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I visited Samsung's Galaxy S22 metaverse event, but it felt rushed and incomplete
I visited Samsung's Galaxy S22 metaverse event, but it felt rushed and incomplete
Samsung's Galaxy S22 reveal event wasn't just a standard livestream this year: It also took place inside a metaverse -- and I was genuinely excited to check it out. I've attended previous Samsung events in VR and found them to be more enjoyable than most other branded virtual experiences. The infamous 2016 photo of Mark Zuckerberg walking down an aisle while everyone around him is wearing a Gear VR headset is undeniably silly, but the demonstration of what could be possible from home was actually compelling.
By comparison, this 2022 Unpacked event had surprisingly little to do with Samsung and served more as an example of what not to do when using the metaverse to host a product launch.
If you saw Samsung announce an event in the metaverse and thought it meant putting on a VR headset and sitting in an audience, you're not alone. Instead, Samsung built a version of its New York event space in Decentraland, a cryptocurrency-focused virtual playground. It's technically possible to enter Decentraland with a VR headset, but the experience is barely functional and requires a lot of technical knowledge. Using your web browser alongside your mouse and keyboard, as intended by the creators, you enter Decentraland as an animated avatar you can modify, and move yourself to the Samsung 837X space to participate.
Arriving at this space the day before the event revealed a brightly lit building and a faux pizza shop. The doors were all closed and there wasn't much to see, but there were already people lined up to see what Samsung had to offer. When I checked in again, 30 minutes before the event was to start, a handful of people waiting outside had climbed to nearly 100 that I could see. Decentraland runs 10 servers and you can only see the people on your server, but as I moved around before the event each server seemed similarly full. Roughly 1,000 people were waiting for Samsung to open the doors and show us the Galaxy S22 Ultra.
Unfortunately for a lot of those servers, the doors didn't open on time. Many people were unable to actually enter Samsung 837X before the event started. Everyone outside the metaverse was enjoying a strange crossover with the popular TV series Bridgerton at the start of this event, while I and dozens of my fellow metazens were changing servers to find one that worked. Once a server with open doors had been located, the next challenge was finding the room inside this virtual building where the announcement event was actually streaming.
The three unlockable clothing packs you could use to equip your metaverse avatar if you completed the minigame inside Samsung's event.
Russell Holly/CNET
Inside Samsung 837X, you are presented with three rooms and a host of smaller activities to enjoy. Samsung had made special clothing for your Decentraland avatar you could only get by completing a quest in this space. Most of the space was dedicated to this quest, but in the back you could find a theater with the Unpacked event streaming. The room was a fairly generic virtual theater with a big curved screen showing the event already in progress outside of the metaverse. I was nearly 10 minutes late, and now watching a smaller version of the livestream with animated characters dancing around inside of a web browser on my laptop.
A few minutes into watching this presentation, it became clear the real reason most people were here was to unlock the virtual clothes tied to the Samsung quest. The app told me there were 96 people in the space, but the room only held 37. The novelty of the Samsung-made space was much more important than the unveiling of a new phone and tablet for a majority of those who regularly visit Decentraland.
It's difficult to feel like this approach to an event is anything other than a step backward. Back in 2016, Samsung offered the ability to watch a Galaxy Unpacked event from inside its VR headset. You put the headset on, opened the app and picked one of several positions to watch the stage from a 360-degree streaming camera. Being able to turn your head and see the audience made you feel like you were actually sitting in the audience. Not a lot of people owned those headsets at the time, but it felt like you were in a packed room and could enjoy the show.
The Samsung Theater, where I could watch the Galaxy S22 Ultra unveiling.
Russell Holly/CNET
In fairness, this 2022 event was fully virtual, so there was no live space to warp into as there was during pre-pandemic product launches. But Samsung could have made it possible to walk through a virtual store, get a closer look at the phone from every angle, or maybe even preorder the next phone using cryptocurrency. There could have been Samsung staff on hand in the space to answer questions or talk to people about what they're upgrading from and how the cameras on this new phone might have been better.
Samsung had an opportunity to make this space actually feel like a virtual version of its 837 store, but instead built a terribly rendered virtual forest to showcase its intent to plant 2 million trees as part of its sustainability efforts. For comparison's sake, the real Samsung 837 store not only sells Samsung devices but opened with a cafe on site and, at least pre-pandemic, held a running club that promoted its fitness trackers.
This could have been a lot of fun, but instead felt rushed and incomplete. It was a halfhearted attempt in a long line of cultural zeitgeist moments from Samsung, and felt more like an online version of the Yo! Noid game from Pizza Hut in 1990 than it does a glimpse at an often-promised metaversal future.
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Tinder-Parent Match Group Sues Google Over Play Store Billing
Tinder-Parent Match Group Sues Google Over Play Store Billing
Match Group, the company that operates dating apps such as Tinder, Hinge and OkCupid, has filed a lawsuit against Google, accusing the internet giant of forcing it to use the Google Play Store's billing system, paying royalties for subscription transactions. The lawsuit, which was filed Monday in federal court in California, accuses Google of violating federal and state antitrust laws.
"Ten years ago, Match Group was Google's partner. We are now its hostage," Match Group said in a press release.
Match Group said Google assured app developers that they would be able to choose alternative payment systems for their customers, only to do an about-face. The dating giant says that its users prefer Match's internal billing system and that Google's system is "lacking capabilities."
Google pushed back against the lawsuit.
"This is just a continuation of Match Group's self-interested campaign to avoid paying for the significant value they receive from the mobile platforms they've built their business on," a Google spokesperson said in a statement to CNET. "Like any business, we charge for our services, and like any responsible platform, we protect users against fraud and abuse in apps."
Google went on to point out that Match Group was sued by the Federal Trade Commission in 2019 for failing to filter out fake profiles that may have incentivized users into paying for subscriptions. The lawsuit was thrown out earlier this year. Last month, Match also won a lawsuit against Muslim dating app MuzMatch over trademark infringement.
