Perhaps the most highly visible home automation hub thanks to its placement in Lowe's stores around the country, the Iris Smart Hub ($59.99) is a reasonably priced device that controls numerous Iris-branded and third-party devices, including contact and motion sensors, thermostats, locks , and more. It contains circuitry to control Z-Wave and ZigBee smart home products , supports Amazon Alexa voice commands, and is relatively easy to install. However, it lacks the versatility of our Editors' Choice, the Wink Hub 2 , and requires a subscription to unlock its full potential. Design and Features is considerably smaller than the Wink Hub 2 (7.2 by 1.2 by 7.2 inches) and just a tad deeper than Samsung's SmartThings Hub ($69.99 at Home Depot) (Opens in a new window) (1.3 by 4.2 by 4.9 inches). It has a white finish, with an Ethernet port and two USB ports on the back, alongside a power jack and a reset button. Three LED indicators on the front glow solid green when … [Read more...] about Lowe’s Iris Smart Hub (Second Generation) Review
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The Best Mirrorless Cameras of 2023
Table of Contents What to Look for in a Mirrorless Camera in 2023 Best Mirrorless Camera Overall: Sony A1 Best Budget Mirrorless Camera: Canon EOS RP Best Mirrorless Camera for Beginners: Nikon Z6 Best Mirrorless Camera for Video: Sony A7SIII Best Mirrorless Camera for Travel: Fujifilm X-T4 Update, 01/23/2023: We’ve reviewed our recommendations and are confident these are still the best mirrorless cameras you can buy. What to Look for in a Mirrorless Camera in 2023 When they were first introduced, mirrorless cameras had their share of drawbacks. Newer models, however, have worked out the kinks. The innovations made to mirrorless cameras in the last few years have become their main draw. These cameras have now got advanced autofocusing systems with elements like eye autofocus that help get tack-sharp portraits and fast action stills. Mirrorless cameras can also shoot at higher burst shooting rates than a conventional DSLR because they don’t have a mirror … [Read more...] about The Best Mirrorless Cameras of 2023
How to Clear Cache on Amazon Fire TV
If you’re experiencing issues with your Amazon Fire TV apps, clearing the cache can be a solution. We’ll guide you through the process of deleting the temporary files on your Fire TV device. What Is the Cache on Amazon Fire TV Devices? The cache is a set of temporary files that your installed apps create during normal function. These cache files efficiently serve your apps with the data they require. However, these cache files sometimes get corrupted, and as a result, your apps suffer from various issues. Clearing the cache helps fix those issues. Doing so does not delete your app or the data you have saved in it, so don’t worry about losing any functionality. Be aware, though, that on your Amazon Fire TV device, you can only clear the cache on a per-app basis; there is no way to clear the entire cache for the device at once. RELATED: How to Clear an App's Data and Cache on Android to Solve Common Problems Clear the App Cache on Amazon Fire TV Devices To start … [Read more...] about How to Clear Cache on Amazon Fire TV
The Best Portable Speakers of 2023
Table of Contents What to Look For in a Portable Speaker in 2023 Frequently Asked Questions Best Portable Speaker Overall: Sonos Move Best Budget Portable Speaker: DOSS SoundBox Touch Best Bluetooth Portable Speaker: JBL Charge 5 Best Waterproof Portable Speaker: Ultimate Ears Megaboom 3 Best Outdoor Portable Speaker: Sony SRS-XE300 Best Portable Speaker with Bass: JBL Boombox 3 Update, 01/27/2023: We’ve reviewed our recommendations and are confident these are still the best portable speakers you can buy. What to Look For in a Portable Speaker in 2023 Because portability is key, one of the first things you’ll want to consider while speaker shopping is size. On one hand, larger speakers tend to sound better and offer more volume, but they sacrifice some easy portability in the process. Likewise, smaller speakers may have less volume, but they’re far easier to carry. Weather resistance is another important factor when shopping for a portable speaker. … [Read more...] about The Best Portable Speakers of 2023
The Best Speakers of 2023
Table of Contents What to Look for in a Speaker in 2023 Best Speaker Overall: Sonos Beam (Gen 2) Best Budget Speaker: Tribit StormBox Micro Best Bluetooth Speaker: JBL Charge 5 Best Outdoor Speaker: Ultimate Ears WONDERBOOM 2 Best Smart Speaker: Sonos One Best Bookshelf Speaker: ELAC Debut 2.0 B6.2 Best Speaker for Music: Kali Audio LP-6 V2 Update, 01/25/2023: We’ve reviewed our recommendations and are confident these are still the best speakers you can buy. What to Look for in a Speaker in 2023 As speakers have changed and evolved, even the word itself has grown to include many types of products. To understand what we’re looking at in terms of a “speaker”, Bluetooth speakers , soundbars , smart speakers , and traditional bookshelf speakers are all represented in our roundup below. The first thing you should keep in mind when thinking about a speaker purchase is the use case and form factor. If you’re thinking about indoor use, are you looking for … [Read more...] about The Best Speakers of 2023
The Best Outdoor Speakers of 2023
