Articles by Olivia Lipski

When it comes to smart light bulbs, you may not be as familiar with Govee lights bulbs and lights strips as you are with other popular brands such as Philips Hue, but it would be a mistake to overlook this unique player. Since 2017 Govee has aimed to upgrade everyday life with its colorful smart LED lights that let you illuminate and customize your space. Whether you’re looking to brighten up your living room, backyard, or entertainment room, these are the best Govee light bulbs and light strips to get.

Best overall bulb: Govee Wi-Fi Smart Light Bulbs

If you’re looking for the best Govee light bulb, then you don’t have to look much further than Govee’s color-changing smart light bulbs that easily connect to your home Wi-Fi. These bulbs are compatible with Google Assistant, Siri, and Alexa, so if you use one of these ecosystems, you can turn your lights on or off with a quick voice command and through the app.

Govee smart light bulbs can help you transform your space or create th…

Best answer: Yes, the new Samsung Galaxy Tab S7 FE comes with an S Pen in the box. At no extra cost, you can use this iconic stylus to easily multitask and take handwritten notes on the tablet’s 12.4-inch display.

Why do I need an S Pen with my Samsung Galaxy Tab S7 FE?

The Samsung Galaxy Tab S7 FE is the latest Samsung tablet and comes at a lower price than the Samsung Galaxy Tab S7, which is one of the best Samsung tablets you can get. Like the S7, the Samsung Galaxy Tab S7 FE comes with an S Pen in the box so you can navigate, draw, and write on the tablet’s vibrant 12.4-inch 2,560×1,600 TFT display. When you’re done, the S Pen magnetically snaps to the side of the tablet for easy carrying and charging.

The S Pen was first introduced on the Galaxy Note 20 Ultra, and though you can use a Galaxy Note S Pen with this tablet, it’s best to stick to the one in the box. The S Pen is an extremely useful tool if you’re someone that likes note-taking, designing artwork, or creating sketc…

Only one of the best Samsung Galaxy Tab S7 FE cases will keep your new tablet protected from life’s little mishaps. The Galaxy Tab S7 FE launched in the U.S. earlier this summer and though it doesn’t rank as the best Android tablet like its older sibling, the Samsung Galaxy Tab S7, it is one of the most affordable Samsung 5G tablets yet and features a beautiful 12.4-inch LCD display with 2560×1600 WQXGA resolution. To keep your device’s 8MP rear and 5MP front cameras as well as its pristine screen safe, these are some of the best Samsung Galaxy Tab S7 FE cases to consider.

Two peas in a pod

Samsung Galaxy Tab S7 FE Book Cover

Staff Pick

Nothing will fit your Samsung Galaxy Tab S7 FE better than a cover straight from Samsung. This book cover is offered in four colors that match your new tablet. It’s also slim, lightweight, and keeps everything secure with a magnetic closure. This case also features an antimicrobial coating and is able to be propped up in two different angles s…

Lots of lights? Transform each one of your bulbs with a smart dimmer

There are a few ways you can turn your home’s lighting into smart lighting. Though the first method that typically comes to mind is installing smart light bulbs, these bulbs can quickly become expensive. If you have a large home or simply a lot of lights, another option is to install smart dimmer light switches. Not only can you use these handy smart dimmers to adjust the brightness of your lights from the switch itself, but they also come with smart features such as voice control. These are the top six reasons you might want to opt for a smart dimmer instead of a smart light bulb.

1. A smart dimmer can save you money over smart light bulbs in the long run

If you want smart lighting throughout your entire home, paying a bit more upfront for smart dimmers might be more cost-effective than replacing your existing bulbs. A three-pack of smart dimmers today costs around $50, whereas a two-pack of tunable white Phil…

Installing the best smart switch is one of the easiest ways to illuminate your smart home with smarter lighting. In general, these handy switches are easy to set up, so you’ll be able to operate the bulbs you already have through an app or voice assistants. You’ll also get a lot of the same features as you would with some of the best smart light bulbs, including being able to create custom lighting scenes, setting schedules, and dimming lights. Though the Kasa Smart Light Switch is our favorite, each switch is a valuable addition to your home.

Best overall: Kasa Smart Light Switch

If you’re in the process of building out your smart home and are just getting started with smart light switches, Kasa is a great brand with a few options that will work for most people. It’s one of the best home products under $100 and will allow you to control your lights from anywhere you want through the Kasa Smart app, as well as ceiling fans and anything connected to your switch.

