After 2 successful Indiegogo campaigns in 2015 and 2017 Innovative Brands is back with a brand new product range; the Lucis 3.0, ultra-powerful Dutch-design LED mood lamps that have some game-breaking features including; wireless phone charging and full power bank functionality. 

There is a lot to like about this portable little light. Designed to provide instant ambiance to any space, you can bring this splash-proof lamp and unpack it to light up any dark corners, picnics under the stars, or beside the bed.

“With the new series of Lucis Lamps, we continued our search towards creating the perfect cordless LED lamp that can set the mood anywhere, anyplace, anytime. Our 3.0 product line features both the Simple & Twist models that are centralized around intuitive function, portability and the sharing of both power and light ’’ says co-founder and designer Simon Koop. “Our new models were greatly influenced by the notion that people should connect and find each other, we wanted to create a truly social mood lamp that combined clean looking Dutch-design and great functionality to create the perfect setting’’. 

The Lucis 3.0 Lamp & Qi Wireless Charger is a first-class piece of tech that immediately draws the eye and the versatile nature of its performance capabilities is sure to appeal. This excellent device comes in three different styles

• Simple 
• Simple Power 
• Full Color Twist 

that combines top-class Dutch-design with unparalleled functionality. Whether using indoor or outdoor; you can set the mood wherever you go.

Unpacking

The Lucis 3.0 Full Color Twist comes in a very nice box and with everything you need, including a bottle connector & hanging hook to hang the light using the Tripod connector. I’ve managed to charge and have everything set up within a couple of hours. If you want to use the light with one of the attractive stands Lucis is offering, you need to order them separately.

Powerful Light & Innovative Functionality

The Lucis 3.0 Simple is equipped with powerful LEDs that have a maximum output of 180 lumens. The lamp is easy to use thanks to the elegant touch sensors that control the brightness of the lamp. The lamp is aesthetically similar to its counterpart; the Lucis 3.0 Simple Power, which is equipped with a powerful 8000 mAh battery and provides 88 hours of continuous light. This simple but powerful addition to the new roster includes some features that were not available in previous versions. Lucis introduces the charging of mobile phones as well as the full power bank functionality for 3 models of the 3.0 product line.

The company introduced another brand new feature with the Lucis Twist. Simply turn the top of the lamp to adjust brightness and color and create a nice ambiance. The Lucis 3.0 Full Color Twist is the first lamp to be equipped with this mechanism. This rotating lamp has the same charging and power bank functions for mobile phones as the Simple Power.

In addition, Lucis is back with a brand new line of accessories that improve adaptability and make the lamps a bright addition to any interior design. All new accessories are fully functional for each model thanks to the same ¼ connector, so the user can fully customize the accessories.

We were lucky enough to get our hands on the Lucis 3.0 Full-Color Twist

A lamp with a ‘Twist’

The Lucis 3.0 Full Color Twist is equipped with strong RGB full-color LEDs and has a maximum output of 250 lumens. This lamp features all the functionalities of its siblings combined with the full-color spectrum capable of producing over 16 million colors. These colorations can be enjoyed using the 5 dynamic light programs that set the perfect mood for any situation.

Set the mood, with a twist, anywhere, anytime

The creators of Lucis claim it can last for up to 88 hours on a single charge and I must say it lasted well beyond that time frame (on the lowest setting). I am not overly concerned about the interiors of my house, but I realized that gadgets like Lucis can bring a sense of distinct design and personalization and a few people who visited me were immediately drawn to it.

High-Quality Material

All the Lucis 3.0 Mood Lamps & QI Wireless Chargers are crafted from the best grade materials and built to the highest standards possible. This includes top-quality matte plexiglass upper housing and a solid aluminum ring which means this device is the ideal portable lamp and they are splash-proof so you don’t have to worry about a little rain when using them outdoors. There is a tangible sense of quality to this product that helps to set it apart from the competition.

Unique Touch Sensors

Lucis is equipped with 2 touch sensors for quickly adjusting the brightness. It comes with 5 light programs, which you can easily switch between using a little button.

Power Bank & Wireless Charger

The all-new Lucis series is a fully functional power bank for charging your devices via USB and Qi-Wireless Charger. Just turn the lamp around and place it on top of your smartphone. We’ve tested it a few times and it worked perfectly. The only slight drawback is that you need to switch between wired and wireless charging manually by pressing a small button.

About Lucis / Innovative Brands

Innovative Brands designs, develops, produces and brands consumer products. The company builds high-end solutions for its clients through a worldwide production and distribution network. As a Holland-based company, Innovative Brands has strong Dutch design roots with the highest quality standards. The head of design has more than a decade of expertise designing sports cars for Spyker. The sourcing and production department of Innovative Brands has several years of experience working with production facilities in markets worldwide.

The post Lucis 3.0 Full Color Twist Review – Powerful, Portable & Rechargeable appeared first on ChipIn.

We start at the entry point. Smart locks are the most important element to your smart home. If this part doesn’t work – all of the rest is in jeopardy.

1. August Smart Lock 2.0

This little gem has been the leader of smart locks for quite some time. And not surprisingly so! An easy-to-install device offers you a real and sensible alternative to usual locks. Making a case for utility, rather than pondering to IoT trend bandwagon is a great step from August. Smart locks will be overtaking the traditional locks we have and August 2.0 is a great example of why.

The looks might not be as crucial to a smart lock as it is for virtually any other tech tool we use, but we didn’t want to avoid talking about this. The product will be available in four colours – silver, grey, copper, and red. Picking up a neutral colour, or one that will match your doors might be a good idea since the August Smart Lock 2.0 is a bit bulkier than a usual door knob. Its dimensions are 3.3 by 3.3 inches, with a depth of 2,2 inches.
The manufacturer boasts an improved design of the device, that, supposedly, makes it easier to handle, install and use. We have to admit that this smart lock does look stylish and sleek.

August Smart Lock 2.0 has an app for iOS and Android, which gives you full control of the lock and virtual keys

August Smart Lock can be the first door lock you’ll install yourself. And you wouldn’t even need a DYI or a door lock installation for Dummies book. All you’ll need is a compatible deadbolt and a screwdriver. Okay, and an official August guide, just in case. The procedure is relatively simple, as you can see in the guide,

It works with Nest and Apple’s HomeKit, Logitech Harmony, Siri and Xfinity Home. This should be enough to cover your basic smart home needs and connect the right amount of devices into a singular ecosystem. Apart from integration with most home automation platforms, the August Smart Lock 2.0 has an array of great features.

Things like overlock and auto-unlock take care of the core function of this smart lock. The smartphone app helps the device sense you approaching and automatically open the door. You can generate an unlimited number of virtual keys that would grant the owners access to open the lock and manage them. If you have a falling out with someone who would occasionally drop by – not a problem anymore! Just delete their virtual key and it’s done.

You can lock/unlock your door, as long as you stay within the range of Bluetooth signal

Through Bluetooth connectivity, you can lock/unlock your door, as long as you stay within the range of Bluetooth signal. Remote work with the device is enabled though using one of the smart home platforms (hubs) we’ve mentioned earlier. The smartphone app keeps track of all people entering and exiting your home in a log, which you can access at any time. You can even see real-time notifications on your smart lock activity.

2. Kwikset Kevo Bluetooth Deadbolt

Kevo can integrate with Nest, Honeywell Thermostat, Skybell Video Doorbell and can be boosted through IFTTT applets and services.

The deadbolt has this nice light strip on its radius that will flash when you lock or unlock Kevo. The colour will indicate if you’ve unlocked the door or were denied. In terms of compatibility – Kevo’s on par with August. It supports both iOS and Android devices, including wearables. While Apple Watch will only receive notifications, Android Wear can boast the full functionality of a mobile app. Kevo can integrate with Nest, Honeywell Thermostat, Skybell Video Doorbell and can be boosted through IFTTT applets and services.

The company has a wide range of products that can be added on top of the Kevo lock. With the first generation, Kwikset was adding a Kevo FOB, which is a small keychain accessory than enabled opening the door with the touch without smartphone near you.

With Kevo you can send and manage an unlimited number of electronic keys

Unfortunately, with the 2nd generation, the company stopped adding this item in the box, so you’ll have to buy it separately for additional $25. Security, arguably being the main feature of a smart lock, has been seriously improved this time. The previous device, reportedly, could be opened with brute force.

The improved metal structure of the lock lets you sleep calmly now. With Kevo you can send and manage an unlimited number of electronic keys and keep track of all the smart lock related activities in the app log. Getting this smart lock now would be perfect timing, since the free unlimited e-keys functionality and full compatibility with iOS have been introduced just recently.

