Lifx Plus Wi-Fi Smart Bulb review – CNET
The Good The Lifx Plus is bright and efficient as ever, features a well-designed, integrated and easy-to-use app. It produces bold, accurate colors at every hue. The new night vision feature is unique and legitimately cool.
The Bad Lifx bulbs still aren’t compatible with Apple HomeKit. Those infrared night vision diodes mean that the Lifx Plus is always drawing power, making it less efficient than its predecessors.
The Bottom Line If you use night vision cameras in your home, then these well-rounded smart bulbs can help them see in the dark — but if you don’t, there’s really no reason to buy them.
Visit manufacturer site for details.
It’s been just a little over four years since Australian inventor Phil Bosua introduced his idea for a color-changing, Wi-Fi-enabled LED on Kickstarter. Now, Lifx is already selling its third-generation smart bulb, the Lifx Plus.
The Lifx Plus looks and works just like the Lifx bulbs that came before it, but it adds in infrared diodes that cast out invisible light when the bulb is turned off. That’s the same light that night vision cameras use to see in the dark, which means the Lifx Plus can give NV cameras greater visibility in low light conditions.
It’s a cool, creative feature that worked well when I tested it out, which makes Lifx Plus worth considering if you use night vision cameras to keep an eye on your home. But if you don’t, then I say don’t bother — at $80 each (which converts to about £65 or AU$105), they cost more than standard Lifx LEDs and they don’t bring anything else new to the table besides the night vision trick.
The Lifx Plus smart bulb helps your cameras…
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Design and features
The Lifx Plus sticks to the same flat-topped design as previous-gen Lifx bulbs, adding only a plus sign beneath the Lifx logo. Like the existing Lifx bulbs, it’s an 11W LED that promises to put out about as much brightness as a 75W incandescent bulb — 1,100 lumens.
You can change the color or the white-light color temperature of each Lifx bulb with easy-to-use selector dials.
Screenshots by Ry Crist/CNET
It sticks to the same playbook on the smarts front, too. Like the original Lifx LED and last year’s second-gen Lifx Color 1000, each Lifx Plus bulb uses a built-in Wi-Fi radio to connect directly with your home network. Once everything’s synced up, you’ll be able to control the bulbs on your phone from anywhere with an internet connection.
The app controls include a complete spectrum of colors as well as sixteen dedicated white light settings. Those range from a warm, candle-like glow at 2,500 kelvin to hot, bluish-white daylight tones at 9,000 kelvin. The app also offers a number of preset color themes and lighting effects, including a music visualizer and a strobe function. You can also schedule lighting changes to happen at specific times of day, or at sunrise or sunset.
Lifx bulbs are compatible with a variety of third parties. You can sync them up with the SmartThings connected home platform, the Nest Learning Thermostat and Nest Protect smoke detectors. Or you can sync them with the Amazon Echo and Echo Dot smart speakers and get voice-activated lighting changes through Alexa, Amazon’s virtual assistant. Lifx also has a fairly robust channel on the online automation service IFTTT, which lets you trigger lighting changes using any number of IFTTT-compatible gadgets and services.
That said, none of those partners are new this generation. Compatibility with Apple HomeKit, the set of smart home protocols in the software that runs iPhones and iPads, is still missing. HomeKit compatibility is the most-requested feature from the Lifx user base, but for now at least, Lifx COO Tim Peters would only tell me to “stay tuned.”
Lifx Plus is brighter than the previous-gen Lifx Color 1000 at every white light setting, especially daylight tones.
Ry Crist/CNET
Performance
The third-gen Lifx Plus bulbs work just the same as the past Lifx bulbs, but they were at least a little bit brighter than before at every color and white light setting I tested. That’s a nice step forward given that they don’t use any more energy than last year’s bulbs do.
The only colors that were noticeably brighter with Lifx Plus than with the original Lifx LED were yellow, green, and cyan.
Ry Crist/CNET
Still, they aren’t quite as bright as advertised. At their brightest setting, the default 3,500 kelvin, I was only able to get the Lifx Plus’ lumen count up to 1,015 — a bit short of the stated 1,100 lumens and barely any brighter than last year’s Lifx Color 1000. The results were much better at other white light settings, though — particularly the bluish-white daylight tones, where Lifx Plus offers you an extra 200 lumens or so across the board. A small improvement, but a noticeable one.
The colors have gotten brighter, too, but again, only incrementally so. Compared with the very first Lifx bulbs, the Lifx Plus only puts out noticeably brighter colors at yellow, green and cyan. Other shades essentially finished in a tie, although Lifx Plus always came out slightly ahead.
Google Wifi review – CNET
The Good Google Wifi is easy to use and a breeze to set up. It has strong Wi-Fi coverage and fast speed. It costs a lot less than other mesh Wi-Fi systems.
The Bad A Google account and a mobile device are required for setup and management. It doesn’t have many advanced features or customizable network settings.
The Bottom Line Google Wifi is the best Wi-Fi system on the market.
If you want to extend fast internet to every corner of your home, the Google Wifi is the best device to do it. You just need two things:
- An internet-connected iOS or Android mobile device, like a phone or a tablet
- A Google account, which you can get for free
This is because, unlike most routers, there’s no web-based interface and the new Wi-Fi system can only be set up and controlled via the new Google Wifi mobile application. Once set up, the Google Wifi will stay connected to Google at all times and will log into your Google account each time you want to manage it.
Google says the Wifi doesn’t collect user activity data, like what sites you’re visiting. By default, it appears to collect only hardware-, app- and network-related information. However, you can turn this off in the Privacy section of the settings.
Still, a constant connection to Google is required. That’s a dealbreaker for some. Not all home mesh Wi-Fi systems, which use several “satellite” devices to extend the Wi-Fi signal, require a connection to the vendor in order to work — the Eero does while the Netgear Orbi doesn’t. Most home routers don’t require this at all.
