Neos all-in-one Android PC looks modern, acts old

The Neos all-in-one ships with Android 4.1.1 and comes pre-loaded with various apps.

(Credit: Xiomara Blanco)

 

The Astak Neos all-in-one packs the appeal of Android in a shareable, user-friendly desktop PC, but its dated specs result in underwhelming performance that don't justify its $499 starting price. Even though the device boasts a sleek and modern design, its laggy touch-screen, dull display, and mediocre capabilities make it a half-baked attempt at being a media hub for the family.

Design
The Neos comes in a white and silver design and is light enough to be easily lifted, however, it isn't meant for mobile use and can only be used with the power cord. There are capacitive home/wake and volume buttons on the top right corner of the device and power button on the back.

The Neos can lay on its back, but its bad viewing angles make it hard to use.

(Credit: Xiomara Blanco)

 

Ports include a 3.5mm audio jack for playing music through the speakers, SD card expansion slot, USB port, and LAN port. There is no headphone jack for personal listening and keyboard or mouse accessories are not included.
The Neos sits upright, like a typical monitor, and features no ergonomic support. It can also be used flat on its back but, due to its angular design and poor viewing angles, this set-up is awkward and only useful for portrait orientation apps.

There are only a few ports on the back, including an SD card expansion slot.

(Credit: Xiomara Blanco)

 

Features
The Neos can run pure Android 4.1.1 or with the pre-installed Kloud user interface, which categorizes apps into groups. A variety of apps come pre-loaded and sorted, but can be easily uninstalled if unwanted.
Highlighting an app for a few seconds gives you the option of placing it in a certain group, like games or lifestyle, and you can also create your own group if you'd like.

The 15.6-inch screen is very pixelated and displays dull colors.

(Credit: Xiomara Blanco)

 

I personally didn't find much use in Kloud, but I can see how the user-friendly approach can appeal to families with children. The good news is that the Neos has access to Google Play store, but the bad news is that not all apps are compatible.

Hardware
The Neos houses a 1.6GHz Texas Instruments OMAP 4430 dual-core CPU, PowerVR SGX 540 single-core GPU, 1GB of RAM, and 16GB of internal storage.

The capacitive buttons on the upper right corner respond quickly.

(Credit: Xiomara Blanco)

 

Performance
The screen is drab, with large pixels, bland color saturation, low maximum brightness. The touch-screen response often lags and small text is sometimes blurry, making it difficult to read.
Video quality, even in HD, looks a bit fuzzy and, once again, the Neos' poor viewing angles didn't do it any favors. Colors on the 1,366x768-pixel resolution screen appear dull and bright images sometimes look blown out.

I wasn't lying about those bad viewing angles.

(Credit: Xiomara Blanco)

 

The 5-megapixel front-facing camera works fine for video conferencing, but don't expect to get any amazing photos from it; colors are washed-out and focus is blurry, however, there is a manual focus option.
A performance upside for the Neos is its Onkyo 5-Watt stereo speakers that can connect to a smartphone, MP3 player, or other media device. The speaker quality is good and audio quality holds up at most volumes; at its loudest, bass sounds slightly muffled, but at low and mid-ranges everything sounds clear and full enough for a pleasurable listening experience.

You can use the speakers to play music from your smartphone or MP3 player.

(Credit: Xiomara Blanco)

 

Popular Android games like Angry Birds and Fruit Ninja ran smoothly for the most part. The touch screen's ever-present occasional lag made it difficult to play sometimes and although larger apps and games take their time to load, wait times were faster than I expected.
A shareable Android device -- without the accidental damage hazards of a tablet -- is an appealing investment for families, but the Astak Neos is too dated to warrant its $499 starting price. HP offers the Slate 21 all-in-one, which features a bigger screen with a higher resolution, better viewing angles, ergonomic support, and a newer version of Android for $399. Even though it's not a performance powerhouse, it one-ups the Neos for less money and provides a better alternative for those in the market for an Android desktop PC.

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Long live the new Netbook

The good: The Asus Transformer Book T100 runs full Windows 8.1, comes with a keyboard, has great battery life, and is a steal if you can find it for $350.

The bad: The cramped keyboard feels like an old Netbook's used to; not as fast as zippier, larger, more expensive Windows products; display not that vibrant.

The bottom line: The Asus Transformer Book T100 revives the Netbook value proposition (and Netbook usability issues) in a budget-priced 10-inch laptop that doubles as a tablet. You won’t love it, but for sheer bang for the buck, it’s hard to beat.

A long time ago in Techland, Netbooks were a big deal: they were cheap, portable, and effective, if unexciting. Then came tablets, which could do a lot of the same things, but in a more organic, touch-controlled way.
Windows 8 has attempted to redefine small-form-factor computing. but the humble Netbook has been left behind in favor of tablets that flip and dock into hybrid computers. The Asus Transformer Book T100 has arrived to be your possible savior: it is the closest thing we have to a New Netbook, with a similarly small 10-inch screen and cramped-but-cozy keyboard, but it also happens to have a detachable top half that becomes a Windows 8 tablet. And, it's under $400: $379, or even less at some places.
Full Windows 8 PCs running newer Intel Atom processors and costing around $400 have been here for the last year, but here's why the T100 is special: it has a newer Bay Trail Atom processor that's faster and offers far better battery life, and the overall shape and design is a lot like the Asus Transformer Android keyboarded tablets, which we've always been fond of. A Transformer that runs full Windows? What can possibly be bad about that?

(Credit: Sarah Tew)

 

Keep in mind there are other values in the Windows 8 landscape, too, largely thanks to Bay Trail: the new Dell Venue 8 Pro actually costs $100 less, and has a great feel, but, it's only an 8-inch tablet. Also, it only has 32GB of SSD storage, and doesn't come with a keyboard. The Transformer Book T100 has more storage and that keyboard (but a 32GB SSD model is also on sale at many retail channels, so make sure you notice that before pulling the trigger on what you think is a better value).

	Asus Transformer Book T100	Dell Venue 8 Pro	Acer Iconia W3
Price	$379	$299	$429
Display size/resolution	10.1-inch, 1,366 x 768 touch screen	8.1-inch, 1,280 x 800 touch screen	8.1-inch, 1,280 x 800 touch screen
PC CPU	1.3GHz Intel Atom Z3740	1.3GHz Intel Atom3740D	1.8GHz Intel Atom Z2760
PC memory	2,948MB DDR2 SDRAM 800MHz	2,048MB DDR2 SDRAM 800MHz	2,948MB DDR2 SDRAM 800MHz
Graphics	32GB Intel HD Graphics	32GB Intel HD Graphics	Intel GMA 1003MB shared
Storage	64GB SSD hard drive	32GB SSD hard drive	64GB SSD hard drive
Optical drive	None	None	None
Networking	802.11b/g/n wireless, Bluetooth 4.0	802.11 b/g/n wireless, Bluetooth 4.0	802.11 b/g/n wireless, Bluetooth 4.0
Operating system	Windows 8 (32-bit)	Windows 8 (32-bit)	Windows 8 (32-bit)

(Credit: Sarah Tew)

 

Windows 8: Has it found the perfect device?
The T100 feels like a laptop first and tablet second, but that's not so bad at all: I typed a good chunk of this review on my train rides home and tucked in on my lap, and it worked quite well. If you've ever worked on a Netbook, you know how it feels.
And that's the bad part, I guess: this feels like a Netbook. Cramped keyboard, but a solidly performing one: its size and key travel reminded me of many recent iPad Bluetooth keyboard accessories. The touch pad below's nothing special, but it's roughly the size of the one on the Surface Type Cover, is clickable, and does the job.
To detach the top half, you click a button right above the keyboard and pull it off the mechanical latch. Afterwards, snap it back in, much like the HP Envy x2 and others. It's a seamless swap.
The keyboard bottom half has its own USB 3.0 port --- a benefit of upgrading to a Bay Trail processor -- but the rest of the ports (and the headphone jack) are on the tablet top half.

(Credit: Sarah Tew)

 

I'm not going to sugar-coat this. The keyboard, while functional, is cramped and plastic-feeling. The touch pad is small. The chassis feels like a ticket to Glossy PlasticLand. The tablet's 1,366x768-pixel touch display is effective, but not particularly bright. It all resembles, very much, that good old Netbook Asus used to make not too long ago.
The keyboard is also on a permanent riser, because the tablet top half docks in a way that makes the whole bottom elevate when opened. I'm used to flatter keyboards, so it threw me off.

