Benchmark battle: Chrome vs. IE vs. Firefox

There's no doubt the latest crop of stable browsers from Google, Microsoft, and Mozilla are the best the companies have ever produced. But how do they perform when tested under identical conditions?

CNET put the latest stable versions of Firefox, Chrome, and Internet Explorer through a gauntlet of benchmarks that considered JavaScript and HTML5 performance, as well as boot times and memory usage. (Opera and Safari were not tested because they have not been updated recently, and neither has yet implemented hardware acceleration close to the level that the other three browsers have.) Note that these charts are at best a snapshot in time, and are dependent on the hardware being used and any extensions installed. The full charts are below, followed by analysis and an explanation of our methodology.

(Credit: Chart by Seth Rosenblatt/CNET)

(Credit: Chart by Seth Rosenblatt/CNET)

(Credit: Chart by Seth Rosenblatt/CNET)

(Credit: Chart by Seth Rosenblatt/CNET)

*JSGamebench was conducted by Facebook developers. The test was included because it's a publicly available test of real-world gameplay, though we opted to use Facebook's published data for simplicity's sake. The hardware acceleration using WebGL results were not included because only Firefox 4 and Chrome 11 were included in the test group, and Chrome 11 was not tested by CNET this round because it's still in beta.

(Credit: Chart by Seth Rosenblatt/CNET)

(Credit: Chart by Seth Rosenblatt/CNET)

	Chrome 10	Internet Explorer 9	Firefox 4
SunSpider 0.9.1 (ms)	336.20	250.60	292.37
Kraken (ms)	8,806.30	15,606.77	7265.13
V8 v6 (higher is better)	5,173.67	2,235.33	3540.33
JSGamebench 0.3* (higher is better)	322.00	1,156.00	1,482.00
Boot time (s)	26.22	21.86	17.80
Memory (kb)	390,532	205,616	148,020

Though the competition is extremely close in some cases--especially JavaScript rendering--Firefox 4 is strongly favored by HTML5 processing, boot time, and memory usage. Overall, I'd judge from these results that Firefox 4 is the winner this time around.

Chrome, however, is absolutely killing it on Google's V8 benchmark. Expect the next version of Chrome to perform much better on the JSGamebench test, once hardware acceleration has been fully enabled. You currently have to toggle a few switches in about:flags to get it all. Also expect Chrome's boot time and memory performance to improve--Google has said it plans to spend more time working on Chrome's memory hogginess in the coming versions.

Given the renewed resurgence in Internet Explorer, it's also hard to imagine that the IE development team isn't already working on making the browser better.

Also of interest is that the SunSpider results are extremely close. The gulf between 250 milliseconds and 290 milliseconds is just not going to be that detectable by the average person.

How we tested
Our test machine was a Lenovo T400, with an Intel Core 2 Duo T9400 chip running at 2.53GHz, with 3GB of RAM, using Windows 7 x86. We used four publicly available tests: WebKit SunSpider 0.9.1, Mozilla Kraken 1.0, Google V8 version 6, and JSGameBench 0.3. All tests except for JSGamebench were conducted using a "cold boot" of the browser, that is, both the computer and the browser being tested were restarted before each test. Each test was performed three times, and the results you see are the averages. Browsers had all extensions and add-ons deactivated for the tests.

We opened five Web sites for all tests, in addition to any test site. These were: talkingpointsmemo.com, aol.com, youtube.com, newyorktimes.com, giantbomb.com, cnettv.cnet.com.

The boot time benchmarks were conducted by manually starting a stopwatch when clicking on the browser's taskbar icon, and then hitting stop when the last tab's resolving indicator stopped rotating. One half-second was subtracted from Internet Explorer 9's pre-averaged times to account for the extra time it took to hit the Reload previous session link, since the browser doesn't support that feature the way Firefox 4 and Chrome 10 do.

The memory test was conducted by opening the aforementioned set of tabs and looking at Google Chrome's memory manager. You can access it by typing "about:memory" into the Chrome location bar. The figure we used is the Private Memory, which only totals memory used by the browser that's not shared by other processes. It's also useful because it tallies all of Chrome's open tab memory usage into one convenient number.

cnet.com

Moveable feast: iPad 2 or MacBook Air?

