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- Jun 04, 2021
- Which PC cases are the best? | Ask an expert
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Q: If you had to choose your favorite case right now, what would it be? And are there any overhyped ones I should avoid?A: Assuming only one choice is permitted for this answer, I’ll pick a case that has strong, well-rounded appeal—the Corsair 4000D Airflow. This mid-tower has most everything today’s builders expect: a sleek minimalist look, good airflow, affordable price, and enough room to fit ATX motherboards. It also earns extra kudos for its swappable front panels, which allow you to change the style of the case and cost just $10 or less (plus shipping). If you start with the Airflow model and find that you prefer the quiet of a solid panel (or the look of a glass panel), you can make that swap with little fuss and additional cash outlay.To read this article in full, please click here
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- Oct 27, 2020
- How UL's Wild Life benchmark invites misleading PC vs. iPhone comparisons
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Now that Apple has announced a new iPhone, and the company is apparently planning to show off its Arm-based MacBooks mid-November, you can expect to see these clickbait headlines soon:“iPhone 12 is faster than Intel-based MacBook.”“Newest iPhone faster than fastest Windows ultrabook.”“Arm-based MacBook twice as fast as x86-MacBook”Of course, phone and laptop performance matter—but context matters, too. That’s why it’s important to understand how UL Futuremark’s new 3DMark Wild Life Benchmark works. Touted as cross-platform test, Wild Life can be run on Android, iOS and Windows. You can download it now to run on your phone or tablet for free. Windows users who have the Advanced Edition will get it as a free update from UL, Steam or the Green Man Gaming store.To read this article in full, please click here
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- Oct 06, 2020
- Acer Aspire 5 review: Intel's Ice Lake CPUs come to the budget Aspire line
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Another winner in a long line of budget-priced workhorses, the latest version of the Acer Aspire 5 graduates to Intel’s Ice Lake CPU and packs in enough power to tackle daily computing tasks with ease. This new Aspire 5 model does come saddled with a few compromises, including a cramped storage drive and so-so battery life, but its solid multi-core performance and impressive array of ports make up for those shortcomings, particularly once you consider its affordable price (currently $550 on Amazon).Configuration
Last year, we saw versions of the Aspire 5 in various dual- and quad-core configurations of Intel’s Core Whiskey Lake CPUs and AMD Ryzen 3000 series chips. Now, in the second half of 2020, the Aspire 5 is moving to 10th-generation Intel processors and AMD Ryzen Series 4000 CPUs, with configurations ranging from quad-core (Intel) all the way to octo-core (AMD). Sticker prices for the Aspire 5 line remain decidedly wallet-friendly, ranging from $400 from a dual-core Intel Core i3-1005G1 model to $850 for a quad-core i7-10510U system with discrete Nvidia GeForce MX250 graphics.To read this article in full, please click here
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- Oct 06, 2020
- How to upgrade from Office 2010 to Office 365
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As Microsoft prepares to end support for Office 2010 on October 13, upgrading to Office 365 is one of your primary options.We know that switching from owning software outright to paying a subscription is a big change that many people dread. You can actually still buy Office 2019 as a standalone product if you want to stick to tradition.The subscription model has its upsides, though. You don’t have to fiddle with downloads, discs, or product keys. You get constant updates, including bug fixes, security patches, and new features. Microsoft’s subscriptions also offer flexibility on how many users and machines can access a product, so you don’t have to juggle a bunch of different copies of the same software. To read this article in full, please click here
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- Sep 10, 2020
- Zoho debuts Workplace, a unified cloud workspace for its office apps
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Zoho on Thursday introduced Zoho Workplace, a cloud-first suite of nine office productivity tools that are more tightly integrated than ever before. Zoho Workplace ties nine of Zoho’s existing productivity apps into a web-based UI. It’s reminiscent of the sort of app ribbon that unites some of Microsoft’s Office products, such as Outlook, or the icon menu that you can click while working in Google Docs, for example. Zoho
Zoho’s Workplace dashboard.To read this article in full, please click here
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- Sep 04, 2017
- IVPN review: A small VPN worth a look for U.S. and UK connections
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IVPN in brief:P2P allowed: Yes (company asks users not to use U.S. servers)Business location: GibraltarNumber of servers: 36Number of country locations: 13Cost: $100 per yearWhen it comes down to it, there are really two kinds of VPNs: those that promise an unbelievable number of country connections and those that don’t. This review is looking at a service of the latter type. IVPN is a small service officially based in Gibraltar that offers what you need in a VPN, including the right privacy promises, excellent speeds in at least some regions, and an easy-to-use Windows app. The company’s mobile support for Android could use a little more work, but no service is perfect.To read this article in full or to leave a comment, please click here
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- Aug 31, 2017
- Observer review: A thrilling cyberpunk detective story with a psychedelic twist
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Observer is not a horror game. Sure, it’s billed as one, and within the narrow confines of video game tradition I guess it’s the most fitting label—there are a few tense chases, some disturbing imagery, the oppressive atmosphere you might expect.But as Frictional learned with the spectacular Soma, the horror label comes with certain expectations—and like Soma, Bloober’s Observer ($30 on Amazon) is not worried about catering to those limitations.To read this article in full or to leave a comment, please click here
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- Aug 29, 2017
