Sharp has been one of the biggest names in home appliances for decades now, especially when it comes to microwave ovens, but they’ve never offered a complete matching kitchen suite until now. The New Jersey-based brand has just announced a new range of smart built-in kitchen appliances that look sharper than ever (pun fully intended).

Designed as a seamless solution for consumers, the suite includes SuperSteam ovens, induction cooktops, wall ovens, a slide-in range, microwave drawers and over-the-range microwave ovens, dishwashers, and refrigerators. That means you can basically have an entire kitchen full of matching high-tech appliances at the click of a button.

Like most of Sharp’s contemporary pieces, these ones will have black edge-to-edge glass and the ability to hide their controls behind a panel for a minimalist look. The company’s goal appears to be to appeal directly to interior designers, architects, and discerning homeowners who want both top quality and sleek modern looks for new kitchens and renovations.

Unveiled at this year’s Nationwide Primetime Show in New Orleans, Louisiana, the line appears clean and simple on the surface, but includes new features like connection to the Internet of Things (IoT).

“This line of kitchen appliances is rooted in Sharp’s rich heritage in cooking,” says Jim Sanduski, President of the Sharp Electronics Marketing Company of America. “We’ve taken our experience in the kitchen and created the recipe for a brand-new, end-to-end kitchen solution that is both technologically advanced and beautiful.”

“The entire team at Sharp Home is committed to delivering on our promise to service the dreams and desires of the home cook, and the introduction of our first-ever kitchen suite is another step in our commitment to Simply Better Living,” adds Peter Weedfald, the company’s Senior Vice President of Sales and Marketing.

“Our revolutionary new products, such as the IoT-enabled SuperSteam+ Built-In Oven and IoT Microwave Drawer, are simple to use and help create great-tasting meals for modern, fast-paced families pursuing a healthier lifestyle.”

You’re not alone if you’re wondering why in the world you’d want your microwave to be connected to the internet, and Sharp has yet to release all of the details behind these new appliances. But generally speaking, smart microwaves are supposed to give you a new level of control over the cooking and reheating process, helping you target exact temperatures and control everything from other rooms via your smartphone. Some smart cooking appliances can even identify exactly what you’re cooking and switch to the appropriate settings automatically.

Sharp says its 24-inch IoT SuperSteam+ Built-In Oven and 24” IoT Microwave Drawer Built-In Oven will allow easy integration into new or existing smart home systems, and other features include “easy wave open” for quick, touch-free opening.

Weedfald also notes that the smart appliances will go hand-in-hand with an app powered by SideChef that lets you browse for a recipe and send instructions directly to your oven, which is pretty cool, especially for people who aren’t the most experienced home cooks.

The new Sharp appliance series is set to launch in 2020, so be sure to stay tuned for more information.

The post Sharp to Start Offering Built-In Kitchen Appliances first appeared on Dornob.

“We hope this will be a really empowering experience for people to start to see their world differently, see themselves differently, and understand how the types of skills that spies use can be relevant to their daily lives,” says Shelby Prichard, SPYSCAPE’s Chief of Staff. “We show how the world of espionage is all around you.”

Adjaye Associates consulted former members of renowned hacking collectives, station chiefs, and intelligence directors when designing the museum. The goal was to have visitors catch on to its mysterious atmosphere as soon as they walked through the door. The resulting space boasts a highly futuristic aesthetic, as characterized by dark concrete walls, polished concrete floors, dim rooms illuminated by LED lighting, and high-tech information displays. Smaller interior features like weathering steel drums, smoked glass, gray acoustic paneling, and mirror-polished steel only serve to further connect patrons with their inner undercover agents as they explore the various exhibits.

The museum has been open to the public since February 17th, 2018. Upon arrival, visitors are handed “identity bands,” digital wristbands that allow patrons to take part in a series of interactive, multisensory challenges meant to put their spy skills to the test. Once the tour is complete, the crowd is moved to the debriefing room, where everyone is given an assessment on which of ten total spy roles they would be best suited for.
“We worked for a couple of years on our profiling system with [a] former head of training for British intelligence, as well as some top industrial psychologists,” explains Prichard. “So it really is a very authentic look at how the spy world thinks about what it takes to be different types of spies.”

Before players are given their respective spy roles, they’ll watch a briefing on secret intelligence in the central theater. From there, they’ll move to an interrogation booth, where they’ll “learn the art and science of spotting lies,” and a room filled with 360-degree projections of both live and pre-recorded CCTV footage, which itself is meant to mimic a surveillance mission. Later on, the visitors’ agility and reaction times will be tested as they creep through a laser tunnel.

Apart from participating in the spy games themselves, guests are also encouraged to peruse a selection of spy gadgets and smart tech in the gift shop. If you’re feeling hungry, you might stop by the museum’s café, where you can enjoy a cup of coffee and a bookshop with over 1,000 rare and first-edition spy books. There are also multiple event spaces on-site, where organizations can host private parties for as many as 600 guests.

Admission currently costs $39 for adults and $32 dollars for children. If you’re planning on visiting, head on over to SPYSCAPE’s official website for more information.

The post SPYSCAPE Museum Invites Patrons to Be Undercover Agents first appeared on Dornob.

One of the biggest concerns about traveling to a foreign country is not being able to understand the language. For those desiring to explore the world but nervous about trying to get directions or order food on their trip, digital translation company Timekettle has just the gadget for you. The company’s handheld Fluentalk T1 can instantly convert spoken words from one language into another, potentially eliminating the main barrier to international trips.

Over 40 Languages

The Fluentalk T1 can translate over 40 languages and 93 different accents with up to 95 percent accuracy. In places where you can’t connect to the internet, the device can still translate 13 language pairs in offline mode.

