December ION 2020 by More Content Now / Gannett

December 2020

Better living through technology

THE

44 best

AND

Real talk on how often to upgrade your phone

coolest tech gifts OF 2020

JUST STAY IN A home theater on any budget We rank the best streaming services PLUS: What to watch, read, download this month

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December 2020

FROM THE EDITOR

The more things change ...

ven though this ION is a gift buying guide, all of us here hope you can celebrate what’s most important this season — family, friends, health and other blessings. Accentuate the positive things that happened in 2020 (there’ve got to be a few!) and enjoy seeing loved ones, even if it is via a webcam or while donning a mask. Go ahead and mourn the loss of “normal,” but appreciate how quickly you’ve adapted to the ever-changing “new normal.” Change is hard, so I daily remember a favorite quote to help: “Just when the caterpillar thought the world was over, it became a butterfly.” The world is not over yet, fellow butterflies, but 2020 almost is. Let’s learn from this year’s hardships, prepare for a new chapter, and remember how strong we are when 2021 brings challenge and change. Our best to you for a happy holiday season and a prosperous 2021.

Editor LISA GLOWINSKI Designer MICHELLE LAUZON Vice President, Content Innovation & Development STEVE DORSEY Vice President, Marketing LORI CATRON Cover photo: Getty © GANNETT CO., INC. 2020 ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

WHAT IS ION?

Lisa Glowinski Director, More Content Now Gannett

STAFF

Technology is all around us. How can we use it to make life easier, not more complicated? ION’s mission is to help readers understand technology in order to use it to improve their lives. Find us on Facebook at /ionnewsmag.

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December 2020

To upgrade or not? Q: How often should I get a new phone? A: You may not like what I’m going to say, so let me just spit it out: Upgrade every year. As good as your old phone is. Because upgrading makes more economic sense. There are many websites that will buy your old phones from you. Apple, Best Buy and the wireless carriers play the trade-in game, too. Or you can sell it yourself on eBay or Craigslist. But in order to get good money for the device, it needs to be the latest model. For instance, Decluttr.com will pay you $459 for last year’s iPhone 11 Pro or $500 for the 11 Pro Max, the models that initially sold for $999 and $1,099. Apple promises to offer just about the same in trade-in credit, $450 or $500. Granted, your device has to be in good condition, without a cracked screen and noticeable wear and tear. Apple, for its trade-in program, insists that it turns on and functions normally, all the buttons and cameras work, the body is free of dents and scratches, and that the touchscreen and back glass are undamaged. Apple asks you to answer the questions, and if they agree you’ve been truthful, you get the $500 credit. Or, “if your device doesn’t match the condition you described, you’ll receive a revised trade-in value.” Say Apple gives you $400 off for your new phone, and you nab the $1,000 iPhone 12 Pro for $600, plus tax. And you plan to trade it back 12 months from now. Your cost of ownership: $1.65 a day. For a device you will use constantly, for email, texts, web surfing, Facebook posting, tweets, paying for goods at stores, hailing an Uber or Lyft, listening to music, watching movies and TV shows, taking all those amazing photos and sharing them everywhere under the sun. According to eMarketer, we’ll spend an average of 3 hours and 49 minutes daily on our smartphones this year — a number that seems way low to me. The point is, $1.65 a day is a minor purchase, even when you do the math and expand it to $11.55 weekly, or $50 monthly.

Meanwhile, good news Android fans: Samsung wants you to upgrade, too, with sweet trade-in deals. Granted, the South Korean giant upgrades its phones not once a year, but many times. But when it comes to improved cameras and refresh rates, it’s easy. The new Samsung phones are better than the old ones. For the new Galaxy S20, which sells for $999, Samsung will give you $450 in credit with a trade-in of last year’s S10, $300 for the 2019 S9 or $225 for the S8. — Jefferson Graham, USA TODAY

DECEMBER 2020

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In this issue

passion

Page

ON THE COVER

The experts at Reviewed have a tech gift suggestion for everyone on your list. For 44 someones, to be exact. Ho! Ho! Ho!

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COLUMN

6 What to read, watch and download this month

46 Tracy Beckerman: Heâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s dreaming of a tech Christmas

8 The best streaming services GO GO GADGETS 12 Make a home theater on any budget 18 The best streaming device 22 The best Wi-Fi extenders

instruction HOW DO I ... ? 27 Order pet supplies online ALL PHOTOS STOCK OR FROM THE MANUFACTURER UNLESS OTHERWISE NOTED

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December 2020

RECOMMENDATIONS S U N D AY

M O N D AY

T U E S D AY

What to watch, read and download this month

Books out today include “Barack Before Obama: Life Before the Presidency” by David Katz and “Happiness Becomes You” by Tina Turner.

GIVING TUESDAY

No matter if the weather’s frightful this month — you have tons of athome entertainment options.

December 2020

PEARL HARBOR DAY

Today is your last chance to catch “A Charlie Brown Christmas” for free on Apple TV+. Other airings of the holiday classic were Dec. 4 (for subscribers), 11 and 12.

15 Documentary “The Last Blockbuster” is out on demand today, detailing the story of one small-town Blockbuster store that managed to stay afloat despite the shutdown of the parent corporation. Also today is the last day for groups.yahoo.com: RIP.

FIRST DAY OF WINTER

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December 2020

W E D N E S D AY

T H U R S D AY

F R I D AY

S AT U R D AY

Movies out today include “Mank” on Netflix, David Fincher’s look at 1930s Hollywood through the eyes of screenwriter Herman J. Mankiewicz (Gary Oldman) as he races to finish “Citizen Kane,” and “Sound of Metal” on Amazon Prime Video, starring Riz Ahmed as a punk-metal drummer losing his hearing and his sobriety. Scheduled to be in theaters is “Nomadland,” with Frances McDormand as a woman who, after losing everything in the Great Recession, embarks on a journey through the American West. “Selena: The Series” also begins on Netflix, about superstar Selena Quintanilla, and Apple TV+ starts six-part nature documentary “The Earth at Night in Color.”

NEW YEAR’S EVE

Out on Amazon Prime Video is the remake “Coming 2 America.” Prince Akeem (Eddie Murphy) learns about a long-lost son (Jermaine Fowler) and returns to America to meet his unlikely heir to the throne of Zamunda. James Earl Jones and Arsenio Hall also reprise their roles. On Netflix, “Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom” stars the late Chadwick Boseman and Viola Davis as the title character.

Scheduled to be in theaters (check local listings and COVID-19 precautions before you go) are “News of the World” starring Tom Hanks and “Wonder Woman 1984.” On Disney+ is new animated movie “Soul,” with Jamie Foxx voicing a a middle-school band teacher and Tiny Fey as 22. And on Netflix is “Bridgerton,” a series by Shonda Rhimes billed as a mix of “Downton Abbey” and a Disney princess tale.

CHRISTMAS

FESTIVUS

On Netflix “The Prom” will debut, starring Meryl Streep, Nicole Kidman, James Corden, Kerry Washington and more in this musical about a small town’s disapproval of a girl’s prom date.

HANUKKAH BEGINS AT SUNDOWN

“The Midnight Sky” debuts on Netflix, a post-apocalyptic tale about Augustine (George Clooney), a lonely scientist in the Arctic, as he races to stop Sully (Felicity Jones) and her fellow astronauts from returning to Earth, where a mysterious global catastrophe has taken place.

KWANZAA BEGINS

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RECOMMENDATIONS THE BEST

streaming services By Ryan Waniata | Reviewed

o you’re going to be spending some time at home. Now more than ever, we need great ways to keep ourselves distracted. Whether it’s between meetings, on your lunch break or during date night, the best streaming services all have something to offer in your time of need. Below is a breakdown of our favorites, including pricing, pros and cons, and some of the biggest shows for each, so you can get the most juice for your streaming squeeze.

THE BEST STREAMING SERVICES, RANKED IN ORDER: 1. Netflix 2. Hulu 3. Disney+ 4. Amazon Prime Video 5. CBS All Access (Tip: All of these services let you try before you buy, so take advantage!)

