Cases for Google Pixel phones have long been an afterthought. For the longest time, designs were boring and bland. Things are certainly getting better with time, and one gorgeous example of that is Carved’s Live Edge wood case, which turns Pixel 7 or Pixel 7 Pro into a true work of art.

Sometimes smart home tech results in the thought, “Why does anyone need this?” But in other cases, the benefits are abundantly clear, even if they aren’t always fully realized. Garage door openers are one of those pieces of smart home gear that fit into the latter, and over the past few weeks, the Tailwind system I’ve been using alongside Google Home has not only hit my expectations but has also gone above and beyond.

Flip phones were once a relic of the past, but the arrival of foldable smartphones has given new life to the form factor. And, now, the 2023 Motorola Razr+ is showing the modern flip phone at its best.

I’d like to believe that Google’s modern hardware division could have released a tablet primarily for content consumption – like the Nexus 7 – at any time since its inception in 2016 but just chose not to. Made by Google’s high-level MO is to add unique aspects to its products. On the Pixel Slate, that was deemed to be productivity, and it did not work. In trying again with the Pixel Tablet, Google clearly still believes it needs something unique, and that’s how we have a Nest Hub Smart Display UI sitting – literally – on top of Android.

There are generally two trains of thought to digesting streamed media in a common space. The first is the most common and involves a nice UHD or 4K TV. The second, less common approach, is getting a smart short-throw projector that takes up minimal space and offers up to 120 inches of clear, crisp 4K video. The Formovie Theater 4K projector does just that, and man do we love it.

Because the Pixel Watch was launched with proprietary band connectors, finding premium watchbands has been somewhat of a challenge. Of course, options from the manufacturer itself are going to yield the best results, but is Google’s new Metal Links Band for the Pixel Watch worth the $200 tag?

There are a couple of companies vying for the top spot in the robot/vacuum market, and Ecovacs’ is one of them. Its Deebot T20 Omni is the newest smart cleaning robot that makes use of an auto-lifting mop system and new hardware for one of the best cleans around.

Samsung’s Galaxy A line has long been the company’s true bread and butter, with the A50 series long offering flagship-tier features at half the cost. The latest Galaxy A54 is another great example of that, but with stiffer competition from Google’s Pixel line, Samsung’s flaws are easier to see.

As stock Android experiences go, Motorola has found success in the past and delivered good hardware and experience with it, though it’s been a long time. Now, with the 2023 Motorola Edge+, it seems the company is maybe finding its stride again, delivering a phone that flies under the radar but should really be on a lot of buyers’ minds.

Android smartwatches have been in a rough state for years now as they’ve watched the Apple Watch become an absolute juggernaut to compete against. But the debut of Wear OS 3 and some proper hardware has breathed new life into Google’s efforts and has also now given us the TicWatch Pro 5, a powerhouse smartwatch that literally outlasts the competition.

Google released its first battery-powered Nest Cam in 2021, but using the camera solely on battery power tends to take away from the experience. With the addition of a solar panel, however, the Nest Cam gets not only a steady source of power, but also better overall functionality.

As recycling becomes a bigger and bigger part of our modern world, Acer is trying to incorporate more post-consumer recycled plastics. That’s the point of its Vero line, which includes the Acer Chromebook Vero 514 – a high-end Chromebook wrapped up in recycled plastics.

Motorola has gone through some undoubtedly rough patches when it comes to flagship devices. With the ThinkPhone being Motorola’s high-end offering, the professional-focused device offers a fantastic experience that doesn’t stray very far from stock Android but offers some extra capabilities for those who use Lenovo’s ThinkPad laptops.

High-end Chromebooks used to be a tough product to recommend, but years of advancement in ChromeOS and the changing world of work have left the form factor a pretty desirable product for many. HP has offered many Chromebooks with high-end specs, but it wasn’t until the Elite Dragonfly that we saw a true flagship, which was unfortunately wildly expensive. But now, there’s an easy recommendation for the best high-end Chromebook, the HP Dragonfly Pro Chromebook.

Over the years, Google’s Pixel phones have gained a reputation for having an exceptional camera, a clean Android experience, and smarts you won’t find on any other phone. With the Pixel 7a, Google delivers on every one of those promises at a far more inclusive price.

Last year Walmart shocked many with the launch of its super-affordable Onn-branded Android TV streaming devices, and now the retailer is back with a new generation. The new Walmart Onn Google TV box is insanely affordable and, like its predecessor, shockingly fantastic for its under-$20 price point.

Android tablets have earned, rightly, a reputation of being middling and not as good as their Apple counterparts. With its first tablet, the OnePlus Pad, OnePlus isn’t making any groundbreaking changes to that reputation, but at the very least, this is a pretty good Android tablet on the whole.

The smart home is going through a sort of reinvention with the arrival of Matter, and that’s given the market a chance to improve on old ideas and try out new ones too. Over the past few weeks, I’ve been able to use one of those new ideas in Samsung’s SmartThings Station, a Matter hub that can wirelessly charge your phone and control smart home devices with the push of a button.

Wireless Android Auto is easier to get than ever before with handy little wireless adapters. Now, prices on those adapters are starting to drop, with a few options around $50. But do you lose anything by buying a cheap wireless Android Auto adapter for half the price? That’s what we’ve put to the test.

E Ink has been around for years, but has mostly been delegated to cheap and simple devices used for reading and nothing more, most famously Amazon’s Kindle devices. As time has gone on, though, the technology has advanced tremendously, and now there are full Android tablets with E Ink displays, and there might be no more impressive option than the Boox Tab Ultra.

With smartphone prices constantly increasing year-over-year, you might want to make your current phone last a little longer before contemplating an upgrade. When long-term support for your handset ends, the next best thing is a custom ROM. One of the most prominent is Lineage OS 20. Here’s how it runs, what’s new, and if you should flash it on your phone.

Never settle. It’s the tagline that OnePlus has used since its inception, and also the line that has become a bit of a mockery as the brand has changed over the years. But compromises are a part of any good phone, and with its latest OnePlus 11, I’ve got to admit, I’m actually a lot happier with the balance OnePlus has struck than I thought I would have been.