Brian Fagioli

Apple’s HomeKit was supposed to simplify the smart home, putting the controls for all internet-connected devices in one place. The iPhone-maker’s solution largely delivered what it promised, but not all developers got onboard. And so, many homeowners found themselves unable to use HomeKit exclusively, as not all of their devices were compatible. Thankfully, Apple hasn’t yet given up on it.

Today, Logitech launches a new smart home security camera called “Circle View” that isn’t just compatible with Apple HomeKit — it is exclusive to it. In other words, if you aren’t an Apple hardware user, you shouldn’t even bother, as it requires the HomeKit Secure Video platform.

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I don’t care what any so-called pundits or “experts” say — Google’s Pixel 4 is a great smartphone. It is well-designed and decently priced, although I will admit its “Motion Sense” radar technology is very gimmicky and unnecessary. If you are an Android fan, you can really never go wrong with a Pixel.

With that said, in our review of the Pixel 4, we noted a deficiency in its video recording capabilities — it cannot do 4K at 60 frames per second. In comparison, Apple’s flagship iPhone models can do 4K60, so it was a bit disappointing to see Google fall short in that regard.

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Solid state drives are exploding in popularity thanks to their performance benefits and ever-increasing affordability. If you are still using a mechanical hard disk drive, there is probably no better upgrade you can make than moving to an SSD. You won't only see a boost in artificial benchmarks, but in actual usage too -- it is an upgrade you can truly feel.

Micron has two new solid state drives that are aimed towards consumers. Called "2210" and "2300," the former uses QLC flash, while the latter uses TLC. So while both are M.2 NVMe PCIe SSDs, the 2300 will be faster, while the 2210 should be cheaper. Both can be had in capacities of 512GB, 1TB, and 2TB, but the 2210 is also offered in 256GB.

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M.2 solid state drives often look the same. This shouldn’t be surprising, as there really aren’t many ways to customize them. You are pretty much limited to offering a unique heatsink to make the drive stand out.

ADATA has a new such drive that looks pretty cool and even has a neat name. Called “Falcon,” this PCIe Gen3x4 M.2 SSD has a golden heatsink, making it look quite attractive and unique. Hell, you could probably bring it to a jeweler, have it mounted to a chain, and then wear it around your neck — like a boss! Best of all, it is very fast too, with up to 3,100MB/s read and up to 1,500MB/s write.

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Android smartphones are more affordable than Apple's iPhone, right? Not always. In fact, in 2020, there has been a bit of a shift. There are Android flagships that are well over $1,000, while the very capable iPhone SE can be had for a mere $399. Of course, the top iPhone models are expensive too, but still, it isn't black and white anymore. Those looking for an affordable smartphone can now go with iOS or Android.

The problem, of course, is that affordable Android phones are often of dubious quality from no-name makers. Sure, some big-name makers, such as Samsung, also make lower-cost models, but they are usually quite neutered and lame. For whatever reason, it can be hard to find an Android phone that properly balances quality and affordability.

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Want to know a secret? Nobody that buys an Amazon Fire tablet actually wants one. It's true. They see the higher price of an iPad or good Android tablet, and then instead convince themselves that a cheaper Fire tablet is just as good. This is particularly true for those giving a tablet as a gift. If someone presents you with an Amazon Fire tablet for Christmas or your birthday, it pretty much means they didn't think you were worth very much money. Although, it could also mean they just don't have a lot of money.

But hey, that doesn't mean a Fire tablet is totally bad. In fact, they are actually quite decent for content consumption (especially if you are invested in the Amazon ecosystem). With that said, without access to the Google Play Store, they can be rather frustrating. Today, Amazon unveils three new variants of its 8-inch tablet -- Fire HD 8, Fire HD 8 Plus, and Fire HD 8 Kids Edition.

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The smart home concept is one of best uses of technology and the internet. Not only do these smart devices provide convenience, they also offer increased safety and protection too. For instance, an outdoor Wi-Fi camera can alert you to intruders that are lurking around your residence. Meanwhile, a smart light bulb can make those same intruders think you are home — even when you are away on vacation.

Another cool smart home product type that offers both convenience and safety is an internet-connected deadbolt. These devices can remotely unlock your door for welcomed visitors, and lock the door when you forget yo do so before leaving home. Today, the much-anticipated August Wi-Fi Smart Lock finally becomes available for purchase. The sleek (diameter: 72mm, depth: 46mm) lock is powered by two CR123 batteries and is compatible with Apple HomeKit, Amazon Alexa, and Google Assistant.

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When the Apple TV 4 was first released, I was convinced it would revolutionize gaming. I even bought the SteelSeries Nimbus controller to play all these upcoming games on the device. My assumption was developers would bring all the top tier iPhone and iPad games to the Apple TV, plus more, making it a legitimate home console. Boy, was I wrong on that! Sadly, the state of gaming on Apple TV has largely stalled. With all of that said, the Nimbus controller I bought was (and still is) wonderful -- I particularly love the lightning port charging.

Today, SteelSeries launches the successor to that aforementioned controller. Called, "Nimbus+," it is compatible with iPhone, iPad, iPod touch, Mac, and Apple TV. In addition to significant improvements over its predecessor (including better battery life), the plus variant also comes with a mount for connecting your iPhone directly to it -- for a handheld gaming experience. It is worth noting the Nimbus+ looks very much like a tweaked version of the existing Stratus Duo Android controller.