Smart lighting is probably the most fun smart home element to have. It’s easy to understand why – we rarely appreciate a door lock, while light is a completely different thing. We adjust it to our mood, our activities, time of the day, weather and so on – and manufacturers know this all too well. Smart lightbulbs aren’t only beautiful and easy-to-use, they are quite efficient, too. Some smart light bulbs offer over 25000 hours of an average lifecycle.
There are many players in this market right now, but since we’re talking about a smart home for beginners, we’ll start with the entry level offers in terms of ease of use and price tag.

1. Philips Hue Smart Lighting

One of the pioneers and current smart lighting champions – Philips Hue is the place to start. Despite its somewhat high price tag, the starter kit they’re offering would be great for a novice. And this is why.

The hub is almost barely noticeable in the household

We’ll take the Philips Hue White and Color Ambiance Starter Kit 3rd generation for the test drive. What you get in the box is three light bulbs, that are able to change the 16 million supported colors and a hub, sorry, a ‘bridge’. As seen in the photo – the hub is pretty nice-looking and almost barely noticeable in the household. It has LED indicators (which aren’t really needed, since all the operations will be done from the app) and a push button used to connect bulbs.

You do have to hide the wires, as the bridge has to be plugged into the power socket, as well as to the Internet cable. The smart bulbs themselves aren’t anything special, really. But only until you turn them on.

The different regimes and color patterns are so vast, that it would be hard to list them all. Especially, given that there are dozens, if not more, 3rd party apps – both free and paid. You can adjust the lights to fit your needs in a particular room almost perfectly. The kitchen can have this energetic bright bluish light (or daylight simulation light) and the bedroom can have a lighting mode most accommodating for reading or snoozing your alarm for an indefinite number of times.

Light bulbs and the bridge are interconnected via an app, which is super simple to use

You can even create ambient light for a movie you’re watching using an app, or video game that you are playing.

Philips Hue bulbs start a color loop when the ISS passes over your location

Timers, wake-up and sleep modes are all available from the original application and they are worth of trying out. Imagine, you’re cooking something or waiting for a sports game to start, simply set a timer on the app and lights will start flickering when the time runs out.

That’s pretty neat, isn’t it? If you want to go even further and super geeky – IFFFT offers some amazing applets for Philips Hue, like the one making your Philips Hue bulbs start a color loop when the ISS passes over your location! Another one simply changes the lights to blue colour, when it starts raining. As I’ve said – smart light and smart locks are in a different weight category.

On the other hand – it’s understandable why you wouldn’t want your doors to unlock every time ISS passes over. The bulbs have an unimpressive 800 lumens. So, you’ll be unable to perform high-precision surgery with this setting. But this is well compensated by the different modes you can switch between when using your Philips Hue. Philips claims the bulbs to last for 25000 hours, which is quite good.

The upgradable bridge offers constant improvements and the ever-expanding market for apps and applets guarantees new cool things you’ll be able to do with these smart bulbs. Compatibility with Nest, Amazon Alexa, Harmony, Samsung SmartThings and HomeKit make it a no-brainer as your first smart light system.

2. C by GE

GE is this up-and-coming startup tech company trying to get into the trendy market of IoT. No, on a serious note, this mammoth, established in 1878, is now offering the expertise, quality, and experience of a 140-year company to a very new trend in consumer electronics. And this is a very appealing point to start with. So, what are they offering with the C?

These bulbs are designed to recreate natural light and provide best lighting adjusted to your sleeping patterns

You might have already guessed that the lightbulbs do look pretty much the same across the board. What you’ll find in the C by GE, which is a smart lighting starter kit, is 4 bulbs – two for any room and two for the bedroom. Named C-Life and C-Sleep, these bulbs are designed to recreate natural light and provide the best lighting adjusted to your sleeping patterns.

As expected, C support both iOS and Android platforms. It does not require additional hubs, as is the case with the Hue, and you connect to the bulbs directly via an app. However, the maximum amount of bulbs you can manage is 50, just like with the Hue. So, just in case you were thinking of getting OVER 50 bulbs for some reason, you might have to do some manual tweaking of the app or devices used for it.

The coolest thing that GE is marketing in their bulbs is that they are super adjustable to your daily (and nightly) needs. Yes, C does not have color change and all the palette that Hue is offering, but you can get any level of brightness from your C-Life bulb. “From working to cooking to kicking back”, as said on the official website. This bulb should recreate almost perfectly the natural daylight, which is beneficial for health – psychological and physical.

The coolest thing that GE is marketing in their bulbs is that they are super adjustable to your daily needs.

With all the perks that the color change in the Hue gives you – you don’t want to sit under the acid green strobe light for all day long, do you? That wouldn’t feel right. So, jokes aside, it really does make sense for someone not sure about the whole smart home thing to start with C by GE – simple and efficient, nothing over the top. Speaking of efficient – GE says, that the bulb will last for 20 years.

With a small footnote, that says “based on 3 hours per day usage”. Well, still pretty good if you ask me. The C-Sleep is basically the same bulb, but one that is configurable to automatically change light based on the daytime and your sleep cycles. You’ll get a dimmed light in the evening and an energetic bright one in the morning.

3. LIFX

One could not go talking about smart lighting and avoid mentioning LiFX. While the company doesn’t offer a ‘starter kit’ (well, a pack of 4 bulbs can be technically called a starter kit), the LiFX bulbs are definitely worth mentioning. Let’s take the standard LIFX – you get 1100 lumens of brightness, 16 million colors and 1000 shades of grey. No, that’s not it – 1000 shades of warm to cool whites! And all of this will last for 22 years (again, based on a 3-hours/day usage).

LIFX offer a bunch of product similar to Hue (like the lighting strip) and all of them can become a viable competitor for the Philips and GE products. One more thing – no hub is needed for the LIFX bulbs! The bulb itself is a hub with WiFi onboarded.

1. Amazon Echo

Amazon Echo came out of the blue and immediately got everyone’s attention. This was the first real (arguably) attempt of creating a product that has been envisioned for decades. Remember the Computer from Star Trek? Incidentally, the new wake word for the Alexa Echo and Echo Dot is “Computer”. So, what made the product so popular and why you should care to buy it?
We’ll take the newer product in the Amazon Echo family – Echo Dot 2nd generation.

The first thing that you’ll notice is the price tag – it’s currently set at $49.99 which is super low when you compare to all the other stuff that’s in the IoT market. What can it do for the 50 bucks? Imagine a better version of Siri or Google Now and you’ll get Alexa, which is the name of this virtual assistant.

There’s a bunch of stuff you can do with it and Amazon provides updates weekly on the new features they’re adding. So, here’s a quick list of the main features.

Music streaming-Just pair it with Amazon Prime Music, Pandora, Spotify, iHeartRadio or TuneIn and you’re good to go. Using the Dot as a speaker is not perfect. It’s definitely not going to give you a nice clear loud sound. But if you’re not looking for the best sound experience. – it’ll do.

News-This is one of the coolest features of the device. Add the news agencies you follow and start your morning by saying “Alexa, what’s the news?” to get your briefing.
Dominos & Uber have integrations with the device and you can manage your preferences through the mobile app, something you might use every once in a while.

Control of your lights-It integrated with Philips Hue, LiFX, and GE bulbs, among others. While simple turn on/off commands for Hue is working fine, advanced voice controls, like color change are not really easy to use.

Smart home devices-The August Smart Lock must be mentioned here. While you can’t lock or unlock the doors through Alexa (which might be a smart approach here) you can check on the status of your lock, which can come in handy.

Heating-Alexa is the champion here, boasting integration capabilities with all the big guns of the market – Nest, Honeywell, Ecobee3, you name it.

Miscellaneous-We’ll put adding notes to Evernote via Alexa, stopwatch and simple random fact checking here. Alexa is great when you need to learn something on the spot and don’t want to turn on your PC or pick up your tablet. Alexa is always on and it can do a basic google search nice and easy. Stopwatch function is pretty straightforward and working with Evernote demands time to get used to. Also, you can just say “Alexa, good morning!” and hear the response. Today I got “Good morning to you and Happy Birthday to George Washington!”. I looked it up – it all checks.

Overall, there’s an array of awesome things Alexa can do and the list is growing thanks to the developers and the community on IFTTT. With a price of 50 dollars – it is a must-have in a smart home.