(Credit: Sarah Tew)

 

I typed back and forth among the Transformer Book T100, an iPad Air plugged into a Belkin Ultimate Keyboard Case, and an HP Chromebook 11. The Chromebook had the best keyboard, followed by the iPad with Belkin case. The Transformer Book brings up the rear. But once you get used to the keys, it gets better.

(Credit: Sarah Tew)

 

As a tablet, the T100 is fine, but it's thicker and bigger than your average iPad or Android tablet, or even a Surface 2. It's not too heavy to hold, but it doesn't feel designed to be an excellent standalone tablet: it feels more like the floating back lid of a laptop that's still searching for its base. It's good, and I could definitely see myself using it casually on a sofa, but I wouldn't feel compelled to take the tablet on its own for a day without that keyboard.
With the keyboard and tablet together, the Transformer Book weighs 2.4 pounds, an acceptable if slightly chunky number for a 10.1-inch Netbook. The tablet alone weighs 1.2 pounds. It feels good in one hand, but I'd rather use two. The thicker build quality and lower-resolution screen suggest that I wouldn't use it quite as much as a standalone tablet in most cases. The Dell Venue 8 Pro feels a lot better and has a better display, but it's also smaller and more Kindle-like, and seems less ideal for getting work done (it doesn't come with a keyboard, either).

(Credit: Sarah Tew)

 

Do I like the Surface 2 more? Yes in terms of design, but not software. The proposition of this little T100 as a budget Netbook plus tablet seems extremely appealing. In fact, a tablet-meets-Netbook like this, which also charges via Micro-USB with an included cable, could be a Chromebook killer for a lot of people.
And no, there's no rear-facing camera, so don't even think of using this to take photos, unless you want to do a selfie. The 1.3-megapixel Webcam looks good for Skyping.

(Credit: Sarah Tew)

 

Performance
A quad-core next-gen Bay Trail Atom Z3740 lurks inside the Transformer Book T100, along with 2GB of RAM and 64GB of SSD storage in our review configuration. This is one of the first systems we've seen with this new class of Atom processors: previous Windows 8 systems with Atoms were actually pretty decent machines, if you accepted their limitations: for everyday tasks, they fared quite well, and had good battery life.
Here's the good news: the Transformer Book T100 outperformed last-gen Atom Windows 8 machines, and even did significantly better in some tests than the much more expensive (and heavier) AMD-powered Toshiba Satellite Click. That system cost over $500; the Transformer Book T100 costs under $400, and is a fraction of the size. More powerful and expensive systems like the Sony Vaio Tap 11 still outperform it by a significant margin, though.

(Credit: Sarah Tew)

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A better laptop than tablet

The good: The Lenovo IdeaPad Yoga 11 works as a laptop alternative, thanks to its always-attached keyboard and myriad useful ports, and its physical flexibility provides useful ergonomic options. Its battery charges quickly and depletes slowly. Brightness shortcuts on the keyboard unearth a normally buried option in Windows RT.

The bad: As a tablet, the device is too bulky and heavy to hold in your hands, and its Web performance is slow. A full Windows 8 version with updated specs will be available soon for only $150 more.

The bottom line: The Lenovo IdeaPad Yoga 11 is a great laptop alternative that's unfortunately too bulky to completely replace your tablet.

The Lenovo IdeaPad Yoga 11's keyboard is permanently attached to the tablet section and when in tablet mode, it’s bulky, heavy, and awkward to hold. Thankfully, if you’d rather lay your tablet down flat or simply watch movies on it, the Yoga 11’s flexible, dual-hinge, $649 body gives you a few useful positions to choose from. Also, in laptop mode, it makes for a pretty cheap ultrabook, as long as you don’t mind being saddled with Windows RT.
If the thought of buying a device with RT causes you to wake up in the middle of the night screaming, then you may want to wait for the Windows 8 version of the Yoga 11, called the Yoga 11S, coming this summer for only $150 more. The Yoga 11S will also include a higher-resolution screen and a faster non-ARM Intel Core i5 CPU. Or, if you find 11 inches of screen size to be lacking, the 13-inch Yoga 13 may be more up your alley.
Compared with the Microsoft Surface RT, the Yoga 11 is a better lap computer and offers more ports, including two full-size USB port and a full-size SD storage expansion slot. However, the Surface's Type Cover keyboard is more comfortable, its Internet performance consistently zippier, and it’s a lot thinner and a lot lighter as a tablet.
If you’ve made your peace with Windows RT’s offerings, the Yoga 11 serves as the best RT device next to the Surface. However, it’s a better laptop than a tablet, so its appeal will depend on what you're looking for.


Finding your center
Unlike all previous Windows RT tablets, the Yoga 11's screen can’t be detached from its keyboard. The two are permanently linked via dual hinges that allow the screen to tilt back 360 degrees, until the back of the screen lays flush with the back of the keyboard. In this position, the Yoga 11 is the closest it'll ever get to feeling like a normal tablet. That is, if you don’t mind the 2.6-pound weight, 0.7-inch thickness (at its thickest), or the feel of keys on the back of your tablet while you attempt to hold it with one hand, and read the morning’s news and sip your coffee with the other. No, the Yoga 11 doesn't make for the best portable tablet; it feels heavy and awkward to hold from this position. However, it works fine once it's laid down flat.

Sure, it's definitely a tablet, but it's one of the heaviest, bulkiest tablets I've ever held. What you can't see in this pic is the muscle strain.

(Credit: Josh Miller)

 

	Lenovo IdeaPad Yoga 11	Asus Transformer Tab Infinity TF700	Microsoft Surface RT
Weight in pounds	2.6	1.32	1.5
Width in inches (landscape)	11.7	10.4	10.8
Height in inches	8	7.1	6.8
Depth in inches	0.70	0.33	0.43
Side bezel width in inches (landscape)	0.8	0.8	0.8

You can also orient the Yoga 11 in three other ways. There’s Tent mode, or, as I like to call it, the downward dog position. OK, I don't actually like to call it that, but it feels appropriate. Here, the screen is tilted back about halfway past 90 degrees, then propped up on the top edge of the screen and bottom edge of the keyboard, with the screen facing the user. Not a bad position if using the tablet on a desk, but also not all that different from the third position that sees the keyboard lying flat, keys down, again with the screen facing the user. This was the ideal position for movie-watching, allowing you to easily tilt the screen back and forth to find the perfect position, with no keyboard futzing with your movie engrossment.

With the keyboard flat on the desk (and automatically disabled), this mode is great when watching movies and TV shows thanks to its easily tiltable screen.

(Credit: Josh Miller)

 

The final position is also the one you’ll probably use most, laptop mode. From here the Yoga 11 is essentially an 11.6-inch ultrabook with a touch screen. That’s about 1.5 inches larger than most tablet screens and about an inch larger than the Surface RT's. Thanks to the larger screen, the Yoga 11 features a wider-than-usual keyboard compared with most tablets, and as a result is a bit more comfortable to type on. Thanks to its flat laptop bottom, the Yoga 11 is more conducive to typing from your actual lap; something I couldn't say about the Surface RT given its kickstand design. That said, however, the softer, wider keys of Surface RT's Touch Cover just plain feel better on my fingertips and is still my preferred typing tablet. One last useful note: adjusting the screen brightness on a Window RT tablet usually requires a couple levels of menu navigation, but the Yoga 11 thankfully features a brightness shortcut key that makes for a much less irritating task.
Sticking with the whole "whisper: I'm really a laptop..." motif, the Yoga 11 is packed with ports. Along its left edge sits a headphone jack, a full USB port, a full HDMI port, followed by a speaker grille, and volume rocker. On the front edge is the power/sleep button, and on the right edge is a charging port, a full SD card slot, another full USB port, and another speaker grille.

It's good for using as a tablet on a desk, looking distinctive among other tablets, and when giving couch presentations.

