Ben Patterson

1 week ago | pcworld.com | Ben Patterson

You know those color LED light strips that sync with the images on your TV screen? I’m not a fan. They’re eye-catching, sure, but they’re also distracting (especially when they’re not working properly, which happens frequently), they mess with the perceived picture color, and they’re expensive. There’s a far better and cheaper way to boost the picture on your TV, and as a bonus, you’ll be easing the eye strain that comes from watching a bright image in a dark room.

1 week ago | pcworld.com | Ben Patterson

Dolby Atmos in your living room isn’t as easy as it sounds. Whether you’re dealing with a component A/V system or a soundbar, your speakers must be carefully positioned and calibrated to create that immersive envelope of Atmos sound—and if your furniture is in the way, you’ll just have to move it. But with its new FlexConnect technology, Dolby is looking to make its Atmos audio technology more home decor-friendly, and it’s teaming up with TCL for the hardware.

2 weeks ago | pcworld.com | Ben Patterson

From game-changing text diffusion models and cutting-edge AR glasses to AI videos with sound and virtual clothing try-ons, there was plenty of amazing tech to see during Google’s I/O keynote on Tuesday. And for the smart home? Zip.

2 weeks ago | pcworld.com | Ben Patterson

Did you get a legit-looking—and potentially even racist—email from Ring asking you to verify a new Ring account that you never requested? You’re not the only one. The Ring subreddit is blowing up with reports from puzzled users—many of whom have never owned a Ring product—who found Ring account verification emails in their inboxes, many of them laced with racial epithets.

2 weeks ago | pcworld.com | Ben Patterson

I’m a smart home expert, yet I never get to test any smart outdoor lighting. Why? Because I live in a Brooklyn brownstone rental, and while I’m lucky enough to have a backyard, there’s no power or wireless connectivity out there. So whenever I get offers to test outdoor lights from Philips Hue, Enbrighten, or other smart lighting manufacturers, I usually pass them off to other writers. But not this time. Nanoleaf’s new Solar Garden Lights are, strictly speaking, not so smart.