Netflix Netflix has a ton of diverse series and movies — enough to keep you entertained for literally years. The company spends billions on original content each year, adding a litany of high-profile TV shows, comedy specials and original movies. There’s a reason the service is pushing 200 million subscribers, and it’s a great first choice. Pros: • Tons of high-quality original content • Feature-rich, ubiquitous app • Something for everyone Cons: • Pricey for extras like 4K • Licensed shows and movies disappearing

Pricing: • $8.99/month Base plan (SD, one stream at a time) • $13.99/month Standard plan (HD, two streams at once) • $17.99/month Premium plan (4K HDR, four streams at once) Hot right now: • Away • Unsolved Mysteries • The Office (leaving after Dec. 31) • Ratched • The Haunting of Bly Manor • Schitt’s Creek • Orange is the New Black • Ozark

December 2020

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December 2020

Hulu

Disney+

When Disney took over Hulu outright after its acquisition of 21st Century Fox assets, we didn’t know quite how the service would look. With the addition of all of FX, plenty of other great original programming and (for the time being at least) current broadcast TV hits from multiple networks, it looks pretty dang good. Hulu may not have Netflix’s endless catalog, but it’s a powerhouse in its own right and well worth adding. Hulu also has a live TV component (for a whole lot more cash), and can be bundled with Disney+ and ESPN+ for a discount.

When you say “Disney,” you imply Marvel, Star Wars and National Geographic, too, so there are plenty of choices for adults alongside a mountain of offerings for kids (and the kid in you). Best of all, it’s all offered ad-free at a very affordable price.

Pros: • Access to old and current TV hits from multiple networks • Everything on FX • Small but potent collection of original content Cons: • Smaller on-demand catalog than Netflix • Ad-free access costs a premium • Limited 4K and surround sound support Pricing: • $5.99/month for ad-based on-demand video • $11.99/month for ad-free on-demand content • $54.99/month for on-demand plus live TV channels Hot right now: • The Handmaid’s Tale • Lost • Sons of Anarchy • Homeland • Ramy • Rick and Morty • Key & Peele • It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia

Pros: • Top-tier shows and movies from Disney and company • Great price point • 4K and HDR thrown in for free Cons: • Catalog much smaller than many competitors • Very few original series at present Pricing: • $6.99/month orf $69.99 per year • Bundle with ESPN+ and Hulu available Hot right now: • The Mandalorian • Mulan (2020) • Hamilton • Muppets Now • The Right Stuff (2020) • Star Wars: The Clone Wars • The Simpsons • Schoolhouse Rock! • Clouds

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December 2020

Amazon Prime Video

CBS All Access

Every Amazon Prime membership comes with free streaming video (and audio). Amazon isn’t the best streamer out there, but it has some fantastic original series, and plenty of movies and older shows to check out as well.

A tough sell at first glance, CBS’ stand-alone streaming service has made a name for itself in large part due to a single, incredibly popular property: Star Trek. The service, which offers a large catalog of new and old shows mainly from its parent network’s library, has also created some of the best new Star Trek content in decades, and you can also go back to past Star Trek episodes as well. All Access has plenty of other gems to discover, too, including select live CBS programming, a growing list of original series, and plenty of guilty pleasures.

Pros: • Critically acclaimed series • 4K HDR and surround included free on multiple titles • Free with your Amazon subscription Cons: • Not nearly as many original series as Netflix • App is frustratingly laid out Pricing: • Free with Amazon Prime ($119 per year) Hot right now: • The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel • The Boys • Fleabag • Truth Seekers • Bones • Utopia • The Man in the High Castle

Pros: • Tons of Star Trek episodes on-demand • Large collection of new and classic CBS shows Cons: • Highly limited content outside of CBS’ catalog • Limited selection of newer films • No 4K content Pricing: • $6/month for ad-based viewing • $10/month for ad-free Hot right now: • Star Trek: Picard • Star Trek: Discovery • The Twilight Zone (new and old) • Star Trek (original series) • The Good Fight • No Activity • Interrogation • NCIS • Star Trek: The Next Generation • Criminal Minds

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December 2020

GO GO GADGETS

Make a home theater on any budget

By Michael Desjardin, Lee Neikirk and Ryan Waniata | Reviewed

hether for gaming, family movie night or simply vegging out in front of our favorite streaming service, if you’re staring into an antiquated TV or listening to weak and tinny sound, you probably already know what we’re going to say: It’s time for an upgrade. Our guide will show you how to spend light — or go large — on a new home theater.

December 2020

A GLIMMERING NEW 4K TV • THE BUDGET OPTION: TCL 4-SERIES TV If you’re building a home theater on a budget and you’re looking to invest in a new TV, it’ll be tough to find a better option than the TCL 4-Series, which offers a great picture for an out-of-this-world price. It’s available in six sizes ranging from 43 inches all the way up to 75 inches. Priced as low as $230, the 4-Series isn’t crammed with fancy features, but it sports a pretty 4K picture with vivid colors and solid contrast for the money. Especially if you’re upgrading from an HD (1080p) model, you’re in for a real treat. The 4-Series supports HDR (High Dynamic Range), and while the panel doesn’t get bright enough to show off all the benefits of HDR, it’s a nice feature to have in tow if you spend a good amount of time on streaming platforms like Netflix and Hulu. Speaking of streaming, our favorite feature of the TCL 4-Series is its built-in Roku smart platform. We love Roku for its intuitive interface and its vast library of supported apps, and since the 4-Series offers it right out of the box, you can skip the streaming box and save the TV’s HDMI ports for other home theater devices.

• GOING PREMIUM: LG CX OLED TV If you’d rather spare no expense in your quest to build a home theater, why not consider one of the best TVs money can buy? The LG CX (which starts around $1,500) is one of the best TVs of 2020 and the quickest way to transform a humdrum living room into an impressive home theater. Being an OLED TV, the LG CX features the signature near-perfect black levels that we’ve come to expect from this premium technology. Stellar contrast is the primary reason that TVs like this look so good, but you can also expect gorgeous, vivid color production and excellent motion handling. In addition to top-of-the-line performance, the CX is also stacked with future-proof features that will help it maintain its flexibility for years to come — particularly if you plan on investing in a next-gen gaming console. HDMI 2.1 ports, FreeSync/G-Sync support, Auto Low Latency Mode and the ability to display 4K content at 120 FPS are all on the table if you invest in the CX. In short, if you’re looking for one of the most advanced TVs the industry has to offer, the LG CX is a safe bet. Rounding out this impressive list of features is LG’s built-in webOS smart platform, Dolby Atmos support (via eARC) and an eye-poppingly thin panel design.

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December 2020

A NEW SOUND SYSTEM • THE BUDGET OPTION: VIZIO V-SERIES 2.1 SOUNDBAR The Vizio V-Series 2.1 Home Theater Soundbar packs very solid sound into its combination two-channel soundbar and wireless subwoofer for the price. If you aren’t interested in paying for advanced features like Dolby Atmos or eARC compatibility, this simple, effective soundbar has it going on — and costs under $200. The V-Series 2.1 makes for an easy, plug-and-play upgrade for any living room. The bar provides detailed sound that’s effortless to control via its included remote, allowing you to tweak volume, treble and bass emphasis separately. Of course, if you want to keep things easy, you can find a sound mode you like — Music, Movie and so on — and simply use your TV remote to adjust volume thanks to the HDMI ARC connection. And perhaps most importantly, the subwoofer, which is paired right out of the box, provides a luxurious amount of bass for what you’re paying. While the Vizio V-Series 2.1 soundbar isn’t actually a “smart” soundbar, it can interface with smart speakers and be controlled via voice assistants like Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant. Whether you’re enjoying movies and TV, streaming music on Spotify Connect, casting via Wi-Fi or using it as a Bluetooth speaker, you can expect clear, voluminous sound that’s leagues beyond your TV’s built-in speakers.

