Billy Steele

Deputy editor, reviews

After beginning his career in tech journalism as a news freelancer at Engadget in 2011, Billy progressed through the ranks and now leads the reviews program as deputy editor. During that time, he has written hundreds of headphone, soundbar, speaker and gear reviews. In addition to hardware, his expertise includes audio platforms and streaming services with significant long-form reporting on those topics. In 2019, Billy was Engadget’s most prolific reviewer, completing more product testing than anyone else on staff. He's also an aspiring backyard pitmaster with a number of smart grill reviews and outdoor gear guides under his (apron) belt.

Articles by Billy Steele

Sony debuts Bravia Theater line of Dolby Atmos soundbars and speakers
Sony has bestowed the Bravia Theater name upon all of its home audio gear, starting with two soundbars, a four-speaker system and a neckband speaker.
Ooni's largest pizza oven yet offers dual-zone heat control and temperature tracking on your phone
Ooni's largest pizza oven yet can accommodate a 20-inch pie. It also offers dual-zone cooking, upgraded gas burners and Bluetooth connectivity.
Sony ULT Wear headphones review: Brain-shaking bass
Sony’s ULT Wear headphones are a better implementation of bass boost than previous models along with considerable updates to ANC, features and overall design.
Shure's MV7+ USB/XLR mic has a customizable LED panel and built-in audio tools
Shure updates its MV7 XLR and USB microphone with a host of new features for podcasters and streamers.
Sennheiser Momentum True Wireless 4 review: Stellar sound, forward-looking features
Sennheiser’s latest flagship earbuds retain the excellent sound quality the company is known for, and add some quality-of-life updates that are improvements over the previous model.
Samsung's Music Frame speaker is now available for preorder for $400
You can now purchase Samsung's home theater gear from CES that doubles as art.
GE Profile Smart Indoor Smoker review: Turning your kitchen into a BBQ joint
The GE Profile Smart Indoor Smoker imparts noticeable wood-fired flavor into meats, seafood and sides and offers a lot of handy features. It requires some extra steps grills don’t, but you also don’t have to venture outdoors to use it.
Sennheiser Accentum Plus review: Upgrades that aren’t worth the extra cost
Despite changes to ANC and a few new features, the Accentum Plus isn’t a significant upgrade over the regular Accentum that debuted last year.
Recteq adds Flagship XL and built-in models to its smart pellet grill lineup
Recteq's latest two smart pellet grills cater to aspiring pitmasters who either need a lot of cooking space or are building a permanent outdoor kitchen.
From mono to mainstream: 20 years of Bluetooth audio
Even after 20 years, we’re still relying on Bluetooth to take calls on the go, but both the voice and audio quality have dramatically improved since the days of the headset.
Bose Ultra Open Earbuds review: Function meets fashion
Bose’s new open-fit earbuds are more of a fashion accessory than a wearable and come with some inherent trade-offs.
ESPN's standalone streaming service will launch by fall 2025
Disney's standalone ESPN streaming service is coming late next year, with "the full suite" of live channels.
Audio-Technica ATH-TWX7 review: Good earbuds with frustrating flaws
There’s plenty to like about the ATH-TWX7, including a robust set of features that brings a lot of convenience to your day. It offers solid sound quality and ANC, though a few of those tools could still use some fine-tuning.
Bose Ultra Open Earbuds clip onto your ears and cost $300
Bose's new wireless earbuds have a crazy-looking clip-on design.
Samsung pledges seven years of updates for S24 series
Samsung adds three more years of OS updates for the Galaxy S24 series.
Formula E 2024 preview: Everything you need to know about season 10
What you need to know about Formula E's tenth season that kicks off January 13.
Bluetooth Auracast is everywhere at CES 2024. So, what is it?
Everything you need to know about Auracast, part of Bluetooth LE Audio.
Current Backyard's electric smart grills bring outdoor cooking to more places
Can't grill at home because your landlord doesn't allow open flames? Current Backyard has two all-electric smart grills to ease that frustration.
Next-gen MEMS ultrasonic solid-state earbud drivers will deliver the bass
xMEMS' Cypress will be a massive improvement for what MEMS drivers are capable of doing for wireless earbuds.
Sennheiser Momentum Sport earbuds bring heart rate and body temp sensors to your workout
Sennheiser updated its flagship Momentum line with a new true wireless model while also debuting a tech-filled set of fitness earbuds in the Momentum Sport.

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