lutron caseta serena

Review: Lutron's Caséta Lamp Dimmers and Serena Shades Bring HomeKit Convenience to Your Lights and Windows

Monday June 25, 2018 6:45 am PDT by
Three years ago, Lutron was one of the first vendors to venture into the HomeKit ecosystem with its Caséta Wireless lighting controls, which include plug-in lamp dimmers, wall-mounted dimmer switches, and remotes, all coordinated through a wireless "Smart Bridge" that plugs into your internet router. The Caséta system has been such a mainstay in the HomeKit world that Apple is still selling...
nanoleafremotesize

Nanoleaf's New Dodecahedron-Shaped Remote Gives You Access to 12 HomeKit Scenes

Friday November 16, 2018 5:35 pm PST by
Nanoleaf's new 12-sided light-up remote joins its existing Nanoleaf Light Panels and Nanoleaf Rhythm, adding a whole slew of smartphone-free physical control options for your HomeKit setup in one easy-to-use accessory. The Nanoleaf Remote is bigger than button and remote devices from other companies, but it offers access to many more scenes and as you'll see in my review, it's a great value if ...
kingstonnucleum

Review: Kingston's Nucleum USB-C Hub Adds Much-Needed Ports to Your MacBook or MacBook Pro

Friday November 16, 2018 5:35 pm PST by
With Apple's decision to embrace USB-C on all of its modern Macs, the company has created a need for USB-C docks so that we can continue to use all of our non-USB C peripherals as we wait for the rest of the tech industry to catch up. Kingston's Nucleum USB Type-C Hub is designed to meet that need, offering a selection of useful ports for MacBook, MacBook Pro, and iMac owners who still need to ...
caldigit t4 tb3 parts

Review: CalDigit's T4 RAID Offers Lots of Fast Storage, Thunderbolt 3, and 85W Charging

Friday June 1, 2018 11:50 am PDT by
Popular storage and dock company CalDigit recently launched a Thunderbolt 3 version of its T4 RAID storage hub, offering demanding Mac users a four-bay setup with capacities up to 32 TB of traditional hard drive or 8 TB of SSD storage. Compatible with Thunderbolt 3 Macs including the MacBook Pro, iMac, and iMac Pro, the T4 connects over a single cable and not only offers a storage array but...
bmw carplay maps

Review: BMW's CarPlay and Qi Charging Support Offer a Convenient All-Wireless Setup, but Subscription Plan Remains Questionable

Wednesday May 30, 2018 11:01 am PDT by
While CarPlay has become very common in cars over the past several years, most manufacturers are still relying on a wired implementation that requires the user to plug his or her iPhone in using a Lightning cable connected to one of the vehicle's USB ports. The first and only car manufacturer to adopt wireless CarPlay so far is BMW (including its MINI brand), although Mercedes recently...
lumos helmet box

Review: Lumos is a Clever Smart Bike Helmet With Apple Watch-Enabled Turn Signals

Thursday May 24, 2018 7:29 am PDT by
Earlier this month, smart bike helmet Lumos debuted at Apple retail stores and online, leveraging technology to help make your ride safer. Outfitted with a total of 48 LEDs on the front and back in red, white, and yellow, the Lumos helmet significantly increases your visibility to drivers and pedestrians while also allowing you to signal upcoming turns. Since its Kickstarter launch, Lumos...
fibarothebutton

Review: Fibaro's 'The Button' Adds Physical Control Options to Your HomeKit Setup

Friday November 16, 2018 5:36 pm PST by
"The Button" from Fibaro is the latest HomeKit accessory that's designed to add physical control options to your HomeKit setup, making it easier to access HomeKit devices without an iOS device or HomePod. Design wise, The Button looks like you might expect something called "The Button" to look. Made of smooth plastic, it has a small round base that holds a slightly larger button that depresses ...
schlage sense parts

Review: Schlage Sense Remains a Top Option Among HomeKit-Enabled Smart Locks

Friday April 27, 2018 10:23 am PDT by
Following my review of the Yale Assure Lock SL deadbolt with HomeKit support last month, a number of readers highlighted the Schlage Sense as another satisfactory HomeKit option worth considering. As it turns out, I've been using the Schlage Sense on my front door for quite some time, so it's worth taking a look at how Schlage's offering has held up over time. The Schlage Sense deadbolt was o...
corddockcloseup

Review: Elevation Lab's New iPhone CordDock Pairs the Stability of a Dock With the Convenience of a Cord

Friday November 16, 2018 5:35 pm PST by
Elevation Lab has been working on docks for the iPhone for several years, ever since a dock Kickstarter project took off back in 2011. All of that dock expertise has culminated in the simple, versatile CordDock, released in March. Priced at $39, the CordDock is similar in design to the ElevationDock 4, which quickly became my favorite dock after it came out last year. The CordDock is like ...
pryntpocket

Review: Prynt Pocket Turns Your iPhone Into an Instant Camera

Friday November 16, 2018 5:36 pm PST by
Prynt Pocket, priced at $150, is a portable printer that's designed to work with the iPhone, allowing you to print small 2x3 photos wherever you go thanks to ZINK paper, which does not require printer cartridges to work. There are several of these iPhone-compatible miniature printers on the market, but the Prynt Pocket is unique because it's designed to connect to the iPhone using a Lightning...
idevices instant switch parts

