Can you use a chromebook for work is chromebook easy to use will a chromebook work for me should you get a chromebook who should use a chromebook is chromebook easy to use should i get a chromebook how to use your chromebook what chromebook can do how to use chromebook is a chromebook good for me is a chromebook good

Living with Chromebook: Can you use it to actually get work done?

Living with Chromebook: Can you use it to actually get work done?

In the first part of our Living with Chromebook series, I outlined the initial hardware and account setup required to use a laptop running Google's Chrome OS. In this second installment, the focus is on productivity.

For my long-form Chromebook test-drive, I'm spending most of my computing time with the HP Pavilion 14 Chromebook. Like the smaller 11- and 12-inch Chromebooks we've reviewed, it operates almost entirely within the Chrome Web browser, which looks and feels the same as the Chrome Web browser you may be using right now on your Windows or Mac OS computer.

That makes for a familiar experience in some ways, as many of us have already moved large swaths of our lives online, into Web-based tools such as Gmail, Facebook, and Netflix. More than most, I've embraced cloud services for as many things as possible, primarily because reviewing laptops means moving into a brand-new, fresh-from-the-box PC at least once or twice a week.

Working in the cloud
If you're anywhere near as invested in cloud services as I am, then the transition to a Chromebook should hypothetically be fairly painless. Most of the things you want to do -- send e-mail, share via social-networking services, stream online video -- are available on a Chrome OS device, and largely work the same way as on a traditional OS.

That said, there's still a natural resistance to this type of Web-only setup. Maybe the idea that in a traditional PC there's a desktop lying underneath it all is a comforting one. Perhaps traditional folders-and-file systems are a security blanket, because despite having used Chromebooks before this, I found being locked into a browser-only world still felt confining, especially for office work -- documents, spreadsheets, and folders of files nestled within each other.

Most of the things you want to do -- send e-mail, share via social-networking services, stream online video -- are available on a Chrome OS device.

That's no doubt why the Chrome OS now has a more pronounced (if still rudimentary) file system than the very first Chromebooks did, making it possible to save and easily access files. This Hewlett-Packard model only includes 16GB of solid-state drive (SSD) storage, but Acer's C7 Chromebook includes a standard 320GB platter hard drive. In either case, photo, music, and video files can all be stored and sorted there, by downloading online or sideloading from a USB drive or SD card. Consider it all to be backups for the versions "in the cloud," for those times when you can't get online.

Image and video files on the Chrome OS hard drive.

Do you need always-on Internet?
While the original pitch for the Chromebook was that this would be an always-on device, connected to either Wi-Fi or mobile broadband, that idea seems to have fallen by the wayside. The HP Pavilion 14 Chromebook, for example, does not include a 3G antenna, something found in the original Google Chromebook, as well as the Samsung Chromebook Series 5 550. Google's high-end Pixel model even offers a 4G LTE version. But the bundled wireless service always comes with an asterisk; in the case of the 4G Pixel -- which is $250 more than the Wi-Fi-only version -- it's this: 100MB per month for two years of mobile broadband from Verizon Wireless. In other words, it's way too paltry to do anything substantive.

Perhaps sensing that always-on broadband isn't going to always work for sub-$400 laptops, Google now emphasizes the offline capabilities of Chrome, which are largely tied in to the offline modes that have been built into Google's various tools, such as Google Docs, over the years.

The offline-ready apps in the Chrome Web Store.

A few other Chrome-compatible Web tools also work offline, and Google has set aside a section of its Chrome Web Store (really just a dressed-up set of links to Chrome OS versions of web sites) to make them easier to find.

Google Drive as office suite
I'll let you in on a little secret. I've been using Google Drive (nee "Google Docs") as my main word processor for a few years now, and it's such a useful, well-maintained online tool that the benefits far outweigh a few significant shortcomings. For that reason, using Google Drive on a Chromebook was a natural transition for me, and one of the elements of Chromebook use that felt the most comparable to using a non-Chrome OS laptop.

Like nearly all writers, I spent years using Microsoft Word on both Windows and OS X systems. It's still the default for word processing, and DOC and DOCX are still universal file formats (fortunately, Google Drive allows you to open and export these formats).

But, reviewing new laptops all the time, I was setting up a new system once or twice a week at least, which often made using these new laptops for writing a pain. Microsoft now has an ad-supported "free" version of Word that comes preinstalled on some (but not all) laptops, but previously, if you were lucky you had a trial version, or else nothing at all. Very often, I ended up either installing OpenOffice (a free, if clunky, office suite), or digging up an old install disc for Office 2003. Even under the best of circumstances, I had to remember to e-mail myself the latest version of my Word doc, or sneakernet it around on a USB stick. (Nowadays, I'd store the documents on Dropbox, Amazon Cloud Drive, Microsoft SkyDrive, or the like, but I'd still be stuck installing the word processing software itself.)

So many of the work tools we use now are online and collaborative that it's hard to remember when that wasn't the norm, but when I started using Google Drive in earnest in 2009 it was a major change to my workflow. Even now, on the HP Pavilion 14 Chromebook, I can open any document I've been working on from another laptop, add some text, and then seamlessly switch back to the first laptop at any point. It's also easy to share docs with anyone else via a few button clicks -- and multiple authorized users can access and edit a document in real time (which is something you may or may not want).

Working on a document in Google Docs.

Google Drive works best for simple text-based documents with minimal formatting. You can add images, tables, and other design elements, but these are not as full-featured as in Microsoft Office, and don't always translate as one might expect when exporting to a DOC file.

Another thing that drives me crazy about Google Drive is the lack of a "show hidden characters" command in its word processor. That's not something everyone uses, but for writers, especially those who got their start in print publishing, being able to see every tab, paragraph break, and even the spaces between characters is important. I've learned to live without it, but it's still my least favorite part of the Google Drive experience.

The presentation and spreadsheet apps included with Google Drive are somewhat less successful. My needs for XLS files are limited, but even then I've run out of available columns and been forced to start a new tab in a spreadsheet. In fact, all the Google Drive apps have size and complexity limitations, and you can find more details about that here. Those are limitations to the actual Google Drive platform, not something specific to Chrome OS or the Chromebook.

