Articles by Ara Wagoner

HP did a great job here with everything but the price and marketing.

HP turned a number of heads when it first announced the HP Chromebook X2 11. This was our first premium Chrome tablet since the Google Pixel Slate back in 2018, and it looked much more polished. Unlike the Pixel Slate, it came with the kickstand and keyboard in the box, and unlike the Lenovo Chromebook Duet, the keyboard would actually magnetize to the tablet when it was closed for easier carrying and better protection of the screen.

However, the other reason for that head-turning was the starting price attached to the X2 11: $600. That’s higher than some of the best Chromebooks on the market, including many powerful laptops like the ASUS Chromebook Flip 536. People expect a lot from tablets priced that high — that’s getting into iPad Pro and Surface Pro territory — but the HP Chromebook X2 11 can’t quite deliver the power of that price bracket.

So, why am I in love with this teal tablet? Because the HP Chrom…

The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 3 is a foldable phone with many promises. S Pen support makes it a natural choice for creators on the go who want to sketch out ideas wherever the muse strikes them. The improved durability and water resistance mean that you don’t quite have to baby the Fold 3 the way you did the Fold 2 (just don’t take it to the beach or the desert). Of course, you can bolster that protection with a great case, and these are the best Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 3 cases we’ve been able to find so far.

Protect everything

Spigen Tough Armor Designed for Galaxy Z Fold 3 5G

Staff Pick

Most Galaxy Z Fold 3 cases leave the phone’s hinge totally exposed, but Spigen has a couple with that extra bit of protection. The Tough Armor’s version should still sit flat on a desk in tablet mode (unlike the Slim Armor Pro), and it offers a nice lip around the outer screen and the camera.

$50 at Amazon

Get the Note experience

Samsung S Pen Folio Cover

While the Galaxy Z Fold 3 supports th…

Repeat after me, my friends: No matter your taste, your phone needs a case. Whether you just dropped hundreds on a Samsung Galaxy S10+ or you’ve had it since launch day, carrying it around without a case is just begging for Murphy’s Law to visit that phone. We’ve got the best Galaxy S10+ cases — thin cases, clear cases, fun cases, leather cases, and even more. Oh, and we can help you find a Galaxy S10+ screen protector as well.

New look on a classic winner

Spigen Neo Hybrid for Galaxy S10+

Staff Pick

$14 at Amazon

Gone is the Herringbone on this award-winning case series, and in its place is a new pattern that is grippier than ever.

Ruggedly handsome

ArmadilloTek Urban Ranger

$11 at Amazon

This is one of my favorite TPU cases around, offering a grippy, rugged look without any bulk and five excellent colors.

A little sparkle

OtterBox Symmetry Series Slim Case

$10 at Amazon

Give your S10 Plus a beautiful look with this glittery OtterBox case. It’s slim and co…

This’ll be a pretty darn good laptop — once you’re actually able to buy it.

2021 as a year has brought us a lot of great Chromebook model updates. The Acer Chromebook Spin 713, the Lenovo Flex 5, the HP x360 14c, and now the Acer Chromebook Spin 514 is getting its second refresh this year. Yup, that’s right, I already reviewed the Ryzen-powered Spin 514 back in February. So when I received this pre-production Acer Chromebook Spin 514 model for evaluation last week, I thought this would be another incremental upgrade for another mid-range Chromebook. After all, the Ryzen version of the Spin 514 is one of the better Chromebooks we got this year, especially for the under $500 crowd.

But the 14-inch 2-in-1 Chromebook I’m typing on right now is looking to play with the best business Chromebooks and premium Chromebooks instead. We’ve traded back to Intel with fanless 11th Gen Intel Core i5/i7 configurations with more RAM and storage, as well as fixing the one design flaw I had with las…

The Google Pixel 5a packs a big battery into a very familiar design, and while it might look a little boring on its own, that’s what cases are for: protecting your phone and making it look even better! The limited release of the Google Pixel 5a had me concerned we wouldn’t see many big-name, high-quality cases, but those fears were unfounded. We’ve got the best Pixel 5a cases right here to help you protect your new phone, whatever your tastes prefer.

Sage colors, serene patterns

Caseology Parallax Compatible with Google Pixel 5a Case (2021)

Staff Pick

Since the Pixel 5a lacks color options, Caseology has given us the best of the Pixel 5’s colors along with its tried and true favorites. The Parallax features a fun cubist pattern across the back that adds grip and style. The bumper here has a new ultra-textured section, but some might find it abrasive.

