One of the best fitness and sleep trackers I’ve ever reviewed, the Motiv Ring, has just become even better. Starting today, Motiv adds integration with Alexa, you can buy it on Amazon, and there’s even good news about Android beta testing!
Toyota has introduced a revamped RAV4 model at the New York International Auto Show. The all-new 2019 Toyota RAV4 is focused on offering premium tech to the popular small sport utility vehicle. Toyota has also introduced an all-new Sporty Hybrid Grade model, the XSE Hybrid.
I’ve had a couple Amazon Echo Dots for about a year now. I thought they were great. Then this past Christmas, I picked up a couple Google Home Minis just because I wanted to check them out. Now Amazon’s Echo Dot has been pushed to a backup system as I think the Google Home system is so much better.
If you’ve become disheartened by current laptop prices, you’ll be happy to know that there are some great options coming from Lenovo that are not only feature-rich, but they’re also reasonably priced. Case in point, the 13″ and 15″ Lenovo Yoga 730 and the 14″ Flex 14. Each will cost under $1000, but you’d never guess it from looking at them.
For the first time, Ford is bringing their EcoSport to the U.S. In addition to this being an enticing SUV for those who are environmentally conscious, the car’s integration with Waze makes this an ideal vehicle for Uber and Lyft drivers – and pretty much everyone who uses Waze on a regular basis.
It’s a natural progression for the smart speaker market to go from speakers alone to adding screens. Mobile assistants are becoming an everyday part of our workflow, and being able to move from query to visual aid quickly, or from voice request to tv show, adds a whole new level of value.
Like most of the companies showing off their smart home products at CES, Lutron was busy showing off their continued support for Amazon Alexa. Specifically, the company announced that Lutron smart lighting and shade systems now have support for groups and routines.
When I reviewed the Ultimate Ears MEGABLAST a few weeks ago, I noted that Ultimate Ears is one of those rare companies who promise device updates and actually deliver! Well, they just proved my point by delivering voice control for Pandora. I already loved the MEGABLAST and I truly love knowing UE will keep making it better.
Our home is all-in with Alexa-enabled smart devices. I considered getting an Amazon Echo Spot and using it as a bedside clock, but I didn’t see much advantage to that. Then I saw the upcoming Sandman Doppler from Palo Alto Innovation. It may look like a bedside alarm clock, but it is a complete information hub powered by Alexa.
If you’ve been burdened with Amazon’s Echo ruining your home Decor, it’s time for you to upgrade to the Harman Kardon Allure Portable Digital Assistant Speaker.
There are very few laptop brands that non-tech geeks recognize. They’re aware that Samsung, HP, and Dell make PCs, but the one laptop that evokes an “Oh yeah, those are supposed to be great, right?” is the ThinkPad.
Both Greg and I love the Jabra Elite Sport Buds. They are comfortable, sound amazing and offer a ton of features. Now Jabra has announced three new Elite Series headsets– the Jabra Elite 65t, Elite Active 65t and Elite 45e that have Amazon Alexa integration baked in. I, for one, am pretty darn excited to try out them out.
If you’re looking for a simple DIY smart home security system that doesn’t need a bunch of fuss to install, abode systems has the answer for you in their “iota” Security & Camera smart home system.
As Amazon Alexa continues its road to smart home domination, an increasing number of devices are adding Alexa functionality to their products. Azpen Innovation is jumping on the bandwagon with two Alexa-enabled DockAll wireless docking stations/chargers. If you make use of Alexa devices and have a phone with wireless charging, you need to check these out.
Have you been thinking about hiring an office assistant? Amazon has someone they think would be perfect for the job — their virtual voice assistant, Alexa.
I purchased the first generation Amazon Echo thinking it was the best Alexa-enabled speaker available — at the time, anyway. While the Echo does all right in a smaller room, the speaker is anemic at best. But I’ve had the opportunity to check out the KitSound Voice One Smart Speaker recently, and I’ve found it to be much better.
Do you live on a busy street? Have noisy neighbors? Do you have a housemate who snores in an adjoining room? All of these things may be no big deal during the day, but at night, when you need to sleep, they aren’t exactly conducive to a solid 8+ hours, are they? You need the Nightingale Smart Home Sleep System.
I’m a huge fan of Ultimate Ears speakers. The UE MEGABOOM was close to perfection. It delivers huge, amazing sound, has great battery life and is waterproof. It is an amazing Bluetooth speaker and one I highly recommend. Now, however, the UE MEGABLAST is here. It improves on the MEGABOOM, which is still a great speaker, in almost every way.
It seems like everyone is coming out with smart speakers this fall. New to the game is 808 Audio. They recently released the XL-V Smart Speaker. It includes voice-control for Alexa, Bluetooth and is priced at $129. It looks similar to the original Amazon Echo, and it’s a good option if you are in the market for a smart speaker.
I’ve been a huge fan of Ultimate Ears speakers and have always impressed with both sound and aesthetics. In fact, the ROLL 2, BOOM 2 and MEGABOOM serve as our poolside speakers all summer long. (Check out all the reviews!) Now the company has announced the BLAST and MEGABLAST. They look amazing and have Amazon Alexa hands-free voice control baked in.
After years insisting their system be as closed as possible with regard to everything but the streaming music services with which it has partnered, Sonos has finally moved into the “smart speaker” space. With the launch of the Sonos One, Amazon Alexa will be available out of the box with support for Google Assistant sometime in 2018.