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Meta Ray-Ban Display hands-on: the best smart glasses I’ve ever tried
Product Reviews

Meta Ray-Ban Display hands-on: the best smart glasses I’ve ever tried

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I want to preface this hands-on by saying that I’ve been a smart glasses skeptic for many years. In 2019, I even made a two-part mini documentary with a thesis that consumer smart glasses couldn’t happen without massive societal and technological shifts. Well, color me pink and let me find a shoe to eat. After getting a demo of the $799 Meta Ray-Ban Display, I’m convinced this is the closest we’ve ever gotten to what Google Glass promised over 10 years ago.

The glasses look just like a chunky pair of Ray-Bans. But put them on, pinch your middle finger twice, and a display will appear in front of your right eye, hovering in front of your vision. It’s not augmented reality overlaid on the real world so much as on-demand, all-purpose menu with a handful of apps. You can use it to see text messages, Instagram Reels, maps, or previews of your photos, letting you do all kinds of things without having to pull out your phone. In fact, since it pairs to your phone, it sort of functions like a pop-up extension of it.

The display shows apps in full color with a 600-by-600-pixel resolution and a 20-degree field of view. It has a whopping 5,000 nits of maximum brightness, yet only 2 percent light leakage, which means it’s nigh impossible for people around you to see that it’s there. Each pair of the Display glasses comes with transition lenses, and the brightness adjusts depending on ambient UV light. Since it’s monocular, the display only appears in the one lens, and while it can be a little distracting, it doesn’t fully obstruct your vision.

It was difficult for us to capture our own still photos of what the display looked like for me at the hands-on. This is a decent approximation. Image: Meta

My colleague Jay Peters was looking at me dead-on while I was reading a text message, and he couldn’t see a trace of it. I stepped outside into a sunny area, and while the display was hard to see at first, it came into clearer focus as the transition lenses took effect. (Though even 5,000 nits can’t compete with the sun if you stare directly at it. Side note: don’t stare directly at the sun.)

When you are looking at the screen, your conversation partner may not see what you’re looking at, and will be able to tell you’re a little distracted. Jay noticed this immediately in my demo, and after, we joked: forget phones at the dinner table — now you’ve got to worry if your spouse, date, or friend is secretly watching videos or texting while you’re telling them important news.

The glasses are bolder than the Ray-Ban Metas. The frames are thicker, the edges are more rounded, and the overall Wayfarer shape is more square. The nose bridge, I’m told, is designed to have a universal fit. As someone with a low nose bridge, I appreciated that it didn’t slip down my face. Also, good news if you have a wide face: there are now overextension hinges so the temple arms can bend slightly outward for a more comfortable fit. Battery life lasts around six hours with “mixed use,” and you get 30 hours total with the new collapsible charging case. And at 69 grams, it’s still relatively light.

I’m tracing letters into my leg to write a text message. You can hold your arm by your side to control the device with the Neural Band. Photo by Colt Bradley / The Verge

Another big new addition is the Meta Neural Band. We’ve seen this before with last year’s Orion prototype, but using it was eye-opening. The band utilizes something called electromyography to read the signals from your muscles so that you can control the display with gestures. It was a lot to take in at first, but I got the hang of it pretty quickly. And the coolest part? You don’t have to hold out your arm as with a headset like the Apple Vision Pro. You can just hold your hand at your side — behind your back, under a table, anywhere really — and perform all the gestures discreetly.

Pinching once with your index finger selects an item in the menu, while the same action with the middle finger acts as a back button. Pinching your middle finger twice summons and dismisses the display. You can also make a sideways fist and swipe your thumb left, right, up, and down to scroll through options. Pinching while rotating your hand will raise or lower the volume while listening to music, as well as zoom in when you’re taking photos.

Here are some examples of how you can’t see the display, but you can tell my attention is elsewhere.

Adding a display plus this wristband suddenly unlocks a range of hands-free capabilities. On the Ray-Ban Meta glasses, you have to pull up Instagram Live on your phone if you want to see what your photos or videos look like. With the Display glasses, you have a built-in preview window. My smart glasses photos will no longer be plagued by my bangs or my infernal tendency to tilt my head. You can also take video calls directly to your eyeballs in WhatsApp. You’ll be able to see whoever’s calling, and they’ll be able to see your point of view, too. I tried a video call with Jay. While it was incredibly cool to see his face floating in my vision, I couldn’t help feeling like a spy about to steal some corporate secrets in a high-stakes heist.

Messaging is another obvious plus. You can read, view photos and Instagram Reels, and reply to messages without ever having to take out your phone. (The Reels part is a little annoying; my friends send me TikToks.) And later this year, Meta is planning on introducing a handwriting feature where you can trace letters on any surface and discreetly reply to messages without having to dictate things aloud. I got to try it, and it worked shockingly well. There’s also predictive text, so you don’t even have to “write” that much.

Meta Ray-Ban Display and Neural Band specs

  • Display: 600 x 600 pixels with 20-degree field of view, 90Hz refresh rate (30Hz for content), and 30–5,000 nits of brightness
  • Battery life: 6 hours of mixed use for glasses, 18 hours for Neural Band. The glasses case holds 4 extra charges.
  • Lenses: Transition lenses that support prescriptions from -4.00 to +4.00
  • Camera: 12MP with 3x zoom; 3024 x 4032 pixel photo resolution with 1080p at 30fps for video
  • Weight: 69g
  • Water resistance: IPX4 for glasses, IPX7 for Neural Band
  • Storage: 32GB of storage, capable of storing up to 1,000 photos and 100 30-second videos.

A live caption demo was impressive. When you’re speaking to someone, the screen can display text or translations for live speech right in your line of sight. The wildest thing, however, is that thanks to the multidirectional microphone array, the glasses can tell who you’re looking at and will only show captions for that person. I got my demo while multiple people were speaking at once, and cross-talk was never an issue. When switching who I looked at, there was nearly zero latency in the captions catching up. The original Ray-Ban Metas were a game-changer for visually impaired people, and I suspect these glasses will be the same for people who are hard of hearing.

I’m excited by turn-by-turn walking directions. While my hometown of New York City has always had a grid system, I somehow always manage to get turned around. I hate looking down at my phone, trying to figure out where I’m going. With the Display glasses, I could look up directions to the nearest Jack in the Box and then orient myself on a map as I would on a phone. While I didn’t get to go to said hamburger joint, I was told you can dismiss the screen and still get turn-by-turn directions when you need them all while staying present in your surroundings.

You can’t see that I’m video calling my colleague Jay Peters, though you can see what I see on the laptop on the table behind me. Photo by Colt Bradley / The Verge

Meta’s Live AI features also get a boost. I used it to give myself a mini self-guided museum tour by taking a picture of an Andy Warhol Campbell’s soup can painting. Meta AI offered a short description, while the display showed info cards with further examples from the rest of that series of paintings. I also asked the AI to show me a chai latte recipe. It gave me step-by-step instructions, and then I hid the display and brought it back up again. The idea is you can review the steps, get cooking, and only review the next steps when needed. This seems useful as someone with many waterlogged cookbooks.

There haven’t been many consumer smart glasses, but I’ve tried everything from the original Google Glass and the enterprise edition to the defunct Focals by North. I have pairs of Rokid Glasses, XREAL glasses, and the Even Realities G1 that I’m currently testing. I’ve even received multiple demos of Google’s new prototype XR glasses. This is the first time I’ve ever felt like consumer smart glasses might really take off. Not just because Meta’s execution is excellent, but because I can see use cases I want in my daily life.

