Garmin Intros New Cycling Radar With Integrated Camera
Garmin Intros New Cycling Radar With Integrated Camera
For a lot of bikers there's always some concern about a car hitting you from behind. That's where Garmin's rearview radars come into play, warning you that cars are approaching. Now Garmin is adding a video element to the equation with its new Varia RCT715 ($400), which has both a built-in taillight as well as a camera with 1080p capture capabilities.
The RCT715 is the third model in Garmin's Varia line of cycling radars, which includes two models we reviewed a couple of years ago: The taillight-equipped RTL515 ($200) and the radar-only RVR315 ($150) for those who already own a taillight.
All the rearview radar models are designed to be paired and send visual information to Garmin's Edge cycling computers (and other bike computers from companies like Wahoo), Garmin's smartwatches and smartphones using the Varia app for iOS or Android. Meanwhile, Garmin says the built-in camera on the RCT715 continuously records your surroundings and "provides video evidence of an incident," should you ever need it.
No, the RCT715 isn't cheap at $400, but it should give you some additional peace of mind while riding and hopefully we'll see some discounts on it that bring its price down a bit.
Built-in camera captures footage at up to 1080p/30 fps during a ride
If an incident is detected, video footage from before, during and after the event will automatically be saved.
Easily access video footage, transfer videos or customize camera settings, such as data overlays from the Varia app.
Visual and audible notifications warn of vehicles approaching from behind, up to 153 yards away.
The taillight can be seen up to a mile away, which can make it easier for drivers to see a cyclist before the radar sees the vehicle.
Compatible with a Garmin Edge cycling computers, Garmin smartwatches or the Varia smart device app.
Battery life: Up to 4 hours of battery life with radar and taillight on solid high or night flash and up to 6 hours with radar and taillight on day flash -- all with the camera continuously recording at 1080p.
Snapchat adds My Places feature to Snap Map for local recommendations
Snapchat adds My Places feature to Snap Map for local recommendations
Snapchat is adding more to its location-sharing feature, Snap Map, with a feature it calls My Places.
The new feature lets Snapchatters discover popular locations and save their favorite places to revisit later. They can also see where they've been with the "Visited" tab. It also lets you see where others are in your area so that you can catch up in person.
Snapchat introduced My Places on Wednesday, following in the footsteps of Google Maps and Yelp, both of which are popular ways to find places to eat, stay or check out.
"With My Places, Snapchatters can discover more than 30 million businesses, log their favorite local spots, and even find personalized recommendations informed by their friends and the global Snapchat community," the article says.
Later this year, Snapchat plans to add more features in partnerships with Ticketmaster and The Infatuation, an online restaurant recommendation service.
Acer Nitro 5 laptop for $680: Game on the go for 15 percent off
Acer Nitro 5 laptop for $680: Game on the go for 15 percent off
At this year's CES, Acer unveiled some "hearty updates" to the Nitro 5 laptop.
Today, I bring you a hearty discount: For a limited time, and while supplies last, Best Buy has the Acer Nitro 5 gaming laptop for $679.99 shipped (plus tax). Regular price: $800.
(For what it's worth, Ebates offers a 1-percent rebate on Best Buy purchases -- not a fortune, but last I checked, $6.79 was still $6.79.)
I can't say this is the sexiest laptop I've ever seen (the red keyboard backlight helps), but it definitely has the horsepower you need for high-end gaming. That starts with an 8th-gen Intel Core i5-8300H mobile processor, 8GB of RAM and a 256GB solid-state drive. Of particular importance, the Nitro 5 has an Nvidia GeForce GTX 1050 Ti graphics processor with 4GB of dedicated video memory. (Note that there's also an AMD Radeon version of the Nitro 5.)
That's enough for both gaming and VR, should you decide to run an Oculus Rift or HTC Vive. (Alas, it's just shy of the requirements for the Vive Pro.)
The Nitro 5 offers a 15.6-inch screen with a 1,920 x 1,080 native resolution. It doesn't have an optical drive, but does include a full-size HDMI port and four USB ports: one USB-C, one USB 3.0 and two USB 2.0.
