Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K Max (2023) review: Inexpensive and feature-packed
You don't have to be an Amazon fan to love this streaming stick, but it helps
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Amazon Fire HD 10 (2023) review: Still the best for the budget-minded
It's still the best value in tablets, but Android manufacturers are catching up
The Amazon Fire HD 10 has long been the gold standard for tablets under $150, offering decent performance, a high-quality display, and exceptional software support. But Android manufacturers are closing the gap, with attractive tablets from Samsung and Lenovo available for under $200, alongside Amazon’s more premium Fire Max 11, frequently priced for a similar amount.
Baseus Eli Sport 1 Open-Ear earbuds review: Budget never sounded so good
Listen to your favorite tunes and keep your head on a swivel for under $100
As a long-term resident of New York City, a pair of great wireless earbuds are almost a necessity. They help keep out some of the more jarring sounds of the busy city. They aren’t, however, the most helpful when it comes to staying aware of your surroundings. And depending on the shape of the bud, they can feel uncomfortable after some time. Baseus, a Chinese company that makes everything from mobile chargers to vacuums, offers a solution with the Baseus Eli Sport 1 Open-Ear TWS earbuds, its first-ever open-ear buds.
DJI Mini 4 Pro review: The best tiny drone gets even better
DJI continues pushing closer to perfection
Whether they’re used for shooting stunning flyover shots of nature or for inspecting a second story roof after a storm, tiny camera drones have found their place in society. The DJI Mini series has been an instant success and the ideal drone for beginners and enthusiasts alike. I was already a fan of the Mini 3 Pro, and now the Mini 4 Pro is a clear upgrade in virtually every way.
Kobo Elipsa 2E review: A niche but near-perfect e-reader
This is the perfect e-reader... for the right person
We've reviewed plenty of Kobo's e-readers in the past, and the Kobo Elipsa 2E is the biggest and most versatile yet. Combining a 10.3-inch screen with competent note-taking tools, the Elipsa 2E is a powerful device that ticks all the boxes for a top-of-the-line e-reader.
Bose Smart Ultra Soundbar review: Immersive sound at a premium price
Bose took a swing at ultra-customized spatial sound (and hit it out of the park)
There are plenty of options out there for equipping your living room, movie room, or bedroom with a full-fledged sound system. Still, if you're looking for something simpler, there are also soundbars capable of putting in the work normally done by a subwoofer and satellite speakers – or at least most of it, anyway. Soundbars are becoming evermore powerful, with expanded features to support smart homes and more immersive TV watching.
Synology BeeStation review: A great first NAS
Looking for a straightforward NAS for your home? This is it!
Synology has a strong hold over the conventional network storage space, where it offers tons of excellent NAS models across price ranges; I still rely on the good-old DiskStation DS920+ for my everyday use. But for someone new to the world of network-attached storage (NAS), there are a lot of network and hardware settings to figure out — so much so that it can easily deter people from investing in one.
Kobo Libra 2 review: Perfectly balanced e-reading
The Libra 2 sits in the sweet spot of the Kobo lineup
Rakuten's Kobo e-readers have been steadily building a reputation as a solid alternative to Amazon's Kindle devices, which enjoy a virtual monopoly over the e-reader market. Over the years, Kobo's business strategy has been to undercut Amazon's current offering. Such was the case with its first e-reader, priced $100 less than Amazon's second-generation Kindle (and prompted Amazon to price the Kindle Keyboard at $60 less than the Kobo), and it continues to be the case today with the Libra 2 competing in the same niche as the Kindle Oasis, just at a lower retail price.
SwitchBot Smart Lock review: Affordable and reliable home security
This smart lock is cheap, seamless to install, and easy to use
The SwitchBot Smart Lock is one of the more affordable smart locks on the market, offering enhanced door security at a reasonable price. Indeed, at only $100, it’s a very affordable product, while offering plenty of features. It aims to cater to a broad range of doors with its adaptable design. It’s meant to fit over the thumb-turn of existing locks, great for rental properties where lock replacement isn't feasible, or for people who don’t want to fiddle with their existing lock. If you can get past the bulky design, it's a great option.
If you want a cutting-edge phone these days, you look to a sick foldable phone or some Pro Ultima Max of a beast. But for those of us who want a phone that fits in our hands, our pockets, and our budgets while still delivering the premium experience we know and demand from the most important electronics in our lives. While the Galaxy S24 Ultra struggled to excite even the most faithful of Samsung diehards, the relatively small upgrades in this year's base-model Galaxy are arguably the most important of the series.
JBL Authentics 300 portable speaker review: Large sound in a large package
A big way to blast your favorite tunes wherever you go
The JBL Authentics 300 is a hard-to-justify but easy-to-recommend portable speaker. As paradoxical as that sounds, it has some issues that can easily dissuade, namely its weight and price. But, the performance, design, and feature set overcome those shortcomings as long as you can afford it. The JBL Authentics 300 is good enough to receive mention among the best portable Bluetooth speakers. That's especially true if you need something powerful enough for a party. It also does a great job with its Alexa support – good enough to possibly replace your Echo or Echo Dot.
