Alexa, order room service: Amazon brings its voice assistant to hotels
Travelers may soon be able to skip the call down to the front desk and just ask Alexa to send up amenities, order room service, or book a spa appointment. Alexa for Hospitality is an Amazon Echo designed specifically for hotels and other travel destinations, with custom travel-based skills.
Vivint smart home products are now all voice-enabled with Google Assistant
Your smart home is becoming increasingly talkative, thanks to a new collaboration between Vivint Smart Home and Google. On Tuesday, Vivint announced a new partnership with Google that makes all of its smart home devices voice-enabled by way of Google Assistant. They'll be packaged with two free Google Minis.
Electrolux EI24ID81SS review
We really wanted to like the Electrolux EI24ID81SS dishwasher. It has a sleek, basic design and lots of promise. But some things were missing that prevented us from giving it a great score. Read our review to find out more.
Apple HomePod to arrive in Canada, France, and Germany in June
Apple has announced that its HomePod will be launching in Germany, France, and Canada on June 18. The smart speaker marks a major market expansion for the tech giant, and the announcement could be an effort to boost dwindling sales of the HomePod, which will now be available in six countries.
Winnebago and Motiv Power Systems partner on all-electric outreach vehicles
Winnebago and Motiv Power Systems are partnering on a variety of all-electric mobile medical clinics and community outreach vehicles. Because traditional outreach vehicles such as bloodmobiles idle all day on diesel fuel, battery-powered alternatives are quieter, save gallons of diesel fuel, and cut harmful emissions.
Canary View review
The $99 Canary View is an impressive smart home camera with fantastic imaging and an attractive design. But it’s let down by motion detection issues and ongoing subscription fees required to unlock its full potential. Are those problems enough to detract from the camera's affordable price?
Let the chaos begin! You can finally create your own Alexa Skills
Who says you need to be a developer to develop skills for Amazon Alexa? Certainly not Amazon. On April 19, it launched Alexa Skill Blueprints, heralded as a new and easy way for anyone and everyone to create customized Alexa functions and responses. In June, Amazon made it easier to share Blueprints.
Four things that are dumb about so-called “smart” appliances
Do you have smart appliances? Although smart appliances can make life much easier in many ways, some of their features seem dumb. From delayed starts to putting form over functionality, here are some complaints I have about so-called "smart" appliances.
Why Google and T-Mobile are bringing back phone booths
Google and T-Mobile are showcasing the Google Assistant in a series of new demos, set to show up at two T-Mobile stores over the next three months. The demos show off a few different aspects of what the Google Assistant can do, as well as some of the hardware Assistant is featured on.
MIT engineers a smarter, safer power outlet (for IoT, of course)
A team led by Dr. Joshua Siegel at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) revealed in a new journal that they have invented a new smart power plug that employs artificial intelligence, Internet of Things technology and a machine learning algorithm to make power safer.
U.S. senators question Amazon about transmission of recorded private conversation
Senators Jeff Flake and Chris Coons sent CEO Jeff Bezos questions about Amazon's collection, storage, protection, and use of consumer data. After an Amazon Echo mistakenly recorded and emailed a private conversation between a Portland couple, the senators question the error and overall data protection.
Celebrate dad on Father’s Day with the help of Alexa and Google Assistant
There are many different ways you can celebrate your dad on Father's Day this year. Alexa and Google Assitant are getting in on the festivities, too! Use your Echo or Google Home smart speaker to tell dad jokes, play games, and more. Keep reading to find out more.
Brew the perfect cup of chai with the push of a button, thanks to the Chime
If you'd rather kick it with something a bit more spicy and a bit less bitter in the morning (afternoon or evening), what you really is a chai machine. Meet the Chime Chai Maker, an automated chai machine that delivers the perfect cup of chai every time. Because dunking a tea bag isn't the same.
This guy beamed Alexa into the head of L3-37 from ‘Solo: A Star Wars Story’
When designer Patrick Stefanski's affection for the animated droid L3-37 from Solo: A Star Wars Story joined his inspiration for an Alexa-powered robotic companion, a fascinating, animatronic re-creation of the robot was born.
You can drive away in this tiny home, converted from a 1966 Greyhound bus
Take one 1966 Greyhound bus, add about $70,000 worth of interior renovations, meticulous carpentry and lots of imagination and you would end up with this mobile tiny home, currently up for sale by its imaginative owner.
Indiegogo-backed Tapplock proves breakable and hackable; fixes incoming
Pishon Lab's much-lauded Tapplock smart lock turns out to be not as "unbreakable" as the company claims after hackers and penetration testers prove the locks can be cracked in seconds, both physically and through software hacks.
Philips Hue White Ambiance Starter Kit review
Philips Hue has been around for awhile, and are the gold standard for smart lighting. We decided to take a fresh look at a Philips Hue starter kit to see if they're still the best, comparing them to the new contenders in smart home lighting. As it turns out, the Philips Hue still competes.