App store fees have been at the center of a number of legal battles in recent months. In March, Google struck a deal that would allow Spotify to offer its own in-app payment option alongside Google's. This deal came after Epic Games, creators of Fortnite, sued both Apple and Google for not allowing its own in-app payment systems, meaning that every in-game costume purchase had Apple and Google taking a percentage off the top. Google and Epic Games have agreed to a trial in early 2023.
In this new lawsuit, Match says it attempted to resolve Google's concerns but was told that its apps would be removed from the Google Play Store by June 1 if it didn't comply. The dating app maker's lawsuit accuses Google of violating the Sherman Antitrust Act, the California Cartwright Act, the California Unfair Competition Law and California tort law by demanding companies exclusively use Play Billing.
"They control app distribution on Android devices, and pretend that developers could successfully reach consumers on Android elsewhere," Match Group CEO Shar Dubey said in a statement. "It's like saying, 'you don't have to take the elevator to get to the 60th floor of a building, you can always scale the outside wall.'"
Given that 90% of app downloads on Android occur on the Google Play Store, Match says Google's marketplace is the only viable app platform. Google said if Match didn't like its terms, it could distribute its apps elsewhere.
Match says fees can be as high as 30%, which is 10 times more than those charged by payment processors such as Visa and Mastercard. Google says its high fees are necessary to protect Android users from fraud and abuse and that Match Group is eligible to pay 15% on Google Play for digital subscriptions.
"While Google has claimed that 99% of the developers subject to the Google tax will qualify for the lower rate, hidden by this statistic is the fact that not all in-app purchases qualify and some of the most popular are still subject to the 30% tax," according to an FAQ created by Match Group regarding the lawsuit.
When asked about the high percentage rate of its fees compared with payment processors, Google said the Play Store does more than process payments, adding that the fees help keep the Android operating system free and fund development of platforms such as Android Auto and TV, security, app distribution, developer tools, and billing systems around the world.
If Match is forced to stop using its internal payment system, the company says it will suffer "irreparable damage to its customer relationships, reputation, business performance, and goodwill and its users will be harmed by increased prices and Google's monetization of their data."
Apple Watch: It's been 5 years since my original review, and it holds up
Apple Watch: It's been 5 years since my original review, and it holds up
I'd love to say that when I first put on the Apple Watch, I'd never seen anything like it before. But of course, that's not true. By late 2014 I'd been surrounded by smartwatches for a few years. So when Apple announced it was making its own watch, my thought (as so often with Apple) was: finally.
The first smartwatch I reviewed at CNET was the Martian Passport, an analog watch that could make phone calls. It sounds so primitive now, but it was cool in early 2013. The Pebble Watch followed, and the Steel version became my favorite: It was like a Casio watch turned into a useful little pager-assistant. It was simple and had long battery life, and it was great.
There were others, too: Samsung's first smartwatches were ambitious (a camera?). Google's first Android Wear watches arrived in 2014. Meanwhile, there were Fitbits and Jawbone trackers galore.
I say this to lay the groundwork for the Apple Watch and what its impact was. Like the iPhone wasn't the first smartphone, the Apple Watch wasn't the first smartwatch... but it made the biggest footprint. It was another step validating that a world of wearables was here to stay.
I was able to wear the Apple Watch a month before it went on sale. I spent a ton of time with it, getting used to both how it handled phone calls, and the activity tracking rings. I looked at my heart rate measurements. I accidentally ordered an Xbox One with an early Amazon app.
The Watch was, much like the first iPhone, sometimes feature-limited. But it also had some features that already stood out.
My original review was updated a year later, which you can read here. Some parts have changed, clearly, and Apple has updated the OS. But I'll comment on what I wrote then, and how I felt, and how that's evolved. Quotes from the original review are in italics.
The gold Apple Watch, way back when.
James Martin/CNET
An excellent design, with luxury overtones
Apple wants you to think of the Apple Watch as fine jewelry. Maybe that's a stretch, but in terms of craftsmanship, there isn't a more elegantly made piece of wearable tech. Look at the Apple Watch from a distance, and it might appear unremarkable in its rectangular simplicity compared with bolder, circular Android Wear watches. It's clearly a revamped sort of iPod Nano. But get closer, and you can see the seamless, excellent construction.
The first Apple Watch came in aluminum, steel and ramped all the way up to a gold model costing more than $10,000. Compared to other smartwatches, it screamed luxury.
Certain touches felt luxurious, too: the fine-feeling Digital Crown, which spun ever so smoothly like a real watch part, for instance. The OLED display, which was a first for an Apple product, looked crisp and bright.
The most amazing part, maybe, were the watch bands. Apple created a really nice series of specially designed straps, from a steel link to a clever magnetic Milanese mesh that were extremely expensive and impressively engineered.
Its watch face designs were great, too, and they integrated some information from the iPhone that aimed to add at-a-glance ease of use. There was a Mickey Mouse watch face that danced! The Solar face showing sunrise and sunset, and the astronomy face that showed planetary alignments and moon phases, felt like magic. I wanted more, but Apple's assortment of watch faces was limited, and it didn't allow for third-party watch face design. That's still the case now.
A lot of the Apple Watch reminded me of the strides Apple began with the iPod Nano, which also had watch mode... and a Mickey Mouse watch face.
Sarah Tew
New technologies at first: fantastic haptics, a force-sensitive display
All Apple Watches have a new S1 processor made by Apple, that "taptic" haptic engine and a force-sensitive and very bright OLED display, which is differently sized on the 38mm and 42mm models. The watch has its own accelerometer, gyrometer and heart-rate monitor, but no onboard GPS. It uses Bluetooth 4.0 and 802.11b/g/n 2.4GHz Wi-Fi to connect to your phone or your home network. There's a built-in speaker and microphone, but no headphone jack.
As I wore the watch on the first day, I felt a rippling buzz and a metallic ping: one of my credit card payments showed up as a message. Apple's "Taptic Engine" and a built-in speaker convey both a range of advanced taps and vibrations, plus sounds. Unlike the buzz in a phone or most wearables, these haptics feel sharper: a single tap, or a ripple of them, or thumps.
Sometimes the feelings are too subtle: I don't know if I felt them or imagined them. My wrists might be numbed from too many smart devices. I set my alerts to "prominent" and got sharper nudges on my wrist.
