Articles by Ara Wagoner

The best Chromebook docking stations can turn your laptop from on-the-go ready to comfortably cozy by plugging in a single USB-C cable. When you’re home and want to use a clicky mechanical keyboard, an ergonomic mouse, or add a secondary display, docking stations are here to keep things tidy and organized. While you could maybe get by with some tiny USB-C hub, the cables are usually too short and leave your desk cluttered, while docking stations help keep things connected while staying out of your way. If you need to get your Chromebook connected, these are the best docking stations.

Keep it tidy

Plugable USB-C Mini Docking Station with 85W Charging

Staff Pick

This compact docking station won’t take up much desk space, but it still has enough space for four USB-A peripherals, an HDMI monitor, Ethernet, and an audio jack for some speakers. It can also charge your Chromebook at full speed.

$134 at Amazon $139 at Walmart

Tall or flat, your choice

Baseus 16-in-1 USB-C Dock

…

Your OnePlus 8 Pro deserves a case as great as it is. After all, the OnePlus 8 Pro is big, beautiful, and boasts some great features, including IP water resistance and wireless charging. The back glass comes in funky colors like Glacial Green and Ultramarine Blue, but it’s still a glass-backed phone, and that means you’ll want to protect it so that you’re not blowing hundreds of dollars repairing or replacing it. After extensive research, these are the best OnePlus 8 Pro cases you can buy.

Let’s kick it

Poetic Revolution

Staff Pick

The OnePlus 8 Pro can last a long time if you protect it, and heavy-duty cases like the Revolution offer that protection in spades. Not only does this case come with a screen protector, but it also has a kickstand on the back for propping it up on your desk or nightstand.

From $19 at Amazon

So sleek and svelte

X-Level Guardian

This case might not be textured like the Spigen Liquid Air, but it trades that texturing for a slimmer profile and more…

The power delivery standard has paved the way for a new wave of USB-C battery packs that are both powerful and portable. While there are some massive power banks aimed more at charging laptops or powering devices through long camping trips, I rank the lighter and cheaper models as the most reliable option when considering the best USB-C charger. Because of their lightweight, less expensive chargers tend to quickly power a phone while you’re sitting down for lunch or store easily in your pocket during long days out and about. Whether you prefer your power banks, big or small, these are the best ones around!

Colorful chargers

Anker PowerCore Slim 10,000mAh PD

Staff Pick

Anker’s top-quality, durable and dependable phone-sized power bank now comes in five colors, and I, for one, am thrilled. The Terracotta Rose might not be for everyone, but the Deep-Sea Indigo and Dark Olive are universal and understated.

From $24 at Amazon From $30 at Walmart

Not too big, not too small

AUKEY 1…

You add a Chromecast with Google TV to every TV in the house for the price of one Apple TV 4K.

Even before the pandemic, I spent an unhealthy amount of time with my TV. Between using it for music streaming while I cook, bingeing the latest anime after work, and just re-watching old favorites as I mull over which accessories to add to a collection, my TV is on the majority of the day, and it serves up all my content via Chromecast with Google TV.

There’s plenty of competition in the best streaming devices space these days: even before Google made its splash with the Chromecast with Google TV back in October, Amazon’s Fire TV sticks and Roku had been fiercely battling to be the TV platform of choice in households around the country (and around the world). In contrast, the last new Apple TV before today was released all the way back in 2017 with the first Apple TV 4K, and the Apple TV HD is from 2015.

Chromecast with Google TV isn’t a perfect device — I’ve written about its bugs an…

The Samsung Galaxy A52 is one of the best budget phones of the year, and before you go out and buy one, there’s one final decision you need to make. Well, there are technically two questions — are you getting 5G and what Galaxy A52 color is best — but the first answer might also answer the second, depending on the market you’re buying in. Both the LTE/4G and the 5G versions of the Galaxy A52 come in four Awesome colors, but which one is the most awesome? Let’s take a look.

Like a summer sky

Awesome Blue A52

Staff Pick

I’ll confess, I’m partial to blue phones in general, but the Awesome Blue on the A52 is just darling, like the morning sky on a clear summer day — or the powder blue paneling on a vintage car. It’s nostalgic, youthful, and energetic, ready to tackle whatever today brings.

