, and a multicore score of 4,675 -- higher is better). But the iPad Pro's A12Z is faster in multitasking, while the Air beats it in single-core speed. Which is weird. The A12Z has more graphics power in its chip. But if you really wanted an iPad Pro, it would make me want to wait for a Pro with a possible A14Z chip next year.
The front camera is fine, but still not great for Zoom
We're all in video chats now. The iPad Air hasn't solved the iPad's biggest video chat problem, which is that the front camera ends up on the side in landscape mode. You'll look like you're staring off-screen in Zooms. The 7-megapixel camera is better than the entry-level iPad's, but I would have preferred something more centered for video chats.
Magic Keyboard and Pencil: not included.
Scott Stein/CNET
Accessories will cost you
Apple's iPad pricing slope starts seemingly affordable ($329, often on sale for $299 or less) and climbs up from there with storage tiers, models with extra features and pricey but useful accessories. It's a lot like car shopping -- suddenly you're getting the all-leather interior and deluxe extras.
The Air is a semiexpensive midrange model in that analogy, and those fancy extras can add up fast. The base 64GB $599 (£579, AU$899) iPad Air doesn't feel like enough storage for an iPad made to last years. But there's no 128GB model, so the 256GB version bumps to $749. (Skip the cellular add-on unless your office is paying.)
And then, the Pencil and keyboards. The Air supports all the newest Apple accessories like the snap-on magnetic Pencil 2 and the Magic Keyboard with trackpad. The Pencil 2 is $129 and the Magic Keyboard is $299, which is half the price of the iPad Air itself. You end up climbing to over $1,000 and now this is hardly a budget iPad anymore. No, it's not compatible with the first-gen Pencil, either.
You could even end up talking yourself into the iPad Pro at that point: the 128GB 11-inch Pro is $799, $50 more than the 256GB Air. And so it goes.
With a keyboard, still great for writing.
Scott Stein/CNET
It multitasks, but iPads are still not the same as laptops
A word, once again, on the promises and limits of iPads as true computer replacements. iPads are shockingly versatile and with a keyboard case slapped on, I can find myself suddenly using it like a laptop for hours on end. That's the great thing about iPads and iPadOS. The 10.9-inch screen is big enough to split two apps reasonably well and monitor different things at once, too.
Apple's also made a lot of strides in iPadOS 14 to enable file storage, drag-and-drop between multitasked apps, plus trackpad and mouse support and better Pencil support for scribbling and annotating on the iPad more easily. But, it still doesn't feel exactly like a laptop. File storage can get weird. Browser support is better but not perfect. And when I tried split-screening Zoom and Gmail and discovered that my camera was cut off in multitasking mode, I realized that there are some limits that have real impacts right now.
The iPad Air, between the 2020 iPad (left) and iPad Pro (right). The Air is Pro-like, but the basic iPad is as good as last year's Air.
Scott Stein/CNET
A more affordable fancy iPad, but do you need it?
For my tastes, I prefer the new iPad Air over any other current iPad. And I'd want the Magic Keyboard, too, plus the extra storage. But that places me at $1,100 or so after tax, and that's a pretty fancy iPad setup indeed.
And much like a lot of Apple's product lineups, that's the key: knowing where you should land on pricing and upgrades. The odds that you'll just use the base 64GB iPad out of the box with no extras is pretty slim, unless you already have some 11-inch iPad Pro accessories lying around.
Just know that this Air really does feel like it's left off some less essential iPad Pro features and offered up a more affordable device in return. It's like when the iPhone XR arrived after the iPhone X. Not exactly the same, but in a lot of ways more than good enough.
It's great that Apple upgraded the Air so much since last year. But also remember that last year's perfectly capable iPad Air is still around: It's just basically been turned into the entry-level iPad and it's more affordable than ever.
Update, Nov. 24: Adds CNET Editors' Choice award. First published Oct. 21.
Dell XPS 12 review: A unique take on the convertible laptop/tablet
Dell XPS 12 review: A unique take on the convertible laptop/tablet
If you're one of the few who remember the original Dell Inspiron Duo from 2010, pat yourself on the back. Like that Duo, the new XPS 12 has a screen that swivels at the middle of the lid's sides, so it can rotate 180 degrees along its horizontal axis and end up facing out from the back of the lid's frame. This allows you to display the screen in what some call a "stand" mode, or else fold the clamshell shut to form a slate-style tablet.
While inventive, the original Duo was hobbled by a low-power Intel Atom processor and never lived up to its potential. Dell walked away from the Duo, which seemed doomed to be another too-early hardware leap, much like Dell's long-lost proto-ultrabook Adamo laptops.
