Governments are using the movie Minority Report, just like the novel 1984, as a blueprint for the future and are already harnessing the power of AI technology to create a powerful surveillance state. Read...

A new study from the Pew Research Center shows that three in 10 American teens use AI chatbots every day, Techcrunch reports. Four percent say they do so almost constantly. Among respondents, 59 percent say they use Open AI’s ChatGPT, more than twice as many as runner-up Google Gemini, which is used by 23 percent. Meta AI is used by 20 percent, while 36 percent say they never use AI chatbots. The study also shows that older teens (15-17 years old) use the technology significantly more often than younger ones. At the same time, social media continues to dominate teenagers’ online habits. 92% use YouTube, 69% Tiktok, 63% Instagram and 55% Snapchat. Pew’s survey is based on responses from 1,458 teenagers, collected between September 25 and October 9, 2025. Further reading: A beginner’s guide to ChatGPT: Make AI work for you Read...

It’s not just on dubious trading platforms such as Temu. Even Amazon can be infiltrated by dubious dealers who advertise SSDs with large storage capacities as supposed bargains. These cheat packs do not come from Amazon’s own warehouse, but from external service providers who offer their counterfeit products via the favorable “Warehouse” deals (i.e. as returned goods). The quality of the counterfeit drives varies — from cheap fakes to professional counterfeits that cannot be recognized as such from the outside at first glance. In addition to genuine flash memory media that have simply been given a different sticker with product specifications, there are also completely counterfeit circuit boards with a fraudulent controller. This scam can be found on external drives with a USB connection. The controller tricks the operating system into believing a false drive size, simulates write operations, but only actually stores a fraction of the data. Foundry F3: Check for flash drives With Linux tools, counterfeit or simply defective flash drives can at least be clearly and reliably recognized. The F3 (Fight Flash Fraud) tool can scrutinize flash drives of all kinds and also detects subtle errors caused by normal ageing processes. It is not fooled by manipulated controller chips, but empirically determines the real capacity of a drive as well as its read and write speeds. F3 can also check the integrity of written data by writing and reading the entire space to identify old, unreliable flash memory. F3 is a collection of command-line tools that is present in the repositories of most distributions. In Debian, Ubuntu, and others, for example, it can be installed in the terminal with the command sudo apt install f3 For flash drives such as SD cards, USB sticks, external drives with flash media, but also for internal NVMe SSDs, the program f3probe is the most suitable tool in this collection of tools. It immediately determines the real capacity of a drive and is not fooled by controller chips. Check with f3probe: The test program determines the total capacity reported by the controller and compares written data in high memory areas to see whether they are actually readable.Foundry An initial test is also non-destructive — i.e. it keeps the contents of a drive intact. Like the other F3 tools, f3probe requires root authorization or a prefixed sudo, as well as the device ID of the drive, with the command lsblk -d The command then starts (example) sudo f3probe /dev/sdd the non-destructive drive test. The device must not be mounted for this. If everything is okay with a drive, the tool returns the below message after the check, which compares the actual size with the capacity reported by the controller by means of write and read operations: Good news. The device /dev/sdd is the real thing. Check with data loss: If the data on the drive is irrelevant, the “–destructive” parameter performs a faster test run. This also requires less memory, but overwrites the entire contents of the drive. The rudely opened housing of a fake external “SSD”: The circuit board contains a manipulated controller chip and only a small SD card! Foundry Also for HDDs: Thorough test While f3probe compares the information from the controller with the memory addresses actually available on the data carrier, the F3 tools f3write and f3read take a more universal approach. f3write writes files with checksums to a mounted medium until it is completely written, and f3read then verifies this data. Because these tools work at file system level, regardless of the type of disc being tested, they require partitions that are already mounted and writable. For example, if a drive to be tested is mounted under “/media/user/5EBD- 5C80/”, then f3write /media/user/5EBD-5C80/ executes the write process and f3read /media/user/5EBD-5C80/ verifies the checksums of the written files. In general, this check only uses the free, remaining space on a drive and is therefore not destructive. NAS hard drives: The recording technology is crucial The Network Attached Storage (NAS) device class should be permanently available in the network. The mechanical hard drives, which are still the most cost-effective solution for large NAS systems, must therefore be able to withstand continuous operation. The specifications of conventional SATA hard drives for desktop PCs do