Jon L. JacobiFreelance contributor, TechHive
Jon is a Juilliard-trained musician, former x86/6800 programmer, and long-time (late 70s) computer enthusiast living in the San Francisco bay area. jjacobi@pcworld.com
Samsung is finally offering its top-of-the-line 4K TV tech in smaller sizes
Addressing TechHive's long-standing complaint about behemoth top-tier TVs, Samsung announced at CEDIA that its Neo QLED Q90A series will now be available in apartment-friendly sizes.
Best TVs: Our top picks, plus plain-language explanations of the most important specs and features
There are plenty of great smart TVs. Our guide cuts through the alphabet soup to tell everything you need to know to buy the one that's right for you.
Edifier D12 review: A classy, affordable, tabletop Bluetooth speaker
Edifier's single-body stereo D12 Bluetooth speaker is handsome, sounds good, and is far more affordable than it looks.
Anker Soundcore Life Q35 headphone review: Great looks, sound, and noise cancellation
Anker has delivered undeniably stylish headphones that also serve up very good sound and superior ANC at a decent price. With EQ, the sound is also very good.
Vizio P-Series 4K UHD TV review: Vizio has upped its image-processing game. Color us impressed
This is the first Vizio 4K UHD TV we've tested whose video processing chops match, and in some cases, surpass those of the competition.
Sony SRS-XB13 Bluetooth speaker review: Sonic goodness on your wrist
The SRS-XB13 personal Bluetooth speaker is good-looking and sounds very good for mono unit. It's also IP67 rated for resistance to water and dust.
Anker Soundcore Motion Boom speaker review: Bluetooth for the beach
This Bluetooth boomer easily passed muster in terms of volume and bass response to sonically compete with pricier competitors. It's small, easy to carry, and waterproof for the pool and beach.
Fluance Ai61 review: Versatile, affordable, high-performing Bluetooth speakers
Fluance's Ai61 (an update from the Ai60) deliver good sound, Bluetooth 5.0, and both analog and digital wired audio connections.
JBL Boombox Bluetooth speaker review: Large, loud, and sonorous
The Boombox portable Bluetooth speaker marries the famous JBL sound with a ton of volume and long run time.
Samsung Q60A 4K UHD TV review: Top-notch color and brightness for the money, but so-so black levels
Samsung's entry-level QLED is edge-lit, but still delivers a very bright and detailed image—albeit without the deeper blacks provided by the company's pricier array-lit and mini-LED QLEDs.
House of Marley Positive Vibration XL ANC headphone review: Vastly improved sound, no noise
House of Marley's Positive Vibration XL ANC's offer very good sound and excellent noise cancellation. They're a major improvement over the previous generation.
Vizio M-Series Quantum 4K UHD TV review: Same accurate color, now with upgraded ports
The M-Series Quantum remains basically the same as it was in 2019: A good lower-mid-range TV. New for 2021: eARC support for uncompressed 7.1 surround sound, along with FreeSync and HDMI variable refresh rates.
Vizio makes incremental improvements to its smart TV lineup, beefing up processing power and offering FreeSync support and 120Hz refresh rates at the top end.
This entry-level 4K UHD TV has some positive attributes, including Vizio's excellent SmartCast user interface and an easy-to-use voice remote, but its image is mediocre at best.
HDMI ARC and HDMI eARC explained: The evolution of the Audio Return Channel
The Enhanced Audio Return channel delivers higher-quality movie soundtracks and music, too—and you won't need a new cable. What's not to like?
Articles by Jon L. Jacobi
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