Here's a dilemma whose answer is potentially rife with geeky politics. Should I buy a 2010 MacBook Air or an iPad 2? Both offer a veritable mobile feast of form and function.

To set the stage, you want to make the move to the 11.6-inch, 2.3-pound MacBook Air (MBA), but you have a hankering for the spanking-new 1.3-pound iPad 2, as well. Because money doesn't grow on trees, you have to make a choice. Which ultraportable device will it be?

I would submit that it's not an easy choice. Of course, the iPad 2 is cheaper, but it's hamstrung by its very essence: a glorified smartphone. On the other hand, its finely tuned multitouch interface makes it great for media consumption, and it's instantly usable anywhere because of the built-in 3G and feathery weight.

Here are a few big-picture items to consider. For the record, I have both a MacBook Air and iPad and use both every day.

3G: In this respect, the MBA is not the iPad's equal. The iPad 2 is offered with both Verizon and AT&T 3G. But wait. Apple may be addressing this. A recent patent filing by Apple shows a MacBook with an interesting 3G antenna, akin to the MagSafe connection on MacBooks (see graphic below).

MacBook Air

(Credit: Apple)

iPad 2

(Credit: Apple)

Media consumption: The iPad 2 is, in many user scenarios, superior to the MBA for browsing and media consumption because of the multitouch interface. Moreover, all of that has gotten even better with the iPad 2 owing to, among other things, the dual-core processor and improved graphics silicon.

Productivity: The iPad is not designed to be a productivity tool and does not come with a full-blown Mac OS X or full-blown OS X applications.

I'll offer a few of salient examples. On the 11.6-inch MacBook Air with the full-blown OS X you can run handy little programs like Parallels, which lets you run Microsoft Windows. And, of course, you have the ability to run programs like Microsoft Office and Adobe Photoshop. (Yes, the larger MacBook Pros are more suitable for Photoshop). On the iPad, you have to settle for less-than-satisfying app store productivity substitutes.

A 3G/4G MacBook may be in the works. A patent granted to Apple appears to be a MagSafe-like antenna.

(Credit: Patently Apple)

Price: The final arbiter is often price (mixed with the allure the iPad 2 now has: it seems to be sold out everywhere and everyone seems to want one).

The least expensive MBA is $999, while the most expensive iPad 2 is only $829. And most consumers, of course, opt for the even cheaper 16GB iPad 3G for $629 or the Wi-Fi only version for $499.

On price alone, it's no contest for many people.

Verdict: The quick-and-dirty verdict... on my bang-for-the-buck index the MacBook Air wins. In short, it's the best of both worlds--about as close as a featherweight clamshell laptop can get to an iPad.

You get both productivity software and great browsing and media consumption all in one device. And, lest we forget, it's a lot faster than the iPad. Intel processors crush the iPad's silicon in any performance benchmark. And this will be even more compelling when Intel's newest Sandy Bridge processors are added to the Air.

Both are great devices, but it comes down to one being more versatile than the other without being a lot more expensive.

Google begins testing Google Music internally

Welcoming Google to the party: At the 2009 Vevo launch party, Google CEO Eric Schmidt (center) visited with Doug Morris (left), the then CEO of Universal Music, and Rolf Schmidt-Holtz, former CEO of Sony Music.

(Credit: Greg Sandoval/CNET)

Google has begun testing Google Music internally, a sign that the much anticipated service is nearly ready to launch.

Employees at the online behemoth have begun a process commonly referred to in Silicon Valley as dog-fooding, in which employees try out a new service or product, music industry sources told CNET.

Two weeks ago someone writing at the XDA Developers forum claimed to have accidentally discovered Google Music after installing the Honeycomb version of the Android operating system on a phone. Turns out, that was indeed a working version of the service, the music industry insiders said, adding, however, that the final version could be much different.

Google did not respond to an inquiry from CNET about Google Music.

Technologically speaking, then, Google Music--a streaming service users would access from Web-connected devices--appears close to being ready. However, the sources said the actual launch is being held up by the lack of one vital component. Music.

Google managers told counterparts at the top four record companies last year that they hoped everything would be in place for a launch by late 2010, sources said. More recently, Google tentatively planned to demonstrate the service earlier this month at the South by Southwest conference.

Negotiations with at least some of the top publishers and with the four largest record labels are ongoing, according to sources. The delays are largely due to the complexity of the subject matter. Google is after cloud music rights and not just for songs acquired from Google Music.

