I think my colleague Cherlynn Low cursed us in the last installment with her mention of a slower than usual October. The last week of the month was full of news, especially from Apple, so we have a very busy few weeks of reviews ahead of us to finish the year. This week, we tested amazon's long-awaited color E Ink e-reader, a DJI action camera that's finally a worthy GoPro rival, and Google's latest TV streaming device. Here's a quick recap of the week's in-depth reviews and a quick preview of what's to come in the post-Halloween rush.
Kindle Colorsoft Review
by Valentina Palladino
Engadget/amazon
The Kindle Colorsoft (finally) brings color to amazon's line of e-readers. It's a solid premium e-reader that will be ideal for those who primarily read things like comics, graphic novels, and other material that is best experienced in full color.
- Color on a Kindle, finally!
- Fast page turns and loading times
- Pinch-to-zoom feature lets you zoom in on details
- Self-adjusting front light
- No ads on lock screen by default
- Expensive
- Screen has a noticeable blue tilt when warm light is off
- Slight reduction in sharpness and contrast when reading black and white text
amazon Kindle Colorsoft;subsec:commlist;elmt:amazon;itemcost:$280;sellerN:amazon;pos:3;sec:large-product;elm:affiliate_link;itc:0;pkgt:horizontal-cta-1;slk:$280 at amazon;” class=”rapid-with-clickid peer clear-right box-border block w-full min-w-60 rounded-(40px) px-7 text-center hover:no-underline hover:opacity-100 active:opacity-60 @xl/p:w-9/12 commerce-cta-btn-primary bg-inkwell py-3 font-semibold leading-5 text-white hover:bg-charcoal hover:text-grey-hair active:bg-charcoal active:text-grey-hair peer-(&):mt-3 dark:bg-white dark:text-batcave dark:hover:bg-bob dark:focus:bg-bob dark:active:bg-bob” href=”https://shopping.yahoo.com/rdlw?merchantId=66ea567a-c987-4c2e-a2ff-02904efde6ea&itemId=amazon_B0CN3XR57P&siteId=us-engadget&pageId=pnr-product-module&providerId=amazon&featureId=dynamic-offer&itemName=amazon+Kindle+Colorsoft&merchantName=amazon&itemSourceId=B0CN3XR57P&brand=amazon&categoryId=285&price=279.99&salePrice=279.99&custData=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&signature=AQAAAa2-POS6avNocbY1MDGtGxuty76jrv4505izlSawVe-Q&contentUuid=a34f2156-3315-43ec-9b35-84765b835138″ rel=”noopener noreferrer nofollow” target=”_blank”>$280 on amazon
After years of users clamoring for a color e-ink option, amazon finally agreed with Kindle Colorsoft. This model fills a key gap in the company's e-reader lineup, with fast performance and a host of conveniences. The key issue is that it is expensive, $280, plus there is a blue tint to the screen when turned off in warm light. What's more, the text is not as sharp when read in black and white. Still, this new model will be great for things like graphic novels and other materials where you really need to see things in full color. “Although it's too late to the color e-ink party, the Kindle Colorsoft is a solid premium e-reader that provides an excellent experience in both color and black and white,” says Valentina.
DJI Osmo Action 5 Pro Review
by Steve Dent
dji
With the Action 5 Pro, DJI finally has a worthy rival to GoPro and Insta360 action cameras thanks to excellent battery life and solid image quality.
- Best action camera battery life
- Good in low light
- Unique subject tracking feature
- DJI Microphone 2 Compatibility
- Built-in memory
- oversaturated color
- The video is less sharp than that of its rivals.
