Michael BrownExecutive Editor, TechHive
Michael is TechHive's lead editor and covers the connected-home and home-entertainment markets. He built his own smart home in 2007, which he uses as a real-world test lab when reviewing new products. Michael also reviews routers and networking products for TechHive and PCWorld.
Como Audio Duetto radio review: Retro done right
The tabletop radio might seem like a relic of the past, but this one delivers every modern convenience and high-fidelity sound, too.
The new Sonos Playbase is an amazingly thin speaker for flat-screen TVs
The $699 Playbase packs 10 drivers and 10 discrete amplifiers into a cabinet that’s just 2.28 inches high.
SnapPower Safelight review: Better than the original in more ways than one
We offered one suggestion for improving the Guidelight, SnapPower made four to build the Safelight.
Kwikset, Schlage, and Yale smart locks gain Alexa skills
If you have the right lock and a smart home hub, you’ll soon be able to say, “Alexa, lock my door.”
Roost Smart Water Leak and Freeze Detector review: One feature short of perfection
Roost's Smart Water Leak and Freeze Detector is a great leak detector today, and an upcoming accessory could render it our top pick.
Vizio SmartCast Crave 360 speaker review: Great features, but mediocre sound
There’s plenty of value in this battery-powered speaker, which includes both Chromecast and Bluetooth tech, but its audio performance fails to excite.
Ubiquiti Labs Amplifi HD Wi-Fi router review: A different take on the mesh network
This cube-shaped router with a round touchscreen display is pretty enough, but it’s not the best performer in its price class.
Brilliant Control could be the most exciting thing to happen to light switches since the dimmer
If the real thing is as good as the demo, every smart-home owner will want to install these all over the house.
Logitech adds Amazon’s Alexa skills to its ZeroTouch voice-control smartphone mount
Logitech's upgraded its ZeroTouch smartphone car mountThe new feature let you control your smart-home devices with voice commands, whether or not you have an Echo at home.
Netgear Orbi Wi-Fi router review: It's not a mesh network, but it's good enough you won't care
Orbi satellites communicate with the router, not with each other; but 4x4 backhaul enabled best-in-class performance in most of our benchmarks.
Sprint takes a 33 percent stake in Tidal
The music-streaming service will make exclusive content available to the mobile phone service’s customers.
Sony’s Bravia XBR-A1E OLED could be the first flat-screen TV with sound that doesn’t suck
It may not persuade home theater geeks, but Sony’s “actuator” tech, which turns the entire OLED panel into a speaker, is impressive.
Soundcast’s VGX series of high-end outdoor wireless speakers will support Play-Fi
The 19-inch tall VG7 in particular blew us away in a demo; we didn’t hear a better Bluetooth speaker anywhere at CES.
Ooma is adding DIY home security monitoring to its free VoIP phone service
After slashing the cost of home phone service, the company aims to do the same for home security.
Opcom Farm’s GrowBox and GrowWall let you raise vegetable crops indoors
You don’t need soil with these hydroponic systems, and you’ll have fresh veggies year ‘round.