The first watch introduced some ideas that eventually made their way to other iPhones. A "taptic engine" delivered on some amazingly refined vibration effects, ranging from a purr to a ping to a gentle tap. These were way ahead of what anybody else was doing -- and they weren't just a gimmick. The notification types associated with unique vibrations felt distinct. Sometimes, the vibrating taps on the first Watch weren't as powerful as I wanted. But with later updates, the haptics made parts of the interface seem real: virtual wheels, clicking as if moving with invisible gears.
The more advanced haptics made their way to the iPhone next, making us used to them now. Other phones, game consoles like the Nintendo Switch, and VR accessories, have evolved haptics since, but the Apple Watch was the first mainstream device that upped the haptics game.
Force Touch was another wild idea: Apple made its watch display force-sensitive, meaning a deeper press could work like pushing a button. Though this idea was refined further into 3D Touch on the iPhone 6S, 3D Touch was a technology that never became as necessary as expected, and current iPhone models have dropped the pressure-sensitive display tech completely.
The Apple Watch still has Force Touch, though, and I think it always will.
Digital Touch: I never used it much after that.
Sarah Tew
Lots of features. Too many features?
As you can see, this is a lot of stuff. Did I have fun using the watch? Yes, mostly, but there are so many features that I felt a little lost at times. There are so many ways to interact: swiping, touching, pressing harder into the display, a button and a clickable digital crown-wheel. Plus, there's Siri. Do I swipe, or click, or force touch or speak? Sometimes I didn't know where an app menu was. Or, I'd find getting back to an app I just had open would require an annoying series of crown clicks, swiping through apps, then opening the app again.
There's a reason I used the word "complicated" to describe my feelings using that first Apple Watch. Setting up bits of information, called complications, was slow and not always intuitive. Apps took a while to load, and were sometimes so slow that it was easier to check my phone instead. Quick glances and notifications, and phone calls, were fine. Apple Pay on the watch was clever, but would I use it? I wished the watch had more battery life.
I didn't like the overcomplicated feel. The design of the OS, and the card-like swappable mini-view apps that used to be on the Watch like a dock, changed over time. It's gotten better since.
Storing music on the watch, while it took a while to sync, was easier than attempts on Samsung Gear or Android Wear. Of course, I had to hunt for a good pair of Bluetooth headphones to connect with the watch.
Today I still forget to dive into and make the most of the apps on the watch. I just dusted off Walkie Talkie: it's cool. There's noise monitoring. One app lets me remote control my iPhone camera, which has been a huge help for my stay-at-home self-shot videos. The Remote app helps me when I lose the Apple TV remote every other day.
Third-party apps, and the grid of options? It turns out I don't use them much at all. I don't dig down deep into the layers of functions. I prefer what's on the surface: watch faces, and their readouts. But I've come to appreciate the watch's surprising number of options and settings. It's better than not having them at all.
The rings were the beginning.
Sarah Tew/CNET
Fitness: The ring idea was just the beginning
The Apple Watch doesn't work any fitness miracles that the rest of the wearable world hasn't already invented, and it doesn't ship with any new magical sensors that change the game. But the Apple-made integrated fitness apps, Activity and Workout, are far and away the best fitness apps on any existing smartwatch that isn't a dedicated "fitness watch" (Samsung Gear, Android Wear, Pebble and the like). A clever three-ring method of tracking daily activity, which simultaneously measures and rewards daily calorie burn, active exercise and standing up, feels like a fusion of rewards and metrics seen on the Nike FuelBand, Jawbone Up, Fitbit and others.
I appreciated Apple's complete-the-ring motivational activity tracker, which felt inspired by wearables like the Nike FuelBand (not surprising, since Apple's head of fitness, Jay Blahnik, arrived from Nike). For the red ring's daily goals, it's great. It felt too easy to complete the blue Stand ring, and it still does.
There are tons of fitness advancements Apple has made on the Watch in the last five years: GPS, resting heart rate, workout controls, social sharing, third-party app integration, swimming, modes for accessibility, activity trends -- and I haven't even discussed Apple's massive health aspirations like adding ECG, checking for falls, monitoring elevated or irregular heart rate or women's health tracking. There is some form of coaching and motivation, too. But I'd still love to see more of that. I hit a wall when trying to be fit, and there's only so much watches seem to help.
The first Apple Watch was more of a Fitbit. Now, it's more of a health companion. Those two worlds still feel like they need to dovetail and grow. There are missing features, too, like sleep tracking, which feels like the inevitable next step.
You still need an iPhone, just like in 2015.
Sarah Tew
It was, and still is, an iPhone accessory
Much like most other smartwatches, the Apple Watch isn't a standalone device -- it's a phone accessory. Android Wear, Samsung Gear, Pebble and others work the same way. But here, you must own an iPhone 5 or later to use the Watch. A few Apple Watch functions work away from the phone, but the watch primarily works alongside the phone as an extension, a second screen and basically another part of your iOS experience. It's a symbiote.
One thing I noted back then was that you needed an iPhone to use the Apple Watch. Unlike other wearables that can pair with Android or iOS, or even sync with a computer, the Apple Watch was always designed to live symbiotically with the iPhone.
That's still the case now. Even with independent cellular options, and an on-watch App Store, you can't use the Watch without pairing to an iPhone. And it still won't work with Android. It's a shame, because a fully standalone watch could be a really helpful tool for many people who don't have iPhones, and it could even be a phone alternative (for kids, maybe).
Apple's AirPods created a gadget trinity where the Watch, the iPhone and AirPods can all work seamlessly together. But that trinity is an expensive one. The entry price of the Apple Watch has dropped, at least. But it feels like an extension of the iPhone more than its own device, even now.
The Apple Watch Series 5: much better, with a few similarities.
Sarah Tew/CNET
Today: the best watch in a war of attrition
You don't need an Apple Watch. In many ways, it's a toy: an amazing little do-it-all, a clever invention, a possibly time-saving companion, a wrist-worn assistant. It's also mostly a phone accessory for now. In the months and years to come, that may change: with Apple's assortment of iPads, Macs, Apple TV and who knows what else to come, the watch could end up being a remote and accessory to many things. Maybe it'll be the key to unlock a world of smart appliances, cars and connected places. In that type of world, a smartwatch could end up feeling utterly essential.
