Smart homes are boring now, and that's good, Pixel 6 fingerprint reader woes, best smart lights, and more

November 1, 2021

Can I let you in on a dirty secret in the tech world? Smart homes are boring. Now wait, don’t stop reading, because I have an important point here. I’m a big smart home junkie, and my whole house is bedazzled in all the smart home goodies, from fancy lights to awesome doorbells.

But ugh, I have nothing good to look forward to. Seriously. Everything on the horizon is more of the same. But (and you knew there was a but): that’s actually a good thing. I mean it. Boring is a very good sign for smart homes and a sign of a bright and rosy future. Confusing? Hit the top story for the full explanation.

Other Highlights:

• We gathered together the best smartwatches and fitness trackers you can ask for this Christmas. You’re welcome!
• Hey does your new Pixel 6 seem really bad at reading your fingerprint? We have some helpful tips to solve the problem.
• The crew at iFixit tore apart the latest MacBook Pro and found a nice battery surprise.
• Need some smart lights for the holidays? We have you covered.
• …and more!

-Josh

I’ve been writing about smart homes for years and purchasing smart home devices even longer. And you know what conclusion I’ve come to all these years later? Smart homes are pretty boring now. Seriously incredibly boring. But that’s a good thing for everyone. Read More »

Smart lights are an essential part of your smart home setup and, yeah, they’re fun to look at, too. They help set the mood, whether it’s for a house party or movie night. If you’re wanting to pick some up, we can help. We found all of the best smart lights out there! Read More »

As people finally get their hopefully-not-cancelled Pixel 6 and Pixel 6 Pro orders, they’re encountering a terrifying problem. The fingerprint reader doesn’t work! Clearly there’s a problem with Google’s manufacturing process, right? … Right? Read More »

A smartwatch or a fitness tracker is an easy way to keep track of health goals and makes a great gift around the holidays. Something that’s constantly on your wrist, reminding you of how many steps you’ve walked and calories you’ve burned motivates you to keep it up or even do more. Read More »

Why buy a gaming TV or monitor when you can get a gaming projector? Optoma’s new UHZ50 projector features 4K resolution, HDR support, a 16ms response time, and a peak brightness of 3,000 lumens (perfect for daytime use). And when you activate its Enhanced Gaming mode at 1080p resolution, you get a fantastic 240Hz refresh rate with a 4ms response time. Read More »

Need your home’s Wi-Fi coverage to reach a little further? TP-Link’s AC750 can boost coverage up to 1,200 square feet and handle up to 20 connected devices, making it a solid choice for knocking out Wi-Fi dead zones. It only takes two simple steps to get it set up, and the built-in smart indicator light helps you find the optimal place to place it. The gadget’s Ethernet port can turn your wired connection into a wireless access point or allow it to function as a wireless adapter for connected wired devices like gaming consoles.

Get it at Amazon →

When you think of iconic rock bands, it’s hard to not think of The Rolling Stones. And now, the British band has a new fan: Boston Dynamics’ robot dog, Spot. In the company’s newest video, we can see the robot “dancing” along to the Stones’ tune Start Me Up. Read More »

Tesla’s popular Sentry mode, a feature that uses the car’s autopilot cameras as a security system to prevent theft or vandalism, just received a big upgrade. A new software update allows owners to remotely watch a live view from the Sentry cameras on their iPhones. Read More »

Seemingly everyone’s been abuzz lately about Apple’s infamous Polishing Cloth. In an in-depth story from the New York Times about the accessory, an anonymous Apple official said Apple is “not surprised” by the enormous demand. Read More »

It’s easy to find the Apple TV app in a variety of places, but now, you’ll find it in yet another place: your Comcast device. In its recent earnings call, Comcast announced that the app will be available on its platforms sometime in the next few months. Read More »

Of all the factors that pushed Pixel 6 to become a successful product, its unique design and use of color may be the most important. Shades like Sorta Sunny look gorgeous, and even the Stormy Black colorway manages to stand out from other phones. Now, Google is explaining its collaborative design process, and it’ll make you appreciate the Pixel 6 even more than before. Read More »

It’s good to see Apple finally take a few steps back. The company’s latest MacBook Pro models ditch the Touch Bar, gain HDMI and SD Card jacks, and even revive MagSafe charging. But the changes aren’t just skin deep. As revealed in iFixit’s killer teardown, Apple made some internal design changes to the MacBook Pro that echo the past (and hopefully point to future trends). Read More »

Robot vacuums sound great in theory. Your floors are cleaned daily by a robotic assistant so that when you wake up or get home from work you have one less thing to do. Unfortunately, the theory doesn’t always translate well in practice. Read More »

The time has come. Netflix’s beginning of the month drop is here, and there’s everything from westerns to Christmas films coming subscribers’ way. Read More »