Another option for Microsoft Office purists is Office 365, the cloud-based version of Office. It's a paid service, not all features work in Chrome OS, and it doesn't facilitate the easy sharing that Google Docs does with anyone who has a free Gmail account.

It may be something you'll need to use every day, but I've had good luck exporting Google Docs files into the PDF format (it's a setting built right in to Google Docs under File > Download as), and the file browser in Chrome OS can open PDF files for easy reading.

One handy thing to keep in mind is that most Google Drive files can be accessed even when your Chromebook (or other PC) is offline. But, you have to set up the offline mode for your account first by following the instructions here. Gmail also has an offline mode, and you can find more apps and features that work on an offline Chromebook in this special section of the Chrome Web Store (of course, you'll have to be online to see this list).

Using a mouse, printer, and other peripherals
One of the big problems I had with the less-expensive Chromebooks from Samsung and Acer has been the terrible touch pads built into those systems. I don't care if your laptop cost less than $200, if the touch pad is unusable, you're just not going to be productive on it.

The touch pad on the $329 HP Pavilion 14 Chromebook is a bit better, but still not even as good as the touch pads found on budget Windows laptops. It was passable for basic Web surfing, but if you plan on using your Chromebook for more than a couple of hours at a time, an external mouse is recommended.

Fortunately, despite not having any way to install drivers or dive into the deeper functions of pointing devices, I had good luck getting external devices to work. Both the wireless Microsoft mouse and the external Logitech touch pad I tried worked instantly, both via USB dongle (a second wireless mouse, from Targus, did not work).

Setting up Cloud Print is about as far from the simple, stripped-down appeal of Chromebooks and the Chrome OS as one could imagine.

Printing is a little more complicated. You'll need to use a service Google calls Cloud Print. That works one of two ways. The less likely scenario is that you already own one of a handful of Cloud-Print-ready printers, in which case you should be able to connect easily if you're on the same network. More likely, you have what Google generously refers to as a "classic printer," in which case, you have to run a Cloud Print app on a separate Windows or OS X machine, and from there, connect to your Chromebook.

This is about as far from the simple, stripped-down appeal of Chromebooks and the Chrome OS as one could imagine.

That said, when I followed the steps outlined in this support doc from Google, the Cloud Print feature worked the first time I tried it.

Workaround apps
If your job involves only e-mail, text documents, and simple spreadsheets, moving to a Chromebook may well be a very simple transition for you, especially if you already make use of Google's online tools.

If, however, you have occasional need for programs such as Photoshop, you're going to have to find a workaround. There actually are a few basic image-editing features built into Chrome OS, but if you need to do more than adjust the rotation or brightness and contrast of an image, you'll hit a wall very quickly.

I've always used a Web-based tool named Pixlr for emergency photo edits. It's a cloud-based image editor that looks and feels a lot like Photoshop. You upload an image, edit it, then download the resulting file. It works well enough in a pinch, although if you're a heavy Photoshop user, a Chromebook just isn't for you.

I found Pixlr listed in the Chrome Web Store, but "installing" the app really just takes you to the Pixlr Web site. Similar online tools, including some basic video editors, can be found in the Creative Tools section of the Chrome Web Store. One caveat, especially if you're working with big images: remember that you'll have to both upload and redownload the image file, so make sure you have the time and bandwidth to work that way before you count on an online app such as Pixlr.

You can be productive on a Chromebook, sometimes
As an on-the-go system for catching up on e-mail (especially if you use Gmail or Google's corporate e-mail services), and creating or editing basic office documents, a Chromebook works, and works well considering the less-than-$250 investment (for the Samsung Chromebook Series 3, the most affordable Chromebook CNET can recommend).

That said, it does not excel in any particular area, and even a budget Windows laptop offers more flexibility and the ability to run more software. Even if you only need a particular app once in a great while, unless there's an online version that works in the Chrome browser, you're out of luck.

Here's what worked:

• Google Drive/Google Docs works the same as it does on non-Chrome PCs
• Having cloud-based documents makes it easy to share and access documents on multiple PCs
• Many mice and other accessories are plug-and-play
• Offline access to some features helps the Chromebook be more universally useful

Here's what didn't:

• You're stuck with second-rate online alternatives to programs such as Photoshop
• Setting up a printer is a hassle
• Google Docs lacks many of the bells and whistles of Microsoft Office

In the next Living with Chromebook installment, we'll look at entertainment options in Chrome OS, from streaming video to games.

---

Source

https://nichols.my.id/how-to-generate-hdfc-debit-card-pin.html

.

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Living with Chromebook: Can you use it to actually get work done?

Living with Chromebook: Can you use it to actually get work done?

In the first part of our Living with Chromebook series, I outlined the initial hardware and account setup required to use a laptop running Google's Chrome OS. In this second installment, the focus is on productivity.

For my long-form Chromebook test-drive, I'm spending most of my computing time with the HP Pavilion 14 Chromebook. Like the smaller 11- and 12-inch Chromebooks we've reviewed, it operates almost entirely within the Chrome Web browser, which looks and feels the same as the Chrome Web browser you may be using right now on your Windows or Mac OS computer.

That makes for a familiar experience in some ways, as many of us have already moved large swaths of our lives online, into Web-based tools such as Gmail, Facebook, and Netflix. More than most, I've embraced cloud services for as many things as possible, primarily because reviewing laptops means moving into a brand-new, fresh-from-the-box PC at least once or twice a week.

Working in the cloud
If you're anywhere near as invested in cloud services as I am, then the transition to a Chromebook should hypothetically be fairly painless. Most of the things you want to do -- send e-mail, share via social-networking services, stream online video -- are available on a Chrome OS device, and largely work the same way as on a traditional OS.

That said, there's still a natural resistance to this type of Web-only setup. Maybe the idea that in a traditional PC there's a desktop lying underneath it all is a comforting one. Perhaps traditional folders-and-file systems are a security blanket, because despite having used Chromebooks before this, I found being locked into a browser-only world still felt confining, especially for office work -- documents, spreadsheets, and folders of files nestled within each other.

