Panasonic RP HJE355 (Blue)

Panasonic RP HJE355 (Blue)

Posted: 21 Sep 2012 11:54 PM PDT

Editor's Rating:

User Rating:
Good: Panasonic's RP-HJE355 series in-ear headphones cost less than $20, sound very good for the money, and are comfortable to wear.
Bad: There's no built-in microphone for making cell phone calls.
Bottom Line: Panasonic's very affordable RP-HJE355 series in-ear headphones sound as good as many earphones that cost twice as much. [Read more]

Panasonic RP HJE355 (Red)

Posted: 21 Sep 2012 11:54 PM PDT

Editor's Rating:

User Rating:
Good: Panasonic's RP-HJE355 series in-ear headphones cost less than $20, sound very good for the money, and are comfortable to wear.
Bad: There's no built-in microphone for making cell phone calls.
Bottom Line: Panasonic's very affordable RP-HJE355 series in-ear headphones sound as good as many earphones that cost twice as much. [Read more]

Panasonic RP HJE355 (Black)

Posted: 21 Sep 2012 11:54 PM PDT

Editor's Rating:

User Rating:
Good: Panasonic's RP-HJE355 series in-ear headphones cost less than $20, sound very good for the money, and are comfortable to wear.
Bad: There's no built-in microphone for making cell phone calls.
Bottom Line: Panasonic's very affordable RP-HJE355 series in-ear headphones sound as good as many earphones that cost twice as much. [Read more]

Panasonic RP HJE355 (White)

Posted: 21 Sep 2012 11:54 PM PDT

Editor's Rating:

User Rating:
Good: Panasonic's RP-HJE355 series in-ear headphones cost less than $20, sound very good for the money, and are comfortable to wear.
Bad: There's no built-in microphone for making cell phone calls.
Bottom Line: Panasonic's very affordable RP-HJE355 series in-ear headphones sound as good as many earphones that cost twice as much. [Read more]

TP-Link 150Mbps Wireless N Nano Router

Posted: 21 Sep 2012 10:52 PM PDT

Editor's Rating:

User Rating:
Good: The TP-Link 150Mbps Wireless N Nano Router (TL-WR702N) is really small, affordable, and flexible, and provides good performance.
Bad: The TP-Link 150Mbps Wireless N Nano Router doesn't work as a router out of the box, which potentially could make it hard to access its Web interface. The router, for now, doesn't support IPv6.
Bottom Line: Tiny and affordable, the TP-Link 150Mbps Wireless N Nano Router makes a great companion for mobile users needing to share their hotel room's Internet with wireless clients. [Read more]

Panasonic TC-L32C5

Posted: 21 Sep 2012 07:41 PM PDT

Editor's Rating:

User Rating:
Good: The inexpensive Panasonic TC-L32C5 can produce a shade of black that's not as washed-out as some other low-cost TVs. The remote has a fine layout.
Bad: Poor shadow detail and even worse color accuracy hurt this TV's image quality compared with its entry-level peers.
Bottom Line: Shoppers for bargain-basement 32-inch LCD TVs can do better than the Panasonic TC-L32C5. [Read more]

Darksiders II (PC)

Posted: 21 Sep 2012 07:03 PM PDT

Editor's Rating:

User Rating:
Good: Fluid, colorful action that evolves over time
Clever, progressively more challenging environmental puzzles
Allure of new, cool loot pushes you onward
Expansive adventure, with lots of dungeons to explore
Great audiovisual presentation sets the right apocalyptic tone

Bad: Some performance and technical issues
No proper visual customization options
Disappointing bosses, especially the final boss

Bottom Line: Darksiders II merges action, exploration, and loot-driven progression into an excellent and sizable adventure. [Read more]

Sennheiser RS 170

Posted: 21 Sep 2012 05:52 PM PDT

Editor's Rating:

User Rating:
Good: The Sennheiser RS 170 is a full-size set of headphones with Kleer wireless technology that delivers CD-quality sound.
Bad: The awkward placement of the controls on the right earcup may require a longer learning curve for some users, and the transmitter/charger base lacks digital inputs.
Bottom Line: The RS 170 continues Sennheiser's unchanging dedication to sonic clarity and they're well worth the price for anyone looking to grab wireless sound from a TV, AV receiver, cable box, or game console. [Read more]

Sennheiser RS 180

Posted: 21 Sep 2012 03:58 PM PDT

Editor's Rating:

User Rating:
Good: The Sennheiser RS 180 is a full-size, lightweight set of wireless headphones with Kleer technology that's comfortable to wear for hours at a time.
Bad: The awkwardly placed controls on the right earcup might take a while to master, and its ambitious price tag coupled with an analog-only input may put off some buyers.
Bottom Line: The Sennheiser RS 180's sound is competitive with similarly priced wired headphones, which should make the RS 180 irresistible to audiophiles seeking to cut the cord. [Read more]

Madden NFL 13 (PS Vita)

Posted: 21 Sep 2012 12:37 PM PDT

Editor's Rating:

User Rating:
Good: Solid core mechanics
Hard-fought victories are satisfying

Bad: Based on 2012's console game, not 2013's
Serious frame rate issues
Outdated team rankings

Bottom Line: With few upgrades from last year console release, Madden NFL 13 is a disappointing entry in the long-running series. [Read more]

