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How High-Tech Is Your Place? Rate Your Smart Home Devices (Including Your Robot Vac) Today

PCMag Australia — Thu, 30 Jul 2026 00:00:00 +0000

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Amazon Echo Hub

Will Greenwald — Tue, 16 Jun 2026 17:22:55 +0000

At first look, it’s easy to write off the Amazon Echo Hub as a pricey smart display with mediocre audio. At $179.99, it's essentially a flat version of the Echo Show 8 ($149.99) with smaller speaker drivers and no …

Amazon Echo Show 5

Will Greenwald — Tue, 16 Jun 2026 17:21:54 +0000

The $89.99 Amazon Echo Show 5 has been one of the most affordable smart displays for some time now, offering Alexa voice control and a touch screen for under $100. The third-generation Echo Show 5 is largely unchanged from its predecessor, …

Amazon Echo Show 21

Will Greenwald — Tue, 16 Jun 2026 17:21:00 +0000

The $399.99 Echo Show 21 is Amazon's largest smart display. With a 21-inch screen, it's almost 6 inches larger than the $299.99 Echo Show 15, but otherwise, the two are identical. It's essentially a massive touch screen housed in …

Amazon Echo Show 15 (2024)

Will Greenwald — Tue, 16 Jun 2026 17:17:57 +0000

Amazon's second-generation Echo Show 15 costs $20 more than its predecessor at $299.99, but ups the ante with louder speakers and an upgraded camera. It's effectively identical to the new $399.99 Echo Show 21, but about 6 inches smaller and $100 less expensive. It's …

Amazon Echo Show 11

Andrew Gebhart — Tue, 16 Jun 2026 17:15:51 +0000

A brand-new size in Amazon's smart display lineup, the Echo Show 11 ($219.99) features a fast processor optimized for AI performance and the company's new voice assistant, Alexa+, built in. It also features custom, forward-facing speakers and a subwoofer, resulting in …

Amazon Echo Show 8 (4th Gen, 2025)

Andrew Gebhart — Tue, 16 Jun 2026 17:14:26 +0000

The fourth-generation Amazon Echo Show 8 ($179.99) arrives with a refreshed design, upgraded speakers, and—most notably—a more powerful processor optimized for Alexa+. Currently in early access, Amazon's new AI voice assistant comes preloaded and already feels natural and conversational. The new Echo Show 8's screen is …

How We Test Smart Displays

Will Greenwald — Thu, 04 Jun 2026 20:40:24 +0000

Do-it-all countertop screens are deceptively simple, but highly convenient. Here's how our reviews help you determine the best smart display for your money.

Smart displays are useful because they combine many functions in a relatively small package—most are a mishmash of monitors, smart speakers, TVs, and webcams. As such, our testing …

Aura Ink

Will Greenwald — Tue, 21 Oct 2025 14:36:33 +0000

Few digital picture frames are meant to be placed anywhere unplugged, because most use LCDs that can drain any built-in battery in a matter of hours or, at best, days. The $499 Aura Ink is the rare exception thanks to its use of a …

Aura Aspen

Will Greenwald — Wed, 16 Apr 2025 13:00:00 +0000

A simple, giftable digital picture frame with a stunning screen

Aura produces digital picture frames that are easy to set up and have excellent screens, and its latest model, the Aspen ($229), is no different. The frame’s 12-inch screen is gorgeous, with wide and accurate colors and an anti-glare finish that makes pictures look …

Amazon Adds Supersized Echo Show 21, Updated Echo Show 15 to Lineup

Kate Irwin — Wed, 20 Nov 2024 15:03:49 +0000

Amazon's newest Echo Show 21 comes with a bigger screen, better sound, and an improved camera for video calls for $400.

Amazon is launching two new Echo Show devices: the larger Echo Show 21 and an upgraded Echo Show 15.

The Echo Show 21 has the biggest touch screen of any smart display from Amazon, making it a better option for …

Amazon Echo Show 8 Photos Edition to Lose Its Primary Functionality

Emily Price — Sat, 24 Aug 2024 16:16:09 +0000

Goodbye photos, hello ads. Amazon is getting rid of its PhotosPlus service after less than a year on the market, turning the pricier smart display into a standard Echo Show 8.

Amazon last year quietly added the Echo Show 8 Photos Edition to its smart display lineup. But come Sept. 23, the device will no longer display photos as its primary function, presumably the main reason someone would've purchased it in the …

20 Handy Amazon Echo Show Features You Won't Find in the Instruction Manual

Eric Griffith — Tue, 09 Jul 2024 12:00:00 +0000

Amazon's screen-equipped Echo Show devices have a whole range of functions that their audio-only counterparts don't, and there's a good chance you're not using all of them.

Most top-rated smart speakers can set timers, control smart home devices, and play music, among other things. But if you're a visual person, Amazon's Echo Show lineup adds an interactive touch screen to display photos, song details, or video calls.

