Michael BrownExecutive Editor, TechHive
Michael is TechHive's lead editor and covers the smart 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.
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.
Smart home service provider Vivint introduces Sky, for an even smarter smart home
Leveraging sensors, door locks, thermostats, Amazon’s Alexa, and other components, Sky promises to create an intelligent home.
It’s a hub-and-spoke system today, but D-Link says mesh networking is on the horizon.
D-Link shows off three new home security cameras in its Connected Home series
All three cameras deliver 720p resolution, microSD storage, night vision, and IFTTT support.
Linksys unveils a bad-ass router for gamers: The Linksys WRT32X Wi-Fi Gaming Router
The wireless router integrates the Killer Prioritization Engine for gaming PCs equipped with Killer network adapters.
Linksys Velop Wi-Fi router review: One of the best mesh network systems to date
It might be a little late to the mesh-networking party, but Linksys is showing a winner at CES.
Lenovo moves into the smart home market with an Amazon Alexa-powered speaker and a 6TB NAS box
The Lenovo Smart Assistant will be priced $50 below Amazon’s Echo; the NAS box has onboard facial-recognition software for digital photos.
Soundcast VG1 Bluetooth speaker review: Incredibly big sound from an itty-bitty waterproof box
The sound that emerges from this small, rugged speaker defies expectations.
Canary Flex security camera review: The perfect companion to the original Canary
But if you’re not already vested in that ecosystem, there are better outdoor security cameras.
HomeKit-compatible sensors from Fibaro bring new capabilities to Apple’s smart-home platform
Motion, flood, and door/window sensors help protect your home and can interact with other smart devices.
Comcast adds new voice-controlled lighting devices to its Xfinity Home smart home system
GE-branded switches and smart plugs, plus Sengled Element Touch smart bulbs, can now be operated with voice commands in Comcast's Xfinity Home system.
Google Wifi review: Mesh networking made easy
It’s not the right router for everyone, but there’s plenty to like and it’s priced right.