- AMD Radeon RX Vega review: Vega 56, Vega 64, and liquid-cooled Vega 64 tested
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After months of teases and delays, the wait for Vega is finally over. First, AMD launched its flagship Radeon RX 64 lineup: the $499 Radeon RX Vega 64 and the $699 liquid-cooled Radeon RX Vega 64, which is only available as part of a convoluted “Radeon Aqua Pack” bundle. (Update: After the initial wave of availability, virtually all available air-cooled Radeon RX Vega 64 cards are only available in $599 Radeon Packs as well.) Then on August 28, the $399 Radeon RX Vega 56 hit the streets. And for the first time in a long time—over a year, in fact—the Red Team is fielding high-end graphics cards capable of challenging Nvidia’s enthusiast-class hardware.To read this article in full or to leave a comment, please click here
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- Aug 26, 2017
- 8bitdo NES30 Pro review: A versatile controller with a retro Nintendo feel
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Sure, many PC gamers swear by their mouse and keyboard, but sometimes you just need a controller. In a world of dominated by Xbox One and PlayStation 4 controllers, 8bitdo has stepped into the foray with the NES30 Pro ($43 on Amazon). It’s a marriage of contemporary functionality and classic design, at a fraction of the size of most modern controllers.To read this article in full or to leave a comment, please click here
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- Aug 26, 2017
- 8bitdo SNES30 review: A lovingly crafted Super Nintendo-style controller for retro gaming
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Emulating classic games on your PC has never been easier, but finding a perfect retro controller to play those games with has been a different story. Enter 8bitdo’s SNES30 ($35 on Amazon), a Super Nintendo Entertainment System-style controller for the modern times. And by “SNES-style” I mean “mirror image.”To read this article in full or to leave a comment, please click here
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- Aug 24, 2017
- Samsung Connect Home: This router/smart-home hub combo isn’t a star in either role
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A smart-home system has components distributed all over the house, controlled by a hub that’s connected to the internet via a router. That arrangement enables you to control the system from anywhere you have broadband access. So Samsung’s decision to meld a smart home hub with a mesh Wi-Fi router is a no brainer. But melding is always tricky. You might get something delicious, like a Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup. Or you might end up with a disappointment, like the 1962 Amphicar, a car/boat that didn’t excel as either. The Connect Home isn’t a bad product, but it’s much closer to the floating car than the sweet confection.To read this article in full or to leave a comment, please click here
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- Aug 24, 2017
- Thinkware Dash Cam F800 review: Super night vision and app control
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Thinkware’s $300 Dash Cam F800 is the company’s latest high-end, dual-channel dash cam offering, and offers easily the best night video we’ve seen. If the author of a recent email to us on the importance of after-dark captures is reading—this is your camera.Like the F770 we previously reviewed, the F800 relies on a Wi-Fi connection with your cell phone for visuals and settings. If you’re accustomed to having a display, this can take some getting used to, but it’s certainly a less distracting arrangement while driving. Voice feedback and alert sounds fill the gap.To read this article in full or to leave a comment, please click here
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- Aug 23, 2017
- HyperX Pulsefire FPS mouse review: Popular design meets popular sensor
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It’s still a bit foreign to think of HyperX as more than a headset brand, but we took a look at its debut keyboard earlier this year (and liked it!) and now it’s time to go in-depth on its debut mouse—the HyperX Pulsefire FPS (available for $50 on Amazon).To read this article in full or to leave a comment, please click here
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- Aug 19, 2017
- Elgato Stream Deck review: A streamer's best friend
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Pro-grade equipment at a bargain price. That’s the reputation Elgato earned as first YouTube videos and then Twitch streaming took over video games. Straddling a line between hobbyist and professional-grade—a line that’s hard to walk competently, I might add—Elgato’s capture cards have become a mainstay of streamers at all levels.The Stream Deck, Elgato’s latest piece of hardware, is something altogether different: A video switcher (or mixer), not a capture card. But aside from some early-days software issues, it’s poised to be just as important a piece of kit for a certain tier of creatives.Power at your fingertips
Video switchers are a fairly standard (and boring) part of multi-camera broadcasts. If you’ve ever watched a sporting event or another live broadcast, chances are a switcher was employed—it allows a producer to switch between multiple camera feeds on the fly, rather than sticking a camera on a tripod and calling it a day. Usually it’s a big gray rectangle full of dials, levers, and color-coded buttons.To read this article in full or to leave a comment, please click here
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- Aug 19, 2017
- Aukey 30000 PowerBank with Power Delivery review: A respectable upgrade
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Note: The following is part of our roundup of USB-C battery packs. Go there for details on how we tested this device.The Aukey 30000 Power Bank was last year’s top pick, despite a couple of flaws. Its price point, combined with Quick Charge (QC) 3.0 and a handy flashlight (as gimmicky as it may sound) were enough to propel it to the top.The current model (available for $80 on Amazon) adds Power Delivery (PD) charging, extending its compatibility to more devices, such as a MacBooks.To read this article in full or to leave a comment, please click here
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- Aug 19, 2017
- RAVPower 20100 review: USB-C and QC 3.0 together