Imagine my surprise when Dell announced that the Duo was back, originally showing us the system behind closed doors this summer. The new version, now part of the high-end XPS line, has gotten a massive physical upgrade. Now it's ultrabook-thin, with a slim metal frame around its screen, and a button-free clickpad. The new version trades up to current-gen Intel Core i5 and Core i7 processors, along with solid-state-drive (SSD) storage, meaning that in terms of hardware it can stand toe-to-toe any mainstream ultrathin laptop.
Between our preview this summer and now, the biggest change has been in the name. Dell has decided to drop the "Duo" branding altogether (perhaps it still has negative connotations) and simply call this the XPS 12. That's certainly apt for a laptop with 12-inch display, but I do miss the descriptive nature of the Duo moniker -- now there's nothing in the name to indicate this laptop's special physical features.
The XPS 12 starts at $1,199 for a Core i5 CPU and 128GB SSD, and goes up to $1,699 for the hardware we tested, with a Core i7 CPU and a 256GB SSD.
This is one of the first laptops with Windows 8, the new touch- and tablet-friendly OS, and it's meant to be used as both a traditional laptop and a tablet. But when evaluating new hardware and new software at the same time, the question is: how much of the user experience in the XPS 12 comes from Dell, and how much from Microsoft? In an Apple laptop, it's fair to consider software and hardware together, as a single company is responsible for both. For Windows-based systems, it's sometimes hard to tell on which side of the fence the faults lie.
And, there are faults. Even though the XPS 12 is a slim, well-built, and frankly ambitious convertible, it works better as a laptop than as a tablet. In the closed, slate mode, it's obvious that the Windows 8 operating system still doesn't always know what to do with your apps and fingers. The not-Metro interface (my own shorthand name for the Windows 8 tile-based UI) works fine, but jumping into apps, even Windows 8-specific ones such as Internet Explorer 10, can yield unpredictable results.
For example, at this point, nearly everyone in the universe uses some form of Web-based e-mail, but Gmail navigation on the small screen in IE10 is tough. Shift the screen just a bit and the orientation changes, with just enough lag to be annoying. Tapping on a text field sometimes brings up the Windows 8 onscreen keyboard, sometimes not (and it takes several steps to call it up otherwise).
That onscreen keyboard is miles ahead of previous Windows ones, but the layout of some keys is counterintuitive, and I ran into just enough lag to make using the Shift and Caps Lock keys especially troublesome.
But, these are the same problems I've found on other Windows 8 systems, so is it fair to lay them at Dell's feet? On the excellent Acer Aspire S7, the touch screen was a secondary experience, mainly used for finger-swiping and scrolling. On the XPS 12, you're expected to use touch much more. And as a touch-screen laptop, the XPS 12 works well. Folded up as a slate, it's still not an entirely satisfying tablet experience.
Price as reviewed / Starting price
$1,699 / $1,199
Processor
1.9GHz Intel Core i7-3517U
Memory
4GB, 1,333MHz DDR3
Hard drive
256GB SSD
Chipset
Intel QS77
Graphics
Intel HD 4000
Operating system
Windows 8
Dimensions (WD)
8.5x12.5 inches
Height
0.6-0.8 inches
Screen size (diagonal)
12.5 inches
System weight / Weight with AC adapter
3.4 pounds / 4 pounds
Category
Ultraportable
Design and features Aside from the swiveling lid, the XPS 12 shares an overall design with Dell's other recent high-end laptops, such as the XPS 14 and XPS 15. All are thin, with full or partial metal construction and dark accents. When closed, the XPS 12 looks like any small ultrabook, although at nearly 3.5 pounds, it feels dense and sturdy.
The interior is minimalist, with only the keyboard and touch pad. A power button, in the uncommon form of a slider switch, is located along the left edge, and most other functions, from the Wi-Fi antenna switch to volume control, are mapped to the row of Function keys. The wrist rest, keyboard, and keys are all matte black, with a powdery finish that resists fingerprints and nicely offsets the metal trim along the outer edge.
The XPS 12's island-style keyboard is similar to the ones found on most current laptops. In Dell's version, the keys have more-rounded corners than most, and the top row of Function keys is half-height. Typing was comfortable and accurate, and the keyboard is backlit.
The buttonless clickpad is only used when the system is set up as a traditional clamshell laptop. It's a good size, considering this is a small laptop, and works well for general pointing and navigation. But, again, Windows 8 sometimes seems to not know what to do with touch-pad gestures. With some apps and Web pages, two-finger scrolling works well, other times it's too fast and jumpy, and still other times, it's very slow. Trying to execute Windows 8 moves such as displaying the Charms bar or calling up the Taskbar is a pain on a touch pad, and I usually found myself performing these tasks via the touch screen.