not provide for such continuous operation. Hard drive manufacturers therefore offer drives for these application scenarios with the label “NAS” and a surcharge. However, as many users have realized, even the addition of “NAS” is no guarantee of problem-free operation in the NAS. Only hard disks that do not use modern SMR (Shingled Magnetic Recording) are generally suitable for a RAID network of any kind and for the ZFS file system. With SMR, the internal hard disk controller uses the disks very sparingly: Read-write heads are aligned so that the tracks on a platter overlap in order to maximize storage density. However, this approach requires several passes before a data record is reliably written and read. For RAID, which performs a checksum comparison of written data blocks, this recording technique is unsuitable and leads to errors and long waiting times. The Linux kernel developers have documented the problems observed to date at raid.wiki.kernel.org/index.php/Timeout_Mismatch. According to this, only the conventional recording technology CMR (Conventional Magnetic Recording) with linear tracks is suitable for hard disks in a RAID network. In recent years, the hard drive manufacturers Western Digital, Seagate, and Toshiba caused a major scandal when hard drives with Shingled Magnetic Recording (SMR) were marketed as NAS hard drives without sufficient labelling. Unfortunately, a hard drive does not even reveal via SMART analysis whether SMR or CMR is used. At m6u.de/cmr, a NAS service provider collects a list of suitable CMR hard drives based on user information. Related content Best SSDs: From SATA to PCIe 5.0, from budget to premium Best external drives 2025: Top picks in portable storage Buying an external drive? Wait! 5 reasons to build your own instead Read...

It’s hard to find a graphics card that can do everything. The most powerful ones are usually hot, loud, and expensive, while the smallest ones just don’t have the performance you need to deliver high-resolution gameplay experiences. ZOTAC GAMING’s new GeForce RTX™ 50 Series GPUs are built to give the best of all worlds: Compact performance with quiet cooling, at an affordable price. If you’ve found your gaming system starting to lag during demanding gameplay, micro-stutters are throwing off your aim, or it’s outright freezing entirely, then it’s probably time to upgrade your graphics card. That doesn’t have to mean emptying your wallet, though. With the new ZOTAC GAMING GeForce RTX™ 5050 and 5060 Ti, you can get serious gaming power with support for all the latest features – and they’re quiet and compact, too. Cutting-edge tech without the sky-high price ZOTAC GAMING The ZOTAC GAMING GeForce RTX™ 5050 Solo Edition gives you every cutting-edge technology NVIDIA has to offer, but without the sky-high price tag of the flagship GPUs. It has full support for DLSS 4 and multi-frame generation, unlocking much higher frame rates in compatible games, letting you play at higher detail settings and resolutions, or enjoy smoother gameplay. Its low power consumption means it can run with a single fan, too, making it supremely cool and quiet to run. That’s ideal for small form factor and ultra-compact builds. If you’re upgrading an older GPU from a mini PC, you’ll be pleasantly surprised with just how far entry-level graphics cards have come in just a few years. This card can easily outpace the top-cards from just a few generations ago, and it does so far more efficiently, too. If you want to keep energy bills down as you move into the New Year, upgrading to an efficient modern GPU is a great way to do it. Buy the ZOTAC GAMING GeForce RTX™ 5050 Solo Edition at NeweggView Deal Buy the ZOTAC GAMING GeForce RTX™ 5050 Solo Edition at AmazonView Deal Unlock faster frame rates in AAA games ZOTAC GAMING If you have a little more space to work with and want to use it for more power, then the ZOTAC GAMING Twin Edge OC GeForce RTX™ 5060 Ti is a fantastic alternative. Boosting VRAM to 16GB of GDDR7 unlocks higher detail settings in even the most demanding games, and its more capable GPU core can hold fast even when gaming at 1440p and 4K resolutions. Perfect for enjoying the visuals of the latest AAA games – and powered by the NVIDIA Blackwell architecture, enables game-changing AI capabilities in the latest games and apps. Multiply performance with NVIDIA DLSS 4, enjoy realistic graphics with ray tracing, and take your creativity further with NVIDIA Studio. With next-generation NVIDIA RT cores, the GeForce RTX™ 5060 Ti is even ready for the most demanding of gaming features: Real time ray-tracing and path tracing. The best looking games often need the best hardware to run well, and with the ZOTAC GAMING GeForce RTX™ 5060 Ti Twin Edge OC you can rest assured that there isn’t a game out there you can’t run, and run well. To keep temperatures down with all that added power, the ZOTAC GAMING GeForce RTX™ 5060 Ti Twin Edge OC is fitted with ZOTAC GAMING’s IceStorm 2.0 dual-fan cooling system which keeps temperatures and noise levels down, even during demanding gaming sessions. When it’s not working so hard, the 0dB fan-stop technology means it’ll run completely silent until you need it for a cooler and calmer gaming experience. Buy the ZOTAC GAMING Twin Edge OC GeForce RTX™ 5060 Ti at NeweggView Deal Buy the ZOTAC GAMING Twin Edge OC GeForce RTX™ 5060 Ti at AmazonView Deal Read...