• GOING PREMIUM: SONOS ARC SOUNDBAR WITH DOLBY ATMOS Sonos’ first Dolby Atmos soundbar is as powerful as it is nuanced, offering 11 individually powered drivers to create impressively potent sound from a singular tube. This is premium sound the Sonos way, offering a sweet mix of minimalist design and gluttonous performance for everything from your favorite “Friends” reruns to your best Spotify playlist. Like all Sonos speakers, the Arc ($799) offers Wi-Fi connection through the Sonos app so you can connect wirelessly to other Sonos speakers (including the IKEA Symfonisk) in a group or as part of a surround sound setup. This lets you build as you go, and you’ll get builtin smart features with your choice of Google Assistant or Amazon Alexa. Apart from its size (which may require you to mount your TV) the only real drawback is that, while the bar includes HDMI eARC for seamless connection to your TV, it doesn’t offer a second HDMI input for outboard devices like streamers and game consoles. That means, for most setups, it doesn’t support high-resolution Dolby Atmos, and you’ll need a TV that’s 2017 or newer for any Atmos playback. Still, the Arc exudes quality all the way down the line, making it a brilliant way to upgrade your system for now, and the future.

December 2020

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A USER-FRIENDLY STREAMING SOLUTION • THE BUDGET OPTION: ROKU STREAMING STICK+ While most TVs are “smart” these days — meaning they connect to the internet and can directly stream content from services like Netflix, Hulu, Prime Video and so on — they’re rarely considered the best way to get your binge on, even if they’re highly convenient. If you don’t already have a Roku TV, a great streaming device will provide a snappier and more easily tailored experience, and the Roku Streaming Stick+ has been our favorite budget streaming device for years. You can add the stick to your setup for around $50 to $60, and for that price you’re getting plenty of home theater functionality: 4K and HDR streaming, Roku’s massive array of non-proprietary apps and an excellent, user friendly remote control. The tiny Roku stick plugs directly into one of your TV’s HDMI ports, and though you can power it via AC adapter, you can also just plug it right into one of your TV’s USB ports. One thing to note is what you’re not getting here: The ability to stream video in Dolby Vision; no way to plug an ethernet cable into the device (so you’re stuck with Wi-Fi); and limited Dolby Atmos support. You also don’t get the remote with a headphone jack like you do with the pricier Roku Ultra, but you can listen through headphones on your phone via Roku’s app. For what you’re paying, this device is a great value, and should be your first stop on the budget streaming device railroad.

• GOING PREMIUM: APPLE TV 4K If you don’t want to “settle” for the Streaming Stick+, the $180 Apple TV 4K should have everything you’re looking for in a premium streaming device. Naturally, you’re getting access to all the basics here — Netflix, Hulu, Prime Video, Disney+ and, of course, Apple’s whole ecosystem of content — as well as the ability to stream in 4K, HDR and Dolby Vision. You’ll also get a lot more processing power and general RAM compared to the more affordable, stick-shaped devices. That’s not to mention a remote control that’s Siri-compatible, making the Apple TV 4K an especially attractive choice for iPhone users. You’ll also have the ability to plug in an ethernet/LAN cable if you choose, which can be a much more reliable way to stream high-fidelity HDR/Dolby Vision content, and the Apple TV also has among the best streaming support for Dolby Atmos sound. The only real drawback with the Apple TV 4K is the price. It also may not have as much appeal if you don’t use any Apple products already. That said, there’s no denying that the totality of the experience you’ll have is much more polished and “professional” feeling than the cheap-seat sticks.

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December 2020

A QUALITY DEVICE FOR PHYSICAL MEDIA

• THE BUDGET OPTION: SONY UBP-X700

• GOING PREMIUM: XBOX ONE X

Streaming is an easy solution, but it’s not always the best way to get real “home theater” quality. If you want to be able to play 4K/HDR Blu-rays, or even if you have an extensive DVD collection, a great Blu-ray player — such as Sony’s UBP-X700 — is where you should start. You can also stream content with this player, but it isn’t as flexible as the streaming devices: It only supports 4K/HDR from YouTube. However, it makes up for it in terms of hardware/connection flexibility: You’re getting two HDMI inputs (one traditional, one for connecting a receiver), a digital coaxial output port and even a USB port for local media. In addition, the UBP-X700 makes for a brilliant audio device for playing back those vintage CDs on your new sound system. A majority of folks don’t partake in Blu-rays or DVDs anymore, but if you want a disc player that’s compatible with 4K/HDR hard media — it can be hard to go back to streaming when you’ve seen a Blu-ray in HDR — this is a great value even if the price of around $200 isn’t exactly peanuts.

A solid 4K/HDR-compatible Blu-ray player is fine if you only want to play Blu-rays and CDs, but with the Xbox One X (priced around $400 to $500), you’re getting a full entertainment center solution for streaming in 4K/HDR, Blu-rays, DVDs and blockbuster video games. The One X supports Dolby Vision and Dolby Atmos, and even features an extra HDMI in port so you can use it to host an entire other source device. Far from being a console geared solely for video games (despite the game pad controller), the Xbox One X is kitted out to be snappy and powerful enough to handle essentially any kind of media at any bitrate. While Sony’s UBP-X700 is limited to streaming YouTube in 4K/HDR, the One X is compatible with HDR and Dolby Vision formats across all apps, and (naturally) you can plug an ethernet/LAN cable right into it to make sure you’re getting the bandwidth you need to stream such robust media.

Microsoft’s Xbox One X continues to be a ‘singular’ solution for entertainment centers.

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December 2020

QUESTIONS YOU MIGHT HAVE WHAT ARE 4K AND UHD? 4K refers to resolution — specifically for consumers, it refers to 3,840 x 2,160 pixels. This is the current standard resolution for most TVs, which offers four times the resolutino of the previous standard, 1080p HD (1920 x 1080 pixels). UHD means Ultra High Definition, and actually refers to a suite of picture improvements like 4K resolution and Wide Color Gamut, which can display millions more shades of color than HD TVs. These days, you can find a slew of 4K content on streaming platforms like Netflix, Disney+ and Amazon Prime Video. As mentioned above, 4K Blu-rays are also an excellent source for content — provided you’ve got a 4K Blu-ray player to play them.

WHAT IS HDR? High Dynamic Range in the home theater realm refers to both a type of TV (or projector) and a type of content that expands on the typical range of brightness (luminance) and color that a TV will produce. Quality HDR TVs are usually a bit more expensive but can have many times the brightness and 30% more color production than non-HDR TVs. Current top HDR formats include HDR10, HDR10+ and Dolby Vision. Not all HDR TVs are created equal, and brighter, more colorful HDR TVs are generally better at delivering the expansive contrast for which the HDR is praised.

Streaming platforms like Netflix, Amazon Prime Video and Disney+ offer select titles in HDR, and 4K Blu-rays mastered in HDR are becoming mainstream, too. Most important to know is that HDR content is among the most notable upgrades to the latest TVs, and you will definitely want your next TV to offer HDR support, even if you’re planning on securing a budget-friendly one like the TCL 4-series.

WHAT IS DOLBY ATMOS? Dolby Atmos is essentially a kind of surround sound format that intelligently places sound (sometimes called “object-oriented audio”) in both a traditional surround sound atmosphere and via “height channels,” which place sound above and around you. In short, it’s a super cool way to become more immersed in movies and music, but it can be a bit pricey/confusing to get functioning properly.

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December 2020

GO GO GADGETS THE BEST

streaming device:

Roku Ultra By TJ Donegan | Reviewed

f you want the best streaming device around, the Roku Ultra has been our go-to recommendation for several years. Though the competition is fierce with the Apple TV 4K, Fire TV Stick 4K and Google Chromecast with Google TV, the Roku Ultra continues to stand above them all. But that doesn’t mean we don’t have questions — and concerns. The Ultra is clearly Roku’s best device, but it is missing some features from years past. And while Roku continues to improve its software, it isn’t as flashy as what you get from Apple, Amazon or Google. Just about the only thing that truly threatens the Roku Ultra in our eyes is how good the more affordable streaming sticks have gotten. Is the Ultra still the best for you? Or will something like the cheaper Roku Streaming Stick+ fit the bill just as well?

The Ultra includes an HDMI cable, remote and even headphones right in the box.