Madden NFL 13 (Xbox 360)

Posted: 21 Sep 2012 12:37 PM PDT

Editor's Rating:

User Rating:
Good: Connected Careers offers a healthy variety of ways to play
Jim Nantz and Phil Simms provide solid commentary
Competitive play is great fun
Roster of retired coaches and players brings back fond memories

Bad: Pointless Kinect support
Little difference on the field from previous years
Old issues are still present

Bottom Line: Madden NFL 13 trots out the same basic experience one more time, creating an enjoyable game without any major improvements. [Read more]

Transformers: Fall of Cybertron (Xbox 360)

Posted: 21 Sep 2012 12:37 PM PDT

Editor's Rating:

User Rating:
Good: Flight levels are great fun
Several sequences make you feel remarkably powerful
Roller coaster of a final level
Strong cooperative and competitive play

Bad: Unfocused campaign is too often more exciting to watch than to play
Final encounter is a joke
Level design at odds with shooting model

Bottom Line: Transformers: Fall of Cybertron offers some entertaining action, lots of explosions, and few surprises. [Read more]

Hybrid (Xbox 360)

Posted: 21 Sep 2012 12:37 PM PDT

Editor's Rating:

User Rating:
Good: Intriguing twist on traditional movement mechanics
Great array of strategic loadout options
Flexible unlock system

Bad: Uninteresting setting

Bottom Line: Deftly blending tried-and-true mechanics with a brand-new way to move, Hybrid is a fresh, exciting shooter. [Read more]

Darksiders II (Xbox 360)

Posted: 21 Sep 2012 12:37 PM PDT

Editor's Rating:

User Rating:
Good: Fluid, colorful action that evolves over time
Clever, progressively more challenging environmental puzzles
Allure of new, cool loot pushes you onward
Expansive adventure, with lots of dungeons to explore
Great audiovisual presentation sets the right apocalyptic tone

Bad: Performance issues and execution foibles
Disappointing bosses, especially the final boss

Bottom Line: Darksiders II merges action, exploration, and loot-driven progression into an excellent and sizable adventure. [Read more]

Madden NFL 13 (PlayStation 3)

Posted: 21 Sep 2012 12:37 PM PDT

Editor's Rating:

User Rating:
Good: Connected Careers offers a healthy variety of ways to play
Jim Nantz and Phil Simms provide solid commentary
Competitive play is great fun
Roster of retired coaches and players brings back fond memories

Bad: Little difference on the field from previous years
Old issues are still present

Bottom Line: Madden NFL 13 trots out the same basic experience one more time, creating an enjoyable game without any major improvements. [Read more]

Tekken Tag Tournament 2 (PlayStation 3)

Posted: 21 Sep 2012 12:37 PM PDT

Editor's Rating:

User Rating:
Good: Challenging and deep combat system
Stable online play with replay support
Fight Lab does a good job of covering the basics
Customizable soundtrack is a fun addition.

Bad: Tutorials do not prepare you to process individual characters.

Bottom Line: The King of Iron Fist tournament returns in Tekken Tag Tournament 2, a well-executed and punishing fighter. [Read more]

Transformers Fall of Cybertron (PlayStation 3)

Posted: 21 Sep 2012 12:37 PM PDT

Editor's Rating:

User Rating:
Good: Flight levels are great fun
Several sequences make you feel remarkably powerful
Roller coaster of a final level
Strong cooperative and competitive play

Bad: Unfocused campaign is too often more exciting to watch than to play
Final encounter is a joke
Level design at odds with shooting model
Numerous technical and performance issues

Bottom Line: Transformers: Fall of Cybertron offers some entertaining action, lots of explosions, and too many technical hiccups. [Read more]

Retro/Grade (PlayStation 3)

Posted: 21 Sep 2012 12:37 PM PDT

Editor's Rating:

User Rating:
Good: Electronic music you can bob your head to
Unique take on the rhythm game formula
Plenty of challenge levels can keep you busy for awhile

Bad: Too few songs
Visuals can be distracting

Bottom Line: Retro/Grade succeeds at bringing a fresh take to the rhythm genre and filling it with sensory pleasures, but a lack of music means it outstays its welcome sooner rather than later. [Read more]

Symphony (PC)

Posted: 21 Sep 2012 12:37 PM PDT

Editor's Rating:

User Rating:
Good: Levels design themselves around individual songs
Random nature of upgrade system provides some suspense
Six difficulty levels to cater to any skill level
Leaderboards for individual songs

Bad: Sometimes hard to see enemy attacks in the confusion
Categorization of upgrades isn't very intuitive
Some lag issues

Bottom Line: Symphony is an exciting mouse-controlled shooter that delivers a dynamic way to enjoy your favorite music. [Read more]

The Sims 3 Supernatural (PC)

Posted: 21 Sep 2012 12:37 PM PDT

Editor's Rating:

User Rating:
Good: Allows for playing as werewolves, vampires, ghosts, witches, and others
New town oozes with spooky personality
Extensive new cosmetic options and traits add variety
Alchemy and fortune-teller careers are fun

Bad: Bugged lunar cycle disrupts gameplay
Zombies are more of an annoyance than a worthwhile feature

Bottom Line: The Sims 3: Supernatural is filled with charm and ambition, but issues with zombies and lunar cycles cast a shadow over its best parts. [Read more]