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Latest by John Velasco

Level Touch touching the lock

Level Touch review: Tap-to-go convenience

Unlocking the door can now be done simply by just tapping on the lock. You'll have that and many more options with the minimalist-looking Level Touch smart lock
Nest Audio speaker in a moody dark room.

Google Nest Audio review: Big muscles, strong results

After several years waiting for a successor, the Google Nest Audio is poised to make an impact as a powerful, room-filling speaker perfect for the smart home.
LG CordZero A9 Kompressor holding it in hand

LG CordZero A9 Kompressor Stick Vacuum Review: Always hungry, never bloated

When it comes to sucking up dirt and debris, the LG CordZero A9 Kompressor clearly has a huge appetite thanks to its large dustbin's ability to compress.
Netgear Arlo Pro 3

Arlo Pro 3 vs. Arlo Essential Spotlight

Arlo continues to add exceptional cameras to its portfolio. The Arlo Essential Spotlight is its latest one, but how does it stack up against the Arlo Pro 3?
Blink Indoor on table

Blink Indoor Security Camera review: Can’t handle the great indoors

Blink's Indoor camera takes its design from the company's many outdoor cameras, but does it translate over well to inside of the home for better peace of mind?
ring always home cam autonomous flying camera news specs price alway connect 2 of 3

Yup, Ring’s Always Home Cam flies itself to patrol inside your home

During today's Amazon event, Ring announced its upcoming Always Home Cam, an autonomous flying camera that will be used for home security.
Blink Outdoor

Blink Outdoor review: It’s nothing new

The Blink Outdoor Camera can last upwards of two years on battery power. It's very similar to its predecessor, but is there more to it than just that?
Instant Pod

Instant Pod Review: A simple way to start your morning

Whether it's coffee or espresso, there's no worry because the Instant Pod can brew both. You'll have the best of both worlds without spending a huge fortune.
Litter-Robot 3 Connect

The Litter-Robot 3 Connect saves time, but makes me miss my cats’ poops

Cleaning the litter box is a chore, but the Litter-Robot 3 Connect takes that hassle away. It's an asset for the smart home, but makes me miss my cats' poops.
Reolink E1 Zoom on table

Reolink E1 Zoom Review: Closer, but still off the mark

Articulating cameras that can cover a full 360-degrees aren't new, but the Reolink E1 Zoom is a rare breed with its integrated 3x optical zoom.
Controlling smart home with Apple Watch

WearOS is terrible at controlling your smart home. WatchOS does it better

Have you ever wondered what smartwatch does a better job at controlling the smart home? Well, I found out WatchOS is significantly ahead of Google's WearOS.
amazon echo alexa device bundle deals  2nd generation with smart plug 02

The vision of smart home is unrealistic unless it becomes more wire-free

Cables are annoying, but as the smart home continues to grow, it's only going to get worse and paints an unrealistic vision of what the smart home should look.
Oral-B iO Series 9 Smart Toothbrush held in hand

Oral-B iO Series 9 Smart Toothbrush review: Steep cost

Today's smart toothbrushes try to achieve a level beyond what electric toothbrushes have offer. The Oral-B iO Series 9 is looking to leapfrog everything else.
Sony A7S III closeup in hand

Sony A7S III hands-on: Confessions of a devout Panasonic user

Switching to a new system is extremely tough. With Micro Four Thirds holding on by a thread, full-frame cameras like the Sony A7S III can't be ignored.
level touch smart lock tap nfc new specs price

A tap of your finger or NFC card conveniently unlocks the Level Touch smart lock

The Level Touch takes the same fundamental design as the company's previous smart lock, but conveniently unlocks with NFC key cards or a tap of your finger.
honda smart home inside us dp6v4710

Upgrade to a smart home for under $100 with these 3 essentials

If you don't have a smart home yet, now's the time because it doesn't cost a lot. We'll guide you on how to build an essential smart home for less than $100.
Hum by Colgate Smart Toothbrush on ledge

Hum by Colgate Smart Toothbrush Review: Get paid to brush

Smart toothbrushes can track and tell you how to effectively brush your teeth, but Hum by Colgate aims to get you to brush more frequently with reward points.
Xiaomi SmartMi 2S angled view

In a power outage, I’d take this Xiaomi fan over a phone. Yes, really

Move over smartphone, battery banks, and other gadgets, the Xiaomi SmartMi 2S is more of a godsend than all of them, especially when you're without electricity.
Dyson Pure Humidify Cool hero shot.