The biggest feature here, as previously described, is the rotating screen. Unlike other convertible laptops with rotating screens that swivel along the vertical axis via a central hinge, the XPS 12 rotates along the horizontal axis, flipping end over end. This is possible because the screen is placed inside a thin metal all-around frame, hinged in the center of the left and right sides.
The screen mechanism feels well-designed, and it stays in the traditional laptop position without slipping. Dell says the mechanism has been tested to 20,000 cycles, and it certainly feels sturdy enough.
When you want to flip the screen, a gentle push pops it out of the frame, and it rotates freely, locking in again at 180 degrees; this leaves the screen pointing out from the back of the lid, making it easy to show your screen to someone sitting opposite you (the motion sensor automatically flips the screen image over, so everything appears right-side-up). From there, you can push the lid all the way closed, so the keyboard and touch pad are inside the clamshell but the display is pointing up, making this a slate-style tablet.
When the XPS 12 is folded down as a tablet, you can access the onscreen keyboard built into Windows 8. As I mentioned above, it's thankfully better than the onscreen keyboards in previous Microsoft operating systems, with responsive, well-spaced keys. I found the Shift key would lag a little occasionally, leading to some typing mistakes, and you'll have to spend some time getting used to the layout, which is slightly different from that of the iPad's familiar onscreen keyboard. Besides the standard keyboard layout, there are also split-key and handwriting options.
The biggest difficulty I encountered was the onscreen keyboard not popping up when it should have, in Google Docs, for example. If you need to call up the onscreen keyboard manually, it's an unintuitive procedure, requiring too many steps (slide out the Charms bar from the right side of the screen; tap Settings, tap Keyboard, then pick the style of keyboard you need).
The 12.5-inch screen has a native resolution of 1,920x1,080 pixels, which is incredibly high for an ultraportable laptop. The Windows 8 not-Metro interface scales nicely to it, but Web pages and the traditional Windows desktop view can look very shrunken. Fortunately, the display's pinch-to-zoom feature works great, much as it does on an iPad or Android tablet. That said, I found some Web sites didn't render correctly after pinching to zoom, and in Google Docs, for example, the onscreen cursor and the zoomed view didn't quite match up.
Audio was predictably thin, but fine for basic online video watching. Interestingly, the original Dell Duo had a sold-separately docking stand with bigger speakers built in.
Dell XPS 12
Average for category [ultraportable]
Video
DisplayPort
HDMI or DisplayPort
Audio
Stereo speakers, headphone jack
Stereo speakers, headphone/microphone jacks
Data
2 USB 3.0, SD card reader
2 USB 3.0, SD card reader
Networking
802.11n Wi-Fi, Bluetooth
Ethernet (via dongle), 802.11n Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, optional mobile broadband
Optical drive
None
None
Expandability, performance, and battery life With such a small body, the port selection on the Dell XPS 12 is likewise slim. The most notable deviation from the norm is the video output -- you get a DisplayPort output, rather than the more common HDMI.
Dell offers four base configurations of the XPS 12 (the unit I reviewed is the most expensive one). The entry-level model starts at $1,199 for a Core i5 CPU and 128GB SSD, and by adding either a Core i7 CPU, a larger 256GB SSD, or both, you can take it all the way up to $1,699. Several of the more design-heavy Windows 8 laptops we've seen have targeted that premium price range, but a $1,600 laptop is still a very tough sell, no matter how clever its engineering.
With an Intel Core i7 low-voltage CPU and 8GB of RAM, the XPS 12 was predictably fast in our benchmark tests. Honestly, if you're interested in this system, the lower-end Core i5 configurations will be more than fine for everyday Web surfing, productivity, and media playback tasks.
Battery life was, unfortunately, not the strongest in this laptop. That's a shame, as this is a slim system clearly intended for travel or use as an untethered tablet. In our video playback battery drain test, the XPS 12 ran for 4 hours and 43 minutes, which is on the low side for an ultraportable laptop -- especially one with a power-efficient SSD hard drive. Anecdotally, while using this laptop I found myself reaching for the A/C adapter more often than I'd expected.
Conclusion The Dell XPS 12 is unique among the Windows 8 laptops we've previewed and reviewed, offering a different take on the convertible laptop/tablet concept. At the same time, it's not exactly an original idea, being based on one of Dell's previous high-concept designs, the Inspiron Duo.
The flip-screen construction is surprisingly practical for sharing your screen with others, and using a touch screen with a keyboard and touch pad works well in Windows 8. But it's hard to justify spending $1,699 when the XPS 12 doesn't entirely satisfy as a slate-style tablet, even if Microsoft shoulders most of the responsibility for that. If you're in love with the XPS 12's design, I'd suggest sticking to the less expensive configurations.
Find out more about how we test laptops.