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Note: The following is part of our roundup of USB-C battery packs. Go there for details on how we tested this device.Priced at just under $50, the RAVPower 20100 battery pack isn’t a bad deal. It has Quick Charge (QC) 3.0 tech inside, and a lone USB-C port can charge a phone or MacBook, or accept a charge itself.To read this article in full or to leave a comment, please click here
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- Aug 19, 2017
- Samsung Fast Charge Portable Battery Pack 5100 review: Slim, portable, and full of energy
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Note: The following is part of our roundup of USB-C battery packs. Go there for details on how we tested this device.Samsung may have earned the honor of being at the end of random battery jokes, and suggesting a battery pack from Samsung may seem unlikely. But just put the Note 7 debacle in a box—keep it there, just in case something else bad happens.Now, look at the Fast Charge Portable Battery Pack 5100. This $59 pack has a 5100 mAh (19.38Wh) capacity, is slightly thicker than a Galaxy S8, and is easy on the eyes.A carrying loop sticks out of the top, with a power button and a USB-C port for charging the pack found on one side. On the other side you’ll find a USB-A port, used to charge your phone.To read this article in full or to leave a comment, please click here
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- Aug 19, 2017
- Anker PowerCore+ 26800 PD review: Everything you want in a battery pack
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Note: The following is part of our roundup of USB-C battery packs. Go there for details on how we tested this device.Let’s get this out of the way: The Anker PowerCore+ 28600 is expensive; it’s currently listed at $110 on Amazon. Ouch.To read this article in full or to leave a comment, please click here
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- Aug 17, 2017
- Samsung T5 review: USB 3.1 Gen 2 makes the best SSD even better
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We’ve been fans of Samsung’s super-svelte T series USB SSDs since their introduction in the form of the T1. They’re small, light, silent, nearly indestructible, attractively styled—and the T1’s 300MBps performance over USB was a kick in the pants when we first experienced it.The follow-on T3 added a Type-C connector and Gen 1 USB 3.1, but overall performance was only a marginally better. With the T5, the company has gone state-of-the-art with 10Gbps USB 3.1 Gen 2, and the performance increase is now noticeable. Very noticeable. We like it.To read this article in full or to leave a comment, please click here
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- Aug 17, 2017
- Acer Aspire E 15 (E5-575-33BM) review: This low-cost laptop provides incredible value
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Anyone who’s researched sub-$500 laptops in recent months will know the Acer Aspire E 15. For a while now, the E5-575-33BM model has maintained its status as a best-selling laptop on Amazon. In fact, it’s often been the top seller.Looking at specs, it’s easy to see why this cheaper version of the Aspire E 15 is so popular. For just $350, you get a Core i3 processor, a 15.6-inch display with a resolution of 1920x1080, a 1TB storage drive, and Windows 10. Typically 15-inch laptops in the $300 range only offer 1366x768 screens.To read this article in full or to leave a comment, please click here
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- Aug 16, 2017
- Zenfone AR review: A better phone for Tango AR but far from perfect
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The Asus Zenfone AR is a study in contrasts. On one hand, it has last year’s Snapdragon 821 processor... but it also packs up to 8GB of RAM. It has three rear cameras... but only one is used for taking photos. And while the Zenfone AR is on the bleeding edge of Google’s Tango AR and Daydream VR ambitions, it doesn’t have common premium features such as wireless charging and water resistance. Chris Hebert/IDG
Don’t be fooled by the design—there’s an array of tech inside.To read this article in full or to leave a comment, please click here
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- Aug 16, 2017
- SteelSeries Rival 500 mouse review: Innovative design we hope to see more of
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What’s all this under my thumb? That’s the first thought I had when using the SteelSeries Rival 500 mouse (available for $80 on Amazon), and most likely the first thought anyone would have with this device—there’s a lot to take in. But is a unique and intuitive layout under the thumb enough to make up for the Rival 500’s shortcomings? Or is it just one standout feature that’ll hopefully carry forward into other, better mice in the future?To read this article in full or to leave a comment, please click here
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- Aug 16, 2017
- Windows 10 S review: Microsoft's OS for students is hard to love
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Microsoft’s Windows 10 S is what happens when a once-easygoing operating system has kids and turns into a helicopter parent. Windows 10 S, a locked-down version of Windows 10 found on the Surface Laptop and a small group of low-cost, third-party notebooks, keeps students safe and secure by restricting them to the Windows Store. But as our review shows, the lack of freedom chafes.Locking your PC away from the big, bad, outside world makes sense when your children are going off to high school or college, Microsoft thinks. But even the most dutiful parent will wonder why their child can’t use Chrome to beam YouTube videos to a Chromecast, print on some local printers, or protect their PC with anything other than Windows Defender. There’s always an escape hatch: a simple upgrade to Windows 10 Pro. But otherwise, Windows 10 S can be an exercise in frustration.To read this article in full or to leave a comment, please click here
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- Aug 12, 2017
- Ryzen Threadripper review: AMD's monster 1950X stomps on other CPUs
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AMD’s 16-core, 32-thread Ryzen Threadripper 1950X ($999 on Amazon) is an angry Godzilla stomping his way through downtown Tokyo. Those puny 8-core, 6-core, and 4-core CPUs? They’re just tanks and army trucks to be punted across the city. Yes, it’s that good.To read this article in full or to leave a comment, please click here
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- Aug 11, 2017
- Ryzen Threadripper review
- Here's what you need to know about what is arguably the most powerful consumer CPU ever unleashed upon mankind.