CNET's review of the Nitro 5 is in progress and due by the end of the week. Until then, note that it scored a 4.5-star average rating from around 60 Best Buy buyers. The key takeaway: It's a killer deal for budget-minded gamers. And that was based on the $800 price tag; at $680, it's even more killer!
Ace Teah
Bonus deal: Pools, beaches, kayaks, canoes -- all fun, all potential hazards for your phone. That's why it's a no-brainer to pack waterproof pouches for all your summertime activities.
Like these: For a limited time, and while supplies last, Ace Teah's waterproof phone pouch 2-pack is $6.99 with promo code M2VR2U4Q. You get one blue and one green.
Two things I like about these: The lanyard that lets you wear them around your neck (or tie them to, say, your kayak) and the clear plastic that lets you interact with the phone -- and even take pictures -- while it's in the pouch.
Just take note that if you have a particularly large phone (like a "Plus"-size iPhone) and it's in a bulky case, it may not fit inside the pouch. Read the full product description for compatibility details.
CNET's Cheapskate scours the web for great deals on PCs, phones, gadgets and much more. Note that CNET may get a share of revenue from the sale of the products featured on this page. Questions about the Cheapskate blog? Find the answers on our FAQ page. Find more great buys on the CNET Deals page and follow the Cheapskate on Facebook and Twitter!
What are Nvidia G-Sync and AMD FreeSync and which do I need?
What are Nvidia G-Sync and AMD FreeSync and which do I need?
There are many ways to compensate for the disconnect between screen updates and gameplay frame rate, ranging from the brute force method of simply capping your game's frame rate to match your monitor's refresh rate to the more intelligent realm of variable refresh rate. VRR enables the two to sync to prevent artifacts like tearing (where it looks like parts of different screens are mixed together) and stutter (where the screen updates at perceptibly irregular intervals). These efforts range from basic in-game frame rate control to pricey hardware-based implementations like Nvidia G-Sync Ultimate and AMD FreeSync Premium.
Which do you want?
When picking a monitor, which VRR system to look for comes down to which graphics card you own -- especially now when you can't really buy a new GPU -- and which games you play, plus the monitor specs and choices available. G-Sync and G-Sync Ultimate and FreeSync Premium and Pro are mutually exclusive; you'll rarely (if ever) see variations of the same monitor with options for both. In other words, every other decision you make pretty much determines which VRR scheme you get.
Basic VRR
Basic VRR enables games to use their own methods of syncing the two rates, which on the PC frequently means the game just caps the frame rate it will allow. One step up from that is generic adaptive refresh rate, which uses extended system-level technologies to vary the screen update rate based on the frame rate coming out of the game. This can deliver a better result than plain VRR as long as your frame rates aren't all over the place within a short span of time.
G-Sync Compatible and FreeSync
In the bottom tier of Nvidia and AMD's VRR technologies you'll find improved versions of adaptive refresh, branded G-Sync Compatible and FreeSync. They use the GPU's hardware to improve VRR performance, but they're hardware technologies that are common to both Nvidia and AMD GPUs, which means you can use either supported by the monitor, provided one manufacturer's graphics card driver allows you to enable it for the other manufacturer's cards. Unlike FreeSync, though, G-Sync Compatible implies Nvidia has tested the monitor for an "approved" level of artifact reduction.
G-Sync and FreeSync Premium
The first serious levels of hardware-based adaptive refresh are G-Sync and FreeSync Premium. They both require manufacturer-specific hardware in the monitor that works in conjunction with their respective GPUs in order to apply more advanced algorithms, such as low-frame rate compensation (AMD) or variable overdrive (Nvidia) for better results with less performance overhead. They also have base thresholds for monitor specs that meet appropriate criteria. G-Sync still only works over a DisplayPort connection for monitors because it uses DisplayPort's Adaptive Sync, however, which is frustrating because it does work over HDMI for some TVs.
At CES 2022, Nvidia launched its next-generation 1440p G-sync Esports standard with Reflex Latency Analyzer (Nvidia's technology for minimizing lag of the combined keyboard, mouse and display) and a 25-inch mode that can simulate that size display on a larger monitor. Normalizing high-quality 1440p 27-inch displays for esports is a great step up from 1080p and 25 inches. The initial monitors which will be supporting it (the ViewSonic Elite XG271QG, AOC Agon Pro AG274QGM, MSI MEG 271Q, all with a 300Hz refresh rate, and the Asus ROG Swift 360Hz PG27AQN) haven't shipped yet.