The glasses will come in two colors: black and sand, with matching neural wristbands and collapsible charging cases. Photo by Victoria Song / The Verge

Still, after the initial wonder and excitement tempered, I remembered my colleague Liz Lopatto’s recent column on how none of us truly has anonymity anymore. Surely these glasses will only exacerbate that. I thought about Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg’s recent comments that people without AI smart glasses will be at a “significant cognitive disadvantage.” I winced at how a Border Patrol agent was spotted wearing a pair of Ray-Ban Metas during an immigration raid. Then I mulled the huge advances these glasses could pioneer in accessibility tech, enabling disabled people to live more independently. Are we perhaps rushing to open Pandora’s box without first thinking through what might break in the process? That question will linger in my mind until I get a pair for myself.

The Meta Ray-Ban Display glasses go on sale on September 30th for $799, and you’ll be able to try them for yourselves at Best Buy, LensCrafters, Ray-Ban Stores, and Verizon. They’re US-only to start, but Meta will expand sales to Canada, France, Italy, and the UK in early 2026.

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    Victoria Song

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Meta's New Wraparound Smart Glasses Are the Most Oakley Oakleys You Can Buy
Gaming Gear

Meta’s New Wraparound Smart Glasses Are the Most Oakley Oakleys You Can Buy

by admin


Ray-Ban wasn’t the only collaboration that got some shine at Meta Connect. The company also took the wraps (no pun intended) off a pair of wraparound shades designed by Oakley and, like its recently released HSTN smart glasses, designed more with sporty types in mind.

Outside of the differing glasses shape, the $499 Meta Oakley Meta Vanguard (yes, that’s the official name in that order) specs also have a centered camera that’s meant to be better suited for capturing footage during “action” sports like snowboarding or cycling. Similar to Oakley’s HSTN glasses, the Vanguard have upgraded camera specs and are capable of capturing video in up to 3K resolution with its 12-megapixel camera that has a 122-degree field of view.

© Meta

There are some new fitness integrations, specifically with Garmin and Strava, that allow you to use the smart glasses as a sort of augment for health wearables. For instance, you can ask Meta AI how you’re doing on your fitness goals, or you can get updates on other fitness metrics in real time.

While the tech inside the Vanguard is significant, equally as important is the form factor. Wraparound shades, while they’re probably not the style most normies would spring for, are ideal for skiing and snowboarding because of the superior wind blockage. Having used Meta’s HSTN smart glasses a little myself, I think Vanguard will appeal to more people interested in the action sports side of things since the former double more as just regular specs.

One of the biggest upgrades that I got to hear for myself is the speakers. According to Meta, the Vanguard are 6 decibels louder than the HSTN glasses, which is clutch if you’re tearing down a hill at 30 mph on a snowboard. Meta also tried to optimize the design for sports in a number of ways, including an IP67 water rating, which makes them very durable when it comes to water and dust. I don’t know any professional water skiers, but if I did, I’d probably recommend these smart glasses.

Battery-wise, the Vanguard have decent longevity on paper. According to Meta, they have 9 hours of battery life with “mixed usage” or as much as 6 hours if you’re playing music continuously. With the charging case, Meta says its smart glasses get 36 hours and they can go from 0 to 50% in 20 minutes. There are all sorts of lens variations this go-around too, including black, sapphire, 24K (which is gold), and something called “Road.” Those lenses can be swapped around or replaced, but it’ll cost you a whole $85.

I haven’t had a chance to really test out the Vanguards in depth, but I can see how these would be appealing to someone who wants a sturdy pair of action-sports-oriented smart glasses. They’re available on Oct. 21 if that’s your thing, or you can preorder now.



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Meta Goes Even Harder Into Smart Glasses With 3 New Models
Gaming Gear

Meta Goes Even Harder Into Smart Glasses With 3 New Models

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It takes time to realize you don’t have to hold your hand out in front of you for these gestures to be recognized, but a surprisingly short amount of time to find yourself using them with very little second thought.

Of course talking to Meta AI remains a key way of interacting with the glasses, but Meta hopes that adding the visual elements will enhance the chatbot experience. For example, live speech captioning and language translation is still switched on by voice—but with Meta Ray-Ban Display, you can see the translations and captions appearing in real time on the glasses rather than on your phone’s screen. This is the same with commands like “Hey Meta, what am I looking at,” which can now offer more visually rich information about whatever the front-facing cameras are pointing at. Asking Meta to navigate to a local attraction results in the glasses displaying turn-by-turn directions directly on top of the real world as you walk.

For times when talking might be difficult, Meta also showed off a feature that tracks handwriting input as an alternative to voice commands. Aimed at quick messages, the user can “draw” letters with an outstretched finger on a flat service (or your leg), and the Neural Band will turn it into text. Though the feature was part of the demo we received, Meta says it won’t be available to users at launch, but will arrive soon. Who knows, maybe this will be the thing that helps save handwriting.

Meta has acknowledged some limitations with features at launch. For example, the built-in Spotify integration is only able to show what’s playing on your phone and give you basic playback controls, and Instagram is currently limited to just Reels and messages. Meta intends to broaden out the capabilities soon.

Also notable: The Orion prototype we saw last year required an external puck to power its most computing-intensive capabilities. But that prototype design provides a full range of augmented reality features. The AR feature set of this new Display model is more limited, so the puck isn’t needed. Also, this means the Display’s frames are slimmer. Meta does eventually plan to offer a full slate of wearable options to consumers: smart glasses, display glasses, and full AR glasses.

The Ray-Ban Displays will be available in either black or sand colors starting on September 30 for $799 and will initially only be available as in-store purchases in the US. Meta says you need to buy them in person because the wristband has to be fitted correctly to the wrist of your dominant hand. Also, the folks selling you the system will show you the hand gestures that control the glasses—though there will be a tutorial walkthrough when you first power on the glasses too.

Be ready to move quickly if you want them though. Meta says there are limited quantities available, and other countries won’t get them until early 2026.

Oakley Meta Vanguard

The Vanguard.

Photograph: Meta

Louder speakers are built into the arms.

Photograph: Meta

The ultrawide camera is right in the middle.

Photograph: Meta

Following on from the Oakley Meta HSTN glasses announced earlier this year, Meta’s newest Oakley collaboration evokes the timeless look of a pair of wrap-around Oakley Sphaera Glasses—but with a twist. That twist of course is a 12-megapixel ultrawide camera with a 122-degree field of view that’s positioned smack in the middle of the lens, right on the bridge of your nose. This is the optimum placement for recording POV action sports videos at up to 3K, as well as for capturing scenes in the glasses’ new slow-mo and hyperlapse modes.

The Vanguards are very much being marketed to sports enthusiasts—those who might be inclined to choose the Meta glasses over a GoPro, for instance. To that end, the Vanguards have an IP67 waterproof rating, the best waterproofing on any pair of Meta glasses. The speakers built into the arms of the frames are 6 decibels louder to make up for any loss of clarity caused by wind noise, and a new 5-mic array lets your commands be clearly heard even when an arctic gale is blasting you in the face while you careen down the slopes.



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Montage of three wireless video doorbells
Gaming Gear

I’m a smart home tech editor, and these are the 3 best wireless video doorbells that you can install in minutes

by admin



Wireless video doorbells have come a long way in recent years, and many of the latest models offer super-high resolution footage, smart object detection, and extra-long battery life. They’re incredibly easy to install as well; just screw the mount to your doorframe (or stick it up using 3M tape in some cases), clip on the doorbell, and you’re ready to get going.

Not all wireless doorbells are made equal, though. Some are trickier than others to set up, some suffer from significant lag when you’re talking to a caller, and some have their best features locked behind an expensive paywall. That’s why I’ve put together this list of the three best wireless doorbells that deliver great performance and offer good value for money.