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- Aug 11, 2017
- Best soundbars
- Find the best soundbar for music and movies and that's the perfect fit for your budget.
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- Aug 09, 2017
- Alienware 17 R4 review: Worth its weight in performance
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If there’s any gaming laptop as recognizable year-to-year as Razer’s Blade line, it’s probably Alienware’s. Following a redesign a few years back, the humbly named Alienware 17 has stayed pretty much the same ever since, at least on the outside.And you know what that means: Time to hit the gym if you want to do anything with this laptop besides set it on a desk and forget about it.The build: Bigfoot
The Alienware 17 R4 (currently priced at $2,549 on Amazon) is still so big. Just staggeringly huge. With so many following Razer’s lead and slimming down to actual laptop size as opposed to so-called “desktop replacements” proportions, I keep expecting Alienware to do the same.To read this article in full or to leave a comment, please click here
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- Aug 05, 2017
- Best smart lock
- Keys are yesterday’s tech, your smart home needs a smart lock.
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- Aug 04, 2017
- Best cheap laptops: We rate the best-sellers on Amazon and Best Buy
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Ever get that text message out of the blue? You know: “Hey, I’m at Best Buy right now. What do you think of this Acer laptop versus this Dell laptop? One says it has four cores, while the other has 8GB of RAM. Help!”Yes, it’s that time of the year when friends and family hit you up for computer-buying advice. Their kids are going off to college, and they need your all-knowing tech help right now. Because with great computer knowledge comes great responsibility, I always wade into the specs, and provide quick-take buying recommendations based on what I can discern from the configurations and prices.So, in the spirit of offering you the same expert advice I’d give to my nearest and dearest, I’ve combed through the best-selling budget laptop lists from both Amazon and Best Buy, and weighed the pros and cons. Both lists change quite rapidly, so I’m basing this on a snapshot in time—namely, the best-selling laptops on the morning of July 21, 2017.To read this article in full or to leave a comment, please click here
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- Aug 03, 2017
- TerraMaster D2-310 USB RAID enclosure: Rugged chassis and a solid performer
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TerraMaster's D2-310 RAID enclosure is a two-bay, USB 3.1 Gen 2 (10Gbps) box that’s extremely similar in appearance to the company's fast F2-220 NAS. In fact, it’s pretty much the same box with a different backplate and logic board. As direct-attached, USB storage options go, this one is rugged and pretty fast, though still with some shortcomings.Design and specs
Like its F2-220 cousin, silvery D2-310 is built like a brick outhouse, with real metal and a wide stance, making it difficult to knock over. That’s important when you have two rapidly spinning, rather fragile 3.5-inch hard drives inside. It’s also capable of housing 2.5-inch drives. Drives are installed and swapped using sliding trays, but there are no locks on the bay doors—the D2-310 isn’t for theft-prone areas.To read this article in full or to leave a comment, please click here
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- Aug 01, 2017
- HideIPVPN review: Great if you need a speedy connection via Germany
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HideIPVPN in brief:P2P allowed: Netherlands and Germany servers onlyBusiness location: USA and MoldovaNumber of servers: 28Number of country locations: 8Cost: $70 (billed annually)Picking a VPN is a tricky business since you don’t really know what you’re going to get until you buy. That’s why some services offer free trials. HideIPVPN is one such company that offers a 24-hour free trial with full access to its entire service.After digging into HideIPVPN, what I found was an average VPN service that lacked good speeds, with the exception of Germany. It does, however, offer an interface that may appeal to some users, but that’s not quite enough to recommend it.To read this article in full or to leave a comment, please click here
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- Jul 29, 2017
- Logitech G533 review: An excellent wireless headset that's both attractive and affordable
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The G533 makes an interesting counterpoint to its predecessors. Pull up pictures of 2016’s G633 and G933 headset, the heirs apparent to Logitech’s old G930—bulky air-traffic-controller silhouette, coffin-shaped earcups, RGB lighting, edgy accent decorations. The video game aesthetic. Take all of that and throw it out.What are you left with? Probably something that looks like Logitech’s new G533.Design: Professional courtesy
Okay, maybe keep the air-traffic-controller silhouette—the G533 is a bit slimmer than its older siblings but not by much.To read this article in full or to leave a comment, please click here
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- Jul 26, 2017
- Xbox One S review: A great Ultra HD Blu-ray player for gamers
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This review doesn’t touch the gaming side of the Xbox One S. If that’s what interests you, this review discusses some of that. We used use the same 2TB model for this evaluation, but the less-expensive 500GB model will do just as well if you plan to use the machine as an Ultra HD Blu-ray player, media renderer, and 4K video streamer. Microsoft
Updates that enable the Xbox One S to send Ultra HD Blu-ray’s high-definition audio bitstreams (Dolby TrueHD, DTS HD Master Audio, and Dolby Atmos) over HDMI to higher-end A/V receivers render it an incredible bargain, especially if you also enjoy playing video games. You'll have to jump through a few hoops--including installing Microsoft's Blu-ray player app--and you'll need to figure out how to use the Xbox One controller to play Blu-ray discs (this support article on Microsoft's help site tells you how), but those are one-time obstacles. To read this article in full or to leave a comment, please click here