System configurations:
Dell XPS 12 Windows 8 (64-bit); 1.9GHz Intel Core i7-3517U; 8GB DDR3 SDRAM 1,333MHz; 32MB (Shared) Intel HD 4000; 256GB Lite-On IT SSD
Sony Vaio Duo 11 Windows 8 (64-bit); 1.7GHz Intel Core i5-3317U; 6GB DDR3 SDRAM 1,600MHz; 32MB (Dedicated) Intel HD 4000; 128GB Toshiba SSD
Best high tech ski gear for 2022 the cms best high tech ski gear for 2022 what news best high tech ski gear for kids best high tech ski gear for boys best high tech ski goggles best high tech skin best high tech hearing aids
Best High-Tech Ski Gear for 2022
Best High-Tech Ski Gear for 2022
Few sports have cooler gadgets and tech than skiing and snowboarding. And there's such a wide range of equipment as well. A lot of it can enhance your experience or make recovery quicker and more efficient. The best skiing and snowboarding gadgets can make you feel like James Bond, bombing down the slopes as you're (not) being chased by your nemesis's henchmen. To help you spend more time bombing down slopes, we've collected the best high-tech ski gear on the market right now and compiled it for you below. From action cameras like a GoPro to new goggles and more, there's something for everyone.
Much of the gear here is battery-powered, including the top GoPros and other action games, as well as some ski-friendly earbuds and helmet speakers. But not everything has a power component to it. In some cases, I've included items with high-tech materials, cutting-edge designs or basic protection for iPhones and Android devices. There are also several helmets and ski goggles in the mix.
I'll add more top ski gear products to this list as I find them.
Josh Goldman/CNET
At the moment, the GoPro Hero10 is the best single-lens action camera you can get from GoPro. It's not a big upgrade over the GoProHero 9, which is available for a little less, but it has a new GP2 chip that allows high resolutions at higher frame rates -- up to 5.3K (5,312 x2,988 pixels) at 30 or 60 frames per second. It also has HyperSmooth 4.0, GoPro's highest level of image stabilization.
As with the Hero 9 Black, pricing is a little confusing for the Hero 10 Black. The camera is $550, which is more costly than the Hero 9's starting price. However, if you buy directly from GoPro.com and sign up for the GoPro subscription service -- which is included with the camera -- GoPro knocks $200 off, so it's $350 (a year of the service, which costs $50 a year or $5 a month, is included for free).
The subscription service gives you unlimited cloud backups at original quality, damaged camera replacement, discounts on GoPro accessories and gear and access to GoPro's premium live streaming platform.
Read our GoPro Hero 10 Black review.
David Carnoy/CNET
360 cams capture everything in a sphere around the camera, then later you can decide what you want to show -- and exactly how it's shown. For this type of camera, a lot of people like the GoPro Max, which is selling for around $430, but Insta360's One X2 is also impressive and some people prefer it to the GoPro.
Insta360 sells the newer and more affordable Go 2 ($300) and the earlier One R. The Snow Bundle includes a variety of mounts and accessories, everything from a chest mount to GoPro-style helmet mounts along with a pole mount.
We have a couple of videos to give you an idea of the kind of footage Insta360 cams can produce. Former CNET Senior Video Producer Nic Henry reviewed both the Go 2 (you can find the video here) and the One X2 (you can find that video here).
Read more: Insta360 Go 2 hands-on
Joshua Goldman/CNET
We could have put the GoPro Hero 9 Black on this list. It costs $50 less than the Hero 10 Black, but the truth is, if you're considering the Hero 9, you might as well get the Hero 10. However, If you can do without that top-end resolution and front-facing screen, the older Hero 8 offers a decent amount of savings and remains a good choice. It still does 4K video at 60 fps, so it's no slouch and has come down from its original list price of $350 (it's now around $280). It was a CNET Editors' Choice Award winner two years ago.
Read more: Best action cams
David Carnoy/CNET
The Aleck 006 earpieces slip into your helmet and can be used as wireless headphones for listening to music or as a headset for making calls. They offer decent sound but what makes them even more useful is if you link multiple Aleck 006 together and set up what amounts to a walkie-talkie system among friends or family members.
With real-time GPS tracking in the Aleck Go app for iOS and Android, you can also map the location of everyone in your party.
David Carnoy/CNET
Helly Hansen's flagship $750 Elevation Infinity 2.0 technical shell jacket features the company's LIFA Infinity Pro technology, its new waterproof, windproof yet breathable material that it says is the "first to-market to be made entirely without added chemicals." Typically, waterproof jackets are chemically treated, but Helly Hansen says the Infinity's "everlasting water-repellent protection never needs to be reproofed with chemical treatment after use."