Amazon has an Echo Show for …

Skylight Frame

Will Greenwald — Wed, 28 Feb 2024 19:58:56 +0000

A touch-friendly digital picture frame

Regardless of features and style, the screen is the most important part of a digital picture frame. The Skylight Frame ($159.99 for the 10-inch model we tested) is appealing on paper thanks to its local storage and touch-screen controls, features that aren't available on …

Aura Mason

Will Greenwald — Wed, 28 Feb 2024 19:57:09 +0000

A simple, colorful digital photo frame that makes a nice gift

Smart displays can be used to show pictures, but aside from the large and fairly pricey Amazon Echo Show 15 ($279.99), none of them look like frames. For a more aesthetically pleasing option, consider a dedicated smart display. With an 8-inch screen, it strikes a good balance in size and power between the cheaper and slower Echo Show 5 ($49.99) and the …

LG Packs Portable 27-Inch Display Inside a Suitcase

Michael Kan — Tue, 15 Aug 2023 16:46:38 +0000

LG's StanbyME Go is a portable entertainment system designed to be taken on trips. It launches later this month, but you can pre-order it now for $999.

Going on a trip, but still want to bring a TV? LG has created a product just for the occasion.

LG's $999 StanbyME Go is essentially a 27-inch touch-screen display packed inside a durable suitcase, for those times you need a large display on a road trip or a flight. But …

Google to End Software Updates for Older Smart Displays From Lenovo, LG, JBL

Michael Kan — Mon, 10 Apr 2023 20:11:52 +0000

The news will no doubt annoy buyers of several smart display devices that came out in 2018.

Bad news for smart display buyers: Google is halting software updates for several third-party models, including those from Lenovo, LG, and JBL.

The company quietly announced the change in a support document for Duo, Google’s video calling app for the …

New Echo Show Accessibility Features Include Gestures, Phrase Playback

Matthew Humphries — Tue, 13 Dec 2022 16:43:23 +0000

Gestures, Tap to Alexa text-to-speech, and Consolidated Captions are now available options on Amazon's smart displays.

Amazon is introducing three new Alexa features to the Echo Show in a bid to make its smart displays even more accessible.

Gestures

The first of these new features is support for gestures. Anyone using an

Currently available only on Echo Show smart displays, the feature uses conversational and generative

Meta Reportedly Shelves Portal Smart Displays, New Smartwatches

Marco Marcelline — Sat, 12 Nov 2022 15:47:52 +0000

Meta execs spelled out plans to kill off Portal smart displays and smartwatch projects on Friday.

It’s been a bruising week for Meta: after announcing the company’s first mass layoffs on Wednesday, it’s been reported the tech giant is abandoning its smart display projects altogether.

Meta executives spelled out plans to kill off the company's Portal smart display …

Meta's Portal Smart Displays Can Now Serve as Second Screens for PCs

Stephanie Mlot — Thu, 11 Aug 2022 12:44:12 +0000

Meta adds support for the Duet Display and Companion apps to its Portal devices.

Meta is taking advantage of the burgeoning work-from-home culture to introduce two new features that turn its Portal smart displays into second screens for PCs and enhance the video-calling experience on Macs.

Duet Display for Portal+ and Portal Go

Most …

Amazon Echo Show vs. Google Nest Hub: Which Smart Display Should Be in Your Home?

Will Greenwald — Tue, 28 Jun 2022 18:03:42 +0000

We compare the various Amazon Echo Shows and Google Nest Hubs to help you figure out which smart display is right for you.

Voice assistants have come a long way over the last few years, making their way from your smartphone, to voice-activated smart speakers, to touch-screen smart displays that can connect you to information and friends in a snap. Amazon and Google …

Amazon Echo Show 5 (2nd Gen, 2021 Release)

Will Greenwald — Tue, 21 Jun 2022 19:28:37 +0000

Amazon's smallest, nightstand-friendly smart display

Editors' Note: There is a new version of the Echo Show 5 available. See our review of the Amazon Echo Show 5 (3rd Gen, 2023 Release).

Along with a new Echo Show 8, Amazon …

Meta to Stop Selling Consumer Versions of Its Portal Smart Displays

Stephanie Mlot — Fri, 10 Jun 2022 13:28:12 +0000

The smart display previously known as Facebook Portal will now be marketed to enterprise customers with a hybrid workforce, according to reports.

You don't need a smart display in the metaverse, apparently.

Meta is killing the consumer version of its Portal smart display and will instead focus on marketing it as an enterprise device, according to The Information. …

Google's New Nest Hub Reportedly Has a Detachable Display

Matthew Humphries — Fri, 25 Mar 2022 12:54:00 +0000

The next Nest smart display looks likely to double as a tablet.

We are long overdue a new Nest Hub model, but Google is apparently planning to make its next smart display more useful by allowing the screen to detach.