But that’s not something most people will care about, plus it will keep the device secure from hacking via regular automatic updates. So if you’re cool with this setup, Google Wifi has the best balance of ease-of-use, performance and price yet.
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The Google Wifi includes three identical hardware pieces.
Josh Miller/CNET
What I love about Google Wifi
The price: At just $129 for a single unit or $299 for a set of three, the Google Wifi is cheaper than other Wi-Fi systems like the Eero or Orbi. (Google hasn’t said whether the Wifi will go on sale in the UK or Australia, but those prices convert to around £100 or AU$170 and £235 or AU$400.)
It’s really easy to use: It took me about 15 minutes to set up all three units using an Android phone. The whole process was self-explanatory, and dare I say, fun.
And fast. In terms of data throughput it tested well for a dual-stream AC1200 router, with a top sustained Wi-Fi speed of more than 470 megabits per second.
The nature of Wi-Fi, however, means that each time you extend the signal wirelessly, signal loss will occur, which basically means slower speed. You can mitigate this by placing the satellite units around the first router unit. To avoid this completely you can connect the units together using network cables.
Coverage and reliability is great: As a single unit or as a system of three units, the Google Wifi passed my 48-hour stress test with flying colors. During the test I set it to transfer lots of data between multiple wireless clients (four laptops in this case). The Wifi did this without any disconnections. The system also had excellent signal hand off, allowing you to walk around your house, seamlessly connecting from one unit to another without getting disconnected from the internet. I tried this while making a call over Wi-Fi and the conversation wasn’t affected at all.
Google claims the system is constantly analyzing the air space to figure out the cleanest channel and the best Wi-Fi band (5GHz or 2.4GHz) for a client to connect to. I used it in a home with many other routers and the Google Wifi network remained stable, which definitely adds credence to its claim.
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Each unit has a Gigabit WAN and a Gigabit LAN port and can work as a router or an extender.
Josh Miller/CNET
OK, so how exactly does this work?
In many ways the Google Wifi is the evolution of the company’s previous home routers, the OnHubs. The difference with the Wifi is that instead of just a single unit, you can have up to three. Each hardware unit is called a Wifi point. If you get a single unit, you have just one point, which can cover about 1,200 square feet, which is suitable for a small home or average-sized apartment. More points (up to six) scattered around the house will increase the area of coverage accordingly. A set of three units can easily cover a 4,000 square-foot or even larger home.
All Google Wifi units are identical. When multiple units are used in a home, the first unit works as the main router that connects to an internet source, like a broadband modem. The additional units extend the Wi-Fi coverage to create a single Wi-Fi mesh network. Depending on the layout of your home, you can put the Wifi points one or two rooms away from one another to maximize the Wi-Fi coverage. The Google Wifi app can help determine the best location by measuring the connection between units.
The app displays your entire home network in an easy to understand layout. You can use it to visualize your entire home network, quickly prioritize the broadband connection to any particular device, and pause the internet to one or a group of devices. You can also use it to find out which Wifi point a particular client is connected to and customize a few network settings that the Google Wifi has to offer, including guest network, IP reservation and port forwarding. Everything can be done via a few taps on your phone’s screen. Google says it will continue to update the Wifi with more features, such as voice control (via your phone, Google Home and Amazon Alexa) and support for other appliances, like the Nest thermostat. Be sure to check back to find out how these features pan out.
So yes, Google Wifi has a lot to love. It delivers both in ease of use and Wi-Fi coverage. It has great performance, too. And there’s more: If you already own one of the Google OnHubs, starting today, it will be automatically updated to be part of the Wifi ecosystem, and use the same Google Wifi app. This means, apart from being a standalone router like it has always been, any OnHub can also work as a Wifi point, the same as a unit of Google Wifi.
CNET Labs’ Wi-Fi system performance
Google Wifi (single router)
473
97.4
Netgear Orbi (single router)
416.2
229.6
Netgear Orbi (via one extender)
415.83
229.3
Eero (single router)
352.5
197.7
Almond 3 (single router)
315.8
220.6
Google Wifi (via one extender)
206.9
91.7
Eero (via one extender)
170.7
60
Almond 3 (via one extender)
159.1
110.1
Legend:
Close range
Long range
Note:
Measured in megabits per second. Longer bars mean better performance.
Google Wifi review
Made by Google.
That’s the tagline the company touted leading up to its October 4th 2016 reveal, where it announced the release of a whole new hardware experience for its customers. This was a turning point for Google, as it gave them much more freedom and flexibility over each and every component that went into the Google devices consumers use every day.
The new hardware suite is wide ranging, with some, like the Pixel, pushing into premium device territory, while others such as Google Home push the boundaries of what our upcoming A.I. overlords are currently capable of.
- Google Pixel XL review
- Google Home review
Google Wifi however, represents an incredibly simplistic version of a usually cumbersome and complicated technology. Through the use of a simple app, sleek setup, and a design reminiscent of its air freshener-like cousin, general consumers and power users alike can get their fix from this old-but-new mesh networking technology.
This is our Google Wifi review.
History
If you’re not familiar with the concept of “wireless mesh networking” technology, it’s time to get acquainted.
A mesh operates by using multiple networking nodes that talk to one another and spread a signal across a wide area. Only one node needs to be physically plugged into the internet, while the other nodes in the system simply accept the frequency being output by the base node and use their own bands to once again spread the signal in a wide radius.
Like many technologies, mesh was first developed for military purposes, but eventually made it’s way into the consumer sector using common appliances such as radios. Over the last decade, mesh technology remained concentrated in enthusiast communities, though it did see some use in large scale projects such as city-wide Wi-Fi. Now, Google is looking to take advantage of this technology to help solve the problem of strong, reliable wireless that can cover your entire house, no matter how big it is.
