You should be using a password manager. Data breaches happen often now, and that wealth of stolen info has made cracking passwords even easier. It’s not just the “password12345” variety at risk, either, but also passwords with variations on a single password or that substitute numbers for letters. Even if you’re using unique, random passwords, storing them in a document or spreadsheet is…
Best smart plugs 2025: Transform your dumb outlets into smart sockets
September 10, 2025
Thinking of dipping your toe into the smart home waters? Installing a smart plug is the easiest and least expensive way to get a feel for how the technology can improve your life. Plug one into your wall, plug a lamp or a small appliance into the smart plug, connect it to…
Roku Streaming Stick Plus review: The sweet spot for upgraders
September 10, 2025
At a glance
Expert’s Rating
Pros
Roku’s least expensive 4K HDR player
Compact design fits behind a TV and is suitable for travel
Better performance and Wi-Fi reception than the cheaper Roku Streaming Stick
Cons
Increasingly cluttered home screen
Some old TVs…
Best free antivirus 2025: Keep your PC safe without spending a dime
September 10, 2025
A lot of attention gets spent on the best paid antivirus suites, but free antivirus solutions are worth talking about, too. Not only is a solid option built into Windows, but the same antivirus engines that power paid third-party software power the gratis versions, too.
So if you see a free alternative to a paid version you like, you can safely assume the antivirus protection level is…
12 tweaks that make your Windows PC lean, mean, and fast
September 9, 2025
If the storage space on the C drive is running low, every free gigabyte counts. Windows often occupies more than 25 GB of space for things such as updates, restore points, and cache files. Plus, pre-installed bloatware further increases memory utilization. Freeing up memory…
Schlage Arrive Smart WiFi Deadbolt Lock review: Premium build
September 9, 2025
At a glance
Expert’s Rating
Pros
2.4GHz Wi‑Fi adapter onboard—no hub or bridge needed
Triple-A BHMA and ANSI Grade 1 certifications
Buttons provide tactile feedback
Supports up to 250 PINs
Cons
No support for Apple Home or Matter
No door open/close…
Microsoft added this YouTube Premium feature to Edge for free
September 8, 2025
A few days ago, Microsoft released a new update for its Edge browser that provides an interesting new feature: playback of video content in the background. This means you can now use Edge to play YouTube videos in a minimized tab and still have it going in the background.
This may not seem like a big deal in itself, but Edge also has built-in ad blocking. Combine the two together and you get a…
Valve trademarks the ‘Steam Frame,’ but what the heck is it?
September 5, 2025
After the smash hit that is the Steam Deck, all eyes are on Valve for its next hardware move. Another stab at virtual reality? A console to take on Sony and Nintendo? (Oh, Microsoft, what’s up, didn’t see you there.) A new trademark filing for the “Steam Frame” has…
At a glance
Expert’s Rating
Pros
Decent HMB PCIe 4.0 performance
Sustains long write performance better than most of the budget competition
Extremely generous TBW ratings
Cons
Slower overall than much of the HMB PCIe 4.0 competition
Pricier than the…
These eye-popping smart lights boast built-in AI microphones
September 5, 2025
Smart lights that react to voice commands spoken to smart speakers are old hat, but a smart light with a built-in AI microphone? That’s a new twist.
Showing off its wares at the IFA trade show in Berlin this week, Germany-based smart device manufacturer Lepro is teeing up a quartet of “AI Lighting Pro” lights that can set the mood based on your natural-language prompts—anything from…
