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Get two Google Nest Hubs for the price of one
If you've wanted to outfit your home with smart displays, Best Buy just made it relatively trivial. The big-box retailer is running a promotion that offers two Google Nest Hubs for $100 -- that's less than the $129 it would normally cost to buy just one. A previous deal like this lasted only one day in December, so you'll want to act quickly if you like the thought of Google Assistant screens serving as alarm clocks or kitchen helpers.
UK proposes tougher security for smart home devices
The UK government plans to introduce a new law designed to improve the security standards of household products connected to the Internet of Things (IoT). The legislation stipulates that all consumer smart devices sold in the UK -- such as smart cameras and TVs, wearable health trackers and connected appliances -- adhere to three specific requirements.
Amazon is having a sale on all of its Fire TV streamers
Amazon has dropped prices across its Fire TV range. These aren't the lowest prices ever, but it's a consistent cut across the board, making it a good time to buy in if you're updating your TV setup. First up, the second generation Fire TV Stick which packs in Alexa voice remote, HD and on-remote volume controls, which is the feature we didn't even know we needed in the Fire Stick's original form. Amazon's got this on offer for $25, instead of the usual $40. The Fire TV Stick 4K version, which supports Ultra HD and Dolby Vision, also has a solid 15 bucks off, on sale now for $35 instead of $50.
I am my own spy: A personal surveillance story
One of the first webcams I purchased was a Dropcam several years ago. We'd had a couple of package thefts, and I wanted to see if I could catch the perpetrator in the act. I positioned the camera at our front window, with the lens pointed at the steps leading up to the front door. Alas, I never did catch anyone because we never had any more package thefts. Maybe they were scared off by the presence of a camera, or maybe they realized their folly when one of the packages they'd stolen was simply a bag of cat litter.
My quest to fix my terrible home WiFi
When I was young -- in high school or so -- my sister and I had a system worked out. Our Comcast cable internet service routinely seemed to flake out, so she and I would take turns running downstairs to the router, unplugging it, waiting for what felt like the most torturous 30 seconds possible and plugging the router back in. It was obnoxious enough back then, but now that our respective homes are filled with even more hardware clamoring for internet connections, the idea of half-assing a home network seems even tougher to endure. And yet, that's exactly what I've been doing, even now.
How Weber used decades of expertise to improve smart grilling
The Weber Kettle is arguably the most iconic grill of all time. There are other companies that have made a name for themselves with novel designs and features. But when you think about charcoal grills, I'll bet the kettle shape Weber pioneered comes to mind. I would argue that overall design is timeless. Invented by George Stephen in 1952, the first model was inspired by the shape of a buoy. Stephen worked at Weber Brothers Metal Works in Chicago at the time -- where the company gets its name (which technically is Weber-Stephen). Stephen discovered that a rounded bowl and a removable lid could drastically improve grill performance. So he cut the top off of a buoy, attached legs to the bottom and a handle on the top. The Weber Kettle was born.
The Morning After: Sonos tries again, and Tinder's new tools
Hey, good morning! You look fabulous. Tinder decided the end of January was the best time to add several new features to its app, aimed at security and the end of catfishing. It's not exactly your typical Valentine's Day preamble, is it? First, it's equipping those in search of love with some safety features, including location-based check-ins and a panic 'button' for if a user feels in danger. This would summon emergency services through Noonlight. With Tinder becoming a ubiquitous dating tool, these sound like genuine safety improvements. On the other side, Tinder is offering anyone the chance to be verified -- something most might struggle to be proud of. This is less about celebrity signalling and more about lessening the catfishes in the dating pool. It's never been easier for hollowed-out users to create their own photogenic profile to reel in someone (anyone!) for digital flirting and a date that will probably never happen. Everyone's been catfished at least one time. I was once used to lure folks by some anonymous profile on "Yellow Facebook." Tinder's new Photo Verification feature will compare a series of real-time posed selfies to existing profile photos. If your photos match and pass a (human-assisted) AI review, you'll get a blue checkmark on your profile. Maybe it'll lead to love? Or at least a middling date at some Korean fusion place where your companion looks like you thought they would. -- Mat
Teenage Engineering’s IKEA collection lands in stores next month
If IKEA's Sonos speakers are a little bland for your taste, you might be happy to know that the FREKVENS line, a collaboration between IKEA and Teenage Engineering, arrives in February. The collection is meant to get funky house parties started, and it includes everything from speakers to spotlights, spill-resistant furniture and a raincoat -- all with Teenage Engineering's signature colorful quirkiness.
Bixby was quiet in 2019, but don't sleep on Samsung's assistant
Decades of science fiction assured us all that, yes, one day we'd be able to control the immensely complex gadgetry around us with just our voices. It was right, mostly. The rise of the virtual assistant, built atop still other developments in cloud computing and machine learning, means we can wonder out loud what the weather is like, or how far away the moon is, or hail a car and expect a response from a carefully crafted voice in moments. And now, those disembodied voices have taken up residence in our homes.
How I smart-homed my tiny studio apartment
Living in a tiny apartment presents its own challenges, especially if you want to turn it into a smart home. But there are ways you can do it without violating your lease -- here's how.
Is this the back of the Xbox Series X?