amazon;itemcost:$349;sellerN:amazon;pos:3;sec:large-product;elm:affiliate_link;itc:0;pkgt:horizontal-cta-1;slk:$349 at amazon;” class=”rapid-with-clickid peer clear-right box-border block w-full min-w-60 rounded-(40px) px-7 text-center hover:no-underline hover:opacity-100 active:opacity-60 @xl/p:w-9/12 commerce-cta-btn-primary bg-inkwell py-3 font-semibold leading-5 text-white hover:bg-charcoal hover:text-grey-hair active:bg-charcoal active:text-grey-hair peer-(&):mt-3 dark:bg-white dark:text-batcave dark:hover:bg-bob dark:focus:bg-bob dark:active:bg-bob” href=”https://shopping.yahoo.com/rdlw?merchantId=66ea567a-c987-4c2e-a2ff-02904efde6ea&itemId=amazon_B0DBQTC2P7&siteId=us-engadget&pageId=pnr-product-module&providerId=amazon&featureId=dynamic-offer&itemName=DJI+Osmo+Action+5+Pro&merchantName=amazon&itemSourceId=B0DBQTC2P7&brand=DJI&categoryId=155&price=349.0&salePrice=349.0&custData=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&signature=AQAAAWw_q73bemEGtKzBGrVOefSMxGuXq6e1R03DJsgv5SKS&contentUuid=a34f2156-3315-43ec-9b35-84765b835138″ rel=”noopener noreferrer nofollow” target=”_blank”>$349 at amazon
Our camera expert Steve Dent put DJI's new action camera to the test to see if the company did enough to catch up to the likes of GoPro. The short answer is yes, as the Osmo Action 5 Pro has the best battery life of any model in the category, along with good low-light performance, useful subject tracking, and built-in memory. Color quality and video sharpness could be better, but DJI has finally given the competition something to worry about with this model.
“It's one of the best action cameras I've ever used, with much better battery life than its rivals, a solid waterproof build, and full support for DJI's Mic 2,” Steve writes. “If low-light performance is key, head straight to DJI's Action 5 Pro.”
Google TV Streamer Review
by Amy Skorheim
Google/Engadget
While a couple of missing features make the price seem high, the Google TV Streamer is a great device that combines speed, a great user interface, and useful smart home control.
- The excellent interface is adept at organizing content from disparate streaming sources.
- Attractive set-top box design with a remote control that feels great
- Switch between apps and load content quickly
- The smart home control panel has a hub-like utility
- Double the price of its predecessor
- Lack of support for Wi-Fi 6 or 6E makes it less future-proof
- Required HDMI cable purchased separately
Another Google streaming device? Yeah! The Google TV Streamer isn't a perfect choice for your living room, but according to shopping advice reporter Amy Skorheim, there's a lot to like about this little device. Google doubled the price compared to the previous option, which is not a good thing, and the company did not include an HDMI cable or support for Wi-Fi 6 or 6E. However, once you dive in, the combination of a great user interface, attractive design, fast performance, and smart home compatibility make the TV Streamer a useful device.
“Yes, the extra RAM and storage are great, but there are some features (like Wi-Fi 6E support, true assistant capabilities, and incredible processor speeds) that Google could have included to make the $100 price tag unassailable.” , explains Amy. . “Google TV Streamer is responsive and fast, and has the best streaming interface out there with smart home features that are useful and well-integrated.”
Upcoming reviews: all Macs, Sonos Arc Ultra and PS5 Pro
Over the course of three days this week, Apple announced a new iMac, Mac mini, and MacBook Pro, all of which are powered by the company's M4 chips. The biggest design overhaul came in the Mac mini, which really lives up to its name now that it's a five-by-five-inch, two-inch-tall box that's not much bigger than an Apple TV 4K. Of course, the changes to the iMac and MacBook Pro warrant a new round of reviews, so we'll be putting all three machines through their paces in the coming weeks.
Sonos' follow-up to the Arc soundbar started shipping this week and I received our review unit to test it out. Dubbed Arc Ultra, this model should offer better bass performance from the soundbar itself, before connecting a standalone wireless subwoofer. It's the debut of the company's Sound Motion technology, which boosts that bass tone without the need for larger components inside the living room speaker. Look for my review on this unit next week.
Gamers have likely been anticipating a flood of PS5 Pro reviews, and ours is coming soon, with release day set for November 7. As our gaming guru Jessica Conditt shared in her preview last month, it's not a console you need, but one you need. I will definitely want it. Stay tuned for our detailed thoughts on how the combination of increased power and additional tricks factor into that $700 price tag.
