Smart Home

Voice-activated smart speakers can be handy around the house, but they come with a privacy trade-off. Appropriately named start-up Paranoid has unveiled a set of devices that can make sure smart speakers are only listening when you want them to.

A new startup called Yeeuu Tech has thrown eight different unlocking methods into one device. The S1 Smart Lock can be unlocked through passcodes, NFC, an app, fingerprints, or Bluetooth, among others, and can be fitted into most existing locks.

Wearables continue to get smaller, cheaper, and more capable, and the latest to enter the fray is the Wyze Band. For a mere US$25 you get just about everything you could want from a compact fitness tracker.

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.