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Perplexity's AI-powered browser opens up to select Windows users
Product Reviews

Perplexity’s AI-powered browser opens up to select Windows users

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Perplexity is planning to open up its Comet browser that’s powered by “agentic search” to Windows users, according to the company’s CEO. Aravind Srinivas posted on X that the Windows build of Comet is ready and has sent out invites to early testers already. Perplexity’s CEO also hinted at a potential release for Android devices, adding that it was “moving at a crazy pace and moving ahead of schedule.”

In May, Perplexity launched a beta version of its AI-powered Comet browser, only available to Mac users running Apple Silicon. The intelligent browser comes with AI features baked in, like the ability to ask it questions, check shopping carts for discounts and dig up unanswered emails. The beta version even showcases a “Try on” feature where users can upload a photo of themselves and Comet will generate an image of them wearing a selected piece of clothing.

There’s still no official debut set, but Srinivas previously hinted at an upcoming release in an X post earlier this month. Comet is still only offering a waitlist for those interested, but the browser has already stirred up controversy. The company’s CEO previously made comments during a podcast interview that Perplexity would use Comet “to get data even outside the app to better understand you.” Srinivas later clarified on X that the comment was taken out of context, adding that “every user will be given the option to not be part of the personalization” when it comes to targeted ads. When Comet is released, the agentic browser will face competition from Opera Neon and similar offerings from Google and OpenAI.



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Geopolitical tensions cause crypto to crater despite select altcoin gains
GameFi Guides

Geopolitical tensions cause crypto to crater despite select altcoin gains

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The global cryptocurrency market cap fell 6.2% over the past 24 hours to $3.16 trillion, as escalating geopolitical tensions between the U.S. and Iran spurred a risk-off environment among investors. Total trading volume hit $148 billion during the same period.

Top gainers defying the trend included Gains Network (GNS), which surged 49.8%, Poollotto.finance up 38.2%, and meme coin Banana For Scale, which jumped 21.3%. On the flip side, Reservoir rUSD (RUSD) tumbled 50%, Gorbagana dropped 36.8%, and GAME by Virtuals fell 34.7%.

The shift comes as investors flee riskier assets like cryptocurrencies in favor of traditional safe havens such as the U.S. dollar, gold, and Treasury bonds. Though the U.S. Dollar Index edged slightly lower to 98.774 (-0.01%), analysts expect near-term strength from safe-haven demand, according to Reuters.

The decline in crypto prices reflects broader market psychology during geopolitical crises. Rising uncertainty tends to shake investor confidence in volatile assets.

Despite being decentralized, crypto is still perceived as speculative, observers note. When conflict erupts, people don’t want volatility—they want security.

Macroeconomic spillovers from geopolitical instability—such as inflationary pressure from rising oil prices or central bank rate hikes—also dampen crypto sentiment, especially when higher interest rates make risk assets less appealing.

In short, crypto’s latest dip underscores how sensitive the market remains to global events—and how quickly investor appetite can shift in uncertain times.



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Kwikset Halo Select review: A smart compromise
Product Reviews

Kwikset Halo Select review: A smart compromise

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Legacy lock maker Kwikset has been producing innovative smart locks since 2013, when it released the first touch-to-open lock, the Kwikset Kevo. The company followed that up with the launch of one of the first key-free locks in 2016, one of the earliest Apple HomeKit locks, and one of the first fingerprint-only locks. Kwikset has not shied away from new tech.

Its latest model, the Halo Select ($279.99), is one of the first full-replacement, Matter-over-Thread smart locks. I’ve tested almost every smart lock that Kwikset has made over the years, and this is its best yet. It’s super-responsive with solid features and broad smart home compatibility. It’s just too bad that using Matter means giving up its best feature.

$279

The Good

  • Excellent auto-unlock function
  • Choice of Wi-Fi or Matter-over-Thread
  • Great design
  • Discreet door sensor
  • Can be rekeyed

The Bad

  • Have to choose between Thread and Kwikset’s auto-unlock
  • No Home Key or biometric access
  • Touchscreen shows fingerprints
  • Prominent Kwikset branding

The Halo Select is a sleek-looking lock that should fit in with both traditional and contemporary door sets, although it has a modern slant. As Kwikset is one of two major residential lock companies (the other being Schlage), you may already have Kwikset locks and handle sets on your outer doors, meaning the Select might fit in with what you already have — something few other smart locks do.

The Halo blends in nicely with a contemporary Kwikset door handle set. But it’s a shame about the prominent branding.

It offers four entry methods: a keyway (which is rekeyable), a touchscreen keypad, app / smart home control, and auto-unlock based on location. The latter worked so well that I didn’t mind the lack of a fingerprint reader or Apple Home Key — normally my two favorite access methods. (Kwikset has teased a Halo Select Plus model with an NFC chip, but it hasn’t said whether that will work with Home Key or the forthcoming Aliro standard.)

One of Halo Select’s standout features is the option to connect to your smart home via Matter-over-Thread. This brings broad smart home compatibility over a local protocol, working with Amazon Alexa, Google Home, Apple Home, and Samsung SmartThings, among others.