TJ DONEGAN / REVIEWED.COM

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December 2020

SOME SPECS ON THE ROKU ULTRA: • Resolution: 4K, up to 2160p at 60fps (3830 x 2160) • HDR: Dolby Vision, HDR10, HLG • Ports: HDMI 2.0b, Ethernet 10/100, USB 3.0 • Networking: 802.11ac dual-band, MIMO wireless, ethernet • Audio: Digital stereo over HDMI, DTS Digital Surround pass through over HDMI, Dolby Atmos decode via HDMI, local playback over USB, Bluetooth

• Remote: Voice remote with personal shortcuts, TV power/volume/mute, headphone jack for wireless listening • Smart Assistants: Works with Alexa, Google Assistant, Roku voice search • Size: 4.9 in x 1.0 in, 5.0 in (W x H x D) • Weight: 5.9 ounces

Roku’s 2020 lineup is pretty simple: The Express is the barebones model that doesn’t support 4K or HDR. The Premiere and the Streaming Stick+ both do, and they’re very similar except the Stick plugs right into your TV’s HDMI port and has a nicer remote. The Ultra is the top dog, with all the best features Roku offers.

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WHAT WE LIKE • BEST-IN-CLASS REMOTE

December 2020

The Roku remote is still the best in class, with built-in app shortcuts, personal shortcuts, a headphone jack, and a perfect design.

For my money, the Roku remote is still the best around, and it’s stunning that Amazon, Apple and Google haven’t tried harder to replicate it. It feels great in your hand, it can control power and volume on most TV sets, it has extremely helpful app shortcut buttons (including programmable ones), and it works wirelessly so your Roku can be hidden in a closet or TV stand. The remote also includes a headphone jack for easy wireless listening. Though many new TVs support Bluetooth for wireless audio, it’s still a bit of a pain to set up. If you just occasionally want to watch a show at night without bothering your partner, kids or roommates, it’s a clutch feature.

• THE APP-FIRST INTERFACE Unlike Amazon, Google and Apple, the interface on Roku devices is fundamentally centered around apps instead of content. Though Roku promotes its own free (ad-supported) Roku Channel heavily, when you turn on the Roku Ultra the main menu shows you a list of your favorite apps; every competitor immediately presents shows you may want to watch. While there are times I like being shown a movie or show right off the bat, most of the time when I turn on a streaming device I already have an app or show in mind that I want to get to. I don’t want to wade through three menus of content recommendations before I get to Netflix, I just want to go there. Roku still lets me do that, both through the remote and the interface, faster than the competition. It’s also the easiest for less tech-savvy people to use. If I tell my dad about a great show on Netflix, he may struggle to actually find it with something like the Apple TV, or get frustrated seeing a show that is on a service he doesn’t actually subscribe to. With Roku, you just go to the Netflix logo (or hit the button), and you’re halfway home.

Roku is almost entirely platform agnostic, putting your favorite services front-and-center, with few ads and minimal clutter.

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December 2020

• THE PRICE Streaming is all about 4K and HDR these days, and if you’re buying a new TV it’s just about impossible to find one that isn’t 4K- and HDRready. The streaming device options have caught up, and as a result the Ultra is far from the only way to get 4K and HDR content to your devices. That certainly makes the price (about $100 MSRP) a bit tougher to swallow, though we expect it to go on sale often. It’s still way better than the nearly $180 Apple TV 4K, but about twice Roku’s own superb Roku Streaming Stick+. To Roku’s credit, it seems to understand that as the Stick+ and Premiere models get better, it’s undercutting its own flagship streamer. Roku’s response has been to add functionality to the Ultra without increasing the price. Though we’d like to see the old optical audio port make a comeback, the Ultra does offer Dolby Vision HDR, a useful “find my remote” feature, Bluetooth audio streaming, wired internet and a superior remote. If you just want a basic 4K/HDR streamer, the Streaming Stick+ will likely serve your needs just fine, but for your main TV the Ultra’s extra features are worth it.

WHAT WE DON’T LIKE • THE INTERFACE IS SHOWING ITS AGE I haven’t spoken to any developers directly, but I have seen some noise that Roku’s back-end software development is a bit of a pain. The interface has seen some nice quality of life and aesthetic improvements in the last two years or so, but the app designs aren’t always a complete match

PHOTOS BY TJ DONEGAN / REVIEWED.COM

for what you get on other platforms. I generally find Roku apps to be stable, fast and functional, but things like the voice search results and voice-powered password entry work better on other platforms, in my experience.

• THE CHEAPER STREAMING STICKS OUT THERE ARE NEARLY AS GOOD For most people, Roku’s Streaming Stick+ is going to be enough. And even if it doesn’t quite suit your fancy, there’s the Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K and the Google Chromecast with Google TV. They’re all about the same price (or cheaper on sale), and for the vast majority of the content you’re going to stream they’ll perform basically the same. I’d still rather have the Ultra in the long run, but for twice the price the argument is getting tougher to make.

SHOULD YOU BUY IT? Outside of some edge cases, the best streaming device for most people is the Roku Ultra. It’s fast, easy to use, it supports 4K and HDR and, outside of a few exceptions, it has every major streaming service (including Apple TV). Of course, you can say all the same things about the Roku Streaming Stick+, and it costs just $50. The Ultra still commands a premium over the cheaper streaming sticks, but at this point, the extra cost mostly lands you creature comforts: Bluetooth, Dolby Vision HDR, a nicer remote with a headphone jack, a “lost remote” button, wired internet and USB storage. The competition is getting close, but there’s still nothing better than the Roku Ultra.

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GO GO GADGETS THE BEST

Wi-Fi extenders OF 2020

By Richard Baguley | Reviewed

f there’s a spot in your home that your Wi-Fi signal can’t reach because there are too many obstacles in the way or it’s too far from your router, it can make doing anything online a misery. But there’s a way you can fix it! If you don’t already own a mesh Wi-Fi system that you can add extra nodes to, the best way to get your videos to stop stuttering and your browser to load pages quickly is to invest in a Wi-Fi extender. Wi-Fi extenders work by receiving and then boosting your Wi-Fi signal so it reaches farther than your home’s router can on its own. After extensive testing, we found that the best Wi-Fi extender is the Linksys RE9000 (retails for $169.99). It can carry a fast signal long-distance from your router, effortlessly handling multiple 4K video streams and other data, so long as your internet plan and router already allow you to do this at shorter distances. For those with slower internet speeds or who want to extend their home Wi-Fi at a lower cost, the TP-Link RE220 (retails for $35) is a great option. This inexpensive router is slow and doesn’t provide as much range as our Best Overall pick. However, it is perfect if you just need to boost your Wi-Fi to reach an additional room or deck.

THESE ARE THE BEST WI-FI EXTENDERS WE TESTED, RANKED. 1. Linksys RE9000 2. TP-Link RE650 3. TP-Link RE650 4. TP-Link RE220 5. D-Link DAP1610 6. D-Link DAP1860 7. Netgear EX6110 8. Linksys RE6350

BEST OVERALL LINKSYS RE9000 You’d be forgiven for assuming that the RE9000 was a full router rather than an extender because of its large case, four antennas and four Ethernet ports. And, to be fair, it can be used as a full router. However, its main purpose is to extend a fast network from a powerful router. It supports the AC3000 standard, one of the fastest nonWi-Fi 6 variants. It’s perfect for something like an office or a garage with several devices in it that need internet access, as it can extend both wireless and wired connections. It is the priciest of the models we looked at by a significant margin, though.

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You get what you pay for, however: We found that it was the fastest of the extenders that we tested, handling a 4K video without breaking a sweat and offering upload and download speeds of just over 200 Mbps during testing. That’s significantly faster than the other extenders in our tests. It’s important to note that you’ll only see this kind of speed if the RE9000 is twinned with a router that supports the same AC3000 standard.

BEST VALUE TP-LINK RE220 The TP-Link RE220 is an inexpensive but capable Wi-Fi extender that offers acceptable performance, is relatively easy to set up and includes an Ethernet port for connecting a non-Wi-Fi-enabled device. Around the same size as a deck of cards, the RE220 features a number of small LED status lights and a tiny button for connecting the device to a network using WPS. This extender only supports the AC750 standard, which is the slowest of the 802.11AC variants currently available. Even if it’s connected to a router that’s capable of faster transfers, the RE220 can only extend the router’s network signal at its pokey AC750 speed. As such, we recommend that you invest in a router and extender that both support the same AC standard. Although the speeds were only around 30 Mbps, it was adequate for casual web browsing and editing a Google document. When streaming a 4K video, however, it stuttered several times.

