Articles by Ara Wagoner

The Samsung Galaxy S8 is getting on in years, but that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t still pick up one of the best Galaxy S8 cases. Whether you bought your phone on Day One or decided to buy the Galaxy S8 in 2020, you want this phone to last you as long as it can, so buy it a case that will protect it in style!

Pretty and protective

i-Blason Ares

Staff Pick

While most multi-layer cases hide all of your phone’s delicate features from view and harm, the Ares lets the beauty of your S8’s glass back shine through the clear polycarbonate back, aided and complemented by bold accents like creamy pink or vivid green.

From $16 at Amazon
From $18 at Walmart

The glass standard

Spigen Liquid Crystal

If you want a case that will cover your glass against scuffs and scrapes while still not hiding a single inch of its beauty, Spigen’s Liquid Crystal is simply the best around. I’m partial to the Liquid Crystal Glitter variant, but the regular clear case is great on its own.

$11 at Amazon

L…

The best Galaxy Note 20 Ultra cases don’t cover up its natural beauty. Rather they accent and highlight it. Clear cases allow us to show off our new flagships without leaving them vulnerable to drops and dings. Whether you prefer a case that feels invisible or want something with more presence, these Note 20 Ultra clear cases have you covered.

Show off the bronze

Spigen Liquid Crystal

Staff Pick

Spigen’s clear case has long been the gold standard, offering up grip and scratch protection in a slim package that will hold up for years. If you want to hide smudges and scuffs, grab the Glitter version.

$11 at Amazon
$13 at Amazon (Glitter)

Built for a beating

Speck Presidio Stay Clear

While this case may not look like a tank, it is still, without a doubt, ready to take on the world. Speck claims your Note 20 Ultra can withstand up to 13-foot drops wearing this antimicrobial case.

$40 at Amazon

Best of both worlds

Ringke Fusion

The air-cushioned bumper on the Fusion gives…

Chromebooks are great computers for a lot of different uses, but the best Chromebooks for students single out a few particular features in addition to an easy-to-use computing experience. Education Chromebooks are designed to withstand the use and abuse of a classroom full of kids, as well as being carried around in an overstuffed backpack. Reinforced hinges and ports are the norm, as are water-resistant keyboards and all-day battery life. These lightweight laptops also have some of the easiest and most useful keyboard shortcuts to help your child get homework done quickly once they find their rhythm. There are a lot of great options to choose from, but the best Chromebook for students overall is the ASUS Chromebook Flip C214.

Best Chromebook for Students: ASUS Chromebook Flip C214

The ASUS Chromebook Flip C214 is the best Chromebook for students because it provides an excellent experience in a compact, durable package. The 11.6-inch screen is easy to see in a wide array of angle…

Pixel’s camera dominance continues for the fifth year.

There are many things we use our phones for — especially now when we’re having to hold Thanksgiving and Christmas gatherings over Zoom — but one of the most important is taking pictures of our surroundings, our family, our beloved pets, and that weird moth outside that looks a little too much like a tiny demon. The camera experience has improved across the board over the last five years, since the first Pixel crashed the scene and snatched the photography crown away from both Samsung and Apple, and the Pixel 5 is still holding onto a slim lead over its competitors with its post-processing magic.

And while Cyber Monday is giving us a variety of smartphone deals, but none are as good for a shutterbug as the $50 off the Google Pixel 5 available at Amazon, Best Buy and B&H. The deal was also available at the Google Store, but it’s already sold out.

Best Camera and Software

Google Pixel 5

$649 at Amazon
From $600 at B…

Keep your cocoa or coffee warmer longer, with this insulated mug.

There’s a lot of love given to big, honking stainless steel tumblers and insulated water bottles, but there’s a much better use for insulated stainless steel even when you’re not leaving the house: your morning coffee mug. This Horizon 12oz Camp Mug is down to its best price ever for Cyber Monday, and it can upgrade your whole morning. If you act quickly, this mug can keep you company early Cyber Monday morning while you’re perusing the sales.

Ready for a cup

CamelBak Horizon 12oz Insulated Stanless Steel Mug | 40% off at Amazon

Warm up with a toasty beverage

It’s easy to get distracted in the mornings and then come back to find the tepid remains of a once-glorious brew. Keep your beverages warm longer and avoid spills with the adjustable lid on this stainless steel mug. The bottom also has a silicone base so the mug won’t slide around an uneven surface.