The Thread radio brings faster response times than Wi-Fi and significantly longer battery life — almost double based on my testing. There are only a handful of full-replacement, Matter-over-Thread locks available – including the Level Lock Plus, the Eufy E30, U-tec’s Matter lock, and the Yale Assure SL. But the Halo Select is your best option right now.

Kwikset’s auto-unlock feature worked flawlessly in testing

To set it up with Matter, you need a Matter controller and a Thread border router. An Apple TV is both, or you can use a combination, such as an Echo speaker (Matter controller) and an Eero Wi-Fi router (Thread border router). Alternatively, you can connect the lock using its built-in Wi-Fi. This allows it to work with the Kwikset app, as well as Amazon Alexa and Google Home, via the cloud. You’ll lose the broader compatibility and battery life of Matter-over-Thread, but in exchange, you get one of the Halo Select’s best features: auto unlock.

Auto unlock is a relatively new feature on Kwikset locks. It uses a combination of radios, including GPS and Wi-Fi, to determine where your phone is in relation to your home so it can unlock the door as you approach.

This tech has been used in smart locks for a while — it was first seen on the original August smart lock in 2013 — but each company implements it slightly differently. In most locks I’ve tested with the feature, it’s been unreliable, working only about half the time. However, on the Halo Select, the experience has been flawless, with the door unlocking just as I approach my porch, every time.

1/3The Select in black, there’s also the option of satin nickel.

Specs: Kwikset Halo Select

  • Price: $279
  • Style: Full-replacement deadbolt
  • Connectivity: Wi-Fi or Matter-over-Thread
  • Auto-unlock: Yes, using Kwikset app
  • Access options: Key, keypad, app, voice control
  • Battery type: Four AA batteries
  • Battery life: Six to 12 months
  • Guest codes: Yes, 250
  • Security rating: BHMA Grade AAA / ANSI Grade 1 (highest rating)
  • Works with: Amazon Alexa, Google Assistant, Matter (including Apple Home, Samsung SmartThings)
  • Warranty: Lifetime mechanical and finish, 1 year electronics

The Halo Select can also auto-lock based on location. Most smart locks, including the Select, can be set to lock after a set period of time. In practice, this sometimes means your door locks behind you when you pop out to grab something from the car. Kwikset’s location-based lock can be set to not lock until you’ve left the driveway.

The downside is that the Kwikset app has to be running in the background, so if my phone died while I was out, it wouldn’t work unless I remembered to open the Kwikset app after I powered it back on.

A new technology called ultra-wideband unlocking is coming (someday) to solve this problem. It will communicate directly between your phone and the lock, no app required, and could also work with devices like smart watches. In the meantime, Kwikset’s solution is the best I’ve tested.

The other main unlocking option is a touchscreen keypad. While touchscreen keypads can be finicky, the Select’s is super responsive, and I like the clicky feedback it gives. However, I’d like to see better fingerprint resistance, as you can see them at some angles, which could be a security concern.

The Kwikset app, which is simple and easy to use, lets you share up to 250 access codes and choose from temporary, scheduled, or permanent access. I like the new LED lock indicator, which lights up when the keypad does and shows green for unlocked and red for locked. (Yes, I have often found myself accidentally locking an already unlocked door.)

While I like the look of the new Halo Select, I don’t like the prominent Kwikset branding, and I wish the lock itself were smaller; the rear housing is still very big. But the mechanism is much quieter than previous Kwikset locks I’ve tested.

The Halo Select is slim and compact up front, but the rear housing is still very large and chunky.

The Select uses four AA batteries.

Installation and setup were straightforward, thanks to a detailed and easy-to-follow in-app guide. I was impressed with its super slim door sensor that tucks up above the strike plate. This sends an alert via the Kwikset app when the door has been left open and can show you in the app if the door is open or closed when you control it remotely. However, this only works with the Kwikset app. It’d be nice if it showed up as a sensor when the lock is connected in Matter.

The lock has to be set up in the Kwikset app and connected to Wi-Fi, but there is then the option to switch it over to Matter-over-Thread. The app does a good job of making it clear what will happen if you do this — you lose access to the lock in the Kwikset app and can no longer use the auto-unlock feature or access the door sensor to see if the door is open or closed. But it also tells you what you’ll gain. Matter-over-Thread does promise better battery life, plus the ability to add it to Apple Home, Samsung SmartThings, and other platforms.

Kwikset does a good job explaining the advantages / disadvantages of using the lock with Matter. Image: Kwikset

I set it up in Apple Home, Google Home, and Samsung SmartThings via Matter with no issues and could control it with routines, automations, and voice commands. As for battery life, it uses four AA batteries that Kwikset says will last six months on Wi-Fi and over a year via Thread.

I tested it for five weeks on Wi-Fi and was at 50 percent, meaning I would get just over three months on Wi-Fi. After three weeks on Thread, it had only dropped 10 percent, an early indication that it should get the promised double battery life.

