input

Best low-lag HDTVs for serious gamers

Today's HDTVs are packed with Smart TV suites, fancy picture processing, and other extras that add functionality and/or affect picture quality. For a serious gamer, none of that matters compared to the responsiveness of the TV, and often the extras just get in the way.

The culprit is input lag. That's the term for the delay, in milliseconds, between a TV receiving a signal and the results of that signal appearing on the screen. Those milliseconds are irrelevant for TV shows and movies, and they don't even matter for most games -- the majority of gamers probably wouldn't even notice if their TV was laggy. But if you're an attentive, skilled gamer, especially one who plays "twitch" games like Call of Duty, Halo, or fighting games, especially in online multiplayer environments, input lag can mean the difference between virtual life and death.

CNET just started testing for input lag, and so far we've corralled a handful of 2013 TVs. Here are five of our favorites so far, in ascending order of lag in Game mode--or the least laggy picture mode, if Game isn't an option. For reference, we grade under 40ms of lag as Good, 40 to 70 as Average, and more than 70 as Poor.

Game mode on: CNET tests TVs for input lag

You just got a new TV, and the picture looks great. Then, when you pop in your favorite shooter, you notice your kills going down, your aim a step slow, and your sterling record taking hits like a noob wandering through the kill zone.

Do you all of a sudden suck at COD? Maybe. But perhaps your newfound lack of feel is caused by input lag introduced by your otherwise awesome new TV. Input lag is the delay, in milliseconds, between a TV receiving a signal and the results of that signal appearing on the screen.

Those milliseconds don't … Read more

Record from the built-in mic or external device, but that's about all

Leawo Music Recorder is an app for OS X that allows you to convert your computer into a recording machine, taking inputs from any connected devices, the built-in microphone, or even the system audio. While we liked the concept, we found some flaws in the execution.

The Leawo Music Recorder interface is clean, and it's easy to get started, with the prominent red Record button at the top. Beneath that, the left pane holds a list of your recordings, and the right pane is used for prompts and a graphic animation that shows when recording is under way. It'… Read more

Manage errant mice in OS X

After performing an upgrade or other major system modification, sometimes people experience odd mouse input behavior on their OS X systems. In some cases the system may show a sudden change in speed and acceleration properties of the mouse, and at other times the mouse may appear more or less sensitive to clicks, where single clicks may result in double clicks, or where double clicks may not register.

Unfortunately these behaviors are rare and different enough that there is no single cause and direct solution available for affected users. However, in most situations a configuration error with specific software or … Read more

Get the Jelly Bean keyboard on your Android 4.0 device

The new features of Android 4.1 are being ported to custom ROMs, but if that's not your scene, there are a few goodies that have landed in the Google Play Store. One of these is the new Jelly Bean keyboard, which boasts better prediction (among other things) -- and that's something all of our fast fingertips are craving.

Ready to check it out on your Android 4.0 devices? Here's how to make it happen:

Step 1: Install a copy of Jelly Bean Keyboard, by Beansoft, on your Android.

Step 2: Open the Settings … Read more

SwiftKey 3.0 adds 'Smart Space'

If you're not familiar with SwiftKey, it's a Google Play Editors' Choice app, and it won the coveted Most Innovative App award at the 2011 Global Mobile Awards in Barcelona, Spain. What sets it apart from other keyboard replacement apps is its capability to understand not just patterns in your typing, but also how words work together. This makes it scary good at predicting not only the next letter you need to type, but also the next word, sometimes even before you begin typing it. What's more, Swiftkey can continue to learn from your e-mail, SMS, and … Read more

SwiftKey 3.0 adds 'Smart Space'

Boost your typing powers with SwiftKey

If you're not familiar with SwiftKey, it's a Google Play Editors' Choice app, and it won the coveted Most Innovative App award at the 2011 Global Mobile Awards in Barcelona, Spain. What sets it apart from other keyboard replacement apps is its ability to understand not just patterns in your typing, but also how words work together. This makes it scary good at predicting the next word you want to type, sometimes even before you begin typing it. What's more, SwiftKey can continue to learn from your e-mail, SMS, and even social media accounts (if enabled), so … Read more

Boost your typing powers with SwiftKey

If you're not familiar with SwiftKey, it's a Google Play Editors' Choice app, and it won the coveted Most Innovative App award at the 2011 Global Mobile Awards in Barcelona, Spain. What sets it apart from other keyboard replacement apps is its capability to understand not just patterns in your typing, but also how words work together. This makes it scary good at predicting the next word you want to type, sometimes even before you begin typing it. What's more, SwiftKey can continue to learn from your e-mail, SMS, and even social media accounts (if enabled), so … Read more

Managing input methods in OS X

OS X offers multiple input method options to offer support for many world languages and regional input conventions. While this allows the system to be set up to work well for people from different parts of the world, the way OS X manages input methods may confuse a few who make use of multiple input methods.

For example, a standard U.S. keyboard layout will have access to the common characters and symbols used in American English, but this will not work as well for typing in French, where the need for common character accents requires a different input method. … Read more