For a shell jacket it offers good flexibility and doesn't feel stiff. While it has a three-layer fabric construction and offers some warmth, it's not insulated so in very cold conditions you'd need to wear another jacket underneath it, like the Odin Lifaloft Hybrid ($400).
The Elevation Infinity 2.0 is available at Backcountry and comes in black, gray fog and orange (pictured) and, like other premium Helly ski jackets, also features its Life Pocket Plus, which uses Aerogel insulation to help keep your phone from getting too cold, thus preserving its battery.
David Carnoy/CNET
Helmets with integrated lens shields or goggles have become popular in Europe in recent years, and Giro makes one of the best ones with its Orbit helmet that also comes in a version for women called the Aria (it looks very similar but has different colored trim elements). While these types of helmets tend to be expensive, they're good for people who wear glasses or just like the convenience of eye protection integrated into a helmet design -- you can rotate the articulating "shield" up onto the helmet or tilt it down over your face. It's also worth noting that the large Vivid lens (with optics by Zeiss) provides a very wide field of view.
Unlike some shields that have an open design at the bottom, this one has a foam liner and is designed to sit on your face like goggles, though the seal isn't quite as tight as a typical pair of goggles. There's good ventilation and the helmet is very comfortable to wear, with a Polartec "Power Grid" padded lining that helps with moisture management. Like many of Giro's helmets, this one also incorporates the company's custom Spherical MIPS (Multi-directional Impact Protection) technology.
The included lens shield is designed to work well in a variety of conditions (it is replaceable for $125). It does a very good job staying fog-free on nonstorm days, but I can't guarantee that it won't fog at times on big snow days, which can be challenging for most goggles (particularly if you wear glasses or prescription lens inserts with your goggles). That said, it's an excellent helmet overall.
David Carnoy/CNET
The Marauder Elite is Spy's latest and greatest model of goggles that features 60% more venting over the similarly styled Spy Ace goggles (another highly vented model). That makes it "nearly impossible to fog," according to the company. They didn't fog on me during my limited testing, but I still need to put them through a wider variety of conditions to confirm that.
The goggles' lenses adhere magnetically and can be easily swapped out (two lenses are included). These are over-the-glasses, or OTG-type, that are suitable for use with RX eyeglasses and have subtle notches in the temples to allow your glasses to fit better. Like Spy's other premium goggles, these feature the company's Happy lens tech, which it says is "scientifically tuned to boost mood and alertness while optimizing color and contrast."
They're a nice pair of goggles and although they're expensive, Spy has been having trouble keeping them in stock.
David Carnoy/CNET
When your phone gets too cold its battery drains faster, and if it's really cold, it might shut off. That's where the Phoozy comes in.
A simple sleeve or "capsule" for smartphones, the Phoozy has a Chromium Thermal Barrier Shell and SpaceTech Penetration Layer, as well as a bit of velcro to keep it closed at the top. That will help keep your phone warm on extra cold days and help preserve battery life. It will also keep your phone from overheating.
Phoozy pouches now come in a few different versions and sizes and start at $30. Just make sure to get one that's big enough to hold your phone.
Atomic
Atomic's new Redster CTD helmet is pricey but has some cool features that may someday find their way into more helmets. Inspired by Atomic's pro racing helmets, this model has sensors that assess any damage after the helmet takes a hit. You get a report on your helmet's condition via the Atomic Shocksense app for iOS and Android. Also, if you slam into something hard enough and the helmet takes heavy damage, it will automatically send SOS alerts out to your emergency contacts.
As far as protection goes, it's serious. Atomic says the Redster CTD's Atomic Multi-directional Impact Deflector (AMID) dual-density foam system absorbs shock from all angles to deliver 30% higher impact protection than International Ski Federation standards require. It's available in black, red and white.
David Carnoy/CNET
These glove liners are equipped with Seirus' Kinetic heat return system that it says amplifies your body heat 4 to 5 degrees and reflects it back to you for 20% more warmth. Of course, how warm your hands are will also depend on how warm the gloves are that go over these (they can be used as stand-alone gloves, but more for running in cold weather than skiing).
David Carnoy/CNET
After a day of shredding, your body will certainly appreciate a little percussion massage gun action. There are plenty of options available but we like the travel-friendly Theragun Mini because it won't weigh your luggage down too much and is a great little massage gun for $199 that's surprisingly powerful for its size.
Like the other new Theragun models, the Mini is equipped with Quiet Force technology that allows the device to run just as powerfully but much more quietly than the previous generation of Theraguns. The Theragun Mini has three speed settings, ranging from 1,750 rpm to 2,400 rpm, and the battery lasts for 150 minutes of continuous use.
