Articles by Nicholas Sutrich

Google is aiming to bring everything under one roof, including Matter devices.

What you need to know

Google is rebranding all of its developer tools to Google Home, bringing its smart home initiatives under one roof.
The new Google Home tools will make it easier for developers to integrate their products with Matter, the new unified smart home platform for the industry.
Google Home users should expect to see suggested routines appear in their Google Home apps, helping them better integrate their smart home products together.

Google’s renewed look at the smart home took shape at its smart home developer’s summit, revealing a unified Google not often seen. While we’ve seen many names for the tech giant’s tools and smart home initiatives over the years, the company is bringing everything together, including its development toolkits, under the Google Home name.

If you’re picking up the best smart home products in the future, all of these new changes should ensure your smart home de…

This time around, you’ll be chased by more than just raptors.

At the very tail-end of 2020, Oculus Studios released one of my favorite VR games of the year, Jurassic World Aftermath. While the game wasn’t without its faults, it was one of the strongest examples of a game that makes the most sense in VR. After all, hiding from dinosaurs — just raptors in the first game — is absolutely terrifying and wouldn’t give you that sense of terror without being in the world.

Nine months later, developer Coatsink delivered Jurassic World Aftermath Part 2, the direct follow-up to the cliffhanger ending of the first part. Instead of being a free addition, Coatsink is charging $15 for the game — a $10 price reduction over part 1 — much to the chagrin of some players who didn’t notice the buy button for the expansion pass upon the original’s release.

In part 2, you’ll not only complete the story that began with you unceremoniously crashing onto Isla Nublar, but you’ll also encounter more …

But it’s still pretty amazing.

Like many technologies, Apple’s debut of 120Hz refresh rates on the latest high-end iPhones got many iPhone users very excited. High refresh rates are one of the best things to ever happen to displays — particularly mobile ones — as they help accentuate just how fast our devices have become. Everything feels smoother and just better, but why did it take so long for Apple to bring this tech to its phones when it debuted 120Hz on iPads four years ago?

Further yet is the fact that only the iPhone Pro models have this feature — marketed as Apple ProMotion, just as Apple marketed high-resolution displays as Retina — leaving one of the best generational upgrades only to those willing to fork out extra for it.

Apple’s LTPO tech in the iPhone 13 Pro and Pro Max comes with some advantages over the competition, but it also has some surprising drawbacks. It fails to match the 1Hz metric that the OnePlus 9 Pro can achieve, even though Apple pioneered mob…

This name change includes cash prizes.

What you need to know

Facebook Horizons is getting a rebrand to Horizon Worlds to better represent the VR social network’s content.
Horizon Worlds is Facebook’s way to socially network people in a VR-focused way, including thousands of user-created worlds to explore.
The new Creator Fund is designed to incentivize content creators with up to $10k in cash prizes.

After two years in beta, Facebook Horizon is getting some big changes, including a brand new name. Facebook Horizon, the VR extension of the company’s social network, will henceforth be known as Horizon Worlds to better fit the app’s function. Facebook is also launching a new creator’s program as it shifts to using its own world creation tools exclusively, hoping to entice content creators to join them in making rich VR worlds.

If you’re an Oculus Quest or Oculus Quest 2 owner, you can head to the sign-up page to register for the Horizon Worlds beta and see what all the hubbub is a…

This one even comes with a free pair of premium Bose headphones.

What you need to know

A scanned ad from German retailer Saturn reveals the Pixel 6 costs €649 and will likely launch on October 28.
The retailer is allegedly offering a free pair of €269 Bose headphones when customers pre-order between October 19 and October 27.
Google will be officially announcing the Pixel 6 at an event held on October 19, 2021.

Of all the places to find the latest Google Pixel 6 leak, a deals website wasn’t the most likely candidate. Yet that’s exactly what happened when mydealz.de (via Nils Ahrensmeier) posted an ad for German retailer Saturn casually revealing the price, specs, and possible release date of the Google Pixel 6.