Ask for Directions Without a Guidebook

There is a specific mode on the Fluentalk T1 for asking for directions, one of the most common needs as a tourist. Users simply have to double click the power button to start a conversation with someone on the street.

Chat Translation

For longer exchanges, users can turn on chat mode and place the Fluentalk T1 in between them to have their dialogue translated in real time via advanced streaming automatic speech recognition (ASR) technology and a global internet connection. A built-in microphone array uses noise reduction algorithms to distinguish between human voices and ambient sounds, providing a clear audio experience for every member of the conversation.

Listen Mode

The Fluentalk T1 also features a listen mode that can continuously translate the speech around the user into their own language. This could be helpful while sitting in a meeting or dinner to be able to understand all the surrounding chatter.

Image/Photo Translation

Not only can it translate spoken words, but Timekettle’s handy machine can also decipher street signage and menus. With its 8-megapixel camera and optical character recognition (OCR) offline translation engine, the Fluentalk T1 can instantly translate images in 36 languages.

Voice Memos

The Fluentalk T1 also comes with a voice memo mode for making travel or business notes. You can even make a quick audio file for later translation if you’re in a hurry.

Cellular Data

For the first two years, the company offers free mobile data around the world. After that users can either purchase more data from Timekettle or insert their own mobile phone SIM card. They can also use a local Wi-Fi connection if available.

World Clock and Currency Exchange Rates

These two bonus features make it easier to keep track of local time and current money exchange rates in whatever country you’re visiting.

Pocket-Sized Portability

Smaller than the typical smartphone, the Fluentalk T1 is designed to be extremely portable. About the size of a credit card and weighing only a quarter of a pound, it can easily be slipped into a pocket or purse.

For those interested in a more comprehendible travel experience, the Fluentalk T1 is available for $299.99 on the company website.

The post Pocket-Sized Fluentalk T1 Translates Over 40 Languages in Real Time for Easier Travel first appeared on Dornob.

Though you can take steps to limit their presence, like buying less toxic products and washing your bedding at least once a week, an air filter is probably the best way to breathe cleaner air at night. A new product called the AirTulip Sleep may be the best solution yet, building a high-powered air purification system right into the headboard.

Fluid dynamics and aerodynamics expert Arjen de Jong teamed up with Raoul Valstar to design the AirTulip Sleep in response to COVID-19. The duo wanted to offer advanced air filtration technology in a new form that wouldn’t just take up a bunch of space in the home. The AirTulip Sleep replaces a conventional headboard, directly shielding you from contaminants in your most vulnerable state, and it’s virtually silent to boot.

How the Air Purifying Headboard Works

AirTulip Sleep uses a unique type of airflow to reduce contaminants. Fans, hairdryers, A/C vents, and even the wind spread contaminants through the air in a motion called turbulent airflow. The blowing motion stirs up pollutants and mixes particles and gases with clean air, which makes it hard for most conventional air purifiers to work efficiently.

The AirTulip uses laminar airflow instead, creating a chamber of clean air directly around the headboard where you need it. Laminar airflow is used in hospitals, medical labs, and other scientific facilities that require a sterile environment. The AirTulip Sleep uses it to create an output of clean air without the kind of blowing motion that brings in pollutants from elsewhere in the bedroom.

The product has been tested and verified by the Eindhoven University of Technology, which confirmed that it’s able to reduce the air particle count to zero. The AirTulip sleep also uses Ultra-Low Particulate Air Filters (ULPA) that filter 99.9997 percent of air particles, making it 100 times more efficient than a standard HEPA filter.

Even More Benefits

The AirTulip Sleep is a smart headboard, so you can use the accompanying app to track your sleep quality on your Apple Watch, Fitbit, Oura Ring, or Garmin Fitness Watch. It also offers dual-zone temperature regulations.

The addition of active cooling and heating options on each side of the bed allows you to individually control the temperature between -7 degrees Fahrenheit cooler and +7 degrees Fahrenheit warmer than the bedroom itself. The laminar flow feature ensures that you won’t feel the temperature difference on the other side of the bed.

Other features include a “day mode” for more powerful air filtration when whisper-quiet operation isn’t as important, a storage shelf along the back for plants or other objects, two integrated wireless smartphone chargers, a reading lamp, a USB charger, and ambient lighting.

How to Order One for Your Home

The AirTulip Sleep comes in all common bed frame sizes, including US twin, full, queen, and king sizes, and European 80/90cm, 140cm, 160cm, and 180cm mattresses. It integrates seamlessly with existing bed frames with the same mounting points. Available colors include mint fabric with a light oak frame, pearl fabric with a birch frame, stone fabric with a titanium-colored frame, and anthracite fabric with a black wood-colored frame.

AirTulip just wrapped up a successful round of crowdfunding on IndieGogo and Kickstarter, with rewards shipping now. It’ll soon be available for retail purchase for $1499 and up; subscribe to the AirTulip newsletter for updates.

The post Air Purifying Headboard Creates a Bubble of Clean Air Around You As You Sleep first appeared on Dornob.

Bose Frames Tenor ($249)

Take out the earbuds with these combination speaker and sunglasses. Packaged in a sleek, black frame with polarized lenses, the Tenor’s state-of-the-art Bose Bluetooth speaker allows wearers to enjoy the natural sounds of their environment while discreetly listening to music in crystal clear quality.

Loftie Smart Alarm Clock ($149)

More than just an alarm clock, this smart device is also a white noise machine and includes a Bluetooth speaker that can play guided meditations, soothing evening playlists, and sound baths. It’s everything that special someone in your life needs to get the perfect night’s sleep.