Related links
• Study: Streaming music use to explode in five years
• Sony's Qriocity aims to put Connect, iTunes behind
• 'Steve Jobs once nixed my music-subscription pitch'
• Spotify hits 1 million subscribers; U.S. still out

CNET and others have reported that Google is negotiating for the right to store users' existing music libraries on the company's servers, the sources said. According to a report in Bloomberg this month, the labels are in similar discussions with Apple about cloud music, or music stored on third-party servers rather than on one's personal computer or other device.

Licensing rights for digital lockers of this sort is largely uncharted territory for the labels. There are no templates for these kinds of deals lying around and the record companies want to move cautiously as they assess Apple's and Google's plans.

What's certain is the labels want Google to join the digital-music fray. The possibility that an iTunes competitor of Google's caliber will soon hit the scene has music industry executives giddy.

The past year, digital music has stagnated. All the sector's excitement and promise seemed to seep out starting two years ago when the second wave of iTunes challengers began to disappear.

Imeem, Lala, SpiralFrog, Ruckus, Project Playlist, MySpace Music, Zune--they followed AOL Music, Urge, and Yahoo Music into oblivion or irrelevancy. They all took their whacks at the fearsome combination of Apple's software, hardware, and music store, and all lost. It remains to be seen what will come of Sony's new Qriocity streaming-music service.

Against such a force as iTunes, it can't hurt to have a challenger come in that's of equal size. Google is one of the most powerful advertising companies of all time and has a history of providing consumers access to sought-after and cheap content. Unlike many past so-called iTunes killers, Google can also combine a digital-music service with popular hardware (Android-powered phones).

Let's also not forget that Google has already seen some success in digital music. YouTube's music videos, which are ad supported and free to viewers, have become a popular way to discover new songs.

It's anybody's guess as to when Google Music might finally launch. Unveiling it could make for a nice opening act for incoming CEO Larry Page, who takes over in April. Otherwise, I'm guessing we might see the service in May, at the company's I/O conference.

Apple patents glasses-less 3D projection

A diagram of how Apple's proposed 3D projection system would work.

(Credit: U.S. Patent and Trademark Office)

It's not that much of a surprise that Apple thinks watching 3D content with plastic glasses is dumb.

And the company that's all about sleek, cool, and simple has actually been granted a patent on a method of projecting a 3D image that can be perceived properly without glasses.

The system would work like this: each pixel would be projected onto a reflective, textured surface, which is then bounced into a viewer's left and right eye separately, producing the 3D, or stereoscopic, effect. it would sense the locations of both eyes of the each viewer, so multiple people could watch from a variety of angles.

The goal of the technology they've cooked up is "inexpensive auto-stereoscopic 3D displays that allow the observer complete and unencumbered freedom of movement," according to the patent application the Patent Office granted yesterday. In other words, 3D displays should have no need for special glasses, and viewers shouldn't be limited by viewing angle, or be forced to sit and not move in order to see the 3D effect.

Interestingly, the patent breaks down why they think current offerings for glasses-free 3D aren't good enough, including parallax barrier, volumetric, and hologram.

A parallax barrier display, which is what is used in some auto-stereoscopic phones and likely the Nintendo 3DS, uses one liquid crystal display layered under another. Each has tiny stripes that will hide certain pixels so that some are only visible to your left eye, while others will only be seen by your right eye. In that way, each eye gets its own image, producing the illusion of 3D without the need for glasses.

Toshiba and Sharp both have prototype glasses-less 3D TVs and expect to begin selling them in Japan by the end of the year. Toshiba's method is to use a fast, powerful processor to take a 2D image and simultaneously create nine images of it from nine different directions, in real time, and display it on a high-definition LED TV.

Apple says those aren't good enough because of the processing power needed for the hologram style of Toshiba and Sharp, and the limits on movement or more than one viewer with parallax. "A need still remains for highly effective, practical, efficient, uncomplicated, and inexpensive autostereoscopic 3D displays that allow the observer complete and unencumbered freedom of movement," the patent application reads.

Of course, like any patent, this doesn't mean we should expect an Apple-branded 3D projector anytime soon. The original patent was applied for in 2006, and these are the kinds of technologies that tech companies like to keep in their back pocket, just in case.