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If you are a gamer, writer, our just someone that appreciates a quality typing experience, a mechanical keyboard can be a godsend. Not only are they typically of higher quality than membrane keyboards, but these mechanical variants can sometimes provide tactile and audible feedback to enhance the key presses -- depending on the switch type.

One of the most respected makers of mechanical keyboards (especially with in-the-know consumers) is Das Keyboard. That company makes no-nonsense mechanical keyboards that are not only well-built and highly regarded, but they are quite attractive too. The company's compact 4C keyboard has been one of its most popular for several years, and today, it receives a significant refresh. For instance, this professional-looking tenkeyless (meaning no number pad) model now comes with newly updated firmware, PBT caps, lubed keys, and Cherry MX Brown switches.

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When you work in an office, there are many annoying things you must put up with, such as coworkers microwaving stinky fish for lunch, or dealing with people that never refill the paper tray in the printer.

There is probably nothing more annoying, however, than reply-all email storms. This is where one coworker accidentally selects “reply all” rather than “reply” and ends up sending an email to a huge list of people. Then, other people in the organization do the same thing, creating a massive email chain that clogs up everyone’s inboxes. Thankfully, Microsoft is finally trying to end this nightmare in Office 365 (aka Microsoft 365) with the all-new “Reply All Storm Protection” feature.

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If you are still using a mechanical hard disk drive as your operating system boot drive, what the hell is wrong with you? No, really -- why are you like this? Look, I can understand using a HDD for data storage in 2020, but for your OS, you need to be using a solid state drive. Seriously, folks, the performance difference is "night and day" -- an SSD is significantly faster. Long gone is the excuse that SSDs are too expensive -- they are dirt cheap now. This is particularly true for the 2.5-inch SATA solid state drives, which are extremely affordable these days. Whether you have a desktop or laptop, an SSD should be in your computer.

ADATA has a new such 2.5-inch SATA SSD that should serve as a good drop-in upgrade for all you maniacs still using hard disk drives. Called "SU720," it is very unremarkable, but that is by design. Despite inexplicably having the word "ultimate" on the label, this SSD isn't meant to make enthusiasts drool or win any awards. Instead, it will offer a nice boost in performance to those still booting from a woefully deficient 2.5-inch or 3.5-inch SATA mechanical hard drive. And hopefully, it should be easy on the wallet too.

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We are currently in spring, and Mother’s Day is fast approaching, so you had better start thinking about colorful and whimsical gifts for mom. Sure, you can get her a foot bath, bird house, or some other crappy present, but this year, why not get her something she can actually use? Maybe something technology related...

Today, ADATA unveils a new tech product that’s not only perfect for springtime, but it should make an ideal Mother’s Day gift too. Called “T5000C,” it is a USB power bank that features a fantastically feminine floral design and pastel colors that are sure to delight your mom. The girly power bank even offers both USB-A and USB-C, so it is very versatile too.

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When I decided to "cut the cord," I switched to YouTube TV and never looked back. Quite frankly, switching to Google's live TV service was one of the most rewarding tech-related choices of my life. It felt so good to turn in my rented TV boxes to the cable company after getting "nickeled and dimed" for years. More importantly, YouTube TV offers a great television-watching experience where I can watch anywhere I have an internet connection -- it is quite remarkable.

As great as YouTube TV was, however, it was not perfect. When I first signed up, there were many missing channels, but thankfully, the service has since added many of them. Sadly, my family still had a few ViacomCBS channels that we really missed, such as MTV, TV Land, and Comedy Central. For me personally, it was tough not to have the TV show South Park. Today we learn that this will soon change, as the channels I desire -- plus more -- are finally coming to YouTube TV!

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The Surface Go was always a very curious device. It is essentially a smaller Surface Pro with very deficient specifications. It was hard to know who it was really for. Power users certainly weren't interested since it was so woefully under-powered, and home consumers weren't clamoring for the terrible Windows 10 tablet experience. Who the heck wanted a netbook that couldn't even be used comfortably in a lap? A better and bigger laptop can be had for the same price. Ultimately, the Go was universally panned as a joke.

With all of that said, Microsoft has cut its losses and moved on, right? Of course not! This is Microsoft we are talking about. Instead, the company is releasing a sequel. Yes, the Surface Go 2 is officially on the way, and while the screen is a bit larger, it will once again have a terrible processor and no real target audience.

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While video games on PCs and consoles can be great, the titles released for smartphones are often quite bad. On-screen controls can be inaccurate and hard to use, leading to a very frustrating experience. Alternatively, developers can "dumb down" their games for mobile with simpler controls, but this often makes them nothing more than time-wasters -- something to do while sitting on the toilet, for instance.

Today, Turn 10 Studios (a Microsoft-owned game studio) releases Forza Street for iOS and Android. The racing game is "free" to play, which is cool, but sadly, it does offer in-game purchases to try and suck some money from your wallet. I installed it on my iPhone, and from what I can tell, the game kind of stinks. In my time "racing" I didn't even get to steer the car! Seriously. Instead, you just hold down a virtual gas pedal. Around turns, you let go of the pedal when the road turns yellow and then hold it down when it turns yellow again. That's pretty much it -- that seems to be the game. Maybe it gets better later, but I won't be finding out. Does the game look good? Absolutely. Is it fun? Heavens, no!

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