Before emerging as the iconic Grand Theft Auto, what was the original GTA going to be called? - Related to review:, speed, was, need,, 10

10 killer smart home gadgets that were left for dead

Imagine if that refrigerator you bought just five years ago suddenly up and died—and not because of some technical glitch, but. Because the manufacturer deliberately reached out and deactivated it, permanently. You’d be furious, right? And you’d probably want a refund, too.

As wild as that scenario sounds for a major appliance like a refrigerator or a TV. It happens more often than you’d think in the smart home world. From the doomed Dropcam to the abandoned Revolv smart hub, there’s a long, sad parade of smart home devices that have turned into paperweights.

We’ve compiled a list of 10 infamous examples of killer smart home products that—for one reason or another—were abandoned by their manufacturers.

These deactivated smart home gadgets have either mostly or completely ceased to function. In some cases, the makers of these bricked devices offered refunds, or a discount on an upgraded or replacement product. But in other instances, end-consumers were left high and dry.

It was a heady concept: an Alexa-powered smart camera that could scan your daily outfits and. Give you fashion advice. Indeed, the Echo Look was one of the original “look what Alexa can do!” devices, predating such out-there Alexa gadgets as the Echo Loop (Alexa on a ring) and the Amazon Astro (Alexa on a robot).

But the Echo Look never really took off—in part, perhaps. Because the Look’s camera lacked a privacy shutter, a minus for a device that’s supposed to sit on your bedroom dresser. In May 2020, Amazon introduced that the 3-year-old Look would go dark just two months later.

Amazon did offer Echo Look owners a free Echo Show 5 in compensation, but still. The $90 smart display didn’t exactly cover the $200 asking price for the dead-as-a-doornail fashion camera.

Landing right around the same time as the doomed Echo Look, the Echo Connect unlocked a killer Alexa feature: the ability to make phone calls on your landline using voice commands. All you had to do was plug your landline cable into the back of the Connect box, no additional fees required.

But as landlines gave way to cell phones and Alexa gained the ability to place calls from mobile phone numbers, the Echo Connect began to look increasingly outdated, and. Some bad reviews didn’t help.

Still, Echo Connect clients were caught off guard when, in February 2024, Amazon gave them just a few weeks’ notice that the Connect would soon go dead. On the bright side, each Echo Connect owner got a $10 Amazon gift card for their trouble.

One smart hub to rule them all? That was the idea behind Revolv, a fire engine-red gadget packed with seven wireless radios that allowed you to control smart products from different manufacturers, all from a single app.

That was, at the time, a killer concept—so killer that Nest, which had itself just been acquired by Google. Snapped up Revolv’s parent corporation in 2014 and promptly yanked the hub from store shelves.

Initially, Nest promised to keep existing Revolv smart hubs up and running. But by early 2016, Revolv owners learned that their hubs would stop working entirely by May of the same year, leaving them stuck with $300 paperweights while scrambling for alternatives.

Original list price: $50 hub, $99 Security Pack (with various contact and motion sensors, plus a keypad), $129 Automation Pack (contained Security Pack components plus a smart plug and button).

Lowe’s jumped into the smart home market early, going all-in with a hub (a second-generation hub landed in 2015 as a free upgrade for original hub owners) and a variety of sensors, security cameras, smoke detectors, and. Other smart components.

But from the start, Lowe’s Iris platform was beset with problems, from a lengthy and bug-ridden setup process to promised capabilities that were slow to materialize (such as professional home monitoring), while support for third-party smart brands arrived only in dribs and drabs. Lowe’s eventually rolled out a raft of welcome updates to address the lengthy list of customer complaints, but the Iris platform never truly recovered from its rocky launch.

By 2019, Lowe’s finally threw in the towel, announcing that its Iris products would stop working by March 31 of that year.

While Iris people were faced with the prospect of rebuilding their smart home setups, Lowe’s at least offered to refund consumers for any Iris products that wouldn’t work on any other platforms, while Samsung SmartThings stepped up to help Iris people migrate to its own smart platform.

