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Which tablet should I get?
Finding the right product is way too hard.
gdgt (say it like "gadget"!) finds, scores, and recommends only the best gadgets in dozens of categories,
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Latest reviews & updates
The Nexus 7 has arrived. Join us Monday at 9am PT / noon ET to find out its gdgt Score!
Google has begun shipping Nexus 7 tablets to customers who pre-ordered them. Read all of the Nexus 7 reviews, share your thoughts, and come back Monday to see what we think of this hot new Android tablet!
AKG's K-495NC headphones bring down the noise so you can focus on the music
The K-495NCs are stylish, comfortable noise-cancelling headphones that have a few good features most other noise-cancelers lack, including a rechargeable battery that you can charge via USB, and the ability to shut off the noise-reduction functions entirely, so you can use them as regular headphones.
Do feature phones have a future?
According to Nielsen, two thirds of all new cellphone buyers are picking up smartphones instead of basic or feature models. If you're in the market for a smartphone, this means you'll probably continue to find more options at competitive prices. But if you're looking for a basic model, you should expect fewer choices, even if feature phones aren't going to disappear entirely just yet.
HP's OfficeJet Pro 8600 Plus is a multi-function inkjet printer on steroids
The 8600 Plus includes all of the features you'd expect from an MFP — printing, networking, scanning, copying, faxing — and ups the ante with a legal-size scanning bed, full duplex printing, and high-capacity paper trays that can hold up to 500 pages. Be prepared to buy a bigger desk to accommodate it.
The Buffalo MiniStation Thunderbolt is a great companion for Thunderbolt-equipped Mac laptops
The dual-interface drive gets blazing speeds using either USB 3.0 or Thunderbolt, and should be at the top of your list if you have a Mac laptop and want a fast, portable Thunderbolt drive.
There's no reason to buy the Lenovo IdeaTab S2109 tablet
A year ago, the S2109 might have seemed like a good deal, given its 9.7-inch display, useful features like a microSD slot and HDMI out, and price tag of $350. But in today's market, you can get better tablets like the gdgt Must-have iPad 2, for about $50 more, or the Asus Nexus 7, for $150 less.
The Olympus Tough TG-1 iHS takes great pictures just about anywhere
Olympus takes on low-light challenges with a fast f/2 lens, beats zoom limits with a waterproof teleconverter, and lets you extend its 40-foot underwater range to over 100 feet with an even tougher optional housing. And, yes, it's also shockproof, crushproof, freezeproof, and dustproof.
Samsung's ES8000 is a very good, but pricey, LED TV
The ES8000 is an ultra-thin, light, and sleek LED-lit TV, with superb picture quality, good 3D output, and a great range of smart TV and home-networking features. But the 46-inch version sells for about $2,000, double the price of some of Samsung's other LED models, such as the ES6500.
What should Ouya do with their extra $2 million?
Backers of the Ouya Android gaming console set a $950,000 financing goal on Kickstarter, and have already taken in over $3 million in pledges. How do you think they should spend that extra cash? And does the early support make you more likely to consider buying (or even funding) the Ouya?
LG's Optimus 4X HD is a good smartphone with limited appeal for U.S. customers
The 4X HD is a full-featured smartphone with a fast processor and super-sharp 4.7-inch, 1280x720 display. But it's currently only available in the U.S. as an unlocked model for $600, about the same price as the gdgt Must-have HTC One X.
Must Have products
See all Must Have products →
Must Have Cellphones
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Apple iPhone 4S from $596
Amazing screen. Great camera. Better antenna. And a virtual assistant named Siri. What's not to love?
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Samsung Galaxy S III from $639
The Galaxy S III takes everything that worked in Samsung’s earlier Galaxy smartphones, and brings it up to current, high-end standards.
Must Have Cameras
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Canon PowerShot S100 (late 2011) from $359
If you want the best photographs from any camera that fits in a pocket, look no further.
Must Have Laptops / portables
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Apple MacBook Air 13-inch (mid 2012) from $1139
Apple's updated MacBook Air is faster, costs less, and is still the best laptop for just about everybody. Accept no substitutes.
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Apple MacBook Pro with Retina display (mid 2012) from $2194
The MacBook Pro with Retina display is Apple's best laptop yet, and has the best display available on any computer, anywhere.
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ASUS Zenbook UX31 from $954
This Windows ultrabook is as light in your bag as it is on your wallet -- but doesn't sacrifice performance.
Must Have Desktops
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Apple iMac 21.5-inch (mid 2011) from $1199
A clutter-free desktop, plenty of power and easy upgrades. Like all recent iMac models.
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Dell XPS One 27 from $1899
A powerful all-in-one PC with a big, beautiful display, and tons of home-entertainment features.
Must Have Portable media players
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Apple iPod touch 4th-gen from $199
Nothing's even come close to the iPod touch. Unless you need a ridiculous amount of storage, buy it.
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Apple iPod nano 6th-gen from $118
The best selling media player in the world also happens to be one of the smallest, easiest to use devices around.
Must Have Tablets
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Apple iPad 3rd-gen from $499
This is the tablet you've been waiting for. And once you look at that Retina Display, you'll never go back.
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Apple iPad 2 from $399
It's $100 cheaper than it used to be. Just don't look at the screen on the new model.
Must Have Digital media players
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Apple Apple TV 3rd-gen
Apple's little set-top box hits the big time with full-HD video.
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Roku 2 XS (3050X) from $96
Easy, cheap, and plays all kinds of content from the internet. What's not to like?
Must Have E-book readers
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Barnes & Noble nook Simple Touch from $79
The nook Simple Touch does everything you need an e-reader to do. And not much else.
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Amazon Kindle 4th-gen from $79
It's less than a hundred bucks, has a great display, and can run for a month on a single charge. It's got ads, though.
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Barnes & Noble nook Simple Touch with GlowLight from $169
Finally, an e-book reader you can use in the dark, without lighting up the whole room.
Must Have Headphones
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Bowers & Wilkins P5 from $389
Leather padding. A rich, "neutral" sound. And a mic, just in case you need to talk, rather than just listening.
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Sennheiser CX 300 II from $19
Get these if you want to upgrade your media player's earbuds without paying as much as you did for the player.
Must Have Routers
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ASUS RT-N56U from $106
A stylish and functional router that can serve all of your home networking needs.
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TP-Link TL-WR1043ND from $51
The least expensive way to get an 802.11n router running the rock-solid DD-WRT firmware. Geeks need only apply.
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Novatel Jetpack 4620L
This super fast 4G mobile hotspot connects up to 10 devices from just about anywhere -- even internationally.