Most of the things you want to do -- send e-mail, share via social-networking services, stream online video -- are available on a Chrome OS device.

That's no doubt why the Chrome OS now has a more pronounced (if still rudimentary) file system than the very first Chromebooks did, making it possible to save and easily access files. This Hewlett-Packard model only includes 16GB of solid-state drive (SSD) storage, but Acer's C7 Chromebook includes a standard 320GB platter hard drive. In either case, photo, music, and video files can all be stored and sorted there, by downloading online or sideloading from a USB drive or SD card. Consider it all to be backups for the versions "in the cloud," for those times when you can't get online.

Image and video files on the Chrome OS hard drive.

Do you need always-on Internet?
While the original pitch for the Chromebook was that this would be an always-on device, connected to either Wi-Fi or mobile broadband, that idea seems to have fallen by the wayside. The HP Pavilion 14 Chromebook, for example, does not include a 3G antenna, something found in the original Google Chromebook, as well as the Samsung Chromebook Series 5 550. Google's high-end Pixel model even offers a 4G LTE version. But the bundled wireless service always comes with an asterisk; in the case of the 4G Pixel -- which is $250 more than the Wi-Fi-only version -- it's this: 100MB per month for two years of mobile broadband from Verizon Wireless. In other words, it's way too paltry to do anything substantive.

Perhaps sensing that always-on broadband isn't going to always work for sub-$400 laptops, Google now emphasizes the offline capabilities of Chrome, which are largely tied in to the offline modes that have been built into Google's various tools, such as Google Docs, over the years.

The offline-ready apps in the Chrome Web Store.

A few other Chrome-compatible Web tools also work offline, and Google has set aside a section of its Chrome Web Store (really just a dressed-up set of links to Chrome OS versions of web sites) to make them easier to find.

Google Drive as office suite
I'll let you in on a little secret. I've been using Google Drive (nee "Google Docs") as my main word processor for a few years now, and it's such a useful, well-maintained online tool that the benefits far outweigh a few significant shortcomings. For that reason, using Google Drive on a Chromebook was a natural transition for me, and one of the elements of Chromebook use that felt the most comparable to using a non-Chrome OS laptop.

Like nearly all writers, I spent years using Microsoft Word on both Windows and OS X systems. It's still the default for word processing, and DOC and DOCX are still universal file formats (fortunately, Google Drive allows you to open and export these formats).

But, reviewing new laptops all the time, I was setting up a new system once or twice a week at least, which often made using these new laptops for writing a pain. Microsoft now has an ad-supported "free" version of Word that comes preinstalled on some (but not all) laptops, but previously, if you were lucky you had a trial version, or else nothing at all. Very often, I ended up either installing OpenOffice (a free, if clunky, office suite), or digging up an old install disc for Office 2003. Even under the best of circumstances, I had to remember to e-mail myself the latest version of my Word doc, or sneakernet it around on a USB stick. (Nowadays, I'd store the documents on Dropbox, Amazon Cloud Drive, Microsoft SkyDrive, or the like, but I'd still be stuck installing the word processing software itself.)

So many of the work tools we use now are online and collaborative that it's hard to remember when that wasn't the norm, but when I started using Google Drive in earnest in 2009 it was a major change to my workflow. Even now, on the HP Pavilion 14 Chromebook, I can open any document I've been working on from another laptop, add some text, and then seamlessly switch back to the first laptop at any point. It's also easy to share docs with anyone else via a few button clicks -- and multiple authorized users can access and edit a document in real time (which is something you may or may not want).

Working on a document in Google Docs.

Google Drive works best for simple text-based documents with minimal formatting. You can add images, tables, and other design elements, but these are not as full-featured as in Microsoft Office, and don't always translate as one might expect when exporting to a DOC file.

Another thing that drives me crazy about Google Drive is the lack of a "show hidden characters" command in its word processor. That's not something everyone uses, but for writers, especially those who got their start in print publishing, being able to see every tab, paragraph break, and even the spaces between characters is important. I've learned to live without it, but it's still my least favorite part of the Google Drive experience.

The presentation and spreadsheet apps included with Google Drive are somewhat less successful. My needs for XLS files are limited, but even then I've run out of available columns and been forced to start a new tab in a spreadsheet. In fact, all the Google Drive apps have size and complexity limitations, and you can find more details about that here. Those are limitations to the actual Google Drive platform, not something specific to Chrome OS or the Chromebook.

Another option for Microsoft Office purists is Office 365, the cloud-based version of Office. It's a paid service, not all features work in Chrome OS, and it doesn't facilitate the easy sharing that Google Docs does with anyone who has a free Gmail account.

It may be something you'll need to use every day, but I've had good luck exporting Google Docs files into the PDF format (it's a setting built right in to Google Docs under File > Download as), and the file browser in Chrome OS can open PDF files for easy reading.

One handy thing to keep in mind is that most Google Drive files can be accessed even when your Chromebook (or other PC) is offline. But, you have to set up the offline mode for your account first by following the instructions here. Gmail also has an offline mode, and you can find more apps and features that work on an offline Chromebook in this special section of the Chrome Web Store (of course, you'll have to be online to see this list).

Using a mouse, printer, and other peripherals
One of the big problems I had with the less-expensive Chromebooks from Samsung and Acer has been the terrible touch pads built into those systems. I don't care if your laptop cost less than $200, if the touch pad is unusable, you're just not going to be productive on it.

The touch pad on the $329 HP Pavilion 14 Chromebook is a bit better, but still not even as good as the touch pads found on budget Windows laptops. It was passable for basic Web surfing, but if you plan on using your Chromebook for more than a couple of hours at a time, an external mouse is recommended.

Fortunately, despite not having any way to install drivers or dive into the deeper functions of pointing devices, I had good luck getting external devices to work. Both the wireless Microsoft mouse and the external Logitech touch pad I tried worked instantly, both via USB dongle (a second wireless mouse, from Targus, did not work).

