John Velasco
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
iPhone 16 — 7 biggest rumored upgrades
By John Velasco published
There's plenty to be excited about with these improvements
I tested Video Boost on the Pixel 8 Pro — here’s the results
By John Velasco published
Pixel phones have long offered Night Sight mode to brighten up photos captured under low light, but Video Boost brings the same improvements for video clips with the Pixel 8 Pro. Here's the results.
Moto G Power 5G (2024) review: Great battery life under $300, yikes cameras
By John Velasco published
You get a lot of endurance for less money with the new Moto G Power, but its dim display and lackluster cameras hold it back
The Volkswagen ID. Buzz is the weirdest EV I’ve seen yet — here’s why I might buy one
By John Velasco published
You might think differently about minivans
I photographed the solar eclipse with iPhone 15 Pro vs Galaxy S24 Ultra vs Pixel 8 Pro vs OnePlus 12 — here's the winner
By John Velasco last updated
I took the iPhone 15 Pro, Galaxy S24 Ultra, Pixel 8 Pro, OnePlus 12, and the Galaxy S24 Ultra for a solar eclipse shootout to see which flagship phone takes the best photos of the sun.
I gave my Galaxy S23 Ultra new life by installing a turbocharged software update — here’s why
By John Velasco published
Samsung's One UI 6.1 update just arrived on my Galaxy S23 Ultra, injecting new life by adding the same Galaxy AI features first available with the Galaxy S24 series.
Thinking of buying an EV? Here’s the one question you need to answer first
By John Velasco published
After I drove my first EV, I found out the biggest thing that could draw buyers away from buying one. You need to answer this question first to find out if an EV is right for you.
This is how I plan to successfully photograph the April 2024 solar eclipse with my phone
By John Velasco last updated
I learned a few new tricks to take better solar eclipse photos
AI Eraser is OnePlus’ version of Magic Eraser — and it’s coming to new and older phones
By John Velasco published
OnePlus is diving into the world of AI with its first one, AI Eraser, which lets users easily remove unwanted stuff in photos with the help of generative AI.
Forget iPhone 16 Pro — what if DJI made a smartphone?
By John Velasco published
The drone maker could be a serious contender
iPhone SE 4 leak just revealed the biggest design changes
By John Velasco published
Leaked images of an iPhone SE 4 dummy unit reveals big design changes that include ditching Touch ID in favor of Face ID, a single camera cutout on the back, and much more.
New York Auto Show 2024: here’s the one vehicle I'd buy over all EVs
By John Velasco published
Plug-in hybrids will help bridge the gap for many
I took over 200 photos with the Galaxy S24 Ultra vs Pixel 8 Pro — here's the winner
By John Velasco published
In this latest face off, we captured over 200 photos with in this Galaxy S24 Ultra versus Pixel 8 Pro shoot out to see which has the better camera. Here's what we found out.
Ford F150 Lightning vs Tesla: 5 ways I think Ford's EV wins
By John Velasco last updated
After driving a Ford F150 Lightning, I've come to realize that it offers more value as an electric vehicle than most Teslas I've checked out and seen. Here are 5 ways Ford F150 Lightning beats Tesla.
Forget iPhone Flip — Apple needs to prioritize releasing this new iPhone first
By John Velasco published
With the iPhone Flip foldable phone reportedly delayed, Apple will need to release the iPhone SE 4 if it doesn't want to lose ground in the budget phone space. Here's why.
I drove a Ford F150 Lightning for a weekend — here's my pros and cons
By John Velasco last updated
I'm wiser now after test driving the Ford F150 Lightning over a weekend, which got me used to all the ins and outs of using an electric vehicle. Here's what I love and hate about it.
Google Pixel 8 Pro review: A big leap for AI
By John Velasco last updated
From photos to everyday tasks, AI makes everything better on the Pixel 8 Pro
Who says the iPhone 16 can't be an action cam? These are the GoPro features I want Apple to copy
By John Velasco published
After using the GoPro Hero 12 Black to capture video inside of a car, there are features Apple couple copy to make the iPhone 16 a better camera phone. Here's what they are.
I tried charging a Ford F150 Lightning at a Tesla supercharger station — and it didn't go as planned
By John Velasco published
This should be easier
Samsung Galaxy S24 Exynos benchmarked — is it better than Snapdragon 8 Gen 3?
By John Velasco published
The Galaxy S24 and S24 Plus are available in two different versions: one powered by the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 and the other with an Exynos 2400 chip. We test both out to see which one is better.
I’ve been using the Pixel 8 Pro for nearly 6 months — what I love and hate
By John Velasco published
Our long-term Google Pixel 8 Pro review explores what our phone editor loves most about the flagship phone, along with a couple of things that still irritate him.
This Xiaomi 14 Ultra feature needs to be copied by iPhone 16 Pro, Galaxy S25 Ultra and more
By John Velasco last updated
Here's how your photos and videos can look better
Nothing teases 'industry first' announcement for March 20 — here’s what it could be
By John Velasco published
It needs to be something big
We used this automated bartender machine to mix cocktails for a happy hour — and it didn’t disappoint
By John Velasco published
We recently had the Barsys 360 home bar create cocktails during happy hour and it didn't disappoint. Not only was it speedy, but you also get to use ingredients you have lying around.
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