Articles by Michael L Hicks

Oculus Touch controllers have wrist loops that keep them from flying off, but you still have to keep a rigid claw grip on them at all times while playing. By installing a hand or knuckle strap, you can keep your Touches fully attached while giving your hands a break. We’ve collected the best Oculus Quest 2 hand straps — plus straps for the original Quest’s different-sized Touch controllers — to make long VR gaming sessions more bearable.

Note: We will label which products work with the original or updated Touch controllers, so be sure to check before buying.

Best for comfort

VR Cover Controller Grips for Oculus Quest 2

Staff Pick

Designed specifically for the new Touch controllers, these VR Cover grips have felt fabric straps that wrap around the back of your hand or knuckles, plus a plastic non-slip grip that won’t bend in your fingers like a silicone grip. We tested and loved these grips, especially the strap that softly hugs your hands and allows you to let go worry-f…

Alexa on the move

Amazon Echo Show 10

$250 at Amazon

Pros

Rotating screen tracks you in full semi-circle
13MP Camera
Slightly larger tweeter speakers
Low power mode, made from recyclables
Zigbee + Sidewalk compatibility
Sentry mode security camera

Cons

No facial, voice recognition
Very large, heavy

The Amazon Echo Show 10 is a game-changing smart display that extends its smarts beyond the assistant to the device itself. While in use, its 13MP camera tracks you physically, so you never lose sight of the display while moving about the room. Fast Alexa commands and good speaker tech make this a smart display worth buying.

Knows your face and voice

Nest Hub Max

$230 at Best Buy

Pros

127-degree wide-angle camera
Facial and voice matching
Quick gestures
Fantastic audio quality
Auto-dimming screen
Long list of Google Assistant-compatible devices

Cons

Rear-firing speakers can cause sound issues
Mic/camera cover turns off both at once

The Nest Hub Max was desi…

Amongst all the best home security systems, DIY or professional, we strongly recommend the SimpliSafe Home Security package, thanks to its simple installation, reasonable monthly monitoring fee with no contract or cancellation fee, varied sensors for more than security protection, and cellular connectivity if wi-fi goes down. You can pay more for pro installation and better indoor/outdoor cameras plus video monitoring, but SimpliSafe offers an excellent DIY baseline that won’t eat through your monthly budget. However, the other five security systems on our list connect with other useful perks like outdoor surveillance that may sway you in another direction.

What are the best DIY or professional home security systems?

Security systems of the past depended almost entirely on door / window sensors, well before wireless cameras were technically feasible or commercially affordable. Nowadays, you’ll find some systems that depend entirely on security cameras and motion detection, while othe…

Endless card combos and procedural enemies abound in this popular roguelite.

Growing up playing Magic: The Gathering with my friends, the only thing more exciting than pulling off some epic combo victory was the feeling of opening up a booster pack and spotting some mythic rare or legendary I desperately wanted to improve my decks. Yet once I take off my nostalgia goggles, I can’t help but wonder just how much money I spent gambling on packs that never paid off, trying to keep up with the latest editions and expansions.

Our latest Game of the Week, Slay the Spire on Android, threads the needle between my younger and older selves. It allows me to relive the days of building combo-filled decks of cards and taking on tough opponents. At the same time, it’s not a game where you need to spend hours and tons of cash building a deck before you have a hope of winning — you’re meant to dive straight into the gameplay and adjust your deck as you go.

A roguelite game with procedurally …

For Oculus Quest 2 owners who want to play PC VR games without paying for the official, expensive Oculus cable, we’ll help you find the best Quest 2 Link cable alternatives available. You’ll want to look for a USB 3.0 to USB-C cable, long enough to travel from your PC to wherever you stand or sit to play your VR games. The wrong cable won’t be able to handle the data or power transfer necessary for Oculus Link to work, so here are our personal favorites, the Oculus community’s favorites, and Oculus’ official Link alternatives.

