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The latest news and reviews of kitchen tech, home theater and smart home devices.

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Philips is adding voice control to its Hue light and TV sync box
We cheered when Signify launched the Philips Hue Play HDMI Sync Box last September. At last, a dead-simple way to sync the company's smart lights with whatever is playing on your TV! The hardware wasn't perfect, though. It didn't have baked-in voice control, for instance, or any formal compatibility with Alexa, Siri, or the Google Assistant. For a $230 box -- and one released in 2019 -- it felt like a massive and inexcusable omission. Signify has recognized its mistake, though, and is working on a software update that will add support for all three assistants later this spring. Once it goes live, you'll be able to use your voice to turn the Sync Box on and off, change various Hue light settings and switch between HDMI devices. If you need a refresher, the svelte black slab has five HDMI slots -- one for your TV, and four for your favorite media players, game consoles and streaming boxes. The Sync Box analyzes the incoming image and then chooses the most appropriate colors and brightness settings for your smart bulbs. You can also fine-tune the experience with three different sync modes (video, music and games), a brightness slider and four intensity options (subtle, moderate, high and extreme) inside the Hue Sync app. The effect will vary, of course, depending on the number and type of Hue bulbs that you have set up. Some TV-attached lightstrips, for instance, might be more dramatic than a couple of bulbs placed behind your sofa. Don't care for voice control? No problem. Today, Signify announced that you'll soon be able to use infrared-based TV remotes to control the Sync Box. That includes basic commands -- turning the contraption on and off, and switching between different HDMI inputs -- and more complicated button inputs, provided you "teach" the Sync Box what each of them means through the Hue Sync app. Signify hopes this will make it easier to use the box everyday as part of a more complicated home theater setup.
Sunflower's $9,950 security drone aims to protect your home autonomously
Home security technology usually takes the form of smart cameras or intruder-detecting WiFi routers, but a new system from Sunflower Labs offers a more radical solution -- and autonomous drone which oversees your property.
The mamaRoo sleep bassinet mimics parents' cuddles to lull babies to sleep
The mamaRoo sleep bassinet looks simple at first glance -- and then it starts moving. The base stays still while the basket itself glides up and down, side to side, in smooth, dreamy motions. There are five different patterns: car ride, kangaroo, tree swing, rockaby and wave. Each of these movements has five speeds, offering 25 total settings. And each one is based on the natural motions that parents make when they're trying to soothe their little ones.
Lenovo's Smart Frame puts your digital photos on a 21.9-inch canvas
Like many of us, you probably have hundreds and thousands of photos on your phone or the cloud, never to be seen again. Sure, you could print and hang them, but if you ever want to change photos, that can be a pain. A smart display can double as a digital photo frame, but you can't exactly mount it on a wall. Lenovo has come up with a potential solution to that with the Lenovo Smart Frame. It's not cheap at $400, and it is insanely large, but it is by far one of the most elegantly designed digital photo frames I've seen.
Weber's grilling hub equips any grill with WiFi smarts
It may seem unnecessary, but WiFi has become an essential barbecue tool. Companies like Traeger have been equipping pellet grills with the wireless connectivity that allows you to control and monitor your grill remotely -- even when you're not at home. The feature is very helpful for longer cooking sessions, so that you don't have to constantly check on a brisket, or stay near the grill, for the entire 12 hours it takes the smoked slab of meat to finish.
ADT’s DIY smart home cameras won’t require a hub or long-term contract
Home security company ADT is creating a new smart home security brand called Blue by ADT. Today, the company is unveiling the brand's first three products: smart indoor, outdoor and doorbell cameras. Each of the new DIY devices can be used on its own or configured with others as you wish, and you won't need a smart home hub to operate them.
Ring pledges to beef up security in 2020
Once you've put a camera on your doorbell, peep hole and in your garden, there's not many more smart devices you need, right? Not so, according to Ring, which has turned up at CES with six products in tow, the most notable of which is the Access Controller Pro. The wall-mounted box will let you pair any electronically controlled access gate with your Ring camera over Ethernet or a cellular connection, letting you control both from inside the Ring app. In addition, being an Amazon-owned company, the system will allow Key by Amazon couriers to drop packages securely inside your yard rather than waiting for you to come and greet them.
Kwikset’s latest smart lock recognizes your fingerprint
Forget using an app or security code to access your smart lock -- Kwikset's new Halo Touch smart lock is fingerprint-enabled. The device stores up to 100 fingerprints from 50 users and offers one-touch locking and unlocking.
IKEA's smart blinds now work with Apple HomeKit
IKEA's smart blinds should be much easier to control if you live in an Apple-centric household. The home furnishing giant is now rolling out HomeKit support for its FYRTUR blinds, making them easy to control without either using the remote or relying on Google Assistant. You'll need a TRADFRI gateway for this to work, but it should otherwise be straightforward -- you can use Apple's Home app or Siri to open the blinds as much as you need. They can also tie into scenes, so you can fling your blinds wide open in the morning at the same time as you adjust your lights.