If you live in the UK, I also recommend checking out the Philips 7000 Series Video Doorbell, which can be used wirelessly and has a huge 8GB internal storage for your clips, and the super accessible Doro Hemma, which is ideal for anyone who wants to keep home security as simple as possible. Both of these are superb wireless doorbells, but aren’t currently available in the US or Australia.


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EZVIZ EP3x Pro

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(Image credit: Future)(Image credit: Future)(Image credit: Future)(Image credit: Future)(Image credit: Future)

If I was looking for a new wireless video doorbell for my own home, this is the one I’d choose. Not only does it capture crisp 2K video, it has dual lenses that allow it to capture great images of packages left at your door, as well as visitors calling. No more worrying about falling victim to a porch pirate.

Speaking of deliveries, the EZVIZ EP3x Pro can detect and identify both packages and people, and give you specific alerts – an extremely handy feature that with most other brands would only be available for a monthly fee, but is included free here. There’s also 32GB built-in storage, which means you don’t have to pay to store your clips online, and you’re always in control of them. During testing we really appreciated the way your clips are listed in the app, which makes it simple to find and replay a specific moment.

If all that’s not enough, the EP3x Pro also comes with an angled solar panel that dramatically extends its battery life, so it’ll keep running for longer without recharging.

There are a few limitations. It’s pretty chunky for a video doorbell, and we found that its app wasn’t always the easiest to use, but its feature set is hard to beat and it’s dropped in price significantly since its launch, making it a bargain.

Read our full EZVIZ EP3x Pro review

Today’s best EZVIZ EP3x Pro deals

SwannBuddy4K

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(Image credit: Future)(Image credit: Chris Price)(Image credit: Chris Price)(Image credit: Chris Price)(Image credit: Chris Price)

Swann makes some of the best home security cameras we’ve tested here at TechRadar, and its video doorbells are superb too. The SwannBuddy4K is a particularly good example. Not only can it be used wirelessly, it also has one of the best cameras of any doorbell on the market, so you’ll never miss a detail.

When it first launched, one feature that particularly piqued my interest was the SwannBuddy4K’s ability to use AI to generate custom responses to visitors, with different tones of voice depending on how friendly (or not) you want it to be. In practice though, it was the super-sharp video quality that really impressed us here.


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The ability to use the SwannBuddy4K subscription-free is also a real boon. Your videos are stored on an internal SD card, so you don’t have to pay a monthly fee to save them in the cloud for access later.

When we first reviewed this doorbell we thought it was a little on the expensive side, but its price has dropped significantly since then. When you factor in the lack of subscription fees, it becomes great value.

Read our full SwannBuddy4K review

Today’s best SwannBuddy4K deals

Ring Battery Doorbell Plus

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(Image credit: Future)(Image credit: Future)(Image credit: Future)

Ring is the biggest name in video doorbells, and it’s easy to see why – its devices are easy to install, simple to use, and work seamlessly with Amazon Alexa devices. The Ring Battery Doorbell Plus is one of its best models, with an impressive field of view (150 x 150 degrees) that allows you to see visitors from head to foot, plus any packages they leave at your door, plus a higher video resolution than your typical Ring doorbell.

It’s a piece of cake to install, and like the two models above, it can run from a rechargeable battery or be connected to existing doorbell wiring. The battery is removable, so unlike some other wireless doorbells, you don’t need to take down the whole unit when it needs more power.

During our tests we found the customizable motion-detection zones particularly useful, and appreciated the ability to set privacy areas so we wouldn’t be notified of movement on a neighbor’s property or a sidewalk.

The biggest downside of this doorbell (and any other Ring doorbell) is that you’ll need a Ring Home subscription to get the most out of it. The membership plan isn’t, strictly speaking, mandatory, but without it you’ll only be able to watch video live from your doorbell’s camera – it won’t be saved anywhere so you can watch it back later. You also won’t be able to receive doorbell alerts as calls to your phone, or get specific person, package, and vehicle alerts. For more details, see our complete guide to Ring subscriptions.

Read our full Ring Battery Doorbell Plus review

Today’s best Ring Battery Doorbell Plus deals

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The Govee Table Lamp 2 Pro x Sound by JBL is lit up in green, pink, blue, and orange.
Product Reviews

Govee Table Lamp 2 Pro x Sound by JBL review: a vividly colorful smart light with musical talent

by admin



Why you can trust TechRadar


We spend hours testing every product or service we review, so you can be sure you’re buying the best. Find out more about how we test.

Govee Table Lamp 2 Pro x Sound by JBL review

The Govee Table Lamp 2 Pro x Sound by JBL is a smart lamp and Bluetooth speaker combo that enables you to switch up the vibe in moments.

Available to purchase directly from the Govee website or at Amazon, the Govee Table Lamp 2 Pro x Sound by JBL has a list price of $179.99 / £169.99. While the price is certainly on the steep side, if you’re already a big Govee fan and want to save space by incorporating a speaker into your smart light setup, this would be a good way to go about it.

Having said that, the Govee Table Lamp 2 Pro x Sound by JBL already been subject to a $20 / £20 discount in the Govee Fall sale, which sweetens the deal a little. That’s despite the fact that it has only been available in the US for around 11 weeks, and less than a week in the UK, at the time of writing.

(Image credit: Future)

Being so used to the Govee Table Lamp 2, which I happen to have two of, the Govee Table Lamp 2 Pro x Sound by JBL looks a little on the chonky side. This is understandable, considering it’s packing a speaker and a 5,200mAh rechargeable battery, which can provide up to four and a half hours of playback if the volume and brightness are set to fifty percent.

  • Govee Table Lamp 2 Pro x Sound by JBL at Amazon for $179.99

There’s a notable difference between the US and UK models when it comes to the power cable. The connector is set at a 90-degree angle in both cases, as the power port is located on the bottom of the lamp, but the US uses a small DC connector, and the UK uses USB-C.

More importantly, the cable for the US model is moulded to a US plug, so you can just plug and play; but in the UK, a USB-C cable is all that’s included, so I needed to source an adapter with a minimum of 35W for it to run efficiently. The first adapter I had to hand turned out to be too low-powered, and the lamp was clearly unimpressed.

(Image credit: Future)

Getting the Govee Table Lamp 2 Pro x Sound by JBL synced with the app and with the WiFi networks in the office and at home was a quick and simple process. There are two separate Bluetooth connections, one for the lamp itself and one for the speaker. I found this a little inconvenient at times, as it seemed I needed to reconnect the speaker in my phone’s Bluetooth settings whenever I’d been out of the room. But overall, it makes sense that it’s set up this way, as one may want to listen to music on their headphones while still enjoying the features of the lamp.

(Image credit: Future)

There are two elements of the Govee Table Lamp 2 Pro x Sound by JBL’s design that provide eye-catching lighting effects. These are the main body of the lamp, as you’d expect, but also the base, thanks to its clever reflective design. Both elements can be used independently or together, so you can have your lighting effects as stand-out or as subtle as you’d like.

The control panel on the top of the Govee Table Lamp 2 Pro x Sound by JBL was simple to use, with a push power button and four touch buttons for the speakers’ volume controls, playing and pausing, and a button for cycling through nine customizable presets.

(Image credit: Future)

My favorite way to control the Govee Table Lamp 2 Pro x Sound by JBL – and all the Govee products I’ve tested, actually – is by taking advantage of the voice control via my Echo Dot (5th Gen) or hopping onto the feature-packed Govee Home app.

If you’ve already read some of my other product reviews, such as the highly rated Govee Neon Rope Light 2, you’ll already have some idea of how fond I am of the Govee Home app.

