guide

There was a time not so long ago when MP3 players were a hot and essential technology and Apple's best-selling product was the iPod. Now with smartphones and tablets, though, there are many other devices that make great music players. But even if the MP3 player's best days are waning, there are still a number of great products available. Here are our top picks.

Apple's iPod Touch has been CNET's top-rated MP3 player for five years running. With a base model that starts at $199, it is not an inexpensive product, but the breadth … Read more

If you own a desktop computer, you'll need a monitor. The best overall monitor right now is the Dell UltraSharp U2713HM. It delivers fantastic performance on an extreme definition (2,560x1,440-pixel), 27-inch screen, with great ergonomic options, and a useful assortment of connections at $800. If that number sounds too rich for your blood, the Asus PA248Q sells for as low as $310, with a 24-inch 1,920x1,200-pixel screen, ergonomic options, each major video connection, and unique and useful customization settings. Finally, if money is no object and owning the absolute best performer is a priority, the … Read more

Looking to build your home network? If money is not an issue, check out the cutting-edge, non-compromising Netgear R6300, or the Asus RT-AC66U. They offer the latest, superfast 802.11ac (aka 5G Wi-Fi) support, long range, two USB ports, and a boatload of features. If you want the biggest bang for your buck, however, the Asus-RT56U is definitely one to consider; this little true dual-band N600 router packs way more punch than its physical size would indicate, both in terms of range and performance. On a tight budget? Something like the D-Link DIR-605L will serve you right; it'll make … Read more

In the market for a tablet? Your first choice should be the iPad (4th generation). It has the best performance, the deepest software catalog, and a fantastic ecosystem supporting access to an incredible number of apps, games, music, and video. However, if you like the idea of a high-performing tablet, but you're not one for adding more cash to Apple's already substantial coffers, the Asus Transformer Pad Infinity TF700 might be up your alley. With its beautiful screen, overclocked 1.7GHz Tegra 3 CPU, storage expansion slot, and Micro-HDMI, it succeeds in offering a viable 10-inch alternative to … Read more

Great-sounding headphones have never been more affordable. Even the least expensive headphone model on this list, the Panasonic RP HJE 355 in-ear, has oodles of detail and decent bass punch. For me the most important thing when evaluating headphones is sound balance; no frequency range should call attention to itself, so I don't like overly bassy headphones, or ones that overemphasize treble. Headphones should sound clear, not muffled or fuzzy. I prefer spacious stereo imaging over sound that's stuck inside my head. Headphones that allow music's soft-to-loud dynamics to bloom are better than ones that constrict dynamics. … Read more

Coming soon, a veritable evolutionary explosion of Windows 8 devices will be bearing down on you. Big small, tablety, not tablety, full of touch, and ready to fold into strange shapes for your general amusement.

Welcome to the Windows 8 Field Guide, an Audubon's Birds-style attempt to help you identify the classifications and subphyla of this odd new computing world. It's not as hard as you think, once you break down the various common types. Be forewarned: these classifications are works in progress, and there could very well be more evolutionary variants coming soon. But, hopefully, this should help classify some of the multipurpose strangeness you're already starting to see on preorder pages.

Of course, you still have laptops, desktops, and tablets. Some of these tablets will have one of two operating systems: Windows 8 or Windows RT.

After that, the classifications get a little more diffused.… Read more

Cell phones have become the most crucial personal technology purchase you can make. Not only are these devices full-fledged miniature computers in their own right, they're getting smarter with each product generation. If you're looking for a new handset right now, start with the Samsung Galaxy S3 or the iPhone 5. The Galaxy S3 offers all the power you'd expect from a high-end Android device in a gorgeous package. The iPhone 5, meanwhile, continues to set a smartphone standard, and it's the best iPhone you can buy. If you're an Android user who's always … Read more