It’s frustrating to forgo features to use Matter, but this is mostly an issue with Matter, not Kwikset. Matter doesn’t support auto-unlock, door sensing, fingerprint access, or newer entry methods like facial recognition. And while some ecosystems have geofencing automations that can be set to unlock your door, in my testing, they don’t work as well and sometimes require extra steps.

All of this means that, today, choosing a smart lock requires making some compromises. Kwikset’s solution allows you to use some of those more advanced features today while retaining the future-proofing potential of Matter for tomorrow.

Agree to continue: Kwikset Halo Select

Every smart device now requires you to agree to a series of terms and conditions before you can use it — contracts that no one actually reads. It’s impossible for us to read and analyze every single one of these agreements. But we started counting exactly how many times you have to hit “agree” to use devices when we review them, since these are agreements most people don’t read and definitely can’t negotiate.

To set up the Halo Select, you must download and install the Kwikset app (iOS and Android) and create an account. By doing so, you need to agree to the following (Assa Abloy is Kwikset’s parent company):

The Select can be set up in Matter platforms such as Apple Home and Samsung SmartThings, but it must be set up in the Kwikset app first.

Final tally: three mandatory agreements.





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Nintendo Switch 2 Pro Controller Preorders Restocked At Select Retailers
Game Updates

Nintendo Switch 2 Pro Controller Preorders Restocked At Select Retailers

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Rather unsurprisingly, the Nintendo Switch 2 Pro Controller has been one of the most popular accessory add-ons for the upcoming console since preorders opened last month. Interest in Nintendo’s newest conventional controller has caused multiple retailers to sell out ahead of launch. With two weeks remaining until the Switch 2 arrives, preorders for the Pro Controller are currently available at Target and GameStop.

Depending on your location, you may be able to snag a preorder for in-store, launch-day pickup at Best Buy. The Switch 2 Pro Controller is fully sold out at Walmart, and it doesn’t appear as if it will be restocked prior to the controller’s (and console’s) June 5 launch.

Heads up: If you’re looking to grab an extra pair of Joy-Con 2 Controllers, you will likely need to wait until launch, as we have yet to see a retailer listing for pairs or single Joy-Con 2 Controllers that was actually eligible for preorder.

$85 | Releases June 5

The Switch 2 Pro Controller looks quite similar to the original, but it does have a few notable new features: a pair of remappable back buttons, a C button for the Switch 2’s GameChat feature, and a 3.5mm headphone jack.

Nintendo made improvements to the controller’s rumble, gyro motion controls, and analog sticks. Unfortunately, the sticks do not utilize Hall Effect sensor technology, but Nintendo says they were designed to offer a smoother and quieter experience. The controller will also have NFC support for Amiibo figures.

The standout upgrades to the Pro Controller are also found on a pair of upcoming third-party controllers. Officially licensed Nintendo Switch 2 wired controllers by Hori and PowerA have remappable back buttons and the C button. Since both controllers are wired, they are substantially cheaper than the official option from Nintendo. The Horipad Turbo is $50, while PowerA’s Switch 2 Advantage Controllers start at $40, have Hall Effect sticks, and come in four different color schemes, including two Super Mario-themed designs.

While the new Switch 2 Pro Controller and the officially licensed themed controllers look cool, it’s reminding current Switch owners that many of the controllers you already own should work with Switch 2. The console is backward compatible with both games and accessories. All first-party and officially licensed Switch controllers are expected to work just fine on the new console. And if you own a Bluetooth controller you’re partial to, it should work without any issues. Controllers that connect via 2.4GHz dongles could be hit or miss, depending on the manufacturer, but it’s unlikely that you’ll run into any problems with major accessory brands like 8BitDo.

As such, you may want to consider a cheaper alternative to the Switch 2 Pro Controller. At the moment, the best controller for Nintendo Switch and Switch OLED, regardless of price, is the 8BitDo Ultimate 2 Bluetooth Controller. Released earlier this year, the Ultimate 2 Bluetooth is a major iteration of 8BitDo’s flagship controller series.

The Ultimate 2 has four remappable buttons–two back, two shoulder–adjustable trigger locks with two stopping points, TMR electromagnetic sensors (better than Hall Effect), RGB lighting rings, and robust customization features via 8BitDo’s software suite on PC and Android. You can set up three custom profiles, modify stick and trigger sensitivity, create deadzones, alter rumble intensity, and set up different lighting effects/colors.

The Ultimate 2 Bluetooth comes with a matching charging dock that holds an optional USB-C dongle for 2.4GHz Wireless. It’s unclear if the Ultimate 2 Bluetooth will work with Switch 2 via 2.4GHz Wireless, but Bluetooth and wired connections should be seamless.

If you’re interested in using the new GameChat feature with video chat, check out our breakdown of the official Switch 2 cameras releasing in June. There are three options to choose from: Nintendo’s first-party camera, Hori’s Piranha Plant Camera, and the travel-friendly Hori USB Camera.

Nintendo Switch 2 preorders have been sold out for nearly a month now, and it doesn’t seem like the console will be restocked until launch.

If you managed to secure a preorder and are interested in pairing your console with more accessories and games, check out our roundups of first-party Switch 2 gear and all the Switch 2 physical games you can preorder now.



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