Along with the run-of-the-mill power, brightness, and volume controls, it also boasts over 100 preset scenes, with themes ranging from the ocean to the universe. The Govee Home app offers opportunities to get creative with lighting effects, too, with a finger sketch feature that allows you to decorate the canvas with random colors or drawings before choosing a motion setting and speed, as well as an AI effect generator.

Image 1 of 4

(Image credit: Future)(Image credit: Future)(Image credit: Future)(Image credit: Future)

One small niggle I have stems from the preset audio that plays by default when some of the scenes are selected. I found some of them to be somewhat irritating, especially if they caught me by surprise when cycling through the default presets using the onboard controls. Fortunately, they can be disabled in the app, but only one at a time, so I had to go through and turn them off for all of my favorite scenes that were afflicted.

(Image credit: Future)

The audio quality was as I expected from a JBL speaker, by which I mean it was a solid performer. The treble sounds clean, and I could hear a good level of definition in the high-pitched percussion in the background of Sunny Days by Kolter. The bass lacks some impact, but it still has a good weight to it and isn’t bad going, considering the price. Unless you happen to be an audiophile, you’ll probably be perfectly happy with the audio quality on offer here.

The Dynamic Music feature added some fun when listening to music, especially the Gridding and Ripple effects, and was enjoyed by everyone in my office. I did notice they can struggle to hit the right notes if the track has a lot of different elements, but it’s nonetheless a fun dynamic effect, especially when paired with bass-heavy tracks.

(Image credit: Future)

Overall, the Govee Table Lamp 2 Pro x Sound by JBL offers eye-catching and day-brightening lighting effects and a satisfying-sounding speaker for the price. So, if you love the look of the Govee Table Lamp 2 and want a solid speaker to listen to tunes, podcasts, or audiobooks, then you’ll be happy wth the Govee Table Lamp 2 Pro x Sound by JBL.

If you’re in the mood to check out more ambience-altering lighting, then why not take a look at our pick of the best smart lights?

Govee Table Lamp 2 Pro x Sound by JBL review: Price and specs

Swipe to scroll horizontally

Price

$179.99 / £169.99

Model

H6020

Colors

Lamp Body: RGBICWW, Base: RGBIC

Lumens

600

Dimensions

6.1 x 6.1 x 10.1 inches / 18.9 x 18.9 x 34cm

Connectivity

2.4GHz Wi-Fi, Bluetooth

App

Yes

Control methods

Alexa, Google Home, Matter, IFTTT, Apple Watch, Razer

Speaker

Sound by JBL 2.5-inch 500cc full-range speaker

Additional features

Rechargeable battery

Should I buy the Govee Table Lamp 2 Pro x Sound by JBL?

Buy it if…

Don’t buy it if…

Govee Table Lamp 2 Pro x Sound by JBL review: Also consider

How I tested the Govee Table Lamp 2 Pro x Sound by JBL

  • I tested the Govee Table Lamp 2 Pro x Sound by JBL for a couple of weeks
  • I tested the different features and customizable settings
  • I observed its performance as a smart light and as a speaker

I used the Govee Table Lamp 2 Pro x Sound by JBL on my desk and next to my bed for a couple of weeks.

I followed the setup process on the Govee Home app and explored its features, testing how different scenes looked, and used the creative features to create my own.

I tested the audio quality by listening to different genres of music and bumping up the volume to assess the output at higher levels.

Govee Table Lamp 2 Pro x Sound by JBL: Price Comparison



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6 Best Digital Notebooks, Tablets, and Smart Pens (2025)
Product Reviews

6 Best Digital Notebooks, Tablets, and Smart Pens (2025)

by admin


Comparing Our Favorite Digital Notebooks

Our Favorite Smart Pens

Neo Smartpen M1+ for $129: Skip the tablet and write directly on paper with a smart pen instead. The Neo Smartpen M1+ is the thinnest and lightest of all the pens I tried, which makes it feel a bit more like your standard pen. Importantly, it’s comfortable to hold and use. You should be able to find whatever size and style of notebook you need as well as planners. The Neo Studio app (iOS, Android) is nice, with an easy-to-navigate notebook system and the ability to search for pages by page number or date. You can change the color of the ink and thickness of the lines right on the page as you go, or you can switch them up later and edit the colors of what you’ve written. —Medea Giodiano

Moleskine Smart Writing Set for $279: Moleskine has garnered a devoted following for its classic notebooks and journals, but it has also moved into smart territory. The Smart Writing Set gets you a notebook and pen bundle, so this is the best option for most people starting out. Write in the notebook and it’ll appear in the companion app! But you can buy the pen on its own, as well as the smart notebooks and planners in various sizes. The Moleskine Notes 2.0 app (iOS, Android) was easy to use once I settled into it. An older version of the app is available for download, but the 2.0 version is more streamlined. A pop-up let me know that 2.0 is still a work in progress and I might need to switch back to the older version if my device is having trouble, but my iPhone 11 didn’t have any issues. I tested the the $149 2018 version of the Smart Writing Set, which is no longer available, but we plan to test the latest version soon. —Medea Giordano

Honorable Mentions

Photograph: Iskn

Boox Note Air3 C for $450: This model was a solid all-around performer, and has a more complicated ecosystem than our top picks but has more capabilities to compare with a standard tablet. This version has been discontinued, but there’s a new version, the Note Air4 C ($530).

Neo Smartpen Dimo for $59: This is the cheapest smart pen option and uses replaceable batteries. It isn’t compatible with Google Calendar, iCal, or Outlook like our other picks.

Rocketbook Fusion Plus for $38: If you really prefer the paper experience and don’t want something you need to charge, then Rocketbook is for you. Rocketbook makes several reusable notebooks, planners, and accessories like index cards and sticky notes. I like the Rocketbook Fusion Plus since it comes with a ton of different template styles, from your classic monthly and weekly pages to project management layouts and meeting notes, making it feel closer to the variety a digital notebook can offer you. Take notes with an erasable Pilot Frixion Pen (one comes with whichever item you buy), scan photos of the pages into the Rocketbook app, and erase the whole thing with the damp microfiber cloth (also included). The app is designed to keep everything organized and easily send things off to Google Drive, Slack, Trello, OneNote, and a handful of other options.

Supernote A6 X2 Nomad for $329: This is a smaller version of the Supernote A5 X2 Manta, measuring almost 6 inches on one side and 7.5 inches on the other. Supernote designed it with travel in mind, but I find it to be a great size for a daily digital to-do list or writing down quick notes from a meeting. It’s too small for anything major, but if you’re looking for something compact, this is a good option with Supernote’s software (and with the same fantastic pens!). Like the Manta above, this model rose in price due to the tariffs, though it only went up $30.

FAQs

Do You Need a Digital Note-Taking Device?

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The short answer is no. These devices are expensive, usually costing several hundred dollars when a simple notebook and pen costs a few bucks. But if you like the physical act of writing over typing but need to have digital copies, they’re worth considering.

Pros:

  • Digital notebooks are thin and light but hold hundreds of notes.
  • You can transcribe your notes into text files, making them easier to read and manipulate.
  • Depending on the device, you can export files as PDFs, Google Docs, Evernote files, and more.
  • Instantly digitizes your art too.

Cons:

  • Expensive.
  • Need to be charged.
  • Have a learning curve.
  • Most smart pens need to be paired with an accompanying notebook. The upcoming Nuwa Pen promises smart notes on any paper.

