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Google offers a free Nest Mini to YouTube Premium subscribers
Google is once again giving away a free smart speaker to YouTube Premium subscribers, though this time around the offer is available to a greater number of people.
The original Google Home is 'no longer available' in the company's US store
Google's original Home speaker is listed as 'no longer available' in the official US store, prompting questions about its future.
Save $70 on a Nest WiFi bundle at Best Buy and the Google Store
Several retailers across the US, including Best Buy and Bed Bath and Beyond, have discounted Google's latest Nest WiFi router and access point bundle to $200.
Snag discounted Nest routers in Google's Memorial Day sale
A variety of retailers, including Amazon, have discounted Google's Nest products for Memorial Day.
Lenovo's $400 digital picture frame is half-off if you pre-order it
In an unusual move, Lenovo is allowing people to pre-order its upcoming $400 Smart Frame device on Indiegogo. Doing so, you get a 50 percent discount.
August's WiFi Smart Lock made my old lock new again
That's one of the appeals of August’s Smart Locks: Unlike its competition, it’s not immediately apparent there's a gearbox installed on the inside of the door. The August WiFi Smart Lock is a cinch to install.
August's slimmer WiFi smart lock is now available for $250
After debuting at CES 2020, August's latest smart lock is now available to buy on the company's website.
Wink smart home users have one week to subscribe or be shut off
Wink is moving its smart home technology to a subscription, and owners aren't thrilled.
Grab Shark's IQ self-emptying robot vacuum for $170 off at Wellbots
Shark's IQ robot vacuum is on sale for $429, well under its usual $599 price.
Google's original Home smart speaker is on sale for $30
Google's Home smart speaker is on sale for $30, or lower than you'd usually pay for the less capable Nest Mini.
Balmuda's $329 steam-based toaster finally arrives in the US
Balmuda has brought its legendary steam-based toaster to the US for the first time.
Save $300 on the Roomba i7+ vacuum robot at Best Buy
Typically, you have to spend $1,000 to get the Roomba i7+, so this is compelling sale on an otherwise expensive device.
Tesla Powerwall knows when to stop charging your EV during power outages
An update to Tesla's Powerwall will slow or even stop charging your EV to keep your house running during a power outage.
Netflix puts free documentaries on YouTube for students and teachers
To help teachers and students learning from home during the COVID-19 pandemic, Netflix is making a handful of documentaries available for free on its Netflix US YouTube channel. At the moment, there are 10 documentary films and series available, including 13th, Babies, Chasing Coral, Knock Down the House and Our Planet. Each comes with educational resources, like discussion questions, ways to take action and more info.
Traeger's redesigned grill app offers cooking videos and customization
Traeger’s WiFi-enabled smart grills already benefit from a robust app packed with recipes for meat, seafood, side dishes and more. First, Traeger has added video-guided tips and recipes to the app. That’s in addition to the company’s team of chefs and grillmasters walking you through recipes.
IKEA's smart blinds are finally available to buy online
After months of being limited to stores, IKEA's connected blinds are available online -- not that you have much choice.
Ring adds 'panic' buttons to its home security alarm
A single press of a button and Ring Alarm will instantly put you in touch with first responders.
MIT project turns spray paint into a functional user interface
Scientists from MIT have developed a way to create interactive surfaces using airbrushed inks -- or in other words, graffiti that actually does stuff. The SprayableTech system lets users create room-sized interactive graphics with sensors and displays that can be applied to everything from walls to furniture. Spray-painted art on walls can be used to turn lights on and off, for example, while designs airbrushed onto the arm of a couch can be used to control a TV. After designing the interactive artwork with a 3D editor, the system generates stencils for airbrushing the layout onto a surface. Then a series of inks are applied -- conductive copper ink, paint, dielectric, phosphor, copper bus and a clear conductor -- and then a microcontroller is attached, connecting the interface to a board that runs the code for sensing and output. The system hinges largely on the stencil design phase, to ensure the inks are placed in the right places and can connect to the microcontroller properly, so at this stage there's not much opportunity for spontaneous exploration -- you couldn't just spray a design on the wall and expect it to control your lights, for example. But the team is now working on creating modular stencils, potentially allowing users to try the system at home without needing to use a 3D editor or cut out stencils themselves. And looking ahead, the team has even bigger plans. Michael Wessely, lead author on the paper about SprayableTech, says, "We view this as a tool that will allow humans to interact with and use their environment in newfound ways. In the future, we aim to collaborate with graffiti artists and architects to explore the future potential for large-scale user interfaces in enabling the internet of things for smart cities and interactive homes."
After Math: Life on the inside
Congrats on surviving week three of the coronavirus quarantine... or, first if you happen to live in the American south. With so many people spending their days indoors, it should come as little surprise that headlines over the past few weeks have come to reflect our new normal. Here are five highlights.
Weber Connect Smart Grilling Hub review: Backyard grillmaster training
WiFi-enabled pellet grills are a backyard luxury for aspiring pitmasters. They not only allow you to remotely monitor temperature, but to adjust settings from your phone. However, they're a significant investment, and not everyone is keen on using compressed wood as cooking fuel. Plus, you might already have a grill you like. With the Weber Connect Smart Grilling Hub ($130), you can make any grill smart. It can monitor both food and ambient temperatures thanks to Bluetooth and WiFi connectivity, and guided recipes give beginners the sous chef they need to cook without fear.