2. Google Home

Rivaling Amazon’s product, Google had released their smart speaker – Google Home. Aimed at the emerging home automation market, the thing is running a Google Assistant software, which is an upgrade of Google Now.

Google Home runs a Google Assistant software, which is an upgrade of Google Now.

It can do pretty much everything Alexa is doing and the feature list of Google’s Home Assistant is neatly organized on the website into categories like Entertainment, plan your day, Control Your Home and so on. You can connect and vocally manage your Nest, SmartThings, Philips Hue with Google Home. IFTTT will remain a never-ending source of cool new features. While price and a number of available features, services and applets are still on the side of Echo Dot, there are two great advantages to Google Home.

First one – it’s smarter. There is a number of tests you can find on Youtube, where a series of questions is put forward for the digital assistants to answer, and Google’s product scores a bit higher across the board. Travel directions, next games, recipes, conversion of ounces into grams and so on. The second one is the design.

This might be just a matter of taste because the looks of these two devices are really different. Google Home’s top surface is a touchpad which enables you to control it with gestures.

The emerge department of the Internet of Things systems has been the pioneer of the whole smart home movement. The ones to watch here are Nest and Honeywell Lyric.

1. Nest Thermostat

“Nest” is already a household name in the smart home business. Already in its third generation of Nest Smart Thermostat, the company is exploring other domains of smart home systems, debuting on the home security cameras market last year. However, it’ll be difficult to shrug off the association with thermostats they’ve become famous for.

The Nest Learning Thermostat will wow you first with its nice look. The device owes its design to the guy who is known as one of the ‘fathers of the iPod” and its immortal design. You can even kind of spot the similarity with that wheel-as-a-control mechanism on both devices.

Nest makes it extremely easy for the user to understand when it’s in the energy-efficient mode

The biggest change this year (the Nest launched in 2011!) is the display. While previous versions would wake up when detecting you approach – this iteration of Nest uses a technology called Farsight, which, basically, means – it’s always on and you can easily see the temperature status from any point in the room. The main function of a thermostat would be (spoiler alert) the ability to control temperature. And Nest does this flawlessly.

Not only is it nice to use the wheel to set the temperature (reminiscing of the old-school iPods), the thermostat will show you how many minutes it will take to reach the set temperature. The “learning” part in Nest Learning Thermostat is responsible for adjusting to your lifestyle. Seems a bit odd, but this actually is quite simple. Depending on what temperatures you set for different times of the day – Nest will literally learn your rhythm and will start switching to your usual temperatures automatically.

Another important element to having a smart thermostat is to save energy. Nest makes it extremely easy for the user to understand when it’s in the energy-efficient mode. There’s a little leaf icon, that will light up when you’re saving energy. Nest has motion sensors to detect its user. While the previous versions needed this in order to activate the screen for the approaching user, this time around you are able to try what is called “Auto-Away” feature.

Depending on what temperatures you set for different times of the day – Nest will literally learn your rhythm and will start switching to your usual temperatures automatically.

Basically, if the device does not detect any motion for 2 hours it will go into an energy-saving mode, under the assumption that you’re gone. Again, this feature will kick in even faster, when the thermostat will learn your daily regime and learn your working hours.

With Internet of Things, we’re all about connecting device. Naturally, Nest is well aware of this. Connecting your thermostat with Alexa is one of the biggest additions this year. If this is too much for you – simply connect to Nest from your mobile app. Remotely managing a thermostat might not be something you’d be super excited about, but it does come with benefits. For one – now you can see how much energy you’ve saved. And these savings might be a nice thing to juxtapose the price you’ll have to pay for Nest.

2. Honeywell Thermostat

Honeywell has a stunning array of smart home products – from doorbells to UV purifiers. The one we’ll take a look today is Honeywell Lyric Round Wi-Fi Thermostat 2nd Generation.
It looks suspiciously like the Nest, but that’s okay. The look is cool and we can excuse companies ‘borrowing’ designs from market leaders. Honeywell Lyric has touch screen controls and illumination based on motion-sense detectors.

Nest turns to energy-saving mode when you’re away for over 2 hours

One of the few things that Honeywell got right, while Nest might be a bit short on is geofencing. Yes, Nest will turn to energy-saving mode when you’re away for over 2 hours, but Honeywell tracks your mobile phone location and switches to energy-saving mode when you’re away. You can set up the radius in your app, which is neat and a step forward from the previous version of Honeywell thermostats which had only two range options for this feature.

Mobile-centricity is at the core of what Honeywell offers. You can use it with Android or iOS and receive notification when the temperature has spiked or decreased dramatically or when the humidity is out of control at your place. Potentially, it can work as an element of home security. For example, when you see a sudden drop in temperature it might mean that the door or window is open. The device integrates with HomeKit platform, so you can control the thermostat with Siri, as well as with the Samsung SmartThings and Amazon Alexa.

The smart part of this thermostat manifests itself mainly in terms of assessing the temperature ‘feel’. So, it calculates the humidity and shows you how warm or cold does it actually feel in the room. In this case, 72 will definitely feel like 72, and you won’t have to adjust anything. The company also offers you to calculate potential savings with their product. Just plug in your zip code and expenses on the heat in the calculator on their website and you’ll be able to see how much Honeywell Lyric can save you.

It is difficult to overestimate the importance of a smoke alarm system. Making them smarter makes a lot of sense, since a malfunction in this department can literally cost someone’s life. A functioning smoke alarm system doesn’t really need any fancy IoT additions, however, there’s one major thing you’d want to have. The traditional systems would alarm you in case of smoke, but only if you’re in the range of the alarm sounds. Smart home systems bring a whole new addition to the table – you’ll be notified anywhere you are, simply through a mobile notification.
Two offerings on the market make our list – Nest strikes again with its Nest Protect, and also – Birdi Smart Air Monitor.

1. Nest Protect

Beloved by many mostly for its thermostat, Nest offers a pretty great smart smoke alarm. Nest Protect does not only monitor your room environment, it can also self-diagnose, when a battery is running low, so you’re always sure that the alarm is up and running.

Nest Protect is also regularly checking its speakers to function properly. The spectrum of dangers this thing will guard you against is vast – carbon monoxide, heat, humidity, room occupancy, ambient light.

Overall, Nest made sure to take away all the anxiety you may have when getting a smart smoke alarm system. This includes the battery and sound check-ups, comprehensive mobile notification system and the quality of sensors that come on board. The only possible downside to an overall great product might be the price.

2. Birdi Smart Air Monitor

The ecosystem that Birdi created enables you to know the environmental situation in general.

In case you want to go above and beyond – “Birdi” is for you. An Indiegogo-funded startup offers much more than just a smoke sensor. With “Birdi” you’ll be up-to-date on the pollution, dust, soot and pollen situation in your apartment. It checks air staleness, humidity, and temperature, overall – you’ll get as much info on the air in your rooms as you might wish.

But wait, there’s more. The ecosystem that “Birdi” created enables you to know the environmental situation in general. Meaning, you can get notifications on the fires or natural disasters that can potentially impact you. And if this much information might overwhelm you or just bring you down – just turn them off! You can calibrate the type of notifications you’re getting.

There are even cameras for those, who want to check up on their pets every once in a while

Smart Cameras is probably the most oversaturated domain of the Internet of Things. And that’s a great thing! You can literally pick up a camera that will fit your needs perfectly. There are even cameras for those, who want to check up on their pets every once in awhile. Granted, people are typically looking for these kinds of devices for extra security reasons. That’s why we’ll take a look at the offerings that provide the best security.

1. Icontrol Networks Piper NV

Icontrol stays connected with two-way audio to check up on those you care for

Icontrol Networks is simply one of the best smart cameras out there. This should be mentioned upfront. However, the price for this device might be serious issues for many potential buyers. You can find the unit in black or white on Amazon for $279, which is almost double the price of our next security camera. If the price isn’t an issue for you, just check out what this bad boy can do.

This system requires no additional fees, contracts or payments. The camera itself is a high-resolution 180-degree immersive-view camera that can stream and record video. There is an abundance of sensors onboard. Motion, sound, heat, humidity, light – once one of these is triggered you’ll get an earful from the 105 dB siren. And also a bunch of notifications on your mobile app. For the beginners of smart home systems – this is a perfect fit, as the device can be installed in 2 minutes. It integrates with iOS or Android and offers super customizable app experience, with all the preferences, graphs and checks for sensors you want to use.