Intel smartphones are on the way--again

Intel is getting ready to make a long-belated entry into the smartphone market with a new-and-improved chip. But the usual questions linger.

A much-ballyhooed Intel-based phone from LG never materialized. Will one this time around?

(Credit: LG)

The most obvious ones are: Will it appear in a phone that is groundbreaking enough to entice buyers? And will this finally usher the world's largest chipmaker into one of the world's largest chip markets?

The answers are hard to come by--Intel is saying little about the chip, due later this year, or about customers at this point--though the trends are clear. Market researcher IDC said in February that vendors shipped about 101 million smartphones during the fourth quarter of 2010, surpassing, for the first time, the 92 million PCs shipped during the same period.

But Intel's reticence is understandable: it doesn't want to announce the chip without real phones in tow. Its current version of a chip slated for smartphones ("Moorestown") never found any top-tier takers in the phone industry, despite promises in 2009 that devices were in the works.

An LG phone that was preannounced two years ago never appeared. And Nokia's new alliance with Microsoft means a previously-announced Intel-centric partnership is not a priority. Those are mistakes Intel doesn't want to repeat--which may also have been contributing factors to this week's departure of the executive who headed up Intel's smartphone chip business.

"They understand the boy-who-cried-wolf reputation [they've incurred], so they are really trying to coordinate chip announcements and [phone maker] announcements so they'll be taken seriously," said Mike Feibus, principal analyst at TechKnowledge Strategies, a marketing research firm.

The description Intel currently provides of the chip is only about 30 words. "Medfield is Intel's smartphone chip manufactured on the company's leading-edge 32 [nanometer manufacturing] technology. It will deliver high performance and competitive low power."

That vague description could imply a lot, however. Though Intel has not yet succeeded in making the kind of ultra-power-efficient chips required for smartphones, the company is arguably the world's premier chip manufacturer and building a low-power but very powerful processor is certainly a feat it's capable of. Competitors like Nvidia--whose chips currently power high-end smartphones from LG and Motorola--and Qualcomm do not make their own silicon and must compete to get silicon from the same manufacturing source.

Important aspects of the silicon are the same, too. For example, the core of Nvidia's chip--based on a design from U.K.-based ARM--is essentially identical to ARM designs now being offered by rivals like Texas Instruments or Qualcomm.

While this provides standardization for Android phone makers, it provides little wiggle room for chip differentiation. That's not the case for Intel's chip, which uses a proprietary in-house design built with in-house manufacturing facilities.

"Moving the smartphone lineup to their leading-edge process plays a big role in making Medfield competitive," said Feibus.

But others have doubts about how serious Intel is about chip designs in this area and how willing it is to tap into the meat of its most cutting-edge manufacturing tech, which is allocated mostly to its much more lucrative laptop PC silicon--a market it comfortably dominates with little competition.

"In order to be competitive, Medfield should be 22 nanometer," said Linley Gwennap, principal analyst at chip consulting firm The Linley Group, referring to Intel's most advanced manufacturing tech, which is due later this year.

"Intel's going to be doing 22 nanometer PC products at the end of this year [but] they're not using their leading edge technology on the [Medfield] stuff," said Gwennap, who believes that Intel should abandon the standard practice of using lagging-edge technology for consumer silicon.

Another question is whether Intel will immediately crank out a dual-core processor--a specification that has become de rigeur for high-end smartphones from Motorola and is expected for upcoming Apple iPhones. "They're focusing on cutting power in this release (Medfield). So it's going to be hard for them to do anything that increases power," added Gwennap, who thinks it will be single core initially.

And Intel is still a long way from becoming a well-rounded phone chip supplier like Qualcomm, which supplies the entire gamut of phone chips, from the most pedestrian feature phones to the slickest smartphones and tablets. Though the wireless tech Intel acquired this year from Infineon should help it compete against cell phone chip stalwarts, it provides little more than parity.

Finally, let's not forget that Intel doesn't make the end product. Companies like LG--which is rumored to have a Medfield product in the works--do. And they are the final arbiters of the phone's design and interface, the two features that consumers key in on.

Medfield-based phones are expected midyear. Which means by the end of this year we should know whether Intel is in the running to be a major manufacturer of mobile phone chips or will remain for the foreseeable future what it has always been: PC processor supplier to the world.

