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Synology BeeDrive review: No cloud needed, back up where you stand
This smart drive could replace Google Drive backups on your PC
Synology is best known for its niche network storage devices that routinely make it to our list of favorite NAS enclosures made for both work and play. But it ventured into internal hard drives not too long ago to offer its customers a complete package in-house, and now, the company is expanding its drive offerings to portable external SSDs. The first device to join its roster is the Synology BeeDrive.
Synology DiskStation DS224+ review: Out with the old, in with the old
An important launch for Synology to retain its NAS crown.
The Synology DiskStation DS224+ is an important network-attached storage (NAS) enclosure, as it directly replaces the popular DS220+, which came out in 2019. The two-bay NAS has been recommended by us for not only running your own storage platform at home or in a small office but also for more intensive applications such as Plex Media Server. It's one of the best NAS that does it all for a reasonable price, which is why we were excited to see what Synology would bring to the table with this highly anticipated enclosure.
Moto G Stylus (2023) review: Built-in pen, budget price
A solid stylus phone that costs six times less than the Galaxy S23 Ultra
Although Motorola’s most recent success was its latest nostalgic foldable, Motorola’s most popular phones have long been a fixture of the budget smartphone landscape for years now. The company has remained relatively competitive with the likes of Samsung and Google in providing affordable smartphones that surprise users, as long as they’re looking at the price tag. The Moto G Stylus (2023) — a 4G-only variant of its more expensive 5G counterpart — continues that trend, providing good enough specs and a comprehensive stylus experience to make you ask yourself, “is this really only $200?”
Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5 review: Polished to a sheen
With more competition than ever before, Samsung chooses to coast
Is it already time to call foldables boring? That was the thought that kept racing through my mind as I initially unboxed the Galaxy Z Fold 5. A year ago, I couldn't be more excited to get my hands on its predecessor, the Galaxy Z Fold 4. Yet, with little to show in the way of changes, improvements, or upgrades — and in the shadow of a disappointing experience with the Pixel Fold — it was tough not to feel a little bit of dread surrounding this review. What would I even say about a device that was so similar to its predecessor?
Insta360 Go 3 review: Small camera, big possibilities
The Action Pod is a genius upgrade to the previous generation
Insta360 has become a fast favorite among content creators, starting with early 360 cameras and quickly moving onto the Go cameras before recently adding a smartphone gimbal to the mix. Now Insta360 is returning to its tiniest camera line to release the brand new Go 3. Not only does it bring significant upgrades to the camera module, but a completely redesigned charging pod adds a whole new dimension to the way it can be used.
Redmagic 8S Pro review: The S stands for superfluous
This stellar smartphone struggles to spy its space
While we’re used to seeing companies market phones with a variety of models and price points, few market them like Nubia. The Redmagic 8S Pro is undoubtedly an improvement over the Redmagic 8 Pro, but the upgrades are barely noticeable in what is essentially the same phone launching again six months later.
OnePlus Keyboard 81 Pro review: A labor of love
Built atop of the the Keychron Q1 Pro platform, the OnePlus Keyboard 81 Pro actually stands on its own
There's a reason I took this review: I'm an absolute mechanical keyboard nerd. I started small, modding a few HHKBs. But once I was influenced by a coworker deeper into the hobby, my journey truly started. After all, I type all day; shouldn't I be typing on something fancy? Fast forward a few years, and I'm now the proud owner of too many boards to count, from hot-swap to soldered keebs to high-end metals to cheap injection molded builds; I've been there and done that. Not to brag, but at this point, my brain is filled with information about mechanical keyboards.
TerraMaster F2-223 review: Great value NAS with two bays and an Intel CPU
TerraMaster's most affordable 2-bay Intel NAS offers excellent value.
The TerraMaster F2-223 is a two-bay NAS that's part of the company's push into 2023 with more advanced internals. Compared to its predecessor, TerraMaster loaded in a new low-power Intel Celeron processor, support for up to 32GB of DDR4 RAM, and launched the enclosure with a new version of TerraMaster's NAS operating system.
Nothing's first phone, aptly named Nothing Phone 1, was available in the UK, Europe, Japan, and India. As a US tech nerd, I was jealous. Competition in the Android space isn't quite as diverse here as it is in the places you can easily buy the Phone 1, and beyond its unique styling, Nothing's inaugural phone was widely praised as a good device at a good price. It felt like we were missing out.
