Jerry Hildenbrand
Jerry has been a smartphone user since the BlackBerry days, having moved through the tech’s progression from Palm to Nokia to Apple and Android. He even waited in line at a Washington, DC T-Mobile store to buy the first Android phone. Combined with an Electrical Engineering degree and years of experience working with machine vision and learning equipment all over the world he has a passion for knowing how tech products work and what matters to the people buying them. He’s been in this industry longer than most of the companies we cover. With 15 years of experience writing about tech he has seen how smart devices have morphed from a luxury to a necessity and offers a unique perspective on both the good and bad consequences of it all. Currently covering the broader ecosystems of hardware and software products, his industry contacts and experience help break down the decisions tech giants make and the products they offer into the most important thing: how this affects us, the consumers and end-users of the products and services. With no affinity to one company Jerry can help you find the tech that’s right for you and help you understand what it can do for you. When things go south, he can also help you fix it or point you in the right direction for help. In his personal life Jerry loves to tinker in his workshop and work on his antique truck.
Latest articles by Jerry Hildenbrand
My favorite smart lock is on sale for Black Friday and it's only $179
By Jerry Hildenbrand published
Key Free My Yale Assure Smart lock means I can lock everyone out of my house but my family. I paid full price but you don't have to.
Learn how to code and save $40 with this Arduino starter kit deal
By Jerry Hildenbrand published
Learning is fun! An Arduino is the perfect introduction to electronics and software development, and this late Black Friday deal is a great way to get started.
This battery bank fits in the tiny pocket in your jeans and you can get two of them for just $30
By Jerry Hildenbrand published
Tiny powerhouse The best battery pack is the one you have with you. This little gem is something you can always carry around.
Scammers and thieves love Cyber Monday as much as you do
By Jerry Hildenbrand published
Android & Chill If you're not careful you can easily fall victim to folks who work hard to screw you over. Here are a few things to look out for.
This totally unnecessary but awesome Raspberry Pi-powered robot tank is only $55 for Black Friday
By Jerry Hildenbrand published
Three laws of robotics I need a Raspberry Pi robot tank in my life because how else can I start hosting my own BattleBots tournament?
Blocking ads on YouTube is like trying to sneak into the movies
By Jerry Hildenbrand published
Price of admission YouTube exists to make money, and Google will try to squeeze as much from us as it can.
The oldest Android TV box is still the one you should buy this Black Friday
By Jerry Hildenbrand published
Smart TV The Nvidia Shield TV is the oldest supported Android device you can buy. It's also the best Android TV box you can buy.
Repairability is a phone feature that doesn't get enough love
By Jerry Hildenbrand published
Android & Chill Everyone loves to see an awesome camera and a fast processor, but being easy to repair is just as important.
What is RCS messaging, and why is it important?
By Jerry Hildenbrand last updated
RCS RCS is the thing that makes your texts act more like popular third-party messaging apps — and now everyone is on board.
Sideloading on iOS will be a dumpster fire
By Jerry Hildenbrand published
Open door policy The E.U. may force Apple to allow sideloading on the iPhone. Oh boy.
We didn't really want satellite phones after all, did we?
By Jerry Hildenbrand published
Android & Chill Just because a feature is possible doesn't mean we'll ever actually see it. We have more control than we realize.
You should buy your kid a Raspberry Pi this Black Friday
By Jerry Hildenbrand published
Smart Kids, Smart Future Kids love tech. Some kids are really into it, and a Raspberry Pi is a cool gift they'll love learning with.
How can Google use earbuds to check your heart rate?
By Jerry Hildenbrand published
White Noise You can buy earbuds that act as a heart rate tracker, but Google is trying to use the ones you already have.
Google's Pixel camera AI isn't 'destroying humanity' or creating any sort of apocalypse
By Jerry Hildenbrand published
Android & Chill Google's Pixel camera AI tools can't do anything without people tapping buttons and making decisions.
Raspberry Pi: What is it, how to get started & the best Raspberry Pi available
By Jerry Hildenbrand last updated
Slice of Pi If you've heard all the fuss about the popularity surrounding the Raspberry Pi, this is your one-stop-shop for everything you need to know.
Qualcomm's XPAN tech is the best new audio feature you'll probably never get to use
By Jerry Hildenbrand published
Can you hear me now? Lossless audio streaming over Wi-Fi directly to your headphones is great. Too bad it won't see wide adoption.
Google works hard to make sure AI isn't evil
By Jerry Hildenbrand published
Android & Chill AI is going to be an even bigger part of our tech future. The companies developing it need to be both responsible and ethical.
What is a privacy-focused Android phone?
By Jerry Hildenbrand published
Spyware-free You can buy a "privacy-focused" Android phone that attempts to stop big tech from spying on you. Should you?
Drake's music label could get richer because YouTube uses your data as digital currency
By Jerry Hildenbrand published
Android & Chill Alphabet's next AI trick might let you record a song using the voice of your favorite artist to make terrible videos better somehow.
What is RISC-V and what does it mean for Android and Wear OS?
By Jerry Hildenbrand published
RISC vs Reward Qualcomm and Google are developing a RISC-V Snapdragon Wear platform to power future devices. Why is this important, and what does it mean for you?
With the Pixel 8 series, there is now a clear divide between Google's Android and Google Pixel
By Jerry Hildenbrand published
Android & Chill The Pixel 8 showcases everything Google has to offer in ways no other phone ever will — or can.
The Tensor G3 in the Pixel 8 is the best phone chip today
By Jerry Hildenbrand published
The right stuff Google's Tensor G3 is designed to do a few things better than any others. Those things happen to be the best parts of a Pixel phone.
You need this 90-degree charging cable even if you don't know you need it
By Jerry Hildenbrand published
Get sideways Using your phone while it's plugged in is a good way to bust the USB port. A 90-degree cable can help.
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