(Mini rant: This name scheme would make a monitor "G-Sync Compatible-compatible," so you'll see the base capability referred to as a "G-Sync Compatible monitor." That's seriously misleading, because that means you're frequently called on to distinguish between uppercase and lowercase: G-Sync Compatible is not the same as G-Sync-compatible.)
G-Sync Ultimate and FreeSync Premium Pro
At the top of the VRR food chain are G-Sync Ultimate and FreeSync Premium Pro. They both require a complete ecosystem of support -- game and monitor in addition to the GPU -- and primarily add HDR optimization in addition to further VRR-based compensation algorithms.
The hardware-based options tend to add to the price of a monitor, and whether or not you need or want them really depends upon the games you play -- if your games don't support these technologies it's kind of pointless to pay extra for them -- how sensitive you are to artifacts and how bad the disconnect is between your display and the gameplay.
Win a shot at an RTX 3080 Ti in Nvidia's System Latency Challenge
Win a shot at an RTX 3080 Ti in Nvidia's System Latency Challenge
Improving system latency -- the chain of tiny lags across your mouse, keyboard, controller and monitor -- can make anyone's game better. But it's hard to understand the difference between 85ms and 55ms without seeing that difference for yourself. Nvidia's hopes to convince you it's worth paying a premium for partner devices with its Reflex Latency Analyzer tech, which can optimize performance in the 25 games that support it. The strategy: Offer gamers a chance to win a high-demand graphics card, the GeForce RTX 3080 Ti Founders Edition, an MSI Oculux NXG253R G-Sync display or a Logitech Pro X Superlight mouse by testing their shooting skills.
The Meta's Reflex-supported aim training software, KovaaK's 2.0, includes two Nvidia Experiments modules starting today. The new modules simulate 25ms, 55ms and 85ms of system latency as measured by your aim accuracy when shooting single or multiple targets (flicking and frenzy, respectively) in-game. Access to KovaaK's is free for the week, but you'll need to create an account. To participate, just boot up the software and press the big Nvidia Experiments button, scroll through Nvidia's terms of "consent to participate in research mode" and follow the instructions.
Why only shooting? Nvidia's own research shows latency has a significantly bigger impact on aim accuracy (and therefore in shooters) than on frame rate. Also, it's aim-training software.
The software simulates the effect of latency on your system configuration by measuring game and GPU latency via Reflex, then using its existing data to estimate and calculate the rest of the system equation. It'll then add a lag of the relevant duration (25ms, 55ms or 85ms). You can't play around with your settings to see how they affect the experience, though. Your changes will just be ignored.
As far as marketing and research-data-collection strategies go, it's quite clever. There are caveats, as with any contest, both to compete and to win one of the 27 prizes (there are nine of each). You can try the software with any GPU, but in order to make it onto the leaderboard, and therefore to win, you need to use a Reflex-supporting GPU. In other words, you'll need a GeForce 900 series or newer Nvidia GPU.
The winners are randomly selected from the leaderboard and only a single entry per human, so it doesn't matter how uncoordinated you are. But it also means your chance of winning decreases as more people participate. So shhhh. Don't tell anyone about it.
At the very least, you get to try the most excellent KovaaK's for a week. At best, you can win an RTX 3080 Ti and sell it for holiday gift cash.
Apple expands repairs to nearly 1,000 Best Buy stores in US
Apple expands repairs to nearly 1,000 Best Buy stores in US
Have a busted iPhone but live closer to a Best Buy than an Apple Store? You now have a new option for properly repairing your phone.
On Wednesday Apple announced that it would be expanding its repairs program with Best Buy, bringing certified support to nearly 1,000 Best Buy stores in the US. The repairs are backed by Apple, with the iPhone maker touting that Best Buy's Geek Squad has "nearly 7,600 newly Apple-certified technicians ready to make same-day iPhone repairs or to service other Apple products."
The partnership isn't the first time that Apple has tapped Best Buy to help with repairs, with the two companies partnering in 2017 to bring Apple's iPhone screen repair machines into Best Buy's stores.
