The HTC One will finally arrive on Verizon this summer. by Brian Bennett June 3, 2013 10:09 AM PDT (Credit: CBS Interactive) Looks like speculation of the HTC One hitting Verizon this summer are true. The Carrier just confirmed it will bring the superphone into its line up by the end of this summer. Developing story.

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The HTC One will finally arrive on Verizon this summer. by Brian Bennett June 3, 2013 10:09 AM PDT (Credit: CBS Interactive) Looks like speculation of the HTC One hitting Verizon this summer are true. The Carrier just confirmed it will bring the superphone into its line up by the end of this summer. Developing story.

Posted by : Unknown Monday, June 3, 2013

The HTC One will finally arrive on Verizon this summer.

by Brian Bennett June 3, 2013 10:09 AM PDT

(Credit: CBS Interactive)

Looks like speculation of the HTC One hitting Verizon this summer are true. The Carrier just confirmed it will bring the superphone into its line up by the end of this summer.

Developing story .

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Bitcoin will suffer the same fate as Bitnet: a technical advance that will soon be surpassed by even better advances. In a recent New York Times Dealbook post, venture capitalist Marc Andreessen argues that Bitcoin is here to stay because it provides a payment system better than the one we have now, particularly for online merchants and international transfers. He likens Bitcoin to other disruptive technologies such as the personal computer and the Internet. (Credit: CNET) These are great analogies. The personal computer has revolutionized the world, but Altair was not one of the winners. (Remember Altair? It was one of the many pioneers.) The Internet was not the first or even the only network for connecting computers. There were several other early networks including Bitnet (the "Because Its Time" network), which was started in 1981. It thrived for a while connecting university computers, but was eventually supplanted by the Internet as we know it today. I believe that Bitcoin will suffer the same fate as Bitnet: a technical advance that will soon be surpassed by even better advances. Our payment system is undergoing an amazing technical revolution. In a few short years, we have evolved from a world in which most payments were made via paper to one in which most are made with electrons. This evolution has not finished and will continue. There is broad dissatisfaction with the fees involved in the Visa MasterCard duopoly, and definitely room for improvement. We will continue to see innovations that provide even better and more cost-effective payment solutions. Recent innovations include PayPal, Popmoney, and Square. Plenty more are still under development, as many innovators compete to come up with a "digital wallet" that people will actually use. Related stories Las Vegas casinos bet on Bitcoin eBay to allow Bitcoin sales in 'virtual currency' category Dogecoin raises $30,000 for Jamaican bobsleigh team Silk Road forfeits $28M in Bitcoins seized from its servers Sacramento Kings are first pro sports team to accept Bitcoin Somebody will win, and win big. As Andreessen points out, payment systems have strong network effects: The more people who use a network, the more valuable it becomes. The more people who use a payment system, the more will want to use it because everyone else is using it. Products with strong network appeal can create amazing amounts of wealth for the winners of the race to build the biggest and most successful network. Just ask Bill Gates. Part of the brilliance of the Bitcoin invention is that it creates strong incentives for users to proselytize and build the network. By paying miners with Bitcoins, the miners have strong incentive to convince other people to use Bitcoins. The network-building incentives of the Bitcoin system are one of the reasons Silicon Valley VCs like Mr. Andreessen are salivating at the potential fortunes to be made. However, not all the payment innovations will succeed, just as not all the personal computer companies did. Launching a new payment system requires buy-in from a large number of people. There have been many failures along the way. The current Bitcoin payment network (along with the current wave of Bitcoin copycoins) has several flaws that will inhibit its growth and make it vulnerable to competition from leapfrogging technologies: Consumer protection Bitcoins lack the consumer protection inherent in existing payment systems. Just as with old fashioned paper money, Bitcoins are subject to theft. A Bitcoin is a number with the special property that it can be transferred from one person to another via a digital signature process that is verified by the network of Bitcoin miners. However, anyone with that number can spend it. Thus, if a hacker gets access to the number, the hacker can immediately steal the Bitcoin. In a recently publicized incident, a Bloomberg TV show briefly flashed the QR code to a Bitcoin and it was almost immediately stolen. Even though Bitcoin transactions are visible in the blockchain and theoretically traceable, "tumbler" sites exist that make it possible to obscure the electronic trail. Thus, Bitcoins are as risky as physical cash, if not more so, and this will inhibit consumer acceptance. Given the incidence of malware that picks digital wallets, the average non-tech savvy person who occasionally screws up and gets some malware infection will eventually end up as a victim of bitcrime. Fraud Andreessen errs in his assertion that Bitcoin is fraud-proof for merchants. It is quite easy to imagine several possible situations resulting in fraud losses to merchants. For example, suppose a customer attempts a purchase from an online merchant, and enters the Bitcoin number. Alas, a hacker has broken into the system, Target style, and grabs and spends the Bitcoin number before the merchant even sees it. Even if the compromised system was on the customer's end, it may be hard to prove and the merchant still ends up eating the loss or facing a lawsuit. And, of course, the merchant's wallet could be hacked and the Bitcoins stolen, with no recourse. Marc Andreessen (Credit: Seth Rosenblatt/CNET) The last-mile problem International transfers through outfits like Western Union are incredibly expensive, and lower-cost alternatives are badly needed. However, one of the reasons that services like Western Union are so expensive is the labor intensity at both ends of the transaction. Humans are often involved at the origination and the receiving end of a payment, and this creates significant costs. Western Union also has to deal with fraud and comply with anti-money laundering laws. This is similar to the last-mile problem faced in the Internet, in which the consumer's local connection to the Net is the bottleneck. An ex-pat worker wishing to send dollars back to the home country would have to first convert the dollars to Bitcoin, transfer the Bitcoin, and the recipient would then have to convert the Bitcoin to the home country currency. Thus, there will be at least two sets of currency conversions along the way. Fragility Part of the essential essence of Bitcoin is that the miners vote with their computing power to verify transactions. As long as the majority of the computing power harnessed by the miners is honest, the system will work. However, mining has gotten so difficult that miners have begun joining in mining pools to increase their chances of earning Bitcoins. If 51 percent of the available computing power is compromised, the system would be vulnerable to whoever controls the 51 percent. The controller could counterfeit Bitcoins and create havoc within the system. While it would be foolish for a profit maximizing pool that controlled 51 percent of the computing horsepower to destroy its profit engine, it is quite credible that a terrorist group with other motives might endeavor to do just that. An al-Qaeda-like outfit could plot to gain control of 51 percent of the computing capacity in order to drive a stake in the heart of the free world economy, even if such an act would be very costly to it. Technology risk Although proponents claim that the open and transparent nature of Bitcoin makes it a stable technology, there is the legitimate fear that some as-yet-unexpected flaw will bring the whole system down. History is filled with examples of "invulnerable" technologies that were later found to be very vulnerable. Remember the "unsinkable" Titanic? Whether there exists such a fatal vulnerability or not, the fear of such a vulnerability will slow mainstream acceptance, especially with the lack of any government backstop or regulation. Lack of regulation of Bitcoin-based entities We strictly regulate the current payment system, and for very good reason. We need to make sure that the payment system doesn't collapse, because if it does, the entire economy collapses with it. This is what Ben Bernanke is paid to have nightmares about. We want to make sure that nobody steals the money from our bank accounts, and that the banks are solvent. We fingerprint and background check the people in financial services to make sure that known criminals and fraudsters are not working in those businesses. We want to make sure that the financial system is not used by terrorists, thieves, and drug dealers, so there are strict anti-money laundering rules. Without a sound legal and regulatory framework, mainstream acceptance will not occur. Bad monetary policy Many of the proponents of Bitcoin view it as a digital gold standard. Its allegedly fixed supply is seen as a panacea for the problems inherent in fiat money systems. However, the historical experience with the gold standard shows that it regularly blew up in severe recessions. It is essential that there be some flexibility in a monetary system in order to deal with crises. It is highly unlikely that the general public would accept being crucified on a cross of digital gold when the inevitable crisis hits a Bitcoin-based monetary system. (This is a reference to William Jennings Bryan's famous "Cross of Gold" criticism of the gold standard.) Thus policy makers will resist widespread use of the existing Bitcoin as a payment system. But the Bitcoin technology is useful! The beauty of the Bitcoin technology is that it can be extended to deal with all of the above problems. At its core, Bitcoin is an open-access payment network compared with closed proprietary networks like Visa and MasterCard. This technology can be used to create an even better payment network to provide competition to existing networks. What would a better bit-like payment network look like? It would use an existing currency. As the total number of Bitcoins issued reaches its alleged limit, the Bitcoin miners will depend on transaction fees that are expected to be small. The ease of entry and exit into mining will push the level of transaction fees to a competitive level, thus leading to a low-cost payment network. There is no reason why a similar network cannot be built right away that uses an existing currency like the US dollar. The Fed would create (mint) bitdollars that would be exchangeable for regular US dollars. The miners would be paid via transaction costs. This would eliminate all of the problems with the instability of Bitcoins and the monetary policy trap of having a fixed money supply with no possibility of alterations. The digital gold bugs won't like this, but it would work a lot better than a digital gold standard. It would provide seignorage revenue for the US government, and help strengthen the role of the US dollar in the global economy. It would be regulated. Miners would have to be registered to make sure that they are not criminals. They would be regulated to make sure that they have sufficient cyber-safeguards in place and not colluding to control the payment network. They would be required to comply with the anti-money laundering laws. The network would be required to block transactions with accounts associated with criminals. In this way, funds that have been stolen can be recovered when they have been traced to a specific account. Most of us take our payment system for granted. We cash our paychecks, swipe our credit cards, and even spend old-fashioned paper money without thinking much about the infrastructure that supports our payment system. However, our payment system is costly to operate, and there are better ways of processing payments. The Bitcoin breakthrough has demonstrated that a competitive open-access payment system is possible, but it currently has too many weaknesses in its present form to make it overtake current payment systems, except in the niche of the underground economy. The technology can and should be adapted to creating an even better dollar-based payment system. James J. Angel, Ph.D., CFA, is an Associate Professor of Finance at the McDonough School of Business at Georgetown University. He is currently a Visiting Associate Professor at the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania where he teaches Capital Markets. His recent paper, "The Ethics of Payments: Paper, Plastic, or Bitcoin", is available here.