$16 at Amazon $17 at Walmart

Grippy and understated

Spigen Liquid Air Armor

If you want grip without a case that glows like…

Your phone may or may not be dirtier than a toilet seat right now, but luckily you can fix that with the best phone sanitizer. After all, our phones pick up a whole heap of bacteria, germs, and other nastiness when we set them down throughout our days. Cleaning our phones is paramount. While ultraviolet phone sanitizers can cost a pretty penny, they’re 100% worth the investment if they can keep you from getting sick, now more than ever.

Best by a landslide

PhoneSoap 3 UV Cell Phone Sanitizer and Dual Universal Cell Phone Charger

Staff Pick

From $70 at Amazon $80 at Best Buy $80 at Target

PhoneSoap is one of the originals and is still one of the most trusted ultraviolet phone sanitizers around. Reliability and excellent build quality are part of why we love PhoneSoap’s products.

Flip and repeat

HoMedics UV Clean Phone Sanitizer – UV Light Sanitizer

From $35 at Amazon $52 at Best Buy $8 at Walmart

This sanitizer keeps a slim, travel-friendly profile by being collapsible, a…

Chromebooks are built light, lithe, and long-lasting. Still, as more Chromebooks shed USB-A and card-reading ports for future-proof, multifunctional USB-C ports, users are faced with a choice: You can try to upgrade all your peripherals to USB-C, or you can get a USB-C hub and keep using your USB-A keyboard and ripping photos off your camera’s SD cards. Many USB-C hubs also support HDMI monitors, Ethernet, and Power Delivery charging too, so no matter your needs, there’s a great USB-C hub out there for you! Here are some of the best Chromebook USB-C hubs you can buy right now.

USB-C peripherals

Anker USB C Hub, PowerExpand+ 7-in-1 USB C Hub Adapter

Anker makes a wide, wide array of USB-C hubs, but this one stands out. In addition to having a PD port for pass-through charging, there’s also an extra data port for plugging in a USB-C peripheral like a USB-C flash drive or keyboard.

$35 at Amazon
$35 at Walmart

Pocket-friendly powerhouse

Uni USB-C Hub

$50 at Amazon (6-in-1)
$…

Samsung packed a lot of tricks and features into the Galaxy Watch 4, but not all of them work perfectly. For instance, some of you may have noticed some oddities when receiving calls between the phone taking the call or the watch accepting the call. Or, if you’re tired of having to do an extra tap when turning speakerphone on or off, here’s how to eliminate the option and keep your Galaxy Watch 4 from receiving calls.

How to disable your Galaxy Watch 4 from receiving your phone calls

If you’ve already hunted in the Galaxy Wearable app for some magic button to fix this annoyance, you’ve no doubt realized the setting for it isn’t there. Instead, we must go into the Bluetooth settings on your phone.

From the Settings app or Quick Settings panel on your phone, select Bluetooth. (If on the Quick Settings panel, press and hold.)
Tap your Galaxy Watch in the device list.
Toggle off Phone calls.

If you want to double-check that it’s working, get a friend to call you and see how the i…

The Galaxy S20 has quite the big battery, but with a 120Hz screen and 5G radios inside, you never know when your day will go into overtime, and you’ll need to reach for a great portable charger to keep your Galaxy S20 alive. Or, y’know, you need a power bank on the way to work because you forgot to throw it on the charger last night the way I did. Never fear, power banks are here, and they can charge our S20s in many different ways.

Pocket-friendly

UGREEN PD 10,000mAh 20W Portable Charger

Staff Pick

This compact power bank is like an extra-fat Snickers that can recharge your S20 twice via USB-C Power Delivery or Fast Charge via USB-A. And if your partner has an iPhone, it’ll charge that at 20W so you can get it back faster.

$30 at Amazon

Made specifically for Galaxy

Samsung Super Fast 25W Portable Wireless Charger (10,000mAh)

This power bank supports 7.5W wireless charging so that you can top off accessories like your Galaxy Watch or Galaxy Buds, and it supports 25W fast …

The Google Pixel 4a was one of the most compelling phones of 2020, offering excellent performance and cameras for less than half the price of its flagship. While it might not cost thousands of dollars, that doesn’t mean it’s any less worthy of protection. Whether you need to spice up the Just Black of the Pixel 4a or need to keep it safe from the chaos outside your door, these are the best Pixel 4a cases you can buy right now.

Pretty protection

Caseology Parallax for Google Pixel 4a

Staff Pick

This hybrid case comes in four dazzling color combinations — matte black, classic blue, purple-ish, and a darling coral pink — and offers drop protection and grip in a compact profile.

From $15 at Amazon $16 at Walmart

Guard the front and back

Poetic Revolution

This heavy-duty case comes with a screen protector built into the front frame, offering 360 degrees of protection for your Pixel 4a. I also like the robust kickstand on the back that can be used in portrait or landscape.
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