Latest
Look out, Nest. Johnson Controls said its Cortana-powered thermostat will start shipping soon with support for Alexa and Google Assistant, too.In 2017, Johnson Controls partnered with Microsoft on a thermostat. Called GLAS, the $319 device is made by... Read more
Harman Kardon will show the Citation 500 smart speaker to the public for the first time at IFA 2018 from 31 August.The high-end speaker comes with Google Assistant built in, so works like a Google Home or other voice controlled speaker using the same... Read more
Welcome to our roundup of the best Amazon Echo deals, with the latest pricing available for all of Amazon's Echo devices. Echo Show: £199.99 Amazon Echo: £89.99 Echo Spot: Just £119.99 Echo Dot: £49.99 - plus buy 3 Echo Dots for £129.97 There... Read more
It's clear that people use many digital assistants in their lives.They might own a PC with Cortana, an iPhone with Siri, an Fire tablet with Alexa, and a Google Home with Assistant. These assistants live on their own devices and respective ecosystems.... Read more
Sonos produces tremendous multi-room speakers, wireless apart from a power cable. Easy to set up and great-sounding, they have become the speaker of choice for millions. So, when a new addition to the range is revealed, the Sonos Beam, it's worth finding... Read more
LG will show smart, connected, artificially intelligent bedroom furniture at IFA 2018 in a couple of weeks.The LG Styler system is already available in the US and several other regions, but the new models are far smarter and offer voice control.It effectively... Read more
Amazon is apparently being investigated over claims that its next-day Prime delivery service doesn't actually deliver "unlimited one-day delivery". That's because - as you'll know if you're a Prime user - not all items do arrive the next day. Amazon... Read more
Amazon's Alexa announcements feature has been added to Sonos speakers for the first time.The Sonos One and Sonos Beam smart speakers now have the ability to broadcast messages around the home, bringing the young ones to the dinner table or making sure... Read more
Samsung has announced its first entry into the smart speaker arena, with the introduction of Galaxy Home.This Bixby-powered device is meant to compete with Google Home, Amazon Echo, and Apple HomePod. It houses Samsung's own virtual assistant, doubles... Read more
Samsung has outed its long-awaited smart speaker. Called Samsung Galaxy Home, it definitely has a distinctive design and sits on three prongs. But there's one key question: is Bixby good enough to power a smart speaker?Bixby hasn't exactly been a shining... Read more
Remember the June oven?No? Well, a few years ago, former Apple engineers, who both love to cook, introduced June, a smart oven with a Nvidia Tegra K1, 2.3GHz quad-core processor, 5-inch touchscreen, full HD camera, Wi-Fi connectivity, and built-in digital... Read more
Sonos has finally given a more concrete timeline on when we can expect Google Assistant integration with Sonos speakers. Mind you, integration with the Sonos One speaker has been teased since last year. But it has yet to happen. However, Google Assistant could... Read more
Samsung has confirmed its IFA 2018 press conference - but it doesn't look like it will be time for the Galaxy Watch to launch there. Samsung Galaxy Note 9 vs Galaxy S9+: What's the rumoured difference? That's because the invite to the event is on Samsung's... Read more
Do you want an Echo Show, but with Google Assistant instead of Alexa?The very first "Google Smart Display", which is, essentially, a Google Home with a screen, launched last week via Lenovo. Now, JBL is accepting preorders for its own smart display. Called... Read more
Household chores like ironing, washing and vacuuming are never particularly enjoyable. In fact, most people hate them and the few that might enjoy them are probably getting paid to do so.Don't worry though, there is something that could make your life... Read more
Neato Robotics is releasing a new software update for the Neato Botvac D7 Connected robot vacuum cleaner today which improves the bot's cleaning abilities. Neato's FloorPlanner Advanced Mapping Technology already allows users of the D7 Connected to... Read more
Amazon might be making a new Echo Dot speaker that looks awfully similar to the Google Home Mini. The online retailer hasn’t released a new Echo Dot speaker since late 2016, but if some leaked photos are legit, it looks like it might release a third-generation... Read more
Nespresso is well known for its premium capsule coffee machines but its latest device is something quite different. Smarter too.The Nespresso Barista is capable of making all manner of hot and cold drinks, including iced coffee and hot chocolate.It comes... Read more
Dental health firm Colgate has released a smart toothbrush that will give you feedback on your brushing technique, in order to help improve your daily routine.Like other electronic toothbrushes, it features sonic vibration technology to help clean your... Read more
Netgear has announced that it is launching a new doorbell to join the company's home security product range. The new Arlo audio doorbell represents an interesting alternative to Nest Hello and Ring Video Doorbells. This new Arlo Audio Doorbell is designed... Read more
Amazon has finally given Alexa some equaliser features.That means you'll be able to adjust EQ settings with commands like “Alexa, increase the bass.” It’s a great option that users have been clamoring for since Amazon first launched Alexa alongside... Read more
Amazon is making the Echo Show more accessible to hearing- and speech-impaired users.Amazon Echo offers voice control for users and their homes, but if you can't hear what Alexa has to say or clearly respond to it, then the device is somewhat useless.... Read more
The benefits of voice control for some people with disabilities have been well documented, but that's not helpful for users who are deaf or hard of hearing. For them, Amazon has now turned on Alexa Captioning in the UK after first unveiling it in the... Read more
Samsung is behind the curve when it comes to smart speakers. But it might catch up soon.The company has already launched its own assistant, Bixby, though it pales in comparison to well-established rivals, such as Google Assistant and Amazon Alexa. Nevertheless,... Read more
Vodafone has launched a trio of devices for families that are designed to introduce smart living for several generations in a household.Parents will get peace of mind with a new V-Home Hub, which will be available from August.It utilises Samsung Smart... Read more