Bitcoin will suffer the same fate as Bitnet: a technical advance that will soon be surpassed by even better advances. In a recent New York ...
In-ear vs. on-ear, circumaural vs. supraaural, open vs. closed back -- shopping for the right pair of headphones can be tough, but CNET's on the job with a buying guide to help you narrow down your choices. Harman/Kardon Classic headphones (Credit: Sarah Tew/CNET) A long, long time ago, before the Age of the Walkman came along and revolutionized the devices in the 1980s, headphones were big and clunky. In those bygone days, headphones were stay-at-home things, relegated to late-night, LP music listening. That was then; the latest generation of slimmed-down headphones injects high-resolution music or home-theater sound directly into your ears. Audio-Technica's ATH-M50s are among the best over-ear headphones for less than $200, but definitely check out the Bose QuietComfort 3 if powered noise-cancellation is at the top of your features list. On the other hand, if you're shopping on a budget and just want new headphone that sounds better than the ones that came with your music player, the Koss Porta Pros continue to earn a spot on our Top 5 list for their throwback design and worthy sonic competition, even after 28 years. Not everyone feels comfortable with the headband-style designs of circumaural headphones, so earbud-lovers will want to check out the Klipsch Image S4i II, a well-balanced headphone that comes with a tangle-resistant flat cord and three sets of oval ear tips to achieve that all-important precision fit. Still unsatisfied? There are plenty more options in our list of the best headphones. Forms and styles The distinctions of portable and home headphones are melting away, but the following rundown of headphone types will clarify your buying options. How you intend to use your headphones -- for music, home theater, or gaming -- and where you plan to do your listening -- at home or on the go -- will narrow the range of possible types you'll want to research. The four major form factors are listed below, from the smallest (or most portable) to the largest, which are the least portable. 1. Earbud headphones Also known as: In-ear headphones. Panasonic ErgoFit RP-HJE120 earbud headphones (Credit: Sarah Tew/CNET) Earbuds are commonly issued as freebie headphones with portable players and usually get junked in favor of higher-performance buds that offer sonics rivaling full-size models. Their tiny earpieces rest on the outer ear or need to be inserted into the ear canal, and some models include clips for a more tailored, secure fit. Upside: Ultracompact and lightweight; most models have microphone and track navigation controls built into the wire; can provide moderate to excellent isolation from external noise; little to no interference with earrings, glasses, hats, or hairstyles. Downside: Sound quality and bass response often not comparable with full-size models; can sometimes cause discomfort over extended use; some reference models are difficult to insert and remove, making them less than ideal for office environments; dual-cable design means more possibilities for tangled wire. Extra features: Five-button remote to control volume; variety of ear tip sizes and materials (foam, rubber, silicone); over-ear guides; multiple balanced-armature drivers with crossover. See all earbud headphone reviews here. 2. On-ear headphones Also known as: Supra-aural headphones, open-backed headphones, semi-open headphones, closed-back headphones, earpad headphones. Grado Labs Prestige SR80i (Credit: Sarah Tew/CNET) These headphones rest on top of your outer ears and run the gamut from inexpensive portables to high-end home models. While on-ear headphones can have closed designs that cover the ears, some prefer fully sealed circumaural models (see below) for their increased sound isolation and the fact that they won't leak sound to neighbors. Still, the earpad headphone is preferred in places like office environments, where users still benefit from hearing the outside world. Upside: Comfortable; less prone to overheating ears than full-size headphones; some models fold up for easy transport. Downside: Less effective noise isolation than in-ear or full-size models; less powerful bass compared with full-size headphones; leaks noise to neighbors. Extra features: Microphone and track navigation controls on the wire; extra earpad set included; carrying case; folding design; coiled and straight cord. See all on-ear headphone reviews here. 3. Full-size headphones Also known as: Circumaural headphones; closed-back headphones; earcup headphones; over-the-ear headphones.. Monster Inspiration headphones (Credit: Sarah Tew/CNET) The tech-speak description for this type of headphone is "circumaural," which includes any headphones with earcups that fully enclose your ears. Because of their size and their acoustic isolation, full-size headphones are often considered to be better suited to home use rather than as a portable option, but the recent popularity of Monster's full-size, noise-canceling Beats headphones are challenging the rule. Upside: Large headphones offer potential for maximum bass and loudness levels; earcups create larger sound stage; surround-sound effectively blocks outside noises, seals music in. Downside: Large footprint can be cumbersome for portable use; some full-size models have problems with heat on the ears; wide headband can often interfere with earrings, glasses, and some hairstyles. Extra features: Folding design; detachable cord; microphone, track navigation, and volume controls on the wire; replaceable pads; extra 3.5mm plug for daisy-chain sessions with multiple listeners. See all full-size headphone reviews here. 4. Wireless headphones Also known as: Bluetooth headphones, transmitter headphones. Sennheiser RS 220 Wireless Hi-fi Headphones (Credit: Sarah Tew/CNET) Wireless headphones are most commonly used (A) in apartments with thin walls that don't permit loud media from bookshelf speakers, and (B) on the run where a dangling cord can get in the way. The most popular format for transmitting wireless music is Bluetooth, but keep in mind that you'll sacrifice sound quality to convenience in the file compression process. To combat this audio degradation, some of the newer headphones support the aptX Bluetooth codec that offers slightly improved fidelity. Upside: No messy wires to trip you up; falling prices make Bluetooth headphones a reasonable auxiliary device for workouts and portable use. Downside: The music stops when your battery dies; compressed audio files will leave your music sounding less dynamic; less real estate on the headphones means smaller buttons to control track navigation and volume; hardware limitations relegate its use to devices with Bluetooth connectivity. Extras: Active noise-cancellation; 3.5mm port, and cable for a hardwired connection; replaceable earpads; travel case. See all wireless headphone reviews here. 5. Noise-canceling headphones AKG K495 NC Acoustics (Credit: Sarah Tew/CNET) These headphones hush ambient noise by creating antinoise that obviates the noise at your ear. They don't eliminate the outside world, but the better models significantly reduce the whoosh of airplanes' air-conditioning systems. Noise-canceling headphones come in all forms, from full-size to earbuds. Since you no longer have to crank up the volume to overcome background noise, this type of headphone lets you listen at lower levels, which leads to reduced ear fatigue. You'll also hear more low-level detail in your music. Upside: Active noise-canceling technology eliminates ambient noise; ideal for plane rides and morning commutes. Downside: Alters the "natural" qualities of music; some people experience an "underwater" nausea effect from the noise-canceling hum. Extras: Wireless connection; travel case; rechargeable batteries; on-ear navigation and volume controls. See all noise-canceling headphone reviews here. Features The size, type, and technology of a pair of headphones are all critical to a purchasing decision. But it's important to demystify the bevy of features and headphone-specific vocabulary. Listed below are the most important features you'll need to consider before finding the perfect pair of headphones. Bass: Even at its very best, headphone bass is never the sort of pants-flapping, sock-it-to-your-gut experience you literally feel from massive speakers or subwoofers, but many manufacturers (like the Beats by Dr. Dre) custom tune their "signature sound" to emphasize the lower frequencies, albeit at the cost of instrument separation and natural delivery. Soul by Ludacris SL300 (Credit: Sarah Tew/CNET) Earbuds are tiny and portable, but -- except for a couple of high-end models -- they can't compete with full-size, over-the-ear headphones for deep bass response or visceral dynamic range. Sealed vs. open: Sealed headphones -- the noise-isolating, in-ear models or the full-size earcup designs -- acoustically isolate your ears from your environment. Of course, the degree of isolation varies from one pair of headphones to another, and the seal limits the leakage of the headphones' sound out to the room. Sealed models are ideal for private listening, where you don't want the sound to be heard by other people. Open headphones -- such as foam earpad models and many sports designs -- are acoustically transparent and allow outside sound to be heard by the headphone wearer, and a good deal of the headphones' sound will be audible to anyone near the listener. Generally speaking, such headphones produce better, more "open" sound than sealed designs. Because they don't block out everything from the outside world, open-backed headphones are recommended for outdoor activities, such as jogging, which require awareness of your environment. Comfort and weight: Assessing sound quality is always a subjective exercise, but the only way to judge comfort is to put them on and listen for at least 10 minutes. Do the earpads exert too much pressure on your ears? Headphones that enclose or cover your ears can get uncomfortably hot, but you'll have to wear them for a while to find out. Some of the bigger sealed models with cushy leatherette pads are the worst offenders. Pro-style headphones are comparatively bulky and can feel uncomfortably heavy after hours of use. Lighter headband-style headphones are almost always more comfortable than heavier ones. And even if they're not, they're less of a hassle to carry around. Durability: There's no reason a headphone should be treated as disposable technology. Unlike almost everything else in the realm of consumer electronics, this year's headphones won't be obsolete six months or a year from now. In fact, there's no reason a good pair of headphones can't last for the better part of a decade. Be sure to assess the build quality of your prospective headphones. Some earbuds and portable devices are relatively fragile, for instance. If the headphones fold up for easy storage, are the hinges robust, or will they fall apart in a month or two? Don't forge to consider that the earpads and earbuds will get extensive wear and tear over the life of the headphones. Cable dressing and length: Most stereo headphones have just one cable, usually attached to the left earpiece (sometimes called single-sided cabling). Some models -- and all earbuds -- use a Y-cable that connects to both earpieces (double-sided). The actual cable plug, meanwhile, is usually one of two designs: a straight I-plug or an angled L-plug; the latter may be useful if your portable player has a side- or bottom-mounted headphone jack. Harman/Kardon Classic (Credit: Sarah Tew/CNET) Preferences for the length of headphone cables vary for portable users, especially depending on where you prefer to wear your device: a backpack or a pants pocket necessitates a longer cable, while you'll opt for a short one when wearing a player on a neck lavalier or an armband. But a cable length at either extreme need not be a fatal flaw: extension cables can lengthen those that are too short, and cable wraps can tighten up ones that are too long. Quick reference glossary You'll find a few of the following specifications on the headphones' box or on the manufacturer's Web site. Here's what they mean: Frequency response : Frequency-response specifications in full-size loudspeakers are generally pretty useless in predicting sound quality, but headphone frequency-response numbers are even worse. Manufacturers have routinely exaggerated frequency-response figures to the point that they're irrelevant. Even the flimsiest, cheap headphones routinely boast extremely low bass-response performance --15Hz or 20Hz -- but almost always sound lightweight and bright. Generally, bass buffs will be happier sticking with larger 'phones. Total harmonic distortion: True, headphones with lower actual total harmonic distortion (THD) will sound better than those with higher THD. But the quoted THD numbers -- "less than 1 percent" -- aren't helpful in predicting sound quality. Listen to recordings of simply recorded acoustic guitar to assess the distortion of one set of headphones versus another. Some will sound appreciably cleaner than others. Impedance: Generally speaking, the lower the headphones' electrical impedance (aka resistance), the easier it is to get higher volume. But here again, the low impedance is no guarantee of high volume capability; other factors can still limit loudness potential. Since many MP3 players have feeble power output -- the iPod is a notable exception -- smart shoppers should check the loudness before purchasing any pair of headphones. To be sure, listen with your player. Frequently asked questions Q: Do I need a headphone amplifier? A: What you plug your headphones into can significantly affect their sound, and the quality of the amplifiers built into portable CD/MP3 players is generally awful. It's not their fault: the little guys have to power their electronics and their internal amplifier using a few puny volts. Even some of the better home AV receivers' headphone jacks offer highly variable sound quality. (Credit: Steve Guttenberg/CNET) If you find yourself listening to headphones a lot of the time and care about sound quality, you might want to consider purchasing a headphone amp. Both home and portable headphone amplifiers are available, and Steve Guttenberg reviews them all the time on his high-end audio blog on CNET, The Audiophiliac. Q: I lost the ear tips that came with my earbuds, do I have to buy a whole new pair of headphones? A: Absolutely not...unless you're just looking for an excuse to try something new. But if you're not made of money, you can always hit up the manufacturer for a pair of replacement tips. Most earbuds only come with one set of each size, so losing one can be annoying. If you're in an experimental mood, Comply offers aftermarket tips that fit your brand and come in a variety of materials. Q: Does a higher price tag mean the headphones will sound better? A: Not necessarily. We're continually surprised that people drop hundreds of dollars on a smartphone and still refuse to invest in a quality pair of headphones to use with it. On the other hand, not all inexpensive headphones should be assumed to be cheap. Case in point: the Koss PortaPro headphones first hit the market in 1984 and have become such a favorite with audiophiles that the company leaves the design (and the price tag) untouched. You can still pick one up for less than $50, and they come with a lifetime warranty, no receipt necessary. Check out our favorite budget headphones for more selections. Ready to go shopping? Head over to the CNET Headphones page to get started.

