Smart Home

Everything needs to be online nowadays, from vending machines to smart speakers, but that costs in terms of bulk and energy use. Now researchers have come up with a chip that gets devices connected with 5,000 times less power draw than normal.

If the growing proliferation of smart speakers in our homes makes you a little uneasy, researchers from the University of Chicago might have the answer: a wearable bracelet that jams the microphones in speakers, smartwatches, and smartphones alike.

We've seen camper vans with Mercedes' MBAC smart tech, and at this year's CMT show, we took a look at the first MBAC motorhome. Bimobil's LBX 365 is an off-grid expedition vehicle that now brings a little modern convenience to rarely explored spaces.

We're seeing an increasing number of "smart" locks that are installed over top of a door's existing old-school lock. This means that they protrude from the door, potentially getting in the way. The Level Lock, however, goes inside the door.

The VW California continues to capture imaginations, but it's other camper vans with origins in Westphalia now pushing the envelope. The Mercedes Marco Polo becomes the smartest small camper van on autobahns, gaining new smart home-style control.

First came the Google Home speakers, then we got Home speakers with screens, and now we've got the Google Nest Hub Max – the ultimate Google-powered smart speaker for 2019.

There's been a lot to take in at today's Made by Google event in New York, not least the Pixel 4 phones that have just been unveiled. Google had updates to several more of its product lines as well, and we've got all the details you need to know.

First came the smart speakers, then came the smart speakers with displays – and the Lenovo Smart Clock is one of the most compact smart displays yet.

Facebook has three new Portal video calling devices to show off, including one that connects to your TV.

Last year, Mercedes debuted the Sprinter Connected Home to highlight its new MBAC touchscreen and app control system. A year later, the first production motorhomes with MBAC make their world premieres, showing how the tech can streamline #vanlife at campgrounds and off the beaten path.

​You may think that the humble coffee table is something that couldn't be subjected to a high-tech makeover, but … yeah, you'd be wrong. The currently-crowdfunding Coosno is equipped with a mini fridge, voice control, Google Home and more.

The OmniFob is designed to be the last fob you'll ever need. A universal remote of sorts for your keychain. This teachable, versatile device is more than just a key-tracker that can open your garage door or send an SOS, it can integrate with your Smart Home systems and even start and lock your car.