Table of Contents What to Look For in Outdoor Speakers in 2023 Frequently Asked Questions Best Outdoor Speaker Overall: Ultimate Ears WONDERBOOM 2 Best Budget Outdoor Speaker: Tribit StormBox Best Bluetooth Outdoor Speaker: JBL Charge 5 Best Portable Outdoor Speaker: JBL Clip 4 Best Wireless Outdoor Speaker: Bose SoundLink Revolve+ (Series II) Best Outdoor Speaker System: Polk Audio Atrium 4 Outdoor Speakers Update, 01/29/2023: We’ve reviewed our recommendations and are confident these are still the best outdoor speakers you can buy. What to Look For in Outdoor Speakers in 2023 Not only do we want to take music everywhere we go, but we love to share it with others as well. Of course, that’s easier said than done, especially if you’re outside the home. With outdoor speakers, you need to balance audio performance, weather resistance, and portability to find the right solution for you. The first decision you’ll need to make when it comes to outdoor … [Read more...] about The Best Outdoor Speakers of 2023
The Best Budget Bluetooth Speakers of 2023
Table of Contents What to Look For in a Budget Bluetooth Speaker in 2023 Frequently Asked Questions Best Budget Bluetooth Speaker Overall: DOSS SoundBox Touch Best Budget Portable Bluetooth Speaker: JBL Clip 4 Best Budget Waterproof Bluetooth Speaker: Anker Soundcore Best Budget Rugged Bluetooth Speaker: Anker Soundcore Flare Mini Best Budget Car Bluetooth Speaker: Sony SRS-XB13 Update, 01/11/2023: We’ve reviewed our recommendations and have updated our best budget portable speaker to the JBL Clip 4. What to Look For in a Budget Bluetooth Speaker in 2023 One of the first factors you’ll want to consider when looking for a Bluetooth speaker, regardless of price, is the size and form factor. If you’re using a speaker in place of a home stereo, you’ll likely want a bigger model than if you’re looking for a portable speaker to carry to the park. While almost any Bluetooth speaker will be more rugged than a piece of home audio equipment, they’re not all … [Read more...] about The Best Budget Bluetooth Speakers of 2023
The Best Budget Speakers of 2023
Table of Contents What to Look For in a Budget Speaker in 2023 Frequently Asked Questions Best Budget Speaker Overall: Tribit StormBox Micro Best Budget Bluetooth Speaker: DOSS Soundbox Best Budget Bookshelf Speaker: ELAC Debut 2.0 B6.2 Best Budget Portable Speaker: Anker Soundcore 2 Best Budget Smart Speaker: Amazon Echo Dot Best Budget Soundbar: Bestisan BYL S9920 Best Budget Subwoofer: Monoprice 60-Watt Powered Subwoofer Update, 01/29/2023: We’ve reviewed our recommendations and are confident these are still the best budget speakers you can buy. What to Look For in a Budget Speaker in 2023 Different people have different needs, so we’ve included a few different types of speakers on this list. You’ll find bookshelf speakers, Bluetooth speakers , soundbars , smart speakers , and subwoofers . The first thing you need to think about is what you’re buying speakers for. Bookshelf speakers can be useful for both music and movies, but a portable … [Read more...] about The Best Budget Speakers of 2023
The Best Android Phones of 2023
Table of Contents How to Shop For an Android Phone in 2023 Frequently Asked Questions Best Android Phone Overall: Samsung Galaxy S22 Best Budget Android Phone: Moto G Play (2021) Best Mid-Range Android Phone: Google Pixel 6a Best Premium Android Phone: Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra Best Android Phone for Gaming: ASUS ROG Phone 6 Best Android Camera Phone: Google Pixel 7 Pro Best Android Phone for Battery Life: ASUS ROG Phone 6 Update, 01/24/2023: We’ve reviewed our recommendations and have updated our best battery pick with the ASUS ROG Phone 6. How to Shop For an Android Phone in 2023 There are a lot of things to consider when buying a new phone. If you’re here, you’re already considering Android, so that’s one big decision out of the way. Android devices offer more flexibility than iPhones (with Apple’s closed ecosystem), and there are many, many more phones to choose from. We’ll be throwing a lot of technical jargon at you in this list. Processors, … [Read more...] about The Best Android Phones of 2023
Squid skin inspires novel “liquid windows” for greater energy savings
Squid and several other cephalopods can rapidly shift the colors in their skin, thanks to that skin's unique structure. Engineers at the University of Toronto have drawn inspiration from the squid to create a prototype for "liquid windows" that can shift the wavelength, intensity, and distribution of light transmitted through those windows, thereby saving substantially on energy costs. They described their work in a new paper published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. “Buildings use a ton of energy to heat, cool, and illuminate the spaces inside them,” said co-author Raphael Kay . “If we can strategically control the amount, type, and direction of solar energy that enters our buildings, we can massively reduce the amount of work that we ask heaters, coolers, and lights to do.” Kay likes to think of buildings as living organisms that also have "skin," i.e., an outer layer of exterior facades and windows. But these features are largely static, limiting how … [Read more...] about Squid skin inspires novel “liquid windows” for greater energy savings