I think back to what the Apple Watch was competing against back then: Jawbone, Pebble, Fitbit, Google's Android Wear, Samsung's watches, the Microsoft Band. A lot of competitors are gone now. Fitbit was acquired by Google. Samsung still has watches. Garmin makes lots of dedicated fitness watches. There are still plenty of more affordable relative newcomers, too.
The original Apple Watch, with the Pebble Steel, Moto 360 and the original iPod Nano with wristband (clockwise from top left).
Sarah Tew
In a field of fewer alternatives, the Apple Watch's consistent addition of new features and ongoing performance improvements has made it the best option. It's Apple's commitment to gradual improvements that has made it a stand-out watch now, especially compared to the struggles of Google's Wear OS.
The Apple Watch is still an iPhone accessory. And it's still not an essential product. But it's become a really fluid and useful device, one with lots of key upgrades that work, and one that's a lot easier to use.
What's the best smartwatch now? The Apple Watch. That doesn't mean I don't want to see improvements: battery life, sleep tracking, a watch face store and most importantly, Android support and true standalone function. If the last five years are any indication, Apple will tackle these problems on its own... time.
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Garmin Venu Sq review: A solid fitness tracker without the frills
Garmin Venu Sq review: A solid fitness tracker without the frills
The $200 (£179, AU$300) Garmin Venu Sq has almost every fitness- and health-tracking feature you could want in a smartwatch for less than competitors like the Apple Watch ($349 at eBay) and Fitbit Versa 3 ($170 at Target). It has a bright LCD touchscreen, built-in GPS, SpO2 (blood oxygen) tracking and up to six days of battery life, which makes it a compelling buy, especially if you want a watch that's compatible with both Android and iOS.
It's not the most premium-looking smartwatch out there and it misses out on features like a voice assistant and altimeter, but it makes up for it in health and fitness features that elevate it from the rest.
A functional watch without the wow factor
Like the name suggests, the Venu Sq has a square watch face with rounded edges, unlike the original Garmin Venu and almost every other Garmin sports watch with circular designs. Its 1.3-inch color LCD display feels a bit cramped compared to other Garmin watches, but it's clear and easy to read even in bright sunlight and you can keep the screen set to always-on. Having used the larger Garmin Venu for a while, the smaller size of the Venu Sq took a bit of getting used to, especially during workouts when I couldn't see as many stats at a glance and had to scroll to find the right metric like heart rate, which was all the way on the last page.
The overall build quality is sturdy enough thanks to an aluminum bezel, although the plastic case and buttons make it feel like a cheaper watch than it actually is, especially compared to something like the Apple Watch SE ($280 at eBay), Galaxy Watch Active 2 ($200 at Amazon) or Fitbit Versa 3 for example, which all have metal finishes and OLED displays. The Venu Sq has two side buttons: one to start/stop activities and the other to navigate back and forth between menus. Once I figured out which did what, it took me a few days to get completely comfortable using them to navigate the interface.
My biggest complaint with the Venu Sq's design is the vibration motor, which is not particularly strong. Half the time it was the buzzing noise, not the vibration itself, that clued me in on a notification.
Blood oxygen monitor and heart health alerts
Garmin's biggest strength is in health and fitness tracking, with the Venu Sq squarely hitting the mark. It has an SpO2 sensor to identify blood oxygen levels, either as a spot check or automatically throughout the day and night, similar to the $399 Apple Watch Series 6. Although setting it to monitor constantly will reduce battery life a lot faster. It's also hard to find the SpO2 option in the menus and I found that adding it as a widget in the settings is the best way to get it to pop up on your wrist.
Unfortunately I didn't have a pulse oximeter to compare the readings from the Venu Sq to determine accuracy. Either way, it's important to note that the Venu Sq has not been approved to be used as a medical device and should not be used for diagnostic purposes. Always consult with a physician or other qualified health provider about any health-related issues you may have about a medical condition or health objectives.
Though the Venu Sq doesn't have an ECG, or electrocardiogram, like the Apple Watch Series 6 and Galaxy Watch 3 ($399 at Amazon), it does give you the option to receive high and low heart rate notifications that will let you know if your heart rate spikes above or falls below what it considers to be a healthy threshold.
The Venu Sq also uses heart rate variability to determine your stress levels, but doesn't really offer much guidance on how to decrease your stress. I found Garmin's Body Battery meter, which takes into account heart rate variability readings, activity levels and sleep, a more accurate representation of how my body was working that day and helped me decide what kind of workout to do and how hard to push myself. It works better than the Stress Management Score in the Fitbit Sense ($240 at Target) that is a bit more difficult to interpret for me.
Garmin also offers breathing rate and estimated VO2 max, the maximum amount of oxygen your body can use during exercise, which can be used to gauge and improve athletic performance. The higher the number, the more fit you are.
Screenshot by Lexy Savvides/CNET
Sleep tracking is also great on the Venu Sq and clearly identifies your sleep stages of REM, deep and light sleep. You'll also be able to see breathing rate and SpO2 levels in the morning. The downside is that the Garmin Connect app doesn't give you any tips on improving your sleep quality. Menstrual cycle tracking is also available on the Venu Sq and like other Garmin watches, it offers pregnancy tracking to log symptoms and monitor baby movement.
The Venu Sq has a range of workouts preloaded onto the watch, including cardio, strength, Pilates and yoga, so you can follow along with a preset routine on your wrist. There aren't any visual cues on the screen though, just text cues, so if you're doing yoga for example, you'll need to know what "standing forward bend pose" or "low lunge pose" means to get the most out of the routine. You can also build your own workout, such as a circuit of weights, a Pilates routine or a run, within the Garmin Connect app and sync them to the watch. There are also over 50 additional Garmin-created workouts you can load.
On top of these preloaded routines, the Venu Sq can track more than 20 different workout types, from the usual running and walking variants to golf and pool swimming. There's also a personal running coach you can use to help you train for a race or to hit a set goal. It doesn't give you personalized feedback on your form or audio cues like the Galaxy Watches ($295 at Amazon), for example, instead it's more a guide for when you should warm up or how long you should run for, displayed on your wrist.
