ICYMI: Our test drive Volkswagen’s ID.4 EV crossover

This week our reviews fall into several categories: Andrew Tarantola first drives the VW ID.4 EV in the Bay to see how Volkswagen performs with a compact SUV. Meanwhile, Nicole Lee has found many of Mila’s smart air purifiers, which have different theme filters and modes that can be customized. Billy Steele listened to Bose’s new Sport Open Earplugs, which are designed to sit just outside the ear to enable a better awareness of the environment. And in a quest for better home security, Devindra Hardawar has installed Arlo’s video doorbell and Pro 3 cameras around his home to see what the system can do. Nicole also considered several smart lights and watches to see what place deserves your little bedroom, and I tested four smart white noise makers designed to be used in a nursery.

After driving the VW ID.4 EV, Andrew Tarantola came to the conclusion that it was a solid first attempt at a practical electric car by the German carmaker. The specifications for the ID.4 are similar to competing gas models like the Honda CRV: a 77.0 kWh lithium-ion battery pack has 201 hp and a torque of 229 pounds. This means that the EV crossover took some time to reach 60 km / h – seven and a half seconds – which felt flawed for Andrew. The vehicle also weighs 4,600 pounds more than a sturdy car.

The ID.4 has an estimated EPA distance of 250 miles, which according to Andrew feels more focused on urban commands and commuting near charging stations. Andrew had a bit of anxiety during the test drive of the ID.4 and to see how fast the power meter shrank, but the ID.4 supports protocols that load quickly, which should help drivers to quickly help with the juice. Despite the sparse interior, odd gearshift and intricate infotainment controls, Andrew likes the design of the car and says the cabin is spacious and comfortable. However, he was surprised at the lack of one-pedal driving and had problems with the lane holding function, but still said that the ID.4 EV should be considered.

The $ 199 Sport Open Earplugs are similar to other genuine wireless products offered by Bose; the hard plastic buttons are designed to hook over the ear and sit just outside the ear canal. But these new buttons use 16mm drivers and acoustic ports to channel music directly to your ears. It is supposed to increase convenience and enable the user to hear their environment better. They are also water resistant and have simple controls and a good battery life of 8 hours. However, as Billy Steele found during the eye test, there remain compromises.

The sound quality was especially good. While music had decent clarity, a lack of bassy thump sucked the energy out of many songs. Billy said he finds it better for podcasts than many music genres. Audio calls clearly came through, but the person on the other end could hear himself along with a lot of background noise. And while the open design meant that Billy could hear everything around him, it also meant that those in his household could hear even at low volumes what he was listening to. In addition, there are no customizations available in the app. These disadvantages made Billy wonder if the open design was worth the compromises.

Although smart air purifiers have been on the market for several years, Nicole Lee points out that the technology for the products is often a few features. Not so with the Mila air purifier, which offers more customization than most, though it does cost. The $ 360 Mila impressed her with its app features as well as its performance and design, but with a fairly large footprint, it’s 12 inches wide and 15.5 inches long.

Nicole likes the range of filters available for the Mila (seven in all), designed for different uses such as pet owners and parents. She tried both the Critter Cuddler, which worked well to eliminate odors from litter blocks, and the Basic Breather, which worked well for larger living areas. She was also delighted with how easy the setup was, and the amount of detail available for the air and indoor index within the app. She also found the various settings like sleep mode and white noise mode useful. However, the whole system costs you: Mila filters are proprietary and $ 59 per pop, and the Mila itself is $ 100 more than competing devices.

When Devindra Hardawar was looking for a smart doorbell, he decided to try Arlo’s Video Doorbell because it does not have the same privacy considerations as Amazon’s Ring cameras. Although he liked the sleek device and the features were good enough to add some of the company’s Pro 3 cameras, he hit a few hits to get the appropriate amount of power for the doorbell during setup. get. But after the Video Doorbell was properly installed, Devindra found much of the 1080p video with HDR, the smartphone alerts and the extra coverage provided by additional cameras.

The Pro 3 cameras were much easier to set up and position, and the combination of Arlo’s doorbell and wireless cameras helped deter thieves, while also noting footage of visiting wildlife. Devindra subscribed to Arlo’s $ 10-month Smart Premier plan, which includes 2K video uploads, 30-day backup and the ability to specify motion alert zones. The app made it easy for him to see a library of alerts, and the camera’s HomeKit support was able to connect him to Apple hardware and Siri. Although he has experienced some hiccups with delays in live stream and unnecessary motion alerts, he still plans to expand the lineup with more cameras.