Though installin…

Philips Hue

Massive ecosystem

$70 at Amazon (4 Pack)

Pros

Huge reputable ecosystem
Bluetooth or bridge (Zigbee) systems
Easy installation
Extensive smart home integration
Fantastic, updated app

Cons

Expensive
Overwhelming number of products
Bridge is necessary to unlock all features

This popular brand’s ecosystem has no limits when it comes to lighting your home from the inside out with the bulb of your choice, and it has excellent smart home integration if you own other devices. It’s not the cheapest, but the Hue app offers tons of features for your lights and makes installation easy and exciting.

C by GE

Affordable lighting

$30 at Best Buy (4 pack)

Pros

No hub necessary
Affordable
Great reputation
Works with Alexa and Google Assistant
Out of home control with Direct Connect (Wi-Fi) bulbs

Cons

Limited features with Bluetooth-enabled bulbs
Smaller line of products
Only A19 bulbs and BR30
No outdoor bulbs

C by GE is a great place to go if you’re ju…

Govee

Unique and colorful

$19 at Amazon (2 Pack)

Pros

Affordable
Variety of non-traditional lighting
No hub required
Compatible with Google Assistant and Alexa
Music syncing with certain bulbs

Cons

Limited selection of standard bulbs
Fewer third-party partners

Govee can help you light up your home with all sorts of lighting, ranging from smart bulbs to lightstrips to TV backlights. Offering 16 million different colors, Govee’s mission is to match your lighting to your mood, and it helps you do that through its app or voice control, no hub required. You can even sync up your lights to your music or as you’re gaming.

Sengled

Stronger ecosystem

$46 at Amazon (2 Pack with Hub)

Pros

Connects to hub or Wi-Fi
Wide range of affordable bulbs
Compatible with Google Assistant and Alexa
Set schedules and timers
Several third-party partners

Cons

Not as sophisticated as Philips Hue
Hub required for all features

If you’re planning on introducing smart lighting …

When adding smart light bulbs to your smart home setup, there are a lot of options to choose from, but the best C by GE bulbs are a great place to start. This highly reputable brand has developed some of the best smart light bulbs around today, and fortunately, they’re all compatible with major voice assistants so that’s one thing less to fret about. These are the top C by GE bulbs to consider.

No hub necessary

C by GE Full Color Direct Connect Smart LED A19 Bulbs

Staff Pick

No hub is required to set up these long-lasting C by GE Full Color Direct Connect Smart LED A19 Bulbs, meaning that you can directly connect each bulb to your Wi-Fi and control them with your favorite Alexa or Google voice assistant. With the Cync mobile app, you can even turn your home lights on or off when you’re away from home, so it’s really “lights out” when you say it is. You can get these 9.5W energy-saving bulbs to replace your older 60W bulbs by purchasing a single or double pack, offered in eith…

If you’ve already purchased a Samsung Galaxy Tab A7 case for your new compact Android tablet, you’ll certainly need one of the best Samsung Galaxy Tab A7 screen protectors to fully secure it from spills and scratches. This lightweight tablet, which is more affordable than the Galaxy A7, is a convenient option to take with you on the go as you travel or share amongst your family. To keep its sleek 8.7-inch display spotless, these are the best screen protectors you can get.

Crystal clear

Spigen GLAS.tR SLIM

Staff Pick

Spigen creates high-quality screen protectors that you can trust with confidence when it comes to protecting your new tablet. This tempered glass protector will not only fit your Galaxy Tab A7 Lite flawlessly, but it will preserve the screen’s clarity and original brightness. With 9H hardness and an oleophobic coating, scratches, fingerprints, and blemishes are prevented while touch-responsiveness remains the same.

$40 at Spigen

Best value

Supershieldz for …

Though it’s equipped with a solid metal frame, the best Samsung Galaxy Tab A7 Lite cases will help protect your new, compact tablet and its shiny 8.7-inch LCD from any mishaps. After all, life happens. Like the Samsung Galaxy Tab A7, this latest lighter model could quickly join the ranks of some of the other best cheap Android tablets. These are the best cases to keep your tablet looking new and convenient to use.

Perfect match

Galaxy Tab A7 Lite Book Cover

Staff Pick

There’s no greater match for your new Galaxy Tab A7 Lite than Samsung’s official book cover. This slim case will fit like a glove. It’s offered in both gray and silver like the tablet itself, and it’s guaranteed to look as good as it feels. And when you want to watch a video or a show, you can quickly prop the tablet up thanks to a flexible hinge.

$30 at Samsung $30 at Best Buy $30 at B&H

Best defense

OtterBox Defender Series Case

You can count on OtterBox to provide your new tablet with multi-laye…