Tag Archives: handson

So far, Borderlands 4 feels like a proper sequel to Borderlands 2. Borderlands 3 went off the reservation – even the game’s own developers now admit that. While parts of that game were entirely serviceable, even hardcore fans of the franchise acknowledge that Borderlands had lost its way. It didn’t help that this souring on Borderlands 3 came just as …

Acer’s new Chromebook Plus Spin 514, announced at IFA 2025 in Berlin, Germany, is the company’s first laptop to use the Arm-based MediaTek Kompanio Ultra 910 processor. That chip was used in the Lenovo Chromebook Plus 14 that launched earlier this summer, and it was key to delivering excellent performance and marathon battery life in that fanless laptop. I dubbed …

Let’s kick off with a confession: I never really rated 2003’s Kirby Air Ride. I’m well aware that some regard it as a GameCube classic, but I’m not one of them. When a sequel, Kirby Air Riders, closed out the big Switch 2 blow-out Nintendo Direct, my reaction was rather apathetic. A sequel to that is their grand finale? It’s …

Smart locks are among my favorite pieces of smart home tech, offering convenience and peace of mind; I haven’t used a key in years. But most of them are big, clunky, and unmistakably “techy.” Keypads, bulky battery housings, and fingerprint readers mean they really stick out, on both sides of your door. If you want the convenience of a smart …

Gamescom 2025 has been and gone, and Microsoft was out in Cologne in force to showcase the first piece of its next-gen hardware puzzle. The Xbox Ally was revealed a few months ago, following an exclusive report from us on a device Microsoft had codenamed Kennan. The PC gaming handheld has been built in partnership with ASUS, and the hardware …

Several hands-on videos of the exciting Apple Vision Pro competitor are available on Weibo and Bilibili. Just like the US product, the face must be measured before wearing it to select the appropriate size of the eye mask. The battery is external, just like with Apple. The hands-on review confirms that the lower weight is a major advantage for the …

 Google has announced its newest Pixel Watches, the Pixel Watch 4 (in both 41mm and 45mm sizes). These watches may look relatively similar from the outside, but there’s a host of new features inside, including the first in a mainstream wearable/smartwatch: Satellite communication & messaging. This new feature allows you to reach emergency services, even when outside cellular range, …

Four years after launching the original Pixel Buds A-series, Google’s back with the Pixel Buds 2A. The new budget buds are $30 more expensive at $129.99, but add some notable updates like an upgraded chip, Gemini access, a replaceable battery, and most importantly, active noise cancellation. The 2A also adds a Tensor A1 chip, which Google says “unlocks the power …

Sony is finally ready to take on the likes of SteelSeries, Razer, and Logitech with its InZone brand of PC gaming accessories. While InZone started with monitors and headsets in 2022, with a few new products since then (including its great InZone Buds and the sleek but pricey M10S OLED), Sony is making a concerted effort to take over your …

I recently installed the biggest smart home antenna I’ve ever seen, and it helped open up new areas in my smart home, from the attic to the chicken coop. The towering 12-inch-tall Home Assistant Connect ZWA-2, which launched this week for $69, plugs into any Home Assistant system via USB and can connect to any Z-Wave device, including those using …