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All Posts by Russell Holly

Amazon Dash Wand with Alexa: Should you buy it?

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Posted by Russell Holly on 27 Jun 2017 10:00 am
Amazon Dash Wand
Alexa is a fridge magnet now? Alright, cool. Amazon's Dash Wand, the glossy stick aimed at making shopping on Amazon Fresh a little more convenient, now has Alexa support added. Among other things, this makes the Dash Wand the cheapest Alexa-enabled product you can buy at only $20. Before you go pulling out the wallet, there are a few things you need to know about the features and limitations...

Every Daydream app you can install right now, and a look at what comes next

Posted by Russell Holly on 23 Jun 2017 7:30 pm
Just go ahead and install all of them. You know, for fun. Google's first Daydream headset is finally shipping to people who purchased the first Daydream phone, and are quickly finding it's not easy to locate the whole list of Daydream apps from the Play Store. While we've been having a lot of fun showing you the best free Daydream apps and the Daydream games everyone should have installed, the...

Are those cheap VR headsets worth it?

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Posted by Russell Holly on 23 Jun 2017 11:00 am
Google Cardboard
What's the harm in buying the cheapest VR headset you can find? The absolute coolest thing Google has done with VR is make it something truly accessible to everyone. Earlier this year, Hallmark started building Google Cardboard headset into some of its premium cards, just to give you an idea of just how accessible this simple bit of immersive technology is now. While $13 and tax is a little...

Every Voice Command you can use in Star Trek: Bridge Crew

Posted by Russell Holly on 23 Jun 2017 8:45 am
It's like Google Assistant, only with torpedoes. Ubisoft and Intel have partnered up to add voice commands to Star Trek: Bridge Crew, which means you can control your AI crewmates with your voice and actually get results when you get tired of shouting at humans who probably aren't listening very well. This update works for Oculus Rift, HTC Vive, and PlayStation VR all the same way, so we've...

Best smart locks

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Posted by Russell Holly on 22 Jun 2017 2:00 pm
Looking to make your house smarter and safer? Here are the best smart locks full of brains and brawn to protect your home. Whether you're just tired of losing your keys, or you're already in the process of automating your home, a key part of this process is choosing a smart lock that fits your needs. Take a look at our list of the best smart locks to help you decide. August 2nd Generation...

How to manually enable Daydream on phones Google has not approved

Posted by Russell Holly on 22 Jun 2017 12:30 pm
How do I install Daydream on my phone? Google's philosophy with their newest VR platform is simple. In order to offer the best possible experience in Daydream, there needs to be a minimum list of requirements met. The phone must be capable of delivering two video streams at 60fps with no stutter, and when you turn your head inside a Daydream headset there should be as little motion blur as...

How to take the best Cardboard Camera photos

Posted by Russell Holly on 21 Jun 2017 4:30 pm
Flawless Cardboard Camera photos are not complicated, and so much fun to share. Grabbing a good panorama of that perfect sunrise is often quite rewarding, but if you're a fan of VR photos you can one-up your game with Cardboard Camera. Instead of a 2D panorama, you're capturing a full 360-degree panorama with depth. This means the viewer gets to really feel like they are a part of the photo,...

Best headphones for Daydream View

Posted by Russell Holly on 21 Jun 2017 10:30 am
Headphones make a massive difference in your Daydream View experience. Few things improve your Daydream View experience quite like a good set of headphones. It's the difference between having a mediocre VR trip through a game and feeling totally immersed in the world around you. Sometimes that immersion can be a little too real, like when you're having the daylights scared out of you, but in...

HTC Vive Deluxe Audio Strap: Should you buy it?

Posted by Russell Holly on 20 Jun 2017 2:30 pm
What is this Deluxe Audio Strap all about, anyway? The first of many accessories slated for the HTC Vive this year has shipped to those who pre-ordered, and it's all about adding audio and structure to the Vive experience. It's called the Deluxe Audio Strap, and HTC is asking $100 for this upgrade to what is already the most expensive — though also most feature complete — virtual reality kit...

