作者彙整: Russell Holly

This is, plain and simple, the worst form of eWaste I have seen in years.

I see these little disposable batteries all over the place now. In coffee shops, mall kiosks, even bookstores. They’re showing up at music festivals, handed out to those who need a quick boost. For $4.99, you can get this little battery for your phone with just enough juice to get you through the next hour or so. It’s packaged like a piece of candy, there’s no way to recharge the battery, and when you’re done, you can quickly toss it in the trash.

I hate these things. They’re incredibly wasteful and sold in places which all but guarantee they’ll never be recycled responsibly. The folks at Pawamini are handing them out like candy to delighted CES attendees this year, claiming these were their idea and everyone else who makes them copied them. Every question I asked made me feel worse about how extremely wasteful these batteries are, and how they’re not going away anytime soon.

Why do these exist?

Ken, the … 閱讀全文 →

With hundreds of hours of smart speaker testing under our collective belts, we can confidently recommend the best hardware and software for your needs.

Amazon Echo Dot (3rd gen)

Tiny and LOUD

$50 at Amazon

Pros

Incredibly good speakers for its size
Great microphones
3.5mm output for bigger speakers

Cons

Alexa isn’t the best system out there

Amazon has refined its smart speaker design and doubled down on audio quality to make a great system with an even better price tag. Alexa is still not nearly as good to use as Google Assistant, however.

Google Home Mini

Clever and colorful

$25 at Best Buy

Pros

Google Assistant is excellent
Speaker colors are fun

Cons

Microphones are just OK
Speaker isn’t particularly loud
No 3.5mm jack for bigger speakers

While colorful and compact, the microphone and speakers on the Google Home Mini just scream “you get what you pay for” when it comes to quality.

Google and Amazon are competing for control of your home, and right n… 閱讀全文 →

Whether you’re tired of losing your keys, you’re already in the process of automating your home, or you’re setting up a B&B, a vital part of the process is choosing a smart lock that fits your needs. There are plenty of different smart locks to choose from, each with their own unique abilities. However, we recommend the August Smart Lock Pro for most people since it’s super easy to set up and comes with everything you need.

Best Overall: August Smart Lock Pro + Connect (3rd Gen)

One of the reasons we like this option so much is that from a street view, no one would know that it was a smart lock. It allows you to keep your handle and lock in place but adds a smart component that’s only visible from inside your home. It isn’t the most pleasant thing to look at from the inside, but you probably won’t be looking at it much. It’s a bit expensive. However, this particular purchase comes with a Connect Wi-Fi Bridge, which will let you control your lock using the August app or a voi… 閱讀全文 →

This gets you one step closer to a better motion experience in VR.

Moving around in VR when you can’t just walk with your real legs is always a little challenging. Teleportation doesn’t always feel real enough, and moving with the PlayStation Move controllers is often challenging when you’re supposed to be using your arms for something else in the game. A frequently requested solution for many VR games has been a foot-based moving controller, but there hasn’t been an officially supported PlayStation VR supported accessory until now.

And after spending a little time with 3Rudder, the new PlayStation VR accessory for enhanced movement, I’m excited to play as many games as possible this way.

3Rudder is a fairly simple looking accessory. It’s a black and blue disk that sits on the floor in front of your chair with a single cable running to your PlayStation. You put your feet on the blue spaces, and as you tilt your feet you can move in VR. Lean the platform forward, and you move for… 閱讀全文 →