Google has been waiting to use mesh technology for years
Google says they have been wanting to use this technology for years, and began working on it about four years ago. They wanted to get the idea of a simple, easy to use Wi-Fi network into the wild as soon as possible however, which is why we have Google OnHub. Now that the company is taking control of its hardware with the new Made By Google campaign, it can work with component manufacturers to achieve great hardware at an affordable price. Enter Google Wifi.
See also:
Google OnHub router hands-on impressions
June 9, 2016
Specs
Google Wifi can support both 2.4GHz and 5GHz frequencies. The routers optimize the network each device is using every five minutes, and will switch bands when one network is less congested. This happens only while a device is idle, so don’t worry about your movie getting interrupted every few scenes.
The routers support IEEE 802.11a/b/g/n/ac, and use WPA2-PSK. The AC1200 2×2 Wave 2 Wi-Fi expelled from these routers can help them talk to one another and expand the mesh outwards. There is no limit to the amount of routers you can use in your mesh, so whether you have a small house or a large warehouse, you should be able to cover your space completely.
Features
Network Management
Google Wi-Fi will automatically switch your devices to the strongest, fastest connection. It can detect congestion on the network and will actively work to move your devices to the connections that will work best. It can support speeds up to about 600Mbps, so don’t worry about not being able to stream that 4K movie.
Network Assist
Network Assist is a feature within the Google Wifi app that will help you get the most optimal experience possible. After setting up your access points, Network Assist will tell you if you can maximize your network speed by moving some of your points to other rooms. Since only one access point actually requires direct wiring to the network modem, your other points can be placed anywhere they can get power.
Wi-Fi Pause
Google knows that parents might want to limit their kids’ use of the internet, which is why they implemented a Wi-Fi pause feature. Simply select the device you want to halt, and the Wi-Fi will be “paused” on that device. I asked Google if they were planning on implementing a scheduling feature to allow data at certain times, but they said this was a feature that would likely come later, as they wanted to focus more on making the app simple and intuitive for now.
Smart-Home Control
Through a special site, on.here, guests can access and manipulate smart-home appliances like Phillips Hue lights. These lights are currently the only working devices, but Google said they are planning on adding other devices in the future. In addition, Google Wifi supports IFTTT, meaning you can control your Nest thermostat and other things using the app.
Prioritized Devices
If you’re a gamer or a movie buff, there are probably specific devices that you want to prioritize to make sure you get the fastest speeds possible. Google has added a “Priority Devices” feature into Google Wifi to let users select the devices they want the highest speeds on.
Device Grouping
You can group a set of devices using labels, meaning you can control multiple connected devices at once. For example, if you want to shut off all the kids’ internet at a particular time, you can do that.
Speed Test
Say goodbye to speedtest.net and hello to native testing. Google Wifi can perform a speed test right in the app, making it easy to see if you are having issues. The app will also tell you what kind of video quality you can stream, going all the way up to 4K.
Guest Networks
You can create guest networks through the app as well. This network can have special permissions separate from the main network, but can be set up to still have access to connected devices like Chromecasts. This way you can allow a babysitter or guests in your Airbnb to use features you don’t mind sharing, and not the features you don’t.
Setup
The setup process is a breeze
Setup of the network is actually extremely straightforward, which is what Google was pushing with this product.
First, simply connect one of the Google Wifi routers to your network switch and power it on via Ethernet and USB-C respectively. After that, your phone should auto-detect that Google Wifi is in your home. It will prompt you to download the Google Wifi app if you don’t have it already, then have you set up the network.
Simply scan the QR code on the bottom of the router, and Google Wifi registers the router with Google cloud and verifies the encrypted key. You can then name your network, and proceed to select what room your core node is in.
The network knows if you got the (1) or (3) pack, and will prompt you to set up the other nodes if you have more than one. You don’t even have to scan these, they should be ready to go. Once it registers that the nodes are in the network, it will have you choose a name and location, and will move you on to the next device.
Each router connects to one another using a 5GHz connection, so it is best to place them about 1500 square feet away from one another if possible. Google wants to promise a consistent 100Mbps to all users if possible, and says you should never experience any drops due to issues with the router. If you do, they have 24/7 customer service that you can call to get your issue fixed right away.
Conclusion
Google Wi-Fi was born out of Project Carrowack, which aimed to solve the problem of home-based Wi-Fi solutions being manufactured for industrial purposes. It allows admins to perform network checks and take control of connected devices and is ridiculously easy to set up via the included app. Simultaneous Band Switching allows for the absolute fastest speeds available on each device, and smart-home control allows for admins and guests alike to take advantage of the future of home technology.
If you’re looking for routers that are simple but powerful, this is for you.
You can pick up one node for $129, or three for $299.
Buy Google Wifi (1)
Buy Google Wifi (3)
Netflix shows now start previewing as you browse
Netflix is coming for those remaining precious spare hours.
As if it wasn’t already easy enough to begin binge-watching one of Netflix’s many excellent shows, the company has announced that it is rolling out dynamic previews for many of its homegrown movies and TV shows in order to make it easier to sample before pressing the play button.
Available on all of Netflix’s TV user interfaces, including smart TVs, Android TV, Xbox, PS4 and Roku, the previews are not traditional trailers but sculpted synopses of stories, characters and tone without spoiling the content itself.
Netflix says this is to make it a better experience to filter through the company’s growing collection of first-party content, over 1,000 hours of which will be uploaded in 2017. “We know we have less than 90 seconds to capture someone’s attention and get them excited about a title,” says Chris Jaffe, VP of Product Innovation.
The new feature is rolling out over the next few weeks.
Galaxy S8 reportedly sticking to QHD display, may not feature home button or 3.5mm jack
Samsung is making radical changes to the Galaxy S8.
