Ben PattersonSenior Writer, TechHive
Ben has been writing about technology and consumer electronics for more than 20 years. A PCWorld contributor since 2014, Ben joined TechHive in 2019, where he covers smart speakers, soundbars, and other smart and home-theater devices.
Amazon and Apple both announce lossless music streaming at no extra cost
If you’re a paid Amazon Music or Apple Music subscriber, get ready for CD-quality and high-resolution streaming, all for free.
How to keep Netflix from gobbling up too much data
Netflix will blow through up to 7GB of data an hour if you let it. Here’s how to put the brakes on Netflix’s data usage.
Roku Originals, Roku’s collection of Quibi videos, launches May 20
A selection of 30 shows from the kaput Quibi mobile streaming service will premiere—again—on The Roku Channel, with more to come.
Sonos Arc users can now adjust the volume of Dolby Atmos height effects
A just-released update for the Sonos Arc now lets you fiddle with the soundbar’s height channel levels, and it also fixes a Google Assistant-related battery issue with the Sonos Roam.
Amazon upgrades the Echo Show 5 and 8's cameras, rolls out an Echo Show 5 for kids
The new Echo Show 8 has a camera that can pan and zoom during video calls, while the second-gen Echo Show 5’s upgraded camera boasts twice the resolution of the original.
Wyze unleashes noise-cancelling Wyze Buds Pro with wireless charging case
The Wyze Buds Pro will boast onboard Alexa and fast-pairing capabilities, but you’ll need to be an Android user to make the most of those features.
Cree adds filament bulbs and a downlight to its Connected Max smart lighting line
Besides its new A19, ST19, globe, and candelabra bulbs, Cree is also unveiling a six-inch color downlight, SmartThings support, and new lighting modes.
Google counters Roku by building a back door for YouTube TV into the main YouTube app
As the stalemate continues between Roku and Google over their YouTube TV dispute, Google has devised a clever way to keep the YouTube TV app on Roku devices.
Level smart locks will soon connect to Amazon's Sidewalk network, along with Echo and Tile devices
Level locks will be the first to join Amazon’s ambitious Sidewalk neighborhood network, followed by Echo speakers and Tile trackers.
Attention, cord-cutters: Paramount+’s ad-supported tier will soon be cheaper, but there’s a catch
You’ll be able to stream Paramount+ with ads for just $4.99 starting in June, but you’ll have to give up a key perk.
Google Assistant’s Broadcast feature can now reach you from your phone
Family members can now get broadcasts from Google Assistant even when they’re not near a Google smart speaker. Also: Family Bell gets a much-needed update.
Apple HomePod speakers get support for a second third-party music service: Deezer
Deezer will join Pandora as the only two third-party music services that the HomePod and HomePod mini support.
Do Philips Hue smart bulbs need a hub? No, but here's why they're better with one
You can control Philips Hue bulbs via Bluetooth rather than a hub, but here are the features you’ll be missing.
Is CD-quality music streaming about to go mainstream?
Rumor has it that Apple is about to announce a CD-quality music tier at the same price as its current lossy streaming offering. What if Spotify does the same?
YouTube TV yanked from Roku's channel store, but it's not completely gone
Existing YouTube TV users will still be able to stream shows on their Roku devices while Roku and Google work on striking a deal.