(Credit: Josh Miller)

 

Windows RT is still Windows RT
Windows RT is essentially the light version of Windows 8, designed specifically for ARM processors like the Tegra 3. RT gives you access to the complete Windows 8 "Metro" touch interface, including all ARM-based apps from the Windows Store. You also get full Windows 8 versions of Microsoft Office and Internet Explorer, run through what looks like a traditional Windows Desktop interface.
What you don't get is the ability to run any other normal Windows programs. You won’t be downloading and installing Firefox, Far Cry 3, or Photoshop unless there are versions made specifically for the Windows Store.

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The next generation is here. Now wait.

The good: The PlayStation 4 serves up dazzling graphics, runs on a simplified and logical interface, and boasts a fantastic controller. It's also $100 cheaper than rival Xbox One and has the upper hand on indie and day one digital-only offerings.

The bad: Triple-A titles are lacking at launch, and the PS4 won't come close to matching its predecessor's gaming or software library for months -- or possibly years. PS3 games aren't compatible, though Sony is hinting that its Gaikai game-streaming service will open the door to retro gaming in 2014.

The bottom line: The PlayStation 4's beautiful graphics, blazing interface, and near-perfect controller make it a worthy successor to the PS3, but it would be wise to wait for more titles and features before you buy.

November 15. That's the day Sony births the PlayStation 4, the long-awaited prince of gaming consoles, and the company's first all-new home gaming system since the PS3 was unleashed back in 2006. The labor has been tedious and bloodied by an intense rivalry with Microsoft's Xbox One, due exactly one week later.
Both new consoles arrive with a unique claim to the gaming throne: at $400, the PS4 is the “affordable” next-gen machine, whereas the $500 Xbox One promises an ambitious, always-on integration with live TV that aims to subsume your cable box.
Without these distinctions, however, Sony and Microsoft consoles could be separated at birth. Both offer powerful HD graphics equivalent to high-end gaming PCs. Each delivers an impressive set of nongaming streaming-entertainment apps, and a relatively small slate of exclusive games right out of the gate. Meanwhile, both offer a strikingly similar lineup of third-party games, including the requisite roster of EA Sports titles, and the latest installments of the Call of Duty, Assassin’s Creed, and Battlefield franchises -- all of which have already been released on the PS3 and Xbox 360.
The PS4 and the Xbox One also share one ugly defect: neither console can play games purchased for their respective predecessors. Your library of PlayStation 3 or Xbox 360 discs is not welcome here.
That’s the playing field onto which these two next-gen consoles arrive this holiday season. So, which console is right for you? Is it worth spending $400 or more on a new console now? Does the PS4 make the case for PS3 owners to upgrade -- or for Xbox 360 owners to switch?
It’s a lot to digest, so let’s get started. I'll walk you through the future of Sony gaming.

Editors' note: A sizable chunk of the PlayStation 4's functionality was not live at the time of this review. As more services go online with additional software updates in the coming days, we will continue to update the content herein accordingly. We'll assign a rating once we've had a chance to evaluate those eventual features, including media functionality and online gameplay.

What's in the box
Included inside every PlayStation 4 box is the console, power cord, a 6-foot HDMI cable (finally!), a DualShock 4 controller, a Micro-USB cable (to charge the DualShock 4), and a monoaural earbud for online chat. (The earbud plugs directly into the DualShock controller; you can alternately use any pair of headphones with a standard 3.5mm plug.)

(Credit: Sarah Tew)

 

The PS4 won't be sold in multiple models this time around. There's only one version, a 500GB model that retails for $400. This is $100 less than an Xbox One, though the latter ships with its camera and voice/motion-sensing peripheral, Kinect, in the box. It'll cost you $60 extra to pick up the PlayStation Camera that provides similar functionality -- which I'll get to a little later.
For early adopters, Sony is also throwing in a free month of PlayStation Network Plus and a free month of the Sony Music Unlimited music-streaming service, as well as a $10 credit for the PlayStation Store.

The hardware
Despite its smallish size -- at least compared with an Xbox One -- the PS4 packs a lot of power under the hood. The 2x11x12-inch (HxWxD) box weighs about 9 pounds and packs in 8GB of DDR5 RAM. The CPU is a low-power x86-64 "Jaguar" eight-core chip, and the graphics are powered by a 1.84 TFLOP AMD Radeon "next engine." The fine print may not impress the layperson, but suffice it to say, the PS4's innards are in line with a mid- to high-end gaming PC.

(Credit: Sarah Tew)

 

Like previous PlayStations before it, the PS4's 500GB hard-disk drive is user replaceable (a standard SATA laptop hard drive or SSD will work), something I'm thrilled Sony has decided to keep in tact. That 500GB may seem like more than enough storage, but with game sizes beginning to flirt with 50GB apiece, that might not cut it a few years down the road.
The PS4 boasts a striking angular design with a modestly low profile. The front end angles toward the user, sleekly hiding two USB 3.0 slots to the right and a slot-loading 6x Blu-ray drive to the left. Between these two ports are touch-sensitive power and eject buttons that give off familiar PS3 beeps when activated.

(Credit: Sarah Tew)

 

Around back of the PS4 are four simple interfaces in addition to a standard power connect -- the same size plug each PlayStation in the past has adorned. From left to right there's an optical audio, HDMI, Ethernet, and auxiliary port, which is used for the optional PlayStation Camera.
Note that the PS4 must be connected to an HDTV with an HDMI input; there are no analog (composite or component) outputs for this PlayStation.
The PS4 is equipped with wireless 802.11 b/g/n protocols and Bluetooth 2.1. That said, Sony has indicated that most current Bluetooth peripherals -- including headsets and older DualShock 3 PS3 controllers -- won't work with the PS4.
The PS4 has two power off modes when not in use. It can be turned completely off or it can be put into standby mode. It's worth noting that the PS4 must be on or in standby mode to receive automatic updates or be woken up remotely.
The top surface of the PS4 is one-third glossy and two-thirds matte black. Between these finishes is a slick multicolor LED that glows amber in standby, white while powered on, and blue when booting up.
Unlike the Xbox One, which must rest horizontally, the PS4 can be used vertically as well. Sony recommends using a dedicated stand for vertical operation, but the PS4 seems to sit on its side just fine by itself.

Not included: PlayStation Camera

(Credit: Sarah Tew)

 

Not included with the PS4, the aforementioned PlayStation Camera is a $60 accessory that allows you to control your PS4 with your voice. It'll also recognize your face and log you in should you set it up that way. Its functionality is quite similar to the Xbox One's Kinect, though it doesn't feature any IR blasting support. In fact, there's no IR port on the PS4 hardware, either, so you're stuck using the DualShock 4 controller when watching movies or streaming video. (Sony says a special Bluetooth remote is in the works, but didn't supply an ETA.)

Gameplay
So what does playing a PlayStation 4 feel like? Quite honestly, it's a lot like the PlayStation 3. There's a noticeable bump in graphics, of course, but it's logical to assume the real heavy hitters won't have their day until we're deeper into the system's life cycle. Like I mentioned earlier, the jump in visuals is not as dramatic as it was going from SD to HD. Also, PC gamers with the luxury of a souped-up machine probably won't be much impressed at all. It's also worth mentioning that some cross-platform games like Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag don't look nearly as good as PS4-exclusive games like Killzone: Shadow Fall.

Not all of the PS4's launch software received the next-gen "port" treatment. A lot of the sports games (FIFA 14, Madden 25, and NBA 2K14) are reworked from the ground up and run on next-gen engines to take better advantage of the new hardware. Of course, these next-gen games will be available for the Xbox One as well.
In terms of gameplay, the PS4 experience is greatly improved thanks to the fantastic DualShock4 controller. Nearly every genre I tested seems to benefit from the redesign.
During any gameplay session you can suspend the action and back out into the Dynamic Menu. Double-tapping the Home button will bring you back to the game or you can manually select it from the menu. However, if you put the system in standby mode or turn it off, you'll lose your gameplay session.
Sony has been very vocal about the PS4's support for independent game development and plans on offering a healthy selection of titles at launch and soon after. These titles can only be accessed through the PlayStation Store exclusively.

