John Brandon

John Brandon

Contributing Writer

My Experience

I'm a technologist, business writer, and book author. I first started writing in 2001, after I was downsized from a corporate job. In the early days of my writing career, I wrote features about biometrics and reviews of Wi-Fi routers and laptops for Laptop Magazine. My first feature stories and reviews for PCMag appeared in print circa 2004. Since 2001, I have published more than 15,000 articles, including business columns for Inc. and Forbes.

The Technology I Use

My digital life revolves around a 14-inch MacBook Pro, which I chose purely because of the keyboard. I also own a Google Chromebook Plus and an older Lenovo Yoga laptop. I’ve been known to build gaming computers, too.

As for software, I’m partial to Chrome and other Google products. However, for writing books, I rely on Microsoft Office. I use Tidal to stream high-res audio.

I often switch between an Android phone and an iPhone. Depending on whether I’m working at a coffee shop or out on a bike ride, I use either the Apple AirPods Pro or AirPods Max.

Recent Articles By John Brandon

    • The Best Business VoIP Services for 2026

      Every company, no matter the size, needs a robust communications platform. The top voice over IP (VoIP) services we've tested deliver enterprise-grade phone system features for a small-business-friendly price.

      3 weeks, 3 days By John Brandon, Ben Moore
      The Best Business VoIP Services for 2026 (Roundup Samsung Unpacked)
    • Vivantio
      4.0 Excellent

      2 months, 4 weeks By John Brandon, Paul Ferrill, Oliver Haslam
      Vivantio (Review Vivantio)
    • Freshservice
      4.0 Excellent

      4 months, 2 weeks By John Brandon, Daniel Brame
      Freshservice (Review Freshservice)
    • HaloITSM
      4.5 Outstanding Editors' Choice

      4 months, 2 weeks By John Brandon, Paul Ferrill
      HaloITSM (Review HaloITSM)
    • Zoho Desk
      4.0 Excellent

      The most full-featured help desk you can buy for the money

      6 months, 1 week By John Brandon, Paul Ferrill
      Zoho Desk (Review Zoho Desk)
    • Freshdesk Omni
      4.5 Outstanding Editors' Choice

      6 months, 1 week By John Brandon, Paul Ferrill, Daniel Brame
      Freshdesk Omni (Review Freshdesk Omni)
    • Slack vs. Teams: Which App Rules the Digital Office?

      Slack and Microsoft Teams are the leading platforms for internal corporate communication. While both offer powerful features, each has its own strengths, so we're here to help you determine which one is the best fit for your business.

      8 months, 3 weeks By John Brandon
      Slack vs. Teams: Which App Rules the Digital Office? (Comparison Collaboration)
    • Slack
      4.5 Outstanding Editors' Choice

      Our favorite app for team messaging

      9 months By Jill Duffy, John Brandon
      Slack (Review Slack)
    • Dialpad Connect
      3.5 Good

      A slick, reliable VoIP with some limitations

      9 months, 2 weeks By John Brandon, Wayne Rash, Paul Ferrill
      Dialpad Connect (Review Dialpad)
    • Microsoft Teams Phone
      3.5 Good

      A highly capable add-on to Microsoft Teams with powerful AI assistance

      11 months, 2 weeks By John Brandon, Paul Ferrill
      Microsoft Teams Phone (Review Microsoft Teams Phone)
    • Microsoft Teams
      4.0 Excellent

      Messaging, voice, and video calls built for Microsoft 365 users

      11 months, 2 weeks By Jill Duffy, John Brandon
      Microsoft Teams (Review Microsoft Teams)
    • Zoom Phone
      4.0 Excellent Editors' Choice

      A smart, low-cost VoIP with plenty of AI tools

      1 year By John Brandon
      Zoom Phone (Review Zoom Phone)
    • Garmin Venu 3
      4.0 Excellent

      The fitness watch that doubles as an everyday watch

      1 year By John Brandon
      Garmin Venu 3 (Review Garmin Venu 3)
    • NextivaONE
      3.0 Average

      An affordable VoIP service with limited AI and video meeting features

      1 year, 1 month By John Brandon, Paul Ferrill
      NextivaONE (Review Nextiva)