One of the coolest features is setting rules for different modes. Say, you spend much time on vacations, you can get a separate set of rules for your sensors on the camera to be triggered while in this mode! This is super neat, as you can balance the camera “sensitivity”, for it not to cause much commotion when it’s just you in the house.

2. Homeboy

The camera tracks your GPS position and can automatically go into a ‘disarm’ mode.

Homeboy is a super straightforward approach for a security camera. It does have a lot of shortcomings that we’re not expecting to see in a security camera like the lack of live video streaming and the fact that the quality of the image is below par. But the benefits of having this particular camera can outweigh the disadvantages it has. First off – Homeboy battery is designed to last literally for months on a single charge. You can place it anywhere and forget about it. But only in the best case scenario, as the camera will immediately remind you of itself with a push notification in case of motion detection.

The camera also has a night vision mode and a 30-day free video storage. A built-in siren will act as an archaic substitution of a push notification or an email (that the system will send), but it can prove to be super important in your household.

The camera tracks your GPS position and can automatically go into a ‘disarm’ mode, meaning that it will not freak out and start the alarm when you’re just minding your own business around the house. Once you leave the vicinity of your home – the camera will go into the ‘arm’ mode. The way its main feature works – detecting motion is pretty simple. When an alarm is triggered by suspect motion the camera will go online and start recording video. Alongside with sending you all kinds of alerts. Homeboy’s ease of use, durability, and features make it one of the great security cameras out there.

Now, you’ve got all these different smart devices in your house. The first thing that would probably come to mind is ‘How do I make it all work together?” If all these devices comprise the ‘nervous system’ of your home, the thing to control and manage them all would be the brain, or the ‘hub’, as they are called in the smart home domain. We’ve mentioned hubs like SmartThings and Apple HomeKit a number of times. Naturally, these are precisely the hubs we’d pick for our list of the best smart home platforms.

1. Apple HomeKit

Using HomeKit can eliminate the need for a smart speaker

Using HomeKit can eliminate the need for a smart speaker since you’ll be able to control your smart devices via another AI assistant – Siri. While the ease-of-use of all HomeKit compatible devices is, as one would expect, simply great, the fact of the matter is that there are not as many devices on the market to fit into the HomeKit framework.

2. Samsung SmartThings

SmartThings works with a wide range of connected devices, including lights, cameras, locks, thermostats, and sensors

The post Best Smart Home Systems of 2019 – Tech, Gadgets, Devices appeared first on ChipIn.

And thankfully speaker systems haven’t been left in the ever-evolving Bluetooth dust. Now the latest generations of Bluetooth speakers are just as mobile as we are. And the performance isn’t limited necessarily to price. As the tech advances so do the product’s accessibility to the public.

But that doesn’t mean there isn’t a food chain of relevant Bluetooth speakers to sort through. And that’s where we come in. We’ve managed to fish through the overwhelming crush of Bluetooth speakers and separate the alphas from the betas. There are some critical, determining factors that you should keep in mind before you whip off to the electronics store to purchase that new Bluetooth speaker. A lot of it comes down simply to specs, price and mobility.

Put on your Sleuth hat and ask yourself some serious questions about what you want out of a Bluetooth speaker. Performance should be first and foremost on your list of questions. Nothing demoralizes a consumer more than being duped by a nice slick presentation that is all bark and no bite. If the speaker doesn’t live up to the hype you’ll be feeling it in the wallet afterward.

The Fugoo Style is one of the Best Bluetooth Speakers currently available

So ask yourself how strong of a performer the speaker is. What is the frequency range on the speaker? Does it have a compelling range of sound, burrowing down into the lows and equally scaling up to reach those highs? Or does it sound like AM radio has made a comeback in a big way with no dynamic sound or performance to speak of? Does the speaker have a poor performance when it runs on battery power? How long does it last without recharging?

Then consider the speaker’s mobility. Nothing cramps style more than a pair of speakers that could pass for amplifiers at that huge Megadeth amphitheater show. Sure they’re big. But you can forget to transport them from place to place. So taking size into consideration, what do you intend the speakers for? Do you plan to bring them with you to the beach for an outdoor barbecue? Or will they be stationary in the home?

Editor Pick: Loudest Bluetooth Speakers 2019/h3>

The 13 Loudest Bluetooth Speakers On The Market in 2019

Posted: June 24, 2019

WE all want speakers that go boom, plumbing down to the deepest depths while putting our subwoofers to the test. We also want speakers that boost each cello and each violin as if we are sitting front row at the orchestra. But it’s ultimately all for naught if a Bluetooth

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Then there is always the subject of your budget. Some people will say money is no object when it comes to finding the absolute best product on the market. But now that price isn’t necessarily an indicator of stellar design with the current wave of Bluetooth speakers, there are some criteria to take into account when looking at prices. How far will your buck go in finding the pick of the litter? A speaker that possesses the best design, best performance, great mobility, functionality and durability for its price may cost less than a speaker that is inconsistent across the board with these qualities.

Now that we’ve gotten those criteria out of the way, we can lump our Bluetooth speakers into two categories: truly portable speakers and the stationary speakers you ultimately intend for the home or office.

Best Bluetooth Speakers

Something to consider with your choice of stationary indoor Bluetooth speakers is whether or not you want to pair the speaker with another to add a stereo sound. Some speakers allow multiple pairings so that you can even achieve a surround sound effect. If looking for a solid product to add ambiance to your home entertainment system, look no further than the list we’ve mined from the constellation of stationary indoor Bluetooth speakers orbiting out there in the consumer electronics milky way.

1. MARSHALL STANMORE

Marshall has opened up its brand to a more mainstream audience with its take on wireless speakers. Until that time it was more specifically known amongst music aficionados as the go-to brand for amps and musical instrument gear. Fast forward to today and Marshall wants to fill your home with the same wall of sound it’s gifted musicians over the years. The Stanmore retains the same guitar amp look that Marshall has cultivated through time. But that’s the only similarity between the Stanmore and Marshall’s vast lookbook of guitar amps.

Marshall has opened up its brand to a more mainstream audience with its take on wireless speakers.

This baby has a respectable threshold for creating near CD quality sound. While Bluetooth streams a lower audio quality sound, the Marshall Stanmore comes equipped with the AptX codec which makes up for that difference. It uses the 4.0 version of Bluetooth and is compatible with iOS, Android, PC, Mac, Windows and integrated speaker systems.

And for the sound, it has a nice frequency range of 45Hz to 22kHz (30 Hz lower than the average wireless speaker). So while you won’t be causing an earthquake with subs you will still get some nice bass and highs during your listening session. And best of all it packs a punch when it comes to volume. It falls under the $400 price bracket.

As for the brass tacks, this one channel wireless speaker has two tweeters and one woofer. It clocks in at 13.5 x 7.3 x 7 inches.

2. BOSE SOUNDLINK III

Bose has created a winner of a wireless speaker in the Soundlink III. With 14 hours of battery life generated from its rechargeable lithium-ion battery, you’ll be sure to listen to music uninterrupted. Its Bluetooth reaches up to 30 feet. And it uses RCA 3.5mm inputs and a mini USB. All of these things will certainly come in handy if you want to stack the speaker with another or several others in order to create a full surround sound experience.

The Soundlink is a smaller speaker than the Stanmore, clocking in at 2 inches in width and depth and weighing no more than 3 pounds. But it makes up for size with big sound. It, like the Marshall Stanmore, boasts an AptX codec to help round out that dynamic sound you are looking for. And just like the Marshall Stanmore the Soundlink is compatible with iOS, Android, PC, Mac and Windows operating systems.

Bose has created a winner of a wireless speaker in the Soundlink III.

But here’s an interesting addition that the Marshall doesn’t possess, speakerphone. Should you pair your speakers with your smartphone, feel free to accept those incoming calls and route them through your Soundlink. Some downers though about the Soundlink are no EQ app to adjust and tweak the sound, the limited Bluetooth distance, and Bose does not publish its frequency response for the speaker. We’re assuming somewhere in the 80Hz to 20kHz range. Not all A’s across the board but for a speaker that you can place in the home and only at a price of $269, it performs handily.

3. FLUANCE Fi50

Here is a genuine contender for a reasonable indoor Bluetooth speaker. The Fluance Fi50 packs powerful sound, boasting a 5-inch woofer with a tweeter dead smack in its center. The Canadian speaker has a built-in 40-watt amplifier as well.

Here’s the thing about all that sound. While it kicks out a hefty bit of volume, you won’t be able to readily transport it from place to place without plugging it into a wall socket. There is no rechargeable unit with this one.