Best Smartwatch For Kids

Posted by Russell Holly on 19 Jun 2017 2:00 pm
Best overall Best value Best on Verizon Best overall VTech Kidizoom Smartwatch DX Find on Amazon Instead of a tool for connecting to a smartphone, VTech created an experience that is mostly toy but partially useful. Amid all the games and onboard camera tricks you'll find a functional calendar for appointments, a voice memo app, and several other tools that work well with the smartwatch...

Raids are coming to Pokémon Go, here's what you need to know!

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Posted by Russell Holly on 19 Jun 2017 10:39 am
Pokemon Go
Pokémon Go Gyms are dead. Long like Pokémon Go Gyms! Niantic is killing the Gym system in Pokémon Go, and replacing it with a more complex and interactive system. The actual Gym locations aren't going anywhere, but it's clear you're going to be spending a lot more time to stay at the top of the increasingly complicated (and cooperative) system in place. Here's what we know so far about the...

The Ultimate Guide to Star Trek: Bridge Crew

Posted by Russell Holly on 16 Jun 2017 2:30 pm
Welcome to the Bridge, Ensign. You have a lot to learn. The best cross-platform multiplayer VR game you can play right now is, without a doubt, Star Trek: Bridge Crew. With no shortage of people to play with at any point of the day and plenty of things to keep your whole crew busy while you're exploring the frontier, it's time to get busy. To help you along, we've assembled this Ultimate...

What you need to know when considering a smart lock for your home

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Posted by Russell Holly on 15 Jun 2017 11:00 am
Kwikset Kevo 2
Not all smart locks are created equal. In fact, many aren't even all that smart. There are some incredible benefits to home automation, but when it comes to securing your home, it's important to not simply buy the cheapest thing on the shelf. There's a lot to these "smart" locks, and not all of them live up to the promises in the packaging. Here's a quick look at what you can do to make sure...

Using Alexa Scenes to control your home like magic

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Posted by Russell Holly on 15 Jun 2017 8:00 am
How do I use Alexa Scenes? Most connected home gadgets have a way to do things automatically or based on specific conditions. That's the whole appeal after all: being able to automate parts of your life. That might be changing the color temperature in your living room when it's time to watch a movie or maybe just making sure the cable box is set to a specific channel when you turn on your...

Sphero made a Spider-Man your kids can talk to like an Amazon Echo

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Posted by Russell Holly on 15 Jun 2017 8:44 am
Sphero's contract with Disney now includes Marvel, which is great for all of us nerds. I guess kids will like it, too. We've seen Sphero bring BB-8 and Lightning McQueen to life over the last year, but now is the time of superheroes. A little Spider-Man can now stand on a pedestal and interact with anyone who taps the logo on his chest, in a way that is not terribly unlike an Amazon Echo speaker...

Star Trek: Bridge Crew - How to run the whole bridge on your own

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Posted by Russell Holly on 12 Jun 2017 11:30 am
These AI are here to help run your Bridge. Let them. You may not always have three friends around to play Bridge Crew, and sometimes the online matchmaking puts you with people who are just plain not fun to play with. If you need your fix, but would prefer to play by yourself, solo gameplay is an option. You just need to know how to run a bridge by yourself and actually have fun in the process...

How to set up local multiplayer in Star Trek: Bridge Crew

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Posted by Russell Holly on 11 Jun 2017 11:30 am
This is the best way to enjoy local Star Trek: Bridge Crew matches. Some of us want nothing more than to put on our Starfleet uniform, head into a room with four VR headsets and three similarly dressed friends, and play Star Trek: Bridge Crew all day. That doesn't really work out well in reality for several reasons, not the least of which is actually putting four VR headsets in a large enough...

How to get the best Daydream games for free

Posted by Russell Holly on 9 Jun 2017 11:30 am
With a few tricks, you can get the Daydream games you crave for absolutely free. Daydream delivers plenty of excellent games, apps, and experiences, that are all delivered directly from your phone. However if you're trying to pick up all the games that have caught your eye, and you happen to be on a budget, then you might quickly find yourself unable to afford everything you desperately want...

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