Setting up Cloud Print is about as far from the simple, stripped-down appeal of Chromebooks and the Chrome OS as one could imagine.

Printing is a little more complicated. You'll need to use a service Google calls Cloud Print. That works one of two ways. The less likely scenario is that you already own one of a handful of Cloud-Print-ready printers, in which case you should be able to connect easily if you're on the same network. More likely, you have what Google generously refers to as a "classic printer," in which case, you have to run a Cloud Print app on a separate Windows or OS X machine, and from there, connect to your Chromebook.

This is about as far from the simple, stripped-down appeal of Chromebooks and the Chrome OS as one could imagine.

That said, when I followed the steps outlined in this support doc from Google, the Cloud Print feature worked the first time I tried it.

Workaround apps
If your job involves only e-mail, text documents, and simple spreadsheets, moving to a Chromebook may well be a very simple transition for you, especially if you already make use of Google's online tools.

If, however, you have occasional need for programs such as Photoshop, you're going to have to find a workaround. There actually are a few basic image-editing features built into Chrome OS, but if you need to do more than adjust the rotation or brightness and contrast of an image, you'll hit a wall very quickly.

I've always used a Web-based tool named Pixlr for emergency photo edits. It's a cloud-based image editor that looks and feels a lot like Photoshop. You upload an image, edit it, then download the resulting file. It works well enough in a pinch, although if you're a heavy Photoshop user, a Chromebook just isn't for you.

I found Pixlr listed in the Chrome Web Store, but "installing" the app really just takes you to the Pixlr Web site. Similar online tools, including some basic video editors, can be found in the Creative Tools section of the Chrome Web Store. One caveat, especially if you're working with big images: remember that you'll have to both upload and redownload the image file, so make sure you have the time and bandwidth to work that way before you count on an online app such as Pixlr.

You can be productive on a Chromebook, sometimes
As an on-the-go system for catching up on e-mail (especially if you use Gmail or Google's corporate e-mail services), and creating or editing basic office documents, a Chromebook works, and works well considering the less-than-$250 investment (for the Samsung Chromebook Series 3, the most affordable Chromebook CNET can recommend).

That said, it does not excel in any particular area, and even a budget Windows laptop offers more flexibility and the ability to run more software. Even if you only need a particular app once in a great while, unless there's an online version that works in the Chrome browser, you're out of luck.

Here's what worked:

• Google Drive/Google Docs works the same as it does on non-Chrome PCs
• Having cloud-based documents makes it easy to share and access documents on multiple PCs
• Many mice and other accessories are plug-and-play
• Offline access to some features helps the Chromebook be more universally useful

Here's what didn't:

• You're stuck with second-rate online alternatives to programs such as Photoshop
• Setting up a printer is a hassle
• Google Docs lacks many of the bells and whistles of Microsoft Office

In the next Living with Chromebook installment, we'll look at entertainment options in Chrome OS, from streaming video to games.

---

Source

https://rasmiwixg.kian.my.id/

.

Back to cell phone basics: Buying a non-smartphone

Back to cell phone basics: Buying a non-smartphone

For some people, smartphones and their always-on Internet connections and apps is a waste of money.

If you don't need apps or games and you can live without fast, robust access to the Net from your cell phone, then a smartphone might be expensive overkill. All four of the major U.S. wireless carriers still offer basic feature phones, which don't require expensive data plans. In this Ask Maggie, I offer some advice to a reader who is looking for one of these phones.

I also offer some advice regarding the new all-in-one desktop computers.

Going retro with a basic feature phone

Dear Maggie,

I have an AT&T iPhone 3GS. It's the worst telephone I've ever owned. And I'd say it wasn't even worth the $0 I paid AT&T for it at the time (a year ago). I have no intention of going to the iPhone 5 regardless of what's written about it. Although I get ok service here in the house I don't need a "smartphone" (I have 2 computers - one PC and one Mac laptop) and I have WiFi, so I don't need a handheld device to find places or play games or watch anything on the Internet or Google while I'm in restaurants or in the car. And I'm tired of paying AT&T for data I don't use each month just because I have an iPhone or a "smartphone" and "must" have data.

I might add that I was in the telecom industry for nearly 25 years (I worked for Sprint and MCI when there was an MCI) and the carriers are among the most rapacious greedy corporate enterprises I've ever gotten close to!

Stepping off my soapbox now. In your opinion, what's the best phone that's just a phone? I don't need to do anything but make and receive calls and do texting. I don't care about browsing or email or anything else. I just need a telephone that's simply a phone thank you very much!

Regards and thanks for your response,
Mark

Dear Mark,

While there are definitely more people switching from basic cell phones to smartphones these days, I know there are lots of people out there in your same shoes. Smartphones offer tons of functionality that many people now feel like they can't live without, but the reality is that all that functionality and that ubiquitous access to the Internet is pricey. In some ways, I think it's kind of surprising that there aren't more people asking me for this same advice.

The good news is that all the major carriers, AT&T, Verizon Wireless, Sprint Nextel and T-Mobile USA, each continue to offer basic cell phones and what they call quick messaging devices that do not require data plans. The carriers recognize that there is a subset of customers who have no interest in a smartphone because it's either too complicated or too expensive. But the reality is that each of these carriers see their future in data. And they will do everything in their power to encourage as many customers as possible to sign up for smartphones that require data plans.

Overtime, I expect to see fewer of the more basic devices. But for now, carriers still offer a handful of basic phones that are either free or cost very little when you sign up for a two-year contract.

The great thing about these basic phones is that they are inexpensive. The carriers either give them away for free with a two-year contract, or you pay a minimal amount for the devices. But it's not just the upfront cost that's appealing, as you mentioned in your question, but it costs much less to own a basic phone than it does a smartphone, if you keep your services to a minimum.

For example, on AT&T, you could pay as little as $40 a month for your phone service. Compare this to the $80 a month you'd pay for the lowest amount of data you could get on AT&T's new Share Everything plan. Under that plan, the data service costs $40 a month for 1GB of data and it comes with unlimited text messaging and voice service.