The Fluance Fi50 Bluetooth Speaker has a tweeter in the center of its 5-inch woofer

But if you’re willing to overlook that, it has some other stellar qualities worth taking on board. You have an adjustable LED display, ready to be dimmed or brightened to your needs. You also have a USB input that will allow you to charge other devices like your smartphone or tablet.

The Fluance streams via the Bluetooth 2.1 version. But it does offer AptX to help boost that streaming capability. Overall it is a solid speaker with a dynamic sound. And at only $200 it is a nice investment for the home or office.

4. CAMBRIDGE AUDIO YOYO M

The Cambridge Audio Yoyo M is a refined specimen of a bluetooth speaker. The brand cultivates a genuinely unique design aesthetic in the rendering of this moderately sized 6.6-pound speaker. Instead of opting for the typical source material like plastic, Cambridge goes the route of British wool.

The Cambridge Audio Yoyo M is a refined specimen of a bluetooth speaker.

These speakers are optimized for a stereo configuration in your home or office. With a Bluetooth range of 30 feet sound fills ample space. Imagine even stacking these babies to generate a nice full surround sound. A full 24 hours of battery power will keep the speakers pumping out a respectable frequency range on a full charge. While like the other speakers on this list you won’t be blasting out tremendous subs, you will have a clear sound. They retail for $375.

5. CREATIVE SOUND BLASTER ROAR 2

The Creative Sound Blaster Roar 2 is a lightweight speaker, weighing in at 3.6 pounds and not taking up more space than a normal forearm. The speaker resembles a little black case, something in which you might stow away your jewels or secrets. Instead, it’s a powerful speaker that goes hard in the paint.

The Creative Sound Blaster Roar 2 is a lightweight speaker, weighing in at 3.6 pounds and not taking up more space than a normal forearm.

What separates the Sound Blaster from the others on this list? The Roar 2 has an overdrive function to take the sound to the next level of dynamic performance. That becomes especially attractive as a feature given the speaker’s 40-foot Bluetooth range. You’ll be filling your home with all your favorite sounds with this one.

It is NFC enabled and has a USB port. Should you decide to stack this for a full on surround sound or stereo sound experience you can avail yourself of the AUX inputs. Battery life for that power is a sparse 8 hours, however. It’s a discreet looking speaker with an extroverted sense of bravado. It retails for $164.

6. NAIM MU-SO

The Naim Mu-So falls on the higher end of the price spectrum. But if you are looking for a premium indoor Bluetooth speaker, this is the one. It features Bluetooth AptX, two USB optical inputs, 1 woofer, 1 midrange, and 1 tweeter. The results are a robust range, dynamic performance, and crisp pure sound. This is a muscular speaker.

The Naim Mu-So Speaker comes with six 75 watt digital amplifiers

The cons against such a fabulous speaker are few. The sound loses some of its pristine detail as you pump up the volume into the louder registers. And when so many less expensive indoor Bluetooth speakers currently saturate the market with somewhat comparable performance, is such a purchase justified? At this price, you are venturing into a genuine Hi-Fi territory. The Mu-So retails for $1100.

The landscape of portable Bluetooth speakers is much more densely populated. We find a constellation of speakers equipped to do more than just stream your favorite tunes. And separating the fluff from the muscle is sometimes a gargantuan task for consumers. Here a generation of speakers plunge into the surf with you and resist all manner of weather challenges. A few of the top performers fall below…

7. FUGOO STYLE

The Fugoo Style is a durable dynamic all-weather speaker that weighs in at 11.6 ounces and measures 5.3 x 1.6 inches. Talk about a compact gem of a Bluetooth speaker! This is one of the most affordable and equally strong performing speakers out there this season.

The Fugoo Style is a durable dynamic all-weather speaker that weighs in at 11.6 ounces and measures 5.3 x 1.6 inches.

Where do you take this speaker? Anywhere you want. It’s waterproof and boasts 40 hours of strong battery life. So if you’re wandering aimlessly nearly 2 days nonstop in the wilderness or floating in the middle of the Bermuda Triangle, never fret. You still have music to while your hours away. And top it all off with voice controlled functionality via Siri or Google Now. It retails for $140.

8. UE ROLL 2

The UE Roll 2 is your swim coach. Take this orb like speaker into the pool with you, never missing a beat from your favorite playlist. Its frequency range is decent, scaling admirably through the midrange sounds with ease.

The UE Roll 2 is the perfect companion for your next pool party.

It’s got a few cons weighing against it: no voice commands, only 9 hours of battery life, and no in speaker controls. Certainly, these might seem damning. But if you are taking this into the pool or into the surf, chances are you aren’t so concerned. And for only $100, those elements can be quickly overlooked.

9. BRAVEN XXL

The Braven XXL is a hefty yet luggable (pun fully intended) Bluetooth speaker. Here’s a heavyweight in the line of portable Bluetooth speaker weight classes. Weighing in at a chunky 18 pounds and measuring 20.25 x 9.5 x 8.25 inches, the Braven recalls the days of massive boom boxes and tailgate parties.

The Braven XXL is a hefty yet luggable (pun fully intended) Bluetooth speaker.

Where do you schlep this one? Probably to those BBQ picnics, tailgates and outdoor extravaganzas that require killer bass, dynamic frequency range, and full-bodied sounds that have legs. This is definitively that speaker.

But while it is water resistant, it is not the sporty sort of speaker put forward by JBL or Naim. It retails for $250.

10. JBL CLIP 2

And speaking of JBL, the JBL Clip 2 clips the competition (another bad pun, folks) with its light and remarkably portable design. This waterproof speaker is only 6.5 ounces, 5.5 x 3.7 x 1.7 inches and has 8 hours of battery life. From a distance, it looks like a miniature kettle bell one finds in a Crossfit gym, with its orb shape and handle.

The JBL Clip 2 clips the competition with its light and remarkably portable design.

But in fact, it’s one of the most affordable speakers on the market at only $60. Not remarkable on sound and no app to speak of. However, it’s a very forgiving purchase to your wallet. Need an upgrade in the same family of speakers, try the JBL Xtreme on for size.

Cambridge Audio YoYo Range looks and sounds good on any surface.

. Indoors or Outdoors

The post Best Bluetooth Speaker 2019 | Best Portable Speakers On the Market Review appeared first on ChipIn.

Top 13 Loudest Bluetooth Speakers 2019

1. Teufel One M Multiroom Speaker

The high-quality Teufel One M all-in-one loudspeaker streams music not only via Bluetooth but also via WLAN, thus establishing a much more stable connection and ensuring multiroom capability. In our test, the Teufel One M was the most convincing in terms of sound and tech of all the speakers. The WLAN Bluetooth loudspeaker is speech controllable if you combine it with an Alexa or Google Assistant. The authentic stereo system with 3-way technology includes 4 tweeters, 2 midrange drivers, a woofer and 2 passive bass membranes and creates a perfect sound.

The Teufel One M can replace an entire stereo system in conjunction with your existing smartphone

So far we have only introduced a few speakers whose excellent audio quality the experts agreed on as quickly as this model. Some of them even equate Teufel One M with a small hi-fi system in terms of sound and audio quality.

2. The Vava Voom 21

Vava shoulder checks the other Bluetooth speaker brands with its robust sound. Here is a speaker that pulls no punches when it comes to pumping out big sounds. The Vava brand is building on its stellar line of Voom premium speakers. The 21 boasts a 10-hour battery life that throughout its duration will shake the rafters if you want it to.

Let’s get right down to how this one is built like a brick house. It has one 10W subwoofer, two 5W drivers, and two passive radiators. What does that mean? If you’re planning to bring the house down with your favorite playlist, here’s the Bluetooth speaker equipped to do so. And not only that, it’s aptX enabled, meaning you can stream high-quality audio without fear of losing the integrity of the sound.

If you’re planning to bring the house down with your favorite playlist, the VaVa Voom 21 bluetooth speaker is equipped to do so.

Then for the audiophiles who like to tweak the way they listen to music, there are EQ settings for surround sound, party mode, and standard. These will all do as they claim, rendering sound according to the nuances of the listening mode.

What’s more is that this speaker goes from being a stationary indoor speaker to a portable speaker seamlessly. It weighs in at only 1.76 pounds and measures 3.9 x 2.1 x 9.4 inches. A lightweight compact speaker that packs a hell of a punch, the Vava Voom 21 retails for $299.