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E Ink notebooks are easier on the eyes and feel closer to paper than a glass-screened tablet. But in some cases, you might spend less getting an iPad and an Apple Pencil (and a keyboard if you also want to type sometimes). You can also do more on them thanks to the thousands of apps in the App Store, but still take notes and draw. An iPad is pretty intuitive if you’re familiar with the Apple ecosystem (though both ReMarkable and Supernote’s ecosystems are also very intuitive). Former WIRED reviewer Jaina Grey recommended using her 11-inch iPad Pro with the GoodNotes and Notability apps for her writing, but there are other models that should work fine, including our top pick, the 2025 iPad. Check our our guide to the Best iPads for more advice on which to buy.

I also have an iPad, and I’ll say the upside of a digital notebook is the battery tends to last longer, especially if you’re the type to use it for a day or two and then forget about it for a few days. My trusty Kindle Scribe usually manages to have plenty of battery available for whenever I feel the note-taking itch, even if it’s been a week or two since I last touched it.

Why Are Digital Notebooks So Expensive?

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Just because these devices look like paper doesn’t mean they’re as cheap to make as a sheet of paper. Like any tablet or smart phone, these devices are packed with features, a special ecosystem, and the e-ink technology is no small feat to perfect, along with a sensation similar to writing on paper. It’s an impressive feat of technology.

Prices haven’t gotten cheaper for this category in the wake of tariffs’ causing technology prices to rise. ReMarkable did recently raise the price of our top pick, the ReMarkable Paper Pro. Another favorite of ours from Supernote has gone up a little less than $50, and Kobo also slightly raised its prices, though the $10 increase is pretty minor compared to other increases we’ve seen. We’ll continue to monitor prices and flag if more price changes are to come.

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Product Reviews

‘Hypernova’ smart glasses, AI and the metaverse

by admin


Meta Connect, the company’s annual event dedicated to all things AR, VR, AI and the metaverse is just days away. And once again, it seems like it will be a big year for smart glasses and AI.

This year, the event will take a slightly different format than in the past. Mark Zuckerberg is scheduled to kick things off with an evening keynote at 5PM PT on Wednesday, September 17. A developer keynote with other executives will take place the next morning on September 18, beginning at 10AM, with more talks and developer sessions to follow.

It’s not clear why Meta changed things up this year, but it is shaping up to be a particularly eventful year for Connect. We’re expecting two new models of smart glasses, including Meta’s first to have a display, as well as new Meta AI and metaverse updates. As usual, Engadget will be reporting live from Zuckerberg’s keynote at Meta HQ, but until then, here’s a closer look at what’s coming and what to keep an eye on.

New and updated smart glasses

The biggest news of the day will be Meta’s next-generation of smart glasses. The frames, often referred to by their reported internal name “Hypernova,” will be the first consumer-ready glasses from Meta that have a display. We already know quite a bit about these thanks to more than a year of leaks.

While the frames are expected to have a small display on one side, they won’t offer the kind of immersive augmented reality experience we’ve seen on Meta’s Orion prototype. Instead the display will allow you to view things like notifications and photo previews. The glasses will also come with a dedicated wristband, similar to what the company showed off with Orion, that allows the wearer to control specific features through hand gestures.

The EMG wristband that’s part of the Orion prototype.

(Karissa Bell for Engadget)

The glasses, which may officially be called “Celeste,” are expected to go on sale later this year, will likely cost around $800. They could be sold with Prada branding, which would be in line with Meta’s longtime EssilorLuxottica partnership, according to CNBC. Given the much higher price tag — most of Meta’s Ray-Ban-branded glasses cost around $300 — it seems Meta is positioning this as a higher-end product that will have a more limited appeal. Analyst Ming-Chi Kuo has suggested Hypernova will have a “negligible” share of the overall smart glasses market.

It also sounds like we could see a new version of Meta’s smart glasses without a display with an updated version of the Ray-Ban Meta smart glasses. There could be two versions for sunglasses and clear frames, according to leaked renders. The new glasses are reported to have improved cameras and battery life, and support new AI capabilities.

We could also see new third-party glasses integrations. As UploadVR recently pointed out, early versions of the Connect schedule for developers seemingly confirms that Meta is getting ready to give developers access to its smart glasses. Up to now, the Ray-Ban Meta and Oakley glasses have mostly been limited to apps within Meta’s ecosystem (with a few exceptions like Spotify and Audible). Allowing more developers to start experimenting with the platform could bring even more functionality to the existing lineup of glasses.

Meta AI

As with other recent years, AI will be a major theme throughout. Meta AI has a billion monthly users (something Zuckerberg will surely remind us of) and I’m expecting to see new features for Meta AI both on the company’s glasses and within its apps. Business Insider reports the company has been working on new lineup of non-English speaking “character-driven” bots for its apps. (Meta’s character-centric chatbots have also faced scrutiny, with the company recently blocking teens’ access to many user-generated characters amid growing safety concerns.)

Outside of Meta’s chatbots, I’m hoping Zuckerberg will talk more about his vision to create “superintelligence.” As I wrote in July, his initial manifesto that outlined his vision was confusing at best. The CEO has recently reorganized Meta’s AI teams around the idea, and has been on a very expensive hiring spree to recruit executives and researchers for the effort.

At the same time, Zuckerberg could use Connect to shore up expectations around its Llama models. The company’s larger Llama 4 model has been delayed and reports suggest Meta’s engineers have been struggling to improve it. There are other signs that Zuckerberg may be backing away from open-source AI.

What about the metaverse?

While the metaverse has taken somewhat of a backseat to AI in recent years, it wouldn’t be Connect without some VR-related news. In a recent Instagram post, Meta CTO Andrew Bosworth teased “metaverse software” updates related to Horizon Worlds at Connect. The company recently offered a preview to developers of its plan to bring AI-powered NPCs to the metaverse, and I expect we’ll hear more about how generative AI could help shape the metaverse.

And while there are no new Quest headsets expected, we could hear more about those third-party VR headsets that will run Meta’s VR software. Last year, the company announced that ASUS, Lenovo and Xbox were working on Meta Horizon OS headsets. We haven’t heard too much about these devices since, but there was a leak earlier this year that suggested ASUS would be the first to launch, and that it would include face and eye tracking features.

Another intriguing possibility is an update on Meta’s holographic Codec avatars we got a glimpse of last year. While Meta’s current lineup of VR headsets don’t have the necessary face and eye-tracking sensors to support the tech, UploadVR suggests Meta could show off a more “rudimentary” version of the avatars that could run on the Quest 3 or even work in conjunction with video calls on WhatsApp and Messenger.



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We tested six smart rings, and there’s a clear winner
Product Reviews

We tested six smart rings, and there’s a clear winner

by admin


Smart rings are having a moment. After years as a niche gadget, regular people are starting to see the appeal. They’re thinner, more accurate, and more wearable compared to a decade ago — and for some people, they’re a smarter choice than smartwatches.

Smartwatches may dominate the wearable landscape, but they don’t work for everyone. They can be bulky. Daily charging is a pain. Plus, they don’t always work for people with wrist tattoos or those who participate in more niche sports. (Ever try stuffing a Garmin under a boxing glove? It’s not fun.) Conversely, smart rings are discreet and often have multiday battery life, and your finger can be a more accurate place to gather heart rate data.

From left to right, we have the Circular Slim, RingConn, Ultrahuman Ring Air, Galaxy Ring, Oura Ring, and Evie Ring. Photo by Amelia Holowaty Krales / The Verge

So which smart ring is the best? To find out, I called in six smart rings currently on the market: the Oura Ring, Ultrahuman Ring Air, Circular Slim, Samsung Galaxy Ring, RingConn, and Evie Ring. But side note: this isn’t a traditional review or buying guide. This is a gauntlet where smart rings get eliminated based on my personal experience and preferences, until there’s just one winner left.