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- Jul 26, 2017
- Chuwi Hi13 review: A $500 Surface Book clone that skimps too much
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The Chuwi Hi13 2-in-1 tablet aspires to be a poor man’s Surface Book, with a price tag a mere fraction of Microsoft’s own. But as our Hi13 review demonstrates, it falls short in terms of performance, battery life, and even construction.It must be said that the Hi13 performs basic computing tasks adequately: office work, web browsing, 4K video playback, and even (very) light gaming. For $400 (plus an additional $65 for the almost-obligatory keyboard base, and $35 for an optional stylus) Chuwi tries to deliver a ruggedized version of the Surface Book—there’s even a virtually identical 3,000x2,000 display. Our opinion, though, is that Chuwi would have been better off spending a tad less on the display and investing more heavily elsewhere.To read this article in full or to leave a comment, please click here
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- Jul 25, 2017
- 1Password review: Capable password manager is missing some key features
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AgileBits 1Password was originally designed for the Mac way back in 2006. But today it also offers apps for Windows, Android, and iOS as well as extensions for all major browsers. It boasts some of the same features as top-tier managers LastPass and Dashlane, but lacks some key ones and overall feels a lot less polished.1Password has a unique setup process. After entering your name, 1Password generates a 34-character “secret key.” Next you create your master password. Together, these two pieces create the full-encryption key used to encrypt your passwords and other data and you’ll need to enter them both each time you add a new device or browser extension. Given their importance, 1Password next offers to create an Emergency Kit that contains your secret key and a space to write in your master password. It saves it as a PDF, and you’re advised to store it on a USB key or in a safe deposit box.To read this article in full or to leave a comment, please click here
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- Jul 25, 2017
- Asus ROG Zephyrus GX501 Review
- Here's what you need to know about the Asus' super-thin, and super-fast ROG Zephyrus GX501 before you buy it.
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- Jul 25, 2017
- Asus ROG Zephyrus GX501 review: Nvidia Max-Q makes it incredibly thin and powerful
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The Asus Republic of Gamers (ROG) Zephyrus GX501 had us at "GTX 1080 graphics in a five-pound laptop that's almost as thin as a MacBook Pro 15." Pound for pound, this is the most powerful portable gaming laptop on earth today. But to get this much performance in a laptop this portable, some big compromises have been made. IDG/Gordon Mah Ung
How thin? That's an Alienware 15 R4 on the left with the Asus ROG Zephyrus GX501 in the middle and a Dell XPS 15 on the right.To read this article in full or to leave a comment, please click here
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- Jul 25, 2017
- HyperX Cloud Revolver S review: A costly improvement to the original Cloud Revolver headset
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Anyone who’s followed HyperX for the past few years and saw last year’s Cloud Revolver knew what was coming next: the HyperX Cloud Revolver S. It’s a familiar pattern for the company nowadays—first the stereo version of a headset and then, about a year later, the USB-enabled version with surround sound.And that’s exactly what we’ve got here. The Cloud Revolver S takes last year’s design, adds in a USB sound card and 7.1 surround support, a chat mixer, and tacks on a premium price ($150 on Amazon). So is it worth it?To read this article in full or to leave a comment, please click here
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- Jul 22, 2017
- SteelSeries Arctis 7 review: This wireless headset provides incredible comfort
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Ski goggles. That’s the inspiration for SteelSeries’s new Arctis line of headsets, including the wireless Arctis 7 I’ve been using for the past few weeks. Take the floating headband that SteelSeries popularized on its old Siberia line, replace it with the elastic you’d use to strap on ski goggles (or maybe a VR headset) and you’ve got the Arctis.Sounds weird, right? But it’s one of the most comfortable headsets I’ve ever worn.Surprising design
It’s amazing nobody else has done this. I’ve praised floating headbands in the past, especially those from SteelSeries, but there was some caveat. Maybe the headset had a tendency to slip around, or the headband felt like it would wear out too quickly, or it seemed unreasonably bulky (see: G.Skill’s SR910). A great idea maybe, but one that needed refining.To read this article in full or to leave a comment, please click here
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- Jul 22, 2017
- LastPass review: This virtual vault makes password protection effortless
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LastPass remains something of a gold standard for password managers. One of the first full-featured tools of its kind, this combination vault, form-filler, and password generator ticks off all the boxes in our password manager checklist.After you sign up and install the LastPass browser plugin, it captures your login credentials when you visit a website for the first time. When you return to a site, a small icon appears in its login fields showing how many accounts you have stored. Clicking it opens a drop-down menu revealing each account so you can select the appropriate one. You can also select an auto-login option for each account to have LastPass sign you in automatically whenever you visit that site.To read this article in full or to leave a comment, please click here
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- Jul 22, 2017
- Dashlane review: This password manager makes you smarter about security
