iPad Pro 9.7-inch

iPad Pro 9.7-inch 

THE GOOD The new iPad Pro delivers a fast processor; a bright, antireflective display; support for Apple Pencil and Smart Keyboard accessories; better, louder speakers and top-notch cameras, in the same exact body as the iPad Air 2.

THE BAD A higher price, plus expensive accessories. Less RAM and a slightly slower processor than the 12.9-inch iPad Pro. iOS still limits overall flexibility of this iPad.

THE BOTTOM LINE It's still not a full-fledged laptop killer, but the new 9.7-inch iPad Pro is the best iPad ever made -- a near-perfect balance of tablet power and portability.

I'm writing this on the 9.7-inch iPad Pro with its Smart Keyboard sitting on my lap. On a plane. The keyboard's comfy. It's not backlit, but I can guess the keys by touch pretty well. The display is beautifully crisp and vibrant. And it runs a magic mix of work tools and fun stuff. I can read easily. I can play games. I can watch movies. It's extremely convenient.

I've used the Air 2 and a Belkin keyboard case as my go-to for a while now. It's a compact, convenient combo. And I type on the iPad. Lately, a lot. I use it for taking quick notes, or as a security blanket when my laptop's somewhere else. It comes with me to work.

But the iPad still, despite Apple's insistence on it being the future of computing, isn't a laptop replacement. I can't bring it to a press conference and make it my one machine to cover the event. I can't run the camera-tethering software I need, or easily communicate in a window with my teammates via Google Chat (though I can with Slack), or write and edit and publish stories from my in-browser content tools. I can't even do my corporate expenses on my company's Java-based accounting system. Maybe I could come up with some way it could meet my needs, but it wouldn't really do it the way I'm used to. And that's the point, really. My tools don't always line up with the iPad's tools. The iPad, and its vision of the future of computing, remains stubbornly separate from the Mac, and less multipurpose than a Windows device.

All of those frustrations seem to to belie "Pro" moniker on this iPad. And yet, if I were to pick the iPad that came closest to perfection, it would be this one. It's a portable dream. The tiniest little productivity tool Apple makes. It's got performance, better sound and display, and -- what am I looking for that's really missing?

The Xplova X5 cycling computer

The Xplova X5 cycling computer

The Xplova X5 might have the quirkiest new product name I've seen this year. But, it doesn't help explain what this product is. Owned by PC giant Acer, Xplova is a company that makes GPS-enabled devices for cyclists, and like Garmin and a few other bike-tech leaders, it calls them "cycling computers."

First seen at Acer's New York press preview on April 21, the new Xplova X5 combines a GPS unit, a heart rate tracker and a video camera, and the company says this is the first time a product like this has included video recording capabilities.

The boxy device clips onto your bike's handlebars, giving you a view of the IPX7 water-resistant touchscreen GPS display, which can capture location and performance data. GPS data can also be synced and saved to the Xplova website, and data from friends can be shared to either keep track of their location, or to challenge each other for best times or most difficult ride.

But it's the built-in video camera that makes the X5 stand out. Rather than trying to hit a record button while you're riding, the unit can be set to automatically record short highlight clips based on user-defined triggers.

Those triggers can include heart rate -- so a video recording starts when you hit a peak heart rate -- or via GPS, when you pass by a notable landmark or a specific set of coordinates.

Blade Chroma 4K

Blade Chroma 4K

THE GOOD The Blade Chroma 4K is a relatively compact camera drone that easily breaks down for travel. Includes an all-in-one controller with first-person-view screen and camera controls and can also be used with Yuneec's ulracompact Wizard controller. It has follow and tracking capabilities. Parts and accessories are easy to come by as is customer support.

THE BAD Video quality is good, but best viewed at small sizes on tablets and phones. It lacks more advanced autonomous flight features such as waypoint navigation as well as a visual positioning system to assist with flight when GPS is not available indoors or outside.

THE BOTTOM LINE The easy-to-use, smooth-flying Blade Chroma 4K camera drone has a good deal to offer new and experienced flyers, but those looking for autonomous flight options beyond follow me will want to keep looking.

Editors' note: Clarification was added in regards to the Blade Chroma 4K's GPS features as well as the absence of a visual positioning system found on competing quadcopters, which assists with indoor flight when GPS is not available.

The Blade Chroma 4K from Horizon Hobby is essentially a redesigned version of the Yuneec Typhoon Q500 4K, which I liked quite a bit. It shares all the same capabilities, has the same remote controller with a built-in touchscreen and the same 4K-resolution camera and three-axis gimbal for stabilization.

Design and features

The Chroma weighs in at 2.9 pounds (1.3kg) and a chunk of that is the 6,300mAh battery that locks into the rear of the chassis. The body doesn't look particularly strong, but being more compact makes it feel tougher than the Typhoon. Even if you did crash, Horizon Hobby stocks all of the parts, so it's no problem to make repairs. And if you don't like the white frame, the site sells adhesive skins to give it a new look.

