Reviews - Page 3

For many computer users, pairing a laptop with one or more external displays offers the ideal combination of portability and productivity. But if you're like me, you might miss that expansive screen real estate when you disconnect your displays and head out with just your laptop. That's where the Monduo 16-Inch Pro Duo comes in, offering a pair of 16-inch displays that fan out on either side of...

Aqara this week released the Presence Sensor FP2 – a brand new millimeter wave sensor that goes far beyond the capabilities of more conventional motion sensors to facilitate powerful automations, with support for Apple HomeKit. The sensor uses millimeter wave radar technology to detect human presence in a room with greater precision than traditional passive infrared sensors, allowing for...

The Aqara Video Doorbell G4 is the first HomeKit Secure Video smart doorbell that can operate via battery power alone, and comes as the first full-featured ‌HomeKit Secure Video‌ smart doorbell in many regions around the world. Beyond ‌HomeKit Secure Video‌, the Doorbell G4 offers a wide range of features and capabilities, including 1080p video recording, a 162-degree wide-angle lens, two-way...

With the ThunderBay 8, OWC expands its vast range of professional-grade Thunderbolt accessories, offering an ultra high-capacity storage solution with eight hot-swappable universal bays for 3.5- or 2.5-inch hard drives or SSDs. The ThunderBay 8 can serve as a high-performance personal data center with multiple configuration options to suit ever-growing storage requirements. It can...

With the launch of iOS 16.3 and macOS 13.2 Ventura, Apple added Security Keys for the Apple ID, offering a more robust way to protect your Apple account and everything associated with your Apple account. A Security Key is a physical device that works with two-factor authentication. Instead of using a code generated by a secondary Apple device for authentication, when you log into your Apple...

For many people, the iPhone serves as their main camera, and images captured with the device often live on smartphones, computers, and social networks. Printing photos for display requires additional hardware or the hassle of ordering online and waiting for pictures to arrive. Aura Frames aims to make your photos more accessible through digital picture frames, which connect to power and...

Back at CES 2022, Schlage introduced the Encode Plus deadbolt, the first smart lock in North America to support Apple's home key feature that lets you unlock your door via NFC just by using an iPhone or Apple Watch. The Encode Plus has been in very short supply since its launch, but I finally got a hold of one and have spent the past few months testing it out. I have some previous experience ...

Jackery is known for its range of battery options, from small single-device batteries to power stations that are designed for multi-day off-grid living. The 2023 Jackery Explorer 1500 Pro and accompanying SolarSaga 200W solar panel feature the company's latest technology, with an array of charging ports, quick solar charging, and a thoughtful design. It is a bundle that Jackery refers to as the...

Awhile back, I took at look at the new infotainment system being rolled out by Toyota and Lexus, spending some time with the Lexus version of the system in the 2022 NX. I've now had a chance to explore the Toyota version of the system optimized for a more heavy-duty vehicle in the form of the 2022 Tundra pickup. Like the Lexus NX, the Toyota Tundra comes with an optional 14-inch screen that...

Apple's second-generation HomePod will start arriving to customers and launch in stores this Friday. Ahead of time, the first reviews of the smart speaker have been shared by select media publications and YouTube channels. Priced at $299, the new HomePod features a virtually identical design as the full-size HomePod that Apple discontinued in March 2021, but with two fewer tweeters and...

Smart home company Eve in December began rolling out a firmware update that adds Matter support to the Eve Energy, Eve Motion, and Eve Door and Window. I have been testing the new Matter integration to see how the devices work with a standard HomeKit setup. I have the Eve Energy, Eve Motion, and Eve Door and Window accessories, all of which have been out for some time but have been updated...

Apple's new Mac mini models will start arriving to customers and launch in stores this Tuesday. Ahead of time, the first reviews of the desktop computer have been shared by select media publications and YouTube channels. The new Mac mini is available with new M2 and M2 Pro chip options. There are no major design changes, but the M2 Pro version of the Mac mini is equipped with four...

The new 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro models will start arriving to customers and launch in stores this Tuesday. Ahead of time, the first reviews of the laptops have been shared by select media publications and YouTube channels. Powered by Apple's latest M2 Pro and M2 Max chips, the new MacBook Pros offer up to 20% faster performance and up to 30% faster graphics. The laptops can be...

This year, the Philips Hue line added string lights for the first time, marking the debut of the only string light product able to integrate with the Philips Hue ecosystem. The Festavia string lights are priced at $160 and can be used for Christmas trees, holiday decorations, or year-round accent lighting. There is a single Festavia product at the current time, and the Festavia includes 250...

Though it's been more than two years since the launch of the iPhone 12 lineup with MagSafe technology, the first 15W ‌MagSafe‌ car charger just came out, with Belkin introducing it in early November. The Boost Charge Pro Wireless Car Charger with ‌MagSafe‌ is the first magnetic car charger able to charge ‌MagSafe‌ iPhones at up to 15W. There were prior in-car magnetic solutions for ‌MagSafe‌...

Created by smart lock maker Level, the Level Lock+ is the one of the first Home Key-compatible smart locks on the market, designed to unlock a door automatically when a Home Key-enabled iPhone or Apple Watch is held near it. The Level Lock+ replaces the prior-generation Level Lock, and it uses that same unassuming design. Many smart locks are immediately recognizable as smart locks, but the...

GRID Studio is known for creating unique wall art showcasing the history of iconic devices, ranging from the original iPhone to the original Game Boy. Each device is disassembled and the components are artistically displayed and labeled in a frame. The company recently sent me their iPod touch frame for review. The original iPod touch was the first Apple product that I ever owned, and led me ...

Last month, Apple began selling a new 3-in-1 Cube with MagSafe from Anker, which is a compact charging accessory capable of charging an iPhone, and Apple Watch, and AirPods simultaneously. I've spent the past couple of weeks testing it out, and it's quickly become my favorite multi-device charger. The Cube is Anker's first officially certified ‌MagSafe‌ product, which means it supports full...

Eve back in May came out with the Eve Outdoor Floodlight camera, one of the only floodlight-enabled HomeKit Secure Video cameras that are on the market. I have been testing the camera for several months now to get a feel for how it works and whether it's worth investing in. Part of the reason that this review has taken so long is because the Eve Camera has some installation caveats that...

The new Apple TV 4K will start arriving to customers and launch in stores on Friday, November 4. Ahead of time, the first reviews of the latest ‌Apple TV‌ have now been shared by select publications and YouTube channels. Key new features for the third-generation ‌Apple TV‌ 4K include the A15 Bionic chip, 4GB of memory, HDR10+ support, a USB-C charging port on the Siri Remote, and a slimmer,...