Features

5 Reasons why I love Google Home

Published

December 2, 2016

Michael Josh Villanueva

I can’t help but feel like a super hero every time I summon my virtual personal assistant.

She doesn’t have a fancy name like Iron Man’s Jarvis but she’s well known.

She simply goes by the name Google – and now, apart from my computer and smartphone, she also resides in a little contraption called Home.

There’s nothing fancy about the way Google Home looks, it’s an almost cylindrical piece of hardware, with muted colors, and nothing more but a microphone and speakers built into its base.

But what makes Google Home such a great idea, is that while it’s a smart and powerful piece of technology, it is for the most part out of the way and unobtrusive but still always there when you need it.

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One can argue that our smartphones can do all of the same things and more, but we are so often sucked into our phones that we sometimes lose touch of the real world. The best tech, I believe, is the kind that you don’t have touch or even see, but you know it’s there, and it gets the job done.

Google Home is just that. She hasn’t quite reached her potential yet, but even now this $149 piece of smart tech has already found a spot right in the center of my home. Here are five reasons why.

Turning off the lights from bed

Some will argue that voice control is for the lazy. But imagine this: You’re under the weather and already tucked in, but then all the lights are on. What would you do? That was me just this week; I couldn’t muster the strength to move so I literally said in a hushed voice, “Hey Google, turn off the lights” and off to sleep I went. Of course, for this to work, your light bulbs need to be smart too. If you have Philips Hue color bulbs you can also have Google change your light’s colors to match the mood. Perfect for all kinds of entertaining.

Booking an Uber handsfree

Whenever I have to leave the house, I find myself often in a rush to get ready, so picking up my phone to book a ride is a necessary waste of my precious time. With Google Home I can say, “Hey Google, book me an Uber.” Once it finds a ride and asks me to confirm, an Uber will be on its way without me having to look at my phone, not even once.

Knowledge on demand

Sure it’s fun to have Google Home entertain guests by having her answer the most obscure of trivia questions. But there are times when you need quick answers, and the fastest, most convenient way of getting them is by simply asking. Just the other day, I was trying to figure out how to make a German breakfast called Milschreis that called for boiling milk. Last time I tried to heat milk it curdled. Without taking my hands off my mixing bowl, I asked Google, “How do I boil milk without curdling,” and she walked me through it. Breakfast was great too.

Entertainment hub

Because it has speakers built in, Google Home can play any song from Spotify (as long as you have a Premium account). You don’t even have to know the song title, as long as you can recite the lyrics you can say something like, “Okay Google, play the song that goes ‘Turn up the lights in here, baby!’” If you have Chromecast on your TV, you can also ask it to play the latest video from your favorite YouTuber. Netflix support is also being promised.

Everyday assistant

I’ve always wanted an executive assistant to keep my affairs straight. I still can’t afford one, but Google does a pretty decent job at covering the basics. When I wake up, I say, “Hey Google, good morning.” And she will deliver my morning brief, including the weather, what’s on my calendar, and the day’s headlines. I can also ask her to estimate how long it will take me to get to a certain place based on current traffic conditions, find me the nearest pharmacy, or tell what time the mall closes.

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Buyer's Guide

2024 Samsung TV: Buyer’s Guide

Which 2024 Samsung TV is your GadgetMatch?

Published

April 21, 2024

GadgetMatch

With all the options available in the market, shopping for TVs can get overwhelming.

One brand Michael Josh recommends whenever someone asks? It’s none other than Samsung.

They have TVs for every price point and every feature a user might prioritize.

But which one is right for you?

Keep watching our 2024 Buyer’s Guide to find out the latest Samsung TV that best matches your needs.

Features

Why choose the MSI Claw?

Is it the gaming handheld for you?

Published

April 18, 2024

GadgetMatch

The MSI Claw is the latest gaming handheld from a major PC and laptop brand. The competition in this emerging gadget segment is tighter than ever. So, what is it about the MSI Claw that can scratch your gaming itch? Here’s a quick list.

Best grip in the game

One quick glance and it’s hard not to compare the claw with another popular gaming handheld. But a closer look and actually holding the thing will reveal that its grip easily feels better.