In-ear vs. on-ear, circumaural vs. supraaural, open vs. closed back -- shopping for the right pair of headphones can be tough, but CNET'...
Jesse Dorogusker spent eight years at Apple, which made billions selling hardware. He left for Square, which gives away his designs for free. Is this guy nuts? Square CEO Jack Dorsey showing off Square Stand at the unveiling of the new hardware last month in San Francisco. Jesse Dorogusker, Square's vice president for Register watches from behind. (Credit: Daniel Terdiman/CNET) SAN FRANCISCO -- After eight years as director of engineering for iPhone, iPod, and iPad accessories at Apple, Jesse Dorogusker could have gone just about anywhere he wanted for his next gig. He chose Square, the mobile payments company that, among other things, gives away its signature credit card reader for free. By Dorogusker's own admission, that's a "terrible hardware business" model. So what inspired someone with a solid gold resume to leave a company that makes billions on hardware for a place that gives away his work for nothing? For Dorogusker, it was the opportunity to join one of the hottest startups around, where, thanks to the money Square makes processing more than $10 billion in annualized transactions, he can focus on figuring out how to build high quality hardware tools at volume and give them away for free, all to inspire people to use Square's payments service. "To me," Dorogusker told CNET, "that was a really much more fascinating problem than build a product at a cost, sell it at a price, calculate the margin, report to [Wall] Street, and repeat." Plus, Square's leadership clearly shared Dorogusker's philosophy of hardware design. Though it has manufacturing partners around the world, it does all the electrical, mechanical, and firmware design in-house, and it's at the intersection of those "where we think the magic of the product is," he said. To date, Square has released just two hardware products -- the card reader (now in its third major iteration) and its brand-new Stand for Register, a countertop iPad holder that allows retailers to easily accept payments either with a credit card or wirelessly. Square vice president for Register Jesse Dorogusker. (Credit: Square) As vice president of Square's Register division, the buck stops with Dorogusker on all things hardware (and software), and he has a team of about 15 people who, like him, spend their days obsessively focusing on trying to come up with physical tools for helping consumers have a better experience paying for things. Dorogusker won't talk about what Square's next hardware offering will be, but he does allow that he and his team are always working on "multiple things." And that's good because Square only hires hardware engineers who are hungry to build, as he put it, people who have to build, and who must build. But Dorogusker is willing to drop hints about the next directions Square could take in hardware: So far it has only released general tools that serve many different markets, from health and beauty to medical to retail, food service, garage sales, and beyond. "We have not yet built hardware that is specific to any one vertical, any one industry," he said. "But we have that option. We have that power." An example of such a tool? Dorogusker pointed to dedicated point of sale systems often found in restaurants or taxis. "There are opportunities in all those spaces," he said. "Just look at the objects in a taxi and you'll shake your head, maybe cry a little bit, as we do." Square's Stand for Register allows retailers an easy way to take credit card payments or wireless payments via iPad. (Credit: Square) Is this idle banter? Who knows, given that Square is tight-lipped about its product pipeline. Then again, founder (and Twitter co-founder) Jack Dorsey got people buzzing last year when he was spotted in a New York taxi with Mayor Michael Bloomberg, leading to speculation about whether the company was going to be involved in replacing the city's standard taxi payment hardware. There was even hard evidence of a pilot program that was abruptly canceled. The philosophy of building hardware When it unveiled Stand last month, Square made a very big deal out of it. Some may have wondered if such a tool merited so much energy, but the company clearly feels that it needed to give its thousands of retail customers something that offered what Dorogusker called a "tangible connection, not only to credit cards, but to the countertop, [and] to the physical space." Stand took more than a year to develop, and Dorogusker's team was already thinking about the next versions of it long before the first was announced. That's normal though, especially in an environment staffed with engineers who are anything but patient. "You have to have a very driven and clear roadmap of what you're building today and what you're building after that," he said, "and anything you build is a snapshot in time of your best idea and the best technology available." But one thing Dorogusker has little time for is the limits of the laws of physics. Square was built, as other "great companies" have been built, "on the premise that you can't accept all of those underlying assumptions as true," Dorogusker said. "You have to find ways around them...you have to go faster." Inspiration is everywhere For someone like Dorogusker, designing hardware is hardly a 40-hour-a-week occupation. Not when everywhere he goes in life, potential inspiration for future design jumps out at him. "It usually happens not at the product level, but at a much, much smaller level," he said. "My particular obsession is probably the way things open and close, the way they click." That's why he loves his eight-year-old German car, he said. Although it may not be all that impressive, Dorogusker loves how its doors close, "the sound, the feel, the certainty, the confidence. I had other vehicles [where I'd always ask] Did that door close?...I never do that with my car." That might be why one of the most carefully crafted design elements of Stand is the subtle but satisfying click it makes when it rotates into its home positions at 0 and 180 degrees. Dorogusker becomes almost romantic talking about prototyping that click, a "moment of daintiness as it kind of snaps into place." Now comes the challenge of iterating Stand. All Square will say now is that the next step is a version of Stand for Apple's Lightning connectors. The company launched Stand with compatibility only for iPad 2 and iPad 3, and expects to add fourth-generation iPad functionality this fall. It may not sound like that should take half a year, but Dorogusker speaks from his long experience at Apple when he explains just how big a deal switching from the 30-pin adapter common to all iPods, iPhones, and iPads for so many years to Lighting was. After all, he said, the 30-pin connector was the basis for tens of billions of dollars of products, a massive supply chain ecosystem, huge amounts of hardware and software development, and more. But Square is adapting. And don't worry about that frustrating Dorogusker. "It's a fine, fun problem," he said. "I love developing products. It's my favorite thing to do."

