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D-Link's latest router uses 5G for super fast home broadband
D-Link has launched a gateway router that shows 5G could be as much about home internet as faster mobile connections. The DWR-2010 5G NR router will pick up 5G networks and deliver speeds to your home as fast as 3Gbps, "more than 40 times faster then the [average] fixed broadband speed in the US," it said. It will reportedly be relatively easy to setup, letting you create a home WiFi network with just a power outlet and SIM card.
Amazon's smart plugs put Alexa in every power socket
As if having access to Alexa on your phone and in your speakers or even car weren't enough, Amazon now has a way to put its digital assistant in literally every room of your house. At its press conference in Seattle on Thursday, Amazon unveiled its latest connected home product, Smart Plugs. These devices don't technically have Alexa on-board, but you can control them with Alexa through Echo speakers or your smartphone.
Amazon Echo Sub and Smart Plug leak ahead of event
You might just be looking at some of the Alexa-powered devices due to show at Amazon's rumored hardware event this month. Pocket-lint has spotted listings (since pulled) for the Echo Sub wireless subwoofer (above) and Smart Plug (below), both of which see Amazon venturing into unfamiliar territory. The Sub adds 100W of bass to an Echo or Echo Plus setup, whether it's one speaker or two -- yes, stereo pairing would also be new. It reportedly cost £75 (about $99) when it shipped on October 11th, which might be a small price to pay if your rap or trance isn't sufficiently room-shaking.
Xiaomi's smart home devices now work with Google Assistant
Xiaomi has had a hard time gaining traction with US customers. To help sidestep that, the Chinese company is prepping the runway for (hopeful) domestic success by adding Google Assistant tech to its smart home devices, 9to5Google spotted. Meaning that once the company's Mi line of bedside lamps, LED lightbulbs and Smart plug arrive on these shores you'll be able to control them with your voice. The lamp and bulb each are capable of 16 million color customizations, according to the company, and they'll be available "shortly." For the Mi lamp, that's this month for an undisclosed price. Everything else, including pricing and availability for the rest of the Mi line? We have to wait and see.
Amazon's holiday bestsellers include smart plugs and toothbrushes
Amazon has published its customary holiday stats... and they're not as predictable as you might think. While the company spends much of its time crowing about its own device sales (which, as usual, are mostly meaningless without concrete numbers), it also reveals some decidedly unusual gadget shopping habits. For one thing, smart plugs were oddly dominant: a TP-Link plug was the best-selling smart home device worldwide (including in Amazon retail stores), while the Wemo Mini Smart Plug was one of the top-selling wireless gadgets in the US. This isn't to say that other smart gadgets didn't thrive (Philips Hue ruled the home improvement space), but people were clearly bent on upgrading their wall outlets.
Router maker TP-Link turns its attention to smart homes
Although it is a market leader in the global networking industry, TP-Link has struggled to make an impression in the US. The company is banking on a major makeover and a new product portfolio to help wow its American audience and improve its standing in the Netgear-dominated US market. I spoke at length with TP-Link's amiable CEO and co-founder Jeffrey Chao about his ambitious plans for the States.
Hive begins selling its smart plug and connected home sensors
When British Gas subsidiary Hive unveiled its latest take on the smart thermostat, the company also committed to launching a new a range of motion sensors, lightbulbs and a smart plug. It's taken six months, but Hive is finally ready to add its Active Plug and Window and Door sensors to its connected home line-up, with all three products now available to buy online.
Powering Google's PowerMeter: testing TED 5000 and AlertMe Energy
There are plenty of ways to be green these days, but without some sort of feedback it's hard to know just what shade you are. Enter Google's PowerMeter, a service that tells you how much current you're responsible for consuming. Why, it even shades its bar graphs in green, getting more pale the greedier you become. Google has partnerships with some utility companies in the US, Canada, and India, meaning a select few of you can do this sort of tracking by default. The rest of us were left out -- until now. Two devices on the market let you track your usage in PowerMeter regardless of just how backwards your utility company is: The Energy Detective's TED 5000 and the AlertMe Energy. We've been experimenting with these two for about a month now, finding that they serve the same purpose in very different ways and at very different costs. Click on through to see which one can best help you get greener.
AlertMe warns of energy vampires, kills them remotely
In-home power consumption monitors are trendy pieces of kit lately, with a new one popping up every few months. But, while they're all happy to just kick back and tell you what a wasteful pig you're being, a new service from UK security company AlertMe could actually make you more efficient. Subscribers to the company's monitoring plans, which start at about $260 plus another $17.50/month, will be able to purchase Smart Plugs for $43 each that can communicate wirelessly to an AlertMe Heating Controller. From there subscribers can monitor their energy usage online via computer or phone. That's all standard stuff, but the service also includes keyfobs that will automatically turn down the heat and deactivate devices when you leave, and allows users to manually control the plugs and the thermostat by text message, meaning you'd never be more than a few thumb-presses (and a 20 cent service charge) away from a warm and inviting home. [Via SmartPlanet]
