The best Philips Hue smart lights & bulbs for 2023
Brighten up your life with the best of the best smart light brand
With reliable bulbs, comprehensive feature sets, and compatibility with virtually every smart home system, Philips Hue has established itself as the go-to choice among high-end smart lighting brands. More than just a standard smart light bulb, Philips Hue offers bulbs in every size, shape, and style you can imagine. However, while they're easy to use and can do great things on their own, Philips Hue bulbs require a separate Hue Bridge to use more advanced features like scenes and away-from-home control.
Google Home: Our everything guide to Google's smart home platform
Google Home is essential for your smart home setup and makes your day a little simpler
You may have associated Google Home with speakers before, but that's no longer the case. Since Google discontinued them in 2019, Home is now a smart management platform. It's the app you need to turn off the lights if you forgot to do so before a trip, among other features. You can connect speakers, Chromecasts, and cameras in different areas of your house, and control them from your favorite Android phones and tablets.
TVs have gotten pretty big over the years, but sometimes that isn't enough. An in-home projector is your best friend when you want that movie-going experience without the overpriced snacks and fart-filled seats. You can set them up in your basement, your living room, or even in the backyard, as long as you've got enough brightness to enjoy those darker episodes (looking at you, Battle of Winterfell).
Gmail is an excellent email tool that is used by millions. Its intuitive interface and plentiful integrations with other Google services make communicating between friends, family, and coworkers much easier. However, Gmail remains an imperfect solution when it comes to security, which means you might be interested in sending a secure email through the service.
Smart lights are great, but using an app to turn on your living room can be a bit of a hassle. We'd argue it's easier to just hit the switch on the wall rather than unlocking your smartphone and pressing a button. Luckily, smart lights can always receive voice commands from a companion like Google Assistant, allowing you to brighten up your home with a simple, "Hey Google, turn on the lights."
How to set up a Philips Hue Sync Box
If you want your smart lights to match your TV, you're going to need to know how to get this device set up right
So you've decided to take your entertainment system to the next level with smart lighting accompaniments. Immersive sound is one thing, but the Philips Hue Sync Box creates an immersive lighting experience when watching TV or playing games on your TV. It enables your smart lights to color-match what you're watching by setting up entertainment areas in the Philips Hue app. It works with everything from the standard Phillips Hue smart bulbs to a full-on gradient light bar, allowing you to customize your entertainment area in a way that will elicit some serious "oohs" and "aahs" from everyone you invite over.
Technology has done a lot for humanity, but it has flaws. In those moments of frustration with tech, an all-powerful troubleshooting practice often does the trick. Have you tried turning it off and then on again? This method stands up to the most puzzling of issues. If your Philips Hue smart lights act up, start with this tried-and-true tactic.
Best smart home devices for beginners in 2023
From bulbs and plugs to locks and cameras, these smart home devices are perfect for getting started
While it's firmly in the mainstream at this point, not all smart home technology is created equal. But you don't have to be an electronics wizard to get plenty of utility out of Alexa, Google Assistant, and all the electronics they pair with. In that light, some of the most popular smart home devices are great for beginners who don't want to learn how to program just to control their lighting or home security system via voice command.
Tables: What you need to know about Google's Airtable alternative
The collaboration database can seriously improve your ability to work with a remote or hybrid team
The pandemic has made digital business tools and apps popular for companies around the world. From the rise of Zoom to the frequently updated Microsoft Teams platform, several online resources can make life easier for professionals who work remotely. An increasingly popular type of business resource during and after the pandemic has been collaboration platforms that allow for remote communication while facilitating work. Google Tables is poised to be one of the more popular options available.
What’s the difference between Google TV and Android TV?
The lowdown on Google's two smart TV platforms
Google created a big buzz and a boatload of confusion when it launched Google TV, its second smart TV platform, in September 2020. With basically the same features and interface, you'd be forgiven for mistaking it for Google's long-standing smart TV operating system Android TV, which powers some of the best streaming devices out there. However, there are a number of key differences.
