Articles by Nicholas Sutrich

Top-grade video doorbell

Ring Video Doorbell Pro

$250 at Amazon

Pros

No battery to recharge
Pre-roll video
Smaller size might be preferable in some cases
Adjustable motion zones
Privacy zones

Cons

Wiring can be a deterrent
Poor Google Assistant integration
More expensive

The Ring Video Doorbell Pro is still the best way to get the Ring experience. From the incredibly useful pre-roll video features to the convenience that comes from never having to charge a battery, the Ring Video Doorbell Pro is the single best Ring video doorbell you can buy. Its only real downside is that it only works wired, which could limit ownership for renters.

Fantastic wireless choice

Ring Video Doorbell 3

$200 at Amazon

Pros

No wiring required
A bit more affordable
Adjustable motion zones
Privacy zones

Cons

Have to recharge the battery from time-to-time
No pre-roll
Poor Google Assistant integration

Ring Video Doorbell 3 is the third-generation wireless doorbell from Ring, an…

Privacy at its core

Ring Video Doorbell 3

$200 at Amazon

Pros

Adjustable motion zones
Dual-band 2.4Ghz/5Ghz Wi-Fi
Privacy zones
No wiring needed since it’s battery-powered

Cons

Poor Google Assistant integration

The Ring Video Doorbell 3 isn’t a mind-blowing generational leap, but it’s a significant product upgrade nonetheless. With a focus on privacy, better motion detection, and improved compatibility with faster, modern Wi-Fi networks, the Ring Video Doorbell 3 is an excellent choice for anyone looking for a powerful battery-operated video doorbell.

The late, great contender

Ring Video Doorbell 2

See it at Amazon

Pros

No wiring needed since it’s battery-powered

Cons

Only supports 2.4GHz networks
Poor Google Assistant integration
Can’t customize motion detection
Probably not available new anymore

Ring has made a name for itself over the years, and the Ring Video Doorbell 2 has been at the forefront of that. The Ring Video Doorbell 2 isn’t being sold …

Feature-rich

Ring Video Doorbell Pro

$249 at Amazon

Pros

Customizable motion detection
Privacy zones
Pre-roll video
Reliable live view connection
2.4GHz and 5GHz Wi-Fi support

Cons

Must be hard-wired for power
Requires a subscription to review historical video
Poor Google Assistant integration

The Ring Video Doorbell Pro remains one of the most feature-rich video doorbells on the market, despite having been out for a few years now.

For renters

August View Doorbell Cam

$229 at August

Pros

Removable battery pack can be easily swapped
No wiring necessary
Free 24-hour cloud storage of motion detections

Cons

Unreliable live view connection
Lack of motion detection options
No option to hard-wire
No way to view video on TV or smart home displays

The August View is the company’s first foray into wireless doorbells. It’s a simple video doorbell with simple, quick installation, but falls flat in a lot of areas.

Upon first glance, these two video doorbells …

Best value

Arlo Video Doorbell

$150 at Amazon
$150 at Best Buy

Pros

HDR video with wider aspect ratio
Digital zoom
AI-based object detection
Pre-recorded responses for answering the doorbell
Built-in siren for scaring off intruders
Alexa and Google Assistant support

Cons

Requires hardwiring
Needs subscription to unlock all features
No 5GHz Wi-Fi support

The Arlo Video Doorbell features some of the most advanced object detection on the market, so it can tell you if it saw an actual person versus just a cat or a car. It also has some amazing security and convenience features, like the ability to respond to the door using one-touch pre-recorded messages or to sound a siren if someone shouldn’t be there.

When you need wireless

Ring Video Doorbell 3

$200 at Amazon
$200 at Best Buy

Pros

Option to go battery-powered
Privacy Zones
5GHz Wi-Fi support

Cons

Motion detection isn’t as precise
Pricier up-front
Poor Google Assistant integration

Ring continues to off…

Oculus Connect 7 is now known as Facebook Connect.

What you need to know

Facebook Connect, once known as Oculus Connect 7, will debut on September 16.
The live event will be free and will be available to watch on Oculus Venues in VR and Facebook Live on all platforms.
We’re expecting to see the Oculus Quest 2 and a continued shift in how Facebook handles the Oculus branding.

The rumors have been swirling for months, but the annual Facebook Oculus conference is finally almost upon us. In a Facebook blog post, Facebook confirmed the date for Oculus Connect 7 as well as the rebranding. Facebook will be streaming the event live for all to see on September 16, which will be made available in VR on Oculus Venues and across all platforms via Facebook Live.

