Articles by Michael L Hicks

Many of the best smart thermostats require a C wire (“common” wire) for power due to their LED displays and Wi-Fi-powered advanced functions, leading homeowners with older heating systems to look for smart thermostats without a C wire requirement. If you don’t already have a C wire in your system, these smart thermostats use separate power sources or adapters that let you monitor your home climate without having to hire a professional to rewire your home.

Simple and straightforward

Nest Thermostat E smart thermostat

Staff Pick

Our top pick for the best smart thermostat without a C wire goes to the Nest Thermostat E. Its display simply shows the temperature setting, while the app lets you prioritize certain rooms’ cooling, change settings when you’re away, and lets you know if it senses a problem. Most importantly, the Thermostat E features a built-in rechargeable lithium-ion battery that bypasses the C Wire requirement. So if you can still find it in stock, this minimalist ther…

Your Samsung TV may or may not have pre-installed tech that can cripple it from afar.

What you need to know

Called the “Television Block Function,” Samsung’s new tech detects when stolen TVs connect to the internet and automatically disables them.
Samsung South Africa reported that “all Samsung TV sets” have the feature, though we’re unclear if it’s regional or global.
We also don’t know whether Samsung will allow consumers to report their TVs serial numbers; so far, the feature may be restricted to warehouses and businesses.

After television sets were stolen from a Samsung warehouse in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa during the Zuma riots last month, Samsung activated an anti-theft feature designed to remotely cripple any stolen TV set the moment someone tries to take it online.

In a news post spotted by The Verge, the company outlined how the system works. When you first activate your TV by taking it online, Samsung’s servers detect that TVs serial number; if that number is on th…

While the Oculus Quest 2 has built-in speakers, they’re not designed for proper surround sound. You can plug in any 3.5mm headphones — or some USB-C headphones — but most headphones’ cords are too long and will dangle annoyingly from the headset. Your old Quest 1 headphones won’t work, nor will wireless earbuds. We’ve collected the best Oculus Quest 2 headphones that are designed specifically for the headset.

Best overall: Logitech G333 VR gaming earphones

Many VR fans prefer over-ear to in-ear headphones for VR for enveloping sound, but action or exercise games really benefit from letting your ears breathe. So we’ve chosen the Logitech G333s — designed specifically for the Quest 2 — for our top slot. These earphones offer solid audio performance for a lower price than most hardcore headphones and mods and are easier to take out quickly when you need to talk to someone in the room.

Make sure to buy the VR version of the Logitech G333, which uses custom-length 3.5mm cable…

Wil Wheaton carries this silly spy spoof sequel.

I Expect You to Die was the first VR game I ever played. I’d tried experimental VR films and “experiences” at festivals, but I vividly remember sitting in a car on a cargo plane, feeling like I’d stumbled into an escape-the-room flash game come to life. The immersive environment, amusingly violent deaths, and fully interactive environments made me see VR’s potential, setting me on the path to becoming the VR nerd I am today.

So while my colleague previewed the game demo, I wasn’t going to pass up my chance to review the full sequel and see how it lived up to my nostalgic expectations. Having only just finished Arcsmith, which I called the best VR puzzle game of 2021, I hoped that I Expect You to Die 2 would give it an immediate challenge for that title.

I Expect You to Die 2: The Spy and the Liar is more of a AAA game, with a more dramatic, action-packed story to accompany the puzzle solving. It has better graphics, more varied game…

Maybe your computer crashed, your phone auto-updated overnight, or you accidentally closed a tab group. Whatever the circumstances, you’ve suddenly lost access to all of your previous tabs. Typically, they can be reopened with just a few taps or clicks, but it may require a bit more effort in other cases. Here’s how to restore your Google Chrome tabs after an unexpected restart, whether you’re on mobile or a computer.

PC/Mac: How to restore your Google Chrome tabs after an unexpected restart

By default, Chrome saves your recent browsing history. Even if Chrome unexpectedly crashes and loses your tabs, you should be able to easily re-add them. In fact, there are several different ways to do so.

Option 1: Click the vertical ellipsis (or triple dots) on the top-right of the browser. Hover your cursor over History. You’ll see all Recently Closed tabs; simply click any option to re-open one.

If multiple tabs close at once — which is likely after a restart or crash — they’ll appe…

Only serious OnePlus nerds should apply for this program.