Using a basic phone with no data or text messaging, could save you half. But as you start to add additional services, like text messaging and data, the cost difference is not as big. Adding unlimited texting to AT&T's basic feature phone plan is an additional $20 a month. And if you also wanted to add data, it would cost an additional $10 a month. (Data for feature phones is $15 a month if you subscribe to that without unlimited text messaging.) In total, if you wanted 450 minutes of voice service, unlimited text messaging and unlimited data for a feature phone, you'd pay $70 a month. That's only $10 less a month than you'd pay for smartphone, and you'd be getting much less in terms of the service and functionality of the device.

That said, it can offer some savings. And if you don't plan to subscribe to the data or you are not a heavy text messaging user, a basic phone that doesn't require a data contract is a good option.

My colleague Jessica Dolcourt recently updated her "best of" list in this category.

Here are her top choices:

• Kyocera DurXT (Sprint)
• Samsung Gusto 2 (Verizon Wireless)
• Samsung +159 (T-Mobile)
• LG Rumor Reflex (Sprint)
• Samsung Entro (Virgin Mobile)

If you want more information on each of these phones, check out her story and the reviews of these devices.

As you can see from her list, none of these devices are available for AT&T. Since you are an AT&T customer, I have listed a few devices here that I think offer pretty good value and functionality.

Josh Miller/CNET

Pantech Swift

The Pantech Swift has a QWERTY keyboard that slides out and has an angled screen. It also has a touch screen that offers some icons for accessing some of the basic features and functionality. But CNET's reviewers Jessica Dolcourt and Lynn La were not impressed with the processor speed. And they said the touchscreen is unresponsive. Even though they don't recommend this device highly, they seem to think the Pantech Swift is the most appealing Pantech handset on AT&T with a keyboard. AT&T is currently selling it for $0.99 with a two year contract.

Pantech Renue Josh Miller/CNET

Pantech Renue

The Pantech Renue is another touch screen device with a slide out QWERTY keyboard. But CNET reviewer Jessica Dolcourt said she isn't a fan of the speakerphone or the mediocre camera. What's more, the Renue has a short battery life that many consumers have complained about in their own comments and reviews of the device. While the keyboard is nice for heavy texters, she said that the short battery life and underdeveloped camera are setbacks. AT&T sells this device for $49.99 with a two-year contract.

LG A340 LG

LG A340

The LG A340 is a standard flip-phone from AT&T. This is one of the most basic, barebones devices on AT&T's network. It's equipped with enhanced audio technology for users who are hard of hearing and it has Bluetooth so it can be used with a wireless headset and a 1.3-megapixel camera. Other features include "Text to Speech" functionality that lets you listen to your text messages as they're read aloud to you. It also comes with AT&T radio. With a two-year contract, this phone is only $19.99.

LG Xpression AT&T

LG Xpression

The LG Xpression is another touch screen phone with a slide-out QWERTY keyboard. It has a 2-megapixel camera with video, a personal organizer, Bluetooth 2.1, messaging and e-mail, 3G support, microSD card support (up to 32GB), voice dialing, a Web browser, and a basic music player. The device runs LG's standard operating system, but it also includes some social networking apps, as well as AT&T Navigator and LG Instant Note, which allows easy one touch updates to Facebook, Twitter or for sending a text messages. The Xpression is now $29.99 with a two year contract.

I hope this advice and the device suggestions were helpful. Good luck!

New computer advice

Dear Maggie,

I want to buy a 27" Windows 8 All-In-One for my parents, but don't really know which one is best for them. They're not tech whizzes (though they do like to experiment and learn new things), but they need it to work well and perform smoothly for the next five or more years. Which one(s) would you recommend on a $1500-$2000 budget?

Thanks a bunch,
Josh

Dear Josh,
The CNET Reviews team likes the Dell XPS One 27 the best. You may also want to consider Apple's 27 inch iMac. It's a bit more expensive, but with a budget of $2,000, it's doable.

CNET Reviews editor Rich Brown also has written about finding the best 27-inch all-in-one desktop, where he compares the Dell to the models that Apple offers. So you should check out his story, as well.

You might also want to consider the Lenovo IdeaCenter all-in-ones. Right now they only support Windows 7. But if you wait a few more weeks, you'll likely find more all-in-one computers available running Windows 8.

I hope this was helpful. And good luck!

Ask Maggie is an advice column that answers readers' wireless and broadband questions. The column now appears twice a week on CNET offering readers a double dosage of Ask Maggie's advice. If you have a question, I'd love to hear from you. Please send me an e-mail at maggie dot reardon at cbs dot com. And please put "Ask Maggie" in the subject header. You can also follow me on Facebook on my Ask Maggie page.

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Samsung Q60A series (2021) review: QLED TV brings out HDR brightness, color

Samsung Q60A series (2021) review: QLED TV brings out HDR brightness, color

The Samsung Q60A is its entry-level QLED model, aka an LCD TV with quantum dots. Those magical dots let the Q60A perform better than many traditional LCDs that cost less, with far greater brightness and deeper, richer colors with HDR content. Its skinny design also separates it from its bulkier brethren. 

While the extra color and brightness is great, you definitely pay for it compared to entry-level models from other brands. The Q60A is roughly twice as expensive as the similar size TCL 4-Series and Vizio V-Series I compared it to, but overall image quality isn't twice as good. While brighter than those TVs, it still doesn't have the brightness nor dynamic range to really take advantage of HDR content. Its speakers are worse as well, so if you care about decent audio it requires investing in a soundbar.

Meanwhile the Q60A costs about the same as the TCL 6-series, CNET's favorite TV for the money. I didn't compare the Q60A directly to the 6-Series for this review, but based on my observations of the Q60A and CNET's review of the 6-Series, the TCL has a better picture.

The Q60A is a good choice if you want a Samsung and appreciate its design and feature upgrades (like a solar-powered remote) over cheaper models. It definitely offers better performance than a typical "budget" TV, but it's a worse value than non-Samsung brands.