Moleskine Smart Writing System ($279)

Digital technology makes note-taking and journaling so easy to store, but studies show that writing by hand increases brain activity over typing on a tablet or smartphone. The perfect compromise? The Moleskine Smart Writing System, comprised of a smart Ncoded paper and Smart Pen that instantly uploads digital copies of all your hand-written notes.

eTape16 Digital Electronic Tape Measure ($39.99)

For all your handy friends, this electronic tape provides a digital readout for all measurements and can even remember them, eliminating the need for a pen and paper to write it all down.

Anker Nebula Solar Portable Mini Projector ($399.99)

This compact mini projector lets your friends take their TV and movie-watching fun on the road. The1080p projector has a battery that can last for three hours on a single charge. It also doubles as a Bluetooth speaker to provide a full wireless entertainment experience in one machine.

Ekster Parliament Leather Smart Wallet ($69)

If your loved one isn’t ready to go all in on digital finance yet, this smart wallet provides identity theft protection with its RFID coating. With just the push of a button, their desired card is pushed up for easy access at the checkout line. The stylish wallet can also be connected and tracked via smartphone, Amazon Alexa, or Google Assistant so it never stays lost for long. It can hold up to seven cards and is handily powered by sunlight.

MUSE 2: The Brain Sensing Headband ($249.99)

Help your loved ones achieve greater focus and clarity this year with a Muse 2 Brain Sensing Headband. It monitors your brain activity, heart rate, breathing, and body movement in real time. When it’s connected to the accompanying smartphone app, the Muse 2 provides over 500 guided meditations for improved emotional and mental health.

Hydrate Spark 3 ($69.99)

Help your family stay properly hydrated with this smart, BPA-free plastic water bottle. The bottom glows when its times to take a sip again. Users can connect the Hidrate Spark to their phones to track how much water they drink each day and to track it if ever goes missing.

Solawave Advanced Skincare Wand ($149)

Give the gift of beauty with this skin care wand that uses red light therapy and microcurrent waves to roll back the clock on fine lines, dark circles, and acne scars.

Birdfy Smart Bird Feeder ($249.99)

For your aviary-loving friends, this bird feeder cam can identify over 6,000 types of winged creatures. With 1080p resolution, a macro lens, and built-in zoom, your loved one will be capture unmatched views of all their favorite birds. It also has a voice feature to keep any annoying squirrels from stealing the food.

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The post Top 10 Tech Gifts to Get Your Loved Ones This Holiday Season first appeared on Dornob.

His complaint? “Apple has mostly stopped advertising on Twitter,” Musk wrote. “Do they hate free speech in America?” Musk then alleged that Apple threatened to remove Twitter from its App Store and criticized the company for charging fees to developers who create apps for its products.

Musk’s Supposed Free Speech Crusade

Going so far as to claim that the “future of civilization” was at stake, Musk theorized that Apple might ban the Twitter app in response to his new content moderation policies. A self-described free speech absolutist, Musk first said he would set up a “content moderation council” with diverse viewpoints to manage decisions like whether or not to ban users who posted hate speech.

He then changed his mind, offering to reinstate formerly banned users like ex-President Donald Trump and neo-Nazi Andrew Anglin. He also reinstated Kanye West (now known simply as Ye) only to ban him again days later for posting a Star of David with a swastika inside of it.

Musk is receiving support from several conservative and alt-right figures for his decisions, especially since publicly aligning himself with the GOP. Florida Governor Ron DeSantis piped in with comments in support of Musk during a press conference, saying any attempt to remove Twitter from the Apple App Store would be a “huge mistake” that would “merit a response from the United States Congress.” Senator-elect J.D. Vance of Ohio also weighed in, tweeting that “no civilized country should allow” Apple to remove Twitter from its App Store.

Apple’s (Non) Response

Thus far, the conflict has been pretty one-sided. Apple hasn’t publicly responded to Musk’s accusations. Data from Pathmatics, a research firm that tracks digital marketing spending, found that although Apple had cut back on its Twitter ad spending since the summer, it was still paying the company about $1 million per month.

The Twitter app has remained available for all iOS devices, but both Apple and Google have stringent policies against misinformation, hate speech, and other misconduct, having previously booted apps like Parler for breaking them.

On November 30th, Musk tweeted that his war against Apple was over, at least for now. “Good conversation,” he wrote in reference to a meeting with Cook. “Among other things, we resolved the misunderstanding about Twitter potentially being removed from the App Store. Tim was clear that Apple never considered doing so.”

How Musk’s Behavior Could Affect Twitter in the Future

Musk’s choices about content moderation on Twitter have thus far complied with U.S. laws. However, the laws are a little different in the European Union, and last month a senior EU official warned Musk that Twitter would have to improve its efforts to combat hate speech and misinformation in order to avoid massive fines.

Thierry Breton, the EU’s Commissioner for Digital Policy, said that Musk agreed to comply with the rules during a video call, adding that: “Twitter will have to implement transparent user policies, significantly reinforce content moderation and protect freedom of speech, tackle disinformation with resolve, and limit targeted advertising.”

Musk’s tweets about Apple follow an erratic stream of conspiracy theories, threats, and complaints posted in the wake of his $44 billion acquisition of Twitter, finalized on October 27th. They include a since-deleted post containing baseless anti-LGBTQ theories about the attack on Paul Pelosi, and threats of a “thermonuclear name and shame” offensive against companies that have paused advertisements on the platform.

Meanwhile, the number of tweets containing hate speech and racial epithets has soared since Musk took over and fired much of Twitter’s staff, according to a report by the Center for Countering Digital Hate.

The post Elon Musk’s Beef with Apple is Just Making Him Look Worse first appeared on Dornob.

