A popular smart home brand vanishes, 'Wordle' gets a scientific copycat, unavoidable spam texts, and more

April 19, 2022

The age of cloud computing is here, and it kind of stinks. In the coming years, we’ll see tons of smart home devices turn into paperweights as their manufacturers shut down cloud servers, either due to bankruptcy or greed. And if you need proof, just look at Insteon.

Insteon is a foundational smart home brand—people love the company’s snappy, reliable products. But after a few years of bad business, it seems that Insteon has shut down. The company literally just vanished. Check our top story to learn about Insteon’s disappearing act, plus the big problem with cloud computing.

• Good luck avoiding these annoying spam text messages.
• Sarah reviewed a Simpsons arcade machine, and it’s a serious blast from the past.
• Someone combined Wordle with the periodic table of elements.
• … and more!

-Andrew

Insteon may have gone out of business without warning its customers. The company’s smart home products haven’t worked since April 14th, its forums are offline, its phone is disconnected, and it hasn’t responded to questions from customers or the press. Read More »

It’s been nearly four years since Logitech launched the MX Vertical ergonomic mouse, which scored a 9/10 in our detailed review. Now, the company’s coming back with a much more affordable and colorful vertical mouse—the $70 Logitech Lift. There’s even a left-handed model! Read More »

The latest versions of 7-Zip contain a vulnerability (CVE-2022-29072) that lets hackers gain administrative privileges on a system. But this vulnerability, which exploits the 7-Zip help file, should alarm all Windows users, as it highlights an age-old problem on Windows systems. Read More »

Apparently, no one is bored of word games yet, and that’s fine by us. We’re huge fans of Wordle and all of its clever spin-off games. The newest variant to enter the arena is Periodle, and we’re crossing our fingers we remember that semester of Chemistry we took back in freshman year. Read More »

No one likes spam texts or calls, but the latest nasty spam text trend going around is even worse. These new group messages promising a free gift to T-Mobile customers are apparently “unblockable.” Read More »

Standard tire pressure gauges are fine, but they can be difficult to see properly at night or in other dimly-lit scenarios. A digital tire pressure gauge like this one is a better alternative, as it features a backlit LCD display and nozzle for easy viewing. It also has a comfortable ergonomic handle with a non-slip texture for easy gripping. The gauge gives accurate readings in 0.1 increments and features four settings with a range from 0-150 PSI, 0-10 Bar, 0-10Kgf/cm squared, or 0-1000KPA. The easy to use on/unit/off button makes it easy to power on the device and select your range, plus it automatically shuts off in 40 seconds to preserve the battery.

Get it at Amazon →

Another week, seemingly another bug. Though we had high praise for the Pixel 6 Pro when it arrived, one bug after another dampened our enthusiasm. And now new user reports suggest yet another issue—important calls that never ring the phone. Read More »

There are very few things we love more than having a stable Wi-Fi connection everywhere we go—precisely why we’re big fans of mesh home Wi-Fi systems. If you’ve been looking to upgrade your home’s Wi-Fi setup, this mesh router deal from Linksys is hard to pass up. Read More »

There’s a lot of content on the internet, and you likely won’t have the time to view all of it when you first come across it. Seeing a cool thing you want to check out but then needing to abandon it is never fun, but fortunately, there are plenty of ways to save that content for later. Read More »

You know how Apple stopped including a charger with the iPhone? Yeah, it looks like Tesla could pull the same trick. According to a new rumor, the Mobile Connector Bundle, which lets you plug your Tesla into any home outlet, may not be included with future Tesla purchases. Read More »

I remember watching The Simpsons with my dad when I was younger, so getting to try out Arcade1Up’s The Simpsons Arcade Machine brought back fond memories. If you’re after nostalgia and multiplayer fun, this arcade machine is calling your name. Read More »

The E class of Lenovo’s ThinkPad series is designed for enterprise, and that’s exactly what the ThinkPad E14 Gen 2 means: business. Premium hardware, user-friendly features, and a hefty price tag mixed with a few disappointing design choices make for a capable work machine best bought on sale. Read More »

Crafty people use wine corks to create everything from wreaths to planter boxes. As it turns out, they’re also useful in the garden. Read More »

In the Android world, one app store is king—the Google Play Store. This is the “official” place to download apps and games. However, there are a few alternatives. F-Droid is one of the most interesting options out there. Read More »

A new week is upon us all. That means there’s a whole new round of Netflix content coming your way. This week, it includes the return of a smash hit series. Read More »