The Galaxy S8 was rumored to offer a 4K display, but it looks like that won’t be the case. According to SamMobile, Samsung will continue to offer a QHD Super AMOLED panel, albeit with a new substrate. That isn’t all, as the publication notes that Samsung is all set to get rid of the 3.5mm port. The phone will offer USB-C, so if you’re interested in wired audio, you’ll have to pick up USB-C headphones.
The report also claims that Samsung is moving away from the Diamond PenTile sub-pixel arrangement to a standard RGB layout. The change is motivated out of a need to create more immersive virtual reality environments. With PenTile (RGBG), there are two sub-pixels per pixel — with twice as many green sub-pixels as red and blue. With RGB, there are individual red, green, and blue sub-pixels that combine to form one pixel. When it comes to the Galaxy S7 edge, RGBG translates to 7,372,800 pixels overall, whereas RGB would result in 11,059,200 pixels.
Samsung may also ditch the home button on the Galaxy S8, with a fingerprint sensor embedded directly within the display. That’s not to mention the virtual assistant that Samsung will introduce with the Galaxy S8. The phone is slated to make its debut early next year, and will be one of the most important launches for the company in recent memory.
Google Wifi review: A perfect mesh router for most people
Google’s latest home product brings plug-and-play wireless networking to any sized house.
Google’s latest effort to step into your living room comes in the shape of a small puck.
Google Wifi claims to be just what you need to get Wi-Fi to all your devices, no matter how big your home might be. To do this, the company is using mesh networking technology — a cluster of small devices can all carry the same Wi-Fi signal and be extended seamlessly. Mesh networking, whether wireless or hard wired, used to be one of those things people with lots of letters after their name would set up for you, putting it out of reach of most consumers. But all that has changed and Google is the latest of a slew of companies offering inexpensive home mesh networking products.
Router vs Mesh Networking: What’s best for your home Wi-Fi network?
Since Google isn’t alone in this space — products like the eero Home Wifi kit or the Amplifi HD home system are some serious competition — they’ll need to do a great job at a competitive price point to be successful. We might accept quirks and bugs in out phone software, but nobody wants to get up and reset the Wi-Fi router. Ever.
Let’s have a look at Google Wifi and see if it’s something you need to consider buying.
The design: It looks good
The unit itself is designed to not look horrible sitting somewhere it will be seen.
Google sent me a three-pack of Google Wifi units to test and review. You can buy a single Google Wifi, of course, but the three-pack is designed for folks with a bigger place (a single Google Wifi point covers up to 1,500 square feet and the three-pack will cover up to 4,500 sq. ft.) and you can save a few bucks and have everything you need to get started. You can add a network point to an existing setup if you find you need more coverage than one (or three) can provide.
The unit itself is designed to not look horrible sitting somewhere it will be seen. This is important because the network points work best when sitting in the open on a stand or table than they will in a closet. The units themselves are slightly more than four inches in diameter and about three inches tall (4.17 x 2.75 inches). They look a lot like a smoke detector, just a little taller. They’re made of polycarbonate plastic and have a slightly textured finish for a matte look instead of a glossy look.
The sidewalls have a seam that almost circles the device, which acts as a window so you can see the LED ring that lets you know if things are on and running properly. The top and the sides are free of buttons, knobs and holes except for a power/reset button above the cutout for cords.
Overall it’s fairly nondescript. Nobody will mistake it for an ashtray or coaster, but nobody will see an ugly Wi-Fi router, either. Again — these are designed to be set out in the open, in the places where you need Wi-Fi. If they looked like a Wi-Fi router, some folks wouldn’t want them on the end table or the night stand.
Underneath is where everything happens. The unit itself sits on slightly raised rubber feet and the bottom has a recess for the things you need to plug in. You’ll find three ports — a [USB-C[(/usb-c) port for power and communications and two plugs for Ethernet cables. The USB-C port is properly wired so you could use a phone charger if you wanted to, but each Google Wifi point comes with its own 5-volt, 3-amp power supply.
The Ethernet ports are proper unkeyed 8P8C jacks, so any standard Ethernet cable will plug right in but devices using a “real” RJ45 connector (like an older VOIP/landline telephony unit) are keyed not to fit. Chances are none of us has any equipment with a proper RJ45 jack, but be warned if you do. Each individual unit or three-pack is supplied with a one-meter Ethernet cable, and no matter how many units you buy you will only ever need one.
Key specifications
- AC1200 2×2 Wave 2 expandable mesh Wi-Fi
- MU-MIMO dual-band (2.4GHz / 5GHz) 802.11a/b/g/n/ac wireless support
- 802.15.4 Zigbee TX/RX support
- Bluetooth 4.0 LE support
- 2 Gigabit Ethernet ports
- WPA2-PSK
Connections are simple. The center USB-C port is for the power supply or a thumb drive if you need to access the recovery. One of the Ethernet ports is labeled with a globe symbol. Using the provided cable (or your own cable) connect this port to your modem. The other is a LAN port for a piece of wired equipment like a switched hub. If you don’t have any wired equipment, this port will go unused. Additional Google Wifi mesh points will only need the power connection and are wireless. For these, both Ethernet ports are available for wired connections. This is extremely handy and makes connecting something like a wired switch for your TV cabinet a breeze. You can also wire the connection between mesh points with CAT 5e/CAT 6 Ethernet cables and Google’s Network Assist feature will seamlessly integrate them into the mesh the same way as a wireless mesh point.
From a hardware perspective, Google Wifi is simple and unobtrusive — both in regard to design and operation.
Installation: There’s an app for that
It takes more time to write about the installation procedure that it does to actually do it. Google has made setting up a complicated wireless mesh network dead simple with 802.15.4 (Zigbee) support. Doing that is the important part of the equation, and having inexpensive equipment that still would require someone with network engineering training to setup would prevent consumer adoption. This is a common theme from companies who are building wireless mesh network gear for home users, and Google’s approach is logical and effective.
You have to use an Android or iOS device to set things up — no exceptions.
