Brian Heater

Brian Heater

Hardware Editor

Brian Heater is the Hardware Editor at TechCrunch. He worked for a number of leading tech publications, including Engadget, PCMag, Laptop, and Tech Times, where he served as the Managing Editor. His writing has appeared in Spin, Wired, Playboy, Entertainment Weekly, The Onion, Boing Boing, Publishers Weekly, The Daily Beast and various other publications. He hosts the weekly Boing Boing interview podcast RiYL, has appeared as a regular NPR contributor and shares his Queens apartment with a rabbit named Lucy.

The Latest from Brian Heater

Apple Watch Series 9 review

It’s hard to know the right time to upgrade. It’s a question I get a lot, having done this job for as long as I have. It’s the double-edged sword of FOMO: wanting to get your hands on the latest

iPhone 15 Pro Max review

I fell asleep with my phone again. I know it’s bad for me, but work trips will do that to you. The next morning, bleary-eyed, I went to plug it in, spending a confused few moments wondering what had

TRI is developing a new method to teach robots overnight

Learning may well be the most exciting frontier in the whole of robotics. The field itself dates back decades. The 80s, for instance, brought exciting breakthroughs in learning by demonstration, but a

Chief Product Officer Panos Panay is out at Microsoft, reportedly heading to Amazon

Update: Speaking of Dave Limp, Panay is reportedly heading over to Amazon next, where he will resume the same role. We have reached out to Amazon for comment. Both companies holding devices events th

AirPods Pro get USB-C and a few new tricks

No name change. The AirPods Pro 2 are still the AirPods Pro 2. Apple’s high-end earbuds got the blink-and-you’ll-miss-it treatment during last week’s iPhone 15 event. In fact, I both blinked and

Boxbot pivots from last-mile trucks to robotical parcel storage

I love a good pivot story. It’s something most startups will confront at some point or other, if they’re going to make it long term. In a category where luck, timing and market forces are at least

California’s right to repair bill heads to governor’s desk

The California state Assembly has voted in favor of right to repair legislation that increases consumers’ ability to fix devices at home. After winding its way through the state legislature, the

Bose upgrades its QuietComfort line

Seeing as how 700 is the largest number known to humankind, Bose has shifted into Ultra mode for its top of the line QuietComfort wireless headphones. The QuietComfort 700s were well-received (as high

Apple’s iPhone 15 Pro arrives in titanium with USB-C, starting at $999

It’s the “most Pro iPhone we’ve ever created,” according to Apple. The body is built from grade 5 titanium, which is stronger and lighter. The bezel, meanwhile, has been shrunk

Apple Watch Ultra 2 arrives with new S9 chip

In addition to the new Series 9, the company this morning announced an update to last year's Apple Watch Ultra.

Apple Watch Series 9 arrives, starting at $399

Apple has officially unveiled its latest wearable. The Apple Watch Series 9 made its debut onstage at today's Wonderlust event in Cupertino.

Liveblog: Watch Apple unveil the iPhone 15, Apple Watch Series 9 and more

The thrills, the chills and whatever “wonderlust” [sic] is. As you read this, we’re forming an orderly queue at One Apple Park, getting ready to watch the company unveil the iPhone 15 and Apple

Apple’s iPhone 15 arrives with USB-C (finally)

The iPhone 15 makes its debut at Apple's "Wonderlust" event in Cupertino. Here's what's old, what's new and when you can get it.

Apple Event 2023: iPhone 15, USB-C support, new Apple Watches and everything else to expect

Not all who wonder are lust. Some of us will be forming an orderly queue in the holding room at One Apple Park Way on Tuesday morning. At 10 AM PT on September 12, Tim Cook and co. will be back at it,

iRobot launches a $1,399 premium Roomba combo vacuum/mop and dock

Like many of us, iRobot has a long-standing love-hate relationship with the mop. The first Scooba system became widely available in 2010. Ultimately, however, mopping up and filling a tank with dirty

Take a look at Google’s Pixel 8, Pixel 8 Pro and Pixel Watch 2

We’re nearly a month away from the next Made By Google event, but the company’s already gone ahead and revealed the Pixel 8, Pixel 8 Pro and Pixel Watch 2. The reasons are simple: That’s just ho

OnePlus’ North American CEO is speaking at TechCrunch Disrupt 2023

We’ve got one last addition to Thursday’s Hardware Stage, and it’s a good one. Robin Liu, OnePlus’ North American CEO, will round out the lineup. After a stint at Chinese TV manufacturer Skywo

GoPro Hero 12 Black: Battery life’s the thing

It’s been nearly 20 years since the first GoPro hit the market. The story since then has been one of several ups and downs, but the line continues to be synonymous with the action cam. After nearly

Sonos’ Move portable speaker gets a sequel

Yesterday marked four years since Sonos unveiled its long-awaited portable, Move. The $399 speaker got mostly good marks as the company’s first swipe at the category. There were, of course, some cri

Arduino nabs $22 million in fresh funding to support expansion into enterprise

Odds are if you know the name Arduino, it’s through its connection to the DIY community. Much like Raspberry Pi, the company built its reputation creating microcontrollers for hobbyists. But the las
Load More