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 used Gemini to transform my old photos into video with Google's Veo 3 — and the results surprised me
By John Velasco published
I've asked Gemini to create custom videos for me on my phone with the help of Veo 3 and I can't believe at how realistic they look. Here's why.

I dreamed of flying cars, but the automotive reality of 2035 is even more revolutionary
By John Velasco published
A new driving revolution is coming

I drove the Cadillac Escalade IQ for a week — and it has features I haven’t seen before in an EV
By John Velasco published
The 2025 Cadillac Escalade IQ is one of the most feature rich all-electric vehicles on the market, while sporting a fresh and modern design that makes it fun to drive.

I tested the new lock screen customization with iOS 26 vs. Android 16 — and there’s a clear winner
By John Velasco published
The lock screen is evolving with iOS 26 and Android 16, so I put them to the test to see which one does it better.

Pixel 10 Pro XL vs. Galaxy S25 Ultra: Which will be the new Android king?
By John Velasco published
In this Pixel 9 Pro XL vs. Galaxy S25 Ultra, we take all the rumors about the next Google phone and see if it can match Samsung.

I’ve been testing the Motorola Razr Plus (2025) and I don’t understand why it exists — here’s why
By John Velasco published
Even though its price remains at $999, it's hard to believe the Motorola Razr Plus (2025) is worth it, given its minor upgrades.

The Pixel 10 could radically change the way you take photos — here's how
By John Velasco published
Google could be working on a Gemini-powered feature called Camera Coach for the Pixel 10, which could guide you to take better photos.

Pixel 10 telephoto camera rumor could mean big trouble for the iPhone 17 — here's why
By John Velasco published
One of the biggest Pixel 10 camera rumors around is how Google's giving it a dedicated telephoto camera. That's a big deal and puts the iPhone 17 on notice.

When is the iPhone 17 release? Here's our best guess
By John Velasco published
Apple could be gearing up for its next big announcement, but there could be a change with this year's iPhone 17 release date. Here's what we know.

This killer new iPhone feature extends your battery life — but it's only available on these models
By John Velasco published
iOS 26 has a new adaptive power mode aimed at extending your iPhone's battery lift, but it's tied to Apple Intelligence.

I thought the BMW ix xDrive45 was overrated until I drove it for a week — here’s why
By John Velasco published
I drove the 2026 BMW iX xDrive45 for a day and thought it was overrated, but I have a better appreciation after testing it out for a week. Here's what changed.

I tested Live Translation on iOS 26 vs Galaxy AI — and the results surprised me
By John Velasco published
I put the new Live Translation feature in iOS 26 against Galaxy AI's Live Translate to see which of the two is better at translating with phone calls.

Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7 sales surge by 50% — 'strongest launch ever for a Z Fold device'
By John Velasco published
Samsung set new records with the Galaxy Z Fold 7 and Galaxy Z Flip preorders, indicating significant consumer interest in its foldable phones.

I tried charging the Hyundai Ioniq 9 at a Tesla Supercharger station — here’s what happened
By John Velasco published
The 2026 Hyundai Ioniq 9 features an NACS charging port that lets you use a Tesla Supercharger to charge it, so I tried it out to see what it's like.

Pixel 10 Pro XL vs. iPhone 16 Pro Max: Which flagship could win?
By John Velasco published
Taking everything we know about them, we look at the Pixel 10 Pro XL vs. iPhone 16 Pro Max to see how these flagship models compare when they square off later this summer.

Best MagSafe chargers for your iPhone in 2025
By John Velasco last updated
We break down the best MagSafe chargers that lets you use Apple's StandBy mode, along with charging other gadgets you might have.

Google Photos just tipped to launch most powerful AI photo editing tool ever — here’s what we know
By John Velasco published
Google could be working on a new AI-assisted feature called "Help Me Edit" that could make editing easier in Google Photos.

I gave the 2025 Honda Civic Hybrid a second chance — and it smashed my expectations
By John Velasco published
After a disappointing turnout earlier this year, I gave the 2025 Honda Civic Hybrid a second chance to prove its excellent fuel economy.

I tested Call Screening on iOS 26 vs Android 16 — and there's a clear winner
By John Velasco published
With the release of the iOS 26, I put the Call Screen feature on iPhone to the test against the Call Screen with Android 16.

Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 7 Review: The new king of flip foldables
By John Velasco last updated
Samsung has trailed Motorola the last couple of years when it comes to flip phones, but our Galaxy Z Flip 7 review shows how it's taken back the crown.

Best cheap phones 2025 tested — Our top budget phone picks
By John Velasco last updated
These are the best cheap phones you can buy based on our testing and reviews.

Got Lightning still? This case adds USB-C to older iPhones
By John Velasco published
The iPh0n3 USB-C Protection Case from OBSOLESS is an ultra-thin case that adds a USB-C port to your older iPhone with a Lightning port.

Yahoo Mail and AOL were down for thousands — live updates on the outage
By John Velasco last updated
Yahoo Mail is experiencing technical difficulties that are causing users to experience an error message preventing them from accessing the service.
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