(Credit: Sony)

 

Game saves are synced in the cloud (and backed up locally as well) and can be accessed on any PS4 you log in to as long as there's an Internet connection. I'll dive deeper into account management in the next section.
Of course we can't overlook backward compatibility. For all intents and purposes, there is no disc-based backward compatibility at all on the PS4 -- none of your PS3 games will work on this machine. (Xbox 360 games are similarly incompatible on the Xbox One.) However, Sony has teased streaming capabilities that the company plans on implementing thanks to its acquisition of Gaikai last year. The service won't go live until 2014, but the plan right now is to have a portion of the PS3 library available for streaming play. Of course, that will require a wicked-fast high-speed Internet connection and -- probably -- the repurchasing of the titles you want to play (or at least a subscription to Sony's PSN Plus service).
The PS3's answer to Xbox 360 Achievements, known as Trophies, continues on the PS4 and will merge both PS3 and PS4 trophies together. The PS4 introduces a dynamic trophy system where developers can program new trophies as well as classifying the rarity of items based on the performance of other players.

The controller
While the Xbox 360's controller was the seemingly perfect evolution of the original Xbox's pad, the DualShock4 is just as, if not more of an impressive realization. It felt absolutely wonderful and addresses nearly all of the shortcomings of the DualShock3 (the predecessor controller that shipped with the PlayStation 3). Unlike the slippery dome coverings of the DualShock3's sticks, the two analog sticks on the new controller have smaller embossed faces that make for much easier control. The DualShock4's sticks flank the familiar PlayStation Home button and audio speaker that is built into the controller. (Don't worry -- audio from the controller can be turned off.) Below the PS Home button is the headset jack (for online chat) and an "EXT" port for use with something else down the line.

(Credit: Sarah Tew)

 

The DualShock4 is wider than the DualShock3, perhaps to fit the controller's clickable touch pad that sits between the Share and Options buttons. The touch pad works just like a laptop touch pad and feels equally as responsive. The Share and Options buttons replace Start and Select. Though they occasionally function like their predecessors, they are also used to activate game DVR footage and sharing.
The L1, L2, R1, and R2 buttons have all received redesigns as well, but no button on the pad seems to have benefited more than the L2 and R2 triggers. These now extend out and feel much more comfortable to pull. The DualShock4 also has two rumble motors so developers can localize the vibration feedback contextually within a game.

(Credit: Sarah Tew)

 

Like the DS3, the DS4 has a six-axis motion-sensing system, which encompasses a three-axis gyroscope and a three-axis accelerometer. A fun little note here: you can click the right stick during text entry to get a tiltable keyboard that's slightly quicker than entering letters manually.
You'll likely notice the glowing light emanating from the DS4's back. It's designed to work with the PlayStation Camera accessory and will change colors if there's more than one controller connected to the system. Below it sits a Micro-USB port for charging the controller's built-in rechargeable battery.

The interface
Both the PlayStation 4 and Xbox One have made substantial efforts in streamlining the user interface. The PlayStation 3's cross-media-bar has evolved into the PlayStation 4's "Dynamic Menu" that casts a blanket of simplicity throughout the operating system, logically grouping like-minded items together.
It basically consists of two horizontal rows, the top filled with icons for various functionalities like Friends, Trophies, and Settings, and a thumbnail lower row that is populated by recent activities like the last game you've played, shared game DVR clips, downloaded titles, Web access, other media, and more.

(Credit: Sarah Tew)

 

When you highlight an item in the Dynamic Menu, "live" items from the PlayStation Network (PSN) will populate with relevant content for you to browse.

I'm told a 300MB on Day 1 (though not required to play games) will flesh the Dynamic Menu out more and open up more functionality. This review will reflect these updates once I've had time to make my way through them.
People who own a PlayStation Vita will be able to use remote play features with some software on the PS4, but that isn't something we've been able to test just yet. Two Vitas will be able to connect to a PS4 at once.

Entertainment options
During our initial review period, none of Sony's digital entertainment services was turned on. That includes streaming apps like Netflix, Sony's Music and Video Unlimited service, the entire PlayStation Store -- basically anything that requires an Internet connection wasn't working. All of those features are expected to be activated (via that previously mentioned software patch) once the console is available in stores November 15. We'll continue to update this review, but even without much hands-on time, there's plenty we know about the PS4's entertainment capabilities, both from hands-on demos and Sony's released information.

Streaming-media: Sony is promising that the PS4 will launch with 14 streaming-media apps, including many major services such as Netflix, Amazon Instant, Hulu Plus, Vudu, Redbox Instant and Crackle. (We've compiled a full list of apps, directly compared with the Xbox One's, if you're interested.) It's a decent collection of apps, but YouTube and HBO Go certainly stand out as major omissions. One distinction to note is that all of the PS4's launch apps should be available on Day 1, whereas the Xbox One is only promising app availability within a launch window from now until spring 2014.
The PS4 also supports Sony's own streaming-media platforms, Sony Music Unlimited (a $5-$10/month Spotify-like service), and Sony Video Unlimited (rent or buy movies and TV shows for viewing on the PS4 and elsewhere). In the demos we've seen of the "final" PS4 interface, those services are more front-and-center than ever before. The main PS4 interface will be regularly recommending movies and music from Sony's stores, based on what you've streamed in the past and what's popular. One change from the PS3 is that movies and TV shows from Sony will be stream-only, with no option to download. Sony says that's to ensure you don't fill up your hard drive with large HD video files, but those with less reliable broadband connections may miss the option to fully download a title before watching.
Perhaps the neatest feature is the ability to play Sony Music Unlimited tracks in the background while playing a game, but you'll need to be a Music Unlimited subscriber to take advantage of it. Conversely, the Xbox One can play nearly any app in the background using its "snap" feature, although at launch the audio between the two sources will be mixed together, so you'll always hear both at the same time. The PS4 lets you pick (or mix) which audio stream you'd like to listen to.

(Credit: Sarah Tew)

 

Disc player: In addition to PS4 games, the PS4's disc drive is capable of playing back Blu-ray and DVD discs, but it can't play audio CDs or SACDs. It's hard to believe that the PS4 can't play a CD, but if you stick one in the drive you'll get a message that says "disc unsupported." In a sense, the PS4 is a step back from the "plays everything" nature of the PS3, although that could change with a future firmware update.

Digital media player: If you're willing to give the PS4 a pass by not supporting the 30-year-old compact disc format, it's harder to explain away the fact that it's not DLNA-compliant and can't play MP3s. Again, that may just be a launch-day limitation, with more features added in a future firmware update, but at least for now, the PS4 isn't nearly as capable as the PS3 is on the digital media side.

No TV integration: And if you're stacking up the PS4 vs. the soon-to-be released Xbox One, there's none of the TV integration that Microsoft is pushing as the future of living room technology. There's no onscreen program guide or the ability to watch TV and play games at the same time via a picture-in-picture window.

No compatibility with infrared remotes: Furthermore, unlike the Xbox One, the PS4 can't control the rest of your home theater equipment, nor can it be controlled via a typical IR-based universal remote. And it doesn't have Kinect's extensive voice control capabilities, although the optional PlayStation camera, as mentioned above, does support some limited voice control.
All of that isn't necessarily a knock -- we won't know how well the Xbox One's features work until we get a chance to test them in the real world -- but the PS4 is certainly less ambitious when it comes to its living room capabilities.

PlayStation Network, PlayStation Plus, and social
Though not live at the time of this writing, the PlayStation Network will provide a huge portion of the PlayStation 4's functionality. I got to see some of the features in action at a PS4 preview event in New York, and have recounted them below; we'll provide hands-on impressions once they go live.
PlayStation Plus subscriptions ($50 for a year) will also carry over from the PS3 to PS4 and are now required for online multiplayer gaming. (Notably, unlike Xbox consoles, you do not need a PS Plus membership for using the media apps.) PS Plus members will also get automated game updates (the PS4 can update itself while in standby mode) so you won't need to wait when starting a game just to find out it needs updating. For system firmware updates, both PS Plus and non-PS Plus members will receive automated updates.
A PSN member must make one PS4 the "primary" console, but once that's situated up to 16 people can log in to it. That primary account holder can also log in to any PS4 and have access to games and saves.
The PlayStation Store is doing away with downloaded content. Starting with the PS4, everything will now be streamed directly through the Sony Entertainment Network service or content portal of your choice.
That said, you will need to download games directly to the PS4's hard drive. All "large file" games will support play-as-you-download capabilities, and some titles -- if the developer wishes to do so -- can support downloading of a certain part of a game and not the other. For example, downloading Call of Duty: Ghosts on the PS4 gives you the option to only install the campaign or multiplayer component separately.
Since a PS4 in standby mode can now be remotely turned on, a purchase made through the Sony Entertainment Network site can be downloaded to a PS4 without having to be in front of the physical console. Essentially you could make a purchase at work and have it ready to play by the time you get home.

