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IKEA is working on robotic furniture for small apartments
IKEA wants to "empower people to have big dreams for small homes." To do so, it's creating a line of robotic furniture. Today, the company announced that it's partnering with Ori, an American startup that develops robotic furniture meant to address the challenges of small apartment living. IKEA and Ori will introduce their new line, dubbed ROGNAN, in 2020.
Steam Link Anywhere beta takes PC game streaming on the road
Valve giving a major expansion to its game streaming service. Just ahead of the 2019 Game Developers Conference, the company announced the release of Steam Link Anywhere, a new feature that will let gamers remotely access and play their favorite titles on basically any machine with Steam and an internet connection.
Prototype Nintendo Wii remote turns up at auction
Nintendo's hidden device history isn't just limited to an unreleased PlayStation. Yahoo Japan user Kuriaisu1122 recently sold a prototype Wii remote that bears only superficial similarity to the one that shipped in 2006. The button layout is the same, but this two-piece controller had a wired GameCube connection and even required plugging the sensor bar into a GameCube memory card slot. The main remote and nunchuck control joined together through Ethernet rather than the finished proprietary link, and the primary controls (including the D-pad and main buttons) came from the Game Boy Advance SP.
Google changed a battery setting on Android phones by mistake
Some Android users probably noticed some strange things happening with their phones over the last couple of days. Apps might have stopped updating in the background, location services maybe weren't in use when your screen was locked, and your notifications were perhaps delayed. That's because Google accidentally enabled the battery saver feature remotely on some phones running Android Pie, with the setting kicking in even on devices that were almost fully charged.
Sony's new PS4 remote automatically links up with your A/V gear
If you were looking for an update to PDP's basic PS4 media remote, you're in luck: The new version, announced today, uses "advanced Cloud technology" to automatically detect all the devices connected to your console to help you program them at your whim. In theory, this makes it easier to track and link up all the disparate parts of your entertainment diaspora.
YouTube TV turns on 'voice remote' feature for some users
YouTube TV and Google Home have worked together to give you voice control over your live TV since last October. Now, the service is starting to roll out and test a voice-powered remote feature in its mobile app. We've seen the feature ourselves, so can confirm that it's happening for some folks, at least.
The best universal remote control
By Darryl Wilkinson and Grant Clauser This post was done in partnership with Wirecutter. When readers choose to buy Wirecutter's independently chosen editorial picks, it may earn affiliate commissions that support its work. Read the full article here. If you're looking for an easy-to-use universal remote to control up to eight devices, we recommend the Logitech Harmony 650. It's the best option for most people looking to simplify the operation of their home theater or media system. It's easier to program than any non-Harmony remote. Its backlit hard-button layout makes it simple to use, even in the dark, and it's way cheaper than other systems that are equally comprehensive.
TiVo's Bolt Vox DVR jumps into the future with voice control
Stop us if you've heard this one before: TiVo is updating its Bolt DVR lineup with a new remote, a new UI and a new name. The TiVo Bolt Vox (and TiVo Mini Vox) are easy to spot thanks to the remote's new bright blue button that is the key to the extra characters in their name. Following a trail blazed by many other media setups lately (Amazon, Apple, Comcast, Roku -- just to name a few) voice control is a central feature of the new hardware. TiVo has had universal search across platforms including broadcast television, cable TV and streaming for quite a while, but it's not just adding a microphone.
Nanoleaf delivers music syncing for its Aurora smart lights
Nanoleaf's WiFi-connected Aurora smart lights are notable for their modular, customizable design plus the ability to program colorful displays via an app or control them with Apple HomeKit, Android and Amazon Alexa. Now, it's nearly ready to ship a couple of add-ons that should make the panels even more impressive for your guests. The Aurora Rhythm module plugs into the light and picks up on sounds in the room to automatically create matching light shows. You can also create animated "scenes" to play along with certain types of music, and share them with others through its app.
Shazam brings its music-recognition skills to Samsung TVs
Samsung and Shazam have partnered up to put an end to the head-scratching torment of hearing an unidentifiable song on TV. Samsung's newest update for its 2017 smart TV platform will give viewers access to Shazam at the click of a button, allowing them to identify the title, artist and lyrics of a song playing on screen. This can happen live, or via content delivered through HDMI. Viewers can also speak "what is this song?" into the Samsung One Remote to access information, plus stream the music they identify and create playlists that can be accessed without running an external app.
TalkTalk’s made a simple circular TV remote just for kids
It's never been easier to keep the kids entertained. YouTube, the BBC, Sky, Virgin Media, Disney and more all have apps dedicated to shows for the little ones, and parents can trust everything on there is age-appropriate. TalkTalk has been building a walled playground of its own for kids bounce around in, but for the big screen in the living room, not the coffee-table tablet. Key to this is the new Kids TV Remote launching tomorrow. The £5 peripheral is colourful and simple, with so few buttons that most sprogs should get to grips with it pretty quickly.
