These smarten up dumb dorm rooms
Cnet rating: 4.5 stars out of 5 The good:
The Dot looks and sounds better than ever, and now you can pair two together for stereo. The race between Alexa and Google Assistant means it will keep getting a steady stream of new features. The bad:
It doesn’t come in any fun colors like the Home Mini does, and it doesn’t feature any new hardware tricks, either. Aside from the new look and the stronger sound, it’s the same Dot as before. The cost: $50 The bottom line:
This is the best Dot yet at the same irresistible price — but it will do little to slow Google’s growing momentum. Cnet rating: 4.5 stars out of 5 The good:
This is a great kitchen assistant with an elegant design and a highresolution touchscreen. It multitasks well, responds quickly to touch and voice commands and offers a rich, personalized home screen and a custom ambient mode. The bad:
The screen should do more when you play games or listen to music. You’re limited to Google Duo for making voice calls. Scrolling through content with your voice can be tedious. The cost: $199 to $250 The bottom line:
If you’d like visual recipe help in the kitchen, the Lenovo performs that task exceedingly well, and everything else well enough that it deserves your consideration. Cnet rating: 4 stars out of 5 The good:
The WeMo is competitively priced, and the smaller design won’t block adjacent outlets. Native compatibility with IFTTT, Google Home, Apple HomeKit and Amazon’s Alexa make it one of the most wellconnected smart plugs you can buy. The bad:
It won’t track energy usage like other smart plugs will. And, though you probably won’t use it very much, the app is sluggish and glitchy at times. The cost: $30 The bottom line:
There’s plenty of competition, but the WeMo is still one of the easiest smart home gadgets for us to recommend. Cnet rating: 3.5 stars out of 5 The good:
It’s an affordable and attractive way to put Google Assistant on your nightstand, with a variety of clock faces. You can set custom alarms, and the sunrise alarm feature is particularly neat. The bad:
The touchscreen is much more limited than other smart displays. At night, the clock doesn’t hit the right balance of visibility and minimal glow. The cost: $80 The bottom line:
It does a lot of things well enough to be a helpful addition to your nightstand. Cnet staff members Ry Crist, Andrew Gebhart and Laura K. Cucullu contributed to this report. For more reviews of personal technology products, visit www.cnet.com.