Jesse Dorogusker spent eight years at Apple, which made billions selling hardware. He left for Square, which gives away his designs for free...
Errors with the VDCAssistant background process may prevent camera connectivity on your Mac. January 3, 2014 4:53 PM PST Do you regularly use your Mac's iSight camera for chatting and other purposes, and have you run into a "no connected camera" error in the application you're using? If so, then a few causes and fixes are available that might help you out. OS X Daily has recently outlined one cause and fix for such problem. When you run a program that uses your Mac's webcam, OS X will launch a background process called VDCAssistant, which manages the connection and control of the camera. While this process should quit when the program stops using the camera, it may persist if an error occurs, and prevent future connections to the camera, either by the same program or by others. When the camera is unavailable, you will see a "no connected camera" error in programs and services that use it. (Credit: Screenshot by Topher Kessler/CNET) The fix in this case is to force-quit the VDCAssistant process, so relevant programs can again launch it normally and establish connections to the webcam. To do this, you will need to perform the following steps: Quit the program using the camera. Open Terminal and run the following command (supply your password when prompted, but remember it will not show) sudo killall VDCAssistant You can optionally open Activity Monitor to perform this step, by selecting "All Processes" from the View menu, then searching for and force-quiting the "VDCAssistant" process. Now re-launch your program and try using the camera again. In addition to the VDCAssistant process as the root cause for camera connectivity problems, other system configurations and problems may lead to similar behavior. For one, if you use a MacBook and have an external monitor attached, then one option is to use the system in "clamshell" mode where you keep the lid closed and only use the external monitor as a display. If you do this, then even though the built-in speakers and microphone will work, the camera will be shut off and unavailable to programs that need it. In this case, programs like Messages will allow audio chats, but not video options. The next option is USB connectivity issues that may occur from incompatibility with third-party USB devices, or an error that may have occurred with the drivers in your system. This may happen if you use a third-party USB driver, or if the device itself is simply causing faults in your USB system. While poor coding may contribute to this, often its simply a temporary issue that can be fixed by turning off (and unplugging) third-party USB devices and then plugging them back in, or by restarting your Mac. Alternatively, try unplugging all but the necessary USB devices (keyboard, mouse, etc.) from your system, restarting, and seeing if the problem continues. Troubleshooting in this manner can help identify a specific device that may be spurring the problem. If you do find the culprit, try leaving this device unplugged, updating its included drivers and other software, applying any firmware updates (if available), or contacting the manufacturer to see if a known solution is available. Sometimes such problems occur with the use of USB hubs and other daisy-chained solutions, so in addition to identifying specific devices, try changing the order in which they are connected to your system (bypass a USB hub, if used, or swap USB ports). Questions? Comments? Have a fix? Post them below or ! Be sure to check us out on Twitter and the CNET Mac forums. Read the full CNET Review Mac OS X 10.9 Mavericks The bottom line: As it's a free upgrade that gives you more apps, improved features across the board, and better performance, there is really no reason not to get Mavericks on your Mac. Read Full Review

