Reviews

While it initially appeared that Apple was caught off guard by the furor over how bad its in-house map application is, the company apparently had plenty of warning.

Developers have been complaining about Apple's Maps since shortly after they were given the first pre-release version in early June, CNET has learned. They say they filed bug requests, sent e-mails to specific Apple employees, and vented on message boards only other developers and Apple could see.

Threads on Apple's developer forums described some of the problems that appeared well ahead of the final version of the software, and they … Read more

Too busy tweeting back and forth with Big Bird this week to keep up with Crave? Snuggle up with us under a Pac-Man blanket and we'll catch you up on what you missed.

- There's 24-karat gold in them thar labs! And, apparently, in the "Gangnam Style" meme. But will Psy accept payment in "Star Wars" coins?

- This is one Trojan horse you definitely won't want to get rid of.

- Give us a big squeeze, Like-A-Hug vest!

- Not one single "oops" tweeted during surgery that unfolded live on Twitter. … Read more

Mitt Romney ruffled a few feathers during the first presidential debate with suggestions that days may be numbered for Big Bird of "Sesame Street" fame, hatching a social media backlash and in turn illustrating the power of sites like Twitter in politics.

A number of satirical Big Bird accounts popped up on Twitter after the Republican presidential nominee implied the famed yellow bird would meet an untimely demise, along with PBS subsidies, if he were elected president.

"100 Retweets and I'm going to make my nest outside Romney's bedroom window," read one tweet from … Read more

Why would anyone want to watch a movie on a sub-40-inch screen? Well, ideally you wouldn't, but we don't all get what we want in life, now do we?

In a perfect world, all screens would span 50 inches diagonally and sport superhigh resolutions. Also, we'd all have enough space to fit them in every room.

Real life just ain't chock-full of unicorns and seven-year wizard colleges, though, and real-life dorms and apartments can be small. Doesn't mean you'd want to miss out on watching movies the way they were intended. Well, at least from a color, black-level, and contrast ratio perspective. We addressed the whole difference-in-screen-size thing earlier.… Read more

Feeling sad that you can't drive this life-size Lego big rig? At least you can turn your car into a Tardis or NCC-1701 for $15 or less. And more news to cheer you up:

- No bike lane? No problem. Make your own.

- Will we be seeing two new Nexus tablets before year's end?

- A 625-foot tall Ferris wheel? That's a whole lot of Ferris wheel.

- The Ostrich Pillow is your own personal public-nap tunnel.

- Ready for Facebook friend updates to invade your Caller ID?

- TSA officer takes traveler's iPad home for permanent screening. … Read more

After just a week on the market, the iPhone 5 has owners writing up a laundry list of faults with the new device.

Soon after the iPhone 5 went on sale last Friday, users started filling up discussion forums and social networks with reports of scratches and nicks on their brand-new phones. People say they've noticed the defects around the aluminum band surrounding the phone, with the issue more visible on the black version of the new iPhone.

Those complaints don't appear to bother Apple. "Any aluminum product may scratch or chip with use, exposing its natural … Read more

Leaked from today's 404 episode:

- iPhone 5: Say hello to scuffgate?

- Hacker: I've ported Google Maps to iOS 6.

- Subterranean park in Manhattan to stay sunny with fiber-optic skylights (Low Line).

- Coca-cola nails social media by releasing personalized bottles, Justin included.

- Leica cameras for some reason favored by celebrities.

Bathroom break video: iPhone 5 super-glued to ground in Amsterdam.… Read more

Monitors that are 24 inches with 16:10 aspect ratios are a dying breed. Their slow demise makes way for the new world order of 16:9.

While the 16:9 aspect ratio and the 1,920x1,080-pixel resolution more closely matches that of movies and mimics HDTVs, some users still find value in the extra screen real-estate afforded by 16:10-based, 1,920x1,200-pixel resolution.

As long as there is enough demand, 1200p monitors will continue to be made, but they're nowhere near as plentiful as say four years ago. With fewer to choose from than before, knowing which are the best is where I and this blog come in, could be very helpful.

Personally, I prefer 24-inch displays at 16:10, but the 16:9 aspect ratio makes 2,560x1,440-pixel resolution possible so it can't be all bad.

You may notice that I didn't include the HP DreamColor LP2480zx on the list. It's the best-performing 24-inch I've ever seen. Its price, unfortunately, puts it out of reach for the majority of users.

Given that, I've only included monitors on the list most average people could afford.… Read more

Too busy waiting in line for some gadget this week to keep up with Crave? Now that the wait's over, you have all the time in the world to catch up.

- Speaking of some gadget, is this the most obnoxious iPhone 5 case yet?

- Yap on your cell phone in this movie theater, and you might get ninja-ed.

- Retro-styled 3D-printed sunglasses put pixels right on your face.

- Who needs Helvetica when you can write in a font made from galaxies?

- Hoodie sleeve brings Zuckerberg chic to your iPad.

- What's this oojamaflip that'… Read more