The Venu Sq has built-in GPS, meaning you don't have to rely on your phone for distance tracking when you're outside. Just be warned that it does take at least 30 seconds to lock on to a GPS signal when you are outside (regardless of whether you have your phone with you or not), which seems like an eternity if you're an impatient runner like me who just wants to get on with it. Once it finally locked though, it tracked my route accurately.
The downside is that there is no gyroscope or altimeter on the Venu Sq, so if you need accurate elevation data you'll likely want to look elsewhere. The Garmin Connect app does a good job of clearly showing you all the details after your workout, but it doesn't dive any deeper into metrics than what similarly priced rivals like the Apple Watch SE or Fitbit Versa 3 offer.
Like other Garmin watches, the Venu Sq has Garmin Live Track which lets you share your location with a safety contact when you are doing an outdoor workout. It does however require a cellular connection, so you will need your phone with you to use this feature.
You can customize the options on this screen to show only your favorite workout types to track.
Lexy Savvides/CNET
Just enough smarts for most people
While the Venu Sq is geared towards fitness and health tracking, that doesn't necessarily mean you'll miss out on smartwatch features. Like almost every other watch, the Venu Sq displays notifications from your phone and pings your phone to locate it if you lose it within Bluetooth range. You'll be able to see call notifications come through regardless of which phone you have the watch paired with, but only Android users will be able to decline calls and respond to text messages from the watch with prewritten responses. There is no speaker or mic onboard so you can't use voice-to-text responses.
The Venu Sq runs Garmin's own operating system (Garmin OS) which is not as seamless as that of Apple or Samsung's smartwatches, but I found it to be stable and more responsive than the Fitbit OS. It's faster to sync updates and doesn't experience any lag in selecting menu options or opening apps.
The biggest pain point for me when using the Venu Sq paired with an iPhone ($500 at Best Buy) has been notifications. The Garmin Connect app on iOS doesn't let you filter out what notifications come through on your wrist and simply mirrors whatever notifications you have set up on your phone. It might not be a deal breaker for many, but I like to push only the most important notifications such as calls and text messages to my wrist, rather than everything that my phone shows. Android users get more control over which notifications come through.
Lexy Savvides/CNET
If you want onboard music storage, you'll need to opt for the music edition of the Venu Sq that costs $50 more, which is the version I tested in this review. The Venu Sq Music lets you store music for offline listening from apps like Spotify (with a Premium subscription) or songs you already own. It's also the watch to get for faster data transfers as it has Wi-Fi and Bluetooth connectivity, whereas the regular Venu Sq only uses Bluetooth.
Garmin has plenty of watch faces to choose from, including third-party options to help personalize the look, plus a fairly wide selection of apps through the Connect IQ Store (a separate app you need to download on your phone). You can also make contactless payments with Garmin Pay on all versions of the watch. The main Garmin Connect app is where you see all your stats and change settings on the watch, while the Connect IQ Store is for adding apps and watch faces.
The Venu Sq, however, lacks a voice assistant, a feature that by now has become standard for most of its similarly priced competitors. This might not be a deal-breaker for you, but it means you miss out hands-free voice control, which I like.
A week's worth of battery life
The Venu Sq has great battery life and you can get up to six days worth of use before you'll need to charge it up, though that number may start to whittle down if you're using it for a lot of GPS workouts, listening to music or continuously tracking your blood oxygen levels. Garmin quotes up to eight hours of battery when playing back music, 14 hours if you are using it in GPS mode, or up to six hours with GPS and music playback.
A great fitness watch without extra bells and whistles
If you're willing to sacrifice a few smart features for better health and fitness tracking, the Garmin Venu Sq is a solid choice that works with Android or iOS. That said, I do wish that Garmin wouldn't charge the extra $50 for the music version, as it does alter the value proposition quite a bit, particularly if you are an iPhone user who might also be considering the Apple Watch SE which, at that point doesn't cost you that much more.
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
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The Best Strollers of 2022: Cost, Convenience and Best Features
The Best Strollers of 2022: Cost, Convenience and Best Features
A stroller can be one of the most expensive purchases you make as a new parent. We say "can" because the stroller market is so vast and varied that your choices range from sub-$100 umbrella strollers to premium models that ask $1,000 and up. With so many different options for wheeling around your bundle of joy, it's easy to become overwhelmed.
In many ways, shopping for a stroller is like shopping for a car. Just as you'd do for that similarly daunting process, you must first identify your needs. Do you want a small stroller you can take anywhere and deploy and break down quickly, or do you want a large stroller that's more comfortable and can carry more stuff? How many seats do you need? Do you want to be able to swap in a car seat? And how much are you willing to spend? Once you have a better idea of what you want, you can narrow down your options.
To help you in your search, we tested nine strollers across several different categories. Keep reading to find out which ones deserve your attention.
Read more: How To Choose the Right Baby Stroller for You
Screenshot by Nasha Addarich Martínez/CNET
It's a great idea to buy a convertible stroller for your first baby if you're considering having a second. It gives you the flexibility to add another seat and convert it into a double later on down the line. But while a convertible stroller will work well enough, a dedicated double stroller might better suit your needs. The Baby Jogger City Mini GT2 Double is an all-terrain side-by-side double stroller with several advantages over a convertible double stroller. For one, its maneuverability doesn't change with the number and size of the kids it's carrying. A convertible double stroller has its seats arranged in a tandem configuration. If you have an older toddler in the front seat, the added weight over the front wheels will affect your steering effort. A side-by-side doesn't have that problem if you don't exceed the stroller's weight limits.
Another benefit of the side-by-side layout is the ease of getting your child into the seat. Since there's nothing in front, lifting them into the seat is a breeze. My 3-year-old liked to climb into his seat himself, though this was a double-edged sword as he could just as easily climb out if he wasn't buckled in. Buckling him in was easy when I just used the waist belt, but the shoulder straps' interlocking harness system was tricky. The harness parts all go together a certain way, and getting them to stay that way while your child is squirming can be challenging. Another shortcoming is the small under-seat storage basket. It's a relatively small space for such a large stroller, though it will fit a backpack-style diaper bag, provided you can squeeze it past the crossbar right over the basket. There are also no cup holders, so if you want a place to dock your latte, you'll need to buy one separately from Baby Jogger.