Currently wrapping up a crowdfunding campaign on Kickstarter, the Shelfy sort of looks like a misplaced Apple device. It’s a minimalist white pod that you tuck onto one of your refrigerator shelves to let it do its magic. Taking up less space than a gallon of milk, the Shelfy extends shelf life up to 12 days, reduces bad odors by 80 percent, and results in up to 10 times less bacterial load inside the refrigerator.

To use it, you just select the mode you want (eco, standard, or boost); place it in the fridge wherever it fits best, including in a drawer or door; and reap the benefits. Shelfy’s makers claim the device can keep some vegetables like zucchini good for as long as 22 days, and extend the lives of fast-rotting foods like strawberries by up to a week.

Food waste is a major contributor to environmental crises like climate change, biodiversity loss, and pollution, requiring tons of resources and land to grow food that people don’t end up eating (and emitting methane gases when it rots). A single family spends an average of almost $2,000 a year on food that they end up throwing away. Shelfy cites studies that show one out of every two refrigerators has an above-average proliferation of mold and bacteria, contributing to the problem.

The Shelfy uses an advanced ceramic filter, a silent fan, and a battery to take in air inside the refrigerator through mechanical ventilation, passing it through a photocatalytic filter that destroys pollutants. After a while, it’ll notify you that it’s time to remove the filter and wash it under running water, or charge it via a USB-C plug. You can control it with the Vitesy Hub app and connect it to Amazon Alexa and Google Home via Wi-Fi or Bluetooth. The Shelfy also monitors your refrigerator’s energy consumption based on how many times you open the door.

The designers explain that they “conducted research at CSI SpA – FPM Laboratory (Food Packaging Materials), an Italian and European technological hub with a team of about 400 experts including engineers, physicists, chemists,and microbiologists who have made quality, safety, and sustainability the backbone of their professional role. They’re recognized as a center of excellence, especially for companies in the food, packaging, construction, and automotive sectors, in which every day, for more than 25 years, they have been working to enhance quality companies and protect the market.”

“Shelfy uses an innovative and sustainable nanomaterial-based photocatalytic technology since the filter doesn’t need to be replaced, just washed under running water. Photocatalysis is a safe chemical reaction that absorbs air pollutants and turns them into harmless elements. The use of this technology guarantees safety, better performance, and less consumption. In this way, we make Vitesy technology sustainable and effective.”

If you missed the Shelfy’s Kickstarter campaign, you’ll be able to pick one up soon for the retail price of €169 (about $175).

The post Fight Food Waste in Your Fridge with the Shelfy Smart Purifier first appeared on Dornob.

Announcing its vision for “ambient intelligence” at a device event on October 5th, the tech giant described a home in which artificial intelligence machines and services sense the state of the residents’ environment to help in every situation when assistance is needed, either initiated by the occupant or automatically by the AI algorithms.

“Today, ambient intelligence comes to life across all of our devices and services, working behind the scenes on customers’ behalf, so they can focus on the here and now, and the people and experiences that matter most to them,” said Amazon’s head of Devices and Services Dave Limp at the event.

As a Star Trek fan, Amazon Devices & Services VP and General Manager of Consumer Robotics Ken Washington foresaw the future of ambient intelligence back in 2016 when he bought his first Amazon Echo smart speaker.

“I started building these scripts — a series of instructions — in my home so that when I walked into a room, lights would come on, when I left the room, lights would go off, when I turned on my stereo or my TV, the lights would dim,” he said on the company website. “Back then, that was really novel. It made my home feel like I was living on the starship Enterprise.”

While Washington had the personal know-how to create the scripts, Amazon has since brought that level of functionality to the everyday consumer. “Alexa is really core to our journey around ambient intelligence,” explains Amazon Vice President Heather Zorn. “This is really about creating an intelligent AI that works on your behalf out of the box, so you don’t have to have any specialized knowledge to get real value.”

She said she uses ambient intelligence technology to wake up her boys for school with lights that turn on at a certain time and a peppy morning song played by Echo.

Amazon has over 300 devices that can connect with Echo, including the just-launched Halo Rise, a non-contact bedside device for monitoring your sleep each night, and the Fire TV Omni QLED Series, which will automatically adjust its display based on the amount of light in the room, is voice controlled, and can essentially act as a giant Alexa. And of course, there are the favorites like Ring doorbells, smart thermostats, and even Amazon’s Astro robot-dog, which can follow you around and bring you household items.

Amazon’s internet-blanketed houses can also utilize a new “Hunches” feature to sense if things are off from normal routines. “[Hunches] can be super powerful,” Zorn adds “If every night you turn off your kitchen light before bed at 10 p.m. and then one night you don’t, Alexa can ask if you want the light off and, if you want, turn it off on your behalf moving forward.”

While a home that does everything for you does sound incredible, critics point out that users who buy into the ambient intelligence pitch are exchanging their privacy for convenience. Although Amazon continually promises that “customer trust is paramount in everything we do,” the company has a long history of privacy violations. In 2021, for example, Amazon earned the biggest privacy fine ever issued for breaching the EU’s regulations on how to process personal data.

It will ultimately be up to Amazon customers to ask themselves whether having a fully automated, environment-sensing home is worth being spied on at every moment of the day. For many, the answer is already a resounding yes.

The post Amazon’s Ambient Intelligence Takes Homes into the Realm of (Dystopian?) Sci Fi first appeared on Dornob.

In July the H-E-B Grocery Company, which operates over 300 stores in Texas and 50 in Northern Mexico, installed “Fast Scan” technology checkout machines in its Schertz, Texas stores, prompting curious customers to post on Twitter and TikTok.