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Of all the password managers we’ve reviewed, Dashlane has come closest to stealing LastPass’s crown. Easy to use and rich with features, it meets all our requirements for a top-tier password manager. But Dashlane goes beyond just managing your login credentials, providing insights for how to think smarter about security.Dashlane’s strength has long been its elegant interface, which displays your accounts as tiles—indeed, LastPass recently adopted this style—but version 4 adds the option of showing them as a list as well. Each tile has its own fly-out menu from which you can edit your account info, securely share your login credentials, and view your password history.To read this article in full or to leave a comment, please click here
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- Jul 22, 2017
- Sticky Password review: Strong features behind a bare-bones interface
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Sticky Password may not be as familiar as LastPass or 1Password, but it boasts features that rival both of them, albeit in a much less polished package. It doesn’t quite rise to the top tier of password managers, but it’s more than capable of getting the job done.When you download Sticky Password—there’s no web version of the app—it will prompt you to create a master password. Unlike some other password managers, Sticky Password doesn’t offer a way to recover or reset this password if you forget it, so commit it to memory. You’ll also be asked if you want Sticky Password to sync your data over its cloud network or your own Wi-Fi network. With this unique option, your devices sync only when they’re all connected to your wireless network, so your data never goes out over the internet. It’s a nice added layer of security.To read this article in full or to leave a comment, please click here
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- Jul 21, 2017
- CyberGhost 6 review: A speedy VPN out of Romania
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CyberGhost in brief:
P2P allowed: YesBusiness location: RomaniaNumber of servers: 852Number of country locations: 27Cost: $30-$48 billed annuallyBlazing-fast speeds are something that all VPNs promise, and most of them are fast enough for common use cases like high-definition video streaming. CyberGhost, on the other hand, has some consistently fast speeds across most of its network. CyberGhost is also good on privacy and anonymity, and offers an attractive user interface that will appeal to most, especially novice VPN users.To read this article in full or to leave a comment, please click here
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- Jul 19, 2017
- Canary review: A sophisticated home-security system packed inside a camera
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Originally published on June 10, 2015, this review was updated on July 18, 2017 to reflect a few new features along with information about limited Wink Hub and IFTTT integration, currently available membership plans, and the upcoming Canary Plus, which will support Apple's HomeKit ecosystem. The Canary I’ve finally had a chance to review isn’t as sophisticated as the Canary I wrote about when its manufacturer was crowdfunding its development. That doesn’t mean it’s a bad product—it has a strong price/performance ratio for a $249 now $169 home-security system—it just means its developer’s ambition exceeded its grasp in a few key areas. And in some other areas, the developer wasn’t ambitious enough.To read this article in full or to leave a comment, please click here
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- Jul 18, 2017
- Best external drives 2017
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External drives are a vital piece of hardware for backing up your data or copying a project from your PC to take with you. Anyone who uses a desktop or laptop computer needs one.To help you sift through the stacks of external storage options, we’ve combed through our reviews of both external hard disks and SSDs to pick the top drives we’ve tested. We’ll also walk you through what you need to know to buy the best external drive for your needs.Here are our top picks:Best external backup drive
Our pick for best portable external backup drive for 2017 is Western Digital’s My Passport 4TB drive. Although it’s a tick or two slower than other backup drives (like our runner-up, for example) in sequential file writing (think copying movie files), it does better at writing small files (think hundreds of Word or Excel documents.) It’s not flashy or super-fast, but for most people who only whip it out once a month to run backups and then shove it back into a drawer, those things don’t matter as much as the capacity, price, and reasonable performance.To read this article in full or to leave a comment, please click here
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- Jul 18, 2017
- Sling TV review: In praise of the bite-sized bundle
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Editor’s note: This review was been updated in its entirety. If you’d like to read our original opinion of Sling TV, you’ll find that review preserved for the record here. Sling TV is a much stronger streaming service than it was when it launched a couple years ago. The interface is dramatically better, the channel lineup is broader, and it now offers optional DVR service.Yet the best thing about Sling TV is what hasn’t changed: Its $20-per-month starting price is much lower than other streaming channel bundles, and its array of add-on channel packs make the service more customizable. Although Sling’s approach isn’t always cheaper than other services—and its claims of “a la carte TV” are bogus—it does feel less like an imitation of cable bundling, and more like a reboot.To read this article in full or to leave a comment, please click here
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- Jul 18, 2017
- Paragon Backup & Recovery 16 Free Edition review: Easy backup with a twist