An included setup card tells you how to plug things in and points you to Google Play or Apple’s App Store to install the Google Wifi app to continue. Setup must be done through the Google Wifi app and any visit to the DNS gateway from a web browser returns the same page you see when trying the same from a Google OnHub router — it just tells you to install the app. That’s important — you can’t set things up without an Android or iOS device.
The app will find your Google Wifi unit (fun fact — the Bluetooth radio in Google Wifi acts as a standard BLE Beacon — and let you know it’s going to connect you to it). It verifies an internet connection at the modem (you’ll be prompted to restart the modem if needed) and walks you through the initial pairing and connection. Each step waits for user input (there is a next link at the bottom of every page) so you know exactly what is happening even if you don’t know how it’s happening. After a minute or two network handshaking and setup, you’re prompted for a network SSID and password. Enter those and you’re connected to your new Wi-Fi network. If you don’t have additional mesh points, you’re done at this point.
If you have more Google Wifi mesh points to install, the app tells you to find a good spot for one (two rooms away and out in the open is the suggested placement), then tells you to plug it in and continue. Give things 30 seconds or so, and you’re done here. You can continue if you have additional mesh points or say no when prompted and setup is finished.
One snag I found while testing: If you unhook everything without factory resetting the individual mesh points, setting things up again but using a different unit as the connection to your modem is a bit more difficult. I was eventually directed to scan a QR code on the bottom of the unit I was trying to connect with and still had several “false starts” before things were connected. Setting up additional mesh points went smoother, but still required multiple device restarts. Resetting the devices is simple in the app and something you should do if you need to move things around.
The app: Simple and easy
As mentioned, Google Wifi is dependent on its app to do anything. If you’re familiar with the OnHub app you’ll find a lot of similarities and some changes to make things easier.
The app is divided into three tabs on its main screen and a settings menu through the Android “hamburger” that slides in from the left. The tabs are (from left to right) messages from Google’s Network Assist, information about the devices connected to your network, and quick shortcuts to the tools and settings you might need more often that others.
The Google Wifi app is easy to navigate and everything makes sense.
The Messages tab shows information from Google Network Assist will let you know about setting up a Phillips Hue bridge so folks can access it through the On.Here server running on your internal network, tell you what features of the Google Wifi you haven’t set up yet (like your guest network or family settings), or just let you know that everything is OK. If your internet service drops out or you unplug your modem, it lets you know about that, too.
The Devices tab tells you about your internet connection, your network devices and anything that’s connected to the network itself. A tap on the internet icon allows you to check your internet speeds and see how much data you’ve used in a certain time period. Tapping the Wifi points icon brings you to an overview where you can see each node and the results of the last network test or perform a new test and a tap on the gear icon opens a page with more information and places where you can make adjustments like setting the LED brightness or changing the location of the node point. This is also where you factory reset things if you need to.
The Shortcuts tab is where you’ll set a priority device or check your network speeds and connections, as well as access all your settings. The Advanced networking section has settings and options for the following:
- Network DNS
- WAN settings (DHCP, PPPoE, and Static are supported)
- DHCP IP reservations
- Port forwarding (TCP and UDP in and out)
- UPnP on/off
- Network mode settings (read-only) for NAT or Bridge modes
The adjustments are simplified and if you’re running a complicated setup with multiple bridges and subnets Google Wifi is not going to be robust enough. But it wasn’t designed for anything like that and I’ll be the first to tell you not to buy it in that case. For more simple needs that still fall in the advanced category, it’s fine. I’m running an SSH server complete with X forwarding (great read and how-to on that here) and an FTP server, each connected to the outside world through Google Wifi and the setup was simple for both of them via the Google Wifi app. Your needs might not be served as well. Remember, this is a consumer device.
Network testing: Rock-solid performer
Google Wifi isn’t designed for long-range networking, and that was easy to see when trying to duplicate the tests we did with the Amplifi HD from zero to 100 yards. What I did see while using iPerf — a MacBook Pro running the iPerf tool next to the NAT mesh point and a second MacBook (iPerf needs a PC so I couldn’t use my phone) moving through the testing field — was a solid ~200Mbps connection right until the end-of-line for the network.
Google Wifi isn’t designed for long-range networking, but it still works great in most big houses.
With the Amplifi HD, you could see when the network needed a boost but you weren’t yet connected to a newer, closer mesh point but once connected to the right node the speeds were faster. Google Wifi was a constant speed with seamless handoff until we reached the edge of coverage, about 150 feet from the source. Acceptable performance (<30Mbps) continued until we reached a point 177 feet away from the NAT node and modem. The node layout, as calculated using 1500 sq. ft as a coverage sphere looked like this.
This isn’t how Google Wifi is supposed to be set up, but it works.
While long distance testing satisfies our curiosity, a better test was just using Google Wifi for a week while trying to do things that would strain the network. I was able to reach what I feel was network capacity by downloading four simultaneous Netflix streams (three at 1080p and one at 4K). At this point, downloading content from the internet via a computer would cause the 4K Netflix stream to stutter and pixelate and eventually buffer. My house is about 3200 square feet across two floors (1600 sq. ft per floor) and I have solid and fast Wi-Fi with exceptional ping times everywhere.
I have a great Wi-Fi network at the table on my back porch where I spend my summer evenings, and my phone will connect when I turn into my driveway. The TV can stream Netflix or a PC game through my Shield TV as well as it did when things were wired, and my outside connections perform exactly the way I expected and need them to work. While Google Wifi doesn’t deliver blazing linear distance performance, it makes up for it with exceptional networking that’s consistent in the whole network footprint.
I’m impressed.
The verdict: A great product
Eventually, you’re going to need a new Wi-Fi router. Chances are you don’t have a bank of servers set up and won’t need to clone MAC addresses or do any traffic steering. In that case, Google Wifi will be perfect for you.