Samsung's Q60A series comes in a massive array of sizes, from 43 inches all the way up to 85 inches. I reviewed the 55-inch model.

Solar remote alert!

We need to talk about the new Samsung remote. It's excellent overall and has one great feature: It's solar powered. On the back is a tiny array of solar panels. Those, combined with some efficient electronics, mean that it's always going to have enough power. No more changing batteries, which in a small way is good for the environment, too.

Geoffrey Morrison/CNET

My theater room has next to no natural light, and rarely has the lights on, and after several weeks the remote still has plenty of charge. I'm not sure all remotes will go this solar route in the future, but it'd be cool if they did. Alternately, you can charge the remote via USB-C on the bottom.

Turn it over and you'll find a sparse selection of tastefully designed keys and a mic for voice search. This lets you speak a show or movie name and then shows you where you can stream or buy it. This screen even has a Metacritic score to further impress (or shame) you about your selection. Oddly, it highlights Apple TV Plus as the main service to do this from, but an additional click brings up the other options. It's not quite as user-friendly as Vizio's version, or Roku's if you have one of their products with a voice remote. It does get the job done though.

Geoffrey Morrison/CNET

You can also use Samsung's SmartThings app to control the TV, along with other smart devices in your home.

Features and connections

Aside from quantum dots and that remote, Q60A is fairly typical for an entry-level(ish) TV. It lacks stuff like a 120Hz refresh rate, next-gen gaming perks and local dimming found on step-up Samsungs like the QN90A.

It does share that TV's smart features, however. As far as apps go, you get all the standard options like Netflix, Vudu, HBO Max and so on. The Q60A's interface isn't nearly as in-your-face about streaming as, say, the Vizio and to a lesser extent, the Roku-enabled TCL. The apps are grouped in a small row at the bottom of the screen, more like smart TVs of yore. There's also Samsung TV Plus, which is essentially like free basic cable, though you can't fast-forward through the ads.

Geoffrey Morrison/CNET

Connections are fairly standard. There are three HDMI inputs, one of which has eARC, and there are two USB ports, one of which should provide enough power for a streaming stick, if you decide to eschew the TV's own apps. Wired LAN gets you connected if your Wi-Fi isn't up to snuff. There are no analog inputs, so if you've got a Wii or, I don't know, a LaserDisc player or something, you'll need an inexpensive HDMI converter.

• HDMI inputs: 3 (1 eARC)
• Analog inputs: None
• USB port: 2 (1.0A and 0.5A power)
• Internet: Wi-Fi, LAN
• Antenna input
• Optical digital audio output
• Analog audio output: No
• Speakers: 2 downward-facing, 20W total

An Energy Star rating of $14 per year for the 55-inch is on the more efficient end of similar TVs, and the other sizes in the line are similarly efficient. 

Picture quality comparisons

The Samsung Q60A is far more expensive than either of the TVs I compared it to, namely the Vizio V-Series and the TCL 4-Series. However, as Samsung's most entry-level QLED model, it provides a good indication of what image quality improvements you get from quantum dots. I connected all three via a Monoprice 1x4 distribution amplifier, and viewed all of them side-by-side-by-side.

Right out of the gate my eye was drawn to the Samsung. It is bright. Well, at least compared to the other two TVs, which are already pretty bright. When going all-out with HDR content, it's about twice as bright as the Vizio. If you have a really bright room, or like to watch TV in the middle of the day in a room with many windows, the Samsung will be easier to see than cheaper TVs. 

Aside from brightness, color with HDR sources was the other really noticeable difference between the three TVs. The quantum dots let the Q60A produce far deeper, richer colors than the Vizio and TCL, which use traditional color filters on their LCD elements. So you get far more vibrant purples, bluer blues, more crimson-y reds than the others could hope to produce. 

Geoffrey Morrison/CNET

The contrast ratio, and therefore the dynamic range, isn't much different, however. So overall the image doesn't take advantage of HDR content like some other TVs would, in particular those equipped with local dimming. That said, thanks to brightness and color it takes more advantage of HDR than the other two TVs, so that's a step in the right direction. 

Subjectively speaking, I'd say the added colors and brightness make the Samsung look roughly 50% better with HDR than the TCL and Vizio, which isn't bad but definitely less than the 100% more it typically costs. Again, that if you're watching HDR content. Any non-HDR content, which is most TV shows and older movies, the difference is even closer.

No TV sounds good. All have tiny speakers. However, the Samsung is especially bad in this regard. Even at maximum volume it's not particularly loud and has lots of distortion when you're cranking it up. In my theater the volume was regularly above 90 (out of 100) and even maxed, it was hard to hear with the air conditioner on. This is not an issue the Vizio nor the TCL had. This is the price paid for such a thin design. So despite its cost, if you're considering this TV you should budget in a soundbar to go with it. In fairness, that's always true -- just, er, more true here.

Geoffrey Morrison/CNET

High end of the low end

The Q60A is an interesting TV. It's Samsung's low-end QLED, but it's far more expensive than other entry-level TVs. It's like if Porsche tried to make a car to compete with budget sedans like the Hyundai Accent or Nissan Versa... but it cost $50,000. So yes, the Q60A does perform better than other low-end TVs, but it also costs significantly more. And it simply is not, for example, twice as good as the TCL 4-Series. 

That said, it is better. It's also far more attractive, with its svelte design. So if you're able to spend a bit more on a TV and want brighter, better HDR performance in addition to sleeker design, the Q60A is a great option. Just make sure you budget for a soundbar, too.

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If you've invest in a  PS5, Xbox Series X and Xbox Series S console, any TV with an HDMI port will work. However, not all TVs are created equal, and if your TV isn't up to snuff, it may be unable to take advantage of these new consoles' best features. The best 4K TVs these days are equipped with HDMI 2.1 ports, which have the power to let you play at 4K with HDR and reach frame rates as high as 120 frames per second. On top of all that, the gameplay stays butter-smooth, with the consoles and TV playing nice via variable refresh rate, which reduces choppy movement and screen tearing.