Errors with the VDCAssistant background process may prevent camera connectivity on your Mac. January 3, 2014 4:53 PM PST Do you regularly ...
Input lag is a no-no for serious gamers who play shooters and other twitchy games. Find out which TVs lag behind the competition. Sony's KDL-W802A has the least input lag of any TV we've tested so far. (Credit: Sarah Tew/CNET) 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 the sudden suck at COD? Maybe. But perhaps your newfound lack of feel 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 matter 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" shooters like Call of Duty or Halo, especially in online in multiplayer environments, input lag can mean the difference between virtual life or death. The good news is that unlike lag introduced by a network, or your own brain, you can actually do something right now about input lag. The easiest course of action is to turn on Game Mode, if your TV has it. That mode typically removes as much video processing as possible, and according to my tests can reduce lag by half or even more. If that doesn't work, the only solution is to play on another TV. TV input lag results compared If you're buying a TV that will be used to play twitch games, here's some good news. CNET TV reviews will now include input lag measurements, so you can tell how much lag a TV introduces. In fact, here's a chart that includes almost all of the 2013 TVs we've reviewed so far (and a few we haven't), ranked in ascending order of input lag. The numbers reflect the lowest lag number the TV is capable of, typically achieved in Game mode. Television Type Input Lag (ms) Sony KDL-55W802A LED LCD 16.9 Vizio E50i-A1 LED LCD 32.2 Toshiba 50L2300U LED LCD 33.43 BenQ W1070 projector 33.7 Panasonic TC-P50S60 plasma 34.1 Seiki SE50UY04 LED LCD 38.3 Panasonic TC-P60ZT60 plasma 46.2 Panasonic TC-P60VT60 plasma 47.9 Mitsubishi HC7900DW projector 38.3 Sharp LC-60LE650 LED LCD 58.0 Panasonic TC-P55ST60 plasma 73.6 Samsung UN55F8000 LED LCD 81.4 JVC DLA-X35 projector 87.1 Epson 3020 projector 89.3 Epson 5020UB projector 95.1 Samsung PN60F8500 plasma 107.5 TCL LE58FHDE3010 LED LCD 129.8 As you can see these results don't necessarily favor one technology over another, although a few patterns begin to emerge. The most prevalent so far is that TVs heavy on video processing and/or Smart TV features seem to be lag behind-- Panasonic's ST60 is much laggier than the minimally-Smart S60, for example. Of course those "loaded" TVs often have other benefits, not the least of which is better picture quality. I'll have a better idea of the patterns as I review more TVs throughout the year. Going forward, the Geek Box at the end of every CNET TV review will include a row for Input Lag. It will also include contextual cutoffs like other Geek Box numbers: Lag of less the 40 milliseconds will be Good, between 40 and 70 Average, and more than 70 Poor. As usual these cutoffs are for general qualification only--even the twitchiest gamer can't tell the difference between a Good and Average TV if one is 39.9 and the other 40 milliseconds. Bodnar: The ins and outs of testing input lag Until recently, measuring input lag has been a very time-consuming process involving esoteric software, a fast camera, and no small amount of expertise. It's also a performance characteristic that's simply not important to most TV shoppers. Sites like Andantech and the superb HDTVtest in the UK have been at it for awhile, but I've have basically ignored it when reviewing TVs. Then the Leo Bodnar lag tester came along. The "Bodnar" is a little red box with a big yellow button on top, a hole for a photo sensor on bottom, and an HDMI output (plus a USB port used for service only) on the back. Thanks to the box, the input lag measurement that used to take an expert like Anandtech's Chris Heinonen 30-45 minutes or more can be conducted in less than a minute. The Leo Bodnar lag tester is dead simple. (Credit: Sarah Twe/CNET) And it works great. The repeat-ability and consistency of the results I've found in the last few months of using the device, as well as subjective corroboration by my twitch-happy colleague Jeff Bakalar and a conversation with Leo Bodnar himself, all lead me to the conclusion that the results are legitimate enough for CNET to present them to the public as a part of our reviews. To keep things simple, we only report the results of Game mode--if you're playing millisecond-dependent games, you should be using game mode. If the TV isn't equipped with a Game mode, we report the lowest lag the TV is capable of. Check out How We Test TVs for more on our exact methodology. Leo Bodnar on Bodnar The little red box is the brainchild of Leo Bodnar, whose eponymous UK-based website, a small partnership with two other people, is mainly dedicated to selling devices used in racing simulation, controllers for USB, and other kinds of mechanical interfaces for PCs. The partnership develops these devices themselves. Intrigued by the unique lag tester, I arranged an interview with Leo. "We developed it primarily for our own use, since we were interested in finding out which displays showed the least lag," he told me. Aside from accuracy, the priority was simplicity and the ability to test many displays quickly--in contrast to the bulky, lab-based camera method in use previously. "I'd never designed anything like that before, so it was mainly a proof of concept," he said. "We even took it to a shop and measured every TV they had. The shopkeeper who helped us was very interested in the results." In about a year he's sold 120-odd testers. He's planning a follow-up Mark 2 version with logging capabilities and the ability to measure other characteristics of the display, perhaps including light levels and color. How does lag translate to humans? A bunch of numbers is one thing, but before I could incorporate them into CNET reviews, I needed subjective verification. The main question was how input lag really affected gameplay. I'm not a twitch gamer, so I enlisted the help of Jeff Bakalar, longtime gaming editor at CNET--and as experienced and exacting a gamer as I know. I set up five TVs for him to play on: the Sony KDL-55W802A (with a lag of 16.87ms), the Panasonic TC-P50S60 (34.1), the Panasonic TC-P55ST60 (75.73), the Samsung UN55F8000 (81.43) and the Samsung PN60F8500 (107.5). An Xbox 360 spinning Call of Duty: Black Ops 2 was hooked directly to each TV individually, and I asked Jeff to give me his impressions of how laggy they were. The key is that Jeff had no idea what the input lag numbers were for any of the TVs. I did, however, and I arranged the order in which the TVs were presented--although he often requested to swap back and forth between two or more to confirm his impressions. Jeff quickly identified the Sony as his "reference," and when I asked him which one he liked next-most, he called out the Panasonic S60. He ranked the other three as worse, and definitely preferred gaming on either the S60 or the Sony. The Samsung PNF8500, the member of the group with the highest measured lag, was his least favorite. Being a human, Jeff's impressions tended toward shades rather than outright pronouncements. Bouncing between the Sony and the S60 he said it was "very difficult to tell" between them but he did eventually pick the Sony. When I swapped the S60 for the ST60 he immediately noticed a difference, saying "this one feels better." Most of the differences were more difficult to discern, however, and required a few minutes playing to rank in his mind. Some of his impressions of gaming on the laggy TVs reminded him of playing early builds of games that are missing final refinements. He tried upping the sensitivity of the controller in the game's menu, but it didn't help. He noticed the lag most prominently in fine aiming/fighting sessions. He also said that in many games, like Skyrim or Madden, he might not even notice it, or if he did, it was something he could quickly get used to and compensate for. Nevertheless, he stressed, these conditions would not be optimal for gaming. Lag and buying advice Depending on your own sensitivity as a gamer, input lag is potentially a problem with any game that depends on the reaction time between the controller and the TV--and that's most of them. The principal factors are how you play, how much the game rewards split-second timing, and how much lag is actually introduced. That said, input lag is primarily an issue for twitch gaming, where every millisecond counts. For that reason, I will not be incorporating its measurement into my consideration of the TV's rating unless noted otherwise. So if you're an avid twitch gamer, should you buy a TV like the Panasonic TC-PST60, a model I gave 9/10 for picture quality, but which scored a Poor 75.73 on my input lag test? No, you shouldn't. Instead, the S60 would be an excellent alternative. If you're less avid, or play less twitchy games, input lag should be less of a consideration. I'll continue to test every TV from this point forward for input lag, and if it matters to you--or doesn't--please feel free to leave a comment. In the meantime, don't forget to turn on Game mode.

