Latest articles by John Velasco
I shot over 200 photos with the Galaxy S25 Ultra vs Galaxy S24 Ultra — here’s the winner
In order to see the year-over-year difference between Samsung's premium phones, I shot over 200 photos with the Galaxy S25 Ultra and S24 Ultra. Let's find out which Ultra takes the better photos.
Best camera phones in 2025
We've tested all the best camera phones, and these are the ones that rise to the top.
I shot professional headshots with the Galaxy S25 Ultra — here’s how it compares to the iPhone 16 Pro Max
I put the Galaxy S25 Ultra's portrait mode to the test by taking professional headshots against the iPhone 16 Pro Max. Here's the winner.
I tried this thermal camera to make my nighttime driving safer — and it's a game changer
I've been testing out the Thermal Master NV300 Max to see how well it can make nighttime driving safer and easier for me.
Best cell phone signal boosters 2025
The best cell phone signal boosters fix poor service at home or on the road. Some even support all carriers.
I tried Samsung DeX on the Galaxy S25 Ultra — and it's a wasted opportunity
I've been using Samsung DeX on the Galaxy S25 Ultra to see what's new about it. Unfortunately it's a wasted opportunity.
Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra battery life tested — there's good news and bad news
It's the longest lasting Samsung phone we've tested
I drove the Honda Civic Hybrid for a week — and it’s better than the cheapest EV
EVs still cost a lot of money, which is why I put the Honda Civic Sport Touring Hybrid to the test to see if it can hold its ground against the cheapest EVs.
Forget Galaxy S25 Edge — these are Samsung's most ambitious phone designs ever
With the tease of the Galaxy S25 Edge, Samsung could be embarking on a new era for smartphone design. However, other Samsung phones have sported looks that were just as groundbreaking.
Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra vs iPhone 16 Pro Max displays tested — here's the winner
The Galaxy S25 Ultra has the brightest display in any Samsung phone we've tested. Here's the results from our display benchmarking test.
The Samsung Galaxy S25 stole this genius idea from a dead phone and finally made it a reality
At Galaxy Unpacked, Samsung introduced its Personal Data Engine that powers personalized AI features on the Galaxy S25. It's very similar to the Palm Pre's Synergy.
Best unlocked phones in 2025
The best unlocked phones give you the freedom to choose your carrier without being bogged down by payment plans.
I drove the Kia Niro Plug-in Hybrid for a week — and it’s a PHEV that most people can afford
The Kia Niro PHEV blends gas and electric power into a subcompact crossover SUV. I drove it for a week to see how much value it offers over EVs and traditional gas-powered cars.
The Galaxy S25 has no chance of winning unless Samsung copies this feature from Apple and Google
The Galaxy S25 Plus is in trouble if it can't match the 5x optical zoom cameras found in Apple and Google's phones.
I shot over 200 photos with the OnePlus 13 vs Galaxy S24 Ultra — here’s the winner
I captured over 200 photos with the OnePlus 13 vs. Galaxy S24 Ultra to see which is the better camera phone.
Best phones under $300 in 2025
We've gathered the best cheap phones for those who are on a tight budget. You have to make serious compromises with these devices, but at least they're inexpensive.
I used the OnePlus 13 to capture professional headshots — and I'm surprised by the results
With its upgraded triple camera system, I put the OnePlus 13's portrait mode to the test to capture professional headshots.
Best foldable phones of 2025
More phone makers than ever are coming out with devices you can fold into more compact designs. These are the best foldable phones we’ve tested.
New Galaxy S25 Slim renders tease Samsung's thinnest phone ever
New renders of the Galaxy S25 Slim gives us a glimpse to its design and size, courtesy of OnLeaks and SmartPrix.
I drove the Chrysler Pacifica PHEV for a week — and it's the last great minivan
The 2024 Chrysler Pacifica Hybrid Pinnacle blends gas and electric power. I drove it for a week to see if it could change my mind about minivans.
Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra camera rumors seem lame — here's why I think it could still beat the iPhone 16 Pro Max
I really don't think Samsung will bring back a 10x optical zoom camera with the Galaxy S25 Ultra. But I'm fine with that because of how effective AI has become at tweaking camera performance.
I shot over 200 photos with the OnePlus 13 vs iPhone 16 Pro Max — here’s the winner
In my OnePlus 13 vs. iPhone 16 Pro Max photo shoot-out, I took over 200 photos to see which is the better camera phone.
Samsung Galaxy S25 renders leak ahead of Unpacked — and they’re our best look at the upcoming phones
Ahead of Galaxy Unpacked, leaked renders of the Galaxy S25 series give us our best look of the upcoming phones courtesy of leaker Evan Blass.
