Garmin Nuvi 3597LMTHD

After years of reviewing PND after PND, it's hard to get excited about a GPS device's physical form. However, the Nuvi 3597LM has managed to capture my attention with its glossy, black face and slim chassis. The Nuvi looks slimmer than it actually is thanks to tapered edges that visually shrink the device's profile and make it easier to...

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2013 Jaguar XJ AWD

The 2013 Jaguar XJ is an imposing car, but in Ultimate Black paint, the XJ is also subtle and understated. It's a handsome ride that garners smiles and nods from those whose eye it catches, but largely doesn't attract a lot of attention when prowling the streets. The Jag's stealthy nature is probably why nearby pedestrians were so startled...

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Sony KDL-55W900A

While many of Sony's marketing terms mean nothing in English (or sometimes even Japanese), there have been some memorable ones: Bravia, WEGA, XBR, et al. Here's another, less-catchy, less capitalized one to add to the list: Triluminos. It's Sony's term for a technology, also known as Quantum Dots, which theoretically enhances the number of colors an LCD can produce. CNET writer Geoffrey Morrison examines the dots in depth here,...

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Ending the headaches of Wi-Fi

Soon wireless subscribers won't even have to think about signing on to a Wi-Fi hotspot. New standards that will be included in the latest generation of products will take the head-ache out of Wi-Fi. Millions of wireless customers access public Wi-Fi hotspots everyday. Some people get free access to Wi-Fi through their mobile operator and use the networks to avoid going over their data caps. Others subscribe to Wi-Fi services...

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Moon dust gathered by Neil Armstrong discovered in warehouse after 40 years

Have you seen me? (Credit: Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory/Marilee Bailey) Several miscellaneous bits and pieces of the first moon mission have orbited back into our field of view lately. In March, it was pieces of the rocket that propelled Apollo 11 spaceward, kindly dragged from their watery grave by Amazon CEO and...

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#Hashtags: Facebook's missing link to pop culture

For sale on Etsy: A custom-made sign that encourages wedding guests to hashtag their Instagram shots. (Credit: The Pink Lantern/Etsy) Scan Twitter, Instagram, or Tumblr. Watch your favorite television show, or even listen to the radio, and you might notice that the biggest social network of them all is disconnected from pop...

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Crave giveaway: Boombotix Boombot Rex portable speaker

An outdoorsy Boombotix Boombot Rex relaxing on a rock. You'll have your choice of black, white, blue, or green. (Credit: Boombotix) Congrats to John D. of Fruitland Park, Fla., for winning a Crucial M500 SSD and copy of Iolo System Mechanic in last week's giveaway. This week, I asked you for help deciding whether to give away...

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Nokia Lumia 521 (T-Mobile)

If you're all about value, then mosey on up to T-Mobile's Nokia Lumia 521. For $150 off-contract (or $130 if you manage to nab it from Walmart) the Windows Phone 8 device brings on solid performance and Nokia's signature apps for a bargain price. Its biggest drawback -- besides the obvious step-down in screen and camera quality compared...

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CTIA 2013 preview: Spring show quietly fades away

CTIA and its final spring show. (Credit: Roger Cheng/CNET) LAS VEGAS -- When Ashton Kutcher and Jennifer Lopez are the biggest draws for a technology show, there's a problem. The CTIA Wireless trade group's spring show officially kicks off for the last time on Tuesday. It marks an unceremonious end to the conference, which...

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Xbox Next: What to expect at Tuesday's Xbox Reveal event

Microsoft built a giant tent on its Redmond, Wash., campus in which it will reveal details of the next Xbox video game console on Tuesday. (Credit: Microsoft) Much has changed in the video game landscape since Microsoft unveiled the Xbox 360 in 2005. Back then, Microsoft was a clear underdog, hoping to cut into the leads held...

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Panasonic TC-P65ZT60

Let me get this out of the way first: Panasonic's TC-PZT60 is now the best-performing TV we've ever tested. Perhaps a few of the old, supertweaked Pioneer Kuros out there might deliver slightly superior black levels, but I've never had any of those in the lab. This one beats my in-house Kuro, and every other TV in my lab. Finally. The TC-PVT60 also beat our in-house Kuro, so the most important question for videophiles with money...

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Panasonic TC-P60ZT60

Let me get this out of the way first: Panasonic's TC-PZT60 is now the best-performing TV we've ever tested. Perhaps a few of the old, supertweaked Pioneer Kuros out there might deliver slightly superior black levels, but I've never had any of those in the lab. This one beats my in-house Kuro, and every other TV in my lab. Finally. The TC-PVT60 also beat our in-house Kuro, so the most important question for videophiles with money...

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