$15 at Amazon

While there’s always something nostalgic abo…

My bio may say “If you see me without headphones, RUN,” but Bluetooth speakers are even more important to my lifestyle. After my alarm goes off, it’s my Bluetooth speaker’s job to wake me up with music while I’m in the shower and then I carry that speaker from the bathroom to the bedroom as I get dressed and then to the living room while I get breakfast ready. Bluetooth speakers let me bring my tunes everywhere and they’re easy as pie to keep around, which is why they make great gifts.

If you need a new speaker for yourself or someone in your life who could use a little stress relief, Walmart has two Black Friday Sony speaker deals that you should drop the beat with, starting with a Sony EXTRA BASS speaker with USB-C, which is an important upgrade that is 110% worth paying for.

Type-C for Cool

Sony SRS-XB23 EXTRA BASS Bluetooth Speaker | $42 off at Walmart

Get extra big sound for an extra small price

This IP67 Bluetooth speaker is waterproof, dustproof, and shockproof, so you ca…

Are you tired of your small laptop screen? Time to upgrade!

While monitors get curvy and QHD and super-fast in their pursuit of PC gaming perfection, not all of us need to drop a thousand dollars on a new screen. This LG UltraWide has the practical upgrades we expect of a modern monitor without going overboard with the price or the feature-list. In other words, this is the Black Friday monitor deal to grab if you’re looking to upgrade your home office.

Wide and wonderful

LG 34WK650-W 34″ UltraWide IPS Monitor | $100 off at Amazon

Fit everything on one screen easily and affordably

This 21:9 ultra-wide screen makes it easy to juggle three or four windows on the screen at a time, and HDR10 compatibility means that when connected to a compatible computer or console, you’ll get richer colors and a more dynamic image.

$300 at Amazon

This 34-inch screen is only 2560×1080 pixels, but if you’re looking for an ultrawide monitor for a Chromebook or a more budget-minded Windows desktop, f…

Never get caught without a mask again.

COVID cases are skyrocketing in basically every corner of the country and we’re heading into winter, the time of sniffles and snowstorms, and of needing to wear a mask alongside our hats and coats. While single-use masks could get you by when the weather was nice, they don’t hold up well to blowing sleet and the ties come undone too easily to use while wearing winter gear. This pandemic is not going away any time soon, so now’s the time to finally knuckle down and buy a good supply of reusable masks you can rely on in the coming months.

Every brand from Abercrombie to Zulily has gotten in on making face masks, and Black Friday deals can give you an undeniable deal on soft cotton masks that you can rely on for months to come.

Be safe and sustainable

Hanes Reusable Cloth Face Masks (50 Pack) | $20 off at Amazon

Save money and save a life by wearing a mask

Cloth masks are easy to wear, easy to wash, and easy to buy in bulk, meaning that wheth…

While the Google Pixel 4a 5G isn’t going to be winning any beauty contests, the best Pixel 4a 5G cases jazz up this affordable 5G phone. Protecting your investment is paramount, but let’s get real. Life’s too short for boring phone cases. Thankfully, these Pixel 4a 5G cases are anything but boring.

Keep it safe

Tudia DualShield Merge Series

Staff Pick

Tudia’s Merge Series has been protecting Pixels big and small for years, and if you need some heavy-duty support for your Pixel 4a 5G from Day One, this case will do the job for less than a large pizza.

$11 at Amazon

Fabulous feel

Google Fabric Case

Google’s fabric case feels just as amazing on the Pixel 4a 5G as it has in previous generations, and this year we have some fun color options like the Blue Confetti and the classic but ever so sophisticated Basically Black.

$40 at Amazon
$40 at Best Buy

Two-tone texturing

Caseology Parallax

If you can’t settle on one cool color for your Pixel 4a 5G case, check out the Paral…

Google’s history of wireless charging on its Pixels is somewhat rocky, but the Google Pixel 5 should work with a wider variety of wireless chargers. Yes, the Pixel 5 might actually end the insanity of wonky compatibility and bizarre charging speeds we saw with the Pixel 3 and Pixel 4, thanks to the 15W Extended Power Profile used in the Pixel 5. There are many, many great chargers out there that support this wireless spec, but your Pixel deserves only the best. These are the best Pixel 5 wireless chargers, including pads and stands.

Everything included

Anker PowerWave II Stand

Staff Pick

Skip the confusion about your wall charger being the wrong one by grabbing a wireless charger with a proprietary AC adapter. You should also be able to charge through medium-thickness cases.

$36 at Amazon

Grippy, low profile

Belkin Boost Charge 15W Wireless Charging Pad

Belkin has long been a wireless charging partner for Google’s Pixel line. This 15W pad comes with a wall adapter to ensu…