Dyson Pure Humidify + Cool review: Convergence at its finest

The Dyson Pure Humidify + Cool replaces a fan, air purifier and humidifier, and works better than any of them individually.
Samsung Galaxy Note smartphones on chair

Skip the Samsung Galaxy Note 20 and wait for next year’s milestone model

While you may be tempted to buy the new Samsung Galaxy Note 20 smartphones, you should know that there might be something astounding waiting for us in 2021.
Wyze Cam Outdoor featured image

Wyze Cam Outdoor review: This security cam can take a hike

The Wyze Cam Outdoor is looking to tackle the great outdoors offering an impressive range of features that go beyond just being a traditional outdoor camera.
Eve Cam in kitchen

Eve Cam review: Performance holds back this HomeKit camera

More cameras are supporting Apple's HomeKit smart home platform. The Eve Cam is the latest, but does it have what it takes to be a standout in the space?
Amazon Echo Show

Want Alexa to start recording a TikTok clip? She’ll soon be able to do it

Amazon highlighted some new Alexa skills during its virtual developers conference that allow the smart assistant to do even more through natural conversation.
uv light sanitizer performance test 94128357 537119093643659 8054646096275701760 o

Skeptical about UV light sanitizers? We put one to the test

If you're paranoid about germs, UV light sanitizers have been touted to be effective. How well do they really work? We put one to the test to find out.
mirror at home gym experience with weight training

Lululemon’s purchase of Mirror proves home gyms are the future of fitness

The pandemic is changing the traditional gym. People are still afraid, so there's been an increase in adoption of home gyms, connected apps, and subscriptions.
Eufy Security Indoor Cam 2K on table

Eufy Security Indoor Cam 2K review: Clarity at a low cost

The $40 Eufy Security Indoor Cam 2K boasts everything you'll need to secure your home while you're away without costing you a whole lot of cash in the process.
google nest speaker image released news

What is this? Say hello to the new Google Nest speaker

Google didn't waste any time sharing a photo and short video showing off its upcoming Google Nest speaker. It comes after images were seen in a recent filing.
Google Nest Home FCC

Images of Google Home successor don’t show a convincing reason to upgrade

Images of what's potentially the Google Home speaker surfaced in a filing, indicating a stark design change. More importantly is that expectations are high.
LIFX Smart Bulb

The future of smart home lighting is big on sensors, slim on apps

The smart light bulb made it easier for us to control them, but they've been slow with innovations of late. The future does hold some promising possibilities.
iPhone on top of Amazon Echo Dot with Clock

A portless iPhone will be a major shake-up for the smart home

There have been rumors about Apple producing a portless iPhone, so that will in turn have a major impact on how we it's charged The smart home will be affected.
ufy Security Indoor Cam 2K.

Eufy Security Indoor Cam 2K Pan and Tilt review: Nowhere to hide

Instead of pointing your camera at one spot, you can still place the Eufy Indoor Cam 2K Pan & Tilt anywhere, and it'll yell at intruders when it detects them.
Apple HomeKit logo.

5 Best iOS 14 HomeKit features: Adaptive lighting, Live View in Apple TV, more

Apple recently introduced a slew of new features with its announcement of iOS 14, we round up the best five HomeKit features you can expect with the rollout
hacked smart appliances legitimate concerns feature panasonic microvawe  2 min

Should you worry about hacked smart home appliances?

As smart appliances continue to evolve, the potential for them to be hacked becomes greater. We spoke with a cybersecurity expert who sheds light on the risks.
Pixel 4 running Android 11 beta

Android 11 beta’s smart home controls are a fresh start, but need to stay simple

Google Assistant can be useful, but sometimes it fails to listen to commands. A quick-access menu for the smart home will be a great feature for Android 11.