“All you have to do is run your basket through and the machine (is) going to scan everything inside the basket and pay the amount on the receipt,” explains H-E-B shopper Christoken Johnson.

The store confirmed its experimentation with automated checkout, explaining: “At H-E-B, we continue to evaluate and utilize innovative technologies in all parts of our business. This checkout option is part of a limited pilot program we’re currently testing internally with our partners.”

H-E-B is certainly not the first grocery store to foray into the world of cashier-less checkout, but it does represent just how widespread the technology has become, and how popular the “frictionless shopping” experience is these days.

Amazon was one of the first innovators of such technology, opening their “just walk out” Amazon Go grocery shops in 2021. Customers in any of the more than 50 locations can choose the automated checkout option when they walk in simply by scanning a QR code in the Amazon app and inserting a linked credit or debit card. As they shop, cameras and pressure sensors on shelves identify the customers’ selections. As they leave the store, the system automatically bills their card for their purchases, and a digital receipt is sent to their phone or email.

Similar modernizations are also happening in other parts of the world. Trigo, an Israeli tech company, has created a system very close to the Amazon Go model, with ceiling-mounted cameras that use proprietary algorithms to track shopper’s movements and product choices. The company’s tech is already operational in grocery stores in Great Britain, Germany, the Netherlands, the U.S., and Israel.

One standout feature of Trigo’s system is that it can be incorporated into existing grocery stores, where Amazon has to build stores from the ground up to compete. “Physical retail is the one space where traditional businesses can take on Amazon and win. The chains we’re working with have thousands of existing stores, Amazon has to build new stores,” says Michael Gabay, who co-founded Trigo with his brother Daniel in 2018.

Critics of these automated checkout rollouts worry that they’ll eliminate jobs by cutting out the need for cashiers. There are roughly 8,650,000 grocery cashiers in the U.S. today, most without college degrees and predominately coming from minority backgrounds. If their jobs disappear, an entire field of entry-level work would be eliminated.

Stores argue that the jobs will still exist, but in different forms. For instance, the digital checkout systems require that all products be physically placed in the exact right place for the cameras to capture and scan them. Inventories still need to be restocked manually as well.

What definitely can’t be replaced is the human interaction of having a cashier check out your cart. But in today’s post-COVID world, it’s hard to tell how many people would actually mourn that loss.

The post Texas Grocery Store Joins “Frictionless Shopping” Trend with Automated Checkout first appeared on Dornob.

Originally coming on the scene with a successful Kickstarter campaign in 2019, the SwitchBot Curtain Rod is a small device that can open and close almost any type of curtain. Attaching to the curtain rod between folds of fabric, it can be controlled via the SwitchBot phone app for individual movements or on preset schedules. From the app, users can program the curtains to open as a wake-up call in the morning, to close when they leave the house for work, or even just to open up for more backlight while on a virtual call. A built-in light sensor even allows the curtains to open and close automatically at sunrise and sunset based on the amount of light outside.

The tiny gadget packs a mighty punch, pushing up to 17 pounds worth of curtains across a rod. Tab, grommet, and ring top curtains are all no problem, and the SwitchBot wheels are designed to easily glide over the bump of telescopic rods. The smart mover can also be modified to fit into curtains attached to tracks.

This little device obviously fulfilled a latent public need, as it raised nearly $1.5 million during its first fundraising campaign. The product was shipped out to customers in early 2020 and quickly garnered praise from users, earning the Good Design Award and going on to become a finalist at the IDEA 2020 awards. In 2022, it also received the Red Dot Design Award as a simple yet extremely efficient gadget.

The SwitchBot Curtain Rod got a more recent update this year. Instead of removable clips that had to be separately attached with the first iteration, the SwitchBot 2 is self-contained with spring-loaded clips. The wheels also got an upgrade, being enlarged by 1.6 times — and taking inspiration from off-road vehicles — for smoother travel along the rod.

New add-on devices are also available to increase the SwitchBot’s productivity. A SwitchBot Hub Mini (available for $39) allows the bot to bridge to a home Wi-Fi network, allowing users to control the curtains outside the house, too. By itself, the SwitchBot connects via Bluetooth. Using the Hub Mini, users can also pair the bot with devices like Alexa and Google Assistant for easy voice control.

A hanging solar panel (available for $19) is also newly available as a compatible device. While the bot itself has a 3350 mAh battery big enough to control curtains for up to eight months, attaching the solar panel provides virtually unlimited power, eliminating the need to bother with changing batteries.

While some reviews complain about the bulky shape of the SwitchBot and its inability to blend in with most curtain fabrics, the overall product gets plenty of thumbs up from customers for its smart functionality and ease of use. The SwitchBot Curtain Rod 2 is currently on sale for $99 on the company website.

The post The Latest in Smart Home Technology: Smart Curtains first appeared on Dornob.

This year, Amazon is pulling out all the stops for the two-day event on July 12th and 13th, with a seemingly endless array of deals you’ll want to add to your cart ASAP.

With so many price cuts, it can be overwhelming figuring out how to find the best gear — and that’s where our handy guide below comes in. Complete with all your need-to-have tech from top TVs to kitchen all-stars, this guide to 2022 Prime Day Tech Deals will get you primed and ready for the best of the best this year.

In the Kitchen

Vitamix Professional Series 750 Blender

Hot summer days call for frozen drinks and smoothies, so grab this blender while the price is right. Get it for $399.95 this Prime Day, 37 percent off the original price.

Cosori Air Fryer

Air fryers are still trending in kitchen appliances, and this one has all the frills. It even works with Alexa and Google Assistant. Grab one for $118.98 on Prime Day at 15 percent off.