But Google Wifi doesn’t exist in a Vacuum. The Amplifi HD home system is as easy to set up, offers more advanced networking controls and better long-distance performance (as well as a dedicated long distance version with additional directional antennas) at a slightly higher price and more performance variability between nodes. Other systems from eero, Orbi, and Luma all have similar features. Each of these systems can be picked up at a price that’s within $100 or so of Google Wifi and each has their fans. All of these choices are good, and the days of using wall-plug network extenders are, thankfully, about to disappear.
Google Wifi is a great buy, but so is its competition.
I heartily recommend Google Wifi to anyone looking for a way to cover their whole house with a network connection. But I also can recommend the Amplifi system and have plans to look at what eero and Luma have to offer. I can’t say one is any better than the other, but I can tell you that each is a good choice. This is a good place to be, where we have a choice of products that work the way we expect them to work. If you’re deeply tied into the Google ecosystem, go with Google Wifi for a multi-device setup. You’ll like the On.Here integration for connected devices, and the Zigbee and BLE radios mean more functionality may be coming, though we heard that before with OnHub and it didn’t materialize.
If you just need one Wi-Fi router and want something expandable (and pretty cool to use through the app) definitely go with Google Wifi here. The price is comparable to any good Wi-Fi router and you’ll appreciate both the network performance and ease of use.
See at Amazon
Best Dual-SIM Android Phone
Having a dual-SIM phone is convenient if you travel a lot, as it gives you the flexibility of using a local SIM while still receiving texts and calls from your primary number. Right now, the best option is the Galaxy S7 edge.
Best overall
Samsung Galaxy S7 edge
See at Amazon
See at B&H Photo
See at Amazon UK
See at Amazon Canada
See at Amazon India
The Galaxy S7 edge is one of the most feature-rich phones available today. You get a gorgeous 5.5-inch dual curved Super AMOLED display, Samsung’s own Exynos 8890 SoC, microSD slot, a 12MP camera that can hold its own, 5MP front camera, and a 3600mAh battery with wireless charging. There’s also IP68 water resistance, which makes the phone immune to the occasional splash of water or a trip to the pool.
The carrier variants of the Galaxy S7 edge offer a single SIM card slot, but you can pick up an unlocked international model with dual-SIM connectivity (SM-G935FD). The unlocked models are costlier than carrier editions, but on the bright side, you don’t have to deal with any bloatware.
Bottom line: If you’re looking for a high-end phone with two SIM card slots, look no further than the Galaxy S7 edge.
One more thing: Your best bet for an unlocked Galaxy S7 edge with dual-SIM connectivity is the SM-G935FD. The phone is compatible with LTE bands in the U.S., UK, India, and Canada.
Why the Galaxy S7 edge is the best
Nearly seven months after its debut, the Galaxy S7 edge is still one of the best phones around. It has all the hardware features you’d want, encased in a gorgeous metal-and-glass chassis with a dual curved panel at the front. The 12MP camera gives the Google Pixel a run for its money, and the sheer amount of features make the phone stand out in the high-end segment.
The U.S. edition is powered by the Snapdragon 820, but the international variant — which has dual-SIM functionality — runs Samsung’s Exynos 8890 SoC. There’s almost no difference in terms of the overall performance between the two variants, but the Exynos variant has been found to be slightly more frugal with battery consumption.
Buying the dual-SIM variant makes sense if you have two phone plans, or if you travel abroad a lot. With two SIM card slots, you have the option to use your primary number alongside a local SIM, making it much more convenient.
The dual-SIM variant of the Galaxy S7 edge (SM-G935FD) has the following global LTE bands, allowing you to connect to networks across the world: 1 (2100MHz), 2 (1900MHz), 3 (1800MHz), 4 (1700MHz/2100MHz), 5 (850MHz), 7 (2600MHz), 8 (900MHz), 12 (700MHz), 13 (700MHz), 17 (700MHz), 18 (800MHz), 19 (800MHz), 20 (800MHz), 25 (1900MHz), 26 (850MHz), 28 (700MHz), 38 (2600MHz), 39 (1900MHz), 40 (2300MHz), and 41 (2500MHz). It’s dual-standby, which means that only one SIM card is active when you’re on a call. However, both SIM slots work over 4G.
The phone is still on Marshmallow, but Samsung is running a Nougat beta test until the end of December. The final Nougat build will likely start rolling out from early 2017.
Best mid-range option
OnePlus 3T
See at OnePlus U.S.
See at OnePlus UK
See at OnePlus Canada
See at Amazon India
OnePlus carved out a niche for itself in the mid-range segment, and the OnePlus 3T is the most refined offering from the company yet. Externally, there isn’t a whole lot to differentiate it from the OnePlus 3, but the OnePlus 3T packs a more powerful Snapdragon 821 SoC, a 128GB storage option, a larger 3400mAh battery, and a new Gunmetal color option. The phone also picked up a new front camera, which is now a 16MP offering with 1-micron pixels. OnePlus has also committed to rolling out Nougat to the phone before the end of the year.
Other specs include 6GB of RAM, a 16MP rear camera, Wi-Fi ac, NFC, Bluetooth 4.2, and USB-C. The standard variant of the OnePlus 3T offers dual-SIM connectivity, so you don’t have to look around for a specific variant to use with two SIM card slots.
There isn’t a single global SKU, however. The North American model has different LTE bands from the Asian variant. If you pick up the phone in North America, you get the following LTE bands: 1/2/4/5/7/8/12/17/30. The model sold in Europe and India has these LTE bands: 1/3/5/7/8/20/38/40. The primary SIM card slot works over 4G, but the secondary is limited to 3G, and data is active on only work SIM at a time. The phone uses dual-standby mode, which means that only one SIM card slot is active during calls.