By 2026, APJ enterprises harness hidden internal data, embrace open virtualisation and mainstream isolated recovery to battle cyber risk. Read...

For gamers looking to maximize their performance, even small mouse modifications can make a big difference. From glide and click feel to sensor accuracy, each adjustment can be tailored to your personal playing style. One noticeable improvement is the replacement of the mouse feet with high-quality PTFE skates. These reduce friction on the mouse pad and enable smoother, more precise movements. Advanced users can customize the skates to influence the coefficient of friction, which is perfect for balancing fast flick-aim (reflex-like movement) with controlled micro-aim. Paracord cables with high flexibility eliminate tensile forces and mimic the feeling of a wireless mouse. This leads to more consistent movements, especially for low-sense gamers (those who use low DPI). Replacing the mouse switches allows you to customize the click feel and trigger characteristics to your own preferences.Asus Key internal mechanics can also be improved, though this step requires considerably more expertise. High-quality microswitches ensure a clearer click feel, reduce pre-travel, and increase durability. However, the replacement requires you to open the housing, which usually voids the manufacturer’s warranty. If you decide to do this, you must be able to solder safely and verify the specifications of the switches (actuating force, travel distance, PCB compatibility). FPS gamers also benefit from mouse wheel modifications, where the axle is re-mounted or lubricated to enable faster and smoother weapon changes. The following also applies here: Precise work and clean lubrication are essential to achieve a lasting improvement. Precise modifications to switches and internal technology can noticeably increase the reaction speed and reliability of a gaming mouse.Asus Optimizing the sensor requires a little more skill and knowledge, but can be done safely with the right tools. In the driver software or mouse firmware menu, calibrate the sensor to the surface properties of your mouse pad. To do this, start the detection routine and move the mouse in typical patterns. The LOD (lift-off distance) is fine-tuned using the corresponding setting value. It determines the height at which the sensor stops tracking. A value that is too high can cause unwanted cursor movements when lifting. A value that is too low can lead to dropouts during rapid repositioning. This allows you to prevent tracking errors when lifting and adapt the mouse precisely to your play style. Weight tuning offers additional options for customizing the mouse. In practice, this involves removing internal metal plates or unnecessary brackets to make the mouse lighter and more agile. You should carefully loosen all screws and cable connections so as not to cause any damage. If you want more stability and smoother aiming behavior of the mouse, small weights can be added to existing mounts or fixed with adhesive pads. The following applies to both options: Ensure the balance is maintained and that no components press against the housing or interfere with the sensor. Large PTFE mouse feet reduce frictional resistance and guarantee smoother, more precise movement on the mouse pad.Foundry As already mentioned, every modification should be done with warranty and technology considerations in mind. Work methodically, and you will get a customized mouse that perfectly matches your playing style, surpassing the standard version in precision, speed, and comfort. Read...