As 9To5Google reports, according to a reliable source, …

Facebook Portal+ (2021)

Will Greenwald — Fri, 03 Dec 2021 16:28:52 +0000

A smart display with a big screen and price

Facebook’s Portal smart displays are powerful but uneven communication tools: They have excellent cameras and support top videoconferencing platforms, but you can’t use them to make phone calls and they integrate some apps in nonintuitive ways. The 2021 edition of …

Facebook Portal Go

Will Greenwald — Fri, 19 Nov 2021 18:40:09 +0000

A smart display you can carry around the house

Most smart displays are designed to sit in one place, like on a desk or a shelf, and stay there when you use them. Facebook’s Portal Go takes a different approach—with a rechargeable battery and a convenient handle, it's easy to move around your home. …

Lenovo Smart Clock 2

Will Greenwald — Mon, 18 Oct 2021 15:55:37 +0000

Time hasn't changed much

Lenovo's A$129 Smart Clock 2 is more of a slight reimagining of the original Smart Clock than a proper sequel. We like the addition of a wireless charging base with a built-in night-light. And aside from the dock, this is pretty much the same Google …

Amazon Goes Big With 15-Inch, Wall-Mountable Echo Show

Will Greenwald — Tue, 28 Sep 2021 16:17:56 +0000

The Echo Show 15 smart display is big, flat, and can hang on your wall like a painting. It's also always watching you.

Amazon's Echo Show smart displays have all been designed with built-in bases so they can sit comfortably on a desk, counter, or shelf. The new Echo Show 15 takes a different approach. Not only is it Amazon's largest Echo Show yet, it's designed to be …

The Best Smart Displays for 2021

Will Greenwald — Fri, 11 Jun 2021 19:01:03 +0000

Whether you want a countertop companion, a deskside dashboard, or a more advanced alarm clock for your nightstand, a smart display responds to your voice commands with answers you can see. We've rounded up the best smart displays we've tested in this budding category.

Amazon Echo Show 8 (2nd Gen, 2021 Release)

Will Greenwald — Tue, 08 Jun 2021 15:41:31 +0000

Just the right mix of price, size, and features

Editors' Note: There is a new version of the Echo Show 8 available. See our review of the Amazon Echo Show 8 (3rd Generation).

The original Echo Show 8 has been one of our favorite

Amazon's New Echo Show Lineup Includes a Kid-Friendly Smart Display

Stephanie Mlot — Wed, 12 May 2021 13:00:00 +0000

The Echo Show 8, Echo Show 5, and Echo Show 5 Kids are available now for pre-order.

Echo Show 5 Kids (Photo via Amazon)

Amazon today introduced its latest Echo Show devices—including the first model aimed at children. Assuming you're not video-called out by now, Amazon's new smart displays have all the makings of a virtual reunion, powered by better cameras and …

Google Nest Hub (2nd Gen)

Angela Moscaritolo — Tue, 30 Mar 2021 13:00:00 +0000

Your new bedside bestie

The original Nest Hub was a perfectly capable smart display, but as Google's only model at the time, it felt a bit lacking compared with Amazon's much larger Alexa-powered lineup. The second-generation Nest Hub (A$149) improves upon it predecessor with …

Amazon Echo Show 10

Will Greenwald — Wed, 24 Feb 2021 08:00:00 +0000

Amazon's largest smart display is always facing you

Smart displays are usually stationary screens. They have microphones and speakers, and you can talk to them and they answer back, but they otherwise just stay still. Their screens point in one direction, and if you want them to point somewhere else, you have to …

Google Assistant May Soon Activate Without a Voice Command

Matthew Humphries — Thu, 22 Oct 2020 12:51:41 +0000

Leaked internal firmware allows Assistant to activate by detecting you are close to a smart device.

We're all used to waking up our virtual assistants using a phrase such as "OK Google" or "Hey Siri," but that may soon be a thing of the past, at least for Google Assistant.

As Android Central reports, firmware for the

Google Introduces a 'Brand New Experience' for Smart Displays

Stephanie Mlot — Tue, 20 Oct 2020 12:30:00 +0000

The Assistant-enabled devices get a visual makeover, support for multiple accounts, a dark theme, and more.

(Photo via Google/YouTube)

Google Smart Displays are getting a makeover: The Assistant-enabled devices make it easier than ever to catch up on your favorite shows, turn on house lights, play games, and keep the family on track.

"As we expect more of our smart home devices, …

Alexa, Show Me the Best Amazon Echo Show Tips and Tricks

Eric Griffith — Mon, 12 Oct 2020 11:00:00 +0000

Amazon's Echo Show devices, which include a touch-screen display, have their own special features. These Echo Show tricks will help you make the most of Amazon's smart speakers.

Aura Carver

Will Greenwald — Wed, 26 Aug 2020 15:18:04 +0000

An attractive but limited digital photo frame

We tend to recommend smart displays over dedicated digital photo frames, as they can display photos from the cloud in addition to a number of other genuinely useful features like voice control and web access. Digital photo frames still …