3. The Cambridge Air 200

We’ve already gushed about Cambridge and their impeccable design aesthetic. The Air 200 couples chic design with powerful sound dynamics. This speaker is nothing short of amazing. Admittedly, the Cambridge line of speakers is something of a hybrid. Designed by Hi-Fi experts, these speakers are not uniquely Bluetooth speakers. They have a number of connectivity options at the ready. But for our purposes, these aptX enabled speakers to render sound in pristine high quality.

You will be hard pressed to find another bluetooth speaker on the market with better specs than the Cambridge Air 200 Bluetooth Speaker

What’s under the hood? Well, a 200W digital amplifier with a built-in subwoofer for one. You will be hard-pressed to find another Bluetooth speaker on the market with comparable specs. Naturally one would think all of that power must come in an enormous package. No, not the case. It measures 17.7 x 8.7 x 6.9 inches. It’s a reasonably sized speaker that could easily blend into the ambiance of your living room or office.

And just how do they get all of that sound to fill a space? They’ve patented their own design tech they call Balanced Mode Radiator speaker drivers that move both vertically and horizontally to create a fuller, wider-reaching sound. The result has a slew of reputable Audio experts gushing over the speaker. It retails for $527.

4. The UE Megaboom

The UE Megaboom could make an argument as the best all-around and loudest Bluetooth speaker currently on the market. The tubularly shaped speaker stands up to all challenges and plows through them handily. While aesthetically it won’t compete with Cambridge’s design-conscious approach, it will, however, hold its own when the conversation turns to durability and volume.

The UE Megaboom Speaker channels all kinds of top notch elements to bring it to the front of the pack.

The UE Megaboom channels all kinds of top-notch elements to bring it to the front of the pack. Firstly, it has more than 20 hours of battery life to its name. So when you take it outside to the beach, the campgrounds, the tailgate or even the safari; you won’t be too concerned about recharging it after one or two days. And while you’re out under the open sky, it’s weather resistant and waterproof.

But here’s what brought us here. How does it stack up in volume? The 100 feet Bluetooth range speaker boasts a maximum volume of 90dB, two 2 inch drivers, and a solid frequency range of 65hz – 20khz. All that sound carries, even more, weight when you realize that it is compatible with a number of devices, NFC enabled, and can connect up to two devices at the same time. It retails for $299.

5. The Braven XXL

Comparable to the UE Megaboom, the Braven XXL pokes out its chest and thunders. It is a much larger speaker than the Megaboom. But surprisingly it isn’t much louder. However, that still leaves it hovering in the category of loudest Bluetooth speakers with its competition.

This hefty speaker weighs in at 18lbs, measures 20.25. X 8.25 x 9.5 inches, and features 1 subwoofer and 4 HD drivers. It also boasts a battery life of 14 hours. And for all that, the brand claims to be the loudest outdoor speaker; while specialists have rated it at maybe 20% louder than the UE Megaboom.

The Braves XXL speaker weighs in at 18lbs, measures 20.25. X 8.25 x 9.5 inches, and features 1 subwoofer and 4 HD drivers

If you’re not concerned about schlepping a large and somewhat heavy speaker around (there is a shoulder strap for it), then you will be blown away by its massive sound. Does it hold water as THE loudest outdoor Bluetooth speaker? That is debatable. But it certainly is one of the loudest. It retails for $350.

6. The Sharkk Beast

The Sharkk Beast is exactly what you expect: a beast of a Bluetooth speaker. For a seemingly discreet little speaker, it comes guns a-blazing. This Bluetooth speaker offers a dynamic range of options for your listening pleasure. But let’s be honest here. We want to know how it stacks up to the competition.

The Sharkk Beast is exactly what you expect: a beast of a bluetooth speaker

The Beast features a 45W speaker that takes no prisoners. In other words, you’ll be able to pump out your tunes at a maximum without worry of sending your Bluetooth speaker to the graveyard. The 10.2 x 6.3 x 2.8-inch speaker uses Bluetooth 4.0 and is NFC enabled. So when you decide to stream from your iPhone or Android, you can hear your favorite bass-heavy track as you like. The Maxxbass Technology has been rendered expressly for that purpose.

The question is where do you take this speaker? While it is a portable speaker, chances are you won’t want to test its durability against inclement weather conditions. You’ll probably best be served to crank up the volume indoors. It retails for $199.

7. The Naim Mu-So

The Naim Mu-So, like the Cambridge, is a design wonder. But if you’re not wowed by its design aesthetic, its ability to conquer killer bass without blinking might tickle your fancy. It doesn’t offer merely one subwoofer or one tweeter. It goes for the jugular.

The Naim Mu-So Speaker comes with six 75 watt digital amplifiers

In fact, it’s the same constellation of audio systems that Naim rendered for Bentley Motors.

What’s more is over a crush of audio format options, the Mu-So has a maximum frequency range of 48 kHz. Keeping in mind that the speaker is also chic for all its robust sound, we’re left wondering what doesn’t this baby do.

It’s compatible with iPhone, iOS, Android, and PC devices; has multi-room functions for streaming, Bluetooth aptX, two USB optical inputs, 1 woofer, 1 midrange, and 1 tweeter. And given that it has all the spots and scales of a genuine Hi-Fi system it retails for a pricier $1100.

8. The Fluance Fi50

The Fluance Fi50 is a powerfully built Bluetooth speaker. It packs a hell of a wallop with its 40W amplifier. And that only is the tip of the iceberg. It has a tweeter in the center of its 5-inch woofer. So the sound comes barreling out at you in such dynamic fashion you’ll forget you’re listening to a Bluetooth speaker.

The Fluance Fi50 Bluetooth Speaker has a tweeter in the center of its 5-inch woofer

For an indoor speaker, the Fluance Fi50 has managed to carve a respectable niche for itself. It’s not too design heavy so as not to price itself out of reason. And it’s not too pedestrian either when it comes to perks. Instead, the Canadian brand has given the Fi50 legs to run with.

It’s equipped with Bluetooth 2.1 and aptX tech. So listening to your playlist in high quality at high decibels is easy. The best thing about its muscular sound is that it fills space with ease. If you’re looking for a moderately priced loud Bluetooth speaker, this one is a winner. It retails for $200.

9. Creative Sound Blaster Roar 2

The Creative Sound Blaster Roar 2 has endowed its name with everything you need to know about this speaker. It doesn’t purr folks. Here’s a rugged yet lightweight speaker, weighing in at only 3.6 pounds, that is deceptively loud. But as we’ve already pointed out with some of the other speakers on this list, big surprises come in little packages. Such is the case with this little black box.

The Creative Sound Blaster Roar 2 is a rugged yet lightweight speaker, weighing in at only 3.6 pounds, that is deceptively loud

So just what is in the box? The secret weapon is the Roar 2’s overdrive function. Engaging the overdrive boosts the sound to the next level of dynamic performance. And when you want to augment the bass during low playback, engage the TeraBass feature. At full blast the speaker performs well, filling ample spaces with ease.

As far as mobility goes, it boasts a 40-foot Bluetooth range. So you can pump up the volume in your home at sizeable distances from your smartphone to your actual speaker. And it will go full blast for 8 hours on a fully charged battery. It retails for $164.

10. The Marshall Woburn

The Marshall Woburn sits in Marshall’s wheelhouse of “loudest” Bluetooth speakers. They’ve done the heavy lifting for you, separating their speakers into the categories of loud to loudest. And the Woburn is a stocky addition to the Marshall line of Bluetooth speakers, measuring 15.75 x 11.5 x 7.87 inches.

The Marshall Woburn sits in Marshall’s wheelhouse of “loudest” Bluetooth speakers

Here we have two 20W and one 50W Class D amplifiers, with two 5 ¼ inch woofers and two 1 inch tweeters. What does all of that add up to? Well, the highs, midrange, and bass frequencies are attained with a fluid sense of ease. That also means that when time comes to blast the roof off, you’ll be able to do so aptly with the Woburn. In fact, it boasts a very respectable frequency range of 35hz – 22kHz and up to 200W of juice.

We should expect no less from the brand that for generations has built guitar amps for musicians. The same brand that has been the industry standard for giving guitarists and bassists room to shred has now given average Joes reason to play air guitar at the highest volume possible in the comfort of their own homes. The Woburn retails for $549.

11. BOSE Soundlink Revolve Plus

BOSE continues to assert itself as a perfectionist brand. With a larger catalog of Bluetooth speakers that already boasts a grocery list of strong features, the brand pushes forward into 2019 with an update to its sense of design and the debut of its Soundlink Revolve Plus.