Input lag is a no-no for serious gamers who play shooters and other twitchy games. Find out which TVs lag behind the competition. Sony's...
An ad that launched during the NFL playoffs features poetry and humanity and words from "Dead Poet's Society." Instead of talking features, it asks "what is your verse?" January 12, 2014 12:18 PM PST Dream on. (Credit: Apple/YouTube Screenshot by Chris Matyszczyk/CNET) Why do you stay alive? Is it in order to earn a crust, so that you might save some morsel of that crust and then, when you have few teeth left, put together lots of morsels to make one slice of bread? Is it to gain power over the others, so that you can feel big while rendering them small in your mind and in your presence? If so, Apple think you're not human. The company wants you to know this: "Poetry, beauty, romance, love -- these are what we stay alive for." In a new ad for its freshly-created Age of Enlightenment Party -- I'm sorry, I meant the iPad Air -- Apple wants you to feel that its gadget isn't a gadget. It's a tool to a dream. "The powerful play goes on and you may contribute a verse," intones Robin Williams. Well, it would be him, as some might know these words from "Dead Poet's Society." (Here's the original footage.) Then he and Apple ask: "What will your verse be?" More Technically Incorrect Brain damage: The dark side of the moon is turquoise Finally! MIT scientist helps you get all the ketchup out of the bottle Microsoft's Twitter account: Don't use our e-mail Sexting teen convicted of child pornography Polar Vortex great for business (online porn business, that is) Some will find this overwrought and pretentious for a gadget manufacturer. These would be the same sorts who would find "Here's To The Crazy Ones" patently insane. For Apple to return to its core strengths -- humanity, art, and emotions -- is curiously refreshing. Last year's neurotic, metallic rumbling about what matters being "the experience of a product" can now be placed into the chillier vaults of history. You might choose to decide that this ad tells you nothing about the iPad Air. But it's hard to deny that it says a lot about what Apple thinks it stands for -- and what many believe it does stand for. While Google has made considerable progress in mimicking and sometimes subsuming Apple's emotional credentials, an ad like this reaches for assumptive ground where most fear to tread. It is, perhaps, an expression of confidence that Apple has decided to enter 2014 with not only a statement of intent but a re-statement of some feelings that some had thought lost. Poetry, beauty, romance, and love in a gadget ad. There's a certain courage about that.