Henceforth, Oculus Connect will be known as Facebook Connect. Similarly, Facebook is pulling all of its AR and VR teams under one roof known as Facebook Reality Labs. This name was once given to the research division of Oculus, and …

New look, new tricks

Ring Alarm (2nd Gen)

From $199 at Amazon

Pros

Keypad looks and works better than ever
New emergency responder keys are critical
Greater compatibility with windows / doors
Easy DIY installation
Great Alexa integration

Cons

Base kit only covers a single door or window

Ring Alarm (2nd Gen) is an excellent revision to an already excellent DIY alarm system. It retains all the ease and connectivity of the original but features snazzier looks, a refined keypad with easier to press keys, new quick keys to call emergency responders, and redesigned contact sensors that are compatible with more windows and doors.

An easy DIY solution

Ring Alarm (1st Gen)

From $179 at Amazon

Pros

Saves a few bucks over the 2nd gen
Easy DIY installation
Great Alexa integration

Cons

Keys on the keypad are too close together
Difficult to know when a sensor is first paired
Dated looks

When Ring launched its first DIY alarm kit in 2018, it showed that the company …

Stream movies with your friends while you work at home, all in VR.

What you need to know

DLNA support makes streaming movies over your home network much easier than using local storage.
A new friends list, dozens of new environments, and thousands of new 2D and 3D movies make it easier than ever to watch with friends.
New multitasking support means you can finally work from the comfort of your home without losing your extra monitors from the office.

Bigscreen has long been one of the very best ways to virtually watch movies and play games with friends, and that experience is about to get a whole lot better in this latest free update from the company, first found by VR Focus. While the video player launched on the Oculus Quest earlier this summer, the local playback limitations made it a bit difficult to actually watch those movies with your friends or family. Now with DLNA support, you’ll be able to stream any MP4, MKV, or AVI file from your PC or network-attached storage straig…

Star Wars: Tales From The Galaxy’s Edge is the next VR-only Star Wars game from acclaimed developer ILMxLAB. As another Oculus-exclusive title, it’s quickly becoming apparent that Oculus is the platform of choice when it comes to Star Wars VR titles. While Vader Immortal is seeing a release on PSVR in late August 2020, Star Wars: Tales From The Galaxy’s Edge has only been announced as an Oculus Quest exclusive game. That means even Oculus Rift players won’t get to experience the game.

Oculus Studios and ILMxLAB have partnered with the same folks who crafted the Smuggler’s Run attraction at Disneyworld and Disneyland’s Galaxy’s Edge theme park. The goal is to create a virtual reality game that matches the experience you can have at the theme park, albeit with more action, interactivity, and aliens than you’ll find at a theme park.

Jump to:

Setting and Timeline
Story and Characters
Gameplay and Graphics
Release Date and Platforms
Tie-in with the Disney Galaxy’s Edge theme park

…

The Oculus Quest is a fantastic new way to play your favorite VR games. It’s also a great way to play all your favorite PC games, even if that requires extra setup. There are several different apps that can be used to do the job, but we’ve highlighted two of our favorites. One is completely free, while the other offers an enhanced experience for a minor cost.

Products used in this guide

Streaming to VR: Virtual Desktop ($20 at Oculus)
On-the-go VR: Oculus Quest ($399 at Oculus)

Note: By following our guide, you can create a gigantic digital display to enjoy all your favorite games on. However, Virtual Desktop does not support crossbuy between versions, so you have to make sure you purchase the Oculus Quest version of the app, which can be found here.

The best quality: Virtual Desktop

Virtual Desktop might cost money but it’s, by far, the best way to play PC games on your Oculus Quest wirelessly. It’s not just about compatibility or ease, but also overall quality. As of this wr…

The stylish Nreal Light AR Glasses finally make their debut on the LG Uplus network alongside the Galaxy Note 20.

What you need to know

The LG Uplus network is bundling Galaxy Note 20’s with Nreal Light AR Glasses in a special package.
This package will be available at LG Uplus retail stores and online in South Korea on August 21.
The package includes a Samsung Galaxy Note 20 or LG Velvet phone, Nreal Light AR glasses, corrective lens frames, magnetic nose pads, and a VR cover.

The wait for a truly amazing pair of AR glasses is almost over, as the launch of Nreal Light AR Glasses is just on the horizon. Folks in South Korea will be able to get their own pair of Nreal Light AR Glasses as soon as August 21, both on Nreal’s website and at LG Uplus retail stores throughout the country. That’s because Nreal Light is making its debut alongside the Samsung Galaxy Note 20 and will be available through a subsidized package on the LG Uplus 5G network. That package will include the full Nr…