Abroad, refinery crude-input volume ticked down 61, 000 barrels per day to 857 million barrels.

FORBES: Chevron's Production And Refining Down While Brazil Authorizes Ultra-Deepwater Drilling Again

In the U.S., refinery crude-input volume fell 145, 000 barrels per day to 557 million barrels per day on maintenance activity at its Pascagoula, Mississippi refinery.

FORBES: Chevron's Production And Refining Down While Brazil Authorizes Ultra-Deepwater Drilling Again

Nintendo's Wii U tablet controller thankfully streamlines that process in a small, but tremendously meaningful way: during initial console setup, you're prompted to sync your television and the tablet controller, allowing the tablet itself to control the TV's power, volume, channels, and input directly.

ENGADGET: Nintendo's Wii U tablet controller and the death of your TV's remote control

The Z-Base systems can be programmed to respond to most remote controls, so a TV remote...or cable box remote...or satellite receiver remote...can control volume, mute, power and input functions.

ENGADGET: ZVOX intros three new Z-Base models, lowers the pricing soundbar

The system also features a NiMH rechargeable battery, offering ten hours of music play time (at medium volume), a 3.5mm stereo input for wired devices, and includes a carrying pouch for safekeeping on the go.

ENGADGET: Acoustic Research's $120 ARS60 Bluetooth speakers seem oddly familiar

The wireless remote can answer, decline and end calls from a distance, change input selection, or navigate tracks as well as adjust the volume.

ENGADGET: Edifier's iF335 Bluetooth speaker pumps up the volume for $99