TiVo's voice-controlled Bluetooth remote has a Netflix button
The TiVo peanut-style remote has only changed slightly over the years, but ZatzNotFunny points out that a new revision is close to release. Labeled S6V, this Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) connected remote popped up in FCC filings, while a clearer image appeared in an earlier leak along with a trademark for TiVo Bolt Vox and TiVo Mini Vox. TiVo will hardly be the first company to put a microphone inside its remote, as the Apple TV control is built around Siri and even Comcast has a version already available. The manual included in the filing describes a two-button pairing process with the TiVo and back buttons, for the company's first Bluetooth unit since the TiVo Slide keyboard-equipped remote.
Control your home with a gorgeous wooden remote
If you're looking for an attractive way to control your smart home, this minimalist, carved-wood multipurpose remote might fit the bill. It's called the Turn Touch, and it's pulled in almost twice the Kickstarter funding requested. The project has almost reached its first stretch goal to add IFTTT support, with plans to add Apple's HomeKit down the line.
Caavo hopes to be the one box to rule your home theater
If you're a home theater geek, chances are your days are spent juggling several different remotes and TV inputs. Caavo, a startup from the folks behind the original Sling box, hopes to make your life a bit easier with its set-top box, which can control up to eight different devices at once. Think of it like a super-powered universal remote: It not only lets you easily swap between all the gadgets under your TV, but you can also use it to search for stuff to watch across them. And yes, that includes streaming offerings on services like Netflix and Amazon Prime, as well as live TV.
Nissan's SAM uses humans as a backup for self-driving tech
Nissan has big plans for self-driving cars, with as many as 10 autonomous-capable models due by 2020 (including the next Leaf), but according to CEO Carlos Ghosn, the tech can't cover every situation. To fill that gap, Nissan's solution is the Seamless Autonomous Mobility system (SAM). If the car's sensors and cameras detect an unexpected situation that is beyond what it has been programmed for (like a policeman directing traffic via hand signals), it will come to a stop and request help from a remote command center.
'Icarus' machine can commandeer a drone mid-flight
Security researcher Jonathan Andersson has shown it's possible to hijack drones that rely on the DSMx signal protocol. Unlike conventional jammers, which simply strip control from the user, this technique gives the attacker full flight capabilities. In an email to Ars Technica, Andersson explained that his new "Icarus" system is effective because it observes the underlying protocol and then brute forces the "secret" shared between the drone and controller. In addition, the setup relies on a "timing attack vulnerability," effectively pipping the original transmitter's signal to the drone, so that it accepts the attacker's inputs and rejects the owner.
Apple TV's new iPhone remote control app talks to Siri
As promised, you no longer need to use the new Apple TV's standard remote control to take advantage of all the media hub's features. Apple has released a brand new Apple TV Remote app that drags its iOS interface into the modern era. You can not only use the same touch-based control as on the hardware remote, but talk to Siri -- handy if you lost the physical controller between the couch cushions. It also supports motion controls for games, and there's even a Game Mode that strips things down.
Dish's new TV remote listens to your voice commands
Nowadays, you can save energy by talking to your gadgets and letting them do the work for you. So it's no surprise that Dish wants to help you with that, too. The satellite provider has introduced its aptly named Voice Remote, which lets Hopper 3 and 4K Joey customers search for content with spoken commands. Results populate based on movie or TV titles, genre as well as actor names. Additionally, the new remote features a clickable touchpad for easier navigation, backlit keys and support for two IR devices. If you're a Dish subscriber with one of the aforementioned boxes, you can get the Voice Remote starting today for $30.
Facebook reveals open-source wireless platform, OpenCellular
OpenCellular is Facebook's open-source wireless access platform designed to provide internet to remote areas around the world. OpenCellular is roughly the size of a shoe box and it can support up to 1,500 people as far as 10 kilometers away with a range of connectivity options, including wireless services and everything from 2G to LTE. By the end of 2015, more than 4 billion people across the globe didn't have access to basic internet services and 700 million people lived outside the range of cellular connectivity -- making it difficult to log into Facebook, of course.
Apple TV gets better for cord-cutters and cable TV subscribers
Today at its big WWDC keynote, Apple announced a few updates for the Apple TV platform. New apps arriving include Sling TV (finally), Fox Sports, the French streaming service Molotov and the Minecraft: Story Mode game. Apple is also upgrading the remote application on your iPhone. The app is a lot more like the hardware remote, with touch-based navigation, Siri voice search, plus the ability to use the keyboard for input and game control using the accelerometer. As for the hardware itself, a new feature called "Live Tune in" will let you switch instantly between livestreaming channels like Disney, ESPN and more. There's also a dark theme now, while Automatic App downloads mean that when you install a universal app on your iPhone or iPad, it will be there on your Apple TV too.