Acer

Acer's new 34-inch ultrawide monitor was built for gamers

Acer has announced a unique new addition to its fierce Predator line of monitors for gamers. The Predator X34 is the first 34-inch curved monitor to feature Nvidia G-Sync. 

The Predator X34 packs promising specs for silky-smooth graphics -- most notably Nvidia G-Sync, a display technology that aims to eliminate tearing and screen stuttering during gameplay and improve input lag. Additionally, the monitor has a 60Hz refresh rate that can be overclocked to 100Hz in order to produce more frames per second and minimize motion blur.

The Acer Predator X34 has a QHD 3,440x1,440-pixel-resolution IPS screen with a 21:9 aspect ratio, placing it in the relatively new category of ultrawide monitors. According to Acer, it has 100 percent sRGB coverage -- for an accurate and wide range of colors -- as well as 178-degree viewing angles.

For maximum comfort, the Predator X34's design includes ergonomic options. The monitor can tilt back 5 degrees and forward 35 degrees, and its height can be adjusted up to 5 inches. If you prefer wall mounting, the Predator X34 is VESA-compliant. It also has Acer's EyeProtect and ComfyView technology, which filter harmful blue light and reduce background reflections, respectively, to reduce eye fatigue.

A curved design might sound like a fancy gimmick, but when it comes to gaming, a curved monitor provides an immersive experience that would otherwise take multiple monitors to recreate. The curve positions the screen's edges in your periphery, emulating what it's like to see your real-life surroundings out of the corners of your eyes. Though the Predator X34 is new in town, Acer is no stranger to curved monitors -- it announced a curved 35-inch model with Nvidia G-Sync, the Predator Z35, earlier this year, alongside an additional trio of top-notch gaming monitors.

Apple MacBook (2016)

Apple MacBook (2016)

THE GOOD The 12-inch MacBook gets a decent boost to performance and battery life, while keeping the same slim, light premium body. The high-res display and responsive trackpad remain the gold standard. Color options add a fun bit of personalization.

THE BAD The single USB-C port will continue to be an inconvenience for many. The shallow keyboard isn't ideal for long-form typing. Other super-slim laptops manage to fit in more powerful processors.

THE BOTTOM LINE With a handful of subtle improvements, the updated 12-inch Apple MacBook is more of a mainstream machine, but remains a few tweaks away from being the best laptop on the market.

The modest updates to Apple's 12-inch MacBook laptop don't go far enough to make it the new must-have machine for everyone. At the same time, there's a sizable enough boost to performance and battery life that the system can no longer be considered an outlier only suited for a very limited audience that values portability over productivity.

Sony Action Cam Mini HDR-AZ1

Sony Action Cam Mini HDR-AZ1

THE GOOD The Sony Action Cam Mini HDR-AZ1 is smaller and lighter than many competitors; it has excellent video quality with solid electronic image stabilization; the live-view remote lets you wirelessly preview, review and change settings, and has GPS; it has a splashproof body and a removable, rechargeable battery; the included tripod mount gives you plenty of accessory choice.

THE BAD Recording at its highest bitrate requires a microSDXC card; changing settings requires a wireless connection to a mobile device or the remote; battery life can be brief; its curved lens isn't great for underwater use; Wi-Fi connection to the live-view remote is temperamental; using image stabilization reduces its angle of view; the dual-format card slot can be a pain.

THE BOTTOM LINE A leaner, lighter version of its top POV camera, the Sony Action Cam Mini HDR-AZ1 puts big performance in a little package.

Consider Sony's Action Cam Mini HDR-AZ1 to be a streamlined version of the Action Cam HDR-AS100V , its top-of-the-line POV camera.

Basically, Sony shed much of that higher-end models extra features like its video and audio jacks, but kept its excellent high-bitrate XAVC-S-format video, Zeiss Tessar f2.8 lens with a 170-degree field of view, electronic image stabilization and wireless features. It even updated its Live-View Remote that puts a color LCD on your wrist to control the camera and preview and review shots.

Getting rid of those extra features allowed Sony to make the camera very compact. Though with small bodies come small batteries and other compromises that may put you off.

Astell & Kern AK Jr

Astell & Kern AK Jr

THE GOOD The Astell & Kern AK Jr offers excellent design and great usability -- from the dedicated volume dial to the no-nonsense menu. Great-sounding sonics and able to drive many different types of headphones. Able to put dedicated USB DACs to shame.

THE BOTTOM LINE The Astell & Kern AK Jr marries classic design with class-leading sound, making it one of the best high-res players for the money.

Despite launching in only 2012, the name Astell & Kern has quickly become synonymous with high-end audio on the go. But with prices reaching into the many thousands of dollars, the company's gear has long been "aspirational" rather than "affordable" for many music fans. With the AK Jr, the brand becomes more attainable than ever before.