Author Archives: Stewart Wolpin

About Stewart Wolpin

I have been writing about consumer electronics for four decades, including news, reviews, analysis and history for a wide variety of consumer, niche and trade outlets. For the Consumer Technology Association (CTA), I annually update the industry's history and write the official biographies of the CTA Hall of Fame inductees. Aside from writing about consumer technology for a variety of consumer, tech and trade publications, I write a blog and do market research for Digital Technology Consulting. In the non-tech world, I have written "Bums No More: The Championship Season of the 1955 Brooklyn Dodgers" and "The Rules of Neighborhood Poker According to Hoyle." Check out my work at www.stewartwolpin.com.

Is Home VR Doomed?

Posted on 25 June 2018 by Stewart Wolpin

Few mass market tech failures have been as remarkable as at-home 3DTV. While 3D still has a life in theaters, no TV maker bothers to hawk (or, in many cases, include) the feature anymore. Why? Dependence on glasses for home … Continue reading →

Posted in Apple, cell/smartphones, Digital Tech Consulting, VR/AR | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

D-Link 8000LH Mini HD Camera Review

Posted on 25 May 2018 by Stewart Wolpin

Saving some cents makes sense in most shopping cases. But protecting life and property isn’t a place to budget. Which brings us to D-Link’s DCS-8000LH Mini HD WiFi Camera, available as a single unit for just $59.99 or as a … Continue reading →

Posted in Gear Brain, smart home | Tagged , | Leave a comment

AV1: Curb Your Enthusiasm

Posted on 21 May 2018 by Stewart Wolpin

Like Chewbacca cosplayers drooling in anticipation over any Star Wars Episode IX detail droplet, attendees at the recent Streaming Video East confab were all atwitter over the potential of the recently minted AV1 video codec proffered by the Alliance for … Continue reading →

Posted in Apple, cell/smartphones, Digital Tech Consulting, TV/4K/UHD/8K | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

6 Best Google Assistant Speakers

Posted on 16 May 2018 by Stewart Wolpin

A review roundup of the 6 best Google Assistant speakers. Read the rest of this roundup on Techlicious here.

Posted in music players/speakers, smart home, Techlicious | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment

The 4K Video Codec War: What You Need To Know

Posted on 14 May 2018 by Stewart Wolpin

We’re all familiar with format wars — VHS v. Beta, Blu-ray v. HD-DVD, even the 19th century’s AC v. DC war of the currents. What you may not be familiar with is the current 4K video compression format war between … Continue reading →

Posted in Apple, cell/smartphones, TV/4K/UHD/8K, TWICE | Tagged , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

JBL Link 500: This Speaker Should Be Played Loud

Posted on 9 May 2018 by Stewart Wolpin

Just before the seminal rockumentary The Last Waltz begins to unspool, you are famously advised that “This film should be played loud!” This is wise guidance you should follow when playing the JBL Link 500 Google Assistant speaker ($399.95). Read … Continue reading →

Posted in Gear Brain, music players/speakers, smart home | Tagged , | Leave a comment

Beyond AirPods, ‘True’ Wireless Headphones Developing Into Lucrative Market

Posted on 7 May 2018 by Stewart Wolpin

Anyone traversing sidewalks, trains, buses and running paths have noticed the white sticks sticking out of the ears of a growing number of people. Apple’s completely wireless AirPods — a type of completely wire-free earbuds that wirelessly connect via Bluetooth … Continue reading →

Posted in Apple, cell/smartphones, ear/headphones, music players/speakers, TWICE | Tagged , , , , , , | Leave a comment

The Next Best TV Under $1,000?

Posted on 4 May 2018 by Stewart Wolpin

In January, we named the 55-inch 6 Series TCL TV, the 55P607 (the 2017 model), the best value for a TV under $1,000, and now TCL has upgraded its 6 Series for 2018. Better yet, the company is selling its new … Continue reading →

Posted in smart home, Techlicious, TV/4K/UHD/8K | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

Harman/Kardon Allure: Alluring Sound, Short on Features

Posted on 2 May 2018 by Stewart Wolpin

Let’s get right to the point: The Harman/Kardon Allure 360-degree Amazon Alexa-enabled speaker ($249.95) is alluring, both aesthetically and aurally. It’s got an unusual Star Trekprop-like smoky opaque plastic topped design with an interior tube that lights up when sound … Continue reading →

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Appliances Are Getting Smarter — But Is Anyone Buying Them?

Posted on 24 April 2018 by Stewart Wolpin

Suddenly, it seems, the major appliance market is alive and well. After several years of slow or flat growth, major appliance sales are projected to rise from 3 to 7 percent this year to an estimated 549 million units and … Continue reading →

Posted in IFA, TWICE | Tagged , | Leave a comment