(Credit: Sarah Tew)

 

The PSN experience and store is deeply woven into the fabric of the Dynamic Menu. Live items are built in everywhere you look, and social features are present at every corner, especially when it comes to your friends list. Your account can be tied to your Facebook and Twitter profiles and have the option of posting on your behalf depending on your settings. Your friends list will actually be made up of your friends' real names if they approve your friend request.
The PS4 has a game DVR feature that's constantly recording so that you won't miss any sequence you'd like to share. With the touch of a button, you can stream to Twitch or Ustream and send a link to social networks, though recorded video sharing will only be offered on Facebook to start. You can also view a live feed of a friend's gameplay directly from the PS4, and you can add comments, too. Screenshots can be uploaded to Facebook and Twitter as well.
Also not available at the time of this writing was access to the PlayStation App on iOS and Android that will complement the PS4 experience with games that support second-screen functionality. The plan is for it to also work with the PS4's Dynamic Menu and offer options for things like text input.

PS4 vs. Xbox One
The big question surrounding two major home consoles being released a week apart is: "Which one should I get?" Unfortunately the answer isn't that simple. While both consoles offer next-generation visuals and gameplay, PS4 does not come with a camera peripheral in the box, unlike Xbox One's Kinect. The PS4 also doesn't incorporate live TV into the experience at all.

Perhaps the omission of a camera accessory is why the PS4 is $100 cheaper than the Xbox One. While the PlayStation Camera experience is certainly stitched into the PS4's operating system, it isn't vital to the console's functionality -- you can absolutely get by without it. On the other hand, the Xbox One's Kinect is required for the system to run. You don't necessarily need to incorporate it into your usage, but you will have to get used to it watching and listening to you, even when the Xbox is in standby mode.
Both consoles offer content-streaming services, but won't reach the full number of media apps their predecessors currently have for some time (though the PS4 looks on track to have most of the PS3's entertainment apps at launch). It's safe to say that the biggest players in that space (the Netflix, Hulu, and Amazon on Demands of the world) will be addressed the quickest, though we don't have concrete details on the release for apps down the road. If history is any indication, most software will be deployed as it's ready to go.
On the social front, from what I've seen early on, it appears that the PS4 has a better integration of Facebook and Twitter, though of course all of that is subject to change.
Placing media functionality and social to the side, a lot of the decision-making about next-generation console purchases is tethered to exclusive games. The PS3 has had a wonderful few years of exclusive games, and for the most part that trend will continue into the next generation. However, we're not necessarily seeing that come to fruition at launch, save for a modest number of exclusive independent games.
When it comes to big triple-A titles, the Xbox One might actually have the slight edge. Confirmed for the Xbox One launch are Forza Motorsport 4, Dead Rising 3, and Ryse: Son of Rome, compared with the PS4's Killzone: Shadow Fall and Knack. But taste in games is always somewhat subjective; either those games will appeal to you, or they won't.
First-day and launch window (the first few months) digital-only titles definitely fall into the PS4's favor. Launch window exclusive games are mostly even, with the Xbox One getting Titanfall (also available on PC and Xbox 360), and the PS4 getting inFamous: Second Son in early 2014.
You might read about the PS4's specs trumping that of the Xbox One's, but it's important to keep in mind how that translates into actual results. Remember that the PS3 was originally poised to be a massive powerhouse over the Xbox 360, but in reality didn't perform much better. You could even make the argument that most multiplatform games played smoother and looked better on the Xbox 360.
So while the PS4 may have quicker RAM, a faster GPU, and higher native resolution (1080p), we just don't know how those numbers will pan out when it comes to raw results and performance.

Conclusion
The PlayStation 4 is a worthy successor to the PlayStation 3, but like most launch consoles, there's a ton of promise for the future and not a whole lot to write home about out of the gate.
So what does that mean for the prospective next-generation gamer? If you already own a current-generation gaming system and don't necessarily need the absolute latest and greatest, it might be smart to hold off on a purchase. A handful of PS4 features are planned to go live in the coming months, and there's no shame in waiting to see how the dust settles.
An awful number of PS4 games already exist on the PS3 and Xbox 360, not to mention the enormous library of well-established media-streaming software currently available right now. It might be wishful thinking, but another PS3 or Xbox 360 price drop could also be right around the corner.

(Credit: Sarah Tew)

 

If you don't already own a current-generation console, you might want to wait and see if the PlayStation 3 or Xbox 360 get a price cut this holiday and beyond. Or, you can make your decision based on games at launch or the launch window. Additionally, you may want to take into consideration both the PS4 and Xbox One's media functionalities outside of gaming. Finally, of course, there's always the difference in price to examine.
Just like the last-generation's launch, it's logical to assume the big "system-selling" software is primed for release later in 2014 and beyond, likely making the 2014 holiday season one packed to the brim with amazing next-generation software. Early adopters are always rolling the dice with a purchase, but Sony seems to have a somewhat convincing road map worked out. The PS4 will likely be greeted by franchise staples like God of War, and games from the Naughty Dog team (Uncharted, The Last of Us), among others.
With the PlayStation 4, Sony is giving us a very clear indication of where the company wants to take gaming, with its focus on streaming, social networking, and sharing. The meshing of the PlayStation Network into the console's OS is a compelling narrative on paper, but whether it pans out is still up in the air.

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A must-have tablet for Amazon Prime members

The good: The Amazon Kindle Fire HDX 8.9 is a performance monster that speeds through Web sites and UI navigation at a frantic pace. Its screen is impressively sharp and its body amazingly light for a larger tablet. The Mayday feature gives personal and near-instant customer service. Some small but smart UI additions lead to a simple, welcoming experience.

The bad: The remote video viewing feature won't be ready at launch, and ad-free versions still cost an extra $15. The 16GB of space runs out quickly when storing HD movies, and there's no built-in storage expansion. Lack of Google Play access means many apps still aren't available. The buttons on the back are sometimes hard to find.

The bottom line: With everything that was great about the HDX 7 and more, the Amazon Kindle Fire HDX 8.9 isn't just a great value, it sets the standard for a media consumption tablet.

Like its smaller brother, the HDX 7, the Amazon Kindle Fire HDX 8.9 shoots toward the top of the tablet hierarchy thanks to three notable features: excellent pricing that's competitive with -- or lower than -- the best large premium tablets on the market; an awesome content ecosystem (especially for Amazon Prime members) that goes toe-to-toe with iTunes; and real-time customer service with the new Mayday button, which brings a live Amazon rep on a video screen within seconds -- for free.
The HDX 8.9 offers all of that and improves on the 7-incher by including an 8-megapixel back camera and a sharper, more color-accurate screen. It's also the lightest large tablet currently on the market.
Unfortunately, not ready at launch are the video sling feature -- you can "kick" videos from your HDX to a compatible device or Smart TV -- nor Goodreads integration. Also, 16GB is fast becoming too small to store HD content, and without access to the Google Play store, HDX owners are still missing out on plenty of Android apps.
Still, as a pure media consumption device there is none better. While the iPad Air is home to the most and best apps of any tablet, the HDX 8.9 starts at $379; that's $120 less than the starting price for the iPad Air and even undercuts the upcoming -- and smaller -- iPad Mini Retina by about $20.
The HDX is the strongest evolution of the Kindle Fire brand yet; however, you'll want make sure you're a card-carrying citizen of the Amazon Prime ecoverse to get the most out of the tablet's offerings.

Last year's Kindle Fire tablets were bulky, substantial, and seemed to prioritize durability over comfort. The Fire HDX 8.9 is much more thoughtfully designed. It weighs just 0.82 pounds, which is incredibly light for something I consider a large tablet. It feels well-balanced and is easy to hold in one hand. It's light without feeling too airy.
Both the power button and volume rocker have been moved to the back, and while they're easier to find and press compared with the old Fire HD 8.9, I'm not sure it's the best solution. It's fine when held in landscape mode -- the rear edges can be used as a tactile guide -- but it's annoying when I want to quickly wake it from sleep, but have to pick it up first to reach the back instead of just tapping a button on its side.