$375 at Amazon (4G) £399 at Amazon UK (5G)

Lilac loveliness

Awesome Purple A52

This purple isn’t quite as deep or radiant as the Phantom Violet on this year’s Galaxy S21, but it’s st…

The best Note 20 cases can be found in all different sizes, colors, and shades, but the materials are what truly separate the class acts from the imitators. Plastic feels cheap, metal inhibits wireless charging, and wood can feel lovely but is inflexible. Leather is luxurious in hand, easy to work with, and it keeps your phone looking every bit as premium as its price tag. These are the best leather Galaxy Note 20 Ultra cases on the market today.

First-party perfection

Samsung Leather Cover

Staff Pick

Samsung’s leather cases have been the ones to beat for years now. Perfectly matched to each of the Note 20 Ultra’s colorways, this svelte cover is perfectly sculpted to every curve of the phone.

From $25 at Amazon $46 at Best Buy

Full grain feel

Snakehive Vintage Wallet

I just absolutely adore the suede-like feel of a full-grain leather like that used on the Snakehive Vintage Wallet case. Even better, it’s available in half a dozen colors, including a beautiful bottle green …

It may be hard to pick the best Google Pixel 5 case because there will be so many options. Whether you want a ruggedly handsome heavy-duty case, a super slim and stylish case, or something in between like the perfectly balanced Caseology Parallax, these are the best Google Pixel 5 cases to be found right now.

Safe and stylish

Caseology Parallax

Staff Pick

This mesmerizing case has protected my last two Pixels with grace, and the colorways for the Pixel 5 are quite fetching. The Aqua Green will fit the green Pixel 5 perfectly, while Burgundy and Navy Blue jazz up the black Pixel 5.

From $14 at Amazon $19 at Walmart

Long-term protection

Tudia Dualshield Merge Series

If you want a heavy-duty case without a heavy-duty price, Tudia has been the go-to for years. The Merge Series gives you the impact protection and grip of a flexible TPU sleeve with the sturdiness of a polycarbonate back.

$12 at Amazon

Machine washable

Google Fabric Case

Google’s fabric cases are luxurious…

Chromebooks are cool, but they’re even cooler when you get to use them with an external monitor and spread out all your work. You have a few options for connecting your Chromebook up depending on your ports, your monitor, and how much you need out of a second screen. Here’s how to connect your Chromebook to a monitor, whether it has a dedicated port or not.

Jump to:

HDMI port
USB-C hubs
Casting
USB-C monitors
Turning off your Chromebook screen

Method 1: HDMI port on a Chromebook

Once upon a time, most Chromebooks actually came with an HDMI port right there on the side of the laptop. Still, with the advent of USB-C and the ability of USB-C to be used for both charging, data, and video at the same time, it makes a lot of sense that manufacturers dropped the bulkier HDMI port and instead relied upon USB-C.

The middle port here is an HDMI port, which stands for High-Definition Multimedia Interface, the A/V standard that has been the most popular video cable/port standard for…

The best cases for the Galaxy Note 20 Ultra need to balance protection and profile, style and substance — and do it all without breaking the bank. The Note 20 Ultra is one of the most cutting-edge phones on the market, but it’s also one of the largest and heaviest phones released in 2020. Combine that with the luxury price tag Samsung demands, and you have a recipe for disaster if you dare take your new phone out into the world naked. Skip the public smartphone indecency and get yourself a great case. Here are the best Galaxy Note 20 Ultra cases to keep it like new for years to come.

Slim and sublime

Ringke Air-S

Staff Pick

If you don’t want to bulk up your Note 20 Ultra but need to add some grip, the Air-S is a minimalist case that will give your fingers more purchase than expected while also guarding against scratches.

$9 at Amazon
$9 at Walmart

Rough and tumble

ArmadilloTek Vanguard Series Case

I have loved the Vanguard Series for the last couple of generations of Ga…

Google’s had years to get WearOS together, so why do we think it’s going to magically happen now?

I am currently wearing a Fossil Gen 5E on my wrist, and while it’s just okay, I’m longing for my Galaxy Watch Active. In fact, I’d be wearing the Watch Active right now, even though it’s two years older than the Fossil Gen 5e, but my dad’s Fitbit broke, so I’m letting him test drive it before we buy him something new.

Wear OS has the best notifications on your wrist, but that alone can’t help save it from the sluggishness of opening apps and updating Tiles. Wear OS needs major optimization and streamlining to help it just work better, and I’m firmly convinced Google will not do it alone. We know that OnePlus tried to make Wear OS work for the OnePlus Watch, but that eventually failed and OnePlus had to go it alone.

Considering that the Google Hardware division is essentially cursed when it comes to its software — major bugs have impacted almost every Pixel generation as well as the …