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Paragon’s Backup & Recovery 16 Free Edition is not only free for home users, it’s unique among consumer programs in that it backs up using virtual hard drives as the container format. This can be Paragon’s own pVHD, VMware’s, or the VHD/VHDX supported by most flavors of Windows.What’s the big deal about virtual hard drives? Windows itself will mount VHD files, so you can grab files off of a VHD with any PC, not just a machine with Backup & Recovery installed. You can also attach a VHD file directly to a virtual machine and use it there. It’s convenient for users in a number of ways a proprietary format is not.Design and features
Beyond its signature VHD ability, Backup & Recovery 16 is a modernized, simplified version of Paragon’s well-established imaging technology and programs. All of the main imaging capabilities found in the company’s Hard Disk and Partition Manager are intact: imaging of entire system, whole disks, partitions, or sets of files you select.To read this article in full or to leave a comment, please click here
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- Jul 17, 2017
- Seagate Backup Plus Portable review: A stunning 5TB of space
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All things being otherwise equal, 5TB of capacity is better than 4TB. Things aren't entirely equal in this case, but close enough that the $140 Seagate Backup Plus 5TB 2.5-inch USB 3.0 hard drive is a tempting product. I don't want to let it go, and I have more USB drives than I need. Said temptation applies only if you're one of those who falls prey to the "stuff expands to fill available space" syndrome. You may not think of yourself as a part of that clan, but if you get anywhere near a 4K video camera, you might be a card-carrying member before you know it.Design and specs
As shown at the head of the article, the Backup Plus 5TB is available in red, black, silver, and blue. The review unit Seagate sent us was basic, innocuous black. Color-coded drives are handy if you're storing separate projects, rotating backups, or just trying to keep track of what's what.To read this article in full or to leave a comment, please click here
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- Jul 14, 2017
- WD My Passport 4TB review: A good budget choice that's just a little slow
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WD’s My Passport 4TB mobile USB 3.0 drive lets you stuff a lot of data in your pocket without emptying it of cash. While not as fast with sequential transfers as the LaCie and Seagate drives we’ll be comparing it to, it’s certainly fast enough. And, at $115 on the street, it's considerably cheaper. Design and specs
Because the 4TB drive housed inside is 15mm thick, the My Passport 4TB isn’t as thin as many lower-capacity units, measuring 0.85 inch from top to bottom. It’s approximately 4.25 inches long, 3.1 inches wide, and weighs around 8 ounces. The My Passport is also available in $60 1TB, $80 2TB, and $100 3TB capacities, with the 1TB version being about 0.2 inch thinner and 2 ounces lighter. All models come with a three-year warranty.To read this article in full or to leave a comment, please click here
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- Jul 14, 2017
- LaCie Porsche Design Type-C Mobile hard drive review: Style for miles and clever setup
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Some would say that there’s rarely anything sexy or unique about a USB hard drive. Some would say never. LaCie disagrees, and makes its point with stylishly designed products such as the 2TB Porsche Design Type-C Mobile hard drive. It’s undeniably eye-catching, and features a clever dual-partition/file system setup that combines top performance and near-universal compatibility.Compatibility solved
The compatibility of which we speak concerns the FAT/FAT32/exFAT file system, which is supported by all major operating systems, including those embedded in car stereos, DVD players, industrial controllers, and other devices. Its weakness is the relatively slothful manner in which it writes large batches of small files. NTFS on the PC, and HFS+ are much faster with small files on their respective Windows and OS X platforms.To read this article in full or to leave a comment, please click here
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- Jul 12, 2017
- Best smart thermostat
- There are so many smart thermostats to choose from today. We'll help you pick the right one.
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- Jul 11, 2017
- Asus Chromebook Flip C302CA review: A versatile laptop with lots to love
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The Asus Chromebook Flip C302CA is ahead of its time. All Chromebooks shipping in 2017, including the Chromebook Flip, can run Android apps natively. We’ve tried Android apps on Chrome and can see lots of potential for broadening a Chromebook’s capabilities. We really wanted to review this feature on the Chromebook Flip, but as of this writing, the technology remains in beta. Meanwhile, we can still appreciate the Chromebook Flip for its higher-end components and performance. They’ll cost you—$499 for our model (a lower-end version costs $449). For the money, however, the Chromebook Flip offers a far better user experience than the more popular $200 Chromebooks can, one you might still like in a few years.To read this article in full or to leave a comment, please click here
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- Jul 08, 2017
- NordVPN review: A great choice for Netflix fans, but who's running the show?
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NordVPN in brief:P2P allowed: Yes. Dedicated servers.Business location: PanamaNumber of servers: 956Number of country locations: 57Cost: $69 (billed annually)Panama-based NordVPN is a popular choice among VPN users and is also the recipient of much praise from experts. After spending some time with the service, it's not hard to see why. First off, NordVPN lets you watch U.S. Netflix from anywhere in the world—a rare feat these days. NordVPN also manages to create an interface that's simple yet feature-rich enough to satisfy power users willing to dig a little deeper.To read this article in full or to leave a comment, please click here
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- Jul 08, 2017
- Best smart home system
- Your home is only as smart as the hub that orchestrates everything behind the scenes. These DIY tools are the best of the bunch.