Review: iDevices' Instant Switch Expands Manual Control of Your Other iDevices HomeKit Accessories

Monday March 26, 2018 11:31 am PDT by
Last month, popular smart home accessory manufacturer iDevices launched Instant Switch, a Bluetooth switch that pairs with other iDevices products like outlets and switches to provide an additional point of manual control. For example, it can be paired with a hard-wired Wall Switch to provide control at another convenient place in the room without the need for wiring a second switch....
evebuttondesign

Review: Eve Button Offers Quick Physical Controls for Activating Your Favorite HomeKit Scenes

Friday November 16, 2018 5:37 pm PST by
Elgato has been making HomeKit-enabled "Eve" Bluetooth accessories for several years now, and the company now boasts an impressive lineup that includes a range of sensors, switches and smart plugs, and motion detectors. Eve Button, Elgato's newest product, is a simple little three-gesture switch that's designed to control all of your other HomeKit products, activating scenes, turning lights on ...
ravpower hyperair chargers

Review: RAVPower HyperAir 7.5-Watt Wireless Chargers

Monday March 19, 2018 8:50 am PDT by
We're starting to see more 7.5-watt wireless chargers hitting the market, and RAVPower is another popular charging accessory manufacturer that's getting into the mix. RAVPower's previous Fast Wireless Charger has been one of my favorite chargers for the iPhone X, but the company has also been working on improvements leading to a recently launched series of chargers under "HyperAir" branding. The...
anker powerwave chargers

Review: Anker Debuts New 7.5-Watt 'PowerWave' Wireless Chargers Optimized for iPhones, On Sale Up to 20% Off

Thursday March 15, 2018 9:48 am PDT by
With the launch of the iPhone X, 8, and 8 Plus last September, Apple finally embraced wireless smartphone charging, and as of the release of iOS 11.2 in December, the devices became able to support faster 7.5-watt charging. Belkin and Mophie were Apple's launch partners for wireless charging, with their optimized charging bases launching alongside the new phones and supporting the 7.5-watt...
yale assure lock sl contents

Review: Yale's $220 Assure Lock SL is a Sleek, Keyless HomeKit Deadbolt

Monday March 5, 2018 10:49 am PST by
Smart locks are one of the more popular types of HomeKit accessories, and Yale's Assure Lock SL deadbolt announced last October is one of the more interesting options on the market today. It's available in Polished Brass, Oil Rubbed Bronze, and Satin Nickel, and I've been using the Oil Rubbed Bronze for the past few months. With the Assure Lock SL, Yale has pursued an interesting strategy of ...
plugablessddesign

Review: Plugable's New 480GB Thunderbolt 3 SSD Offers Super Fast Transfer Speeds

Friday November 16, 2018 5:37 pm PST by
Plugable, a company that offers a range of hubs, docking stations, storage solutions, and other accessories for Mac and Windows machines this week launched a new external NVME SSD that offers 480GB and Thunderbolt 3 connectivity for incredibly fast transfer speeds. The Plugable TBT3-NVME480 SSD is designed for Thunderbolt machines like Apple's latest line of MacBook Pro models, and it offers...
lifeprintpaper

Review: Lifeprint's 'Hyperphoto' Printer Lets You Instantly Print Your iPhone Photos and Videos

Friday November 16, 2018 5:37 pm PST by
Lifeprint, a company known for its iPhone-compatible ZINK photo printer, recently introduced a new, larger photo printer that's able to print images that are 3 by 4.5 inches instead of 2 by 3 inches, the normal standard size for mini printers designed for the iPhone. The new Lifeprint 3x4.5 Hyperphoto Printer for iPhone, priced at $150, is an Apple exclusive that's designed to give customers a ...
colgate smart toothbrush

Review: Here's a Look at the $99 Colgate Smart Toothbrush You Can Get From the Apple Store

Friday November 16, 2018 5:37 pm PST by
One of the surprises of this year's Consumer Electronics Show was a smart toothbrush from Colgate, which, as it turns out, was designed to be an Apple Store exclusive. The new $100 Colgate Smart Electronic Toothbrush is both Colgate's first smart iPhone-connected brush and the first personal hygiene product you can get right from an Apple Store. Toothbrushes that connect to your iPhone...
caldigit ts3p contents

Review: CalDigit's 'TS3 Plus' Dock Gives You 15 Ports, 85W Charging, and an SD Card Reader for $250

Wednesday September 5, 2018 7:33 am PDT by
If you've followed all of my Thunderbolt 3 dock reviews over the past year, you know that in general these docks carry a lot of the same features in slightly different combinations. But usually, there's at least one fairly important feature that's missing in each model, whether it be enough USB ports, an SD card reader, or enough power output to fully support a 15-inch MacBook Pro. Price tags...
promise tb3 dock

Review: Promise's $249 TD-300 Thunderbolt 3 Dock Offers Lots of USB Ports and an SD Card Reader

Friday January 26, 2018 9:33 am PST by
Thunderbolt 3 docks continue to hit the market, and today we're taking a look a recent entrant from popular data storage company Promise Technology, the TD-300 Thunderbolt 3 Dock. I've tested quite a few Thunderbolt 3 docks over the past year, and the TD-300 ranks right up with the best I've seen due to standout features like five USB 3.0 ports and an SD 3.0 card reader. At $249, it's also...