Olivia Lin

Olivia Lin

Vancouver

Tech journalist covering smart home, wearables, and consumer electronics. Former editor at TechCrunch.

Articles by Olivia Lin

Google Home vs Amazon Echo: Which Smart Speaker Ecosystem Is Right for You?
Technology

Google Home vs Amazon Echo: Which Smart Speaker Ecosystem Is Right for You?

Both ecosystems offer excellent smart speakers, vast device compatibility, and capable voice assistants. But they have different strengths, and the right...

Best Shark Robot Vacuum in 2026: The Complete Shark Lineup Ranked
Smart Home

Best Shark Robot Vacuum in 2026: The Complete Shark Lineup Ranked

Shark has quietly become one of the most popular robot vacuum brands in Canada. Walk into any Canadian Tire, Best Buy Canada, or Costco and you'll see Shark robots prominently displayed—often at prices that undercut iRobot and Roborock while offering competitive features. For Canadian shoppers wh...

Best Self-Emptying Robot Vacuum in 2026: Set It and Forget It
Smart Home

Best Self-Emptying Robot Vacuum in 2026: Set It and Forget It

The whole point of a robot vacuum is convenience—but if you're emptying the dustbin after every run, how convenient is it really? Self-emptying robot vacuums solve this by automatically transferring debris from the robot's dustbin into a larger base station. You go weeks—sometimes months—without ...

TP-Link Deco M4 Review: Affordable Mesh WiFi That Actually Works
Technology

TP-Link Deco M4 Review: Affordable Mesh WiFi That Actually Works

That one room where WiFi goes to die. If you've been fighting with your router to get decent coverage throughout your home, the TP-Link Deco M4 might be...

Best Smart Scales in 2026: Beyond Just Weight
Health & Fitness

Best Smart Scales in 2026: Beyond Just Weight

Let's get one thing straight: your weight is just a number, and honestly, it's not even a particularly useful one. What matters is body composition—how much...

Smart Door Locks That Automatically Lock: Your Complete Guide
Home Security

Smart Door Locks That Automatically Lock: Your Complete Guide

There's nothing quite like that sinking feeling when you're halfway to work and suddenly wonder, "Did I lock the front door?" It's a universal experience,...

How to Pair Bluetooth Headphones to Laptop: Windows and Mac Guide
Networking

How to Pair Bluetooth Headphones to Laptop: Windows and Mac Guide

It should be simple—turn on Bluetooth, connect headphones, done. But Bluetooth pairing has a way of being frustrating. Headphones don't show up, they connect but there's no audio, or they keep disconnecting.

The Best Smart Home Devices to Transform Your Living Space in 2026
Smart Home

The Best Smart Home Devices to Transform Your Living Space in 2026

Most of them will end up collecting dust in a drawer. The real winners—the devices that actually make your life easier—are the ones that solve genuine...

Best Smart Thermostat: Save Money While Staying Comfortable
Smart Home

Best Smart Thermostat: Save Money While Staying Comfortable

Your thermostat controls roughly half of your home's energy bill . Yet most people set it once and forget it, leaving money on the table every single day.

Best Video Doorbell Without Subscription: No Monthly Fees Required
Home Security

Best Video Doorbell Without Subscription: No Monthly Fees Required

Let's be honest—subscription fatigue is real. You've already got streaming services, cloud storage, and who knows what else charging your card every month.

How to Set Up Mesh WiFi: Eliminate Dead Zones Forever
Networking

How to Set Up Mesh WiFi: Eliminate Dead Zones Forever

If you've ever stood in a specific corner of your house just to get a decent WiFi signal, you know the frustration of dead zones. Traditional routers...

Thread vs Zigbee: Understanding Smart Home Protocols
Smart Home

Thread vs Zigbee: Understanding Smart Home Protocols

If you're building a smart home, you've probably encountered terms like Zigbee, Thread, Z-Wave, and Matter. These protocols determine how your devices...