The BOSE Soundlink Revolve Plus ups the ante with its interesting take on aesthetic design. The fine folks at Bose imagined a speaker that looks like a lantern or perhaps a thermos. And for all grins and giggles, the sound quality is brilliant and beaming. Does it compete with the other standard bearers on the market? Handily.

It packs 16 hours of uninterrupted battery life. And it’s lightweight, portable, shock-resistant and waterproof. So the Revolve Plus cheekily skirts the fine line between outdoor and indoor Bluetooth speaker. Given that its lantern handle design is urging you to pick it up and carry it with you, no one will blame you for transitioning it from the home to the pool to the campsite.

The sound is so robust it won’t falter no matter what environmental challenge you throw at it. BOSE kitted out the speaker with 2 opposing passive radiators that face downwards. Couple that with their new patented take on audio and the result is overwhelmingly positive.

However where the Revolve Plus and perhaps more so BOSE takes a tumble is with the price. The accessory charging station is an add-on for the price. And at an already not-so-competitive base price of $300, BOSE and the Revolve Plus price themselves out of serious contention with the baseline of buyers looking for something affordable.

12. RIVA Turbo X

Stealing a bit of BOSE’s thunder with a dip in price is RIVA’s Turbo X. While the Turbo X won’t compete head to head with BOSE on all of the design essentials, it will blast most of the competition out of the water in terms of loudness. It gets a whopping 100db to its medium sized frame. But loudness isn’t the only perk to its sound. Pressing the T button implements the Turbo mode. That, in turn, boosts the volume. The S button engages the surround sound option.

RIVA is also banking on the possibility that you’ll want to take this speaker into the great outdoors. Should you decide, the Turbo X has a gargantuan 26 hours of battery life to its credit. And this brick-shaped speaker also is water and weather resistant. Mix that all together and you have an excellent formula for an outdoor speaker that adds some finesse to the shape of its sound.

As for the bottom line, the speaker is a bit clunky in size and shape. It’s larger and heavier than some of the other outdoor entries here. It also sits in the mid-range of prices at $220. It could fit nicely in the home or out on the road. It meets both challenges readily.

13. The Devialet Gold Phantom

The Devialet Gold Phantom sounds like the name of a new luxury sports car. And given that it prices itself up there in that stratosphere of luxury goods, it might as well be. But if the price is not a stumbling block for you, this may very well be the best of the best. The gold has a 108dB maximum volume. That certainly eclipses the majority of other Bluetooth speakers in the conversation. But what’s most amazing about the line is that the silver comes in at a close second with 105dB.

You won’t find a louder Bluetooth speaker on this list than the Devialet Phantom

The Gold can fill a simple space or flex its muscle in multiple rooms. It has a 4500 W maximum amplification. So testing the limits of its volume is what the fine folks at Devialet want you to do. And here’s where they dare you to try: the bandwidth is a gobsmacking 14hz to 27kHz.

This is the Bentley or Rolls Royce of Bluetooth speakers folks. Not only for its sublime design but for the sheer perfection of its performance. And for that matter, you won’t find one that for its volume retains the pristine detail of the sound with each increasing decibel. The Devialet Gold Phantom retails for $2990.

.Pump Up The Volume – The Loudest Bluetooth Speaker

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The pins inside the locking mechanism prevented the wooden bolt securing the door from being moved. If the correct key was used, it would push the pins up allowing the bolt to be unlocked.

Sound familiar? That’s because locks have changed relatively little over the many years they’ve been in use. Of course, they’ve been upgraded and diversified and we don’t use wood anymore, but the basic idea is the same.

Until now that it is. Smart technology is being introduced into practically every device we use. In the home of the future, every device is connected to the Internet and to every other device in the home through a network known as the Internet of Things or IoT. From thermostats to refrigerators to light bulbs, that technology is already being integrated into our lives.

Locks are not exempted from this trend. They’re currently undergoing one of the few major changes in their history – going from purely mechanical to electronic and gaining the ability to connect to the Internet. Locks with this new technology can do a lot more than non-connected locks can and offer homeowners capabilities and conveniences that traditional locks never could. They also come with potential security risks that have some people worried.

Smart locks are still developing and are gradually becoming more common. They can include a variety of different features, but there are a few characteristics that apply across the board and help define them as smart locks.

Smart locks, while they come in many different forms, are electronic locking mechanisms that are often connected to the Internet in the style of IoT.

Different smart locks are opened in different ways. Some work with a smartphone and connect to Bluetooth, Wi-Fi or both. With a Bluetooth lock, you can walk up to your door with your smartphone, and it will recognize your device and let you in. With Wi-Fi connected devices, you can unlock your door remotely from your phone.

Other smart locks use radio frequency identification, also known as RFID. A RFID device requires you to carry a key fob. Your lock detects the key fob when you get close and automatically unlocks. Locks that use RFID may or may not be smart – as in connected to the Internet.

Other smart locks use biometrics to identify the homeowner and open the door for them. Biometrics is the identification of characteristics that are specific to a particular person. Fingerprint scanning is probably the most common form. Another type is voice recognition.

Keypads, which use a pin code, are a technology used in older electronic locks. Some smart locks, however, use it too – sometimes as a backup entry method for a situation in which power or Internet connection is lost. One advantage of using a keypad is that you can create codes for trusted family members, friends, and neighbors or entry codes that expire after one use.

Although most of the attention has been given to front door locks, smaller padlock versions exist as well. Manufacturers are also producing variations for apartment dwellers, bicycle riders and more. This article will focus mostly on front door security systems.

Different smart locks come with different features. Here’s a run-down of some of the common ones.

1. Mobile and Web Apps

Many smart locks come with their own dedicated app that you can use to lock and unlock the door, view information about who’s opened and closed it and find installation instructions. Others don’t come with a dedicated app and require hooking the lock up with a separate home automation system to use it remotely.

2. Auto-Lock

The auto-lock feature automatically engages the lock after the door is closed for a certain amount of time. The time varies by the lock, and some even allow you to choose how long it takes for your door to auto-lock.

3. Geofencing

With the geofencing feature, you won’t have to worry about whether you locked up after your left. To use geofencing, you set up a perimeter around your home. When your smartphone leaves that perimeter, your door will automatically lock. Some locks can also open when you enter the perimeter.

4. Security Alarms

Some smart locks feature security alarms that go off if someone attempts to tamper with the lock or if it detects an unusual amount of force being exerted on the door.

5. Text, Email, or Push Notifications

You can receive text, email or push notifications from some smart locks that alert you when someone locks or unlocks your door.

6. Integration

Many smart locks are designed to be integrated with home automation systems and devices such as Apple HomeKit, Amazon Alexa and Nest products. Some also work with If This Then That (IFTTT), a web-based service and app that allows users to create chains of conditional statements, enabling them to automate the use of various technologies. You can also purchase optional devices, such as security cameras, that your locks can connect with to add to their usefulness.

Best Smart Locks

Although the many different variations of smart locks can make it difficult to compare them, there are a few contenders that stand out from the crowd. Below is a list of some of the most popular and high-performing smart locks on the market.

1. Kwikset Kovo Smart Lock Second Gen

The Second Generation of the Kwikset Kevo Smart Lock is similar to its predecessor, one of the first smart locks on the market, but its all-metal interior makes it slightly more secure. All around, this lock provides both superior security and convenience.

You can use a variety of methods to unlock the Kwikset Kevo. You can either walk up with your Bluetooth enabled smartphone or a key fob and tap the lock or unlock through the Android or iOS app or with a physical key.

It’s also relatively easy to install, and the device’s companion app will walk you through the installation steps. You can also integrate it with various smart home systems. It comes in three attractive finishes – satin nickel, polished brass or Venetian bronze.

The Kwikset Kevo sells for $229.00. There’s also the option to purchase the Kevo Plus upgrade, a $100 in-app purchase that provides you with some extra capabilities.

2. August Smart Lock

The August Smart Lock is easy to install, allows you to track who comes in and out of your home and comes with plenty of high-tech features.

One of the major updates from the earlier version of this lock is increased integration capabilities.The August Smart Lock can be integrated with Apple HomeKit, Amazon Alexa, Nest and IFTTT.

The lock connects to Bluetooth and Wi-Fi and has a geofencing capability. It also has an auto-lock feature that engages after an amount of time determined by the user.

You can also control the lock using Siri voice commands, an exciting feature. It’s controllable remotely, but that requires an additional August device or an Apple TV.

The August Smart Lock sells for $229.99.