With that in mind, for the past few months, I slept with these rings. Showered with them. Exercised with them. Compared a crapton of health data until my eyes bled. For a while, I wore all six simultaneously like a mafia don wearing two pairs of smart ring brass knuckles. I now have six ring tans. All so I could definitively tell you which is the one smart ring to rule them all.

The Circular Slim was my least favorite of the bunch. Photo by Amelia Holowaty Krales / The Verge

Folks, it ain’t the Circular Slim.

On paper, the $294 Circular Slim has a lot of promise. It executes on almost none of it. The big problem was accuracy. While the metrics were generally fine, my step count was occasionally so wrong I couldn’t help but laugh. I’m talking 5,000 steps off compared to my other wearables. And that’s when I had the patience to review my metrics because syncing is an absolute chore. On average, it took two to three minutes, which meant I frequently rage quit the app. It’d be one thing if this was a one-off. It was not. Most people want smart rings for health tracking. If you’re not accurate and syncing is a chore, what is the point?

It’s a bummer because this is the only smart ring with ambitions of being anything other than a fitness tracker. It has a vibration motor for silent alarms. When Circular was still a Kickstarter, that motor was also supposed to alert you to notifications. That feature has been “coming soon” for years — something users are none too happy about. At the moment, the haptics are limited to silent alarms, but even that doesn’t quite hit the mark. You have to tap the ring twice above the logo to dismiss the alarm. In the dark, that logo is nigh impossible to see. Most mornings, I’m so groggy I end up smacking my hand multiple times just to turn it off. There’s also an ambitious AI chatbot that spits out daily recommendations. The problem is it takes 14 days to calibrate, and like other AI-powered fitness features, it wasn’t very helpful. But the real kicker is the charger is an easily misplaced USB stick. It’d be one thing if it had great battery life, but no. I got two to three days with all the features turned on. I also don’t think a nearly $300 ring should feel like it was made of cheap, 3D-printed plastic. Easily my least favorite ring of the bunch.

Eliminated: Circular Ring

The open-gap design remains my favorite thing about the Evie Ring. Photo by Amelia Holowaty Krales / The Verge

Design matters, but so does polish

The next ring on the chopping block is the $269 Evie Ring. It hurts me to write this because it’s the prettiest and most comfortable of the six. Most smart rings tend to be indistinguishable from one another, but the Evie Ring has a clever open-gap design, which means it doesn’t matter if your fingers bloat or gain a few pounds. You’ll always be able to take it off with ease.

If design and comfort were the only factors, this ring would win. But it’s not. The Evie Ring’s main issue is it’s the quintessential first-gen product with first-gen issues. Everything works decently, unlike the Circular Ring, but there’s a distinct lack of polish. Syncing and firmware updates can take a while, and Movano hasn’t figured out the best way to present and contextualize your data — though it makes a valiant effort. The ring has just relaunched to address some of this feedback, but it’s still very much playing catch-up. Hopefully, future versions will smooth out the kinks.

The RingConn’s square shape wasn’t my favorite, but I’m a fan of charging cases over docks. Photo by Amelia Holowaty Krales / The Verge

Being ‘fine’ isn’t enough

The $279 (currently $139) RingConn isn’t bad. It simply doesn’t stand out. It has the best battery life of the pack. I reliably got six to nine days on a single charge and it has a neat little charging case. It’s just so… middling. This is the smart ring I’d recommend people get if all they wanted was basic, mostly decent health tracking without any bells and whistles. Syncing can sometimes take a bit, but nowhere near as long as the Circular Slim or Evie Ring. Honestly, the thing that bugged me most about the RingConn was its slightly squarish shape. It can feel a bit odd on the finger, but unless you’re hypersensitive to that kind of thing, you’ll barely notice it after a few days.

The RingConn’s flaws don’t do it a discredit. But this is a battle royale. You can’t win by just being fine if other options are good, nay great.

The hardware is great. It’s just not going to be the best without a Galaxy Watch. Photo by Victoria Song / The Verge

It’s got to stand alone

For what it’s worth, the $400 (currently $299) Samsung Galaxy Ring nails the hardware. This is the slimmest ring of the bunch and the most comfortable after the Evie Ring, and the futuristic charging case adds to its chic allure. The reason why it doesn’t take the title is because this ring is essentially for Samsung diehards — to the detriment of everyone else.

Case in point, you get the best battery life if you use it with a Samsung Galaxy Watch. The cool double pinch gesture to control the camera or dismiss notifications? Yeah, you need a phone running One UI 6.1 or newer. It’s essentially a neat accessory for your Galaxy Watch.

The Ultrahuman Ring Air came so close, but it’s best geared to the Whoop crowd. Photo by Amelia Holowaty Krales / The Verge

Training shouldn’t be the only focus

The $349 Ultrahuman Ring Air came so close to taking it all. It’s slim and lightweight, and I got compliments while wearing it. Battery life isn’t the best, but it’s decent for the category at three to four days. Where it shines is fitness tracking and training — meaning it caters to athletes above everyone else.

Compared to the Oura Ring, which has a streamlined focus on general wellness, this ring zeroes in on optimization. Say you’re trying to build healthier sleep habits. The companion app will give you a list of drinks with their average caffeine content and flag when you should drink what if your goal is to sleep by a certain time. I’m trying to wake up earlier so I can sneak in runs before the sun starts baking the planet. When I wake up, the ring shows me a “Phase Advance” timer. If I exercise during that time, it’s more likely to shift my natural Circadian rhythm earlier. There are a bunch of “upgrade” widgets called Power Plugs that let you further customize your experience by focusing on other goals, like sun exposure for vitamin D, cycle tracking, Circadian alignment, etc. Some Power Plugs are free. Others, like the forthcoming AFib detection, will cost an extra $4.90 monthly, which I don’t love.

Accuracy is otherwise on par with my other devices, but the way my data is interpreted gives me a little pause. For example, I’m flattered this ring thinks my VO2 Max — a metric used to gauge your aerobic fitness — is 44 ml/kg/min (apparently, that’s superior) and that my resting heart rate is Elite. Based on my years of testing other devices, this is overly generous. Granted, every company uses a different algorithm, but I generally fall in the slightly above average — emphasis on slightly — range.

While I like the Ultrahuman Ring Air a lot, it’s partly because I’m that dork who likes training. All this is a bit much if you’re a more general user.

Eliminated: Ultrahuman Ring Air

I gave five rings the chance to dethrone the Oura Ring. It hasn’t happened yet. Image: Victoria Song / The Verge

Most of the smart rings I tested did one or two things better than the third-gen Oura Ring that’s currently $199. That changes a bit with the fourth-gen (and latest) Oura Ring that came out in late 2024 and costs $349. If you care about accuracy and health tracking, Oura does a lot of work validating its algorithm, working with researchers, and putting out a metric ton of documentation about its features. It’s been putting in the work for several years, and that helps it stay ahead of the competition. The app is polished, syncing and updates are never an issue, and it’s widely available. The best thing about all this new competition is it’s also lit a fire under Oura’s butt to release more features and updates in the past few months than it has in a while. The main gripes I have are the $6 monthly subscription, and its charging dock isn’t my favorite. (Despite our laser-focused wishes for an updated dock, it’s mostly the same with the fourth-gen model.)

Smart rings as a whole won’t be dethroning smartwatches anytime soon. They’re too expensive when a smartwatch can do much more for the same price. But, if you’re going to buy a smart ring, you should get the best one — and that’s the Oura Ring. I gave five other rings every opportunity to dethrone it. Perhaps it’ll happen one day. But until then, the Oura Ring is king.