Also, you don't have to spend an arm and a leg on an 88-inch 8K behemoth to get these gaming console-friendly features. In fact, as far as screen size goes, you can find most of the features necessary for an excellent gaming experience in 65-inch TVs that are priced below $1,000.

Best TVs for PS5 and Xbox

At the end of the article you'll find two charts with all of the TVs we know on sale now that support advanced gaming features. We've included compatible TVs from the past two years, and you may still be able to find 2020 models on sale. Before those charts, however, here's a list of our current favorite gaming TV options. 

David Katzmaier/CNET

If OLED isn't your thing, Samsung's QN90A offers the best non-OLED picture quality we've ever seen. Image quality is incredibly bright, with minimal blooming from the local dimming backlight. This gaming TV option also has the lowest input lag we've ever measured on a TV.

1080p input lag: 10ms

4K HDR input lag: 10ms

Sizes: 50-, 55-, 65-, 75-, 85-inch.

Read our Samsung QN90A review.

David Katzmaier/CNET

The Hisense U8G offers tremendous brightness for gamers who want to play during the day and don't have light control in their chosen gaming space. While there are a couple of TVs that are brighter, all are a lot more expensive. Contrast and color is good too, though HDR is a step behind the competition and this 4K resolution TV's games mode isn't as sophisticated as Samsung or LG.

1080p input lag: 15ms

4K HDR input lag: 15ms

Sizes: 55-, 65-inch.

Read our Hisense U8G series review.

David Katzmaier/CNET

With a price generally lower than any of the TVs above, this Vizio's image quality and gaming features aren't quite as good, but it's still a solid step above budget gaming TVs. Local dimming achieves solid contrast and while it lacks 4K/120Hz input capability, this smart TV does offer variable refresh rate -- a rarity at this price.

1080p input lag: 16.07ms

4K HDR input lag: 13.73ms

Sizes: 50-, 55-, 58-, 65-, 70-, 75-inch.

Read our Vizio M-7 Series Quantum (2021) review.

Gaming TV FAQs

Below you'll find answers to some of the most common questions about the best gaming TVs, followed by the charts that show which features are available on which TVs.

What TVs support HDMI 2.1 features?

All the advanced gaming features we've mentioned-- 120Hz input and VRR, as well as the more common Auto Low Latency Mode, aka Auto Game Mode, and eARC -- are roughly grouped under the HDMI 2.1 standard, but not all of the TVs in the charts below include every feature, nor deliver the full video and audio bandwidth that's possible with HDMI 2.1.

Even more confusing, input capability can vary on the same TV. Behind the physical connection where you plug an HDMI cable is a subsection of the TV's processing, namely a chip. These chips cost money, like everything else. In order to keep costs down, not every input on the TV is fully capable of all the latest features and frame rates. To put it another way, every road on Earth could be capable of highway speeds, but building them all that way would be expensive and rather pointless.

For example, one HDMI input might be capable of eARC, but not be able to handle 4K at 120Hz. Just something to keep in mind as you peruse the charts below. Also, there are some important brand and model specifics that didn't fit in the chart; please check the bullet points below for details.

Finally, the consoles themselves are in a transition period, too. The hardware of the PS5 console can technically support VRR, but unlike the Xbox Series X and Series S, it's not enabled yet. Sony's PlayStation 5 FAQ says VRR will be added via a future software update. 

What is 120Hz input?

Despite TVs being capable of 120Hz refresh for well over a decade, the ability to input 120Hz is a far more recent development. This is largely due to the fact that other than a fairly beefy gaming PC, there just haven't been any 120Hz sources. That all changes with the PS5 and Series X. Some of the TVs on our list can accept 4K at 120Hz on all HDMI inputs. Others can only do so on select inputs and one, the TCL 6-Series, can only accept 120Hz at lower-than-4K resolution (1440p).

The Xbox Series S can also output 4K at 120Hz, but internally the game is rendered at a lower resolution (1440p) and upscaled before it's sent to your TV. 

For more info, check out the truth about 4K TV refresh rates -- and beware fake 120Hz refresh rates on 4K TVs.

What is VRR?

VRR, or variable refresh rate, is a new TV feature that you'd probably be surprised wasn't already a thing. All modern TVs have a fixed refresh rate. A 60Hz TV is going to refresh, or create, a new image 60 times a second. The problem is a new console might not be ready to send a new image. 

Let's say you're in the middle of a huge boss battle, with lots of enemies and explosions. The console struggles to render everything in the allotted time. The TV still needs something so the console might send a duplicate of the previous image, creating juddering on screen, or it might send a partially new image, resulting in the image looking like someone tore a page off the top and revealed the new page below.

VRR gives the TV some flexibility to wait for the new frame from the console. This will result in better gaming performance with smoother action and less tearing.

What is ALLM or Game mode?

Game mode turns off most of the image-enhancing features of the TV, reducing input lag. We'll discuss input lag below, but the specific feature to look for is called either Auto Low Latency Mode or Auto Game Mode. Different manufacturers call it one or the other, but the basic idea is the same. Sensing a signal from the console, the TV switches on game mode automatically. This means you don't need to find your TV's remote to enable game mode. Not a huge deal, but convenient. All the TVs listed above have, or will have, one or the other.

What about input lag?

Input lag describes how long in milliseconds it takes for the TV to create an image. If this is too high, there's a delay between when you press a button on the controller and when that action appears on screen. In many games, like shooters or platformers, timing is crucial and a TV with high input lag could hurt your performance. 

As a longtime console gamer myself, I can easily notice the difference between high (greater than 100ms) and low input lag (sub-30ms). The good news is, most modern TVs have input lag that's low enough that most people won't notice it. Largely gone are the days of 100-plus-millisecond input lags… at least when you enable game mode.

So as long as the TV has a game mode, you're probably fine, though it's worth checking CNET's reviews for the exact numbers to see if it has low input lag. Lower, in this case, is always better.

What is eARC?