The 64GB variant of the OnePlus 3T retails for $439 in the U.S., with the 128GB model on sale for $479. In the UK, it costs £399 for the 64GB version, and £439 for the 128GB model. The handset is available for CA$599 in Canada for the 64GB variant, and CA$639 for the 128GB variant. The OnePlus 3T is also up for sale in India, where it costs ₹29,999 for the 64GB model and ₹34,999 for the 128GB version.
Bottom line: The OnePlus 3T gets all the basics right, and does so for several hundred dollars less than other flagships.
One more thing: If you’re going to load up movies and music when you travel, you should consider the 128GB storage option.
Best on a budget
Moto G4 Plus
See at Amazon U.S.
See at Amazon UK
See at Motorola Canada
See at Amazon India
The Moto G4 Plus isn’t the fastest phone around, but it does offer a lot of value. The phone features a plastic body, but it doesn’t feel cheap. Similarly, the internal hardware isn’t outstanding, but it will serve you just fine for everyday use. There’s a 5.5-inch Full HD display, Snapdragon 617 SoC, 16MP camera, microSD slot, 5MP camera, and a 3000mAh battery. Motorola has done a decent job of rolling out platform versions on time, and while the G4 Plus is slated to pick up the Nougat update shortly.
There are several configuration options of the G4 Plus available based on the region. You can get the phone with 2GB RAM/16GB storage, 3GB RAM/32GB storage, or 4GB RAM/64GB storage. Dual-SIM options also vary based on the country, but in markets like India and the UK, the dual-SIM variant is available direct from Motorola.
Bottom line: The Moto G4 Plus is still the benchmark for the budget segment. For under $250, this is the best option if you want two SIM card slots.
One more thing: Generally, you’re better off selecting a model with at least 3GB of RAM and 32GB storage.
Best for India
Lenovo Z2 Plus
See at Amazon India
The Lenovo Z2 Plus is one of those rare phones that ticks all the right boxes in the budget segment. Available for the equivalent of $300 (₹19,999), you get a 5-inch Full HD display, Snapdragon 820 SoC, 4GB of RAM, 64GB storage, 13MP camera, 8MP front shooter, Wi-Fi ac, and a 3500mAh battery.
The phone is limited to Asian markets, and as such has LTE bands limited to the region: 1 (2100MHz), 2 (1900MHz), 3 (1800MHz), 4 (1700MHz/2100MHz), 5 (850MHz), 7 (2600MHz), 8 (900MHz), 38 (2600MHz), 39 (1900MHz), 40 (2300MHz), 41 (2500MHz). The phone offers a dual-standby mode, and as such only one SIM is active when you’re on a call. The phone runs Android 6.0.1 Marshmallow, and Lenovo hasn’t detailed Nougat update plans just yet.
Bottom line: The Lenovo Z2 Plus is an incredible value proposition. If you’re on a tight budget, there isn’t a phone that offers as much for under ₹20,000.
One more thing: As the Z2 Plus doesn’t come with expandable storage, you should consider springing for the 64GB variant.
Conclusion
There are several great dual-SIM phones available across price points, but if you’re looking for the best, you can’t go wrong with the Galaxy S7 edge. The phone offers a great design along with high-end internals, and Samsung has thrown in additional fringe features that aren’t found in other high-end phones.
Best overall
Samsung Galaxy S7 edge
See at Amazon
See at B&H Photo
See at Amazon UK
See at Amazon Canada
See at Amazon India
The Galaxy S7 edge is one of the most feature-rich phones available today. You get a gorgeous 5.5-inch dual curved Super AMOLED display, Samsung’s own Exynos 8890 SoC, microSD slot, a 12MP camera that can hold its own, 5MP front camera, and a 3600mAh battery with wireless charging. There’s also IP68 water resistance, which makes the phone immune to the occasional splash of water or a trip to the pool.
The carrier variants of the Galaxy S7 edge offer a single SIM card slot, but you can pick up an unlocked international model with dual-SIM connectivity (SM-G935FD). The unlocked models are costlier than carrier editions, but on the bright side, you don’t have to deal with any bloatware.
Bottom line: If you’re looking for a high-end phone with two SIM card slots, look no further than the Galaxy S7 edge.
One more thing: Your best bet for an unlocked Galaxy S7 edge with dual-SIM connectivity is the SM-G935FD. The phone is compatible with LTE bands in the U.S., UK, India, and Canada.
Meizu’s $33 fitness band outdoes Fitbit at a fifth the price
Meizu’s new fitness wearable doesn’t do anything new, but that’s not the point.
Meizu is entering the wearables market, and the popular Chinese smartphone maker is taking on one of its biggest rivals, Xiaomi, in the process. But the fitness tracker, aptly titled Meizu Band, further reinforces the notion that most wearables sold in North America are, if not overpriced, sold at a considerable premium.
By specs alone, the Meizu outclasses many of the current crop of fitness wearables, with a recessed OLED touchscreen, heart rate monitoring, seven-day battery life, automatic multi-activity fitness tracking, and sleep monitoring, along with a magnetic charger to ensure IP67 water ingress protection and a comfortable rubberized strap.
While the $33 USD equivalent band won’t be launching outside China, at least not for the immediate future, it does (or should) renew the conversation about how commoditized fitness wearables have become, and how much longer companies like Fitbit can get away with charging $150 for products like the Charge 2 — as good as it may be.
Best Gifts for Cord-cutters
What are good gifts for someone who’s cut cable out of their life?
The cord-cutter movement is growing more and more these days. People are looking to save money by cancelling that pesky cable bill and finding alternative ways to fulfill their entertainment needs via internet and/or wireless needs.
Netflix. Plex. Over-the-air antennas. Just a few of the options cord-cutters rely on to stay entertained without cable TV. Give the gift of cutting that special someone’s cable bill with these fantastic gifts for cord-cutters.