It has a slightly deeper groove that makes it easier to hold. So, MSI’s “Grip and Game” tagline isn’t all talk. Its design truly does provide one of the better feeling handles among its competition.

The overall design makes sure it’s made for extended gameplay sessions. The buttons are where you expect them to be. That includes the four mini buttons on the upper edges of the screen. These are the View, MSI Center M, Menu, and Quick Settings buttons.

In addition, the face buttons and d-pad all feel great. The face buttons, in particular, feel comparable to those of regular console controllers.

The rest of the buttons and triggers have a very satisfying tactile feel. It also uses Hall Effect technology to get rid of any stick drift issues.

Up top, you’ll find the power button, MicroSD Card slot, Thunderbolt 4 USB-C port, audio jack, and the volume buttons. These are intuitively placed and just makes sense given the overall design approach.

As cliché as it sounds, you’ll really think you got your money’s worth once you hold, touch, press, and grip the MSI Claw.

Dragon Vision

Now, MSI isn’t really calling it that but I thought it sounds pretty cool. A big part of the whole gaming experience is the display. Balancing resolution and frame rates is always tricky but the MSI Claw does it convincingly.

With this gaming handheld, you get a 7-inch display with a 120Hz refresh rate. Looks great on paper and it’s even better in real life. It’s the sweet spot in terms of both size and performance. There’s enough here to immerse you all while delivering a satisfying level of crisp and smoothness.

It’s comfortable to view whether you’re on the couch, on a desk table, or lying down getting a quick game in before you get some shut-eye.

Battery Life

At 53Whr, the MSI Claw has a 36% larger battery capacity than its contemporaries and promises 50% more play time.

MSI claims “elevated performance with extended endurance” using the Claw with faster charging capabilities.

These percentages are hard to measure in real life usage. What we can say for certain is that you get the expected performance and playtime typical of a handheld. That’s a little under two hours for graphically demanding titles, and close to four hours on less demanding ones.

The charging claim is legitimate. The MSI Claw juices up faster than most other handhelds, going from 20% to 100% in about a little over a K-Drama episode (roughly a little over an hour).

MSI Center M

Any self-respecting gaming handheld has its own software to make navigating the thing more manageable. While its direct competitors have an armoury crate and a space, MSI went with Center M.

The best part about MSI Center M is it puts your installed games front and center. Right when it launches, you get immediate access to the titles you have available on your machine.

MSI Afterburner is already the most commonly used app for taking a look at how your machine is performing while you play. That functionality is built-in to the MSI Claw. You can access it view the Quick Settings buttons.

Layout and functionality-wise, the MSI Center M is certainly one of the better Gaming Handheld softwares available right now.

Competitive Performance

A defining trait of the MSI Claw is that It’s the first gaming handheld to be powered by Intel Core Ultra. With it comes Intel XeSS tech. What it does is leverage AI upscaling to boost the fps of select titles.

As of launch, 50 notable games are supported. That number will certainly grow throughout the device’s lifespan. Some of the titles include Hi-Fi Rush, Dying Light 2, Forza Horizon 5, Call of Duty Warzone 2.0, Returnal, and many, many more.

Naturally, results will vary depending on the game mode you’re using. But in general, AAA games get anywhere between 10% to 45% better frame rate performance with Intel XeSS.

For our part we played TEKKEN 8 and the recently launched Horizon Forbidden West. Both graphically demanding games played relatively well on the MSI Claw. Frame rate performance on TEKKEN 8 is crucial and we got a relatively consistent fps, never dropping below 40.

Horizon Forbidden West is a much more graphically demanding game. We were able to run it in Medium Settings and while it doesn’t look as incredible, it still played relatively well with a frame rate surprising for a gaming handheld.

Extras

MSI made sure that if you wanted to, you could get some extra stuff with the MSI Claw. Its separately sold accessory set includes the Claw Travel Case, Nest Docking Station, Claw Lanyard, and Claw Keychain.

On paper, the MSI Claw lists its ergonomic design, AI Engine, and App Player as distinct advantages over its competition.

Whether it’s the Gaming Handheld that matches your needs is still ultimately up to you. If you have the opportunity to test drive the device, we suggest you do so. That might just solidify your purchase decision.