Lexilight is a reading lamp designed to help people with dyslexia
The precise causes of dyslexia remain a mystery, though research out of France two years ago suggests the condition occurs when someone has two dominant eyes, rather than the usual one. This means letters appear mirrored or blurred, making it difficult to read. The Lexilight lamp tackles this problem with LEDs -- it pulses at a customizable rate, enabling the brain to process information from a single "dominant" eye and clearing up mashed-together letters instantly.
Cuddly rolling robot Lovot returns to CES as a real product
Lovot stole our hearts at last year's CES. Coming from Japanese company Groove X, Lovot is a pint-sized rolling robot that's designed to bring cheer into people's lives, acting as a kind of mechanical pet. It has big eyes, a button nose and two flipper-like arms that wave around when Lovot wants to dance, be picked up, or otherwise interact with its owners (or other Lovots). It also coos. It's the most adorable thing.
Sensorwake’s olfactory alarm clock is now the 'Night and Day Diffuser'
If you've ever wished that someone would spritz pleasing smells on your face as you woke up, then it's a good day to be you. Maison Berger is launching a new version of Sensorwake's olfactory alarm clock to diffuse smells that'll help you get to sleep, and wake up again. The Night and Day Diffuser is a "multi-sensory alarm clock" that uses dry diffusion to fragrance your room 30 days in a row.
Core brings Fitbit-style tracking to your meditation sessions
Being a tech journalist is a stressful job. And CES is the most stressful time of year. So naturally, I'm looking for any opportunity I have to take a couple of minutes, breathe, relax and just focus on myself. Which meant the first thing I did when I rolled into Unveiled -- basically the officially kickoff party for CES -- was wander over the booth for Core, a device designed to help you meditate.
The toothbrush that cleans your mouth in 10 seconds is finally ready
French company FasTeesH has been tweaking the design of its full-coverage electric toothbrush since it was crowdfunded to the tune of $165,000 in 2018. Now, the Y-Brush is ready for its mainstream debut. Shipments of the Y-Brush started rolling out just before CES 2020 in January (pre-orders have been open since July 2018).
Hatch made a smart sleep light to help adults rest better
Hatch, which is perhaps best known for its baby-focused products, is turning its attention to grown-ups. It made a smart sleep light called Restore, with the aim of helping people drift off more easily and get a better night's rest.
The Julia smart cooking system even washes itself up
For some, cooking is an exercise in passion, relaxation and creativity. For others, it's a tedious, time-consuming chore. Fortunately, for the less culinary-inclined folk, there's an ever-growing market of gadgets that promise to make cooking an altogether easier, quicker and more intuitive experience -- and the latest to arrive is Julia, an intelligent autonomous cooking system that pretty much does everything. (While it's not officially associated with the late master chef Julia Childs, the insinuation is pretty obvious).
Netatmo's first smart door lock works with HomeKit
Smart home company Netatmo already has a HomeKit-friendly video doorbell, connected smoke alarms and AI-equipped security cameras. Now, the company is ready to introduce its first smart lock.
Moen's voice-activated faucet gives cooks precise amounts of water
Moen, one of the biggest faucet companies in the US, was last spotted at CES showing off its shower "concierge," but now it's turning its attention to more traditional sink fixtures. This year, it announced the U by Moen Smart Faucet -- a voice-activated faucet that helps you do everyday kitchen tasks hands-free. From preparing a baby's bottle to filling a pasta pot, just tell the faucet how much water you need, and at what temperature, and it'll dispense it on command. You can set unlimited personalized presets for specific cooking tasks, and activate water flow through voice control, a wave sensor, or via a good old fashioned button. Moen hasn't announced pricing for its latest addition, but it's likely to cost a substantial amount more than old-fashioned mechanical faucets.
Arlo's new floodlight security camera is completely wireless
Floodlight cameras are helpful for spotting (and ideally, deterring) intruders, but they typically require some kind of wiring. Even Ring's model still requires a link to a floodlight system. Arlo, however, thinks it can one-up its rivals. Its new Arlo Pro 3 Floodlight Camera is billed as the first truly wireless option of its kind -- you can put it where you need it without any messy connections. About the only hassle is having to recharge the battery.
Sleep Number’s Climate360 bed adjusts to suit your body temperature
Many people get plenty of sleep, but still don't feel fully rested. And there are always companies looking fix our sleeping woes. Sleep Number's mattresses have focused on providing the ideal level of firmness for a specific person's sleep style to remedy this, but the company's newest product will take things a step further. The forthcoming Climate360 mattress will use "microclimates" to apparently reduce how often you wake up during the night by keeping your body at the right temperature. With both heating and cooling functions, the mattresses will automatically adjust your body temperature according to sleep cycles for deeper rest.

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