Amazon Alexa

I never once dreamed of having automated blinds. I was hesitant at first because I live in a rental, but then I thought I'd for sure get my deposit back when we eventually move out after an upgrade like automatic shades, right?

When you're working out with dumbbells, stopping to add or remove weights can disrupt the whole flow of things. In order to keep those stops as short as possible, NordicTrack has introduced its voice-controlled iSelect Adjustable Dumbbells.

For decades sci-fi has been promising us helpful home robots, but progress and uptake have been slow. Amazon may have heeded the call with Astro, its new Alexa-on-wheels – and whether this future is more The Jetsons or Black Mirror is up to you.

Despite the current onslaught of "smart" devices, the humble handwritten sticky-note reminder is still hanging in there. That said, Amazon is planning on giving it a high-tech makeover of its own, with the Smart Sticky Note Printer.

For many of us, cuckoo clocks are something quaint that we remember from our grandparents' homes. Nonetheless, Amazon is now looking at giving the device a 21st Century makeover with its Smart Cuckoo Clock.

The Amazon Fire series has been offering budget tablets to the masses for almost a decade now, and the Amazon Fire HD 8 Plus is the newest in the range (alongside an updated Fire HD 8). We've been testing one out for the past few days.

Sweden's Zound Industries, the company that manufactures headphones and speakers under license from Marshall Amps, has announced the release of a new Bluetooth speaker called the Uxbridge Voice, which has Alexa built in and supports AirPlay 2.

The most innovative camper van on display at this year's CMT show in Stuttgart wasn't actually a van at all. The PlugVan is a universal plug-and-play camper module that slides into the back of any cargo van, grows in size to fill out the space and provides a smart home-like living space.

At CES this week in Las Vegas, UK bike retailer Halfords announced mid-year availability for the world's first e-bike – the Cybic E-Legend – that has Amazon's Alexa cooked in, meaning that riders will be able to ask the cloud-based voice assistant for directions and more.

If you went anywhere near a rec room or a gift shop in the early 2000s, you probably remember Big Mouth Billy Bass, that motion-sensing, singing, rubber fish. Now, to reel in those customers that got away, there’s a new version of the iconic gag gift that baits the hook with Alexa integration.

If you're looking for a way to interface with Amazon's Alexa that's a little different, and using something that adds a touch of retro style to your living room or office, then the Alexaphones from Grain Design could well fit the bill.​

It’s not Tony Stark’s Jarvis assistant, but it’s Jarv … ish? The Jarvish X-AR is a smart heads-up motorcycle helmet with all the trimmings, from a basic HUD to 360-degree cameras and voice controls. And now it’s being upgraded to feature augmented reality and Alexa voice assistant integration.