Michael BrownExecutive Editor, TechHive
Michael is TechHive's lead editor and covers the connected-home and home-entertainment markets. He built his own smart home in 2007, which he uses as a real-world test lab when reviewing new products. Michael also reviews routers and networking products for TechHive and PCWorld.
Best smart speakers: Which deliver the best combination of digital assistant and audio performance?
With models based on Alexa, Google Assistant, Siri, Cortana, and others to come, we’ll help you find just the right model for you.
But the Schlage Encode smart deadbolt also exposes some flaws in Amazon’s broader approach to the smart home.
The all-plastic construction has us wondering about longevity, but the price (and the hooks into the broader Ring ecosystem) can’t be beat.
Ecobee’s fifth-generation SmartThermostat with voice control is available now
The company says its combination thermostat/Alexa smart speaker will have a more powerful processor and speaker, plus dual-band Wi-Fi.
Amazon’s Echo Show 5 could kneecap the Google Nest Hub
Its 5.5-inch display is slightly smaller, but it has a camera and is priced at just $90.
Phyn Plus smart water valve review: Sophisticated leak detection and water use analysis—for a price
Yes, it’s even more expensive than the Flo by Moen, but Phyn doesn’t charge extra to inform you how you’re using water.
RoomMe promises to make your smart home more intelligent
This ceiling-mounted occupancy sensor triggers smart home devices based on who enters the room.
The Lutron Aurora handily solves the smart bulb, dumb switch predicament
This battery-powered dimmer retrofits toggle switches controlling Philips Hue and other Zigbee smart bulbs, so they can’t be turned off by accident.
Nuimo Click review: This smart home device’s novelty wears off quickly
The one-touch access to your favorite Sonos playlist or Hue lighting scene is fun—for the first few days.
Amazon’s Alexa Guard adds new security features to Amazon Echo smart speakers
Alexa Guard can operate on its own or in conjunction with full security systems from Ring and ADT.
Sonos is rolling out Google Assistant support to its Sonos One and Sonos Beam smart speakers
The development effort consumed more than a year, but Sonos is now the first smart speaker manufacturer to support both Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant on the same system.
Netgear Orbi Voice review: It’s not the best smart speaker, but it's an excellent mesh Wi-Fi system
And if you already have an Orbi router, it’ll make an awesome addition to your network.
Best mesh Wi-Fi routers: Reviews and buying advice
Few elements of your home’s infrastructure have a bigger impact on your tech life. We recommend mesh Wi-Fi routers for most people, and we’ll help you find just the right one for your needs.
Nest Hub Max is the smart display Google should have started with
Google finally builds a smart display with a camera as it consolidates its smart home efforts under the Nest brand.
Vivint's Outdoor Camera Pro can detect someone casing your home
The AI-powered Vivint Outdoor Camera Pro has a 4K image sensor and issues warnings to anyone lurking around your property.
Articles by Michael Brown
Older stories