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Pixel Buds A-Series Review: ‘Hey Google’ and the best features without deal-breaking flaws

After a flawed first attempt at wireless earbuds in 2017, the second-generation Pixel Buds were, on paper, an absolute win for Google. However, over time, audio cutouts and complaints about battery life soured some users on the $180 earbuds. Now, the Pixel Buds A-Series are making their debut with virtually the same design, but a price that’s nearly cut in half.

After using them for the past week, I can definitively say they’re the better product.

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Review: OnePlus Watch doesn’t just settle, it demands you do too

Smartwatches for Android are a tough subject. Wear OS works, but it has a lot of flaws. Samsung’s Tizen-based smartwatches are great, but they’re also pretty expensive and work best on Samsung’s own smartphones. Fitbit smartwatches are excellent for fitness, but not so amazing for smart features. That’s why there was a lot of excitement for OnePlus to debut its own smartwatch, the OnePlus Watch. The final product, though, isn’t what most people wanted, and after using it for nearly two weeks, it’s hard to express just how disappointed I am in the OnePlus Watch.

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Poco F3 review: A truly exceptional budget smartphone [Video]

I think I may have jumped the gun in late 2020 by declaring that the OnePlus Nord might offer price-to-performance perfection because clearly, I hadn’t thought about Xiaomi’s efforts in the mid- to-low-end range. If you want a taste of things often reserved for far more exorbitantly priced devices, then the Poco F3 is an absolute steal.

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Review: I tried the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5G, but I won’t be buying it

Samsung is the current leader when it comes to foldables, and after spending a few months with the Galaxy Z Fold 2, I was eager to get my hands on the company’s other option, the Galaxy Z Flip 5G. After the company opened up a 100-day trial, I figured it was worth a shot, but here’s why I won’t be buying the Galaxy Z Flip.

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Review: Nest Hub (2nd gen) sleep tracking ushers in a radically more pervasive Google Assistant

Nest Hub 2nd gen

Technology today is already quite assistive, from location-aware reminders to notifications telling you when to leave, factoring in live traffic conditions. In fact, that’s now the base level of usefulness we expect from our gadgets. After using Google’s 2nd-gen Nest Hub for the past week, I experienced the next level of computers passively suggesting what improvements can be made in your life, and it will take some time to get used to.

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Review: Verizon Stream TV offers fairly priced Android TV with a not-awful skin

Like the Android platform it’s based on, one of the wonderful things about Android TV is that it can suit a variety of different hardware and software needs. Using the “Operator Tier,” some companies can even heavily customize the platform. That’s what Verizon does with its $69 Stream TV box, and it’s actually a relatively solid product on the whole.

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OnePlus 9 Review: A well-rounded step down that’s arguably the better buy

OnePlus has spent the better part of a decade building its reputation on two thing: the best specs and the lowest prices. Over time, the latter has been eroded away a bit, and OnePlus also introduced its “Pro” lineup that, well, creates a device that directly goes against the “Never Settle” motto. In 2021, though, the regular OnePlus 9 still stands in the Pro’s shadow, but it’s a better alternative than ever before.

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Samsung Galaxy S21/+ Review: Making the right compromises [Updated]

samsung august 2021 update

Around a year ago, Samsung launched the Galaxy S20 series. While they proved to be great smartphones in the end, they were flawed. Samsung’s pricing was out of control, and the value for its devices just wasn’t there. Now, Samsung is correcting a lot of that with the Galaxy S21 series by making cuts to bring the price down by $200. Samsung is admitting its mistake, and it’s for the best.

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Review: Galaxy S21 Ultra is everything the Pixel 5 isn’t, but that’s not a bad thing

Samsung has long made some of the best flagship phones in the Android world, and starting in 2020, the company decided to go all out with its “Ultra” models. To enthusiasts, it sounds like an amazing idea, but for the average customer, it’s not exactly an easy sell, especially when we’ve seen the rise of excellent devices at nearly half the cost with “affordable flagships” such as the Pixel 5. Still, Samsung accomplished its goal, the Galaxy S21 Ultra is the best Android phone you can buy, and it might even be worth its price tag. 

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Review: Samsung Galaxy Buds Pro strike nearly the perfect balance

Last year’s Galaxy Buds+ were some of the best truly wireless earbuds to date, but they still left quite a bit of room for improvement. For 2021, Samsung is launching the Galaxy Buds Pro that provide a new design, additional features, and a higher price tag. Through it all, they might be Samsung’s best earbuds to date.

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Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 2 Review: Three months later, I’m convinced foldables are the future

samsung galaxy z fold 2

You still shouldn’t buy a foldable. 2020 has seen tech move leaps and bounds, with Samsung especially releasing the excellent Galaxy Z Flip and, more importantly, the Galaxy Z Fold 2. After three months using the $2,000 foldable, I’m thoroughly convinced that this technology is the future, but it’s not ready yet. Let’s talk.

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Fitbit Sense and Versa 3 Review: Solid smartwatches w/ the fitness chops Google needs

The state of smartwatches on Android has been relatively unimpressive. Google’s Wear OS platform has a decent foundation but lacks any strength when it comes to health features. That’s why Google in the process of buying Fitbit. Over the past couple of months, I’ve been wearing the Fitbit Sense and Fitbit Versa 3, the brand’s latest smartwatches, to learn what all the hype is about. While, personally, I still wish the operating system on these watches was closer to Wear OS, I finally see what all the hype is about in the health department. Here’s what you need to know about Fitbit Versa 3 and Fitbit Sense.

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Review: Mecool’s KM3 Android TV box is only for the power user on a budget

Media platforms have existed for your TV for years, but Android TV is perhaps one of the most powerful. It has more potential you can unlock compared to a Roku or an Apple TV, but a lot of that depends on the hardware available. “Power users” demand a lot of ports and capable specs, and the Mecool KM3 Android TV box delivers exactly that.

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Review: One year later, Google Stadia is still a diamond in the rough

Google Stadia One year review

One year ago today, Google unleashed Stadia, their ambitious game streaming platform, onto the world. In the time since then, my gaming has been done almost entirely through Stadia alone. Over the course of 2020, Google Stadia has grown in many ways, stagnated in some others, but a special something about it has always shined through.

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Nest Thermostat (2020) Review: Just the basics, but it works

google nest thermostat

Whether you’re trying to save on energy usage, set a schedule, or just make it more convenient to adjust the temperature of your home, the Nest Thermostat line has been available for years to do it all. Now, the Nest Thermostat (2020) has hit the market with a new design, updated software, and the most affordable price to date. Here’s what you need to know.

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LG Wing Review: Great for content consumption, not much else

Smartphone design over the past few years has hit a bit of a plateau. There’s only so much you can do with a glass slab after all. While other OEMs are pushing foldables as the future, LG had the bright idea of coming up with some unique designs and throwing them at the market to see if they stick. The LG Wing is the first of those devices with its wacky swivel design and… it’s quite something.

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