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OTHER WI-FI EXTENDERS WE TESTED

TP-LINK RE650 • Pros: Decent upload and download speed; good signal strength • Cons: Large, bulky device; requires a 3-pin electrical socket

NETGEAR EX6110 • Pro: Compact design • Cons: Underwhelming speed; no Ethernet ports

NETGEAR NIGHTHAWK X4S EX7500 • Pros: Decent speed; good signal strength • Cons: Large; no Ethernet ports

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D-LINK DAP-1610 • Pros: Decent speed; includes wired Ethernet port • Cons: Large case obscures power supply; wired Ethernet port is slower than Wi-Fi

D-LINK DAP-1860 • Pros: None that we could find • Cons: Comes with contradictory installation instructions; antennas can block adjacent power sockets; middling performance

LINKSYS RE6350 • Pro: Simple installation • Cons: Supports only AC1200 standard; poor performance

What you should know about Wi-Fi extenders WHAT ARE THEY? The further you are from the router, the weaker the signal is. Eventually, it becomes too weak to pick out from background noise. A Wi-Fi extender is a piece of hardware designed to receive the signal from your router and rebroadcast it, extending the distance the signal can be received.

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MESH WI-FI OR A WI-FI EXTENDER? We recently reviewed mesh Wi-Fi systems, which replace a single router with several devices that connect to form a mesh of Wi-Fi access points that your devices can switch between, seamlessly. These are different from Wi-Fi extenders, which just extend the range of your router. How do you decide which you need? Consider your existing Wi-Fi router and setup: • If you are happy with how fast it is and there is just one spot that it doesn’t cover well, you need a Wi-Fi extender. • If your Wi-Fi is slow, doesn’t cover much of your home or stops working when the kids are online, you should get a mesh Wi-Fi system that can handle more users.

MATCH YOUR ROUTERS AND EXTENDERS It is also important to match the speed of your Wi-Fi extender with the speed of your main Wi-Fi router because a mismatch will lead to either a slower network or wasted money. To show why this is important, we compared the fastest extender in our tests, the Linksys RE9000, with the slowest, the TP-Link RE220. Both were tested with the same wireless router, a Linksys WRT1900ACS that is capable of speeds of over 200 megabits per second. Under the same test conditions, we measured the speed at which each extender could carry data. With the RE220, the speed was about 30 Megabits per second. With the Linksys, that speed increased to over 200 Megabits per second. In other words, the Linksys extender was about six times faster than the TP-Link RE220. That doesn’t just mean that a single device would be faster with the Linksys extender; it also means that more devices could connect to the Linksys extender at one time and still get a speedy connection. Another advantage of getting the same brand of the extender as the router you own is that you might be able to keep the same Wi-Fi network name. If you use a Wi-Fi router and extender from different manufacturers, you will have two different Wi-Fi networks, called something like FRED and FRED_EXT, where the latter is the one created by the extender. To use the extender network, you would have to manually switch between them.

TERMS TO KNOW • AC750, AC1200, AC1950, etc: Most modern routers use a Wi-Fi standard called 802.11ac. The numbers after the letters in 802.11ac indicate the total theoretical speed at which the router can send data (called the bandwidth). An AC750 router, for example, can send data at up to 750 megabits per second, while an AC3200 one can manage 3200 megabits per second. These numbers can be confusing, though, as you will never actually manage to achieve these speeds. For one thing, they combine the speeds of all of the Wi-Fi bands that the router can use, while a device like an iPad or laptop can only connect to one Wi-Fi band

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at a time. Additionally, the speed you will get in practice is even lower, because other signals, noise and the distance between the router and device will affect the speed. • Wi-Fi 6: Released in 2019 and also known by the technical name 802.11ax, this new standard increases both the amount of data that can be sent over a Wi-Fi network and the number of devices that can join a network. The speed is increased to a theoretical maximum of 11 megabits per second from the 3.5 of the older 802.11ac standard that most modern devices use. • Dual- and Tri-Band: All of the Wi-Fi extenders we tested for this guide are dual-band, meaning they support 2.4Ghz and 5.8GHz signal band. Some of them, including the Netgear EX6110, are tri-band, meaning they also support a signal band in the upper 5GHz range. That said, most Wi-Fi devices can only use the 2.4 and 5.8 GHz bands, while the additional 5GHz signal is used by the mesh routers to talk to each other. As such, they can share data without using up the valuable signal space that they use to talk to your devices. • MIMO: Multiple In, Multiple Out. Modern routers use multiple antennas that can send and receive multiple signals at the same time. By synchronizing these signals, they can increase the amount of data that can be sent. The amount of antennas and signals that can be sent and received at once is usually described by two numbers, which indicate how many of these synchronized signals they can send and receive. The Eero Pro, for instance, uses 2x2 MIMO, so it can send and receive two signals at once. The latest Wi-Fi 6 routers expand this with MU-MIMO (Multi-User Multi-In Multi-Out), which allows multiple users to use this technique at the same time.

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HOW DO I ... ?

Order pet supplies online LITTERBOX

By Kate Tully Ellsworth | Reviewed

Chewy

et food and supplies are must-haves for pet owners, and while many large retailers are keeping their doors open during the pandemic, you don’t actually need to leave your home for pet food, litter or toys. Some retailers even encourage you to purchase pet supplies online, with recurring shipment setup or delivery with your weekly grocery order. Here are a few of our favorite retailers that ship pet supplies directly to your door:

Chewy’s got a wide selection of dog and cat foods, featuring brands you can find at major retailers and those you can’t find everywhere, like Hill’s Science Diet. And when you sign up for Autoship, you save 30% off your first shipment, which is dreamy if you have multiple pets and tend to go through food quickly. Chewy also sells some of our editors’ favorite dog toys, like the crowd-favorite Kong toy, and catnip toys for kittens. In addition you can shop litter, standard treats, flea protection, freezedried treats, dental treats, and even vet-prescribed diets and medications. Additionally, Chewy runs frequent deals on many of its popular products and brands for cats, dogs, birds, fish and more. Chewy is an online-only store, so it has customer service available 24/7 and a library of pet care videos to help owners learn more about their pets at home.

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PetSmart PetSmart sells name-brand food, health supplies, treats and toys. The company has a page on its site dedicated to COVID-19 updates, allowing customers to see updated store times and measures the store is taking to protect both buyers and pets. PetSmart also runs frequent deals on best-selling pet favorites, including food, carriers, training supplies and toys. You can also save 10% on your overall purchase by ordering online and picking up curbside at your local store. PETSMART

You can order pet supplies from Walmart online and have them directly delivered to your home, or you can order supplies to be picked up in-store. Walmart doesn’t quite have the range of pet foods that retailers like Chewy and Petco have, but it does have great prices for toys and pet furniture. Walmart is also the only retailer that can provide free same-day shipping, which can be a big deal if you’ve recently discovered you’re out of pet food.

Petco

WALMART

Walmart+ Like other major retailers, Walmart has a dedicated pet portion of its business that heavily caters toward dog and cat owners. Walmart sells a suite of smart tech for pets (like auto feeders and pet cameras), pet furniture and toys, pet food, litter, and flea and tick medication. Walmart also recently unveiled Walmart+, a paid membership service that offers free same-day delivery on certain products, including pet supplies.

Petco offers a wide range of food, treats, toys and supplies for a range of pets. Similarly to Chewy, Petco is offering to ship auto-deliveries for 35% off your first purchase. Since Petco also operates brick-and-mortar stores, it’s taking actions to protect humans and pets during the COVID-19 outbreak. Petco has scaled back hours (check your local store for the most accurate times); closed dog washes, puppy playtime and dog training; scaled back grooming to ensure people are adhering to social distancing; and implemented a pet drop-off approach to their veterinary services. Additionally, Petco is offering a 10% discount for people to purchase supplies online then pick up in-store. This is great if you want to support your local store or want to limit the amount of in-store shopping you’re doing, but the discount doesn’t apply to some of the products on the site, so make sure you shop carefully.

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Target Target also sells pet supplies for cats, dogs, birds and fish. It runs frequent deals but, like Walmart, it does not carry all the major brands for pet supplies that more pet-focused retailers do. Target is also allowing customers to keep tabs on how it is responding to COVID-19. It has set up dedicated shopping hours for at-risk people to get supplies, and continues to allow shoppers to buy online and pick-up in store.