"If a customer ever needs to repair their products, we want them to feel confident those repairs are done safely and correctly," Tara Bunch, Apple's vice president of AppleCare, said in a statement. "We're always looking at how we can reliably expand our network of trained technicians and we're excited to partner with every Best Buy store so it's even easier for our customers to find an authorized repair location near them."
The move will also bring more Apple-certified repairs to states that lack Apple Stores, including North Dakota, South Dakota, Montana, Vermont, West Virginia and Wyoming.
When combining the Best Buy expansion with its existing authorized service providers and Apple Stores, Apple says that eight out of 10 customers in the US are now within 20 minutes of a location that can help fix their devices.
Read more: Best Buy's flash sale has some of the lowest iPad prices ever
Galaxy S22 Deals: Up to $1,000 Off at Best Buy, $900 Off at Samsung and More
Galaxy S22 Deals: Up to $1,000 Off at Best Buy, $900 Off at Samsung and More
The Galaxy S22, S22 Plus and S22 Ultra are the latest models in Samsung's flagship lineup of phones -- though it did just announce its new folding Z-series phones, the Z Fold 4 and Z Flip 4. The S22 and its kin are successors to both the previous-gen S21 phones, as well as Samsung's now-discontinued Note series, which has been replaced by the new S22 Ultra. This generation of Samsung phones scored a top spot on our list of the best phones for 2022, and right now, you can pick one up at a bargain. We've rounded up some of the best S22 deals and promotions currently available -- as well as some other details about Samsung's latest phones -- below.
The Galaxy S22, S22 Plus and S22 Ultra all feature several major camera improvements, including larger pixel sensors and Adaptive Pixel technology for improved nighttime photography and videos. There's an improved portrait mode, as well as a new auto framing feature that can detect and track up to 10 people in order to capture everyone in a photo clearly.
However, it's the Galaxy S22 Ultra that made the biggest splash. Samsung's top-of-the-line phone introduces the S Pen to the S series for the first time, paying homage to the now-canceled Note.
Richard Peterson/CNET
The S22 Ultra also features significant camera upgrades, including Samsung's largest pixel sensor ever, as well a number of raw photo tools for more comprehensive editing, and an advanced Super Clear Glass lens for smoother and crisper nighttime videos without flares.
We'll take a closer look at all the details for each of the three flagship Galaxy S22 models and show you the best Galaxy S22 deals across the internet and in stores.
What colors does the Galaxy S22 come in?
Both the Samsung Galaxy S22 and Galaxy S22 Plus are available in phantom black, phantom white, green and pink gold. The Galaxy S22 Ultra has a slightly different lineup: phantom black, phantom white, green and burgundy.
How much does the Galaxy S22 cost?
The three models of the Galaxy S22 are available in various storage configurations. US pricing for each model starts at:
Samsung Galaxy S22: $800
Samsung Galaxy S22 Plus: $1,000
Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra: $1,200
Both the Samsung Galaxy S22 and Galaxy S22 Plus are available in 128GB and 256GB storage options with 8GB of RAM, while the Galaxy S22 Ultra will also add in options for 512GB and 1TB with up to 12GB of RAM.
Be sure to check out all the Galaxy S22 deals below.
Best Galaxy S22 deals
You might have missed the preorder offers, but most carriers and retailers are offering some stellar deals on these Galaxy S phones, especially if you've got an older device you're looking to trade in. We've rounded up the best Galaxy S22 deals that you can shop for right now.
We will continue to update this page as new offers become available, so keep checking back if your carrier or preferred retailer is not listed below.
Samsung's site is the obvious place to buy the newest Galaxy S22 phones, because it offers all the device configurations and has multiple payment options. Samsung offers carrier and unlocked models so you can choose between buying the phone outright, through carrier payments or financing it through Samsung, depending on your preference.
As of right now, Samsung isn't offering any straightforward discounts, but you can save big with an eligible trade-in. Trading in your older phone, tablet or smart watch, including cracked or damaged devices, will save you up to $700 on the S22 and S22 Plus, or up to $900 on the S22 Ultra.
All models are currently available, though the Samsung exclusive color variants are out of stock at the moment.