Backbone One review: The controller Android gamers deserve
Backbone's controller is one of the best for Android, but the PlayStation Edition could use a few more buttons
Game controllers for Android are all the rage these days, but for my money, the most comfortable experience you can have is one that mirrors a Nintendo Switch. Placing the pad alongside a smartphone — rather than mounting it above — makes for a lighter, sleeker accessory, one you might actually want to pick up to play your favorite controller-compatible games for long periods of time.
I tested the Honor 90 and it cements Honor's place as an upper midrange champion
Going hands-on with Honor's latest offering
Honor started out as a humble Huawei subsidiary, but it has since proven that it can stand on its own two feet following the 2020 split-up. The company is on a path to growth in all the markets it sells its products in. From all I can say about the Honor 90, the company’s latest midrange flagship phone, this positive trajectory should only continue.
Insta360 Flow review: Instantly one of the best
The first smartphone gimbal from Insta360 is doing almost everything right
Just as smartphones have become increasingly capable pocket cameras, smartphone gimbals have evolved quite a bit over the years, moving beyond merely stabilizing your videos to becoming smart robots that do the shooting for you. Even so, recent models have been a bit stagnant, leaving many asking if they’re just repackaged versions of the previous generation.
Asus Zenfone 10 review: The last of the (good) small phones
Good things still come in small packages
There was a time when cell phones seemingly only ever got smaller, and likewise, some of us look fondly on those days when phones easily fit in our pockets and purses. Nowadays, we are mostly stuck with glass front and backed behemoths if we are seeking out a flagship, where devices like Asus's ROG Phone 7 surely aren't shy about their size and weight.
Moto G Stylus 5G (2023) review: A stylus phone that won't break the bank
Motorola delivers a Samsung-like smartphone for a third of the price
Motorola recently unveiled this year’s Moto G Stylus 5G, the latest upscale entry in its popular lineup of budget phones. With the 2023 edition of the Stylus 5G, Motorola cut a few corners compared to last year’s model to deliver it at a more wallet-friendly lower price, becoming an even more tempting alternative to other phones in its class.
Motorola Razr+ review: My new favorite foldable
The GOAT of flip phones can finally reclaim its throne
The Moto Razr has been many things to many people. It was an early 2000s status symbol (only '90s kids understand), an early iPod alternative with full support for iTunes, several entries in Verizon's long-running Droid series, and finally, an also-ran launched ahead of Samsung dominating the clamshell foldable space. And, for the past three years, it's been missing in action from the United States, as the Razr skipped a 2021 release and kept the 2022 model limited to international regions.
Owning a NAS has become significantly more common over the last few years, largely due to a rise in remote work and the popularity of maintaining a local digital content library. TerraMaster has made a name for itself in this market with a lineup of NAS boxes with specs that match or exceed many of the best NAS solutions while keeping prices low.
I have never been more confused by a smartphone than by the OnePlus Nord N30 5G. Its predecessor, the Nord N20, was one of my favorite budget devices of last year. It offered a near-flagship quality OLED display, stellar battery life, and a sleek build — all for $300. And with such an impressive platform to build on, the N30 should’ve been an easy layup.
Poco F5 Pro review: A great Pixel 7a alternative
This phone delivers on almost every aspect but falls short in photography
Xiaomi's sub-brand Poco made a name for itself with the Poco F1 and its unbelievable price-to-performance ratio. Since then, the company has expanded its product portfolio to include more budget devices to reach a wider audience. Amidst all this, it felt like Poco's flagship products were focusing more on gamers with their funky design. With the Poco F5 Pro, the company is returning to its roots and has launched a phone with flagship-like specs at an affordable price point.
Sony Xperia 1 V review: Too much money, not enough phone
Sony's myopic priorities rob another Xperia of its potential
A decade ago — back in the Wild West era of Android — Samsung debuted one of its oddest gadgets to date. Rather than keeping its Android builds limited to smartphones, the company branched out into point-and-shoot cameras, bundling a 4.8" touchscreen with a 21x zoom lens and Android 4.1. Thanks to its LTE connection, backing up to various cloud services — or immediately sharing to Instagram — was quick and easy, but as smartphone sensors continued to evolve, the need for dedicated cameras, even those running Android, fizzled into nothing
QNAP TS-464 review: One of the best compact NAS devices for running Plex
QNAP's TS-464 has just about everything you'd need in a powerful compact NAS
QNAP is responsible for some of the more powerful network-attached storage (NAS) enclosures, including the QNAP TS-464. This four-bay NAS has an Intel Celeron processor, expandable system memory, M.2 SSD slots, a PCI expansion slot, dual 2.5GbE networking, and a dedicated HDMI port. It's designed for use at home or in the office and is more than capable of running more demanding apps and services such as Plex Media Server.