Date deactivated: September 1. 2023 (Hive Leak sensor), August 1, 2025 (all other Hive security products).

UK-based Hive had big plans for the smart home back in 2017. Originally focused on smart heating and thermostats, the brand was poised to branch out into home security with the Hive HomeShield alarm and the Hive View indoor and outdoor cameras (pictured above), while the Hive Leak Sensor would keep its wireless-enabled feelers out for water leaks.

But by 2019, Hive began dialing down its smart home ambitions, first withdrawing from the and Canadian markets (Hive gave instructions to individuals in North America on how to dispose of its useless smart gadgets on a support page) and. Then announcing it would exit the home security market altogether, with its portfolio of camera and security devices slated to go dead by August 1, 2025. (The Hike Leak lost support and connectivity in 2023.) And as for refunds, the options aren’t great.

Hive chose to chop the products because “as a smart technology brand in the middle of a climate crisis, we know our focus needs to change,” .

Samsung SmartThings first-generation Hub, ADT SmartThings Home Security & Safety System, SmartThings Link.

Launched: 2014 (first-gen Hub), 2017 (ADT SmartThings Home Security & Safety System), 2018 (Samsung Link).

Original list price: $99 (hub), $550 and. Up (ADT SmartThings Home Security kits), $40 (SmartThings Link).

One of the biggest and most stalwart of smart home brands, Samsung SmartThings has nonetheless seen fit to turn some of its older products into paperweights.

Back in 2021, Samsung pulled support for the original SmartThings Hub from 2014—not a huge shock, given that the hub was seven years old. Still, due to compatibility issues, first-generation Hub owners were faced with the prospect of recreating their smart home setups from scratch.

More vexing was the decision to axe the much newer Samsung Link (a dongle that allowed the Nvidia Shield to perform double duty as a SmartThings hub, pictured above) and the pricey ADT SmartThings Home Security system, which were (respectively) only three and four years old.

Samsung and partner ADT offered owners of their dead products a combination of refunds and discounts on newer hardware, and the SmartThings ecosystem itself lives on.

Original list price: Included in a $199 Hue starter kit.

Signify-owned Philips Hue first began selling its industry-leading smart lights way back in 2012, and the first Hue Bridge (pictured above on the right, with a big red slash through it) came bundled with three Hue bulbs.

Hue discontinued the original Bridge in 2015 in favor of an upgraded (and now square) model with more robust processing power and Apple HomeKit support, but continued to keep the older Bridge operating with frequent software updates.

By 2020, however, Philips Hue introduced that first-gen Bridge “no longer has the resources to guarantee the evolution of the Hue system.”.

While owners of the outdated Bridge could still use it locally with the Hue app (so strictly speaking. It’s not stone dead), the device lost all online services after April 2020, including out-of-home control and voice commands.

Released back in 2014, the Leeo Smart Alert Nightlight was a simple connected device that could listen for smoke, carbon dioxide, and water leak detectors going off. Doubling as a night light, the Leeo Smart Alert could warn you via mobile alert if it heard any home alarms blaring—and best of all, the monthly service charge was zip. A rarity in the smart home world.

Sadly, the no-cost service (meaning no recurring income for Leeo) may have sealed the fate of the Smart Alert Nightlight. After notifying consumers in August 2019 that it was facing choppy financial waters (the enterprise expressed it explored the possibility of imposing monthly fees, but never followed through), Leeo unveiled two months later that it was “unable to keep the network on.”.

Its internet connection gone. The Smart Alert lost all its smarts, although it could still work as a nightlight. (The color-capable light turned white once the network support shut down).

Launched: 2012 (Dropcam HD), Dropcam Pro (2013).

Original list price: $149 (Dropcam HD), $199 (Dropcam Pro).