What you need to know

The Closed Beta Test for OnePlus 9 and 9 Pro has begun. OnePlus is looking for 200 volunteers to apply.
You will receive access to early features and new, unpolished code well before the Open (public) Beta.
You must own a OnePlus 9 or 9 Pro, be an active member of the OnePlus forums, sign an NDA, and send feedback to its devs on Telegram.

OnePlus is looking to test new OxygenOS features and needs new, technically savvy volunteers who own a OnePlus 9 or OnePlus 9 Pro to help. Space is limited, so anyone truly interested in joining the OnePlus beta should act fast; just keep in mind that it seems like a lot of work.

In the OnePlus forum, a moderator outlined what the company needs: an “elite crew of OnePlus community members” who will maintain “absolute secrecy” as they test “builds and features weeks or even months before they are released to the public.”

OnePlus will still have a public beta down t…

So you’ve decided to switch from an iPhone to a Samsung. Welcome! You’re in good company. Tons of people make the iOS-to-Android switch every year, and Samsung has a simple system in place to get your Apple data onto your new device. Here’s how to transfer iCloud data to your new Samsung phone.

Back up your iPhone or iPad data to iCloud

Before you transfer data, you need to have data to transfer, from your photos to your contacts. This section will go through the necessary steps to preserve all of your precious data. If your iCloud account is already set up and backed up, skip to the next main section.

Apple recommends updating to the latest version of iOS/iPadOS before backing up your files. Go to Settings > General > Software Update, check for an update, and install it if necessary.
Go back into Settings and sign into your Apple ID if you haven’t already.
Tap your name at the top of Settings, then tap iCloud. You’ll see a summary of all the apps that can be backed up t…

These Google Calendar tips and tricks will smarten up your daily itinerary from custom views to hidden settings.

Google Calendar sits at the center of so many other Google productivity apps, from Google Keep and Google Tasks to Gmail and Google Meet. They all integrate into your Calendar, and keeping it up-to-date and organized is the key to staying on top of your work schedule.

While it’s easy to use without much guidance, Google Calendar has plenty of hidden depths that make it much more effective — that’s why it tops our list of the best calendar apps for Android. Whether you prefer the mobile app or the browser-based version, we have plenty of Google Calendar tips and tricks that apply to either or both. From keyboard shortcuts to add-ons and integrations, here are our favorite obscure tools to master Google Calendar.

Jump to:

The basics
Best setting changes
Calendar subscriptions
Emailed daily agenda
Keyboard shortcuts
Add-ons and extensions
Automatic calendar events
Cu…

Bigger, smarter, prettier

Nest Doorbell (Battery)

$180 at Best Buy
$180 at Google Store
$180 at B&H Photo

Pros

AI detection and motion zones w/out subscription
Much easier installation
More affordably priced
Taller field-of-view
Records during a power outage
More color options

Cons

No 24/7 recording
Will require frequent recharges
Low resolution for price
Larger build

Most video doorbells have AI detection, activity zones, and cloud storage for video clips, but only the new Nest Doorbell offers this without a subscription. It sports solid battery life, decent resolution with a tall FOV, and a stylish design. Plus, with a subscription, it can detect familiar faces.

Always watching

Nest Hello Doorbell (Wired)

$230 at Best Buy
$195 at Walmart
$229 at Lowe’s

Pros

Shoots in 2K
Supports 24/7 recording
Wired power means no recharging
Wider FOV

Cons

Dependent on Nest Aware sub for best features
No battery backup during outage
More expensive
Requires hardwir…

Our review is on the way, but trust us: it’s amazing and worth buying before the price increase.

What you need to know

Smoke & Thunder, the free DLC campaign starring two gun-toting sisters in the Old West, arrives on the Quest 2 today, August 12.
Pistol Whip currently costs $24.99 but will rise to $29.99 in three days.
Our full Smoke & Thunder review will arrive soon, but it’s undoubtedly a 5-star, must-play game.

Our rootin-tootin’ resident VR fanatic Nick Sutrich spent the past few days in NYC for Samsung Unpacked, getting a hands-on with the new Galaxy Watch 4 and other tech. As such, his Pistol Whip: Smoke and Thunder review won’t arrive until next week. But considering the game’s price will rise before our review comes out, we’re giving you a brief heads up now: this is a must-play, game-of-the-year level expansion that you absolutely shouldn’t sleep on.

Compared to the previous expansion, Pistol Whip 2089, Smoke and Thunder has a great story involving a woman fig…