EarFun Free Pro 3 review: Compact and cost-competitive
Make no mistake, these compact earbuds pack a punch
EarFun's track record of putting out competitive wireless earbuds that deliver a lot for a low price keeps right on rolling with the EarFun Free Pro 3. These $80 earbuds come in an ultra-compact case but pack in major battery life, ample audio, and bonuses like ANC, transparency mode, capable codecs, and wireless charging. There's a lot more on offer here than you'd normally expect to get for the price, and that's before factoring in that EarFun isn't shy about lowering its already low prices with almost ceaseless deals.
OnePlus 12 review: All flagship, no AI
This phone leaves nothing on the table, making for a truly complete package
Since the OnePlus One release just shy of a decade ago, the company has been supplying Android fans with phones with a primary focus on performance without breaking the bank. Some could argue that it may have strayed from that path with a couple of generations of devices, but it seemed to truly get back on track with the OnePlus 11 from 2023.
Lofree Flow mechanical keyboard review: Small stature, big thocks
The new benchmark for low-profile mechanical keyboard sound and feel
Mechanical keyboards are the talk of computer peripheral town, and every brand is vying for a piece of the pie. We cut through the noise and filter out the best options available for you on the market, but you may notice the abject lack of choice when you seek a mechanical replacement for your laptop keyboard or products equivalent to the sleek Apple Magic Keyboard and Logitech MX Keys series.
Amazon Echo Show 8 (2023) review: More than just a pretty screen
Spatial audio and a repositioned camera make for a solid update
Amazon was first to the smart speaker game back in 2014 with the Amazon Echo, a tiny speaker with poor audio quality and no display whatsoever. The e-commerce giant has come a long way, though, rolling out a wide range of smart speakers and smart displays that keep Amazon firmly in the discussion as a smart home hardware provider. The brand-new, third-generation Echo Show 8 solidifies that status even further, providing a comprehensive interface and stellar sound quality.
Lenovo IdeaPad Flex 5i Chromebook Plus review: Boring but still the best Chromebook
This is the embodiment of "if it ain't broke, don't fix it."
When it comes to reliable, long-lasting Chromebooks, Lenovo has been our go-to for years. Yes, the Acer Chromebook Spin 714 — and its predecessor, the Spin 713 — may be more powerful, but they're twice the price most people want to pay for a Chromebook. The Lenovo Chromebook Flex 5i and Flex 5 before it have both offered punctual performance for much better prices. The last two generations have topped our best Chromebooks chart for years, and this one will be dethroning the two currently on that list.
There’s no such thing as the perfect gaming controller (but there are a few contenders). Besides the fact that hand size runs the gamut from child to Andre the Giant, you also have to consider how you plan on using your controller. If you’re settling in for a few hours, you’ll probably want something wired and ergonomic. On the other hand, if you play on your phone and portability is your biggest concern, you’ll want to go wireless and small. The Lite 2 from 8BitDo falls squarely into the latter category.
Google Nest Wifi Pro review: Speed and simplicity
Plug n’ play setup, sleek looks, and dependable performance
Google has been making mesh routers for several years, and their latest iteration, the Nest Wifi Pro, is a notable upgrade — sort of. It's the first Google router to use Wi-Fi 6E, which may prove useful for the latest smart devices. That isn't to say the Pro won't work with older devices; however, they will be limited to the 2.4GHz and 5GHz bands and cannot utilize the 6GHz band reserved for Wi-Fi 6E-enabled devices. Either way, you'll enjoy less latency, lag, and reliable speeds.
Android Police Awards 2023: Our best phone, tablet, wearable and more
Now including our Readers' Choice award
2023 is coming to a close, and that means we here at Android Police are looking back over the year in tech. Once we waded through all the AI innovations and iMessage drama, we realized that 2023 has been a banner year for consumer tech. The changes have largely been iterative, but many of the major manufacturers have had exciting years with big changes to top-end products. We pitted each gadget against each other to come up with our list of the very best of the year, and you can read each of our picks below.
Redmagic 9 Pro review: More power than you can use
Nubia scores again with an affordable and powerful gaming phone
Perhaps prompted by Asus teasing the upcoming ROG Phone 8, Nubia has revealed the Redmagic 9 Pro. This gaming phone is Nubia's most powerful device yet, eclipsing the Redmagic 8, one of the best gaming phones of 2023.
Anker Soundcore Motion 100 speaker review: The affordable portable to beat
Dual drivers, decent battery, and compact design combine to make an excellent, low-cost speaker
Anker is no stranger to the portable Bluetooth speaker market, and the Soundcore Motion 100 is just one of a slew of recent additions to the brand. However, this compact speaker manages to squeeze in the value, providing a lot for its $60 price tag.