Tested spec	Amazon Kindle Fire HDX 8.9	Apple iPad Air	Asus Transformer Pad TF701	Microsoft Surface 2
Weight in pounds	0.82	1	1.28	1.44
Width in inches (landscape)	9.1	9.4	10.3	10.8
Height in inches	6.2	6.6	7.1	6.8
Depth in inches	0.31	0.29	0.34	0.35
Side bezel width in inches (landscape)	0.7	0.8	0.8	0.7

There's a Micro-USB port on the left edge and a headphone jack on the right. The Micro-HDMI port from last year's Fires has been excised in favor of a new video fling feature we'll get to later. The front-facing camera returns along with an actual camera app this time and there's an 8-megapixel back camera.

Mojito
The new version of the Kindle Fire OS -- dubbed Mojito -- is based on Android Jelly Bean and is more of a refinement of last year's OS than something completely new.
The carousel returns, allowing you to swipe through a lineup of your content, but now swiping up from the home screen reveals an array of your installed apps. And thanks to the higher-resolution screen, all menu items are visible at once from the top of the home screen.

Amazon added plenty of interface improvements to the Fire OS.

(Credit: James Martin)

 

Swiping down from the top still brings up the shortcuts menu and the settings button. The menu now includes new entries Quiet Time, which turns off all notifications -- this needed its own button? -- and Mayday, which we'll delve into shortly.
The Silk browser finally feels like a useful, welcoming tool for accessing the Web and not a clunky, low-rent app struggling to keep up with my Web-based proclivities. Pages loaded quickly and whizzed by when swiped.
Taps also are much more accurate now. Not only when tapping links, but it was especially impressive when typing. I'm usually one to make plenty of mistakes when typing on a touch screen, but either I'm finally and suddenly getting much better or Amazon's engineers have put in a lot of work in this area. My bet's on the latter.

Every option you'd ever want from a Kindle Fire tablet is only a tap away from the home screen.

(Credit: James Martin)

 

I'm probably a bit overly excited about just how trouble-free the Web experience was, but there's really nothing special about it. It simply works with few issues, which, compared with previous Fire tablets, I guess maybe is pretty special.
Amazon also cast a critical eye on other native apps like e-mail and calenda,r as well as adding a new contacts app. E-mail has been redesigned to require fewer steps to set up and is now compatible with threaded conversations, so instead of seeing a single e-mail from each person in the conversation, you now see a message from the last person to contribute to the thread.

At only 0.82 pound, the Fire HDX 8.9 is a fairly comfy e-reader.

(Credit: James Martin)

 

Calendar includes a number of sensible improvements that for the most part make the interface a more efficient and gratifying experience.
Managing your storage is now a lot easier, as items can be located by type and each deleted on the fly.
While the vast majority of the changes work, there's also a missed opportunity here to add more customization. Samsung does this to great success in its latest version of the TouchWiz UI, last seen on the Galaxy Note 10.1 2014 Edition. Samsung's shortcut array behaves in much the same way as Amazon's, but also scrolls to the left to include more options and can even be customized to add more choices.

Buttons on the back take a lot of getting used to.

(Credit: James Martin)

 

It's difficult to talk about how great the new OS is without mentioning the Snapdragon 800 processor, the inclusion of which makes it clear that Amazon has finally got the horsepower-to-interface overhead balance just about right. Accessing different sections of the interface feels much more immediate and it's an all-around less stressful and frustrating experience.
X-Ray for Music is karaoke on your Fire. Sort of. The Fire displays lyrics onscreen while compatible songs play. Lyrics are timed to appear as they play in the song, and the feature's quite a bit more engaging than I thought it would be. That may be strictly due to the excitement of learning the actual lyrics to some of my favorite songs.
And X-Ray trivia with its handy "jump to scene" button is a pretty effective way to learn more about your favorite movies or TV shows.

The 8-megapixel back camera is a nice addition.

(Credit: James Martin)

 

What I've always liked about the Kindle Fire interface is how the content is organized. Instead of pages and pages of app icons like in other OSes, on the Fire each type of content is siloed into its respective section. When I tap Audiobooks, I know I'm seeing all the audiobooks I own and by tapping Store I can easily add more. There's just something comforting about having all your content automatically organized for you.

Mayday
The Mayday feature provides near-instant personal customer service. Pull down the shortcut menu, tap the Mayday button, then tap Connect. Within 15 seconds -- at least that's Amazon's goal -- a customer service representative appears on your screen. The rep can't see you, but can see whatever your HDX is currently displaying and apparently none of your actual account information is visible to them.
The rep can draw on your screen and remotely control your interface, but you can take back control at any point simply by using the tablet. The window with the rep can be moved around the screen, the rep's voice can be muted, and the call can be ended by tapping End.

Amazon Mayday reps are polite and helpful during interactions.

(Credit: Screenshot by Eric Franklin)

 

In my experience, the service reps were helpful, polite, and knowledgeable. Not only about the Kindle Fire and its software intricacies, but they also had knowledge pertaining to how the Mayday service works. They answered every question I had without missing a beat.

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A Nexus with power, potential, and the right price

The good: The Google Nexus 5 has LTE for multiple carriers, a sleek and solid build, and an excellent price. It makes crystal-clear calls and integration of Google Now is deep and wide.

The bad: The Nexus 5's screen is dimmer than its competitors' and its camera struggles under auto settings. While an important OS update, Android 4.4 KitKat is more conceptual than feature-rich.

The bottom line: Strong performance, high-end specs, and an ultra-affordable price make the Google Nexus 5 not just the best unlocked phone on the market, but the best Nexus phone by far.

Finally, we have an Android handset that deserves the Nexus name. The Nexus 5 is fast, gorgeous, and stocked with features (including LTE) and it is the device for showing the true power of the Google universe and the Android operating system. And, at $349 (16GB) or $399 (32GB) at the Play Store -- about $250 less than other top-tier flagship smartphones -- it's a great deal whether you're on a budget or not (and whether you're an Android fan or not).
Yes, with a Snapdragon 800 processor and a 1080p touch screen, there's a lot to like about the Nexus 5 even if you never get past the main menu. But it's really the Android 4.4 KitKat operating system that we're here to see. Though not long on flashy new features, KitKat brings an ever deeper integration with Google's expanding array of services and a promise to end the age-old scourge of Android fragmentation.
Still, at that price, sometimes it makes it difficult to judge the Nexus -- is it a top-tier phone for cheap, or a midrange device that's bizarrely souped up with great innards? Do its variable camera and relatively dim screen get a pass because it's a $400 handset after all, or should I be expecting better from a Google flagship? And it is a flagship, much more so than the Nexus 4 and even the Galaxy Nexus were, but pinning it down further is difficult.
However you want to consider it, one thing's for certain: the phone's specs are indeed high-end, and its reliable performance further bolsters its appeal, despite its flaws. For what it's worth, the Nexus 5 is the best unlocked phone on the market.

Editors' note: We are still conducting tests for battery life and performance. Final rating is subject to change.

Carrier and availability

Before I get started, I want to mention that you can get the Nexus 5 from carriers, in addition to the Play Store. Sprint and T-Mobile will carry it, with the former selling it for $49.99 on contract. The device will work on AT&T's network as well (though AT&T will not sell it in stores), but unfortunately, Verizon Wireless users will be left out of the Nexus party.

Design: Still a looker

Let's get physical
Once again, Google's latest Nexus retains a familiar minimalistic aesthetic. However, with its straighter edges and sharper curves, it looks more stately and austere than its predecessor. For instance, instead of the display sloping downward at its sides (as if melting right off) like before, it cuts off sharply at the edges.
The device measures 5.43 inches tall and 2.72 inches wide. It's thinner and lighter than the prior model, at 0.34 inches thick and 4.59 ounces. Comfortable to hold, the Nexus 5 feels sturdy and dense in the hand. When it's facing up from a table, its curved back makes it easier to grab off the surface, like the HTC One.