An ad that launched during the NFL playoffs features poetry and humanity and words from "Dead Poet's Society." Instead of talk...
Here's how to turn off banner ads on your 2013 Panasonic TV as well as start the picture in full-screen mode. Panasonic's connected TVs enable banner ads by default at startup and when you adjust the volume. (Credit: Ty Pendlebury/CNET) Last year Panasonic introduced intrusive advertising in the form of pop-up banner ads on its Smart TVs, and unfortunately the company has decided to continue the practice this year. But that's not the only potentially annoying thing about the new interface. When you first turn it on the TV also defaults to a new Home screen filled with apps you'll mostly never use, like a calendar. Your actual TV show is relegated to an inset window until you actively select and expand it. Banner ads are the way of life for Web sites and many apps, as advertising is the trade-off for getting content for free. But banner ads on a TV you pay a lot of money for when you don't have to? Just say no! Turn off banner ads At the moment banner ads appear on most connected Panasonic TVs, including the ZT60, VT60, ST60, WT60, and DT60. If you have a 2012 TV with banner ads, you can try this how-to instead. Turn on your Panasonic TV and you are greeted by a banner ad. (Credit: Ty Pendlebury/CNET) There are two different ads that appear, a large banner that materializes when you first turn the TV on, and another that appears when you adjust the TV volume. At the moment there is no incentive for keeping them on and you can't click on them, either. But Panasonic has built in a way to remove them completely. The method is slightly different from last year, but it also removes them completely.. To begin, grab your standard Panasonic remote (not the touch pad remote found on some higher-end models) and press the small Menu button in the top left-hand corner. Once there, navigate down to Setup and choose "Display Customization." At the bottom of the menu is the option "Viera Connect Banner." Set the toggle to Off and you're done! No more ads! To turn off ads, go to: Menu > Setup > Display customization (Credit: Ty Pendlebury/CNET) In summary: Menu > Setup > Display customization > Viera Connect Banner > Off Seeing a bunch of app tiles and not full-screen TV makes a Neytiri a sad Na'vi. (Credit: Sarah Tew/CNET) Set your Home screen to full-screen Panasonic has debuted new Home screens for 2013, but the look is fairly old hat. Worse, it tries to foist the apps on you with an annoying default setting. When you first turn it on, the TV opens on the Lifestyle screen with its calendar and analog clock, and while you can change the tiles, you may prefer to remove them completely. Here's how to set up the TV to show full-screen TV programming when it first turns on. Press the green Home button on the standard remote or the Home symbol on the touch pad. If you're already in full-screen mode, a bar will appear at the top, or if you're in one of the other modes (such as Lifestyle above) that Home screen will materialize. Now press Home again to access the other screens. Next, cycle left or right to until you get to the Full Screen mode. Select it, then access the Settings screen by pressing the small blue button on the Standard remote. If you have the touchpad remote, press the top-right-hand Tools button and scroll down to "blue" on the menu that appears. Access the screen you'd like to startup into via the Tools menu within your Home screen. (Credit: Ty Pendlebury/CNET) Now you should have the Settings options onscreen. Navigate down to "Power On Option" and behind it you'll have two options: Last Viewed Home Screen and Always This Home Screen. Select "Always This Home Screen" and then use the left key to get out of the menus. In sum: Home > Home > [cycle to Full Screen] > OK > Blue button > Power On > Always This Home Screen If you'd like to program another default screen, such as a custom one you created, you can cycle to that one instead and follow the same steps.

