In a world of apps, digital gaming, and virtual reality, there's something oddly comforting about sitting down behind an actual, physical chess board, lining up your soldiers, then charging into battle. Sounds crazy, right? Who actually plays on real-world boards anymore? And if you do, what if you don't have somebody in your immediate vicinity ready to match wits with you every time you're ready to cut loose and play? — Read the rest

Did ya see Godzilla vs. Kong last week? With April upon us, the start of the traditional summer movie blockbuster season is here, but this is going to be unlike any movie season we've ever seen before.

While some films will be exclusive to theaters, a handful of the biggest releases of the summer will also be debuting on streaming services at home, including heavyweights like Cruella, The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It, In the Heights, Space Jam: A New Legacy, and yes, Marvel's Black Widow. — Read the rest

How do you protect yourself from everybody online trying to get all up in your business? And we aren't just talking about cybercriminals and other malevolent black hats rummaging around the internet either. We also mean all those "legitimate" businesses that use trackers, cookies, and other online tricks to harvest as much usable information from you as possible, all for the purpose of selling you things. — Read the rest

I spent years toiling in the wordmines for a wide variety of tech publications before one decided that it would be a good idea to give me a salary and benefits. During my time as an independent contractor or as I fondly remember it, living on the cusp of poverty, I developed a lot of contacts across the tech industry. — Read the rest

Households are adding more and more smart devices every day. That rush includes voice assistants, security systems, coffeemakers, and even light bulbs. Of course, they're not so "smart" without a home Wi-Fi router. Without the beating heart of your smart home, your thermostats and cameras have to be turned on and off the old-fashioned way.  — Read the rest

Want an example of exactly how fast the world of tech moves? Ten years ago, Amazon Alexa and Google Home were unheard of. Now, your child can build one!

Well, maybe not those particular smart home assistants. But it's fascinating to see how a device like a home assistant, heralded as a technological marvel only a few short years ago, is now so obsessively internalized that you can literally hand a child a box of parts that can be built into an assistant of their very own. And — Read the rest

When you're out camping, at the beach, or even at a local park, you've got a handful of seating choices to choose from. You can go minimalist and just bring a towel, but that's almost universally uncomfortable. You can bring a cushion for a little more (but not much) comfort. — Read the rest

Some people are just soundbar people. And hey, plenty of soundbars are more than serviceable, offering up robust quality sound that makes your favorite TV shows, movies, and video games really pop.

But, when you stack a soundbar next to a premium 5.1 surround-sound home theater setup? — Read the rest

High-quality air is important, but it's hard to properly gauge whether or not your area is experiencing a bad air day. You'd think there would be more smart air purification systems on the market because of this. The Sensibo Pure Smart Air Purifier jumps to the head of that line, utilizing what Sensibo calls the world's most advanced smart air purifier to keep your air clean, breathable, and pollutant-free. — Read the rest

There are things in this world that none of us enjoy, but all of us ultimately tend to accept with annoyed reservation. One of those life inconveniences is knowing that we need to carry keys for our home, vehicle, office, and more…and knowing we're going to need to tote that bulky ring around almost everywhere we go. — Read the rest

Here is designer Matty Benedetto's new and necessary "Unnecessary Invention": a HookShot hanger that pours you a stiff one as soon as you hang your coat.

Benedetto creates new useless gadgets every month that anyone would covet, like the SwingStepper, a large swinging wooden hand that wears your smart watch to rack up your daily steps so that you can relax. — Read the rest

Last March, we all thought that most of us would be back in the office after a few weeks, or maybe even a few months if things got bad. The reality that's now setting in for millions around the world is that working in a remote office may have ended last year.  — Read the rest

We're fast approaching the second Valentine's Day during COVID-19 – and, for those who like to turn the event into a major Hollywood production, it might be more on the indie film scale this year.

No big dinners out at the favorite fancy restaurant this year. — Read the rest

Acting Administrator of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services Andy Slavitt announced this morning that a new over-the-counter COVID-19 test kit will be available later this month for consumers. Manufactured by Ellume Health in Australia, the nasal swab test claims a 95% accuracy rating with results available in 15 minutes. — Read the rest

Did you get a new iPhone for Christmas? Or, maybe you splurged on a new smartphone with that infusion of holiday cash. Either way, your purchase isn't completed when you walk out with your new phone. Making sure you're equipped to keep that thing charged up 24/7/365 is just as important. — Read the rest

Sometimes, you run across an item that's so functional and necessary that you've gotta have it. Other times, you find something that's so wonderfully geeky that you've gotta have it. The sweet spot is when you can find something that scratches both of those distinct itches. — Read the rest

One way to attack all the clutter filling up the corners of your home is to literally just have fewer items in your home. Case in point, take a look at your bedside table. You've likely got both a lamp and a smart assistant unit taking up space in that prime real estate. — Read the rest

After years of improvements, home security cameras have truly become must-own technology. Setting up in-home cameras, syncing them to your smartphone and other devices, and having 24/7/365 access to check out anything happening within the camera's field of vision is not only peace of mind that any homeowner needs, but it's also become incredibly cost-effective too. — Read the rest

We're all usually overjoyed to add a new piece of technology to our galaxy of devices. But, once you've spent a lot of time with that new addition, it can start to lose some of its luster – and your eye starts wandering. — Read the rest

There's a reason why Starbucks and other high-end coffee outlets have lines snaking out the door every morning. Sure, you can make coffee yourself in your own home with any of a thousand different coffee makers. But, when you want something with a little more flair, like an espresso or a cup with a milky froth, are you going to spend the time at home to do that right? — Read the rest