While not a console feature, eARC is a next-gen TV feature to keep in mind. It's the evolution of ARC, or Audio Return Channel. This sends audio from a TV's internal apps (such as Netflix or Vudu), back down the HDMI cable to a receiver or soundbar. With eARC, newer formats like Dolby Atmos can be transmitted as well.

The issue is in many cases, eARC often precludes higher resolutions or frame rates on the same input. So if you've connected your PS5 to your receiver and the receiver to the TV, you can have eARC audio back from the TV or 4K120, but usually not both. This is only important if you plan on using the internal apps in a TV (as in, not a Roku or Amazon streaming stick) and you want to use the new audio formats via eARC.

Best TV for PS5 and Xbox Series X, Series S in 2022

2021 TVs for PS5 and Xbox

Brand	Model	65-inch price	4K 120Hz Input	VRR	ALLM/AUTO	eARC
LG	G1	$2,500	HDMI 1-4	Yes	Yes	HDMI 2
	Nano 90	$1,300	HDMI 3, 4	Yes	Yes	HDMI 3
	QNED 90	$2,000	HDMI 3, 4	Yes	Yes	HDMI 3
	C1	$2,100	HDMI 1-4	Yes	Yes	HDMI 2
	A1	$1,800	No	No	No	HDMI 3
	Nano 75	$900	No	No	Yes	HDMI 2
	70 series	$700 (70 in)	No	No	Yes	HDMI 2
Samsung	QN900A	$4,000	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
	QN800A	$3,000	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
	QN90A	$2,100	Yes (55 in and up)	Yes (not 43 in)	Yes	Yes
	QN85A	$1,900	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
	Frame	$1,700	Yes	Yes (55 in and up)	Yes	Yes
	Q80A	$1,400	Yes (55 in and up)	Yes (not 50 in)	Yes	Yes
	Q60A	$1,000	No	No	Yes	Yes
Sony	A90J	$3,800	Yes	Yes*	Yes	Yes
	X80J	$1,000	No	No	No	Yes
	A80J	$2,200	Yes	Yes*	Yes	Yes
	X95J	$2,000	Yes	Yes*	Yes	Yes
	X90J	$1,350	Yes	Yes*	Yes	Yes
	X85J	$1,100	Yes	Yes*	Yes	Yes
TCL	8	$2,000	No	No	No	No
	6 8K	$2,200	HDMI 1,2	Yes	Yes	HDMI 4
	6 4K	$950	Yes (x2)	Yes	Yes	Yes
Vizio	OLED	1900	HDMI 2, 3	Yes	Yes	HDMI 1
	P series	1300	HDMI 3, 4	Yes	Yes	HDMI 1
	M series	900	No	Yes	Yes	HDMI 1
Hisense	U9	$3500 (75")	No	No	No	No
	U8	$1,250	HDMI 3, 4	VRR	No	HDMI 3
	U7	$1,000	No	Freesync	No	Yes

*Available via a firmware update at a later date (just like Sony's 2020 models).

2020 TVs

You might still be able to find some of 2020's TVs on sale. Many had 120 Hz inputs, eARC and more, though not quite to the extent of the newer models. Here's a look at the TVs from 2020 and what they could do.

2020 TVs for PS5 and Xbox

Brand	Model	65-inch price	Max input Hz	VRR	ALLM/AUTO	eARC
LG	UN85	$765	120Hz (HDMI 3,4)	Yes	Yes	HDMI 3
	Nano85	$1,000	120Hz (HDMI 3,4)	Yes	Yes	HDMI 3
	Nano90	$1,200	120Hz (HDMI 3,4)	Yes	Yes	HDMI 3
	Nano91	$1,000	120Hz (HDMI 3,4)	Yes	Yes	HDMI 3
	CX	$2,200	120Hz (All)	Yes	Yes	HDMI 2
	GX	$2,500	120Hz (All)	Yes	Yes	HDMI 2
	BX	$2,000	120Hz (HDMI 3,4)	Yes	Yes	HDMI 3
Samsung	Q70T	$1,200	120Hz	Yes	Yes	Yes
	Q80T	$1,700	120Hz (HDMI 4)	Yes	Yes	HDMI 3
	Q90T	$2,000	120Hz	Yes	Yes	Yes
	Q800T (8K)	$2,700	120Hz	Yes	Yes	Yes
Sony	X900H	$1,400	120Hz (HDMI 3,4)	Yes	Yes	HDMI 3
TCL	6-Series	$950	4K60/1440p120	Yes	Yes	HDMI 4
Vizio	OLED	$1,500	120Hz (HDMI 2,3)	Yes	Yes	HDMI 1
	P	$950	120Hz (HDMI 3,4)	Yes	Yes	HDMI 1
	PX	$1,500	120Hz (HDMI 3,4)	Yes	Yes	HDMI 1
	M-Series	$600	60Hz	Yes	Yes	HDMI 1

Notes and specifics

• Prices are current as of press time but may fluctuate.
• There are some TVs that fit the criteria but weren't included because they're so expensive, namely 8K TVs like LG's ZX series and Samsung's Q950TS and Q900TS series.
• The PS5 and Series X can also output 8K resolution to compatible TVs, but we consider 4K/120Hz, VRR and other enhancements like ray tracing and even HDR more important than 8K for gaming.
• Samsung doesn't specify which inputs can handle 4K120 or eARC. It is unlikely that all do, but when we asked, the company didn't clarify. We did review the Q80T, however, and can confirm that Input 3 is compatible with eARC and Input 4 with 4K120.
• Sony says the software update(s) that enables VRR and ALLM on the X900H is coming "at a later date." It's been saying that for over a year now.
• The Vizio 2020 M-Series is only 60Hz but has VRR.
  
• The TCL 2020 6-Series can only accept 4K at 60Hz, but can accept 1440p at 120Hz.
  

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As well as covering TV and other display tech, Geoff does photo tours of cool museums and locations around the world, including nuclear submarines, massive aircraft carriers, medieval castles, airplane graveyards and more. 

You can follow his exploits on Instagram and YouTube, and on his travel blog, BaldNomad. He also wrote a bestselling sci-fi novel about city-size submarines, along with a sequel.

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