	Google Nexus 5	Samsung Galaxy S4	HTC One	Apple iPhone 5S
Length in inches	5.43	5.37	5.41	4.87
Width in inches	2.72	2.75	2.69	2.31
Depth in inches	0.34	0.31	0.37	0.3
Weight in ounces	4.59	4.59	5.04	3.95

On the left is a narrow volume rocker and up top is a 3.5mm headphone jack. The right edge houses a sleep/power button and the SIM card slot. The physical control keys are made out of ceramic, and unlike the previous model, they don't have soft, rounded edges. As small as they are, they feel sharp when you press them. This isn't a huge issue, but it was one of the first things I noticed. At the bottom edge, you'll find a Micro-USB port flanked by two audio speakers.
Similarly to the Nexus 7 tablet, the handset displays a simple vertically lined Nexus logo, and a subtle LG logo on the back. Subdued and restrained, the Nexus 5 has done away with the lustrous, tile-patterned back that we saw previously, and replaced it with a matte material.
The change is no head-turner, and the black version acquires a surprising amount of fingerprints. But I'm still partial to this back side from a practical standpoint. As stylish as the Nexus 4 was, its rear glass panel was too fragile; in fact, two of our own review units cracked quite easily.

Black, white, and matte all over.

(Credit: Josh Miller)

 

Lean, mean screen machine?
Sporting the biggest screen yet in relation to past Nexuses, the phone has a 4.95-inch Corning Gorilla Glass 3 display. Keeping up with its competitors like the Samsung Galaxy S4 and the HTC One, the Nexus 5's touch screen has a 1,920x1,080-pixel resolution and 445ppi.

	Google Nexus 5	Samsung Galaxy S4	HTC One	Apple iPhone 5S
Screen size	4.95-inch full HD IPS	5-inch Super AMOLED	4.7-inch LCD	4-inch Retina Display
Resolution	1,920x1,080 pixels	1,920x1,080 pixels	1,920x1,080 pixels	1,136x640 pixels
Pixels per inch	445ppi	441ppi	468ppi	326 ppi

On paper, those numbers should (and don't get me wrong, they do) make the screen look great. But when you start comparing the Nexus 5 side by side with other flagships, things do get interesting.
In a room with all the lights turned off, I lined up the device alongside the Galaxy GS4, HTC One, and Apple iPhone 5S. With their displays on maximum brightness, I viewed the same swatch of white on each of their screens. Despite its small size, the iPhone 5S was the purest and brightest, with the One coming in at a close second. The Nexus 5, however, looked a little hazier in comparison. Meanwhile, the white swatch on the GS4 appeared strikingly blue, as is expected with AMOLED screens.
On the other hand, the GS4 won by miles in the black swatch test. Its screen had the deepest and darkest shade (or "none more black," as Nigel Tufnel would say), followed by the iPhone and Nexus, which both looked paler. The One lost this round, with an almost subtly purple shade of black.

The device sports 4.95 inches of LCD glory, but how does it stack up against the competition?

(Credit: Josh Miller)

 

As for overall color quality in images and video, that depends on your preference. You may like the vibrant saturation and high contrast of the GS4's hues, but if you're a stickler for accuracy, the One and the iPhone are top-notch. The Nexus also displayed colors that were true to life, but not as vividly as the others. In addition, when studying the handsets from different vantage points, I noticed that the Nexus' display looked as if it had a gray glaze on top of it, which made it appear paler than the others.
I must reiterate, however, that for general use, the phone's screen is still excellent. Its drawbacks are only apparent when you have other flagship devices on hand to compare it with. The average consumer most likely won't have that luxury, and so won't see all these nuances of the Nexus 5's screen.
If you consider the everyday experience, the display is still great; it's sensitive, and typing with SwiftKey was accurate and ultraresponsive to the touch. Along with app icons and text, HD videos were smooth and crisp, and default KitKat wallpapers looked razor-sharp.

Although it's nice to pose like this with a phone, we don't suggest it as a way of carrying it around.

(Credit: Josh MIller)

Hardware and key components: Souped up with high-end specs

The handset is powered by a quad-core 2.26GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon 800 processor (the same blazingly fast CPU seen in the LG G2 and Samsung Galaxy Note 3), and a 450MHz Adreno 330 GPU. With these specs, the Nexus 5 is a powerhouse, especially when you consider that both the Galaxy GS4 and HTC One are speed demons themselves, and run on Snapdragon 600 processors.
Included are a 2,300mAh battery, 2GB of RAM, and support for 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac (2.4GHz and 5GHz) dual-band Wi-Fi. It also has Bluetooth 4.0 LE, NFC, and built-in wireless charging. Like most Nexus phones before it, the Nexus 5 doesn't have a microSD card slot.

Software features: Break me off a piece of that KitKat

Of course, a Nexus just wouldn't be a Nexus without it running the latest edition of Android. With high hopes of limiting fragmentation and increasing the number of devices compatible with Android 4.4 KitKat, Google slimmed down the OS to a 512MB memory profile. To put that in perspective, that's 16 percent less memory than the previous version of the OS, Jelly Bean. On the Nexus 5 alone that doesn't mean a whole lot, but if Google can really influence equipment manufacturers to ship only one version of Android by 2014, then KitKat will be Android's most important update yet.
As for other features, the update isn't a huge overhaul by any means, but there are notable changes. Below I highlight three interesting ones for consumers, though Google threw in goodies for developers too, like screen recording and a wireless-printing framework.

A dialer that searches
The first thing that launches when you tap the dialer icon is your top contacts, not the dial pad. While you can manually add your favorites to this list, the phone can also add contacts it considers your most commonly dialed numbers.
The dialer's search function has also expanded beyond your contact book. Now you can look up the numbers of places and businesses nearby, and Google will cull the best search results based on relevancy and your location. If you type a specific name, say "Super Duper," the dialer will bring up the numbers of several Super Duper Burgers locations around you. You can also search for something broader like "coffee" or "gym" and you'll get the names of relevant places nearby.
If you're typing a word where the letters actually spell out a phone number as if you were pressing it from an alphanumeric dial pad -- think 1-800-FLOWERS, or what have you -- the dialer does that too. (FYI: The phone number equivalent for "disestablishment" is 3473782254746368. And "Lynn" is 5966. Fun!)
I found this feature to be very useful. Before, I had to search for businesses via Chrome, Google voice search, Maps, or Yelp. Most of the time, I could click the number and the dialer would load the info directly, but there have been times when I had to use copy/paste. Though this shaves off just a few clicks and taps, this feature makes the device more cohesive and seamless.

The dialer displaying your top contacts (left) and its search tool (right).

(Credit: Lynn La)

 

Hanging out all together
Say goodbye to that green smiling speech bubble; Google has folded SMS texting into Hangouts. Now you'll get texts, chat pings, and video calling in one app. Personally, I'm not a fan of this consolidation. I barely use Hangouts in the first place, and this move feels like Google forcing a service on me (or at least reminding me that it's there). Furthermore, the UI also looks cluttered, and when you get a text and Hangout ping from one contact, the threads remain separated and you have to switch between the two.

Hangouts consolidates your chats and texts together (left), and will serve as your default SMS app (right).

(Credit: Lynn La)

 

Google Now, now, now
With the advent of Google Now, which has been around since Android 4.1 Jelly Bean, users have been able to begin a Web search by saying, "OK, Google." But KitKat brings a couple of changes to this service. First, if you turn on Google Now, you can access it by swiping left on your home screen, in addition to holding down the home button.
Second, you don't have to manually launch Now or tap the microphone to start a voice search anymore. Search automatically begins once it hears the magic phrase. It's so automatic, it borders on overzealous. In fact, you don't even have to face the handset if you say, "OK, Google" remotely loud enough (or anything that rhymes, really, like "bouquet doodle"). As always, though, you can turn this function off in settings.

With KitKat, Google now lives to the left of your home screen (left), and voice search (right) is integrated more deeply into the user experience.

(Credit: Lynn La)

Camera and video: Not an area that shines

Camera and photo features
New to the Nexus' 8-megapixel camera is optical image stabilization (OIS). Due to a small gyroscope inside the lens that acts as a counterbalance for unintentional movement, the camera cuts down on unwanted motion blur that may occur from the photographer's unsteady hand.
There's also HDR+. Like the HDR mode seen in many camera phones, this feature takes several shots at different exposures and combines them to make an ideal image. However, HDR+ also detects moving objects and takes a burst of photos to select the sharpest image.