At a glanceExpert`s Rating Pros Compact form factor with efficient cooling Powerful AMD Zen 4 CPU performance for office, multitasking, and creation Dual 2.5 Gbit/s Ethernet ports Triple display support including DisplayPort 2.1 (8K/60) 32GB DDR5 in dual channel and 1 TB NVMe SSD included Quiet and energy-efficient operation in everyday use Cons No NPU, no USB4, or Thunderbolt AI focused systems are better positioned for the future SSD and iGPU work below their theoretical capabilities Our Verdict The Alliwava H90 Pro hits an exciting sweet spot: extremely compact, really quiet, and very energy-efficient; yet significantly faster than classic office mini PCs. The addition of HDMI, DisplayPort, dual 2.5 Gbit LAN, and 32GB DDR5 make it a versatile desktop computer. If you need USB4, Wi-Fi 7, and NPU features, you’ll have to find them in much more expensive AI mini PCs. Otherwise, everyone else gets a lot of computing power for their money here. Price When Reviewed This value will show the geolocated pricing text for product undefined Best Pricing Today Best Prices Today: Alliwava H90 Pro Retailer Price Check Price comparison from over 24,000 stores worldwide Product Price Price comparison from Backmarket Best Prices Today: Check today’s prices Alliwava H90 Pro: The specs CPU: AMD Ryzen 7 8745HS, 8 cores / 16 threads, 3.8 to 4.9 GHz, Zen 4 architecture, 35 watt TDP, 4 nm production GPU: AMD Radeon 780M, 12 compute units, up to 2,600 MHz, shared memory Memory: 32GB DDR5-4800, dual-channel, 2× SO-DIMM, expandable up to 256 GB according to the manufacturer Mass storage: 1 TB NVMe SSD, M.2-2280, PCIe-NVMe Cooling: Vapor chamber cooling system (MSC 2.0) with quiet fan and SSD heatsink, dust protection air inlets Video outputs: 1 × HDMI (2.1), 1 × DisplayPort (1.4) plus additional DisplayPort/Alt mode via USB-C; up to three monitors in parallel operation, DP up to 8K @ 60 Hz USB: 1 × USB 2.0, 3 × USB 3.x Gen1, 1 × USB 3.2 Gen2×2 (20 GB/s), incl. USB-C Connectivity: 2 × 2.5 Gbit LAN (Realtek RTL8125), Wi-Fi 6E (MediaTek MT7922), Bluetooth 5.2 Operating system: Windows 11 Pro pre-installed, automatic activation when connected to the internet Dimensions: 52 × 130 × 127.5 mm (H × W × D) Weight: approx. 360 g (0.8lbs) More and more manufacturers that are still relatively unknown are entering the mini PC market. Alliwava is a small supplier of mini PCs that – unlike well-known brands – deliberately focuses on a price-to-performance-orientated market segment. Instead of expensive flagship models with NPU, Thunderbolt docking, or premium gaming design, Alliwava focuses on solid hardware in compact cases, good value for money, and practical features suitable for everyday use. In our review we put it to the test to see if it lives up to these standards. Alliwava H90 Pro: Design After unpacking and the first impressions, the H90 Pro immediately looks like a typical IT favorite: small enough to disappear behind the monitor, but with port layout and cooling that are more reminiscent of a full-blown desktop. The H90 Pro has a simple, functional look: aluminium tray at the bottom, plastic lid in carbon look at the top, plus perforations on the sides for ventilation. Christoph Hoffmann At around 13 × 13 × 5.2 centimeters and around 360 grams (0.8 lbs), the housing remains very compact. At the same time, Alliwava accommodates a fully-fledged AMD Zen 4 platform with Ryzen 7 8745HS and Radeon 780M – all at street prices of less than $700. The front is clearly structured: several USB ports, an audio socket and a discreetly illuminated power button. This makes the mini PC inconspicuous enough for the office without appearing cheap. Christoph Hoffmann It gets exciting when you look under the hood: Alliwava uses a newly designed metal frame with a vapor chamber and MSC 2.0 cooling system, plus dust-protected air inlets on the bottom and sides. This is anything but a matter of course in this size class. In practice, the cooling design results in very quiet operation – even under load. Compared to devices such as the Minisforum AI X1 Pro or Geekom A9 Max, the H90 Pro is visibly more compact. These models also rely on powerful CPUs (Ryzen AI 9 HX 370), but require larger cases with significantly more