The one notable downside to the Theragun Mini is that it only comes with one attachment, the standard ball head. You could buy other Theragun attachments a la carte because the Mini is compatible with all the same attachments that come with other models, but that brings the price up.
Florian Breitenberger
Private lessons have gotten really expensive, so why not get a virtual one?
Carv is a digital ski coach that combines some hardware that you attach to your boots with an iOS app (Android coming soon) that delivers real-time feedback about how you're skiing.
I'm still waiting to try this out but have had friends use it and really like it. The software was updated to version 2.0 with some small hardware enhancements, including a more compact battery with the same battery life.
For better or worse (probably worse), Carv has moved toward a subscription model that makes the hardware less expensive (the original kit is now $149 instead of $349), but requires you to purchase an add-on subscription for $199 a year or $298 for a two-year plan. That's still a lot less than what a single full-day private lesson would cost you at most resorts -- at least in the US.
Sarah Tew/CNET
If you don't want to pay upward of $200 for a set of Smith I/O goggles, there are plenty of more affordable alternatives, including those from Colorado-based Glade, which prides itself on making goggles that offer similar or better performance than high-end models from other companies for a lot less.
The big deal is its Adapt goggles include a Photochromic Flux lens for $129. This is a lens that changes colors according to the lighting conditions you experience. In other words, it's the chameleon of lenses, and typically photochromatic goggles cost a lot more.
Sarah Tew/CNET
The Smith 4D MAG googles are the company's current top-of-the-line model and have seen a price increase from $280 to $320. They feature a wider field of view (25% wider than the I/O Mag, according to Smith) and a 5x antifog inner lens with AirEvac Integration Technology that helps reduce fogging. Changing the lenses is easy with the MAG system. Two levers release the lens, which adheres magnetically to the goggles. One low-light and one bright-light lens are included.
Sarah Tew/CNET
If you wear glasses, the $270 I/O MAG XL goggles are a good choice, albeit a fairly expensive one.
The MAG XL is Smith's MAG lens change system featuring -- you guessed it -- magnets that let you easily swap out lenses, as well as a 5x antifog inner lens with AirEvac Integration Technology that helps reduce fogging. They come with two lenses.
The Smith I/O MAG XL goggles come in several different ChromoPop lens colors.
Sarah Tew/CNET
Seirus' flagship HeatTouch Hellfire gloves are available for $450 for men or women. The gloves haven't changed for a few years, but the battery was upgraded last year to a more slimmed-down version with increased battery life.
At the low-heat setting you can get up to 12 hours of battery life, with medium pegged at around 8 hours and high at 4 hours.
It's also available in a mitten for $450.
Sarah Tew/CNET
In the past, I've highlighted Smith's Vantage helmet, which has a visor. The Code is more oriented toward snowboarders and free riders, but a lot of mainstream skiers like its streamlined look.
Smith didn't change anything in this year's model from last year's -- except for the color options. It packs in most of Smith's latest technologies. On the inside, instead of hard foam you'll find Koroyd inserts that, from the top, look like a honeycomb with circular (not hexagonal) cylinders. The high-tech material is made of lightweight, eco-friendly polymer extruded tubes that are thermally welded together to form a strong layer of protection that also allows for good airflow. (Smith has added other materials and design elements to the helmet and is calling the whole protection package Aerocore construction.)
Beyond the fancy padding, there's the BOA FS360 fit system (with a 360-degree halo design), which helps you get a snug, "custom" fit. And new this year: a Wayfinder strap system featuring Fidlock that's basically a quick-release magnetic system that makes it easier to open and close the strap.
The helmet only comes in a MIPS version, which offers increased protection. In a MIPS Brain Protection System, the shell and liner are separated by a low-friction layer that "allows the helmet to slide relative to the head."
David Carnoy/CNET
Giro says the "modern profile" of its Jackson helmet, which comes in multiple color options, utilizes the new Passive Aggressive Venting system that's "inspired by the aerodynamic airflow of high-end autos." Well, it's a good looking helmet and also pretty lightweight and comfortable while offering MIPS (Multi-directional Impact Protection) technology.
It doesn't have the company's upgraded Spherical MIPS technology found in its Emerge helmet ($150), this model has Giro's Form 2 Fit system that allows you to dial in the fit of the helmet (it's similar to Smith's dial-in fit), which allowed me to get a more snug fit. The Emerge uses the company's Stash Fit system that allows you to remove or add layers of padding to customize your fit.
Both the Emerge and the Jackson are designed for maximum compatibility with Giro goggles but they work just fine with other goggles.
David Carnoy/CNET
Giro makes a couple of goggles in the $150 range, including the Method and Article. It describes the Method as having a "bold retro style" that's been advanced with "the most modern technology." It's a comfortable goggle with a wide field of view and good venting that helps keep the goggles fog-free in most conditions (I haven't met a goggle that's truly fog-free in all conditions).
