Home›Home & Tech
Home & Tech Edition

Home & Tech

Understanding electronics and home gadgets without the overwhelming jargon.

32 stories

Browse by Sub-Topic

Smart Home Basics

Smart Home Basics

Compatibility, privacy settings, app requirements — use this checklist to evaluate any smart device …

16 stories
Consumer Electronics

Consumer Electronics

Use this structured checklist to cut through marketing noise and focus on the features that match yo…

16 stories
Before You Buy Another Smart Device, Run Through This Checklist
Featured

Before You Buy Another Smart Device, Run Through This Checklist

By Home & Tech Editorial Team · 6 min read · Apr 11, 2024

Latest in Home & Tech

Smart Home Basics Keeping a Smart Home Secure: What Ongoing Good Habits Look Like

Keeping a Smart Home Secure: What Ongoing Good Habits Look Like

By Home & Tech Editorial Team · 6 min · Dec 15, 2023
Smart Home Basics Matter: The New Smart Home Standard and What It Changes for Consumers

Matter: The New Smart Home Standard and What It Changes for Consumers

By Home & Tech Editorial Team · 7 min · Sep 26, 2023
Smart Home Basics Rooms Worth Automating First — and Why the Order Matters

Rooms Worth Automating First — and Why the Order Matters

By Home & Tech Editorial Team · 6 min · Jun 16, 2023
Smart Home Basics Setting Up a Smart Home Network That Won't Let You Down

Setting Up a Smart Home Network That Won't Let You Down

By Home & Tech Editorial Team · 6 min · Mar 22, 2023
Smart Home Basics Smart Home Automation: A Complete Guide From Basics to Advanced Routines

Smart Home Automation: A Complete Guide From Basics to Advanced Routines

By Home & Tech Editorial Team · 7 min · May 10, 2023
Smart Home Basics Smart Home Myths That Keep People From Getting Started

Smart Home Myths That Keep People From Getting Started

By Home & Tech Editorial Team · 6 min · Jul 1, 2023
Smart Home Basics Smart Home Technology, Explained Without the Jargon

Smart Home Technology, Explained Without the Jargon

By Home & Tech Editorial Team · 8 min · Jul 29, 2024
Smart Home Basics Smart Speakers vs. Smart Displays: Which Hub Makes More Sense?

Smart Speakers vs. Smart Displays: Which Hub Makes More Sense?

By Home & Tech Editorial Team · 6 min · Mar 3, 2026
Smart Home Basics The Real Privacy Risks of Smart Home Devices — and How to Manage Them

The Real Privacy Risks of Smart Home Devices — and How to Manage Them

By Home & Tech Editorial Team · 6 min · Jul 15, 2026
Smart Home Basics The Smart Home Glossary: 40 Terms Every Beginner Should Know

The Smart Home Glossary: 40 Terms Every Beginner Should Know

By Home & Tech Editorial Team · 5 min · Jan 3, 2024
Smart Home Basics What Smart Home Hubs Do — and When You Actually Need One

What Smart Home Hubs Do — and When You Actually Need One

By Home & Tech Editorial Team · 7 min · Feb 14, 2023
Smart Home Basics Why Your Smart Devices Keep Disconnecting — and What to Do About It

Why Your Smart Devices Keep Disconnecting — and What to Do About It

By Home & Tech Editorial Team · 5 min · Sep 21, 2023
Smart Home Basics Wi-Fi, Zigbee, Z-Wave, and Thread: What Each Protocol Actually Does

Wi-Fi, Zigbee, Z-Wave, and Thread: What Each Protocol Actually Does

By Home & Tech Editorial Team · 6 min · Sep 21, 2025
Smart Home Basics Wired vs. Wireless Smart Home Devices: Understanding the Trade-Offs

Wired vs. Wireless Smart Home Devices: Understanding the Trade-Offs

By Home & Tech Editorial Team · 6 min · Jun 20, 2024
Smart Home Basics Your First Smart Home: A Practical Starting Point

Your First Smart Home: A Practical Starting Point

By Home & Tech Editorial Team · 8 min · Jul 7, 2025
Consumer Electronics Before You Buy a New Phone: A Checklist for Evaluating What You Actually Need