Being an all-terrain stroller, the GT2 Double has larger wheels and a fantastic suspension that provide a smooth ride on pavement and more off-road capability for outdoor excursions. To set the brake, simply pull the lever on the right rail.
One drawback of side-by-side double strollers is that they're wide. The GT2 Double will fit through standard-size doorways, though sometimes just barely. You need to be aware of the placement of the back wheels when pushing through a door to avoid snagging them. The stroller's extra width makes it less ideal for cruising narrow store aisles. It's best suited for wide-open spaces, so the GT2 Double has become my go-to theme park stroller. As I already mentioned, it's supremely maneuverable and very easy to get my kids in and out of. Thanks to the individually reclining seatbacks and flip-up footrests, it's also great for taking naps. If one child falls asleep, you can lean them back and pull down the sunshade, which provides generous coverage.
Folding the GT2 Double is as easy as pulling the straps on the seats. The stroller collapses neatly in half, though you need to be ready for the top to swing down to avoid smacking your shins. Carrying the GT2 Double by those straps is easy enough, but at 36.5 pounds, it's far from being a lightweight stroller. Getting it in and out of your car requires some muscle, especially if you lift it over and into a conventional trunk. Additionally, its substantial width makes it bulky even when folded, so you'll need to clear a good amount of space to make room for it.
Price: At around $700, the GT2 Double isn't cheap. But it makes life with two young kids a little bit easier, and for that, I say it's worth every penny.
Screenshot by Nasha Addarich Martínez/CNET
Unless you're a stroller enthusiast, you probably won't notice when another parent rolls up next to you with a fancy set of wheels. But everyone will notice the Wonderfold W4 Luxe. This imposing four-seat stroller wagon stands at 4.5 feet tall with the canopy fully extended and is just over 4 feet long. On walks, it will take up most of the sidewalk. Despite its size, the largest Wonderfold model is relatively easy to maneuver, though don't expect it to navigate tight corridors and aisles. You will feel the weight of the wagon (plus your kids) when pushing uphill or for long periods, but the large 12-inch wheels in the rear make that task less laborious.
The Wonderfold W4 Luxe is kind of like a Pack 'n Play on wheels and, as such, it's spacious. The wagon comes with two bench seats, which accommodate two children each. The shoulder room will be tight with two toddlers on one bench, but it's manageable. We usually install the front-facing bench for our two kids, leaving space for blankets, toys and whatever else they need in the front of the wagon. I like that the walls are tall enough that my 3-year-old can't just jump out whenever he wants, and he likes the secret zipper door in the front that allows him to crawl in and out when opened. The canopy is simple and effective, providing plenty of shade no matter the sun's position. When not needed, the canopy rods slide out and stow neatly in the back of the wagon. Also in the back is a large external cargo basket that can hold your diaper bag and more.
The W4 Luxe's best feature is also its biggest downside: it's massive. The wagon weighs 58 pounds in total, and while folding it does shrink it down substantially, it's still bulky. This isn't a stroller you can fit easily in an average-sized trunk. You need to be able to fold some seats down or have a truck bed to toss it into -- and even then, lifting it in and out won't be easy. With all that said, the Wonderfold W4 Luxe isn't well suited for everyday stroller duties.
Price: This wagon will set you back by $900. But if you have two or more kids and go on regular family adventures, the W4 Luxe is a fantastic option that you'll get years of use out of.
Screenshot by Nasha Addarich Martínez/CNET
After more than 60 years in the baby products game, Chicco has earned a reputation among parents for being a trusted brand. In the competitive stroller market, Chicco's offerings fall right in the middle of the price spectrum, and even though its strollers aren't super high-end, they offer a lot of bang for your buck. The Chicco Corso is a perfect example.
The Corso is a full-size, single-seat travel system stroller, which means it was designed from the outset to be compatible with a car seat (in this case, the Chicco KeyFit range). Though the Corso's seat is suitable for newborn babies (it reclines fully and comes with an infant insert), it's easier to keep your little one in their car seat, remove it from its base, pop it into your stroller and go. Doing this avoids transferring your baby, which is a game-changer if they're sound asleep and want them to stay asleep.
The Corso is a midrange stroller, so it feels plain compared to high-end offerings in the same class. Some of its materials are somewhat rough to the touch, and overall the seat lacks the plushness you might expect based on its upscale, modern design. I tested the Corso LE model, which does add a few more premium features, such as a faux leather wrap for the handlebar and bumper bar and a larger cargo basket with cup-holder pouches. It also upgrades the wheels from plastic to a treaded rubber design. These enhancements help raise the Corso's luxury quotient, but if you're expecting Uppababy or Nuna levels of quality, you'll be sorely disappointed.
What the Corso lacks in luxury, it makes up for with practicality and value. The Corso is handy with a supple ride that's easy on your hands and your baby. The seat has three recline positions and will lay flat. Meanwhile, the canopy provides good coverage thanks to a zip-out extension. I love the one-handed folding mechanism, similar to the Chicco Bravo and it comes in handy when you've got a baby occupying your other hand. Once folded, the stroller stands on its own -- a highly underrated feature.
The Corso is often paired with a KeyFit infant car seat (the standard Corso gets the KeyFit 30 while the Corso LE gets the KeyFit 35). That makes sense since a travel system stroller works best when you have the car seat it's designed to work with. You can, however, buy the Corso separately.
Price: At around $500, the Chicco Corso is a versatile stroller that looks chic and performs well and is a comparable option from Uppababy or Nuna.
Screenshot by Nasha Addarich Martínez/CNET
It's rare for a stroller to live up to its marketing hype, but the Veer Cruiser does just that with a rugged design that offers capability and utility in spades. The Veer is a versatile stroller wagon that seats two children. The wagon can be pulled or pushed, though pushing requires some getting used to as it steers from the back in this configuration. In keeping with its extreme outdoorsy image, the wagon is designed to be hosed down when it gets dirty. This is a great feature, especially if your kids spill food from the center snack tray.
