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Michigan approves digital license plates by startup Reviver
The state joins California and Arizona in giving the all-clear to digital plates.
Smart reveals the production version of its compact electric SUV
Smart has unveiled the production version of its electric SUV, and it promises concept-like style with up to 273 miles of range.
Smart's Mini-like EV concept shows off its larger vehicle ambitions
Smart has unveiled "Concept #1" showing how its future EVs will be larger and more high-tech oriented.
Smart's airless bike tires use NASA tech to defeat punctures
NASA-approved startup Smart is using the space agency's smart memory alloy tech in its Metl bike tires.
PAWS anti-poaching AI predicts where illegal hunters will show up next
AI and machine learning systems are poised to drastically improve wildlife rangers’ effectiveness by helping them not only track where poachers have been but also predict where they are most likely to turn up.
Ring's new entry-level doorbell offers 1080p video and custom motion zones
Ring;s original video doorbell has been given an update.
Adidas' smart insoles use Google tech to improve your 'FIFA Mobile' scores
Just a few days ago Google and Adidas teased a smart insole designed to work with FIFA Mobile -- now we know exactly what it looks like. The Adidas GMR slips into your sneakers to monitor your performance during real-world soccer play, measuring your kicks and ball control and connecting to FIFA Mobile to give you challenges to improve your overall performance.
UK proposes tougher security for smart home devices
The UK government plans to introduce a new law designed to improve the security standards of household products connected to the Internet of Things (IoT). The legislation stipulates that all consumer smart devices sold in the UK -- such as smart cameras and TVs, wearable health trackers and connected appliances -- adhere to three specific requirements.
Mercedes and China's Geely team up to take electric Smart cars global
Last year Smart became the first car brand to switch to an all-EV lineup -- now its parent company Mercedes-Benz has got a new partner to help bring its electrification ambitions to fruition. While Mercedes will continue to design the vehicles, China's Geely -- which owns Volvo -- will take care of the manufacturing and engineering.
Moen's voice-activated faucet gives cooks precise amounts of water
Moen, one of the biggest faucet companies in the US, was last spotted at CES showing off its shower "concierge," but now it's turning its attention to more traditional sink fixtures. This year, it announced the U by Moen Smart Faucet -- a voice-activated faucet that helps you do everyday kitchen tasks hands-free. From preparing a baby's bottle to filling a pasta pot, just tell the faucet how much water you need, and at what temperature, and it'll dispense it on command. You can set unlimited personalized presets for specific cooking tasks, and activate water flow through voice control, a wave sensor, or via a good old fashioned button. Moen hasn't announced pricing for its latest addition, but it's likely to cost a substantial amount more than old-fashioned mechanical faucets.
The Julia smart cooking system even washes itself up
For some, cooking is an exercise in passion, relaxation and creativity. For others, it's a tedious, time-consuming chore. Fortunately, for the less culinary-inclined folk, there's an ever-growing market of gadgets that promise to make cooking an altogether easier, quicker and more intuitive experience -- and the latest to arrive is Julia, an intelligent autonomous cooking system that pretty much does everything. (While it's not officially associated with the late master chef Julia Childs, the insinuation is pretty obvious).
Smart is the first car brand to switch to an all-EV lineup
Smart has touted electric models in its lineup for years, but they've usually been secondary to the gas and diesel models. Now, however, the EVs have the spotlight to themselves. The Daimler badge has revealed the EQ Fortwo and EQ Forfour, both of which are not only designed from scratch as electric cars, but represent Smart's only vehicles. That makes Smart the first automaker to switch from gas engines to an all-electric roster, Daimler claimed. It's really more like the first brand to make the switch (let us know when Mercedes goes all-EV), but it's still a noteworthy change.
KitchenAid’s $3,199 SmartOven+ connects to Google Home and Alexa
KitchenAid's water- and sauce-resistant Smart Display got most of the attention at CES 2019, but the company also announced a smart oven, which it promised would come with powered grilling, steaming and baking stone attachments. Now, the SmartOven+ is ready. You can purchase the single configuration for $3,199 or the double for $4,799; a combo set-up will arrive later this year. As for the attachments, the powered grill add-on ships with the oven, but you'll have to order the others separately.
Smart cars are disappearing from North America
Daimler is no longer going to sell its eye-catching small Smart Fortwo electric cars in North America. The company told TechCrunch that the 2019 model will be the last to be available in the United States and Canada, just two years after deciding to stop selling the gas-powered version of the vehicles in the region. Daimler plans to instead focus on launching its Smart line in China. Existing Fortwo owners will still be able to get their cars serviced by Smart or at authorized Mercedes-Benz dealerships.
What to expect from the Geneva Motor Show 2019
The Geneva Motor Show is about to begin and this year the focus will be electrification. From Audi to Volkswagen, the halls of the Palexpo will be filled the future of passenger transportation.
Sony's smart watch strap is now available in the UK
Sony first proposed the Wena Wrist, the curious smart watch with a dumb face, in a crowdfunding campaign back in 2015. Now, after years of availability in Japan, the wearable is hitting the international market and can be pre-ordered in the UK (no word yet on a US release). But it's not a watch -- nor even a smart watch -- in the traditional sense. Instead, the Wena Wrist is a smart strap designed to be worn with existing mechanical watch faces. You can use it to turn any classic or fashion watch into a smart bit of kit.
Livio AI hearing aids are now as smart as most wearables
Among the mountains of sexy technology on the market, it's fair to say that hearing aids don't feature too highly when it comes to innovation and aspirational living. But as Starkey Hearing Technologies demonstrated with its Livio AI device last year, there's a lot to be done in this field -- and now its smart hearing aid has gotten even smarter.
Jarvish's smart motorbike helmets hit Kickstarter with deep discounts
Jarvish announced two new smart motorcycle helmets earlier this year -- the Jarvish X and Jarvish X-AR, which offer a plethora of helpful riding features, such as voice activation and support for Siri, Google Assistant and Alexa, a 2k front-facing camera, Bluetooth and WiFi connectivity, a retractable heads up display in the more expensive model, a lightweight carbon fiber design and hours of battery life. These are, arguably, the smartest helmets on the market. Now, bikers can finally put their money down to get in line to own one themselves -- and for a big discount on regular retail prices.
Smart unveils its oh-so-cute Forease urban EV concept
When Smart unveils a new concept car, you're guaranteed to see something lighthearted. The Mercedes-owned company has followed that edict to the "T" at the Paris Auto Show, unveiling the adorable, roofless Forease concept. The new model pays tribute to Smart's last two concept cars, the Crossblade and Forspeed, but is based on the standard production ForTwo and is thus drivable.
Court rules accessing smart meter data constitutes a government search
Smart meters are designed to reduce energy consumption, lower household bills and, by extension, help the planet along a little bit. But could they also be used by the government to spy on you? This is the question that was thrown into the spotlight this week when the Seventh Circuit handed down a landmark opinion ruling, stating that data collected by smart meters is protected by the Fourth Amendment.