Philips Hue is continuing its strategy to create more lighting solutions than just smart light bulbs. This time it is a range for the bathroom, including a mirror that lights up: the Hue Adore Mirror.The mirror is safe to use in a bathroom environment... Read more
A competitor to the Ring video doorbell is finally available in the UK. Say hello to the Nest Hello.Nest claims Hello is the first video doorbell able to both detect people and offer facial recognition, but its features aren't limited to just letting... Read more
"Alexa, tell everyone it's time to go!" Wouldn't it be nice if Alexa could help you hurry your family along or maybe announce that dinner is ready?Now, families with Echo devices in their home can do just that, thanks to a new "Alexa Announcements" feature... Read more
The Amazon Echo can make to-do lists, set alarms, stream podcasts, play audiobooks, read PDFs, provide weather forecasts, warn you of traffic, answer trivia, control your smart home and serve up other information in real-time. We've been living with... Read more
Amazon's Echo lineup is insane at this point, spanning smart speakers, video devices and new Alexa Gadgets.The Echo family of products has grown rapidly over the last couple of years, with a flurry of new devices announced last September to add to the... Read more
Your Amazon Echo or Alexa wake word is what your Amazon Alexa device listens out for before it bursts into action.Usually, this is "Alexa", the name of Amazon's virtual assistant and the default option. But you might not like "Alexa", while if you happen... Read more
Whether you have an Echo speaker or an Echo device with a screen, you can take advantage one of Amazon's coolest Alexa features: Drop In. With Drop In, you're able to instantly connect to any of your Echo devices (or a contact's Echo device, if they've... Read more
You can change your default music service for Alexa, so that it'll play from whatever service you prefer.That's handy if you don't subscribe to Amazon Music and maybe prefer, say, Spotify. Luckily, changing the default option to Spotify is super easy.... Read more
You've long been able to ask Alexa to buy you things from Amazon. But how do you stop accidental ordering on your Amazon Echo with Alexa? (If you don't know what Alexa is, we'll explain all in our What is Alexa? feature.)And how do you stop reckless friends... Read more
Your Amazon Echo has just arrived and you might have glanced at the quick-start guide, but beyond the basic setup, do you know the first things you should do with your new Echo? Alexa is the virtual assistant inside Amazon Echo devices - for a briefing... Read more
Echo Look is one of the newest additions to Amazon's line of Echo-branded devices, and it's also one of the quirkiest.Each Echo device has a different form factor and is best suited to a specific environment - whether you're at home and want to listen... Read more
Amazon is pushing the Echo and Echo Dot hard, in a bid to dominate the connected home market before too many players - like Google - can catch up.The Amazon Echo got off to a flying start, establishing itself as one of the hottest smart home devices,... Read more
Did you know you can use Alexa to call and message others? Amazon's Alexa calling and messaging feature enables you to make and receive calls, as well as send messages between Echo devices, the Amazon Alexa app for iOS and Android and Fire tablets.It's... Read more
If you're looking for an intelligent smart home speaker, then one powered by Google is likely to be a good alternative to the Amazon Echo range. Like the Amazon Echo smart speakers, Google Home devices are available in a range of sizes. While they all... Read more
Awair has announced the second generation model of its air pollution monitor that tracks toxins in the home to help you understand any impact on your health.Designed with allergies and breathing difficulties in mind, but also suitable for families who... Read more
Google Assistant can not only get things done but also entertain you.It is loaded with hilarious responses for all sorts of hidden commands. These are Easter Eggs - an unexpected feature in software - and they range from Assistant's deepest, darkest thoughts... Read more
Amazon's Echo devices support multiroom audio but you will need to group them up using the Alexa app. Here we'll tell you how.You can use the feature to play music across multiple Echo devices in your home at the same time.But there are caveats: the... Read more
Alexa is smart, funny, helpful, and, as it turns out, a game master.From interactive stories to trivia, Amazon's voice assistant is packed with games that can keep both children and adults entertained. We've spent years playing with Alexa in order to... Read more
Alexa has made another move into home entertainment with the launch of When In Rome, a board game that's powered by Amazon's digital assistant.Alexa will teach you how to play the game, keep score and is the overall host, while the board game plays out... Read more
Not only has Amazon announced its Prime Day sales in the UK, it has already kicked off proceedings in the US too, with several deals starting early.Like the UK, the US Prime Day will occur on 16 July (and slightly beyond). However, some Amazon products... Read more
Netatmo and roof window specialist Velux have joined forces for a new smart windows system that's compatible with Apple HomeKit.Velux Active with Netatmo is a plug-and-play smart home system that can automatically control roof windows, blinds and shutters.... Read more
Love them or loathe them, robot vacuum cleaners are a mixed bag (if you'll excuse the pun). Some are packed with every possible feature you could ever want and some you don't, while others are built to do a simple job with as little fuss as possible.... Read more
The Wi-Fi Alliance has announced WPA3 security, which makes wireless internet connection safer and harder to hack.Wi-Fi Certified WPA3 is the first major update to the security standard adopted by wireless routers and appliances for more than a decade.... Read more
Google buried a little switch in the Google Assistant app that allows its AI to be a lot more conversational.The new feature is called Continued Conversations. When it's turned on, you can make additional requests without having to repeat wake words.... Read more
Amazon has announced Alexa for Hospitality.This is a new version of the company’s voice assistant, Alexa. It's now being rolled out to hotels, vacation rental spaces, and other locations. It offers a unique Alexa experience that's different from the... Read more