Consumer Reports: “Amazon’s agreement to buy the wireless router manufacturer Eero could make it easier for homeowners to manage a wide array of wireless devices, like smart thermostats and video doorbells, according to analysts and Consumer Reports’ in-house experts. But some of them expressed concern over how often high-profile startups get bought by the tech world’s behemoths…The Eero three-pack, $500, is one of the highest-ranked wireless routers in our ratings, with our testers noting strong performance (depending on the wireless network range), easy-to-use controls, and automatic firmware updates, which helps keep you and your data safe from hackers…Routers sit at the center of your home network and necessarily handle all of the internet traffic entering and leaving your home. Amazon collects data through its Echo speakers, Fire tablets, and other devices, and it’s technically possible for a router to do that, too. “All of these issues will have to be dealt with appropriately, with things like privacy policies, consumer choice, and voluntary opt-in, in a way that consumer confidence is not eroded,” says Russell of Parks Associates…” [h/t Pete Weiss]