Ted Kritsonis

DJI unveiled a new drone called the Mavic Pro that continues a recent trend toward smaller sizes and lighter weight in the overall category. Compact and foldable, the drone slims down to about the size of a water bottle, and comes bundled with a new controller and a headset to see all the action in first-person view.

GoPro announced a new lineup of devices, including a drone, and a couple new cameras. People have long been capturing amazing aerial footage by mounting GoPro cameras to drones, so it seems logical that GoPro, who already make a wide variety of mounts to accompany their cameras, would venture into the drone space with a model of their own. People have also been using GoPro cameras underwater for many years. Until now that has necessitated enclosing the camera in a waterproof shield of some kind. GoPro's new waterproof cameras will make capturing footage in or near the water much more convenient.

When it comes to big phones, or “phablets” as some still term them, Samsung’s Note line was the catalyst four years ago. The Galaxy Note7 is a culmination in two strides that borrows from other Samsung devices, yet manages to look different enough to stand out. The result is one of the best all-around handsets to come to market this year.

Samsung doesn’t give up easily, it seems. The company has repeatedly tried and tried again to create a winner in the wearables category, only to achieve mixed results. The Gear Fit2 isn’t a smartwatch, but rather a fitness band that can sort of act like a smartwatch because of its large screen and litany of features.

Samsung has released a few new products today, and among them is the Gear 360, a standalone camera that can shoot photos and video in 360-degrees. This device, with its spherical form factor, has two lenses that capture 180-degrees on each side, with software stitching them together for a full image.

Large enough to enjoy any type of content, yet portable enough to move around the house, the Samsung Galaxy View is all about size and convenience.

 Tablets are computers, but they aren’t necessarily the same as full-fledged laptops or desktops that offer the full breadth in hardware and software. That paradigm is slowly shifting, now that some tablets are being designed as full-on laptop replacements capable of creating content in much the same way. There are five tablets that do stand out in that regard, with promising abilities to help boost productivity, while shedding weight.  

 The concept of a laptop has shifted in the last five years to include a greater variety of models and form factors that can alter or expand usability. The Asus ZenBook UX360 is a hybrid PC that can act as a tablet when fully flipped over a full 360-degrees. How it does that isn’t new, but the combination of design, performance and affordability might be just the right mix to be appealing to anyone looking for something like this.

 How useful is a tablet when it comes to getting things done on campus? That may depend on what your needs are, but as tablet utility and functionality continues to grow and improve, a case can be made that having the right one can be vital to your overall productivity at school. The question is: are you in need of a laptop replacement or a situational substitute?  

 If a router could be designated as a tank, the Linksys AC5400 might be it. While already large in physical stature, it’s the power under the hood that makes this unit as robust as it is, even if a good deal of what’s in there can’t be utilized by most devices yet. In many ways, this is a router that is built more for the next year or two than it is for the here and now, and if that appeals to you, the AC5400 is worth a look.