The Nexus 5's 8MP camera now has optical image stabilization and HDR+ shooting.

(Credit: Josh Miller)

 

Other than that, not much has changed. With both cameras, users will get auto and touch focus, a 3.9x digital zoom, geotagging, an exposure meter, a timer, five white balances, and four scene modes. The rear-facing camera also has flash and can carry out both panoramic and photosphere shooting.

Picture and video quality
The camera operates swiftly; it took no time at all to adjust for focus, or to ready itself for another shot after I clicked the shutter. As expected, HDR+ photos take longer to process, but you don't have to wait around very much.
OIS also worked well. I took a few shots while walking down the sidewalk. I tried to keep my hand as steady as possible while still in motion, and the majority of photos I captured were in focus, though there were one or two that came out blurry. I felt that LG G2's OIS was more consistent and was able to handle more movement than the Nexus 5's.
Photo quality was great, but it didn't particularly blow me away. For the most part, objects were sharp and in focus, and had well-defined edges. In many environments, HDR+ vastly improved shots taken in automatic mode by producing more natural colors and finer details. Auto mode performed better in close-up shots, but HDR+ is best for well-lit outdoor scenes. For more photos taken on the Nexus 5, check out the photos and slideshow below. Be sure to click on the photos to see them at their full resolution.

In this HDR+ photo, high and low exposure allow both the sun in the sky and the shadows in the grass to be visible.

(Credit: Lynn La)

 

HDR+ helped capture the flowing water with nice detail.

(Credit: Sarah Mitroff)

 

This shot of a piece of lace taken up close with indoor lighting is detailed, but its edges are blurry.

(Credit: Lynn La)

 

In our standard studio shot, the white background is accurate, and the objects look sharp.

(Credit: Josh Miller)

 

Video quality was also satisfactory, but again, footage wasn't overly impressive. Recording in 1080p HD yielded crisp footage, and the camera quickly adjusted to changes in lighting. However, there was a not-so-subtle "pulsating" effect when the lens refocused itself, which was distracting. Nearby audio also picked up well, with background noises leveled appropriately.

Editing options in Gallery
The Gallery app, where a bulk of the 5's native editing options are located, received some tweaks too. In addition to the nine Instagram-esque filters already included, you can now make your own "filter" by creating and saving your favorite presets. Filters are also now applied with a neat "washing over" effect across the photo.
A few frames have been deleted, and now they have labels like Scratchy and Easel instead of being numbered (I wish I could have sat in on that meeting). There are three new editing effects: posterize, negative, and graduated, which lets you adjust brightness, saturation, and contrast levels with a movable leveler.

The gallery now lets you customize your own preset filters (left) and a graduated editing tool has been added (right).

(Credit: Lynn La)

 

Performance: Reliable and fast

Call quality
I tested the Nexus 5 in our San Francisco offices using an AT&T SIM card and call quality was impressive. Voices didn't just sound adequately loud (though that was a plus too), but were also clear, with a wide range of depth. It sounded as if I were listening in from a landline, and while I could hear a miniscule amount of static, it was rare.
My calling partner also commented that I sounded crisp too, and it was some of the best audio quality he's heard from a phone running on AT&T's cell network. When I moved outdoors, call quality remained consistently strong. Calls didn't drop, I didn't hear any extraneous buzzing or noise, and audio didn't cut in and out. Listening in on speaker yielded the same high results, with the dual speakers at the bottom giving voices a wider, fuller sound.

Now with LTE
One of the biggest issues I had with the Nexus 4 was the fact that it didn't have LTE capabilities. Now before anyone gets his or her feathers ruffled up again, hear me out (and don't worry, this ends well). Not having LTE isn't a big deal if you're from outside the United States, but here, the network is more widespread and robust. When it comes to highly anticipated, top-tier devices like the Nexus at least, LTE is a standard feature, and the lack of it was a letdown. Also, while we eventually got LTE models of the Galaxy Nexus for Sprint and Verizon, the 4G network wasn't on the original unlocked handset introduced almost two years ago.

Some of the LTE data speeds the phone clocked in using AT&T's network.

(Credit: Lynn La)

That's why it's great to see the Nexus 5 with LTE, albeit overdue. While individual data performance depends on several changing and independent variables, I used AT&T's 4G LTE network in San Francisco. Connection was generally strong and consistent. On average, CNET's, The New York Times', and ESPN's mobile site loaded in 4 seconds. Their full desktop sites loaded in 6, 10, and 5 seconds respectively. I tested Ookla's Speedtest.net app at different times of day. It showed an average 21.29Mbps down and 12.29Mbps up. The 37.61MB game Temple Run 2 downloaded and installed in an impressive 23 seconds.

Google Nexus 5	Performance testing
Average 4G LTE download speed	21.29Mbps
Average 4G LTE upload speed	12.29Mbps
App download (Temple Run 2)	37.61MB in 23 seconds
Mighty-kit mobile site load	4 seconds
Mighty-kit desktop site load	6 seconds
Restart time	24 seconds
Camera boot time	2.41 seconds

Processing power
Underneath this device's hood is a 2.26GHz Snapdragon 800 processor. The handset carried out basic but necessary tasks easily -- unlocking the screen, calling up the keyboard, and returning to the home pages were all executed with ease. On average, it took the handset 24 seconds to shut down and power up, and 2.41 seconds for the camera to launch.
Even for not-so-basic tasks, like playing the graphics-intensive game Riptide GP 2, frame rates were high and smooth, and the splash-back animation of the water looked brisk and clear. When I ran the 3DMark bench test, the phone scored 17,966. In comparison the GS4 scored 10,511, the HTC One scored 10,246, and the iPhone 5S scored 13,948.

3DMark(Longer bars indicate better performance)

Google Nexus 5

16,385 

Apple iPhone 5S

13,948 

Samsung Galaxy S4

10,300 

HTC One

9,602 

Battery life
With Wi-Fi turned off and LTE activated, the Nexus 5's 2,300mAh nonremovable battery has a reported talk time of up to 17 hours. When both are activated, Google says, the device lasts 300 hours on standby. Internet tests reportedly yielded 8.5 hours on Wi-Fi and 7 hours on LTE.
While our handset is still undergoing battery testing, preliminary observations show that with brightness levels cranked all the way up, the phone streamed an HD video on LTE for approximately 20 minutes and lost 13 percent of its battery life.

A 2,300mAh nonremovable battery inside keeps the phone chugging along.

(Credit: Josh Miller)

 

To give you an idea of how long the Nexus 5 would need to last in order for it to keep up with its competitors, it and the HTC One have the same size battery, with the latter lasting about 9.5 hours of continuous video playback. The GS4 has a slightly more powerful (and removable!) 2,600mAh battery that lasted 10.5 hours on average. Be sure to check back with this review soon when we've updated it with our official scores.
According to FCC radiation measurements, the device has an in-ear SAR level of 0.96W/kg.

Conclusion: Not just for enthusiasts

For all the brouhaha that surrounds the Google Nexus 5, know that the device isn't perfect. Its crisp 1080p display isn't as bright as those of other high-end handsets on the market, its 8-megapixel camera can capture lackluster photos and videos, and as it turns out, KitKat doesn't bring a lot of tangible feature sweets.
But if we take a step back, we realize that to even compare this $400 phone to those that cost upward of $650 unlocked (like the Samsung Galaxy S4, HTC One, and Apple iPhone 5S) speaks volumes about the Nexus 5's massive appeal and affordability. Performance is solid and it has the big-boy specs that everyone expects.
That includes a Snapdragon 800 processor that runs smoothly, a 4.95-inch screen that looks sharp, and data capabilities that connect to LTE. Oh, right, and it makes calls -- really clear calls. What's more, the end-of-fragmenting promise that KitKat brings is intoxicating and long overdue.
With all this in in its box, it's easy to see why the brouhaha isn't limited to Android diehards anymore. Instead, the Nexus 5 extends the allure of the Nexus brand to anyone simply looking for an excellent yet inexpensive handset

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