Crockpot Electric Lunchbox

Be the envy of the office lunchroom with this on-the-go warmer that makes storing, transporting, and heating up those leftovers a walk in the park. This Prime Day, they’re 33 percent off at just $29.99.

Comfee Cordless Electric Kettle

Tea-lovers everywhere will want to snap up this spiffy electric kettle for the ultimate cuppa, 24 percent off this Prime Day for $18.99.

The Great Outdoors

Polk Audio Atrium Outdoor Speakers

Summer time means chilling outdoors — and this set of four all-weather speakers is the best way to hear your favorite jams while having fun with family and friends. Best of all, they’re 40 percent off this Prime Day at $119.00.

Thermacell Mosquito Repellant Lantern

Mosquitoes and summer normally go hand in hand, but now you can kiss those bug bites goodbye thanks to this snazzy lantern, available at 23 percent off this Prime Day for $23.98.

Worx PowerShare Cordless Trimmer

Get your lawn into shape with this amazing trimmer that’s cordless and easy to handle (battery included). Available for $78.95 this Prime Day, 44 percent off the original price.

Around the House

Nixplay Smart Digital Picture Frames with Wi-Fi

This one’s perfect for anyone that’s been putting off sending those photos to grandma, and you can do it straight rom your favorite apps, email, and even social media. This Prime Day, it’s 37 percent off at $119.99.

Victrola Bluetooth Record Player and Multimedia Center

We love the vintage look of this record player complete with built-in speakers, CD and cassette player, and wireless streaming options. It’s a blast from the past with all the modern frills, and this Prime Day it’s all yours for $87.99, 45 percent off the original price.

Black+Decker Cordless Stick Vacuum

This year, treat yourself to that cordless vacuum you’ve been eyeing for ages. This one’s perfect for on-the-go cleanups in hard-to-reach places. Available at 30 percent off this Prime Day for just $39.99.

Honeywell Extra-Large Air Purifier

Give seasonal allergies the boot with the king of all air purifiers, and Prime Day is the time to get it on the cheap. Available for $144.99, 46 percent off.

Dreo Oscillating Tower Fan

Summer is here and sometimes you need a little extra cooling action, so why not score this epic oscillator while it’s on sale? Available for $90.99 this Prime Day, 30 percent off the original price.

Cool Tech-essories

Bose QuietComfort Wireless Noise Cancelling Headphones

Anyone in the market for new headphones will have their pick of hot deals, but these Bose beauties are a definite Prime Day steal this year. Grab a pair for 30 percent off at $229.00.

Logitech for Creators Blue Yeti Bluetooth Microphone

Get that podcast up and running with this pro USB microphone that’s also perfect for those never-ending Zoom meetings. Available at 24 percent off this Prime Day for $94.99.

Razer BlackShark Wireless Gaming Headset

Get your game on with this cool headset that’s comfy, stylish, and has all the top tech. It’s also 33 percent off the original price this Prime Day for $119.99.

Logitech HD Laptop Webcam

You know those Zoom meetings aren’t going anywhere any time soon, and now’s the best time for an upgrade on the best deal days of the year. Available at 57 percent off for just $29.99.

Samsung Galaxy Smartwatch

Described as “Google on your wrist,” this cool watch is more than just a fitness tracker — it’s the internet at your literal fingertips. Get one for yourself this Prime Day for $199.99, 33 percent off the original price.

TVs, Tablets, and Laptops, Oh My!

Amazon Fire 43” TV Omni Series 4K

Everyone knows that Prime Day is the prime day to score deals on Amazon’s own brands, and this UHD Smart TV is no exception. It’s available at 41 percent off for just $239.99.

Sony 77” OLED 4K Ultra TV

Ready to take the plunge on a new TV? This Sony beauty proves that it’s not just Amazon brands that have big deals on Prime Day. This one’s 11 percent off for a total of $2499.99.

Samsung Galaxy Tab Android Tablet

Ready for an upgrade? This Amazon exclusive is a steal on Prime Day, 30 percent off for just $159.99. And be sure to check out Samsung’s other deals, including up to 40 percent off on select tablets, drives, and memory.

HP Pavilion 15-Inch Laptop

Laptop lovers will flip for this Prime Day deal on one of HP’s most popular processors, 32 percent off at $639.99.

Dell XPS Thin and Light Laptop

Another laptop deal that’s worth a look this Prime Day. Grab it for 22 percent off at $1359.00.

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The post Get Ready for Amazon Prime Day with Our Guide to This Year’s Top Tech Deals first appeared on Dornob.

Here are a few key takeaways:

Broadcom is Positioning Itself for Industry Dominance

Broadcom CEO Hock Tan has built the company into one of the largest and most diversified tech brands in the world. They mainly sell chips for both personal and commercial data devices, but Tan has quickly expanded the company’s scope since becoming CEO in 2015. His recent acquisitions include corporate software maker CA Technologies in 2018 and enterprise security business Symantec Corp. in 2019.

VM’s Bread and Butter is Virtualization Software

Founded in 1998 (the same year as Google) in Silicon Valley, VMware created virtualization software, a breakthrough that made it easier for servers to handle multiple programs by consolidating applications and workloads onto a smaller number of servers. As companies began to move away from managing their own servers, VM also developed cloud computing and managing platforms, eventually landing a partnership with Amazon.

VMware’s Cloud R&D Budget Will Likely Get Slashed

After previous mergers, Broadcom made the add-on companies more profitable by dramatically cutting their cost base. With CA and Symantec, the bases were reduced by 60 to 70 percent, including their research and development budgets. Broadcom expects these companies to focus on their main products instead of branching out to new segments so it can continue its strategy of actively pursuing 600 customers from the global top-1000 list. It predicts that these customers will be too large to change suppliers often, effectively making them long-term income suppliers. Other customers will be allowed to fall by the wayside if need be.

