Accessories

I get that ditching cable is hard, but there are viable alternatives if you're looking to build your own media library and break the cycle of incessant price hikes. Plex is a media platform that stands out as the best option in this category; it's easy to set up and use, and it has a growing library of content. The best way to install and manage Plex is on a NAS server, and there are models that excel at this use case.

Anyone who has spent time diagnosing a warning light, tracking down an electrical fault, or dealing with a flat battery knows that the right tool can save far more than its purchase price. The trouble is that professional-grade diagnostic equipment has traditionally come with a professional-grade price tag.

Digital clutter is a real problem, and consolidating all of your digital media — including valuable photos, videos, and documents — in one location can be a hassle. Maybe you've got photos and videos in Google Photos, documents in Drive, and saved older media in a few external drives.

This year's Prime Day finally went live on June 23rd, but Amazon isn't the only retailer dropping great deals this week. Walmart just kicked off its rival "Walmart Deals" sale event, slashing prices on everything from headphones and smartphones to top-selling VR headsets. Sure, it may not be the most cleverly-named sale event around, but if you want to skip Amazon's big sale this year, the Walmart Deals event has you covered.

Tribit makes some of the best budget Bluetooth speakers that money can buy. While I have tested many speakers from the brand, I had not gone hands on with in-ear or over-ear audio accessories from them until recently.

I rely on thermal cameras while testing phones to identify hot spots and see just how much they heat up while gaming. I used Thermal Master's P3 in the past, and the brand's latest P4 camera has a lot of the same features, and a new dual-lens system that takes photos in visible light, which is an interesting addition.

What you need to know

• Google's new Home Speaker starts at $99.99 and is the company's first smart speaker built around Gemini.
• Gemini allows natural conversations, multi-step commands, and follow-up questions without repetition.
• The speaker offers 360-degree sound and can pair with Google TV Streamer for home theater audio.

After teasing it last year, Google has officially launched its new Google Home Speaker.

Prime Day has officially started and runs through June 26th, and I've dropped a selection of my favorite picks under $200 into this guide.