Litterbox Litterbox is a great online store to shop specifically for cat accessories and litter, catnip, cleaning products and furniture. Did you know there were different types of catnip? I recently ordered a flight of catnip from Litterbox to see if my cats could tell the difference between the kinds. They could. Litterbox also sells clay-clumping litter, which claims to be a hypoallergenic, dust-free alternative to standard litter. It also sells a wide variety of cat toys made from catnip, sisal and hemp.

TARGET

LITTERBOX

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COVER STORY THE

44 best

AND

coolest tech gifts OF 2020

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By Lee Neikirk | Reviewed

don’t know about you, but I’ve never gotten a techy or tech-adjacent gift I wasn’t excited about. Opening up a gift and getting a new pair of headphones or a fun gadget I wasn’t expecting is almost always fun, even if it isn’t something I thought I wanted. The one caveat to this rule: getting a techy gift that doesn’t ... uh ... work. That’s the problem with trying to buy a fun new tech gift for a giftee: How do you single out the small margin of great products from the ocean of sub-par stuff? Reviewed tests tech all year long, and this list is chock full of our favorite gadgets. Prices are MSRP.

1. For the binge-watcher: ROKU ULTRA Roku’s fancy “Ultra” media streaming device has been our favorite for a couple years running now, and for good reason. Processing is snappy and the UI is extremely friendly and intuitive, making it easy to settle in for a night of Netflix (or Hulu, or Amazon Prime, or YouTube, or Twitch, or anything else). This box also comes with a very easy-to-use remote and a pair of headphones that plug right into it for private listening, as well an ethernet cable input so you can easily stream 4K/HDR content, if that’s your bag. • Cost: $99.99

2. For the techy type: AMAZON ECHO DOT (3RD GEN.) If you’re shopping for a tech generalist or somebody who just really loves asking Alexa to tell jokes, why not pick up the Echo Dot? This tiny smart speaker integrates with your Amazon account, meaning you can ask it for shopping recommendations, what the weather’s going to be, to play music, or to integrate with your existing smart home fixtures (like turning lights on and off). This isn’t the ideal music-lover’s smart speaker (it’s a bit too small for great sound), but as an all-around device it’s a great addition for any technophile you’re shopping for. • Cost: $39.99

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3. For the book lover: AMAZON KINDLE PAPERWHITE Amazon’s latest Kindle Paperwhite, technically the 10th generation model, is the best one yet. Not only does it continue to do what Kindles do best — hold hundreds, perhaps thousands of novels, short stories, poems, comics and PDFs — it’s also waterproof, and features multiple colors and storage options with a battery that lasts weeks. • Cost: $129.99

4. For the one who’s sick of wires: SAMSUNG GALAXY BUDS+ If your giftee has been pining for the freedom of true wireless earbuds, Samsung’s Galaxy Buds+ make a great gift. These are some of our favorite headphones that we reviewed in 2020, and they deliver high-quality sound, excellent features and a comfortable fit for a price that notably undercuts the competition. In fact, they’re altogether a better choice than Apple AirPods, and they’re cheaper. • Cost: $149.99

5. For the one who loves to game: NINTENDO SWITCH If you’re shopping for a gamer and they don’t have a Nintendo Switch yet, now’s the time. Nintendo’s latest home console delivers fun for kids of all ages, and works as both an on-the-TV device and a handheld device, giving it an unsurpassed amount of flexibility. With award-winning titles like “The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild” and “Super Mario Odyssey” at hand, the surprisingly hard-to-trackdown Nintendo Switch is a winning gift for any gamer in 2020. • Cost: $299.99

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6. For the music lover:

7. For the podcast addict:

SONOS ONE SL

APPLE AIRPODS PRO

Sonos has been a leading name in home audio solutions for years, and the Sonos One SL is a testament to that legacy. We loved the One for its clean audio presentation, including crispy trebles and booming bass, as well as how easy it is to set up and interface with existing Sonos speakers in the home. While it’s not a take-it-to-the-park speaker, as a home solution it offered better audio than anything we tested, and will definitely impress any music lover you might be shopping for.

While they’ve been on the market for a couple of years, Apple’s AirPods Pro are still some of the best true wireless earbuds you can buy — especially for iPhone users. While we’ve had some qualms about the comfort and audio quality of the original AirPods, the Pro variant is a major upgrade: much more comfortable, with better audio and great noise canceling.

• Cost: $249

• Cost: $179

8. For the home theater enthusiast: 55-INCH TCL 6 SERIES TV If you’ve got a giftee on your list this year who has been hoping to upgrade to a 4K/HDR TV, the 55inch TCL 6 Series is an awesome pick. You’re not paying nearly as much as you normally would for a bright, colorful, crisp picture bolstered by fancy tech like microLEDs and quantum dots. The 6 Series is HDR compatible, too, meaning it can play the latest and greatest video format. And to sweeten the pot, the built-in Roku platform is still our favorite TV smart platform, both robust and very easy to use. • Cost: $649.99

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9. For the music lover on the go: JBL FLIP 5 JBL’s Flip line of portable, waterproof Bluetooth speakers continue to top our list of the best Bluetooth speakers you can buy. These rounded, meticulously designed speakers produce warm audio with plenty of bass and midrange, and with their rubber-capped ends and water-sealed inputs can be toted along on hikes, beach trips or just out to the backyard without fear of damage. • Cost: $119.95

10. For the serious cinephile: 55-INCH LG CX 4K OLED TV If you want the best of the best in TVs, it isn’t cheap, but for dedicated, movie-loving, AV-club-attending, home-theater-having cinephiles, price might be no object. LG has been the uncontested leader in OLED TV production for many years now, and the company’s 2020 CX series OLEDs continue the tradition of being one of the best TVs you can buy. OLEDs use emissive display technology that allows each pixel to produce its own light, making for purer colors and truly black shadows. That’s not to mention the CX OLED is kitted out with a fetching design, snappy smart features and all of the HDR/Dolby Vision/HDMI tech you can shake a stick at. • Cost: $1,799.99

11. For the PC gamer who wants to be comfy: HYPERX CLOUD ALPHA S HyperX’s comfy gaming line of headsets continues to warrant praise among console and PC gamers, and the HyperX Cloud Alpha S is one of our favorite gaming headsets currently. It may not be wireless, but if you’ve got a PC tower or laptop setup to stick by, these comfortable cans deliver excellent audio and microphone support, and feature very effective virtual 7.1 surround sound. They’re also compatible with Sony’s PS4, if you’re more into gaming on the couch. • Cost: $129.99

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12. For the movie lover on a budget: VIZIO V-SERIES 2.1 SOUNDBAR While we love reviewing TVs, usually listening to them isn’t amazing: That’s why we also review soundbars. One of our favorite new soundbars is Vizio’s V-Series, a soundbar and subwoofer combo that provides seriously good audio for the price. There’s nothing too fancy going on here — it’s an easy plug-and-play solution for anyone looking to majorly upgrade their stock TV audio at a reasonable price. • Cost: $179.99

13. For the one who wants movie theater sound: SONOS ARC There’s some great affordable soundbars out there, but if you want cinematic, room-filling sound that actually competes with the bone-rattling audio you’d get at a movie theater, check out the Sonos Arc. This is Sonos’ first Dolby Atmos-compatible soundbar, meaning it’s capable not just of great stereo sound presentation, but of implementing Dolby’s proprietary object-oriented and height-channel-based audio solution, placing sound all around you in a room — yep, even overhead. Naturally, a soundbar this awesome doesn’t come cheap, but if your giftee never misses movie night, this gift will blow them away. • Cost: $799.99

14. For the dedicated listener: SONY WH-1000XM4 Sony’s new WH-1000XM4 are simply amazing headphones — in fact, we think they’re the best you can buy right now. Not only do these sound awesome, they’re packed with the most useful headphone features you can get: noise canceling that automatically listens and adapts to your environment, wireless/Bluetooth connectivity and a lightweight, comfortable design that you can wear for hours. • Cost: $279.99

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15. For the one who needs to upgrade their TV: 43-INCH TCL 4 SERIES To be honest, you don’t need to spend $1,500 — or even $500 — to upgrade your giftee’s TV situation, especially if they haven’t made the jump to 4K yet. The TCL 4 Series is one of our favorite options in this regard: You can get a solid mid-size 4K HDR TV from this series at a price that feels like a steal (because, honestly, it is). • Cost: $279.99