Nintendo 3DS (Cosmo Black)

The good: The Nintendo 3DS provides an impressive 3D gaming experience without the need for special glasses. There's a 3D effect slider, it shoots and displays 3D photographs with its dual back-facing cameras, and it has a single front-facing camera. The 3DS comes preinstalled with a bevy of software and StreetPass and SpotPass services, and it comes with a drop and charge dock. The eShop, including GBA Virtual Console, Internet browsing functionality, DSiWare transferring, and Netflix support, is coming in May.

The bad: The launch lineup is lackluster, and the disappointing low-resolution lenses provide grainy photos. The 3D effect can cause headaches for some, and it can "snap out" due to sensitive viewing angles and games that encourage movement. The 3DS has a very short battery life, and most Internet functionality isn't activated at launch. It's also expensive and may not provide enough value and functionality for those looking for an all-in-one device.

The bottom line: Though it's a bit pricey, the Nintendo 3DS successfully offers a glasses-less 3D experience that needs to be seen to be believed. A weaker-than-usual launch lineup and some inactivated online features dampen its launch, but the future certainly looks bright.

The Nintendo DS and the many iterations that followed have combined to sell approximately 145 million units worldwide since the original debuted in 2004. There's no debating, the DS is the most successful portable console ever made and is neck and neck alongside the PlayStation 2 as the best-selling console overall.

With such an accomplishment achieved with the DS, Nintendo really had its work cut out when it came time for a successor. At E3 2010, the world found out just what Nintendo had up its sleeve with the introduction of the Nintendo 3DS. The company hailed the device as the first portable console to ever display a 3D image without the need for special glasses.

We've been getting a healthy amount of hands-on time with the 3DS since the start of 2011 and have put the system through its paces. It's certainly an impressive piece of hardware, and at times the 3D effect is simply dazzling. Though there are a few gripes we'll discuss, and a lackluster launch lineup, overall it does appear that the 3DS will be a worthy successor to the original DS franchise when it releases in North America on March 27.

It goes without saying that the portable gaming landscape has drastically shifted since the original DSes were released, with some serious competition coming from the iPhone, iPad, Android, and other mobile platforms--though we can't recall any Nintendo employee or PR representative ever muttering the word "Apple." While touch-screen gaming is certainly a different experience than conventional button-based applications, the public has embraced the former with open arms thanks to its practical and economical advantages.

With the 3DS, Nintendo is offering a $250 gaming-focused device that features limited functionality beyond just games, which may not be as easy a sale as it was, say, five years ago. It's becoming increasingly important to offer some sort of all-in-one solution, and while there are plenty of extras inside (and coming down the road), the 3DS won't be making phone calls anytime soon. That said, we still think there is a market for the unique, intimate, and noncasual experience that big-budget portable video games can offer players of all ages.

Any comparisons to the last DS generation in our review will be aimed at the DS Lite, primarily because the two are so similar in design. We'd be shocked if the 3DS didn't see its fair share of upgrades and redesigns, so we'll compare those models with their DS brethren when the time comes. Of course it's safe to say that someone coming from a DSi XL will certainly feel like the 3DS' screens are tiny, when in fact they're almost identical to the DS Lite's.

Features
The Nintendo 3DS packs in a hefty number of features in addition to its ability to play 3D games. It's Wi-Fi-capable and compatible with 802.11 b/g interfaces, backward-compatible with Nintendo DS games, and has dual back-facing and single front-facing cameras in addition to a microphone. It can take and view 3D photos as well as play 3D video. We should note, though, that older DS games don't play in 3D when used with the 3DS.

It's also the first Nintendo portable to sport an analog stick and feature both a gyroscope and a motion sensor.

Design
The Nintendo 3DS resembles the DS Lite in almost every way, save for a few details. It measures 0.83 inch high by 5.3 inches wide by 2.9 inches deep, and weighs in at about 8.28 ounces, which is nearly identical to the DS Lite's specs. Even the lower screens appear the same size, with both coming in at about 3 inches. The 3DS' top screen is wider than the DS Lite's and sports a 3.53-inch diagonal display with a resolution of 800x240 pixels (where 400 pixels are allocated to each eye for the 3D effect).

A closer look at the 3DS when open.