The Veer Cruiser's 12-inch rear wheels help it crawl over uneven terrain, while the front wheels with integrated suspension help smooth out the ride. The sides of the wagon are at a good height for a toddler to rest their arms on and they can easily climb in and out. Though the sides, seat backs and handle bar collapse flat, the Veer Cruiser is still bulky when folded due to its large wheels. It's also on the heavy side at 32.5 pounds.
The Veer Cruiser has many useful features out of the box, but some conveniences that come standard on other strollers are only available as optional accessories. For example, if you want shade for your children, you'll have to fork over an additional $60 each for the retractable canopies. If you want more cargo space, the rear cargo basket will set you back at around $80. The advantage of offering everything à la carte is you can customize your Veer Cruiser to your heart's content with unique colors and prints. The Veer Cruiser is undoubtedly a pricey option (especially after accessories), but you'll appreciate this wagon's versatility and robustness if you find yourself outdoors often.
Price: At $699, the Veer cruiser is pricier than other strollers on this list. But if you enjoy having the option to fully customize your stroller to your ever-changing baby needs, it may be well worth the price.
Screenshot by Nasha Addarich Martínez/CNET
Full disclosure: I've owned an original Minu since 2018, so I've had a lot of time to consider what it does well and where it falls short. With that said, I can say the changes UppaBaby made to the Minu V2 go a long way towards addressing the issues I had with the original. The UppaBaby Minu is the brand's lightweight, compact stroller. Its significantly smaller dimensions make it well-suited for traveling on a plane, but the Minu also works as an everyday stroller.
The Minu V2 builds on the original with small but meaningful improvements. The latch that keeps the stroller together when folded is now hinged and spring-loaded, making it easier to release and unfold. The canopy has been redesigned with a zip-out extension, replacing the previous pull-down shade that got loose and floppy over time. There's also an adjustable leg rest, a welcome addition for naps in the stroller.
These enhancements only make a great stroller even better. The Minu V2 still boasts exceptional maneuverability and a smooth, comfortable ride for a small stroller. Storage space is limited, but there's enough room in the cargo basket to stow a backpack-style diaper bag. Another reason you'll love it is it fits just about anywhere. There's no need to worry about clearance issues when you're rolling through a densely packed store -- and no matter what other junk you have in your trunk, odds are the Minu V2 will fit. Unfortunately, one feature that hasn't been updated is the two-pedal brake system. Normally, you step on the red pedal to set the brakes on both wheels and step on the green to release them, but in some cases, the pedals stick and fail to lock or unlock both wheels. This is an annoyance but won't affect functionality too much as you can still set the brake manually on each wheel.
Price: The Minu V2 is priced at around $450, which is high for a compact stroller. But its ease of use and overall build quality will ensure that you get plenty of mileage out of it.
Screenshot by Nasha Addarich Martínez/CNET
If you like the idea of the Veer Cruiser but can't bring yourself to spend that kind of money on a wagon, the Evenflo Pivot Xplore is a compelling alternative that's substantially easier on your wallet. Like the Veer, the Pivot Xplore is an all-terrain stroller wagon with a reversible handlebar that allows you to pull it like a wagon or push it like a stroller. It seats two kids facing each other and comes with a detachable snack tray that snaps in the middle. It also comes with two canopies and an external cargo basket, features that are available only as optional accessories on the Veer.
The Pivot Xplore's large wheels with foam-filled rubber tires perform well on uneven terrain, though not as big as the Veer's. In addition to being competent off-road, the Pivot Xplore rides smoothly on pavement and requires little effort to push or steer when in stroller mode. The seats are spacious, offering plenty of room for your kids to grow thanks to a deep, expandable footwell and wide seat cushions. Drop the wagon's front rim to get in or out, and your kids can come and go as they please. The three-point waist belt is easy to use and holds them securely in place if you need them to stay put.
Storage is another thing this stroller wagon does well. Each seat has an interior side pocket for storing snacks, sippy cups, toys or whatever your kids pick up on the trails. There are also two exterior pockets that are a good size for storing water bottles. The basket hangs off the back of the wagon and provides a decent amount of space for jackets or a small diaper bag. Do keep in mind that it can get in the way of your legs when pushing in stroller mode.
It's tough to avoid bulkiness with a wagon, especially an all-terrain wagon with large wheels. The Pivot Xplore weighs 34.7 pounds, but it doesn't feel that heavy loading it into your car when folded. The folding process is straightforward, but it does require some muscle to get the two ends of the stroller to scissor in half and click together in the middle.
Price: At just under $400, the Pivot Xplore offers a tremendous amount of value for the money. For nearly half the price of the Veer, you get almost as much utility.
Screenshot by Nasha Addarich Martínez/CNET
If you're a parent that's constantly on the go, you need a stroller that can keep up with your busy lifestyle. The Ergobaby Metro Plus is a compact stroller that offers a lot of convenience and takes up hardly any space at all when folded.
Thanks to its compact dimensions, the Metro Plus can fit just about anywhere, whether you're making your way through a crowded store or rolling down the narrow aisle of an airplane. It also folds up small enough that it's approved for stowage in the overhead bins of most airlines, which is great because a stroller comes in handy when boarding or deplaning with a toddler. At just under 17 pounds, the Metro Plus is exceptionally light. Moving it from one car to another is effortless, especially since you don't have to rearrange your trunk to get it to fit.
The Metro Plus is reasonably spacious for a compact stroller with a well-padded seat. The seatback reclines flat for nap time and has an adjustable leg rest. The canopy is mounted high on the stroller, limiting coverage, and there's no visor extension. Meanwhile, the cargo basket is decent for a small stroller and has a good clearance between the bottom crossbar and the basket. I also appreciate the adjustable handlebar, a feature I wish the Minu had. The Metro Plus rides well on smooth surfaces, but it can get bumpy going over chunky asphalt. The stroller is supposed to fold with only one hand, but I found the folding mechanics awkward and almost always had to use two hands to origami it into the correct position. It could just take some getting used to, however.