17. For the one whose big house needs better Wi-Fi: GOOGLE NEST MESH SYSTEM Maybe you’ve never heard of mesh Wi-Fi systems — but we have, and we’ve tested lots of ‘em. A mesh Wi-Fi system is an excellent solution for essentially blanketing your entire home or apartment with high-speed Wi-Fi. If you’ve got a giftee whose place is full of Wi-Fi “dead zones,” a mesh system might be just what they need. The Google Nest system is one of the best we tested, so it doesn’t come cheap, but it’s an excellent solution for anyone who just can’t seem to stay connected. • Cost: From $149

16. For the serious mobile gamer: STEELSERIES ARCTIS 1 WIRELESS If your giftee likes playing games wherever they go — on a smartphone, tablet, Nintendo Switch Lite or whatever — SteelSeries’ Arctis 1 Wireless gaming headset is an awesome choice. It’s compatible with PC, PS4, Nintendo, Xbox and basically all mobile devices for a very reasonable price, and delivers solid sound, good microphone clarity and plenty of comfort. • Cost: $99.99

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18. For the committed distance learner: HP ENVY X360 15.6-INCH LAPTOP Whether your giftee is earning an online degree or simply forced to distance learn due to the global pandemic, a good laptop is a must. Even if you are attending school in person or on campus, HP’s Envy x360 is a solid choice. It’s flexible, powerful, and — for the specs you’re getting in the 15.6-inch version — priced very fairly. • Cost: $699

20. For those seeking luxurious streaming: APPLE TV 4K There’s a lot of ways to stream content. If the “blech” end of the spectrum is watching hyper-compressed Netflix on your tiny phone during a 12-hour bus ride, the “yay” end of the spectrum is Apple TV 4K. This marvelously zippy, perfectly polished streaming box is for that giftee who loves binging and wants to do it in style. • Cost: From $179

19. For the one upgrading their home oﬃce: HP VH240A 23.8-INCH MONITOR A lot of people are working remotely now, maybe for the first time, and maybe for the foreseeable future. If one of your giftees is struggling to be productive enough during this new situation, why not gift them with a flexible, affordable computer monitor? Sometimes, a bigger, higher-contrast screen is all you need to get things done. • Cost: $124.90

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22. For the aspiring vinyl record collector: CROSLEY C6 TURNTABLE It’s a big debate whether analog vinyl recordings actually sound “better” or “warmer” than digitally formatted audio files, but one thing’s for sure: The ritual of laying a well-loved record on a vinyl player and listening to it as the musicians and producer intended will always be a special experience. If you’ve got a giftee who might be eager to collect records but needs a viable turntable, the Crosley C6 is one of our top picks. It delivers modern turntable fixin’s with a classic look and feel.

21. For the shutterbug traveler:

• Cost: $179.95

PANASONIC LUMIX DMC-LX10 If you’ve got a giftee who loves traveling and taking photos, needs something more robust than a smartphone but doesn’t want a huge, clunky camera, say no more. The longstanding Panasonic Lumix DMCLX10 is one of our very favorite travel cameras. It’s not cheap, but it’s a sight more affordable than many high-end DSLRs, powerful enough to take excellent photos and compact enough to slide into a pants pocket. • Cost: $699.99

23. For the one with too many remotes: LOGITECH HARMONY COMPANION We all know that one giftee whose living room feels like a defunct Radio Shack. A remote for the TV, the soundbar, the Blu-ray or DVD player, etc., scattered haphazardly about the room. Enough’s enough — gift that friend a Logitech Harmony Companion, one of the best universal remotes we’ve tested. Sure, they might have to do a bit of programming and tinkering to bring all their disparate devices into the Harmony hive-mind, but we promise they’ll thank you for being so thoughtful. • Cost: $149.99

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24. For youngsters who love to listen: PURO LABS PUROQUIET KIDS’ HEADPHONES If you’ve got kids, or know some kids, who love listening close to music, we think that’s marvelous — but, especially for younger kids, they need to be extra careful about protecting their ears from excessive noise. That’s where these awesome Puro Labs headphones come in: They’re tuned not to exceed volumes that would cause damage, while ensuring balanced sound and noise canceling to deliver beautiful music to those young ears. • Cost: $99.99

25. For the one who always needs more power: JACKERY SUPERCHARGE If you’ve got a giftee who seems to chronically suffer from poorly charged devices, a portable battery pack like the Jackery Supercharge might be just what they need. While it doesn’t have as many charging ports as some of the other power banks we tested, we loved it for its sheer charging power and sturdy materials.

26. For the careful driver: CROSSTOUR CR300 DASH CAM If you’ve got a giftee who likes to be extra cautious while out on the road, the Crosstour CR300 dash cam is an awesome gift. It’s one of the more affordable dash cams we tested during our roundup, so while your giftee won’t be getting high-fidelity 1080p video recording, they’re still getting the kind of footage they could use for something like an insurance claim. • Cost: $49.97

• Cost: $69.99

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27. For those looking to rock out poolside: ANKER SOUNDCORE 2 Let’s face it: The only thing better than swimming is doing so while sweet tunes fill the air. If you’ve got a giftee this year who loves hanging at the pool but doesn’t want to risk dousing their smartphone just to listen to music, a good waterproof Bluetooth speaker might be the perfect gift. • Cost: $43.99

28. For the one who loves photo albums: PRYNT POCKET If you’re buying gifts for anyone who loves snapping photos and printing them out in tangible form, the Kickstarter-backed Prynt Pocket is the perfect gift. This accessory snaps onto a smartphone, allowing it to directly print full color or black and white photos as soon as you snap ‘em. The Prynt Pocket’s speed and portability might just make your giftee’s holiday season. • Cost: $109.99

29. For the musician who loves listening on the go: MARSHALL STOCKWELL II If you’re buying a gift for a musician this year — especially a guitarist — Marshall’s Stockwell II portable Bluetooth speaker is an undeniably fun gift. Modeled to look like a miniature version of one of Marshall’s iconic amplifiers, the Stockwell II features a guitar-style carrying strap, full on-set EQ control via bass and treble knobs, and enough sound to fill up a backyard — or garage, if that’s your jam space. • Cost: $199.99

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30. For the gamer on the move: NINTENDO SWITCH LITE Video game consoles are always a hot item during the holiday season, and it can be almost impossible to find the Nintendo Switch in stock at times. However, for a lot of gamers, the handheld-only version of the Switch — called the Nintendo Switch Lite — might be a better choice. The Switch Lite plays all the same games and gives you access to all the same features as the pricier Switch, you just can’t hook it up to a TV. • Cost: $199.99

31. For the one whose phone is always dying: YOOTECH WIRELESS CHARGER A wireless charger can be the perfect gift for that giftee whose phone is always at critical battery levels. For most newer phones, you just set your phone down on the charging base, and it gets charged back up without needing to be plugged in. In our roundup of the best wireless chargers, this Yootech model took the No. 1 spot, which is great news considering how utterly affordable it is. • Cost: $11.95

32. For the kid who loves screen time: AMAZON FIRE 8 KIDS EDITION Some kids just can’t get enough screen time, and if one such youngster is a giftee of yours this year, you should consider the Amazon Fire 8 Kids Edition tablet. This tablet took the No. 1 spot in our Best Tablets for Kids roundup for its great durability features and wide range of built-in kid-friendly content. • Cost: $139.99

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33. For the one who’s always misplacing things: TILE MATE We’ve loved Tile’s products for years thanks to their high degree of reliability and functionality. These little Bluetooth trackers are a huge boon for any giftee who tends to misplace their keys, bags or smartphone, and the Tile Mate can be had for a very giftable price. • Cost: $24.99

34. For the pro PC gamer: CORSAIR DARK CORE RGB PRO If you’ve got a giftee on your list this year who uses their mouse and keyboard for a lot more than browsing the web, you might want to consider gifting them a top-end gaming mouse. The Corsair Dark Core RGB Pro recently swept the Best Overall spot for our roundup of the Best Gaming Mice of 2020 thanks to its perfect balance of comfort, customizability, performance and price. • Cost: $79.99