volume. The Sapphire Edge AI 370 undercuts the H90 Pro once again in terms of height, but Alliwava’s cooling concept is more accessible – without magnetic lids or a rotated board, but with an easily-to-get-to interior and standardized components. Alliwava H90 Pro: Processor, GPU, RAM, and SSD The H90 Pro is surprisingly fully equipped. The centerpiece is the AMD Ryzen 7 8745HS (8C/16T, 3.8-4.9 GHz, 35 watts TDP) based on the Zen 4 architecture, combined with the integrated Radeon 780M (12 CUs, up to 2,600 MHz). There is also 32GB DDR5-4800 in dual channel (2 × SO-DIMM, upgradeable to 256GB) from Kingbank Technology and a 1 TB NVMe SSD (M.2 2280, PCIe NVMe, Gen4 according to the manufacturer, in practice more in the Gen3 performance range). Crystal Disk Info identifies the internal SSD as 1 TB NVMe PCI3 3.0 x4 – without reference to the manufacturer. The connectivity is one of the clear plus points: A total of five USB ports are available (including a 20 GB/s port), plus an HDMI port, two DisplayPort outputs and two 2.5 Gbit LANs. Alliwava itself advertises triple display support via HDMI 2.1, DP 1.4 and USB-C, including 8K at 60 Hz via DisplayPort – a detail that we especially appreciate. Christoph Hoffmann The H90 Pro relies on dual 2.5 GbE (Realtek RTL8125) and Wi-Fi 6E (MediaTek MT7922) for the network. Bluetooth 5.0 is also available. Alliwava H90 Pro: Operating system The Alliwava H90 Pro comes with Windows 11 Pro pre-installed, which is activated when there is an active internet connection. The operating system on our test device was still Windows 11 23H2 – release date 31 October 2023 – so a major update to Windows 11 25H2 was necessary in several steps immediately after setup. This is typical for smaller manufacturers who do not update their images regularly. Christoph Hoffmann After the update, Windows runs stably and smoothly. We downloaded the AMD drivers for the Radeon graphics card and the chipset from the Internet and installed them. Christoph Hoffmann A particularly good point is that Alliwava does not install any bloatware or unwanted additional software. The system’s performance harmonizes well with Windows 11: The Ryzen 7 8745HS, the 32GB RAM, and the NVMe SSD ensure a very smooth user experience. Boot times remain short, programs open quickly and there are no noticeable delays even with many browser tabs or Office programs running at the same time. For typical scenarios – office work, web applications, media playback, home office, even light image and video editing – the H90 Pro offers a remarkably smooth experience under Windows 11. Once the mini PC has been properly updated after unpacking, you get a stable, fast, and unproblematic system that leaves little to be desired in everyday use. Alliwave H90 Pro: Performance The Ryzen 7 8745HS belongs to the Hawk Point family and is essentially a Zen 4 chip with eight cores, 16 threads, and up to 4.9 GHz boost. The integrated Radeon 780M shares the DDR5 memory with the CPU and scales strongly with the RAM clock and power budget. In the H90 Pro, the processor works with rather conservative power limits; the total consumption under full load remains at around 60 to 80 watts and is clearly moderate in everyday use. With its performance scores, the H90 Pro ranks quite well in the field of current Ryzen 7 mini PCs – with a clear focus on office and all-round productivity tasks, but slightly slower gaming performance. PCMark 10 with 6,209 points shows a system that effortlessly covers typical office, web, and collaboration workloads. Essentials (9,380 points) and Productivity (8,864 points) are on a par with well-configured 8745HS or 7840HS compact PCs. The Digital Content Creation section with 7,456 points indicates that photo workflows, simple 4K editing projects, or streaming setups run smoothly without entering the region of dedicated GPUs. Christoph Hoffmann The 3DMark CPU profile with 5,486 points with maximum threads, 5,238 points with 16 threads and 4,418 with 8 threads shows a cleanly scaling multi-core performance. As expected, the gap to the single-thread score (890 points) is clear and confirms that the 8745HS works as a classic 8-core all-rounder: high multi-thread performance for compilation, virtualization, or