How to use your smart display as a security camera
That's right, smart displays can do more than show you the 10-day forecast
In the modern age, virtually every smart home device is equipped with some kind of camera, from phones and laptops to video doorbells and microwaves. The popularity of camera-equipped devices has made for easy video calls and some hilarious videos on social media. It also means that devices like smart displays can act as effective home security cameras for everyday customers.
Are you having trouble logging in to your home Wi-Fi network? This guide shows you exactly how to see your Wi-Fi password on an Android device and explains when you might need to do so. It also shows how you can further secure your Wi-Fi password and any other passwords you might have from those hoping to catch you slacking on security. You can navigate to your Wi-Fi password search easily, whether you use a Google Pixel 6 Pro or a tablet running Android 12L.
How to set up a Zelle account
Good news! Most banks support Zelle, so you could be only a few clicks away from digitally sending money to friends and family
The ability to send money over the internet has been a blessing for almost everyone around the world. From splitting checks at restaurants to paying the babysitter, online banking tools have made the hassle of finding and carrying cash nearly obsolete. Many establishments have eliminated cash payments because online payments are now easier to accept.
After several years of emotional turmoil caused by a global pandemic, it's easy to get excited about the things we missed. One of those is Pride. While we can't attend parades all year long, we can celebrate by watching some of the best series with LGBTQ+ themes and representation.
How to avoid getting scammed on Zelle
With users sending and receiving money directly into their bank accounts, Zelle is ripe for the scamming
Scams have become a big part of the online world. From ransomware to simple phishing scams, fraudsters constantly evolve unique ways to separate you from your money or personal information. If you want to be sure you're protected, always be on the lookout for suspicious behavior, particularly when it comes to payment apps like Zelle.
Samsung Galaxy A14 5G review: A whole lot of phone for $200
An upgraded 90Hz display, two-day battery life, and a price tag you can afford
Smartphones can be expensive, particularly if you're after a high-end flagship device. While you might have to shell out the big bucks for the best flagship phones, Samsung offers capable devices across the board, including some of the best cheap Android phones you can buy today. That continues with the Galaxy A14 5G, the latest A-series device that delivers functional specs with some advanced features for just $200 out of the box.
Samsung Galaxy Tab A8 review: Stick to streaming with this budget tablet
Samsung's low-cost tablet is built for entertainment, not work
With Samsung offering some of the most expensive devices on the market, a good deal goes a long way. As far as the best Android tablets are concerned, the Tab A series has provided affordability without sacrificing too much, so those on a budget can enjoy the tablet experience. The most recent slate, the Samsung Galaxy Tab A8, is exactly that. It offers a solid tablet experience for an affordable $230 price point, matching the same cost as its predecessor, the Samsung Galaxy Tab A7, while beating out the entry-level iPad by $100.
Wyze Mesh Router review: Cheap, easy, and fast are three great reasons to upgrade
What more do you need out of a Wi-Fi mesh router?
When it comes to mesh routers, the uninitiated may think the only important thing to consider is whether it works or not. After all, how much could a router really impact the overall internet experience? We're here to tell you that the Wyze Mesh Router is affordable, easy to set up, and supports high enough speeds to handle virtually anything you need the internet for and then some.
You wouldn't want some random person following your every move, so why would you want Google doing the same thing? The tech giant hasn't exactly been on the ball when it comes to privacy concerns and location tracking issues, which has more than a few users anxious to get more control over their privacy settings on their favorite Android devices.
How to factory reset a Motorola phone
Get back to the good ol' days and factory reset your Motorola phone with this handy guide
There's no shame in admitting defeat when it comes to faulty technology. You tried the software updates. Then you turned it on and off enough times to know that there's nothing else to do. Sometimes, your best move is to start from scratch, and that's where a factory reset comes in handy. With a factory reset, you'll send the device back in time to the moment before you added your apps, accounts, and photos. This reset can fix any problem you might have with your phone.