If you don't want the headache of navigating carriers, plans and installment payments, you'll want an unlocked phone that you can purchase outright. You can save $100 on the base model S22, $200 on the S22 Plus or up to $160 on the S22 Ultra. Just not that discounts jump around quite a bit between different colors and configurations, so be sure to double-check before purchasing. All three models are currently in stock, though you will find a few select configurations that are currently unavailable.
This time around, AT&T is getting far more aggressive with its trade-in offers on the Galaxy S22 devices. The carrier is matching Verizon's offer from last year and is accepting select phones in any condition as a trade-in. If you have any Galaxy Note, S or Z Series phone from any year, you can get $800 off the Galaxy S22 devices, even if your trade-in is broken or doesn't turn on. Trading in other phones or devices can still save you hundreds, but their condition will factor into the estimated value.
With this promotion, you can get the base Galaxy S22 for free via qualifying installment plan credits. The credits take place over a 36-month period, and if you cancel service before the 36 months is over you'll have to pay the remaining balance. This means that you could technically pay as little as $0 for the Galaxy S22, under $6 per month for the Galaxy S22 Plus and about $11 per month for the S22 Ultra, but be aware that credits begin 90 days after purchase and require that you pay all taxes and associated fees on the retail price up front.
All three Galaxy S22 models are available now and ship for free, with most colors and configurations ready to ship right away.
If you're a current Verizon subscriber or someone looking to make the switch to Verizon, there are some great discounts you can take advantage of. Both new customers adding a line, and current Verizon subscribers upgrading their current line can save up to $800 on any S22 model with an eligible trade-in and activation on a qualifying 5G unlimited plan. Those adding a new line will also get a $200 Verizon gift card. You can also save $800 on a second S22 phone when adding another new line of service, and like the trade-in deal, new customers will also get a $200 Verizon gift card.
You can even trade in broken or damaged phones, as long as the battery is intact, which is something that the carrier started doing last year. That means that you can get the S22 for free, and the S22 Ultra for as low as $11 per month. The discount will be applied via monthly bill credits, so you can't get this offer when you purchase the phone outright. It's also worth noting that Verizon is now using 36-month terms instead of 24-month terms, so you'll want to make sure that works for you before placing your order.
And if you're looking to buy a new smartwatch, Verizon is also offering up to $150 off a new Galaxy Watch 5 or Watch 5 Pro with the purchase of any Android smartphone and activation on any data plan.
All three models are currently available with free two-day shipping.
Best Buy now offers support for Verizon, AT&T and T-Mobile upgrades and new lines both in-store and online, which means you can take advantage of some of the great carrier offers available at the moment. If you're looking to trade in a device, you can save up to $1,000 through Verizon or AT&T, or $690 through T-Mobile.
There is also a somewhat misleading deal available on unlocked models of the S22 Plus and Ultra. Supposedly, you'll have to choose same-day activation through one of the qualifying carriers to get the $100 discount, which essentially defeats the purpose of an unlocked phone. However, you can get the same deal when you choose the "activate later" pricing option. Best Buy also has its own trade-in program where you can save up to $900 by trading in select Samsung, Apple, or Google phones.
T-Mobile usually goes all out for new phone releases with some pretty sweet deals for new customers and current ones alike. This time around, T-Mobile has two deals available: one for those with Magenta Max and one for those without.
Customers who are on Magenta Max plan are able to get any S22 model for free by adding a new line of service on your existing Magenta Max Plan. Those not on a Magenta Max Plan can save up to $400 by adding a new line of service on any qualifying plan. Customers on any qualifying rate plan can also save up to $400 when trading in an eligible device.
T-Mobile currently has all three models available, though select colors and configurations are currently backordered or out of stock.
Boost Mobile is offering new and existing customers an excellent deal on Galaxy S22 devices. For a limited time, the carrier is offering a nice discount that brings the base price of the 128GB Galaxy S22 down to only $500, $300 off the usual price. You can also save $400 on the S22 Plus and Ultra, dropping the price down to just $600 and $800 respectively.
Since Boost Mobile is a prepaid carrier, you will need to buy the phone outright, but at this pricing it's well worth it. All three phones are currently in stock, though you can only get the 128GB models with a limited selection of colors.