Like the more rounded Article goggles ($170), the Method uses Giro's Vivid lens with optics by Zeiss and a second lens is included. The Method is available in a few different color options.
Beringia
If you're looking for the ultimate Merino wool base layers, these tops and bottoms from Beringia may just be it. Diomede is Beringia's proprietary fabric "that seamlessly knits multiple layers of fabric into one ultrastretchy waffle." Real-world translation: The fabric is thin, lightweight and comfortable but also warm. The only downside is that tops ($150) and bottoms ($175) are quite expensive and there's no deal if you buy both together, although you can get 15% off with your first purchase.
Beringia Diomede base layers are available in a few color options and three sizes, as well as women's versions. The top also comes with a snorkel hoodie for $25 more.
David Carnoy/CNET
Constructed from Grilamid, a lightweight but very durable frame material, the Spy Helm Tech sunglasses are a modern take on glacier sunglasses that includes removable side shields so you can block both the sun and all the "haters" at the same time, according to the company (they turn into standard wayfarer sunglasses without the side shields).
The sunglasses have hidden sweat channels in both the nose pads and inner temples for breathability and feature the company's Happy Tech lens tech that it says is "scientifically tuned to boost mood and alertness while enhancing color and contrast."
True or not, I will say they fit comfortably, the optics were very good and I was indeed happy using them.
David Carnoy/CNET
Most new phones, including the iPhone 13 models, offer a decent level of water resistance. But if you want some added protection, Lifeproof still sells its waterproof and shockproof Fre case -- and the latest version is built for MagSafe accessories.
The Fre case is also available for some Samsung Galaxy models but that version doesn't feature MagSafe, a feature that adds $10 to the case.
David Carnoy/CNET
You don't want your phone to go dead on the mountain, so it's always good to pack a battery pack.
MyCharge calls its new line of magnetic power banks Superhero Mag-Lock, implying that they're real saviors. I was impressed by their design. Not only do the batteries, which come in various capacities, have strong magnets and stick really well to the back of your iPhone 12 or 13, but they have raised coils, which are supposed to help with reducing heat levels while charging. It does seem to work.
The 3,000-mAh battery is lightweight and slim and is nice to have around for some emergency charging. However, it won't get you a full charge, so you'll probably want to step up to one of the higher-capacity options like the 6,000-mAh model that retails for $60 but is currently being discounted to $36. The 9,000-mAh version is beefy and feels like your phone is attached to a small brick (the battery and phone do fit in your hand nicely but the combo certainly isn't pocket-friendly).
All the Mag-Lock batteries charge Qi-enabled iPhones at 5W, although you can get faster charging if you go wired and use a USB-C to Lightning cable. I also liked how there's a chime when the charging starts and your phone tells you how much juice is left in the battery pack (it's tied into iOS 15). You can wirelessly charge Android devices as well, but the Mag-Lock won't stick unless you have a metal ring on the back of your phone's case. Stick-on rings are available for sale.
The MyCharge SuperHero Mag-Lock is available in a few color options and has a nice glossy finish. It currently is the best-designed magnetic power bank -- better even than Apple's.
Ibex
Ibex, which is known for its high-tech merino wool garments, describes its Wool Aire Hoodie as having "backcountry performance with frontcountry style." Available in a few colors and both men's and women's options, it's a puffy jacket that's not all that puffy but is lightweight, comfortable (it has some stretch to it) and can be used as either a midlayer on cold days or outer layer on not-so-cold days.
It's constructed of eco-friendly Bluesign-certified materials and is wind- and water-resistant. Also worth noting: It packs up into its chest pocket, which makes it travel-friendly.
David Carnoy/CNET
Bollé's Torus goggles come in a version with a standard lens for around $120 (or less), but I tried the step-up version with the company's high-contrast Volt lens, which is harder to find in stock. You get one lens with these goggles, but the Ice Blue Cat 3 lens (with a pink base tint) offers some flexibility in terms of what lighting conditions you can use it with. The goggles offer a wide field of view and good ventilation.
Amazon
Biolite has a new line of portable batteries that offer USB-C PD fast-charging (up to 18W) along with two additional USB-A ports so you can charge a couple of phones at the same time, albeit at slower speeds. There are three sizes available -- 6,000-mAh, 10,000-mAh and 20,000-mAh -- but the 6,000-mAh version (pictured on right) is probably best for skiers because it's slim, relatively lightweight and fits easily in a pocket. To charge iPhones at 18W speeds, you'll need to bring your own USB-C-to-Lightning cable to the charging party (the latest iPhones include that cable).
Although Biolite says its powerbanks are "durable," they don't have a water-resistance rating. That said, they should survive a drop in the snow just fine.