parallel workloads, without coming close to the top of the HX-370 or Core Ultra top models from our tests. These usually offer 15-30 percent more reserves in synthetic tests, but are significantly more expensive. Christoph Hoffmann The GPU performance is exciting. A Time Spy score of 2,446 points with 2,186 graphics points and 7,549 CPU points is slightly below typical 780M systems with a more aggressive configuration. Many 7840HS or 8845HS mini-PCs with fast LPDDR5X RAM are closer to 3,000-3,300 points. The Radeon 780M cannot fully realise its potential because Alliwava leaves the RAM at 4,800 MT/s and operates the APU with moderate power limits. Christoph Hoffmann In practice, this means: Full HD gaming on medium settings runs stably in many titles, but current AAA games or WQHD/4K remain clearly in the “best-effort” range. 3DMark’s Steel Nomad Light with 2,027 points and 15 FPS shows exactly this same picture: playable in moderate presets, clearly GPU-limited in the harder variants. Solar Bay with 10,295 points emphasises that the iGPU is quite powerful by mobile-APU standards, but does not compete with discrete mid-range graphics cards. Geekbench AI Pro is interesting: 3,617 (Single Precision), 1,566 (Half Precision) and 7,371 quantized are solid values for a pure CPU/GPU solution. However, in direct comparison to NPU-based systems – such as the Ryzen AI HX 370 mini PCs or the Intel Core Ultra 9 in the Geekom IT15 – the H90 Pro lacks the dedicated AI unit, meaning that AI workloads require more energy and computing time. For classic desktop AI (local LLMs, image generation in moderate resolution), the combination of Zen 4 cores and 780M is still sufficient as long as you don’t expect maximum throughput rates. Christoph Hoffmann In terms of mass storage, CrystalDiskMark delivers values in the upper PCIe 3.0 segment with around 3,569 MB/s read and 3,102 MB/s write. High-end Gen 4 SSDs theoretically achieve twice as much, but the difference is hardly noticeable in everyday use (booting, loading apps, project workflows). Christoph Hoffmann Is the Alliwava H90 Pro worth it? All in all, the H90 Pro is positioned between classic 5800U/5825U office boxes and the current AI flagships with HX-370 or Core Ultra 9 in terms of performance. The mini PC from Alliwava is strong in everyday and productivity tasks and (still) sufficient for light gaming and content creation, but lacks an AI accelerator and won’t break any records for iGPU performance. Read...

One of the best things you can get for your sanity and your device’s health is a good charger block—something fast, something versatile, something with safety features like temperature monitoring. The Ugreen Nexode is a great option, especially now that it’s on sale for $34 on Amazon. That’s not only a lovely 38% discount off its MSRP, but also the lowest price I’ve ever seen for this model. View this Amazon deal This is a multi-port power adapter that’ll make you forget all about juggling multiple chargers and adapters, which can be a huge inconvenience whether you’re at home or traveling to hotels, Airbnbs, etc. With four ports—three USB-C and one USB-A—you can charge up to four devices at once, everything from phones to tablets to earbuds to headphones, all at the same time. And with a max output of 100 watts, it’s even enough to charge a lightweight laptop. (Ugreen claims it can charge a MacBook Air up to 55% in just half an hour.) Built with GaN technology, this charger is better than older power adapters because it’s smaller (fits in the palm of your hand), faster, and more efficient (produces less heat). The foldable plugs make it ideal for travel as your other gadgets won’t get scratched up in your bag, nor will the prongs catch and potentially break. The GaN tech also brings in plenty of safety features and dynamic temperature sensors. Now, there’s only one catch with this deal: it’s a Prime-exclusive discount. But it’s okay if you don’t have Prime yet—you can still score this all-new low price with a free 30-day Prime trial. Start your trial and grab this compact 4-port USB-C charger for $34 before this deal expires! Save 38% on this versatile and fast USB power adapter for 4 devicesBuy now at Amazon Read...

