Terry Walsh
Author/Co-Author of 77 articles
Terry Walsh is a British-born technology writer living in Canada, whose first computer was a cherished 48k ZX Spectrum. Alongside his smart home coverage at Digital Trends, his published work includes an extensive series of books on Windows, Windows Server, and Mac OS Server.
How to create spooky Halloween effects with smart home lighting and sound
Up your Halloween decorating game this year by using smart home lighting and sounds to spook your neighbors and trick-or-treaters.
Netgear Orbi Voice review
Packing high-speed networking from Netgear, premium audio from Harmon Kardon, and Alexa voice assistance from Amazon, Netgear’s Orbi Voice hits a high note in smart home convergence. Could this be the future of smart home devices? We took a look at the device to find out how well it works.
Arlo Pro 3 Review: A smart security choice
Enhanced video quality, color night vision, and smart A.I. features make the weatherproof and wireless Arlo Pro 3 a top pick for smart home surveillance.
Philips Hue Play review
Philips Hue Play synchronizes lighting with music, video, and games for a great entertaining effect. But it’s early days for this immersive tech, and we had some trouble with getting the parts to sync up seamlessly. Hue Play needs some fine-tuning before we can fully recommend it. Read our review to learn more.
SimpliSafe Home Security System review
These days, there a lot of do-it-yourself home security systems out there. How do you choose? Simplisafe’s latest offering brings together beautiful hardware and the ability to customize your home security package.
Amazon Echo Show 5 review: Not just a smart alarm clock
Amazon's entry-level Echo Show 5 is a great smart display with an aggressively low price. Place it on your bedside, but don’t call it a smart alarm clock.
Defender 4K Wired Security System impressions: First-class video, economy app
Defender 4K is a budget 4K smart home security system that offers pin-sharp UHD imaging and dedicated network video storage at a bargain price. But despite boasting leading-edge video, Defender 4K feels dated, lacking the ease of use and advanced features we expect from modern smart home systems.
Abode Starter Kit review
Abode's basic, entry-level hardware disappoints, but we still find lots to like about Abode's smart home security platform, namely it's ability to play well across all platforms, including Google Assistant and Amazon Alexa. Find out more in our Abode Starter Kit review.
Abode Iota Starter Kit review
Abode’s second-generation starter kit is a huge leap forward from last year’s model, with a fresh design, integrated 1080p camera, motion sensors, and more. It’s super-simple to get up and running, while offering an array of accessories for users seekeing greater sophistication.
iRobot Roomba s9 Plus Review: A nearly perfect robot
Packed with the latest technology, iRobot's top of the range Roomba delivers leading-edge features like a self-emptying dust bin, smart multi-floor mapping and super-simple app control. But in terms of cleaning performance, it's simply the best robot vacuum you can buy on the market today.
Gate Smart Lock review: beautiful, expensive, and needs work
In a world of video cameras and doorbells comes the Gate Smart Lock, a lock with an embedded video camera. It’s a great idea, but lacks some crucial functionality to make it a top-notch product. Poor audio performance and installation flaws lead to frustration. Read more in our full review.
Honeywell Lyric T5 review
The Honeywell Lyric T5 isn’t the prettiest or smartest, but adds app-based control and geo-fencing to the classic digital thermostat without breaking the bank
Ezviz ez360 Pano review
Ezviz ez360’s wide field of vision and extensive monitoring features are a step up from most consumer smart cams, but this camera isn’t the simplest to work with. We’re also unsure how, exactly, the device works with Google Assistant or Amazon Alexa. Read our review to find out more.
Ring Video Doorbell 2 review
The Ring Video Doorbell 2 may lack the style and sophistication of premium door-dingers, but few can match its simplicity and versatility. The device, available in both wired and wireless configurations, is easy to set up and adds instant security to your front door. Find out more in our full review.
Canary View review
The $99 Canary View is an impressive smart home camera with fantastic imaging and an attractive design. But it’s let down by motion detection issues and ongoing subscription fees required to unlock its full potential. Are those problems enough to detract from the camera's affordable price?