Updated September 10th: Updating pricing, and replaced the third-generation Oura Ring with the latest version.

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A really cheap way to get really smart lights
Gaming Gear

A really cheap way to get really smart lights

by admin


Hi, friends! Welcome to Installer No. 96, your guide to the best and Verge-iest stuff in the world. (If you’re new here, welcome, has your inbox been as busy as mine the past few days?, and also you can read all the old editions at the Installer homepage.)

This week, I also have for you Hollow Knight: Silksong (finally!), Instagram on iPad (also finally!), a spinoff for The Office, and more.

And a programming note: David’s taking over Installer again next week! It’s been a blast writing the newsletter while he’s been away. Thanks to everyone for sharing their recommendations and nice notes while I’ve been steering the ship!

(As always, the best part of Installer is your ideas and tips. What do you want to know more about? What awesome tricks do you know that everyone else should? What app should everyone be using? Drop a line to [email protected]. And if you know someone else who might enjoy Installer, forward it to them and tell them to subscribe here.)

  • Hue Essentials. Philips Hue has a new lineup of cheaper smart lightbulbs starting at $25 per bulb (or $15 each as part of a four-pack), making them much cheaper than its flagship color-changing bulbs. Parent company Signify also announced a new bridge, more new lights, and a wired video doorbell.
  • Hollow Knight: Silksong. Team Cherry’s years-in-the-making Hollow Knight sequel is finally here, and early indications all point to it being a worthy follow-up. There’s still a lot to discover about it, but if you figure out who Stardew Valley creator Eric Barone voices in the game, can you let me know?
  • Instagram for iPad. Nearly 15 years after Instagram initially launched for iOS, the social network now has an official iPad app. But the app has a video-focused twist: when you open it up, the app shows you a feed of short-form Reels. Android tablets will be getting the new design soon, Meta says.
  • The Paper. Peacock’s spinoff of The Office debuted in a big batch drop this week, and apparently it’s actually good, even if it takes a few episodes to hit its stride. It’s already been renewed for a second season, too.
  • Samsung Galaxy S25 FE. Samsung has a new model in its more affordable FE line, with the S25 FE taking some inspiration from the S25 Edge by being thinner and lighter than its predecessor. The company also launched new S11 and S11 Ultra tablets with a redesigned S Pen.
  • Remarkable Paper Pro Move. Remarkable has a new E Ink digital notepad, and with a skinny 7.3-inch screen, it’s one you can theoretically drop into your pocket. I’m a big fan of small paper notebooks, so the idea of using an E Ink one seems really fun to me.
  • Chipolo’s Loop. This item tracker and Chipolo’s new Card tracker both have rechargeable batteries instead of requiring replacements. They’ll last up to six months on a charge and work with Apple’s Find My and Google’s Find Hub networks.
  • Mophie Max Headphones Charging Stand. Mophie’s new charging stand is designed to charge your AirPods Max and AirPods Pro (or another Qi-compatible device) simultaneously. To charge the AirPods Max, you’ll plug in a USB-C dongle and plop the headphones into the stand, which will automatically put them into sleep mode. Seems super handy, though it’s a little expensive at $150.

Today I’m featuring Paulus Schoutsen, founder of the popular open-source smart home automation platform Home Assistant and president of the Open Home Foundation. With so much smart home news coming out of the IFA 2025 conference this week, I figured this would be the perfect time to feature his homescreen. I was very curious how someone so involved in the smart home world actually uses their phone day to day — unsurprisingly, Paulus has put a lot of thought into his homescreen setup.

Side note: I originally got these responses from Paulus about his iOS homescreen in August, but he told me this week that he’s since switched over to a Google Pixel. He says the setup is largely the same, with one notable change to use more web apps.

Image: Paulus Schoutsen

The phone: I have an iPhone 15 Pro.

The wallpaper: The background is the blurred version of my Lock Screen wallpaper, which is a graphic of Home Assistant. I never liked busy wallpapers because it makes it hard to read the letters.

The apps: The icons on my homescreen are limited as I try to limit my screen usage.

  • The widget at the top is a Smart Stack showing battery, calendar, weather, photos. I had to disable suggested widgets because Apple was showing me ads for McDonald’s powered by Yelp and DoorDash.
  • Home Assistant is on my homescreen because it’s the best smart home platform in the world.
  • I have no social media apps on my phone, and only use Bluesky and Mastodon via website. That way it’s a poor experience and I’m more likely to stop using it.
  • I used to use Quiche browser (discovered via Installer!). I had it configured with the few websites I frequent and set the UI to be able to quickly (see second screenshot) open them. After the switch to Pixel, I dropped the Quiche browser and installed my favorite websites as apps on my phone.
  • For AI I currently use Claude. I was using ChatGPT before, but nowadays use the Claude Max subscription to be able to leverage Claude Code for programming, so switched my personal AI use to Claude too.
  • Arc is on my homescreen because the iOS app is amazing: it is not a browser. Instead, it shows all my bookmarks from my desktop. When opening a bookmark on my phone, and it’s supported by a native app (e.g., Google Docs), it will actually open that app. Extremely useful as my way to organize files across different platforms. I also use Arc on the desktop and am already mourning the day that The Browser Company is going to stop updating it.
  • Obsidian I use for notes. I only recently started to use it, and that’s actually because of the relaunch of the Pebble watches and the rise of AI. Pebble watches don’t work well on iOS because of the limited access third-party apps have. And it made me realize that Apple Notes has the same limitations. I need open systems so I don’t have to wait for the maker of my hardware/software to do cool things. So I switched to Obsidian, which stores all my notes in folders with Markdown files. The action button is mapped to allow me to quickly write down a note without seeing all my other notes. I wrote a small script that allows me to add AI instructions within folders in my notes, and whenever I update a note, it will automatically run Claude Code to follow my instructions. For example, my shopping list is automatically categorized and action items are gathered at the top of my personal meeting notes.

I also asked Paulus to share a few things he’s into right now. Here’s what he said:

  • AI! Claude Code is amazing. Being able to have it work on an issue while I’m in meetings and quickly giving it some feedback between meetings has made me finish things I wouldn’t have had time for otherwise. I also love using Claude Code with my 7-year-old, pushing our imagination to see what Claude comes up with. The other day we made a pong game that would change the color of the light via Home Assistant on every ball bounce.
  • Z-Wave. We just launched the Home Assistant Connect ZWA-2, our take on making the best antenna for this smart home standard. It’s huge, over a foot, and it can reach all the devices everywhere.
  • Catching up with friends and family. We live in Brooklyn but spend our summers in Europe, taking full advantage of remote working. Spend time in the Netherlands, Belgium, Hungary, and Denmark.
  • Season three of Foundation on Apple TV Plus is again excellent.

Here’s what the Installer community is into this week. I want to know what you’re into right now as well! Email [email protected] with your recommendations for anything and everything, and we’ll feature some of our favorites here every week. For even more great recommendations, check out the replies to this post on The Verge, this post on Threads, and this post on Bluesky.