Two of the original smart security cameras, the Dropcam HD and Dropcam Pro revolutionized the DIY home security market with their handsome designs, top-notch (for the time) video quality, and affordable price tags.

None of this escaped the notice of Nest. Which scooped up Dropcam in 2014, just prior to Google’s acquisition of Nest.

The Dropcam HD and Dropcam Pro weren’t the only products that Nest reached out and killed on April 8, 2024. On the same day, the Google-owned brand also pulled the plug on Nest Secure, its DIY home security system.

Released in 2017, the Nest Secure bundle includes the central Nest Guard component, which offers an integrated keypad, siren, and. Motion sensor, plus two contact sensors and a pair of NFC-equipped Nest “Tags” that can arm or disarm the system with a tap.

Nest Secure garnered some admiring notices for its attractive industrial design, as well as the tight integration with Nest’s other smart home devices. But the hefty $500 price tag for just two contact sensors and an alarm was a major turnoff, and Nest discontinued Secure in 2020…right around the time that Google sunk $450 million in ADT.

As with the Dropcams, Nest Secure stopped working in April 2024. Rendering its alarm and window/door sensors useless. That expressed, Google did offer Nest Secure clients a new ADT security system worth up to $485—either that or a $200 Google Store credit.

If you’re in the market for a new gaming monitor, you don’t have to choose between speed, panel quality. And a good deal anymore. Fast monitors with I...

Zotac has come up with a new way to fight graphics card scalping by starting a.

When looking for a top-notch VPN, the two most essential things to look for are privacy and. Speed. While privacy is crucial to a good VPN, speed shoul...

Before emerging as the iconic Grand Theft Auto, what was the original GTA going to be called?

Choose your answer and the correct choice will be revealed.

Nearly canceled during development for being in such poor shape with serious technical and gameplay issues, the first Grand Theft Auto was originally conceived as a fast-paced. Multiplayer cops-and-robbers game focused on high-speed chases from a top-down perspective.

Titled Race'n'Chase, the game was initially slated for release in July 1996 after an estimated 18 months of development. However, the project ended up taking developer DMA Design (now Rockstar North) nearly 30 months to complete.

The final product deviated significantly from its original vision. In a 2011 interview, former DMA employee Gary Penn revealed just how troubled the game's development was, stating that it was on its last leg and on the verge of cancellation – not only due to technical instability but. Also because it simply wasn't fun.

" car handling was appalling. There was a point in it where you used to have a button for opening the doors and it was just rubbish. I can't remember if this is true because we used to joke about it that you even had to start the engine. It was awful, it was too sim-y."

One bug, however, proved to be the game's redeeming quality.

You could say this ultimately became the foundation of what would ultimately define Grand Theft Auto's chaotic and. Thrilling gameplay. Due to poor pathfinding, police AI would sometimes drive directly into the player's car, making them appear wildly aggressive. Instead of treating this as a flaw, the developers realized that the unintended police behavior added excitement and intensity. The bug was tweaked into a core feature and the rest is history.

The legacy of Race'n'Chase is acknowledged in GTA Online. There's an easter egg in The Diamond Casino Heist where an arcade game called "Race and Chase" serves as a clear reference to the original Grand Theft Auto concept.

Um die AI-Modelle von OpenAI zu trainieren (Training) und zu nutzen (Inferencing), investiert der Hersteller zusammen mit Partner Microsoft Hunderte M...

At a Glance Expert's Rating Pros Very fast.

Streaming supported servers Cons Smaller feature set.

Cutting corners: To combat scalpers and. Ensure that genuine gamers have access to the latest graphics cards, Zotac has revealed a new distribution st...

Hotspot Shield review: Feeling the need, the need for speed

At a Glance Expert's Rating Pros Very fast.

Streaming supported servers Cons Smaller feature set.

Some privacy concerns Our Verdict Hotspot Shield is a solid VPN with some of the fastest speeds I’ve ever seen. It also has a slick desktop app and a large server network. Privacy is an issue, though, as there is no independent audit and the service collects user data that may make some uncomfortable. Price When Reviewed This value will show the geolocated pricing text for product undefined Best Pricing Today.

