John’s a senior editor covering phones for Tom’s Guide. He’s no stranger in this area having covered mobile phones and gadgets since 2008 when he started his career. On top of his editor duties, he’s a seasoned videographer being in front and behind the camera producing YouTube videos. Previously, he held editor roles with PhoneArena, Android Authority, Digital Trends, and SPY. Outside of tech, he enjoys producing mini documentaries and fun social clips for small businesses, enjoying the beach life at the Jersey Shore, and recently becoming a first time homeowner.
Latest articles by John Velasco

I tested this Galaxy S26 AI feature to scan my tax documents — and it makes my scanner obsolete
By John Velasco Published
The Galaxy S26 series has a new AI tool that makes scanning documents a breeze by just taking photos of them, which can then be saved as a PDF file.

I tried this iPhone case with a built-in screen so I could use the rear cameras for selfies and vlogs — and it's transforming the way I shoot
By John Velasco Published
The Dockcase Selfix is an iPhone case with a 1.6-inch AMOLED screen on the back to allow users to capture content with the rear cameras instead of the front one.

Mint Mobile's practically giving away the new Samsung Galaxy A16 — how to get yours
By John Velasco Published
Mint Mobile's offering the Galaxy A16 for just $1 for a limited time, but requires you also to pay for its discounted 1 year data plan for $180.

I drove the Mercedes-AMG E53 Hybrid Wagon for a week — and I felt like I was in an Iron Man suit
By John Velasco Published
RecommendedThe 2026 Mercedes-AMG E53 Hybrid Wagon is a tech-obsessed vehicle that dazzles from the moment you step inside.

I shot 200 photos with Galaxy S26 Ultra vs. Pixel 10 Pro XL — here’s the winner
By John Velasco Published
I captured over 200 photos with the Galaxy S26 Ultra vs. Pixel 10 Pro XL, them compared the side-by-side results to see which is better at taking photos.

I tested this MagSafe charger that actively cools my iPhone for a month — and it’s 38% off right now
By John Velasco Published
The Lisen 3-in-1 Qi2 MagSafe Charging Stand with Cooling Fan actively supplies air to your iPhone while it's charging, so it doesn't ever feel warm after finishing up.

I put the Galaxy S26 Ultra vs. Pixel 10 Pro XL through a 100x zoom shoot-out — the results are weird
By John Velasco Last updated
I tested the 100x telephoto zoom performance of the Galaxy S26 Ultra and Pixel 10 Pro XL to see which phone delivers the better photos at long distances.

I drove the BMW i7 M70 for a week — lane changes with your eyes, self-closing doors and the trippiest LED roof I've ever seen
By John Velasco Last updated
RecommendedI tested the 2026 BMW i7 M70 xDrive for a week to find out what this all-electric EV sedan has to offer compared to all the other luxury models on the market.

I spent 6 months with the iPhone Air, but the iPhone 17e complicates things — here’s why
By John Velasco Last updated
After spending six months with the iPhone Air, I have mixed emotions about the thinnest iPhone ever. It's a marvel in design, but that's not enough to cut it nowadays

OnePlus 15T launched out of nowhere and it’s the compact powerhouse of my dreams — here’s why
By John Velasco Published
The OnePlus 15T got a quiet launch overseas, sporting a lot of the same hardware as the OnePlus 15, but in a much more compact design.

I tested Call Screen on the Galaxy S26 Ultra vs. Pixel 10 Pro XL — and there's a very clear winner
By John Velasco Published
I put the Call Screen tools with the Galaxy S26 Ultra vs. Pixel 10 Pro XL to the test to see which one is better at accepting phone calls on my behalf.

This Motorola Razr (2025) deal at $238 off proves why the iPhone 17e is totally overrated
By John Velasco Published
Amazon has the Motorola Razr (2025) down to its all-time lowest price for its Big Spring Sale event, making it a way better offer than the iPhone 17e. Here's why.

Forget BMW and Volvo — I drove the Hyundai Sonata Hybrid for a week and it’s the reason why luxury vehicles are overrated
By John Velasco Published
Editor's ChoiceThe 2026 Hyundai Sonata Hybrid Limited offers the gas savings with its hybrid powertrain, while offering an insane amount of features that rival luxury vehicles.

I tested Galaxy S26 Ultra Photo Assist vs. Pixel 10 Pro XL Ask Photos — here's the better AI photo editor
By John Velasco Published
I put Samsung's Photo Assist and Google's Ask Photo to the test to see which AI photo editor works well in taking my requests and delivering the most accurate result.

I shot 200 photos with Galaxy S26 Ultra vs. iPhone 17 Pro Max — there's a clear winner
By John Velasco Published
In order to find out which has the better cameras, I took over 200 photos with the Galaxy S26 Ultra vs iPhone 17 Pro Max.

I tried this AirTag clone that works like a lifeline for instant help — and it's exactly what I've been looking for
By John Velasco Published
The Pebblebee Clip 5 isn't just an ordinary key tracker with GPS like the AirTag. It's a lot like a lifeline device because it can alert people when it's triggered.

iPhone 17e vs. iPhone 17: You'll be surprised by what a $200 difference makes
By John Velasco Last updated
Separated by $200, our iPhone 17e vs iPhone 17 face-off will drill down how these two phones perform against each other to uncover which one is the better phone.

I tested Call Screen on the Galaxy S26 vs. iPhone 17 — here’s the winner
By John Velasco Published
I put the Call Screen features on the Galaxy S26 and iPhone 17 to the test by leaving the same messages to see how they behave. Here's what I found.

This Galaxy S26 deal gives you the phone and a year's worth of unlimited data for $580 off
By John Velasco Published
Mint Mobile is offering the Galaxy S26 for $680 for a limited time, which comes included with a year's worth of unlimited data. It's less than the $900 normal cost of the phone.

I thought Buick was dead, but the Envista gives other SUVs a serious run for their money
By John Velasco Published
This zippy SUV is full of surprises

Spotify was down — Live updates on music streamer issues
By John Velasco Last updated
Spotify appears to be down for some users and according to Downdetector, there's a huge spike in reported outages. Here's what we know so far.

I tested this new 3-in-1 MagSafe charger that doubles as a power bank — and it's powerful enough to charge a MacBook Neo
By John Velasco Published
I stopped carrying other chargers because the Statik SmartCharge Pro replaces them all, featuring a 15,000 mAh battery, 60W wired charging speed, wireless MagSafe charging, and more.

I drove the all-gas and all-electric versions of the Hyundai Kona for a week — here’s why going EV might be the best decision right now
By John Velasco Published
I tested the all-gas Hyundai Kona Limited AWD and the all-electric Hyundai Kona Electric for a week to tell you how much savings you get in the long run.
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