Security platform Abode has produced a new smart home automation engine
A fairly rogue operation launched by a former ADT exec is taking a big step with its new product, Abode Cue, a smart home security platform that allows users to create, customize, and manage all of the smart home devices that the platform controls.
Bottoms up! Thermador’s latest dishwasher specializes in washing glasses
Got $2,400 for a dishwasher designed specifically for lots of glasses? Both the $2,399 Glass Care Center and the $2,799 Star Sapphire dishwashers are part of Thermador’s new Radiance Collection of luxury kitchen appliances. Both support the Thermador Connected Experience by Home Connect smart kitchen app.
This mobile camera can help alleviate anxiety for your animals
Vava launched an Indiegogo campaign for the Vava Mobile Pet Cam. The Pet Cam follows pets around the house and can capture images and video clips. Pet owners away from home can see pets, engage with them, and even play games. Extra features include a laser pointer, treat feeder, feather teasers, and more.
Bumblebee wants to lift your bed to the ceiling to save you space
Furniture takes up a lot of valuable floor space and can be difficult to move. That is, unless you connect it to the ceiling with straps and motors. Bumblebee has built a smart home system that knows when you need to make some more room in your home and lifts your bed and other furniture to the ceiling.
Silo A.I. vacuum storage system tells you when your leftovers are going bad
"Alexa, is the chicken still OK to eat?" Newly launched on Kickstarter, Silo is a neat vacuum storage container that promises to greatly extend the life of your food by up to five times. And for good measure, Alexa integration adds some impressive (and useful) A.I. smarts.
The future of food could make kitchens and grocery stores obsolete
Will kitchens eventually be replaced with vending machines? Will we be 3D printing our food in 20 years? The 2018 Smart Kitchen Summit included a lot of wild predictions about the future of cooking, but the most likely scenario seems to be that people will cook and use technology in different ways.
How to clean a dryer vent
To reduce the risk of fire and optimize your dryer's performance, you should clean your dryer's vent anywhere between every three months and once a year. You don’t have to hire a professional to clean your dryer vent. Using an inexpensive duct cleaning brush, you can do it yourself. Here’s how.
Flying food: Uber has set a target date to use drones for meal delivery
Uber is better known for taking people around town, but it also has a growing meal-delivery business called UberEats. It currently uses cars and bikes to deliver the food, but now has plans to use drones, too. Indeed, a job ad spotted over the weekend reveals the company even has a date in mind to launch the service.
Nest Hello video doorbell review
Nest Hello’s crystal-clear video, intelligent features and simple operation ensure you’ll never tire of hearing the doorbell ring. Now you can answer your door no matter where you are.
Husqvarna 315x Automower review
Imagine watching your lawn being mowed by a robot while you sit on the porch drinking a beer. That’s life with Husqvarna’s line of electric Automowers, which takes the gas and the manpower out of one dreaded aspect of yard work. While costly, the automated devices are really cool timesavers.
Protect yourself from germs with a discounted GermGuardian air purifier
Cold and flu season has arrived, and with it, all those nasty germs. If you're looking to protect yourself from airborne illnesses, this deeply discounted air purifier can help reduce germs, mold spores, and viruses lurking in the air you breathe.
This 3D-printed house made of earth and rice husks costs less than an iPhone
Looking for a new, affordable house? Italian 3D-printing company WASP has just 3D printed a hut structure using a combination of 3D-printed concrete, rice husks, and a mud-based material. And, of course, its giant, crane-based 3D printer. Total cost of the build? Around $1,000.
Angee’s security service switches from sales to subscriptions
Angee, a London-based startup with resources in San Mateo, Prague and Shenzhen, China, has pivoted its business model to a subscription-based service that will offer the company's proprietary hardware unit for a flat rate starting at $17 per month.
A Fitbit for your cat shit: Automatic litter box tracks your kitty’s health
It may look like a sci-fi teleportation chamber, but Footloose is a high-tech potty that promises to be the most cutting-edge way imaginable for your kitty to take a dump. Who knows? With its smart A.I. technology, it might even save your beloved cat's life one day.
SiriusXM, Amazon team up for two Echo Dot deals with freebies
Amazon wants everyone to talk to Alexa and SiriusXM wants us all to stream its content. The companies partnered on two joint promotions. New SiriusXM subscribers can receive a free Amazon Echo Dot. People who already own an Echo device can sign up for new SiriusXM subscription with the first three months free.
New Nuimo Click gives one-touch control over smart home devices
Berlin-based technology company Senic has announced the Nuimo Click, a smart switch that harvests kinetic energy to power itself without the need for cables or batteries. The Nuimo Click will begin shipping in December, but interested customers can pre-order now for a 20 percent discount.
One in 10 smart home device owners report unresolved technical problems
Smart home devices can make your life easier — unless they're not working. According to a recent survey from Parks Associates, more than one in 10 consumers report they have experienced technical errors with their connected devices that have yet to be resolved.
Add some nature to your tech with Mui, a wood panel that’s also a smart display
Mui is a stylish wood panel that is also an Internet-connected smart display. Available in sycamore or cherry, it glows when touched to display data and messages, and can be used to control lights and thermostats. It will be offered first to Kickstarter supporters for $499, with an eventual price of $999.