Yale Assure Lock SL Connected by August review
The first fruit of Yale’s acquisition of August, this enhanced Assure Lock SL is a definite upgrade on last year’s model, adding style and smart versatility to home security. But we think the partnership needs more time to develop a smart lock that truly delivers the best of both brands. Read our full review to learn more.
WyzeCam v2 review
Think you can’t get a good security camera for under $100? Think again. While its supporting cloud services are patchy, WyzeCam v2 looks and performs better than any $20 smart cam should. We were overall surprised by and impressed with this little security camera’s performance.
Wyze Cam Pan review
While lacking refinement in some areas, there’s little doubt that the $30 Wyze Cam Pan delivers unparalleled value, with 360-degree pan/tilt support and imaging that outperforms many of its peers. We can’t believe Wyze has built a quality camera at such a low price point.
Wisenet SmartCam D1 video doorbell review
Pitched at the top of the video doorbell market, the Wisenet SmartCam D1 Video Doorbell has some great features, but can’t quite deliver the performance required to chase Nest and Ring away from your porch. Read our review to get more details.
VTech HD Pan & Tilt (VC931) review
While remote pan and tilt controls plus responsive motion detection are great with the VTech HD Pan & Tilt Camera, the features aren’t enough to overcome a bad setup experience and low-quality imaging. This camera's somewhat affordable price isn't nearly enough to excuse the long list of problems we ran into.
TP-Link Kasa Cam Outdoor review
While premium cameras from the likes of Nest are pushing home security monitoring into the 4K HDR era, TP-Link Kasa Cam Outdoor proves you don’t have to break the bank to benefit from simple, friendly, high-performance protection. We got a chance to review the device and came away impressed.
Ring Spotlight Cam Wired review
With an integrated spotlight, crystal-clear video, and color night vision, this device makes home security a cinch. Here's why we like the Ring Spotlight Cam Wired as a great choice for outdoor home security. Get the details in our full review.
Ooma Butterfleye review
Ooma Butterfleye’s high quality, auto-adaptive imaging, wire-free operation, and free cloud storage delights, but with smart features tucked behind a paywall and no night vision support available, the camera overall disappoints performance-wise.
Nest X Yale Lock review
Three years in the making, the Nest X Yale lock is stylish and beautiful, but offers surprisingly little substance. We were surprised by how difficult it was to install due to faulty parts. But newly-announced Google Assistant integration offers some promise.
Nest Secure review
Nest Secure’s high-quality hardware and super-slick features make smart home security a cinch. But it comes at quite the price.
Nest Hello video doorbell review
Nest Hello’s crystal-clear video, intelligent features and simple operation ensure you’ll never tire of hearing the doorbell ring. Now you can answer your door no matter where you are.
Nest Cam IQ Outdoor review
Nest is among the best. With excellent image quality and intelligent zoom, tracking, and facial recognition, the Nest Cam IQ Outdoor is one of the smartest cameras on the market right now. Here’s why.
Nest Cam IQ Indoor review
There are few smarter or more sophisticated cameras than Nest Cam IQ Indoor, which looks impressive and delivers all the features you could want. It's also expensive, though, and with other more affordable options out there, you might want to shop around.
Kwikset Kevo Contemporary review
Tired of carrying around keys? Make keyless entry so easy that all you have to do is have your phone nearby to open the door. The Kwikset Kevo Contemporary has a new look and smarter insides. It’s a little pricey, but sleek lines and simple features make it a great choice for the smart home.
Honeywell Smart Home Security Starter Kit Review
Despite its high price, the Honeywell Smart Home Security Starter Kit offers great value, bringing together home security, a network camera, and Alexa-enabled control in a comprehensive, easy-to-use package. We got a chance to test drive the system and came away mostly impressed.
Honeywell Lyric C2 review
The Honeywell Lyric C2 is a compact smart home camera offering wide-angled, high quality imaging, and the ability to differentiate the sound of a smoke alarm from a baby’s cry.