“Some sequel to an indie game about a bug.” — DuckInAPond

“I got tired of streaming music and all the ephemeral aspects of it so I bought a semi-janky MP3 player (they call them DAPs now, I guess) and I’m building a FLAC collection (shoutout to Bandcamp and my vinyl collection). I’m back to organizing id3 tags 🤘” — William

“I came across a documentary over the weekend about Python, the programming language, and thought it was worth sharing. I’m not a developer myself, but I found it really engaging. It tells the story of how this small, quiet language grew to shape areas like climate science, astrophysics, crypto, and AI. The film also touches on some serious conflicts in the community that almost caused it to fracture, and it made me reflect on how different the tech world might be today if that had happened. Even if you’re not a developer, it’s surprisingly compelling.” — Hayley

“This week I wasted time trying out a new RSS app. It was not quite working so I ended up adding a load of side services until I realised that my existing solution does all these things better. So I just want to give some extra love to Reeder. Everything I need in an RSS reader app.” — Chris

“I’ve become a big fan of architecture and interior design videos. It’s so fascinating seeing the walk-throughs and hearing commentary of the architects and designers about their own works and of notable works from others. Favorite channels include Archimarathon, Architectural Digest, Design Anthology, Design Seed, and Open Space.” — Sunlight Express

“I am not a birdwatcher but I do love a great film. This one about birdwatching is the film of the year.” — Michael

“You might dig this funny and not super serious, very well done birdwatching documentary.” — Andrew

“Super into this (relatively) new post-hardcore band Static Dress. Particularly their newest song ‘face.’ It’s just peak 2000’s screamy music with modern production and sensibilities. Really great all around.” — cowboyxboombap

“Listening to NTS Radio lately. Great DJ mix shows. Incredible, never paid for something faster. App is solid. The NTS Breakfast Show w/ Flo is very popular and that seems earned!” — yatrik

I’ve touched on it a bit already, but there was a lot of interesting stuff announced at the IFA show in Berlin this year, including robot vacuums that can climb stairs, a bunch of new smart lights, and even a few party speakers. The show kind of feels like a midyear CES. We rounded up some of the coolest stuff, but if you want to read all of our coverage, you can find that here.

David will see you all next week!

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The LEDs in the WiZ filament bulb are lit up in various colors.
Product Reviews

WiZ Filament Bulb Clear 25W ST19 E26 review: a vintage-style smart bulb with a modern twist

by admin



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WiZ Filament Bulb review

The WiZ Filament Bulb Clear 25W ST19 E26 is a color-changing smart bulb that features a coiled LED strip in place of a traditional filament.

It’s available in the US and the UK under slightly different names to reflect the difference in wattage, bulb shape, and fitment, but they have the same feature set and look very similar.

Known as the WiZ Filament Bulb Clear 25W ST19 E26 in the US, or the WiZ Filament Bulb Clear 40 W ST64 E27 in the UK, it has a list price of $32.99 / £27.99, and can be found at WiZ and Amazon.

  • WiZ Filament Bulb Clear 25W ST19 E26 (LED) at Amazon for $32.99

Image 1 of 2

(Image credit: Future)(Image credit: Future)

I love the Filament Bulb’s classic shape, and was pleased to find that it didn’t feel overly fragile. I have mixed opinions about the coiled LED strip. I found it looked nice in warmer whites and red, but due to the combination of different colored LEDs, it proved a bit of an eyesore when in other colors, with the brightness turned up when using it in my lamp.

If you want a light that can light up a room in addition to providing some nice mood lighting, then this bulb won’t be suitable. It’ll just about do as a reading light if your book is positioned right next to it, but it’s not ideal – although I believe this is often the case due to the nature of filament-style bulbs.

(Image credit: Future)

While it looks pretty on certain settings, the width of the LED strip may prove off-putting if you’re looking for a more authentic-looking filament bulb. If so, you may be better off looking for a non-color filament-style alternative, which you can also find from WiZ, Philips Hue, and various other brands.

The Filament Bulb was pleasingly straightforward to sync with the WiZ V2 app, as it was automatically detected, and it connected to my Wi-Fi quickly and without any fuss.

(Image credit: Future)

Unfortunately, the WiZ V2 app isn’t as intuitive as the Govee and Nanoleaf companion apps – although it would take a lot for an app to compare to the Govee Home app, which you’ll have probably guessed if you’ve already read my review of the Govee Table Lamp 2. Despite this, the WiZ V2 app provides access to a variety of useful functions, such as the control menu, which offers some static presets that include warm and cool options, and night, TV, and relax lighting modes, along with a few others.

I could also choose hues from a color graph, adjust the color temperature using a slider, or choose one of the twenty-five dynamic presets, each offering different color palettes and motions. I could also alter the speed of the color changes, though this adjustment was applied to all of the dynamic presets, rather than individually.

(Image credit: Future)

The brightness was easy to adjust using a slider on the home screen or when adjusting settings in the control menu. Thanks to the rhythm function, which I set to change between different modes based on the local time, I was able to get the brightness and color temperature to adjust automatically throughout the day. There’s also a schedule feature, which I used to get the Filament Bulb to turn off at a set time.

I found the Filament Bulb could be slow to respond when switching between the Dynamic lights. And it was also a bit long-winded applying each one, as it asked me which room I wanted to apply it to each time, despite only having one setup. But I could set four of my preferred light settings on the home screen, up to eighteen in the quick action folder, or save them as scenes, so at least the process was quicker once I’d picked my favorites.

(Image credit: Future)

On the subject of scenes, I found it far more efficient to fine-tune the lighting effect I wanted in the control menu before saving it as a scene. While the same settings are available when creating a new scene, the bulb didn’t immediately reflect any changes I made. Instead I would only get to check the result after creating and enabling the new scene, which wasn’t ideal, meaning it was often better to tweak the lighting settings first.

Connecting the Filament Bulb to my Echo Dot (5th Gen) was nice and simple, as it was automatically detected by my Alexa app. I needed to put the Filament Bulb into pairing mode, which was a case of switching the light off and on until it began to pulse blue, and the syncing process took just moments to complete. I could then use voice commands to get the Filament Bulb to change colors, temperature, and brightness, which was very convenient, especially as my requested changes were applied promptly.

(Image credit: Future)

Despite the disappointing elements of the app, once I’d fine-tuned the lighting effects and set up the automations and voice control, I quite enjoyed testing the Filament Bulb. Overall, I was pleased with the quality for the price. So, if you’re looking for a vintage-style bulb with modern smart features and want to change up the ambience with a little color, it’s worth checking out the WiZ Filament Bulb Clear 25W ST19 E26.

If you love smart lighting as much as I do and want to explore some other fantastic options, then I highly recommend checking out our best smart lights buying guide.

WiZ Filament Bulb review: Price and specs

Swipe to scroll horizontally

Price

$32.99 / £27.99

Model

US: Filament Globe Clear 25W ST19 E26

UK: Filament Bulb Clear 40 W ST64 E27

Colors

Multicolor

Lumens

US: 300 / UK: 470

Temperature

US: 1800-2100K / UK: 2200-6500K

Connectivity

2.4GHz WiFi, Bluetooth

App

Yes

Voice control

Yes

Dimmable

Yes, using the app

Additional features

Matter compatible, motion sensor (with 2+ bulbs)

Should I buy the WiZ Filament Bulb?

Buy it if…

Don’t buy it if…

WiZ Filament Bulb review: Also consider

How I tested the WiZ Filament Bulb

  • I tested the WiZ Filament Bulb for one week
  • I tested the different features and customizable settings
  • I observed its performance and brightness levels

I used the WiZ Filament Bulb on my desk in my office and in my living room. I screwed the bulb into a table lamp before powering it on and evaluating the setup process on the WiZ V2 companion app.

I explored the features, testing how different colors and settings looked, and created my own presets and scenes. I also tested how bright the bulb was both in daylight and in a dark room.

I synced the WiZ Filament Bulb with my Alexa app to check how straightforward the process was and to test out voice commands, which I did by altering the brightness, colors, and powering the bulb on and off.

WiZ Filament Bulb Clear 25W ST19 E26: Price Comparison



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