Philips Hue Lightstrip Outdoor review
Philips Hue fans can at last enjoy the brilliance of this weatherproof light strip, which offers simple, versatile positioning, a rich selection of 16 million color options, and bright, vibrant illumination. Deck life and holiday home decorating just got a whole lot better.
Softly spoken interactions with Alexa now possible with new Whisper Mode
From Thursday, October 18, Alexa's Whisper Mode started to roll out to U.S. owners of Amazon's digital assistant, though for now it only understands whispers in English. To make use of the new mode, you first need to turn it on. This can be done simply by saying, 'Alexa, turn on Whisper Mode.'
Save energy and money with a $45 discount on the Nest smart thermostat
If you were looking for a smart thermostat, Amazon is offering up to $45 in savings on the popular Nest Learning Thermostat. Use stainless steel thermostat to the keep your home warm and cozy this fall and save energy by scheduling the temperature anywhere you go using just your smartphone.
Vector, the engaging Alexa-like robot, is ready to roam around your home
Anyone who has ever watched Star Wars, Short Circuit, or WALL-E has surely dreamed about having a robot buddy to come live with them. After a successful Kickstarter campaign from Anki, we no longer have to dream. The Vector home robot is here, and he looks amazing.
Add color and subtract $50 with this Philips Hue lighting starter kit deal
Philips Hue lighting has become a go-to brand for a quality smart home lighting experience. If you've been on the fence about purchasing smart light bulbs, Amazon is selling the Philips Hue White and Color Ambiance Starter Kit for just $100. Amazon also offers a bundle deal of two Echo Dots for just $150.
Amazon Echo Plus (2nd gen) review
Amazon’s second-generation Echo Plus speaker is the loudest, bassiest speaker in the Echo fleet. While featuring a smart hub with only Zigbee connectivity, other upgrades make this device a worthy smart speaker. We took the device for a whirl around the smart home to see how it fares against other speakers in the space.
Facebook’s new Portal device can collect your data to target your ads
Facebook's latest gaffe with its users involves its new Portal smart displays, which were designed to enable video calls using Facebook Messenger. It turns out that the company technically could use the camera and mic to gather data to target users with advertisements.
Simplisafe steps outside the smart home with its Video Doorbell Pro
SimpliSafe is well-known to many homeowners because of its recently relaunched home security system, but now the company is expanding its push into the smart home market with a new high-tech video doorbell that includes a dual-sensor motion trigger and a body heat detector.
LG’s Colosseo smart sofa is the comfiest piece of tech in your home
LG has partnered with Italian furniture brand Natuzzi to produce the Colosseo, a connected sofa with five custom scenarios to provide maximum comfort for watching TV or reading. Google's Voice Match technology lets the sofa know who is sitting on it and remembers individual preferences.
August Smart Lock satin nickel model comes bundled with Wi-Fi Connect bridge
The August Smart Lock--one of our favorite smart locks--is now available in satin nickel, the finish used in about half the door hardware sold in recent years, August says. August is introducing the new model in a $220 bundle with the Wi-Fi bridge needed to activate remote access and voice command features.
Publish a new Alexa skill this month and Amazon will give you an Echo Dot
Amazon' Alexa group announced a promotion encouraging new developers to publish a new Alexa skill in any country First-time developers who publish a new an Alexa skill prior to midnight October 31, 2018, will get a free third-generation Echo Dot directly from Amazon. This promotion is open to U.S. residents only.
Nest gets more colorful with three new options for its smart thermostat
The Nest Learning Thermostat isn't just learning what it takes to keep your home comfortably heated, it's also learning about fashion. Parent company Alphabet announced this week that the smart thermostat will come in three new colors: Mirror black, brass, and polished steel.
These awesome treehouses will make you question life on solid ground
A proper treehouse requires more than just a few nails and planks of wood. From a treehouse located in the Arctic Circle with views of the aurora borealis to one that looks just like a bird’s nest, we have found a tree house for everyone. Check out our 20 favorite treehouses from around the world.
Is your smart home lighting too confusing? Intellect simplifies your controls
Leviton has introduced Intellect, a new controls platform for smart home lighting. Intellect is the fifth brand to join Leviton's portfolio, alongside ConTech, Intense, Birchwood, and JCC. Intellect provides dimming options and occupation sensors that turn the lights on automatically when someone is in the room.
Amazon Echo Sub review
Amazon introduced the Echo Sub for Echo speaker owners who wanted to inject some room-moving bass into their smart speaker experience. We took the new Alexa-friendly sub for a spin and quickly learned that it’s a niche product, but one that does its odd job extremely well.
Like many of us, this tiny home keeps itself running with coffee in its system
Dunkin' partnered with a biochemical company, a tiny home manufacturer, and Olivia Wilde to build a 275-square foot transportable home powered by coffee-grounds-based biofuel. The Home That Runs on Dunkin incorporates reclaimed and recycled materials for an eco-friendly living space with modern acoutrements.