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- Jul 07, 2017
- Intel SSD 545s review: The next great budget SSD has arrived
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Meet the next great budget SSD. Intel’s 545s is an affordable yet reasonably fast SSD that finally demotes Samsung’s EVO from the top spot in the consumer space. At $180 for 512GB, the 545s offers all the capacity and cost advantages of TLC NAND plus the sustained write speed of MLC NAND. Design and specs
Our first glimpse of the 545s with its raised edges had us thinking ‘sardine tin’ in a positive way: sleek and shiny. The drive’s 7mm profile appears thinner thanks to the indented upper and lower surfaces.Inside our test unit was a Silicon Motion SM2259 controller and 512GB of Intel’s new 256-gigabit, 64-layer stacked (3D) floating-gate type NAND. Perhaps it’s the gate that’s responsible for the performance—Intel wasn’t saying, and in fact the company didn’’t play up performance as much as it played up the longevity and reliability behind the five-year warranty. Most drives this price are warrantied for only three years. The 288 TBW (TeraBytes Written) rating is also exceptional—the company apparently has a lot of faith in the controller and its NAND. To read this article in full or to leave a comment, please click here
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- Jul 07, 2017
- Spider Holster SpiderLight review: A belt holster for your camera
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Throughout my photography career, I’ve always struggled to find the best way to carry my camera, and I know I’m not alone in experimenting with different solutions. But one month with the Spider Holster SpiderLight ($95 on Amazon) has shown me the answer. Or at least an answer.Before I get into how this belt-based holster system works, let’s quickly review other options. Matthew Mikaelian
Sure, I could use the strap that comes with the camera, but it’s stiff, scratchy, and plastered with logos. What about cross body straps? No, they’re not secure, and also get in the way of a shoulder bag or backpack. How about wrist straps? They’re usually uncomfortable, and require that you always hold the camera in your hand.To read this article in full or to leave a comment, please click here
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- Jul 01, 2017
- Surface Laptop review: Microsoft's MacBook Air killer nails what students need
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Our Surface Laptop review looks at Microsoft’s new notebook in two ways: as a stylish ultrabook, designed and priced to compete with Apple’s MacBook Air for college students’ favor. But it’s also a machine purpose-built for Windows 10 S, which restricts users to Windows Store apps but allows an upgrade to Windows 10 Pro. We’ve therefore reviewed the Surface Laptop using its native Windows 10 S, but will add to our review once we make the leap to Windows 10 Pro, which offers the freedom to load any app you choose. After several days using the Surface Laptop as a Windows 10 S machine, though, I can already say it does a great job of addressing exactly what college students need. For other users intrigued by it, though, I might look a bit further afield, or at least bail out of Windows 10 S early on. To read this article in full or to leave a comment, please click here
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- Jun 29, 2017
- OnePlus 5 review: This mid-range Android phone is speedy inside, but stale outside
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There are certain things you can usually count on in a OnePlus phone: great performance, an awesome price, and a touch of originality. But with the OnePlus 5, you’re only getting the first two parts of the three-part equation.The OnePlus 5 is packed with the latest components on the inside, but its display is nothing special. It’s still a good deal cheaper than other premium phones, but even at a starting price of $479, it’s not quite a killer bargain. And its design, while nice-looking, is derivative of both previous OnePlus phones as well as Apple’s aging iPhone 7 Plus.To read this article in full or to leave a comment, please click here
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- Jun 29, 2017
- Akitio Node Cabinet review: Real, affordable graphics for your laptop
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The Akitio Node external GPU cabinet is here to give your Thunderbolt 3-equipped laptop a big boost. This affordable unit—basically, a big steel box with a 400-watt PSU and a fan in front—lets you drop in most modern AMD or Nvidia graphics cards and then connect it to a laptop using PCIe over Thunderbolt 3/USB-C. Gordon Mah Ung
The Akitio features one fan for the PSU, and one in front that offers plenty of airflow.To read this article in full or to leave a comment, please click here
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- Jun 28, 2017
- iMac 21.5" 2017 review
- Apple has finally updated the iMac, so if you're in the market for a new computer, now's the time to do some shopping.
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- Jun 28, 2017
- Amazon Dash Wand review: A home shopping device made for a not-too-distant future
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Amazon will sell you groceries, one way or another. Case in point: The day before it announced plans to buy Whole Foods for a cool $13.7 billion, it released Amazon Dash Wand, a small Alexa-powered gadget that will likely be just as integral to the company’s produce push.Amazon’s new scanning stick is Jeff Bezos’s latest attempt to link the virtual world with the physical one. But even though it’s not Amazon’s first shot at a home shopping assistant, it’s definitely the first fully formed one. Combining the ease of a Dash button with the versatility of the relatively unknown Dash scanner and the smarts of an Echo, Dash Wand could be the thing that finally streamlines the way we buy groceries, and eliminates checkout lines, empty refrigerators, and even trips to the store. But that’s going to take a while.To read this article in full or to leave a comment, please click here
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