So, you’ve decided the time has come to upgrade the first layer of your home’s security—the deadbolt lock on your door—to a smart model. The next step is to decide if you should replace the entire lock, or if you should retrofit the one you already have. Hang on, let’s back up a second. What exactly is a smart lock, you ask? It’s any door lock with wireless connectivity and a motor that enables it to be opened without a physical key—and in many cases, instead of one. Smart locks can be operated with some combination of numeric keypad, smartphone app, NFC card, via the internet, with a biometr ..read more

Charter has launched a new Spectrum TV bundle that’s a little less bloated than what it usually offers. The new package, called Spectrum TV Stream, costs $40 per month for Spectrum internet customers. It offers more than 90 channels, including cable news from CNN and Fox News along with entertainment channels such as A&E, AMC, Discovery, FX, and HGTV. What’s missing is equally notable, as the package does include any local or sports channels. (Here’s the full channel list.) Subscribers can sign up for the service online and watch through Spectrum’s free apps for Roku, Apple TV, Samsung TV ..read more

At a glanceExpert's Rating Pros Two lamps in one with lots of lighting options Wake-up function Simple and sleek design Visual notifications Cons Requires a hub Our Verdict Aqara’s stylish Ceiling Light T1M looks great and offers plenty of smart functionality, including colorful light animations and a wake-up mode. Using it with a (required) Aqara hub unlocks even more possibilities, including visual alerts. Price When Reviewed $149.99 Best Prices Today: Aqara Ceiling Light T1M Retailer Price $149.99 View Deal Price comparison from over 24,000 stores worldwide Product Pric ..read more

With the eight-team bracket set, the 2024 NBA playoffs kick off with the first round on Saturday, April 20. As in previous years, broadcasting of the postseason tournament will be divided among four networks: ABC, TNT, ESPN, and NBA TV. Cord-cutters don’t have to miss out on the thrilling dunks, buzzer-beaters, and high-stakes drama. With a variety of streaming services now offering live sports, hoop heads have more options than ever to catch all the playoff action without the need for a traditional cable subscription. This guide will walk you through the best streaming platforms that ensure ..read more

Great job keeping your Roomba’s brushes clean, and if you’re wiping down its IR sensors and charging contacts, you get bonus points. But have you checked your Roomba’s wheels lately? If you take a closer look at your Roomba’s caster wheel (the one in front), you’ll probably see plenty of hair wrapped around its axle, while clumps of dust are probably lodged inside the compartments that house the side wheels. While it’s easy to ignore a Roomba’s wheels, you should be checking on them on a regular basis; indeed, iRobot recommends giving them a look every couple of weeks. This how-to is part of ..read more

Launched at CES in January, ROXi Music Service is an interactive music service for both smart TVs and, initially through a partnership with Sinclair Broadcasting, NextGen TV (ATSC 3.0) broadcast television. At the National Association of Broadcasters (NAB) tradeshow in Las Vegas this week, the Pearl TV consortium of U.S. broadcasters announced plans to use ROXi’s FastStream technology to create other forms of interactive TV, including news, sports, and entertainment in addition to music. Sinclair is immediately adding news to its previously announced deal for ROXi’s music channels, with the t ..read more

At a glanceExpert's Rating Pros Easy to assemble and set up Built-in Bluetooth speaker Bright and colorful animations Cons Govee app can be confusing Only works with Alexa and Google Home (for now, at least) Design is a tad wobbly Our Verdict The handsome Govee Floor Lamp Pro is adept at setting the mood with gradient and animated light modes, and it can put on a musical light show with its integrated Bluetooth speaker. Price When Reviewed $219.99 Best Prices Today: Govee Smart Lamp Pro Retailer Price Govee $219.99 View Deal Price comparison from over 24,000 stores worldwide ..read more

TV antennas are back! In this era of cord-cutting, the one-time purchase of a good TV antenna will bring in anywhere from 20 to more 100 channels, depending on where you live. The stations are free, don’t require a broadband connection, and will almost certainly be at a better resolution and picture quality that cable or streaming options. But not all antennas are created equal. These are our top picks for antennas whether you have a rooftop, attic or need to install one indoors. But remember, a rooftop antenna is always better than one in the attic, which is always better than one indoors. U ..read more

Wait, there was another Roku hack? That’s right, and this one was much bigger than the first, although Roku says the actual damage from this latest “credential-stuffing” attack was minimal.  Roku notified its users on Friday that following a hacking incident in March that involved 15,000 Roku users, the company detected a second wave of attacks that compromised a whopping 576,000 accounts, Bleeping Computer reports.  As with the first attack, the latest incident was a case of credential stuffing–that is, hackers who had obtained stolen usernames and passwords from other services and ..read more

At a glanceExpert's Rating Pros Bright and colorful Works with Matter Wide range of white-color temperatures Intuitive app Cons Chunky, heavy design LIFX ecosystem is still rebounding after a long dormancy No vacation mode Our Verdict Bright, easy to install, compliant with Matter, and packed with features, the LIFX SuperColor Smart Light A21 makes for a compelling smart bulb, even if it’s a tad heavy and chunky. Price When Reviewed $39.98 Best Prices Today: LIFX SuperColor Smart Light (A21) Retailer Price Home Depot $39.98 View Deal Price comparison from over 24,000 stores wo ..read more