OTA Antennas
If you or someone you know is looking to cut out the cable bill from their budget, but still enjoys just throwing on the TV and vegging out without the hassle of finding something new to watch on Netflix (right?), an over-the-air (OTA) antenna can be a great compromise. But before you consider whether to buy an OTA antenna, you’ll want to know what channels are available in your area and what type of antenna you’ll need to draw them in. This TV signal locator from TVFools.com will let you know what signals are available from you or your giftee’s address, and from there let you determine whether you should be getting an indoor or outdoor antenna.
An OTA antenna can be hooked up straight to a TV in your house to watch live TV. A couple of the other items on this list require a OTA antenna — HDHomeRun Connect and TiVo Roamio. If either of those boxes tickles your fancy, you’ll need one to draw in the signal. Depending on what channels are available in your area, you’ll need either an indoor or outdoor digital antenna. The antenna we’ve recommended here, the HD Frequency Cable Cutter Antenna, is designed for urban areas, and can be set up indoors or outdoors. Again, the channels you’ll get will be dependant on a number of variables, so the price of this antenna makes it great for testing purposes.
See at Amazon
HDHomeRun Connect
The HDHomeRun Connect is a HDTV broadcast tuner that, working in conjunction with an OTA antenna, lets you draw in the available HDTV channels broadcasting in your area. Setup is easy — simply connect your HDHomeRun box to power, the antenna, and your router, then install the software on your computer. From there, you’re able to watch live TV from the available channels shows on any DLNA-compatible device connected to your Wi-Fi network, whether that be a smart TV, a phone or tablet running the HDHomeRun DVR app.
But that’s not all. What makes the HDHomeRun a real home run (I’m sorry) is its beta DVR compatibility with Plex. Anyone in the know knows that Plex is one of the absolute best media servers you can use, so if you know your friend or family member relies on Plex this exclusive integration with HDHomeRun receivers is certainly worth exploring.
See at Amazon
TiVo Roamio
TiVo’s Roamia is certainly worth looking into if you’re cutting a cord and considering an OTA antenna. The Roamia comes with 1TB of space to record all your favorite shows as well as built-in integration with Netflix, Amazon Prime Instant Video, Hulu and more.
It’s a TiVo, so you’ll be able to pause and rewind TV live, as well as use SkipMode to skip over the commercials in your recorded content, or use QuickMode to watch your shows 33% faster with no audio distortion, meaning you can binge watch your favorite shows in less time.
See at Amazon
Chromecast
Once you get your first Chromecast, you quickly learn that you can never have too many Chromecasts. It’s such a versatile little device that lets you stream Netflix, Amazon Prime Instant Video, Hulu, YouTube, HBO Now… There’s a ton of great content available for Chromecast.
This year, Google introduced the Chromecast Ultra, which supports 4K TVs if you already have one or are planning on upgrading. If not, the Chromecast from 2015 is still a completely capable little device, and you really can’t beat the value here. And like I said, once you’ve got a Chromecast on one of your TV’s, you’re going to want to have one for every TV in the house.
See the Chromecast (2015) at Google
See the Chromecast Ultra at Google
Nvidia Shield
The NVIDIA Shield doesn’t garner as much attention as it deserves — it’s a sleek-looking box running on the Android TV platform, granting access to all the great content streaming and media options found in the Google Play Store, along with being a scrappy gaming console powered by a GeForce GTX graphics card.
It can stream Netflix and YouTube in 4K, and supports a number of great media server apps including Plex and Kodi. If you’re only planning to use it for streaming purposes, you’ll get 16GB of onboard storage for your media, along with a streamlined and fast UI so you can get right down to binge watching PLUS it doubles as a Cast target.
If you’re also interested in what it can do for gaming, you’ll be able to enjoy the latest and greatest Android games, along with the ability to stream popular PC games via a GeForce NOW subscription.
See at Amazon
Gift memberships to streaming services
Netflix. Amazon Prime. Hulu.
These are the services that are largely replacing cable TV for an ever-growing number of consumers. Whether or not your loved one already has one of these services, you can cover a few months of their favorite streaming service for a gift that keeps giving throughout the year.
Your best value is absolutely a year’s worth of Amazon Prime. Not only do they get access to both Amazon’s music and video services, they also get all the benefits of being an Amazon Prime including next-day delivery on a number of products.
Both Netflix and Amazon Prime offer electronic gift cards for their services, but you should also be able to find them at a most major retailers. Hulu currently doesn’t offer electronic gift cards, but you should find physical Hulu gift cards at retailers such as Target, Best Buy, and Walmart.
Learn more at Amazon
Learn more at Netflix
This awesome photo leak shows a forthcoming 2017 Moto handset
Clear images have surfaced online purporting to be the 2017 Motorola Moto X smartphone. The images have been taken by an “anonymous tipster” and picked up by Techdroider and clearly show a future Moto smartphone.
The pictures show the phone will come with an all metal build, but the lack of connector pins for Moto Mods confirms it’s not a handset that offers modularity like the flagship Moto Z device.
- Motorola Moto Z review: A modular muddle
Although the images are fairly clear, it’s obvious that some details have been removed, probably codes that identify this handset as a prototype, and potentially the exact sample number.
What’s not clear is which family this device would belong to. As we’ve said, it’s not following the same lines as the Moto Z (where we’d expect modularity to continue), so it could be a Moto X or a Moto G, although the metal build would suggest it falls into a higher tier than the often entry-level G.
For now all we have to go on for the new Moto device is these pictures, as no specs or features have been revealed. It’s estimated to have a 5.5-inch display, something that Lenovo said was a minimum size for future handsets, while a front-mounted fingerprint scanner can be seen in the images. Reportedly, it’s going to be available in silver or gold.
It’s not clear when Lenovo/Motorola will officially unveil this new handset, an obvious guess would be Mobile World Congress in February, but for now all we can say is watch this space.
AIVAnet 