As a mom to six kids in rural Nebraska, it’s been hard for me to accept that the world is changing. Except for a few years in Omaha, I’ve lived in small rural communities almost all my life. It’s actually not uncommon in my community to leave your car—or home—unlocked and to know all your neighbors by name. But things are different from the way they used to be. We’ve had some close calls in the area with home break-ins and jail breakouts (which can be frightening if you’re home alone at night). While I knew I needed to get serious about securing my home, I’d been reluctant to go high-tech. After all, I live in an area that frequently loses power during bad weather and struggles to maintain good internet connectivity, which means app-based solutions can sometimes leave me in limbo. Giving smart locks a try But then I was approached with an interesting opportunity: PCWorld asked me to install a smart lock—my first—and share my experience. They knew that while I love gadgets and have written about dozens in the past, I was leery of trusting one with my home security. I can’t be the only person who’s had intrusive thoughts of being locked out of my home at 3 a.m. due to an app crash or because I forgot my PIN code.  Level Lock Pro Read our review Plus, I’m busy and not particularly handy, so my mind raced with concerns. Will it take a long time to install? Will my tech-averse husband hate it? Will we install it and then just never use that door again? Never one to back down from a challenge (I’m raising five boys, after all), I said I’d give it a shot. The biggest surprise? I can’t believe I didn’t try this sooner.  A smart lock has been the least complicated part of my home security routine, and it’s as smart as I want it to be—a big must if your household members have varying levels of tech comfort. You may be as surprised as I was at how uneventful the entire experience turned out to be (and that’s a good thing!) Installation was surprisingly easy First, before you ever buy a lock, get to know the doors in your home. You likely have an entry point in mind, but not all doors work with all locks. Most standard smart deadbolt kits, like the Schrage Encode Plus that I tried (read our expert’s review of the Schrage Encode Plus), have clear specifications on the packaging to confirm a fit. Even if it’s not explicitly stated, a given lock may not work on an antique, non-standard, or glass-filled door (e.g., French-style).  Linsey Knerl/Foundry We chose a door that was close enough to be in range of our home Wi-Fi network, but far enough away that we’d appreciate the convenience of locking it without having to physically walk to the door. In our case, this was the front door to our very cold-in-winter garage—which did not, unfortunately, have an existing lock. If your preferred door doesn’t have a deadbolt already, you can cut holes for one—which is what we did. Most hardware stores sell door lock installation kits, but be sure you purchase both the hole saw component and the latch plate jig. They may not be bundled together in the same kit. (If you don’t have a handy spouse like I do, this is a quick job for a handyman that should take less than an hour.) After we had a deadbolt hole and a place for a latch plate, the installation itself was super simple. The entire process took less than 10 minutes, so if you’re looking for a weekend project, this won’t even take the whole weekend. (Meaning, you can’t use it as an excuse to miss your least-favorite cousin’s wedding.) Linsey Knerl/Foundry Here are some highlights and tips from our installation: The door lock we chose came with an instruction booklet and an app to guide us through. I preferred the app because it had animated videos that really helped someone like me, who has little spatial ability. Reading all the steps before you start can be very helpful, as well.  The unique security code for your lock is likely printed on the instructions. Snap a photo of this with your phone so you’ll always have it, even if you lose the pamphlet.  To make the process smoother, check what you’ll need before you start and verify that you have each item (screws, plates, etc.) mentioned in the instructions. Our lock came with standard AA batteries, but not all do. Have a fresh set available so you can finish installation.  Separate bolt or screw types by size so you don’t accidentally use the wrong one for a particular step.  As long as you have a standard-sized Phillips screwdriver, you won’t need extra tools, but a second person can help when lining up the lock from the other side of the door.  As a final note, I’d strongly advise picking a door lock that runs on batteries. While hard-wired options are available, these are more appropriate for homeowners with access to an electrician and would likely lead to a more involved installation process. You can decide how smart your smart lock will be I have a love-hate relationship with gadgets due to privacy concerns and app fatigue. If you do too, that’s OK. Smart locks can be used as part of a connected ecosystem of smart devices or entirely on their own.  While you generally need to install the app and sign up for a free account to use a smart lock initially, continued use is optional. Our lock came with a key and a PIN pad, so it is unnecessary to connect to a smart assistant (Alexa, Google Home) unless you want to. In the event of a power or internet outage, I can rely on the lock’s battery power and PIN, or stick with the old-fashioned key on a ring. I also love this type of smart-lock configuration for “Wait Until 8th” households, as it allows kids to come and go without compromising on tech boundaries.  Schlage Encode Plus Smart WiFi Deadbolt Read our review Best Prices Today: $249.94 at Amazon | $319 at Schlage | Not Available at Amazon Prime I also like that our lock came with a guest PIN option, meaning a housekeeper, visiting family member, or dog-sitter can come and go with their own PIN. We can see when they came and went with notifications in the app, or even disable the PIN to revoke access.  