35. For the one who needs to glow up an oﬃce: LIFX Z LED LIGHT STRIP Our No. 1-rated LED light strip this year, the LIFX Z LED smart light strip is a seriously cool way to spruce up a home theater or office. It’s a snap to sync these smart LEDs up with assistants like Alexa or Siri, or integrate the LIFX into an existing SmartThings or Nest ecosystem — from there, it’s really up to your giftee’s imagination whether they have ambient, soft mood lighting or a demonic red glow lighting up the room. • Cost: $89.99

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December 2020

36. For the one who needs a better alarm clock: ECHO SHOW 5 We loved the Echo Show 5 when we reviewed it: It’s a great gift for anyone who needs a low-key screen or a better alarm clock. It’s a great way to keep in touch with relatives via video chat or to catch up on Hulu or Prime Video content in the background while you’re working. It’s also perfectly sized for smaller spaces like bedrooms or apartment kitchens, especially if you don’t want to spend a couple hundred on a small TV or monitor screen. • Cost $89.99

37. For the one who needs more space: SANDISK 250GB EXTERNAL SSD If you’ve got a tech-savvy giftee (or even one who struggles a bit) who keeps running out of space under the duress of too many photos, videos or the neverending updates to Windows 10, a portable, sizable external SSD could be the perfect gift. Our editors swear by the SanDisk Extreme external SSD for its light weight, durable build quality and ample 250 GB. • Cost: $72.99

38. For the dedicated keyboard warrior: STEELSERIES APEX PRO If you’ve got a giftee who is a dedicated gamer and loves their keyboards to be covered in radical RGB lights, the SteelSeries Apex is our one of our favorite gaming keyboards for that very reason. Despite being a full, numpad-including ‘board, the Apex Pro takes up a marginal tabletop footprint and is outfitted with great clicky keys and, of course, customizable lighting. • Cost: $199.99

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December 2020

39. For the one who needs a little more Wi-Fi coverage: LINKSYS RE9000 This Wi-Fi extender recently took our tip-top spot for our roundup of the Best Wi-Fi Extenders, thanks to its combination of full-figured features and pure speed. You might mistake the RE9000 for a full router (since it also doubles as one), but in fact it’s simply one of the most powerful and effective extenders on the market, working seamlessly with another powerful router to blanket a hard-to-reach area with Wi-Fi coverage. • Cost: $169.99

40. For the one who needs more freedom: LOGITECH MX ANYWHERE 2S Logitech’s MX Anywhere 2S wireless mouse is our favorite wireless mouse, and for good reason: As long as you’ve got the USB dongle in tow, you really can use it basically anywhere. It tracks reliably on any surface, even glass, and with a roughly 70-day battery life, you could basically take it on a two month journey without needing to seek out a mousepad or AC adapter (though we doubt your laptop will last as long). • Cost: $79.99

41. For the one who needs a sharper picture: AMAZONBASICS HDMI CABLE If you’ve got a giftee who likes to watch DVDs or cable but is still dealing with AV/component cables (the red, yellow, etc., ones), an upgrade to HDMI cables is a very affordable way to make their viewing experience a heck of a lot better. As long as their TV is semi-new (from the last 10 years or so), it should be equipped with an HDMI in port; likewise with cable boxes and disc players. AmazonBasics’ cable is super cheap, but in our testing it was just as capable as HDMI cables that were dozens of dollars pricier. • Cost: From $7.99

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43. For the gamer who needs a visual upgrade: ASUS ROG STRIX XG32VQ Our top-rated gaming monitor may seem like a huge indulgence for the non-PC-gamer crowd, but for anyone hoping to trounce the competition, the 32-inch, curved Asus ROG Strix is a necessary tool. Testing revealed an excellent amount of flexibility in terms of use cases, not to mention high refresh rates, excellent response time and smart design features. While you’re not getting a top-notch gaming monitor like this for cheap, it’s a massive upgrade from a built-in laptop display both in terms of size and features, and would be a stellar gift for any aspiring competitive gamer on your shopping list. • Cost: $599

42. For the one who wants a smarter wrist: APPLE WATCH SERIES 5 Apple may have just unveiled the Apple Watch Series 6, but it’s too new and untested for us to make a call on just yet. On the other hand (er, wrist), we love the Series 5. In fact, it’s our favorite smart watch right now. • Cost: From $399.99

44. For the one who needs basic portable computing: ACER ASPIRE If you’ve got a giftee who is stuck with an old PC tower or a laptop that was a little too cheap when they bought it, a marginal upgrade to their portable computing might be just the ticket. The Acer Aspire is our favorite laptop under $500, and not just for its price point: This 15.6inch laptop has enough computing power and storage for a wide range of functionalities, and all at a price that’s pretty hard to beat. • Cost: $369

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COLUMN

He’s dreaming of a tech Christmas T R ACY B EC K E R M AN Tracy Beckerman has written a humor column, Lost in Suburbia, for GateHouse Media since 2008. You can find her new weekly column about life back in the city with her husband now that the kids are grown — and her Lost in Suburbia Classics column — in most Gannett newspapers. You can follow Tracy on Twitter @ TracyBeckerman and become a fan on Facebook at Facebook. com/LostinSuburbiaFanPage.

‘C

ome in for all your holiday tech gift needs!” said the smiling guy in the red shirt on the TV. I looked up from the couch at the commercial and I shuddered. I know for some people this is the most wonderful time of the year. But if you have a techy husband, who likes techy gifts, and you’re his non-techy wife, holiday shopping is about as fun as stepping barefoot on a floor of Legos. The fact that my husband is techy and I’m not usually works fine for us. He takes care of buying and attending to all the gadgets and gizmos in the house, and I take care of the non-gadgety household things. So, basically, when the TV blows up, it’s on him. When the toilet backs up, it’s on me. (I know, I think I got the short end of the deal, too.) Still, this arrangement is OK until the holidays. My husband is not a necktie or book gift kind of guy. He likes tech. The newer the better, with all the whoziwhats and thingamabobs and whatsits that they come with (*and yes, if you think I’m just throwing out tech terms I’ve heard, you are right). However, if he’s not specific about the exact item he wants and just says, for instance, “I need a new phone,” it falls on me to figure out which is the best phone for him and why. Which leads us to the question: “Which phone is the fastest and has the best features?” I asked the tech guy at the tech store. He grinned and led me over to a phone display thinking, probably, that a sucker is born every minute. I was born in 1964, which happened to be a great year for suckers.

“This new smartphone has three front-facing cameras with 12 megapixels. Its 5 gigabit data speed operates at a frequency of 28 gigahertz. This is much faster than the 4G networks, which use about 700 to 2500 megahertz frequency.” I looked at him blankly. The only word I understood in that statement was “camera.” “How is a gigabit different than a gigahertz?” I finally said.

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“A gigahertz is about frequencies and a gigabit is about how much data is transferred,” he said. “And a giga something is bigger than a mega something?” I said. “A giga is a thousand times bigger than a mega,” he replied. I nodded, as though this bit of information clarified things for me one iota. I then wondered how many iotas there were in a mega. Then the word iota made me think of the actor Ray Liotta. At which point I wondered if I still had time to get my husband a really nice tie. “OK, let’s start over,” I said to him. “Why would I want this phone versus, say, that phone?” I said, pointing to what looked like the exact same phone right next to the one with all the gigawhats. “In addition to all the other features I just told you about, this one has 460 PPI versus this one, which has 326 PPI.” “And PPI is … ?” “Pixel density,” he said. Now density was something I could understand! I, for example,

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seemed particularly dense when it came to understanding phones. “This one also has a slightly larger screen, which is great for checking email and looking at websites,” he said, handing me the fancy phone to feel and see. I think he finally understood that for me, gigahertz and megapixels mattered less than my ability to see my new Facebook notifications. As I held the phone, it suddenly occurred to me that tech dude was not trying to sell me the best phone with the most features because he wanted my husband to be happy. He was trying to sell me the best phone with the most features because it was probably the priciest phone they had. I reached down and flipped over the price tags on the two phones. One of them was exorbitantly expensive and the other was less expensive but still cost more than a small private island. I nodded to the tech guy and handed him back the phone. “Ok, I’ve made up my mind.” “Great!” he said. “Which one do you want?” “Neither,” I said. “I’ll take a gift card.”

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