In our previous reviews, Hotspot Shield has been our reigning speed champion. Taking our top spot for fastest VPN by a mile. But with so many VPN services bolstering their servers and adopting faster protocols, it’s worth taking another look to see how it stacks up in today’s market.

Cost: $ per month or $ for a yearly subscription.

What are Hotspot Shield’s elements and services?

Hotspot Shield’s interface is well designed and. Easy to use. Sam Singleton.

When you start Hotspot Shield it reveals a matte-black background with a giant power button in the center of the window. The default screen includes two tiles below the power button. One is for choosing your location, and the other displays your cumulative daily data usage. It’s a pleasing interface that feels slick and easy to use.

Hotspot Shield boasts an impressive total server network that spans most of the world. Sam Singleton.

When you open up the server locations tab. You’ll find an extensive list of 1,800 or so servers spread across an impressive 90-plus countries. By far the majority of these are located in the , but the impressive server spread means you’re likely to find an available server in most major countries.

Hotspot Shield also provides optimized servers for specific activities. Rather than making a blanket statement that its servers will work with streaming services, it actually has dedicated streaming servers in both the and UK. In addition, you can choose servers dedicated to gaming as well.

Zooming back out to the main menu. There are a number of options on the left rail to choose from. These include a handy built-in speed test, account information, a support page, and. A settings menu.

Hotspot Shield foregoes extraneous addon functions and sticks to functional basics. Sam Singleton.

Notably, it doesn’t offer multi-hop connections. These aren’t necessary for most customers, but the additional privacy they can offer is a draw for some. Plus, multi-hop connections are becoming a common feature with most VPNs nowadays.

Hotspot Shield’s connected screen displays all of the relevant data you need from your connection. Sam Singleton.

Once you’re connected, the app displays small informational tiles that show your VPN location, the VPN IP address you’re using, the amount of bandwidth you’ve used going up and. Down, speed data, plus the name of the local network you’re currently on. The server information tile also has some nice data in it, including your current IP address, the load of the server (as a percentage), the latency, and. Length of time connected.

Since my last review, Hotspot Shield doubled its device connection limit from 5 to 10, which is more in line with the current VPN market standard. It currently supports Windows, macOS, Linux, Android, iOS, and some routers.

While Hotspot Shield does have the VPN basics nailed down. It’s lacking additional security elements that many competitors are beginning to offer. I don’t mean this as a slight to Hotspot Shield, but. It should be taken into consideration when looking for the best value in a VPN. consumers should consider whether spending a few more dollars per month for a competitor with built-in ad- and tracker-blockers, password managers. And identity-theft elements is worth it to them.

Hotspot Shield offers both monthly or 1-year subscription plans. The monthly plan will set you back $ per month, which is actually a drop in price from my last review. The yearly plan was also reduced to $ per month or $ for the whole year. Hotspot Shield used to be one of the most expensive VPN services, but now with the price reduction, it is much more affordable and. Offers improved value for your money.

Hotspot Shield does also offer a free version of its VPN for no charge whatsoever. The free version limits you to 500MB of data per day, which can be increased if you sit through some ads. Connection speeds are capped at 2Mbps and there is only one server available so you’re not going to be able to torrent or stream on the free version, but. It’s a convenient way to privately browse for no charge. While these restrictions are a bit annoying, they’re by no means a dealbreaker and the free version is still one of the more effective options out there.

Hotspot Shield accepts payments via credit card and PayPal.

Hotspot Shield used to be one of the most expensive VPN services, but. Now with the price reduction, it is much more affordable.

For a long time, Hotspot Shield’s Hydra protocol was the flat-out fastest VPN you could find. In recent years, however, that’s changed, as many competitors have adopted the newer WireGuard protocol. The lightning-fast speeds of WireGuard mean that Hotspot Shield no longer stands alone at the top of the fastest VPNs.