Before You Buy a New Phone: A Checklist for Evaluating What You Actually Need

By Home & Tech Editorial Team · 6 min · May 17, 2025
Consumer Electronics Electronics You're Probably Maintaining Wrong

Electronics You're Probably Maintaining Wrong

By Home & Tech Editorial Team · 5 min · Nov 14, 2025
Consumer Electronics Everything That Goes Into a Laptop Battery Life Claim (and Why the Number Is Usually Optimistic)

Everything That Goes Into a Laptop Battery Life Claim (and Why the Number Is Usually Optimistic)

By Home & Tech Editorial Team · 7 min · Feb 27, 2026
Consumer Electronics How Speakers, Sound Bars, and Surround Systems Actually Differ in a Home Environment

How Speakers, Sound Bars, and Surround Systems Actually Differ in a Home Environment

By Home & Tech Editorial Team · 7 min · Dec 9, 2023
Consumer Electronics Laptop Specs Decoded: A First-Time Buyer's Roadmap to RAM, Storage, and Processors

Laptop Specs Decoded: A First-Time Buyer's Roadmap to RAM, Storage, and Processors

By Home & Tech Editorial Team · 8 min · Oct 29, 2025
Consumer Electronics OLED vs. QLED: What the Panel Technology Difference Means in Practice

OLED vs. QLED: What the Panel Technology Difference Means in Practice

By Home & Tech Editorial Team · 7 min · Sep 15, 2025
Consumer Electronics Phone Storage: How Much Space You Actually Need and What Quietly Eats It Up

Phone Storage: How Much Space You Actually Need and What Quietly Eats It Up

By Home & Tech Editorial Team · 8 min · Aug 21, 2024
Consumer Electronics Setting Up a New TV Without Losing Picture Quality to Default Settings

Setting Up a New TV Without Losing Picture Quality to Default Settings

By Home & Tech Editorial Team · 7 min · Apr 24, 2023
Consumer Electronics Smart Home Devices and Privacy: What Data Gets Collected and What You Can Do About It

Smart Home Devices and Privacy: What Data Gets Collected and What You Can Do About It

By Home & Tech Editorial Team · 6 min · Jul 23, 2023
Consumer Electronics Smartphone Camera Specs vs. Real-World Photos: What Megapixels Can and Can't Tell You

Smartphone Camera Specs vs. Real-World Photos: What Megapixels Can and Can't Tell You

By Home & Tech Editorial Team · 7 min · Apr 7, 2026
Consumer Electronics TV Resolution Explained: What 4K, 8K, and HDR Actually Mean for Your Living Room

TV Resolution Explained: What 4K, 8K, and HDR Actually Mean for Your Living Room

By Home & Tech Editorial Team · 8 min · Nov 2, 2024
Consumer Electronics Tablet vs. Laptop for Everyday Tasks: Figuring Out Which Form Factor Fits Your Life

Tablet vs. Laptop for Everyday Tasks: Figuring Out Which Form Factor Fits Your Life

By Home & Tech Editorial Team · 6 min · Mar 8, 2025
Consumer Electronics The Consumer Electronics Glossary: 40 Terms Explained in Plain English

The Consumer Electronics Glossary: 40 Terms Explained in Plain English

By Home & Tech Editorial Team · 9 min · Apr 1, 2026
Consumer Electronics The Refresh Rate Myth: Why a Higher Number Doesn't Always Mean a Better Picture

The Refresh Rate Myth: Why a Higher Number Doesn't Always Mean a Better Picture

By Home & Tech Editorial Team · 7 min · Aug 20, 2025
Consumer Electronics Why Your Streaming Picture Looks Worse Than the Box Promised

Why Your Streaming Picture Looks Worse Than the Box Promised

By Home & Tech Editorial Team · 6 min · Sep 23, 2024
Consumer Electronics Wired vs. Wireless Headphones: Matching the Right Format to How You Actually Listen

Wired vs. Wireless Headphones: Matching the Right Format to How You Actually Listen

By Home & Tech Editorial Team · 6 min · Feb 6, 2023