Speaking of VM’s slowing revenue growth — below 10 percent – Broadcom President Tom Krause recently said, “Is it a double-digit growth business? I don’t think so,” but he countered that it is sustainable, adding: “When I think about our model, that’s the kind of businesses we run and run very well.”

VM Has Been Bought Out Before

That sustainability is evidenced by how many times other companies have bought VMware. In 2004, storage technology firm EMC purchased it for $625 million, taking it public in 2007. In 2016 Dell Technologies acquired VM when it bought EMC for $67 billion but spun it off in late 2021. As founder Michael Dell still owns 40 percent of VM’s shares, the latest Broadcom merger would be a financial win for him as well.

Investors Like the Giant Tech Deal

When news first got out about the rumored Broadcom-VM merger, Broadcom shares jumped 25 percent the next day, signaling investor confidence in the deal. When the sale was officially announced a week later, VMware shares gained 3.2 percent and Broadcom shares earned another 3.6.

While the full implications of the merger are unclear, Broadcom definitely stands to profit by further diversifying its portfolio as the recent boom of semi-conductor chip sales will likely cool in coming months.

“Building upon our proven track record of successful M&A, this transaction combines our leading semiconductor and infrastructure software businesses with an iconic pioneer and innovator in enterprise software,” CEO Tan added in a statement.

The post Making Sense of the $61 Billion Broadcom-VM Merger first appeared on Dornob.

We break down all the Lock Bolt’s best and worst features here:

Fast

While many other smart door locks take several seconds to fully release, the Wyze version boasts an impressive half-second response time. That equates to a greater feeling of security knowing you won’t have to hang out on a dark porch waiting for the door to open.

Added Security

With the ability to store up to 50 fingerprints, the Lock Bolt can easily identify all authorized users. It can also accommodate up to 20 different keypad codes and has an anti-peep feature that lets you add random digits to the beginning or end of your code to throw off anyone trying to spy out your secret numbers.

The lock does not, however, have the option to use a traditional key.

Automatic Locking

Although not truly programmable, the device has an auto lock feature that will lock the door after a specified period of time. This makes sure the door stays secured during the night even if someone comes in late and forgets to manually bolt it. However, because there are no door sensors to tell the lock if the door is open or closed, it would still turn to the locked position even if the door was open.

Limited Connectivity

The Wyze Lock Bolt uses Bluetooth to connect to an accompanying smartphone app instead of Wi-Fi, which limits the range of remote features. Users can only lock and unlock the door via the app within the 16-foot radius of the lock’s Bluetooth 5.0 radio, and no smart home integration is possible. That means you can’t control the door when you’re away from home, set schedules, or operate it with Alexa or Siri voice commands.

User History

When logged on to the Wyze app (which must still be within Bluetooth range of the door), users can access records of how and when people have opened the lock, allowing you to monitor traffic in and out of the house.

Long-Lasting Battery

One benefit of being Bluetooth only is that the battery life of of the Lock Bolt’s included four AAs is much longer than it is for Wi-Fi versions. The Wyze Lock Bolt can go 10 to 12 months on one set of batteries, compared to just three to six months for Wi-Fi connected locks.

If the batteries happen to run out before you get a chance to change them, you can always just recharge the Lock Bolt with the USB-C port at the base of the lock, juicing it up enough to enter a code and unlock the door.

Affordable

While most smart door locks range from $150 to $300, the Wyze fingerprint model is offered for just $69.99. For example, the Lockley Flex Touch with Biometric 3D Fingerprint is a similar Bluetooth version but sells for more than double the price at $159, while the eufy Security Smart Lock Touch goes for even more at $169. The price point for the Wyze definitely makes the drawbacks more palatable. For an even better deal, Wyze Cam Plus subscribers can score another $10 off the regular price.

The post Wyze’s New Door Lock Unlocks With Your Fingerprint first appeared on Dornob.

Toi Labs founder and CEO Vikram Kashyap became obsessed with the smart health toilet as a result of his own struggle with ulcerative colitis, an inflammatory bowel disease that causes colon sores, bloody diarrhea, rectal bleeding, and abdominal pain. As he sought to understand this uncurable condition, he worked with researchers at the University of California, San Francisco to analyze his own stool samples as part of a four-year study. After the results were published in Science magazine in 2010, Kashyap started his own company to make valuable health data more available, especially for the elderly.

Building his Toi Labs company in San Francisco, he and his team got to work on the TrueLoo, a smart toilet that uses sensor technology to evaluate human waste to identify a variety of urinary and digestive disorders. It can be installed in just a few minutes like a bidet, and its optics-based urine and stool measurements can aid in detecting dehydration, viral infections, and urinary tract infections — an especially common ailment for seniors.

The concept of testing urine and feces for disease proved very valuable during the COVID-19 pandemic. Because people could be asymptomatic while carrying COVID, many municipalities around the world began tracking COVID markers in city wastewater to get a better picture of it local prevalence.

Other studies have confirmed the efficacy of urine and stool analysis for discovering various health issues. Researchers Joshua Coon and Ian Miller at the University of Wisconsin, Madison tested over 100 of their own urine samples in 10 days and found that using advanced technology, waste monitoring could detect not only things like glucose levels, viral and bacterial infections, signs of kidney disease, and cancer, but also measures of caffeine-consumption and exercise levels. Of course, the type of machinery they used are not yet compatible with smart toilets, but Kashyap’s sensor models are a good jumping-off point.

