Articles by Ben Patterson
Ears-on with the entry-level, HDMI-less Sonos Ray soundbar
Set to arrive in early June for $279, the Sonos Ray eschews Dolby Atmos and even HDMI, but it keeps Sonos’s vaunted multi-room capabilities.
Hey Sonos: 7 things to know about the new Sonos voice assistant
Who will be voicing Sonos’s new voice assistant, what commands will it understand, and what music services will it work with? We’ve got answers to those questions and more.
The Google Nest Hub Max is making it easier to skip saying “Hey Google”
Soon you’ll be able to start speaking to Google Assistant just by looking at the Nest Hub Max’s screen, or by saying a specific “quick phrase.”
Netflix with ads might arrive before the end of this year
Besides rolling out an ad-supported tier by the end of 2022, Netflix is also expected to start cracking down on password sharing at the same time, according to a report.
5 ways to keep Alexa from bugging you
Does Alexa ever cut you off, pipe up at the wrong time, or annoy you with continual notifications? These settings will keep Alexa from driving you nuts.
Spotify’s latest venue is a virtual island in Roblox
Spotify joins the metaverse with Spotify Island, a “audio oasis” filled with music-themed mini-games, Easter eggs, and virtual merch.
Roku drops the needle on Apple Music app
Now you can stream Apple Music tunes on your Roku streaming player, TV, or soundbar.
Bowers & Wilkins Panorama 3 review: What you hear is what you get
B&W’s first Dolby Atmos soundbar packs in a bevy of high-end features, but you can’t boost its iffy bass with a subwoofer.
Alexa can now tell you when a security cam spots a person or package
Ring, Abode, and even Google security cameras will be able to trigger spoken Alexa alerts.
Why Charter and Comcast want to be the next Roku
Guess who wants to compete in the streaming wars with their own platform and hardware? Big Cable.
Amazon Echo Frames (2nd gen) review: Sturdy glasses that put Alexa in your head
Amazon largely delivers on its promises with the sturdy, handsome, and cleverly designed Echo Frames, but having Alexa in your head won’t be for everyone.
TuneIn Premium comes to Alexa devices, but discounts are going away
Good news first: Alexa users can now stream all of TuneIn’s Premium content, including Major League Baseball games and live news broadcasts. The bad news? You can’t sign up for discounted TuneIn Live access anymore.
Confused by Alexa’s light rings? Here’s what the colors mean
The indicator lights on your Echo speaker can flash in seven different colors. Here’s what they’re trying to tell you.
Philips Hue’s latest update doesn’t solve its bridge problem
The Hue Bridge supports only 50 devices at a time, and it’s easier to hit that limit than you might think.
Amazon’s ad-supported IMDb TV just got a new name
Meet Freevee, the new name for Amazon’s free streaming video service.
Plex punts on podcasts and web shows
As of this Friday, podcasts and web shows won’t be on the menu for Plex users anymore.
Wyze unleashes its first air purifier
After making everything from security cameras to cordless vacuums, Wyze enters the air purifier space.
Netflix adds a “two thumbs up” rating
It’s been five years since Netflix nixed five-star viewer ratings for a simple thumbs up or down. Now, users have a third option: two thumbs up.