The Google Pixel 3 event on October 9th will likely bring a new Google Home Hub smart screen as well. Today a leak revealed the new device, "Google Home Hub," complete with a touchscreen and Google Assistant interface. This device will apparently allow the user to "see your life in one view, and get things done hands-free." The description of the device suggests that you'll be able to "make the most of moments at home."
Appliance brand Haier has taken the wraps off a new smart appliance called InstaSwitch, a freezer that can transform into a refrigerator when necessary. The company showcased its new offering at IFA 2018 this week, introducing a single-door freezer model with multiple divided storage compartments that can be individually controlled based on need.
The Philips Hue lighting product lineup has expanded with the launch of Adore Bathroom, a wall mirror with a diffused glowing ring around the edge. The model can be mounted on any wall, such as above a bathroom sink, providing a soft glow and warm color as a gentle alternative to flipping on the harsh overhead lights.
Schlage has announced Alexa support for two of its smart locks, the Sense Smart Deadbolt and the Connect Touchscreen Deadbolt. With this support, smart lock owners can use voice commands to unlock their door, a feature that uses a PIN for extra security. Access is also available through the maker's iOS and Android apps, though a WiFi Adapter is necessary.
Digital marketing agency Stone Temple has released a study detailing the accuracy of the four big personal assistants: Google Assistant (via Phone and Home), Amazon Alexa, Microsoft Cortana (via Invoke), and Apple's Siri. The team tested the services with 4,942 queries, monitoring the accuracy of the results to determine which assistant is the most accurate. Spoiler: Google won, but second place is surprising.
Charging up an electric car looks set to get a whole lot easier, with a new Plug&Charge system promising to do away with membership cards, apps, or swiping a credit card. The system turns the electric charging socket on the EV itself into an authentication system, enabling it to communicate with the charger it's plugged into.
Nest is helping address the energy burden in America with Power Project, an initiative that earmarks 1 million Nest Thermostat E units for low-income homes. The devices will be provided to needy homes in partnership with energy companies, non-profits, and housing agencies over the next five years, says Nest. Recipients are promised them "at little or no cost."
Amazon has announced Alexa Skill Blueprints, a new way for users to vastly personalize their Alexa experience. With Blueprints, users can create their on personalized skills and responses using templates, with a total of 20 Skill Blueprints being offered initially. The process is said to be simple enough for anyone to use, no coding skills necessary.
Facebook has decided to postpone the launch of its hardware products, including a home speaker, until later on this year, according to sources. The decision follows the Cambridge Analytica revelation and ongoing criticism over Facebook's handling of user data. The sources claim Facebook had planned to introduce the rumored smart speaker this May during its developers conference, but has since changed those plans.
Electric is the future. smart CEO Annette Winkler already said so last time we talked with her about the smart vision EQ fortwo concept EV. Now Mercedes-Benz is echoing that slogan as well. At the Geneva Motor Show, smart and Mercedes-Benz showed off the power their combined passion for pushing the electric campaign forward. The result is the smart EQ fortwo and forfour. For those in the US, these are the familiar all-electric cars that have been silently rolling in cities. For Europe and for the future, these two are the heralds of Mercedes-Benz’s dreams of an all-electric world.
Moleskine has expanded its smart writing system with the addition of its new Pen + Ellipse product. The smart pen combines traditional ink with tech to make handwritten content compatible with modern gadgets. Anything created with the pen is automatically detected, converted, and sent to a related tablet or smartphone where it can be accessed and used digitally.
Voice control is the latest fad in consumer tech and that reality is underscored by a new announcement from HP: it will soon offer voice-activated home printers. By doing so, the company explains, it will be the first printer business to offer "intuitive voice commands" via major smart speaker products, namely through Google Assistant, Amazon Alexa, and Microsoft's Cortana.