Sarah Tew/CNET
Zeal goggles have excellent optics and a wide field of view, and many feature the company's Rail Lock System that makes the lenses easy to change and the goggles easy to vent when you're in hiking mode.
The base models with standard lenses are pretty affordable, ranging from $129 to $159. Things get more expensive when you move to the Automatic Plus GB lens, which is photochromic and changes quickly with the lighting and works in any conditions. Add that Automatic Plus lens and the price goes up to $279.
I like the Portal XL (on right), which also starts at $249 for the standard two-lens option. It has the widest field of view and is an OTG type that allows you to wear glasses.
The Hemisphere, starting at $129, has a spherical frame with upper and lower ventilation and triple-layer face foam and is available in a variety of lens options. It doesn't have the RLS system, but the lens quality is quite good for the price.
David Carnoy/CNET
The Jaybird Vista 2 sports buds feature a similar design to the original Vista buds but have a couple of key upgrades: active noise canceling and a transparency mode called SurroundSense that allows you to hear the outside world, an important safety feature for skiers as well as runners and bikers.
The Vista 2 buds have an IPX68 water resistance rating, which means they're both dust-proof and fully waterproof. Jaybird says they're also sweat-proof, crush-proof and drop-proof. And the compact case is now splash-proof and dust-resistant, with an IP54 rating.
They sound quite good once you tweak the EQ settings to your liking, but in sound quality they're not quite up to the level of some other premium earbuds. Their noise-canceling, transparency mode and voice calling are decent though unspectacular (the Beats Fit Pro performs better in all departments). But if you're buying these, you're buying them for the secure fit and durability.
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This is Smith's goggles-sunglasses hybrid, the Wildcat ($200). Constructed with the same materials used in Smith goggles, the Wildcat glasses provide lots of eye coverage and good airflow but have the comfort of a more lightweight pair of sunglasses. The Wildcat sunglasses come with a bright-light ChromaPop lens and a secondary clear lens for flat-light overcast days and are available in three color options.
Amazon
This product comes at the recommendation of CNET editor Justin Jaffe, who lives in New England. He writes:
"As Covid surged again this winter, I've taken up alpine touring: skinning up a mountain and skiing down. The benefits are considerable -- you can often get by without a lift pass and it delivers a much more rewarding cardio workout than pure downhill skiing. This highly adjustable USWE backpack has become an essential tool for me, providing the right amount of space for gear as well as an insulated water bladder that has never once frozen up. And there is a strap and pocket for everything, from goggles to helmet to skis. Highly recommended."
Sarah Tew/CNET
You'd think that more companies would have made Bluetooth headphones that slip inside your helmet, but Outdoor Technology is one of the few that does (some Chinese companies like Outdoor Master have gotten in on the game in the last couple of years). Their appeal has waned now that true wireless earbuds have come along, but they're still available at a discounted price, around $90.
How it works is you charge up the Chips and slide them into the earflaps on your helmet (they should work with most helmets). You want to make sure that no excess padding in your helmet is covering the Chips or else they'll get muffled and you'll lose some volume; you want them as close to your ears as possible.
The Chips 2.0 have a walkie-talkie feature that allows you to communicate with friends who are also using Chips 2.0 headphones. You create a group using the ODT Walkie-Talkie app and talk over the cell network, which means the only limit on distance is whether you're getting a phone signal. Up to 99 people can be in your private group.
I thought the sound quality was decent for Bluetooth but not great. That said, it's nice to be able to stick your helmet on and have the headphones built in with no wires to worry about. Battery life is rated at 10 hours, and the Chips are sweat- and water-resistant but not waterproof.
Outdoor Technology also sells the Chips Ultra, a true-wireless version of the Chips that costs significantly more (about $163). I don't think the Ultras are worth the money.
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You never know when you might need to hang up some gear, which is where the Heroclip comes in. Available in a few different sizes and colors, this souped-up rotating carabiner hook clip costs around $23.
Garmin
The original Garmin inReach Mini has been one of the more popular satellite communication devices with backcountry skiers. The new inReach Mini 2 has the same compact, lightweight form factor but adds additional features, including a more energy-efficient processor that greatly improves battery life (now up to 14 days of battery life, using default 10-minute tracking, and your location is sent to your MapShare page for friends and family to view), a higher resolution display and user interface, as well as compatibility with Garmin's Explore app and some new navigation features.
Garmin says that while most users will interact via their phones or paired Garmin devices, you can still send a check-in, read incoming messages, and reply with either a pre-canned QuickText or write a custom message from the device itself.
You do need an active satellite subscription to use the inReach Mini 2 with basic annual plans starting at $11.95 a month or $14.95 for a single month subscription.
