Articles about Belkin

Foxconn -- the Taiwanese company famed for producing iPhones -- has announced that it is acquiring Belkin International for $866 million in cash.

Belkin is also the owner of Linksys, Wemo and Phyn, making the purchase an interesting expansion for Foxconn Interconnect Technology Limited (FIT) and quite a shift in direction. The merger sees the company widening its interests into accessories, networking gear and smart home devices.

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The iPhone X, 8, and 8 Plus are all wonderful smartphones. Heck, you can’t go wrong with any of them. This trio of devices supports fast charging, although you need to use a compatible USB-C charger and Lightning cable.

Today, Belkin announces an all-new car charger that supports fast charging with the newest iPhone devices. Of course, it will work with Android devices too. This is exciting, as it means you can charge your phone more quickly when driving.

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There are a lot of USB-C docks and accessories on the market today. While the port can be found on Windows and Linux machines, you can thank Apple for the overall popularity. When the company went all-in with USB-C ports on the MacBook Pro, accessory makers really took interest.

Today, Belkin releases a new dock that uses the newest USB connector. Called "USB-C 3.1 Express Dock HD," it features 8 ports. Best of all, it can charge your laptop while it is connected. While it does offer 4K video, it is unfortunately capped at 30Hz, making it a non-starter for many.

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Belkin's Wemo smart home devices are absolutely brilliant. Not only does the company offer power outlet and light switch adapters, but it recently introduced a dimmer switch too. The Wemo products are also compatible with both Amazon Alexa and Google Home, making them easy to control by voice.

Unfortunately, Wemo devices are not compatible with Apple HomeKit or Siri. There is good news, however -- Belkin is adding support. Starting this fall, consumers can buy a new product called "Wemo Bridge," which will enable HomeKit support for existing Wemo devices. It simply plugs into an Ethernet port on your router, thereby enabling support for Apple's smart home platform.

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The concept of a "smart home" is finally becoming a reality for many; devices are becoming both more affordable and easier to setup. It is not uncommon for a home to have Wi-Fi cameras, voice assistants, smart thermostats, and more, nowadays.

One of the coolest aspects of the smart home is the ability to control lights -- bulbs, switches, and outlets. In my home, I leverage Belkin's Wemo outlet adapters to turn my lamps both on and off using Alexa -- it is awesome. Now, Belkin has a new smart device that I cannot wait to add to my home -- the all-new Wemo Wi-Fi Smart Dimmer Light Switch. Not only can it dim lights with Alexa, but Google Home too. It can even integrate with a Nest thermostat for learning purposes and cost-savings. Of course, you can use the Wemo mobile app for Android and iOS too.

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USB-C is certainly the future, but there is one huge problem -- low-quality cables. Not only are these cheap cables prone to breakage, but they are often out of spec, meaning they can physically damage your computers and devices. Imagine frying your laptop or smartphone because you connected a cheap cable -- ugh, that would stink. You should always buy cables manufactured by well-known companies that you can trust.

One company that you can usually depend on for quality cables is Belkin. You pay a bit more compared to low-quality no-name offerings, but you get what you pay for, folks. Today, the well-respected manufacturer announces an all-new USB-C cable as part of its MIXIT DuraTek line.

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As the proud owner of an Amazon Echo (and Echo Dot), I often like to show it off. My favorite demonstration is using the internet-connected voice assistant to control a lamp in my home. Like a giddy kid, I tell guests to prepare to witness magic. Then, I say "Alexa, turn on the lamp." Guess what happens? The lamp turns on! This is thanks to Alexa's connection with my Belkin WeMo outlet device. Guests are seemingly never as impressed as I am, but I digress.

If you also own Belkin WeMo devices, but opted instead for a Google Home rather than Amazon Echo, you were out of luck. Today this changes, however, as the search-giant's voice assistant can now control WeMo home devices. This includes Wemo Mini, Wemo Switch, Wemo Insight Switch, and Wemo Light Switch.

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Having a removable battery in a smartphone can be convenient, but portable USB battery packs have made that concept obsolete. Investing in extra batteries which are designed for only one specific device can be costly and wasteful when you change phones. A USB pack can be used with many devices, making it a good investment.

Today, Belkin announces one of the most elegant such products -- especially for Apple device owners. You see, the 6,700 mAh 'Valet Charger Power Pack' can charge both iPhone and Apple Watch. In addition to a USB port, it offers wireless charging for Apple's wearable, making this an indispensable tool to keep in a bag. It does not come cheap, however.

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Yesterday, Apple announced that it was removing the 3.5mm audio jack from its upcoming iPhone 7 and 7 Plus smartphones; some people are still comically reeling from the news. Understandably, not everyone can see the benefits of Apple's forward thinking subtraction now, but the world will catch up eventually -- as usual.

While killing the outdated decades-old audio port was the correct choice, understandably, not everyone is ready to invest in Apple's AirPods. Some folks will prefer wired headphones. Luckily, Apple is bundling both a 3.5mm dongle and Lightning audio wired earbuds with the iPhone 7 (and Plus). While that partly solves the dilemma, some folks will hit a roadblock -- they cannot listen to wired headphones while charging their iPhone devices. Today, Belkin creates a solution for that problem with the all new 'Lightning Audio + Charge RockStar' adapter.

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There's no shortage of connected devices on the market these days and more seem to come along almost daily. The problem, to an extent, is interoperability. That's improving somewhat as devices are starting to play nice with other systems.

Now SmartThings, one of the more popular offerings on the market, is introducing new products to its UK line. Both are from Belkin, which makes the WeMo line.

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When friends or family ask me to help with their Wi-Fi woes, I often discover the same thing -- low-cost and aging routers. Understandably, people are always looking to save a buck, but a router is not the place to do so. A quality router is worth the money -- dropped connections and necessary reboots are a scourge.

Today, Linksys announces that its EA7500 MAX-STREAM AC1900 MU-MIMO 802.11ac gigabit router is available for pre-order. Not only is it fast and chock-full of features, but it is reasonably priced too.

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If you do a lot of traveling -- whether for business or pleasure -- it can be a pain in the butt to remember to pack everything. This is especially true for technology, as forgetting a charger or cable can be disastrous.

Today, Belkin announces a product that aims to make life easier for travelers. The Travel Rockstar is a Swiss Army Knife-like accessory that combines a battery pack, charger, and surge protector into one neat package. Not to mention, it is just gosh darn cute too.

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Father’s Day is fast approaching and time is running out to secure the perfect gift. Luckily, there’s a whole host of potential presents for the tech-obsessed fathers out there, ranging from the practical to the practically useless.

So whether it’s a novelty gadget you’re after or something he’s likely to use every day, we’ve rounded up the best gift ideas for Father’s Day 2015.

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Look at you. Sitting on your couch eating chips while playing with your iPhone. Yes, we all know the apps on that thing are amazing. It can be easy to lounge around with your Apple device playing Trivia Crack and Words with Friends. Meanwhile, your ass is getting bigger with each passing day. Tim Cook would not approve of this -- he wants fit and attractive people shopping in the Apple retail stores. The company has an image to uphold!

Belkin is here to save the day. Its all-new Clip-Fit Armband is designed to help you run and exercise with your iPhone. Will you use it to firm up your saggy butt and get ready for the summer?

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USB-C is not an Apple standard. Even before the announcement of the new MacBook, computers, add-on cards and motherboards with the port were already in development. With that said, Apple's new computer has certainly accelerated the public's interest in the next-generation of USB.

Today, Belkin announces a line of USB-C cables ready to take advantage of this new technology. If you are planning on buying the new MacBook or Chromebook Pixel you should definitely take notice.

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