Some senior care communities are already incorporating these smart toilets in their facilities to provide better health care for their residents. The Legacy Senior Communities in Dallas and Plano, Texas installed the TrueLoo in their private residences to more easily collect important health data. This can be especially helpful with assisted living and memory support occupants, who may not be able to describe their physical ailments as well.

“The TrueLoo smart toilet enables us, in a dignified and valuable manner, to better monitor and follow up when important changes to output are identified. This expedites our response and increases the accuracy and timeliness of important data,” said Legacy Senior Communities CEO Melissa Orth in an interview with a local news outlet.

Kashyap chimed in on the added efficiency his smart toilets provide these facilities, noting: “TrueLoo technology provides a higher level of wellness for residents while better leveraging the time of care staff.”

After the pandemic forced people around the world into lockdown, millions of people suffered from other diseases and infections because they had no access to their doctors for months. Home healthcare monitoring options like the TrueLoo make sense for avoiding similar situations in the future.

“I think at the end of the day, we’re increasingly moving towards a world where people are going to be making their own health care choices themselves and having the data that can be generated from themselves,” Kashyap said in an interview with Onezero. “I think it’s going to just completely shift the power in health care and the way consumers engage with the healthcare system.”

The post These Smart Toilets Can Tell if You’re Sick first appeared on Dornob.

Taken out of context, “Dmuse” is a puzzling object. It sort of looks like a futuristic clothes dryer complete with a circular glass door — though it also features a chute that looks like it would leave your clean clothes piled all over the floor. Its real use is even closer to a fictional gadget you might have spotted in The Jetsons when you were a kid. After bathing your cat, you place it inside and push a few buttons to select the temperature, duration, and fan strength. 30 seconds or so later, your cat comes out of its high-end sauna experience warm, dry, and fluffed.

We know what you’re thinking. How often do cats even bathe? Who would buy a large, expensive appliance for such a rare occasion? But Dmuse is multifunctional, offering a place for the cat to play, hide, and lounge in between baths. The drying space is at the top, with transparent doors to allow the cat to see outside during their spa treatment. If they get bored, a device for playing whack-a-mole offers a diversion. At the bottom, a dark, snug hole becomes a place to hide out.

The device was created by industrial design academy Designer Dot and student Lee Da-eun as a new smart gadget for the home. “Most cats hate bathing,” Lee writes. “The box-shaped dry room, which has been used a lot recently for convenience reasons, limits the free activities of pets who are stressed by bathing. The user can control the stage of play, wind strength, and drying time with the touch panel. This allows the fur on the cat’s belly to dry through a hole in the bottom plate. The colors were inspired by the cat’s habitat and the nocturnal nature of cats. When the drying time is over, the door will automatically open and the cat can come out on its own.”

Any cat owner will tell you that bathing a cat is rarely a relaxed experience. Most cats don’t like water, and will not only fight you to escape the bath, they’ll run and hide as soon as you let them out of the room, glaring resentfully from on top of the refrigerator with a trail of water in their wake. So a cat-safe drying chamber may not be as outlandish as it sounds — unless it’s a standalone object with no other purposes that just takes up space between baths. That’s what might make the Dmuse attractive to cat lovers, if you happen to have the type of cat that doesn’t ignore the beds and toys you buy in favor of cardboard boxes and paper bags.

Okay, so a cat fluffing orb is definitely an extravagance. But with so many other aspects of our homes getting the “smart” treatment lately, it’s not hard to imagine a future in which objects like this are simply normal parts of our decor.

The post Cats Can Play Whack-a-Mole and Get a Luxury Blow-Dry Inside This Weird Orb first appeared on Dornob.

Despite this, even the most up-to-date and sophisticated tech is sometimes unable to navigate the human anatomy in the most efficient way. After all, our bodies are a maze of tunnels and tight spots, and some intuitive tools are only as effective as the humans that operate them. But thanks to new innovations in robotics and nanotechnology, researchers are finally able to create diagnostic tools that are not only more maneuverable, but completely autonomous, too.

Enter the magnetic tentacle robot. Flexible and futuristic, this robot navigator has the potential to be a medical advancement that, despite its small size, could have epic implications for mapping the notoriously tight and maze-like bronchial tubes, making it easier to collect tissue samples and even potentially diagnose possible cancer treatments.

The technology was developed by a team of researchers at the University of Leeds, who recently completed a proof-of-concept robot that could more easily navigate a patient’s bronchial tree anatomy. A tentacle-like device (hence the name), the flexible catheter is more maneuverable than the current medical standard for navigating and exploring bronchial tubes, the bronchoscope. Somewhat limited in range, the current diagnostic tool would definitely benefit from a more sleek and autonomous upgrade —in this case, a “smarter” version controlled by magnets attached to robotic arms.

Using an autonomous system to lead the way by working with a map of the patient’s lungs, the magnetic tentacle robot would be able to go where no other scope has gone before, accessing those hard-to-reach areas of the bronchial tubes. It’s “an important clinical tool in the investigation and treatment of possible lung cancer and other lung diseases,” according to a recent statement made by Pietro Valdastri, who supervised the university’s research at its Science and Technologies of Robotics in Medicine Lab.

Currently in the early stages of development, the magnetic tentacle robot’s two millimeter magnetically-controlled maneuverability still needs to be tested on the lungs of a cadaver before it ever enters the body of a living patient, but initial tests using a 3D replica of the bronchial tree have been promising. According to the university, it could take years before the magnetic tentacle robot makes an appearance in an actual clinical setting, but it’s still an important step forward in the field of future diagnostics. And let’s be honest, the name is pretty cool.

The post This Magnetic Tentacle Robot is the Future of Medical Diagnostics first appeared on Dornob.