It's first available at launch in Cosmo Black or Aqua Blue, but we'd be surprised if more colors didn't pop up by year's end. The 3DS' encasing seems to shimmer a bit in direct light, and the plastic coating is quite shiny. On the front lid sit two 0.3-megapixel cameras that allow for 3D photography. We'd be lying if we said the cameras are acceptable in size. At this price point, we really think anything less than 2 megapixels is a letdown--especially considering these cameras are the same size as what the DSi and DSi XL offered.

When closed, on the right side is a Wi-Fi switch. On the left are a volume slider and SD card slot (which already houses an included 2GB SD card).

Along the right hinge is an LED notification light that acts as a messaging center. It'll blink when there's a new message or if any StreetPass or SpotPass activity has occurred. More on both of these features a bit later.

Around back are the left and right shoulder buttons, an IR infrared port, the game card slot, housing for the collapsible stylus, and the AC charging and docking port.

A rear view of the 3DS.

When opened up, the 3DS still resembles the DS Lite in many ways, so we'll just cover what's new. To the left of the lower touch screen is an analog nub that Nintendo dubs the circle pad. Below it is the conventional D-pad (directional pad). Underneath the touch screen is the new location for the Select, Home, and Start buttons. To their right is the power button, which, when pushed, allows you to put the 3DS to sleep or shut it down completely. The headphone jack, power, and charging LED indicators all lie along the bottom of the unit.

Side by side, the 3DS and DS Lite look almost identical.

Up top is the wide 5:3 3D screen and to its right is the 3D slider. Here, you have the option of adjusting the overall 3D effect or removing it altogether. Above the 3D top screen is the third 0.3-megapixel camera that faces the user; it cannot shoot in 3D.

We couldn't help but notice that when opened, the 3DS' top screen does wiggle a little bit, unlike the rock-solid design of the previous DS line. It doesn't really compromise gameplay or 3D at all, but we felt it was worth mentioning.

The 3DS has internal storage, but it appears that space is reserved for system applications. We were able to save photos internally, but games were always saved on the SD card. We're not too sure of exactly how much storage is in there, either, but Nintendo says that information will be made available soon.

A stacked view of both consoles.

The 3D technology
The 3DS uses autostereoscopic 3D technology, which means two separate images are being displayed on the top screen when the device is in 3D mode. There is a certain "handshaking" that our eyes need to do to lock in the 3D effect, and when it does the result is truly eye-popping.

Instead of popping out, the 3D image feels like it goes deeper into the screen. The best way we've been able to convey the effect is by referring to those old Magic Eye images that required some eye-crossing to get 3D objects to appear. Not to worry, there's no eye-crossing going on here, though some titles we played definitely took a few seconds of getting used to, especially with the 3D slider maxed out. On rare occasions the effect was actually overwhelming, which had us jumping for the slider.

Judging from the six games Nintendo included with our review unit, our hands-on time at various events, and the AR Games preloaded on the 3DS, we think each title will have varying "sweet spots" for 3D intensity and playing distance. Of course the choice is ultimately up to the user, but don't be surprised if each game requires its own 3D adjustment. Furthermore, we wouldn't be surprised to find gamers turning 3D off altogether when playing titles that don't seem to benefit from the effect. Out of the games we played, Madden Football seemed to have no business being in 3D, so we switched it off. The 3D won't give the player any real advantage in-game, it just enhances the experience.

The biggest question on everyone's mind has got to be whether the 3D mode makes the user dizzy or sick. In our experience we never felt nauseated, but that's not to say we didn't suffer an occasional headache from maxing out the 3D. Of course each player will have his or her own reaction to the system--so while an 8-year-old might have absolutely no negative side effects from playing, a 75-year-old might suffer a different fate (or vice versa). Regardless, any undesirable consequences can be eliminated by turning the 3D mode off.

Another drawback to using the 3D mode is that people can't watch you play (for instance over your shoulder). Sure, this isn't a deal breaker by any stretch, but it does eliminate the chance for more than one person to experience the illusion simultaneously.

That aside, it's also a bit too easy for the 3D effect to snap out of sync when playing alone. Because there seems to be such a sensitive viewing angle for 3D to work, we occasionally found ourselves falling out of range. This was demonstrated far too often with games that require a lot of button mashing--specifically Super Street Fighter IV: 3D Edition in our experience--and titles that require the movement of the actual unit itself. We definitely think the motion and gyro sensors are welcome additions, but occasionally bittersweet in practice.