Skip the cable altogether

Virtual Desktop

Staff Pick

If you’re willing to go the unofficial route for PC VR, the best Link cable alternative isn’t a cable at all. Virtual Desktop is an official Quest store app for using a web browser in your headset, but its unofficial, sideloaded purpose is to let you wirelessly stream games from your PC to your headset. Virtual Desktop can hit 90Hz if your PC has the processing power and your router can keep up with t…

Many thermostats require a C wire (“common” wire) to power it 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

Staff pick

This stripped-down version of Nest’s Learning Thermostat is a great option for folks who don’t want to spend too much and prefer minimalist devices. The 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.

$169 at Amazon
$133 at Walmart
$…

Provided you don’t need third-party apps, this cheap fitness smartwatch has everything you need to get healthy.

While writing my GTS 2 Mini review, I had no choice but to compare it to the Amazfit GTS 2 and GTR 2, which launched just a couple of months ago. Huami’s branding strategy was to release a bunch of very similar watches with near-identical names within a very short span; so anyone looking to buy an Amazfit GTS 2 Mini will probably want to know if it’s worth upgrading to the Amazfit GTS 2e or GTS 2.

The fact is, the GTS 2 Mini has all the health and fitness tracking tools that you’ll need, with a bright display that looks good on your wrist and a durable battery you’ll only need to charge every week or two. Its siblings do have a few feature perks that are worth considering, but the more you pay for an Amazfit, the more the missing features become harder to stomach. With the Mini, you’re getting some genuinely impressive specs that many of the best cheap fitness trackers do…

Buy as a standalone

Arlo Pro 4

$180 at Best Buy

Pros

Camera can connect directly to router
More affordable as a standalone device

Cons

No local storage without Arlo Smart Hub
Functionally identical to Pro 3; no new features

Arlo’s newest Pro model is virtually identical in specs to the Pro 3, but has one extremely important upgrade: it can connect directly to your Wi-Fi network with no need for a separate accessory. Just be ready to pay for cloud storage, since you need a hub for local storage.

Buy for local storage

Arlo Pro 3

$300 at Amazon (2-Camera System)

Pros

Cheaper per camera with same specs as Pro 4
Smart hub comes with local storage

Cons

Requires smart hub to operate
Smart hub + cameras are expensive
2K mode requires specific smart hub to work

Don’t just buy an Arlo Pro 3 by itself. You can’t use one without a compatible smart hub or base station to connect to your network. However, a smart hub has its perks, and if you’re going to use one an…

Best for price and battery

Arlo Pro 4

$180 at Best Buy

Pros

Works without a smart hub
Cheaper per camera than Ultra
2K footage uses less bandwidth, battery
Better-than-average FOV, night vision
Likely to have better battery life

Cons

Doesn’t support 4K resolution
No local storage without smart hub

One of the only Arlo cameras to work without a smart hub, the Arlo Pro 4 is a reliable standalone camera that outshines most indoor/outdoor security cameras. While not cheap, it’s much more reasonably priced than the Ultra, and using 2K footage instead of 4K has some perks.

Higher-quality, wider footage

Arlo Ultra

$338 at Amazon

Pros

Can record 4K security footage
Has wider field of view
Uses dual mic array for better audio quality
Smart hub enables local storage
Comes with a free year of cloud storage, AI detection

Cons

Much more expensive
Requires smart hub to use
4K cloud storage costs extra

Assuming you can afford it, the Arlo Ultra is a top-tier camera …

Great for any Android user

Google Assistant

$100 at Best Buy (Nest Audio)

Pros

Google Home app makes smart home routines simple
Wide range of compatible smart home devices
Better integration with smartphone apps
Access to Google productivity apps and YouTube
Each user profile has separate Gmail account

Cons

Limited content for children
Alexa Skills win over Assistant Actions

Google Assistant is growing smarter and more useful by the day, with an impressive list of compatible smart home products and other devices that can be controlled with a simple voice command. Frequent Android phone users or Google Workspace users have every reason to use Assistant.

Best for kids and families

Amazon Alexa

$100 at Amazon (Echo 4th Gen Smart Speaker)

Pros

Echo speakers are generally excellent for audio and voice recognition
Wide range of compatible smart home devices
Plenty of great content and hardware for children, both free and paid
Wide range of security and privacy to…