Other locks come with fingerprint identification, something I really didn’t want. In the winter, we prefer to keep gloves on, and I’m really hesitant to give more personal data than necessary to any app or device. But you can always balance your unique needs and privacy concerns with any lock you choose.  It gave me peace of mind Ultimately, the right smart lock should make you feel safer than without one. In our case, I was impressed with a few features right from the start. For one, it was easy to check the lock’s status from anywhere, including my bed at three in the morning. This is a key factor in the middle of December, when I’m reluctant to brave the chilly temperatures in the garage to check if my door is truly locked. (Keep in mind that if you choose a Bluetooth-only smart lock rather than a Wi-Fi model or one with a network-connected hub, you’ll need to be physically near the lock to access it.) It also provides some assurance when I leave the kids home alone. Rather than texting to remind them to lock the door (and obsessively waiting for them to text back to confirm they complied), I can just check the phone app. I also get notified when they lock or unlock the door, whether they do so with the app, a connected device, the PIN pad, or the physical key.  My favorite use case is the ability to remotely lock the door immediately. Remember the escaped fugitive I mentioned earlier? It really happened in our small town, and it was nice to lock my door in the middle of the day from my kitchen without making the trek to the garage. While I doubt seconds matter in most cases, it is handy to be able to lock or unlock the door instantly.  Kwikset Halo Select Touchscreen Wi-Fi and Matter Enabled Smart Lock Read our review Best Prices Today: $259 at Amazon You can take it with you Finally, I understand the reluctance to spend a lot of money on a nicer smart lock, especially if you’re in a starter home—or if you plan to replace your door at some point. However, uninstalling the lock takes less time than installing it. So, if you keep all the parts from your original lock, it’s just as simple a process to put things back the way they were and bring your fancy lock to your next door (or location). With some of these locks costing hundreds of dollars, I like having the freedom to not be “locked” into a single door.  I’m a smart lock believer now I’m not sold on all new technology and will probably never invest in a smart fridge, for example. But I can’t deny that the smart lock has changed the way I think about security and may have actually enhanced (in a small way) how I live.  Having a smart lock makes safety a one-button push thing, like the fob on my car keys. It’s safety first, but without all the drama of waking up my husband at 3 a.m. to ask, “Are you sure you remembered to lock the door?” It gives my racing mind one less thing to ruminate on while keeping my most prized treasures (my family) a little bit more secure.  But you don’t have to be an obsessive checker like me to get value from a smart lock. Anyone who lives in cold climates or thinks hiding a key under the mat is an outdated idea can probably get on board with the gadget. Because protecting what matters most should feel simple, not stressful. Check out TechHive’s top picks for the best smart locks. Read...

AI is already crafting natural-language summaries of what Amazon’s Ring and Google’s Nest cameras are seeing, and now the AI-generated descriptions are coming to Blink cameras, too.  Slated to begin rolling out today in beta to U.S. users, Blink Video Descriptions will employ AI to analyze the video events captured by Blink security cameras and then generate descriptions of what’s happening.  The feature, which will work with all existing Blink cameras and doorbells, will start off as a free preview for “select” Blink Plus subscribers, according to a Blink spokesperson. In a Blink promotional clip, an AI-generated description for an event video reads, “A person in a red shirt is riding a bike in front of a white house,” which pretty much summarizes what’s happening in the video.  The videos descriptions are “designed to only deliver the most relevant information” and will “focus on describing the main subject that caused a motion alert and what action they are taking,” Blink said.  Blink Video Descriptions are similar to the AI summaries generated by Ring’s Smart Video Search, which rolled out to Ring subscribers more than a year ago. Both Blink and Ring are owned by Amazon.  Blink Video Descriptions will employ AI to analyze the video events captured by Blink security cameras and then generate descriptions of what’s happening. Blink Google has also rolled out its own generative-AI video descriptions powered by Gemini, while other security cam manufacturers (such as Eufy) have their own versions of the technology.  For now, Blink Video Descriptions apply only to individual video events. In contrast, Google’s Gemini for Home can also generate “Daily Briefs” that summarize your daily smart home activity, including motion events captured by Nest cameras.  In addition, Blink Video Descriptions are not searchable, as are the AI descriptions rendered by Ring’s Smart Video Search feature.  One issue with Blink Video Descriptions that remains up in the air is whether it will require a subscription once it’s out of beta, with a Blink spokesperson telling me that “we don’t have any details to share on subscription requirements for Blink Video Descriptions at this time.” Blink offers two paid subscription tiers: a $3.99-a-month Basic plan that offers 60 days of video history, AI-powered person and vehicle detection, and other features for a single Blink camera, and a $11.99/month plan covers all your Blink cameras while adding an extended warranty.  This news story is part of TechHive’s in-depth coverage of the best security cameras. Read...