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
Logitech's Pop Home Switch promises to simplify smart-home control
Setting up a smart-home system might not be simple, but this innovative device could make it a whole lot easier to use.
Aukey SK-M12 Outdoor Bluetooth speaker review: Surprisingly sonorous
Though it reminds us of Altec Lansing's Lifejacket II and has the same mounting hard point, this larger weatherized, Bluetooth speaker has the same clarity with more bottom end.
Dolby Vision versus HDR-10 TV: A format war and more
High dynamic range (HDR) TV is here and it looks great. But it's in its early stages, and there's a potential format war brewing.
Comcast overhauls its X1 cable-TV platform for the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio
With metadata galore, and on-demand coverage of star athletes, X1 is a worthwhile upgrade for Olympics addicts.
PowerDVD 16 gains 360-degree video playback: Here's how it works
The best retail video player has a new feature, and it's very cool.
Roon Labs' audiophile music server now streams tunes from Linux-powered NAS boxes
You no longer need a full PC to enjoy this awesome software.
Sharp Aquos N7000 review: A 55-inch 4K UHD TV with good audio and HDR-10 (well, sort of)
Though it still uses WLED backlighting, there's a lot to like about this TV. Unlike many other cheaper models, it offers the ability to render HDR-10 content, if not to full effect.
Vizio P65-C1 display review: Dolby Vision HDR and an Android remote control
The Vizio P-series displays are the first we've seen to offer Dolby Vision HDR. The picture is great, but there's no TV tuner.
JBL Charge 3 Bluetooth speaker review: Play all day, play all night
JBL's Charge 3 Bluetooth speaker can run for an astounding 20 hours between charges. Party hardy folks!
With just enough top-end sparkle to keep things clear, the MIni Lifejacket III is the best-sounding waterproof Bluetooth speaker we've heard.
Nuheara IQbuds hands-on preview: These smart Bluetooth ear buds are about more than music
The IQbuds promise to make it easier to hear in challenging environments; blocking out unwanted noise. We listened to a prototype and predict they'll deliver.
TCL Roku TV review (model 50UP130): A good picture, and a fantastic user interface
While picture quality is merely good by rapidly improving LCD TV standards, TCL's P-series Roku TVs are a breeze to set up and use.
We're here to separate the good from the gimmicks.
Cyberlink PowerDVD 16 review: Enough new features to justify upgrading (from PowerDVD 14, at least)
The biggest new feature is support for streaming to set-top boxes such as AppleTV, Roku, and Chromecast.
TV tech terms demystified, part four: LED backlighting
LED backlights enable thinner flat-panel TVs and save energy, but until just recently, the color has been poor compared to older technologies.