Here's how to turn off banner ads on your 2013 Panasonic TV as well as start the picture in full-screen mode. Panasonic's connected ...
If you want true high quality sound, you have to step-up from a sound bar to an AV receiver and speakers. Here's what you should know before you buy one. Sony's STR-DN840 is my favorite AV receiver pick for 2013. (Credit: Sarah Tew/CNET) If you want truly great sound in your living room, a sound bar isn't going to cut it. Sound bars are a convenient option that offer a big boost over your TV's built-in speakers, especially on movies and TV shows, but an AV receiver paired up with even entry-level speakers takes sound quality to the next level, especially if you like to listen to music at home. Deciding which AV receiver to buy can be overwhelming, with each model sporting tons of logos and proprietary technologies that aren't easy to understand if you're not familiar with home audio. But the truth is most of those features don't matter much and you should focus on just a few major points when making your pick. If you just want a simple recommendation, go with the Sony STR-DN840. It's the best AV receiver value of 2013, with plenty of HDMI inputs and it can stream audio wirelessly from just about any smartphone or tablet. You can also take a look at CNET's list of the best AV receivers, which includes some other solid alternative options, depending on what you're looking for. But if you're looking for more information, here's what's important. How many HDMI inputs is enough? Now that nearly every living room device uses HDMI, the number of HDMI inputs is by far the most important feature on an AV receiver. You probably don't need eight HDMI inputs, but it's nice to have room to expand. (Credit: Sarah Tew/CNET) There's no one-size-fits-all answer to how many HDMI inputs is enough. If you love electronics, six might be just enough, whereas others could get by with three. What I can recommend is at least considering getting one more HDMI input than you currently need. Even if you feel confident that you'll never need more than four devices, you never know when a neat new product will come out -- I'm sure plenty of people wish they had an extra port as soon as Google's $35 Chromecast was announced. Of course, you can always theoretically expand your HDMI connectivity options later with an HDMI switcher, but it's a less elegant solution. (Although a universal remote can help.) Considering the fact that you're likely to hold onto an AV receiver for upwards of five years, it's worth investing in a little extra HDMI connectivity -- especially if you like new tech toys. Strongly consider built-in AirPlay, Bluetooth or Wi-Fi The newest marquee feature for AV receivers is built-in support for wireless technologies like AirPlay, Bluetooth and Wi-Fi. AV receivers have a history of adding dubious features that aren't all that useful, but it's definitely worth considering getting a receiver with wireless capabilities. Onkyo's TX-NR626 includes both built-in Bluetooth and Wi-Fi. (Credit: Sarah Tew/CNET) Here's the pitch for Bluetooth and AirPlay: load up any app on your smartphone or tablet, -- such as Pandora or Spotify -- and both technologies let you wirelessly stream it to your AV receiver in seconds. It's the ultimate in instant gratification, especially if you music habits tend to revolve around your mobile device. Bluetooth and AirPlay are similar, but have some key differences. Bluetooth works with nearly every smartphone and tablet (including Apple devices) within a range of about 30 feet, but has somewhat diminished sound quality. AirPlay only works with Apple devices (with some exceptions), offers superior, lossless audio quality, but requires your receiver to be connected to your home network. You can add AirPlay with the Apple TV, but it's not quite as convenient for music. (Credit: Sarah Tew/CNET) While it's possible to add Bluetooth and AirPlay to any AV receiver using an external device, getting it built-in can be more convenient. For example, the Sony STR-DN840 has the ability to automatically turn on and flip to the correct input whenever you select it on your smartphone or tablet -- you just can't get that level of convenience using a separate device. Built-in Wi-Fi is less important. It makes it easier to get your AV receiver on your home network (vs. needing a wired Ethernet connection), which enables smartphone control, firmware updates, and integrated streaming services, such Pandora or Spotify. I've found that none of those features are particularly compelling, particularly built-in streaming services, which are much more convenient to use when streamed from your tablet or smartphone. The major reason you'd want built-in Wi-Fi is that it makes it easier to take advantage of AirPlay -- the other upgrades aren't as enticing. Sound quality: how much does it matter? Every brand touts its superior sound, but my advice would be to not worry much about sound quality when buying an AV receiver. That may seem counterintuitive for a device that's entire purpose is to enable high fidelity audio, but the reality is audible differences between typical AV receivers are subtle at best, and quite possibly nonexistent. It's a regularly debated issue for audio enthusiasts (here's a taste of the debate), but I haven't seen, nor heard, convincing evidence that modern AV receivers sound different in normal circumstances. When it comes to sound quality, speakers are much more important than AV receivers. (Credit: Sarah Tew/CNET) CNET's AV receiver reviews include subjective listening tests, but even resident audiophile Steve agrees the difference is subtle, which is why sound quality isn't weighted heavily in our ratings. Our subjective listening tests also factor in automatic speaker calibration, which can introduce significant sonic differences, often for the worse. If you're a true believer in AV receiver sound quality, feel free to buy what sounds best to you, but for those of us with fleshy ears (rather than golden ones), there's no proven reason to sweat sound quality when it comes to buying an AV receiver. The best AV receiver is the one you already own If you already have an AV receiver, think twice before upgrading. While smartphones and laptops get big performance increases every year, you're not going to get the same kind of boost with a new AV receiver -- the one you bought years ago probably sounds just as good. You may also be tempted to upgrade if you have an older AV receiver without HDMI connectivity, but it's not strictly necessary. Many devices have separate digital audio outputs, allowing you to run video to your TV via HDMI and audio to an older receiver with a digital audio cable. That involves more input switching, but you can solve that problem easily with a quality universal remote like the Logitech Harmony 650 or Harmony Smart Control. You're also theoretically missing out on the superior sound quality of Dolby TrueHD and DTS Master Audio -- digital audio cables are limited to plain Dolby Digital / DTS -- but the differences between those formats can be hard to hear even in ideal situations. Don't count out your AV receiver just because it's old. (Credit: Denon) Another option is connecting all your HDMI sources straight to your TV, then use your TV's digital output to connect to your receiver. The big downside is that most TVs "dumb down" incoming audio to stereo, but it's a slick workaround if you have a two-channel speaker system. In fact, this is how my own home 2.1 audio setup is configured, using a decade-old Denon AVR-3801. Sure, an HDMI-capable receiver would be nice, but I'd much sooner spend my money on new speakers than replace an AV receiver that still works and sounds great. Wrap-up: Focus on the big features Once you find a few models with the right number of HDMI inputs and the wireless technologies you want, you should have relatively short list of models to consider. I'd recommend reading some professional reviews (including ours) before making the final choice, as well as user reviews to see if there are any long-term issues that wouldn't crop up during a review period. But most of all, it's worth remembering that AV receivers, much more than other home audio devices, are all pretty similar. Speakers and headphones can look and sound very different, but AV receivers mostly look and sound the same. Personally, I think AV receivers could get a lot better, but they're still your best option if you want high quality sound. FAQs Is a 7.1 setup worth it over 5.1? Not in my opinion. It's a classic case of diminishing returns: 5.1 sounds a significantly more immersive than stereo, but the difference between 5.1 and 7.1 isn't nearly as great. Not to mention the fact that there just isn't that much content with true, discrete 7.1 channel soundtracks. When you consider all the extra hassle, plus the fact that you could spend the extra money toward better (rather than more) speakers, 7.1 doesn't seem all that attractive. What about second-zone audio? One of the benefits of getting a 7.1 channel AV receiver (over a 5.1 model) is that the extra two channels can be used to power a second set of speakers. Most 7.1 AV receivers can even pump different audio sources into different rooms (referred to as "second-zone audio"): one person can watching TV in the living room, while someone listens to a CD in the bedroom. It's a neat idea, but it's much more limited than it sounds. Most AV receivers can't send any incoming digital sources (HDMI and digital audio inputs) to the second zone, which is going to include most devices connected to the receiver. You'll also need to run wires from from your primary room to the secondary room, which isn't always easy. And finally, remember that you probably won't be able to control the second source with a remote when you're in another room, although AV receivers with smartphone control get around this somewhat. So even if you think you want second zone functionality, make sure you're aware of all the limitations. In many cases, it's easier to get a small, separate system (or Bluetooth speaker) for the second room. And if you want a true multiroom audio system, check Sonos, which can integrate with any AV receiver. What about watts? How much power do I need? Comparing the wattage specs on AV receivers won't tell you much. Power ratings aren't standardized, so there's no guarantee that one company's 100-watt per channel receiver will sound louder than another company's 50-watt per channel receiver. More importantly, for typical home theater speakers and rooms, modern AV receivers offer plenty of power. CNET's listening room is medium-sized, but we never run into AV receivers that don't have the ability to get much louder than the average person would listen. Should I worry about automatic speaker calibration Automatic speaker calibration sounds like a great idea, letting you use an included microphone to adjust speaker levels and apply EQ to accommodate your listening room. In practice, it doesn't always work that well. In fact, in our recent roundup of AV receiver reviews, automatic speaker calibration was consistently off, almost always setting the subwoofer volume level incorrectly. If you really care about sound, you're better off learning how to manually set your speaker levels. What about 4K? 3D? THX? MHL? Given the dearth of 4K content and its dubious benefits on all but the largest TVs, there's little reason to worry about 4K compatibility (or upscaling) on an AV receiver. Nearly all HDMI-capable receivers are 3D-compatible these days, so it likely won't be a determining factor in your buying decision. There's no need to pay extra for THX-certification, as virtually all AV receivers perform perfectly well, without the THX logo. MHL isn't essential, but worth considering, especially if you like the idea of using something like the Roku Streaming Stick. For AV receiver, you can think of MHL as a powered HDMI port, which lets you connect ever-smaller streaming devices without the need for a separate power adapter.

If you want true high quality sound, you have to step-up from a sound bar to an AV receiver and speakers. Here's what you should know be...
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Pioneer's SP-BS21-LR is a discontinued model, and it was a terrific bargain at the full retail price of $130 per pair, but Amazon is now selling pairs for $52. March 22, 2014 7:36 AM PDT Pioneer SP-BS21-LR speakers (Credit: Pioneer) Ah yes, the Pioneer SP-BS21-LR -- it was love at first listen back in 2011 when I reviewed it as part of Pioneer's awesome SP-PK21BS six-piece, subwoofer/satellite home-theater system. I used the SP-PK21BS package as one of my reference speaker systems in reviews after that and was always amazed by the speaker's sound and build quality. The SP-BS21-LR speakers sold for $130 a pair. It was later replaced by the SP-BS22-LR, which is the current model (the SP-PK21BS package has also been discontinued). The old and current speaker models have the same retail price, $130 a pair, but right now while supplies last, Pioneer is clearing out its remaining stock of SP-BS21-LRs for $51.98 a pair on Amazon, and shipping is free for Prime customers. The SP-BS21-LR is a midsize bookshelf speaker, it measures 12.6x7.2x8.1 inches and features a 4-inch woofer and a 1-inch soft-dome tweeter. The black vinyl-wrapped wood grain cabinet has curved side panels, and the drivers are protected by perforated metal grilles (they can be removed, but it's not easy). The SP-BS21-LR sounds a lot better than my recommended go-to budget speaker, the Dayton Audio B652, which currently sells for $52 a pair on Amazon. I recently compared the two speakers head to head, and the B652 sounded coarse and harsh next to the more refined SP-BS21-LR. That speaker produces more spacious imaging with higher definition bass, and voices sound more natural than what you'll hear from the B652. I also compared the SP-BS21-LR to our SP-BS22-LR speakers, and SP-BS22-LR speakers were definitely more transparent than the older model. If you can afford $130 a pair, go for the SP-BS22-LR. I'm not sure how long the Amazon deal on the SP-BS21-LR will last; if you're interested don't hesitate.

Pioneer's SP-BS21-LR is a discontinued model, and it was a terrific bargain at the full retail price of $130 per pair, but Amazon is now...

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