I wouldn't recommend the Metro Plus as your only stroller, but it works great as a lightweight second stroller that you can quickly grab and go.
Price: At right around $300, it's a fair bit cheaper than the Minu.
Other strollers we've tested
Screenshot by Nasha Addarich Martínez/CNET
Because the stroller market is so competitive, manufacturers need to keep innovating new features to make their products stand out. One such innovation is the self-folding mechanism, a design that allows a stroller to fold itself automatically without operator assistance. If you frequently have your hands full by the time you get to your car, this is huge, as you have one less thing to worry about when you're trying to get your baby back in the car. The Evenflo Gold Otto is a new addition to the niche self-folding stroller segment, and though it's not perfect, there's a lot to like about it.
For starters, it's true to its name. Just press the button on the handlebar and the Evenflo Otto automatically collapses down. To unfold it again, hit the same button and pull the handlebar up to watch the stroller snap into position. When folded, it's not quite as compact as the other travel strollers I tested, but it's still easy to squeeze into your trunk or the back seat. It could use some improvement in the ride and handling department. The Otto uses small foam wheels and doesn't have much in the way of suspension. As a result, the ride can be bumpy at times. The wheels on my tester squeaked more than I liked.
Price: The Otto only costs around $200. If you can live with the above issues, the Otto would make a great second stroller for running quick errands.
Screenshot by Nasha Addarich Martínez/CNET
The Chicco Cortina Together is a dedicated double stroller with seats arranged in tandem or in-line configuration. It has some handy features, but like other strollers in this category, it also has some major downsides. But first, let's go over what it does well. The Cortina Together can accommodate two larger toddlers thanks to spacious seats with high backs. Additionally, the stroller can accept two Chicco infant car seats (KeyFit 30/35 or Fit2) without adaptors. There's also a nifty parent tray with two built-in cup holders and a small storage compartment beneath the handlebar. The storage basket is large, though not as large as it appears since about one-third of it serves as the footwell for the rear seat.
Now on to the stroller's drawbacks. The Cortina Together is difficult to push and steer when loaded up with two kids. Its small plastic wheels don't roll well on anything but smooth surfaces, and the suspension doesn't do much to dampen the ride over rough pavement. When folded, the Cortina Together is long and unwieldy, and though it might fit in a large, mostly empty trunk, you'll need to clear a good amount of space for it in most cars. It's also fairly heavy at 36.6 pounds.
Price: At around $320, the Cortina Together isn't too expensive, but there are better double stroller solutions out there.
How we tested
I began researching the most popular strollers online, looking for models with stand-out individual reviews and high aggregate review scores. After acquiring a sampling of strollers from various categories and price ranges, I tested them over several months. On the many walks around the neighborhood, visits to the park, shopping trips and all-day excursions during that time, I evaluated each stroller based on the following criteria:
Convenience: How easy is it for the parent to use, break down and transport? Comfort: How do my children like riding in it? Do they get sweaty from the seat material? Are the straps comfortable to wear? Ride and handling: How smooth is the ride? How easy is it to push and steer? Value: Do you get your money's worth for the price you pay?
Stroller FAQs
What are the different types of strollers?
It seems like the stroller market invents new niche categories every year, but here are the basic types of strollers available:
Full-sized: This is the standard stroller size. Full-sized strollers typically feature more robust construction than compacts and have wider seats. Some full-sized strollers, like the Uppababy Vista, are convertible strollers, meaning they can accommodate a second seat if you want to convert it to a double.
Double: A double stroller has two seats arranged in either an in-line or side-by-side configuration.
Travel system: This type of stroller lets you swap the seat out for a compatible infant car seat or bassinet. Because it's modular, you can add pieces as you need them. Another handy travel system feature allows you to flip the seat around, so your baby's facing you.
Compact: Made for parents who are always on the go, compact strollers offer many of the same benefits as their full-sized counterparts but in a smaller package. They're sometimes called travel or lightweight strollers.
Umbrella: Even smaller and lighter than a compact, umbrella strollers are great for traveling as they're portable when folded. They also tend to be pretty basic, so don't expect to get many features. But because they're so simple, umbrella strollers are affordable choices.
Jogging: Parents who can't live without their morning run might consider a jogging stroller. These purpose-built buggies have large wheels and beefed-up suspensions to handle rough terrain. They usually also include air-filled tires and a hand-operated brake to help you slow down.
Stroller wagon: As the name implies, stroller wagons are one part wagon and one part stroller. They're great for when your kids are a little older as they offer more space. They also give you more cargo options than a typical stroller.
Car seat carriers: Like a travel system stroller, a car seat carrier will snap into an infant car seat. But that's all they're designed to do. They're sometimes called stroller frames, which is apt because that's exactly what they are. Since there's no seat or anything in the way of creature comforts, these tend to be relatively inexpensive.
Can you use a stroller for a newborn?
According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, a baby should be able to hold their head up between their first four and six months. Before that, they lack the muscle strength in their neck to keep their head upright. That means most stroller seats aren't suitable for newborn babies. One exception is if your stroller can recline completely flat. Some companies also make newborn inserts for their stroller seats, which give your baby a little more support in a seat that's frankly too big for them.
But even though you can put your baby in some stroller seats, it's probably best to keep them in a car seat or bassinet. Travel system strollers are great options, as they give you flexibility from birth to toddlerhood. If you don't have a true travel system stroller, you might still be able to get an adapter for it that will allow you to use your car seat.
Do you need more than one stroller?
No, you don't need more than one stroller. But having a second one significantly opens up your options for taking the baby out. That's because you can have two strollers that each specialize in doing one thing rather than having to choose one stroller that's a jack of all trades but master of none. For example, you could pick a full-sized stroller for long outings where you want storage space and ride comfort and pair it with a compact for running quick errands.
If you think you're a one-stroller family, make sure you get something versatile that can meet all your needs. Full-size travel system strollers work well in this role, and if it's going to be your only stroller, you can spend a little more money on one. You might consider upgrading to a premium brand like Uppababy or Nuna.
The information contained in this article is for educational and informational purposes only and is not intended as health or medical advice. Always consult a physician or other qualified health provider regarding any questions you may have about a medical condition or health objectives.