According to the scanned ad, the Google Pixel 6 will launch €649, which lines up with previous leaks we’ve seen about the smaller Pixel 6’s price. This €649 Pixel 6 model comes with 128GB of internal storage, 8GB of RAM, a 6.4-inch screen, a 50MP main camera, and…

Amazon makes an incredible range of smart home devices, from the best smart security systems to the best smart speakers, but did you know that many of these can better help protect your home? Amazon security plans include Alexa Guard Plus, Ring Protect Pro, and Virtual Security Guard, but which one is the right plan for you? We break them all down and help you pick the right one for your home.

Alexa Guard Plus

Alexa Guard Plus is the least expensive of all Amazon’s security plans, and it uses the collective smarts of your connected devices to achieve a better sense of security. Amazon maintains a list of compatible devices, which includes your Echo speakers, Ring devices, and even some surprises like Alexa-powered Christmas trees and smart outlets.

Amazon warns that Alexa Guard Plus isn’t intended to replace a proper home security system but can be used to help you feel safer in your home.

The basic Alexa Guard tier is available for all Amazon accounts for free. Alexa Guard Plu…

The honor goes to the Quest 2.

What you need to know

Medal of Honor: Above & Beyond was previously a PC-exclusive VR shooter and is now coming to the Quest 2.
The full single-player campaign has been reworked for the Quest 2, and all multiplayer modes and maps will also be available at launch.
The award-winning documentary The Gallery is also included, telling the story behind the game from the eyes of real WW2 veterans.
There is currently no announced release date or price.

Facebook is on a roll with Oculus Quest 2 announcements lately, and its latest Quest 2-exclusive game is a hugely welcome surprise. The VR-only shooter Medal of Honor: Above & Beyond is coming to the Oculus Quest 2 in the near future with “carefully reworked” content that runs natively on the standalone VR headset. The game is still available on Oculus Rift and SteamVR platforms, but this new version will run on a Quest 2 without any need for tethering.

That marks the third announced Quest 2-exclusi…

August makes the highest-rated smart locks around. The best August smart locks are not only easier to install than many other smart locks, but they’re also just plain smarter. Their ability to understand when a door can open and close, as well as automatically locking and unlocking your doors whenever you leave or return home, makes August smart locks a dream to use. These locks are so smart they even support remote biometric verification. But, with so many of them, how do you pick the right lock for you? We’ve got the answers.

Best overall: August Wi-Fi Smart Lock

The August Wi-Fi Smart Lock is August’s 4th-generation smart lock, adding in one significant advantage without throwing away what makes August’s locks so good. As the name suggests, the August Wi-Fi Smart Lock has Wi-Fi connectivity built right in. That’s a significant departure from previous-generation smart locks from the company, which have all required an additional August Connect Bridge to get them connected to th…

There’s definitely an Echo in here somewhere.

What you need to know

A report from Bloomberg details several new devices Amazon is reportedly working on, some of which may debut this year.
Amazon wants to be in more places around the home, including a wall-mounted 15-inch Echo Show and an Echo Robot with a screen that follows you around.
An Echo TV soundbar with a built-in camera could make video calls easier, and an improved Echo Auto might solve some of the original product’s issues.

While Amazon has been a bit quiet as of late, a new report out of Bloomberg (via The Verge) suggests the lull is about to end. Contained within are leaks of several new Amazon devices, including an Echo wall-mounted display, Echo TV soundbar, upgraded Echo Auto, and even an Echo Robot that follows you around the house.

These products are powered by Amazon Alexa and designed to get the virtual assistant into more places than ever. Some, like the Echo Robot, may never see the light of day. A robot w…

Rock out without anything but your hands.

Have you ever been jamming out to a favorite song and found your fingers pretending like they’re playing guitar? Even those of us who have no idea how to actually play guitar — that’s me, for the record — have found myself pretending to shred the air along with a particularly fierce guitar solo more than once.

Unplugged lets you take your unfounded air guitar skill and hone it into a way to play music. It’s a rhythm game with no equal, and that all comes down to the tech being used. It’s truly the Guitar Hero of VR, as our Unplugged preview shows, but it doesn’t require any kind of special controller. In fact, you won’t be using a controller at all. This is purely a hand tracking experience on Quest, which means you’ll use your hands one hundred percent of the time.

This Unplugged preview was played on an Oculus Quest 2 with access provided by publisher Vertigo Games.

A master class in hand tracking

Unplugged uses Oculus hand track…