When testing Hotspot Shield’s speeds I measured connection speeds across its servers in six different countries around the world for multiple days and. Then compared them to my baseline internet speed. I did this using both its proprietary Hydra protocol as well as WireGuard.

The average download speeds for the once-vaunted Hydra were 66 percent of base download speeds. Upload speeds clocked in at 71 percent of my base upload speeds. These are a bit higher than the last time I tested them and easily put it in the top five fastest VPNs.

When connected to WireGuard, I noticed almost identical connection speeds with average download speeds hovering at 64 percent of base and. Average upload speeds at the same 71 percent. Hydra might not be the vaunted speedster it once was, but it’s still plenty fast enough to give every other protocol a run for their money.

While the connection speeds of the top VPNs may have finally caught up to HotSpot Shield. It’s still much faster than most other competitors—it just no longer runs away with the fastest title. Other VPNs such as NordVPN and ProtonVPN have caught up and. Taken the lead.

For those who’re looking to use Hotspot Shield to unblock streaming content you’re in luck. It worked surprisingly well when it came to accessing geo-restricted content on sites such as Netflix, Amazon Prime, Hulu, and others. The service maintains a few streaming optimized servers in the and UK, but I actually found that even random servers I connected to in places like Japan and Australia allowed me to access content as well.

How is Hotspot Shield’s security and privacy?

Hotspot Shield offers IKEv2. WireGuard, and its own proprietary protocol Hydra. Sam Singleton.

Hotspot Shield offers three protocols: WireGuard, IKEv2, and its own proprietary protocol called Hydra. There isn’t too much known about Hydra, but it is used by Bitdefender and McAfee, among other trustworthy security brands so that goes a long way towards trusting its security.

The service also offers a kill-switch, turned off by default. Which in my testing successfully blocked my internet traffic when my VPN connection was unexpectedly terminated. I also ran the connections through DNS and IP leak tests which showed that my real IP was never revealed and no leaks were detected.

Hotspot Shield may offer strong security. But when it comes to user privacy it fumbles a bit. Its parent enterprise Aura still collects browsing history. Although this is done in aggregate form and Aura asserts it can’t be linked to any individual people, there is no way to prove that is accurate.

In addition to the domains, Hotspot Shield also creates a hash based on your device attributes and uses that to measure bandwidth use, provide support. Analytics, and so on. Your IP address is also kept (in an encrypted state) during your VPN session and then deleted. Finally, the corporation also collects the duration of your sessions and bandwidth consumption. Aura says it does this “to monitor, support, and optimize our VPN services, as well as enforce free app usage limits.”.

Although Hotspot Shield points to that all of this data is anonymized and logs can’t be traced back to specific clients. This has unfortunately never been verified by independent audit. So it’s up to you whether or not you’re willing to take them at their word.

Hotspot Shield was bought in 2020 and. Is now owned by the Aura. This will likely be a red flag for privacy-conscious people as the is known to have rather intrusive data retention laws and is a member of all Five, Nine, and. Fourteen Eyes data sharing alliances.

Hotspot Shield is a great option if your only concern is VPN speeds for streaming, gaming, and so on. It’s no longer the standout that it once was, but it’s still plenty fast. The Windows and Android apps are easy to use and it works with Netflix and other streaming services.

Editor’s note: Because online services are often iterative, gaining new functions and. Performance improvements over time, this review is subject to change in order to accurately reflect the current state of the service. Any changes to text or our final review verdict will be noted at the top of this article.

Youtube has been trying to push people toward Premium for a while now. Dangling all kinds of benefits ranging from ad-free viewing to extra functions li...

Mac fans received some bad news a week or two ago. No, it wasn’t that the upcoming MacBook Air has been canned or that prices are doubling on the MacB...

Valve has updated its Steam platform policies to prevent mobile-style advertising practices from infiltrating the PC gaming market. The new guidelines...