While it's seemingly safe to use, Nintendo does not recommend having 3D turned on for users under the age of 7. There are also plenty of safety warnings littering the box, and instruction manuals about prolonged usage of the 3DS, with Nintendo recommending a 10-minute break for every 30 minutes played in 3D.

System software
The 3DS' system software resembles that of the last generation's, but we feel it's laid out much better this time around. Everything seems to be placed logically, and there's a nice amount of customization offered.

We really like that you can suspend a game or application by hitting the Home button. This will transport the player back to the Home screen at any time, where most settings are still accessible, including the ability to make game notes. If a player wants to switch games or apps, the suspended program must be closed.

The Home screen offers immediate access to a handful of features. The top of the screen provides one-click jumping to brightness settings, tile/channel layout, game notes, friends list, notifications, and the Web browser (which at this time is not available for use). An instruction manual is also available for select software, which will pop up in the lower-left-hand corner when applicable.

In terms of actual software, the 3DS comes preinstalled with the following:

• • AR Games: Six cards come packed inside the 3DS box for use with AR Games, the 3DS' augmented reality app. Using the outward-facing cameras, the 3DS can recognize these cards lying on a flat surface and then superimpose a minigame on screen. This is definitely one of the first games to show off to friends, as the wow factor here is really high. There's a decent amount of processing going on, so the frame rates aren't stellar, but nevertheless it's truly an impressive use of the hardware.

• • Nintendo 3DS Sound: Similar to the DS-branded sound app, this allows the user to create and record audio. It'll also play music (.mp3, .m4a, .3gp) that can be loaded onto an SD card.

• • Camera: Photos can be taken via the front- or back-facing cameras, though 3D photography can only be done with the dual back-facing cameras. Gone are the camera effects from the DSi, but new 3D ones are available. The 3D photo taking is a lot of fun and works well, though the low-resolution lenses have trouble in low-light situations (even with the low-light filter on). Photos are almost always too grainy and really feel behind the times.

• • MiiMaker: Similar to the Wii's Mii interface, MiiMaker allows you to create avatars for use with various software and games. Miis can be made from scratch or with the help of a photograph. In our testing, the photo-to-Mii creation was surprisingly accurate. A Mii can also be given a QR icon for other 3DS consoles to snap a photo and import the Mii directly onto the system.

• • Mii Plaza: Using the StreetPass feature, users have the option to "invite" other Miis residing on 3DS consoles that are in close physical range. Miis will automatically transfer over and live in the Mii Plaza.

• • Download Play: Featured in the last generation of the DS, Download Play allows for game sharing with other local consoles. This feature is also backward-compatible with older Nintendo DS consoles. Each game has its own varying level of Download Play compatibility.

• • Face Raiders: Another preinstalled game, Face Raiders is a minigame that superimposes a photograph taken at the start of a session and has the user shoot enemies that sport his or her own face. This also has augmented-reality elements and requires the player to physically turn 360 degrees to look for flying enemies and objects.

• • Activity Log: Essentially the 3DS' diary, the Activity Log records various statistics such as how many games have been played, how long they've been played, and even the number of steps a user has taken in a given day using a pedometer feature. Play Coins are rewarded for every 100 steps taken, which can then be cashed in for in-game items, Mii Plaza perks, AR Games, and more.

Online
Other than Internet play, most of the 3DS' online functionality has not been activated yet. Nintendo says these features will be activated in future software updates. This is a shame because we really wanted to try out the Virtual Console that Nintendo has told us will feature Game Boy games, Game Boy Color games, classic titles remade in 3D, and more. Instead of Nintendo Points, players will be able to pay directly for items in the eShop when it launches in May. Apps other than games and demos will be available, including support for Netflix. Since the 3DS also can play 3D video, we'd imagine some sort of marketplace offering content from various networks and studios as well.

Setting up an Internet connection is much less painless on the 3DS than on past DS units. The 3DS is compatible with 802.11 b and g interfaces on the 2.4GHz band. We easily searched for access points, entered our password, and connected in under a minute. Multiple SSIDs can be saved on the 3DS, and the console will switch connections when they are in range.

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