The Amazon Father’s Day Sale discounts Echo, Fire, Kindle, and Cloud products
Amazon is offering discounts on its house brand products for Father's Day, including Amazon Echo Alexa-connected products like Dots, Spots, and more. Fire TV and Fire tablets, Kindles, and Cloud Cams are all on sale.And you can save more buying multiples, such as two Echo Spots or three Cloud Cams.
HomLuv.com tries to match homebuyers with builders using a Pinterest-like board
If an interior decorator looked at your Pinterest board, they might be able to nail down your taste as modern or rustic. That's sort of the idea behind HomLuv, which uses artificial intelligence and crowdsourcing to match homebuyers and homebuilders, based on photos of kitchens, bathrooms, and so on.
Insomnia keeping you up? The Reverie Sleep Coach may help
The Reverie Sleep Coach is touted as a personalized sleep consultation platform. While other sleep coaches attempt to utilize a one-size-fits-all approach when it comes to guiding folks to sleep, Reverie instead offers one-on-one guidance, which is apparently an industry first. It all starts with a quiz.
Smart door attachment slows house fires with devilishly simple technique
Question: What smart home gadget do you hope you'll never have to use? Answer: The one which only works in the event that a fire is detected in your house. Co-created by a professional firefighter, LifeDoor is just such a device. Here's how it works, and why you may need one.
Ring Alarm home security system is now available for pre-order
Homeowners can now pre-order the $200 Ring Alarm DIY smart home security system. Professional monitoring and unlimited video storage cost just $10 a month. The Ring Alarm will start shipping on the July 4, the date chosen to represent customer independence from conventional systems.
The battle of the smart assistants should definitely include Cortana
For the time being, it may seem that the battle of the smart assistants rages only between two contenders -- Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant. But lest you forget that there are, in fact, other A.I.-based helpers in the running. A survey suggests that you certainly shouldn't count out Microsoft Cortana.
How to play ‘Skyrim: Very Special Edition’ on your Alexa device
At E3 2018, most people thought the trailer for 'Skyrim: A Very Special Edition' on Alexa was a joke. Surprisingly, however, you can actually play the game. Here's how to play the barebones titles on an Alexa-enabled device, in case you want to venture into the world of Skyrim hands-free.
Here’s how much Amazon Prime costs and how you can get it for cheaper
Besides free shipping, Amazon Prime offers a plethora of exclusive benefits, including access to Prime Video and Twitch. But how much does the service actually cost to use? From discounts if you're a student to limited memberships if you just want to watch videos, here's how to get Amazon Prime for the lowest cost.
Flo smart home water alert users can get their water damage expenses paid for
Flo Technologies announced an optional water damage reimbursement program for Flo smart home water monitoring system customers. The company will reimburse Flo HomeProtect subscribers for their homeowner's insurance deductible in the case of water damage to their home. HomeProtect also includes extended support.
Guardzilla 360-degree indoor/outdoor battery/electric cam can do it all
We've seen all kinds of home security cameras -- some made for outside, some that are wireless, and some that feature a 360-degree field of view. The Guardzilla 360 Outdoor/Indoor boasts the ability to offer all of those things in one device. The camera is available at Best Buy now.
The best panini press for getting those perfect sear marks
Whether you're making sandwiches for lunch or hosting a summer barbecue party, a panini press can be a must-have addition to your kitchen. We've rounded up our favorites, so you can make an informed decision on which to buy.
Color-changing LED stools let you know if you’re sitting with bad posture
German researchers at Fraunhofer have developed special color-changing LED stools which monitor your weight distribution to let you know if you're sitting with bad posture. Heck, you can even use them to play movement-controlled classic arcade games, as a way to make exercise fun!
Airbnb forced to cancel Japan bookings as new law approaches
A new law about to come into effect in Japan has forced Airbnb to cancel a number of bookings, causing serious disruption for many travelers. The incoming law stipulates that hosts have to apply for a special permit to operate, but many are still dealing with the paperwork.
Buzzfeed Tasty One Top review
The Buzzfeed Tasty One Top is a smart induction cooktop that works with the Tasty app. Using sensors, including a probe, it’s supposed to precisely control the temperature of your food, from the mundane, like flank steak, to the weird, like strawberry lemonade pancakes.
Alexa’s basketball clairvoyance now extends to the NBA Finals
Just as she did for March Madness, Amazon's Alexa made a correct prediction about who will come out on top in the NBA Finals. A few months after calling that Villanova University would come out on top a few months ago, Alexa correctly bet on the Golden State Warriors. We'll see what tourney she calls next.
Anthony Bourdain’s best cooking tips, seasoned with travel wisdom
Anthony Bourdain, chef, author, and host of Parts Unknown, died June 6 at age 61. The food-lover and world-traveler leaves a legacy of embracing the unfamiliar, eating what's put in front of you, and great travel advice.