Behold the derrière of the Xbox Series X. Images of an alleged prototype have surfaced on Twitter and the gaming forum Neogaf, hinting at the various ports that will be available on Microsoft's next console. Thurrott's Brad Sams believes they are authentic and not the work of a 3D-printing whizz kid. We can't confirm their legitimacy, but they're an improvement over the fake render AMD used during its CES presentation (oh, what a fun day that was...) A large panel reads "prototype - not for sale," so it's also possible the design and exact arrangement will change before release. The alleged images show an optical audio port, two USB-A ports, ethernet, power and a single HDMI port. (The Xbox One family, for comparison, had a second HDMI port for pass-through shenanigans.) There's also a long, rectangular slot which Sams explains is for diagnostic reporting and likely won't feature on the final console. We're months away from the Xbox Series X release, so the retail version could look completely different. The general shape, though, is identical to what Microsoft showed during The Game Awards last year. Provided these images are legitimate, we would be surprised if the company made anything more than slight alterations. @IdleSloth1984 @blueisviolet @XcloudTimdog pic.twitter.com/qmVlhTTaqi — Doug - XBOX SERIES X (@Doug_DragoX) January 22, 2020
Some Under Armour fitness devices lose their smarts on March 31st (updated)
People who bought some of Under Armour's fitness devices are learning a hard lesson about the fragility of connected tech. Ars Technica has learned that the athletic wear company is winding down support for its scale, wristband and heart monitor by not only pulling the cornerstone Record mobile app (done on New Year's Eve), but halting all bug fixes and customer support. The app will stop working entirely on March 31st, preventing the gadgets from syncing their data outside of a handful of circumstances. Needless to say, that's a big problem if you dropped significant money on even one of UA's 2016-era devices, let alone $400 for the HealthBox bundle that included the three gadgets in one kit.
Google CEO Sundar Pichai calls for 'sensible regulation' of AI
Google and Alphabet CEO Sundar Pichai takes his sweet time getting to the point in a new Financial Times editorial. But when he gets there, he leaves little room for interpretation: "...there is no question in my mind that artificial intelligence needs to be regulated. It is too important not to."
Apple unveils animated musical series from the creator of 'Bob's Burgers'
Apple is determined to pump up its TV+ service mere hours before the Screen Actors Guild Awards. It started by unveiling Central Park, an animated musical comedy series from Bob's Burgers creator Loren Bouchard, fellow BB producer Nora Smith and Frozen's Josh Gad (who also helps produce). The series follows a family who lives in a castle in New York City's legendary park while resisting pressure from an heiress who wants to turn the greenery into condos.
Google Stadia is being bundled with BT broadband packages in the UK
Google has partnered with BT, one of the UK's largest internet service providers, to get its video game streaming service in more homes. Starting today, anyone that signs up for a Superfast Fibre 2, Ultrafast Fibre 100 or Ultrafast Fibre 250 package will receive a free Google Stadia Premiere Edition. If you need a refresher, that includes a 'Clearly White' Stadia controller, black Chromecast Ultra, and three months of Stadia Pro, a subscription service that lets you stream a bunch of different games including Destiny 2 in up to 4K resolution and 5.1 surround sound. For reference, the Premiere Edition normally costs £119 in the Google Store.
Weber Connect will be a useful tool for grillers of all skill levels
If you haven't been keeping up with the latest in backyard-barbecue news, Weber is tackling smart and connected grilling in a big way this year. The company announced its WiFi-enabled SmokeFire pellet grills back in November, which will be available later this month. This week at CES, it debuted the Weber Connect Smart Grilling Hub: a standalone device that can equip any grill with Bluetooth and WiFi smarts. Both of those products tap into Weber Connect, a powerful mobile app that will help grillers and aspiring pitmasters of all skill levels cook without worrying they might ruin dinner.
Spectrum's exit from home security leaves people with useless tech
A host of Spectrum subscribers are about to learn the risks of tying your home security to your telecom provider. The Charter-owned cable company has notified customers that it will stop supporting its Spectrum Home Security service on February 5th. When that happens, the system will largely be useless. Individual devices should work, but the core monitoring service and remote device access (you know, the main reasons you signed up) will go away.
Playing 'NBA Jam' on a 16-foot cabinet at CES 2020
I know I'm not tall enough to dunk in real life, but I never thought I'd be too short to pull off the move in NBA Jam. That is, until Arcade1Up brought a 16-foot NBA Jam arcade cabinet to CES 2020 and proved me dead wrong.
What happened to the doughnut-shaped Olly speaker?
A few years back, CES attendees went mad for Olly, a doughnut-shaped speaker with a voice assistant that adapted to your personality. It was a refreshing change to the seemingly infinite hardware packing Alexa and Google Assistant, and visitors were charmed by its ability to stand up and spin around a circular stand. Olly's creator, a London-based startup called Emotech, offered two prototypes at the show -- one that was excitable and spoke quickly and another that seemed a little more placid -- to demonstrate how Olly would mimic its owners. As TechCrunch reported, the company wanted to start its initial production run later that year.
Samsung’s SmartThings app will soon connect to your car too
Samsung wants to add cars to its smart home ecosystem. At CES, Samsung announced that it's teaming up with Smartcar to make its SmartThings app compatible with "most new cars" in the US. Through the app, users will be able to do things like locate and unlock their vehicle or check its mileage, fuel level and EV battery status.

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