3. Lockitron Bolt

At $99.00, the Lockitron Bolt is one of the more affordable smart lock options. It connects to Wi-Fi or Bluetooth, so it unlocks when you get within Bluetooth range and you can provide others with guest access.

The lock is easy to install and the accompanying app is sleek and easy to use. It operates quietly, reliably records locking and unlocking activity and comes in either Modern Gold or Quicksilver.

Some of the features available on other devices, such as auto-lock, voice commands, and integration capabilities, are missing from this device but that’s to be expected for the price. If you want a simpler and more affordable smart lock, this may be the right choice for you.

4. Schlage Sense

The Schlage Sense provides a lot of convenience for Apple users, but may not be the best choice for Android fans. It connects to Bluetooth and can be opened via a smartphone app, the touchscreen on the lock or Siri voice commands. The keypad allows you to assign unique codes to people you want to give access to.

The app can be integrated with Apple HomeKit-enabled devices. You can also control it remotely but only if you have an Apple TV.

The lock is easy to install, and the simple app is convenient to use. MSRP is $229.00. For Apple users, this may be the ideal choice but if you don’t already use Apple devices, you may want to skip it.

5. Yale Real Living Z-Wave Touchscreen Deadbolt Lock

This smart lock, called the YRD 240 for short, is beautifully designed and allows you to ditch keys entirely. It is a little pricey, however, and may require some additional equipment to get full functionality.

The YRD 240 uses a touch screen keypad that allows you to set up multiple pin codes. Installation and setting up the codes is relatively easy thanks to voice-guided instructions.

There’s no dedicated app for this device, so you can’t unlock it remotely unless you pair it with a separate Z-Wave or ZigBee home automation controller. MSRP for the YRD 240 is $325.00, but you may be able to find it for cheaper. A home automation controller will cost you another $125 or so.

6. Schlage Century Touchscreen Deadbolt Lock

This lock gives you the option of using it with a touch-screen keypad or a physical key. There’s no dedicated app, but if you have a Z-Wave home automation network, you can control it remotely too.

The Century has a useful auto-lock feature and the ability to program up to 30 different codes. It also features quite a loud alarm system, but the lock itself is also fairly loud when it opens and closes.

The Schlage Century Touchscreen Deadbolt Lock will set you back about $199.00. It would cost considerably more, though, if you want to use it remotely and don’t already have a compatible home automation network.

7. Mul-T-Lock ENTR

If you like having a lot of options, this may be the lock for you. You can open the Mul-T-Lock ENTR with your smartphone, a key fob, a pin code or your fingerprint. There’s no option for using a physical key though.

The sleekly designed Mul-T-Lock ENTR also has an auto-lock feature and the ability to provide guests with access by using pins. The device can support up to 20 users. It also uses three-barrel multi-lock technology making it one of the sturdier smart locks.

At around $300, this choice is a bit on the expensive side but for some, opening your door with just your fingerprint may be worth it.

8. Kwikset Z-Wave SmartCode 916 Touchscreen Electronic Deadbolt

This lock works with a pin code and lets you use your old house keys as a backup. If you have a Z-Wave or ZigBee home automation network, you can also operate it with a mobile device.
The Kwikset Z-Wave SmartCode 916 Touchscreen Electronic Deadbolt is also relatively heavy-duty and has a built-in alarm. You can assign up to 30 access codes to the touchscreen keypad. It’s easy to install and looks nice with pretty much any home.

As a stand-alone keypad deadbolt, this device will cost you around $215.

9. Poly-Control Danalock V2 BT

The Poly-Control Danalock V2 BT is a small, round device that’s easy to install and can connect via Bluetooth, Wi-Fi and Z-Wave or ZigBee technology. The manufacturer was plagued by some malfunctions on older models but seems to have corrected them with this update.

It comes with its own app, which is easy to use and tracks all the comings and goings through the door. It can be integrated with Nest devices, you can use geofencing to enable the automatic unlock and set up guest access. It is missing a few of the fancy conveniences, though, like voice command capabilities. For $129.99, it’s not a bad buy at all.

10. Haven

Haven is much more heavy-duty than most smart locks and front-door locks in general for that matter. This lock isn’t a deadbolt. Instead, it acts as a barrier across the bottom of the doorframe, making forced entry extremely difficult. It’s also made of aluminum, steel and Nylon 66.

The lock connects via Bluetooth and Wi-Fi to mobile devices, which allows you to access it remotely and enable guest access. You can also opt to use a key fob.

Haven, which raised funds on Kickstarter, isn’t available in stores yet. It’s expected to be ready to ship in June 2017, but you can preorder it for $299.00. MSRP will be $349.00.

11. Nuki Smart Lock

Made in Austria and launched on Kickstarter, the Nuki smart lock is designed specifically for European homeowners. If you have a fairly standard European door with a europrofile-cylinder that has around a three millimeter overlap on the inside, you can install the device easily within five minutes.

Nuki locks work with smartphones via Bluetooth. Your door will automatically lock and unlock as you enter and exit your home. All you have to do is keep your smartphone in your pocket. The company also offers a key FOB for those who don’t have a smartphone.

Among the features of this lock are the ability to see if your door is locked or unlocked at any time and let people in and out from anywhere via the smartphone. It’s also secure as it encrypts the information it sends to the same level that banks do. For the basic lock, you’ll pay 229,00 € or about $240 US dollars. Package deals and extras like the key FOB will cost you a bit more, but you’ll gain more functionality.

Sure, smart locks are impressive gadgets, but some critics say they’re not necessary and regular locks work well enough. So, what might make purchasing a smart lock worth it?

If you have a smart lock that doesn’t require a key fob, you eliminate the possibility of losing your keys. With some smart locks, all you need is a pin code or even your fingerprint. Even if it requires a smartphone, there’s probably less of a chance you’ll lose your phone than your keys.
Not having to use keys is also convenient. When you walk up to the door, you don’t have to search for anything. You can just type in your pin or walk right in as your door automatically unlocks.

The ability to grant trusted people access to your home at certain times can also be quite useful. For example, you could let your neighbor in to feed your dog if you’re away for the day without having to hand out a key.

With some smart locks, all you need is a pin code or even your fingerprint

Smart locks can also offer additional conveniences such as the ability to integrate with other smart devices and home automation networks.

Besides the notion that they’re unnecessary, another common argument against smart locks is the potential they have to be hacked. Having a lock that’s connected to the Internet creates a new vulnerability in your security system that someone with the right skills could potentially take advantage of.

To mitigate this security risk, smart lock manufacturers encrypt the locks’ communications. Various smart lock companies use 128-bit AES encryption, the same kind that’s used by banks and for secret-level classified government information.

Of course, the most skilled hackers can still occasionally hack the networks of banks and the government, which means they could also hack into your home. That’s only hackers who are extremely skillful though. Someone with that level of ability would likely go for a bigger target and not spend their time and talents on individual homes. If someone really wanted to break into a home, it might be easier to just kick down the door or break a window.

Another common concern deals with what happens if your phone dies, you lose your Internet connection or the lock’s batteries die. With some locks, this could be an issue. Most of them, however, have a backup access method. This could be a keypad, backup power or a physical key.

If your backup method is a physical key, though, that cancels out the convenience of not having to carry around house keys. Also, if you need a physical key for your car or office, you’ll have to carry around a keychain anyway. Unless one day, every lock is Internet-connected, we might not be able to take full advantage of the convenience of smart locks.

Another concern of some homeowners may be installing and programming their smart lock. In most cases, however, this isn’t too complicated and the locks or their apps will come with instructions to guide you through the process.

For most smart locks, the installation takes around 10 minutes to half an hour. The process, of course, varies by the style of lock you get.

Some models come with their own deadbolt hardware and require removing the old lock completely, including the deadbolt mechanism and strike plate. Others fit right over the existing deadbolt.

Most smart locks are designed to work with the standard, pre-drilled holes used on most front doors. You shouldn’t have to buy anything extra to make your smart lock fit on your door.

The advent of smart locks presents some new challenges to locksmiths, but many are adapting and learning how to install and troubleshoot them. If you need help installing your smart lock, you might be able to call a professional. Although some of the more unusual models, like the Haven, might cause a locksmith more difficulty, someone with smart lock training should be able to help you if you get locked out or your device malfunctions.

The post The Best Smart Locks 2019 – Reviews | Features | Security appeared first on ChipIn.

• Compact Bluetooth stereo speaker with powerful sound for every occasion
• IPX7 waterproof rating, rubberised housing protects against shocks
• Bluetooth with aptX® for wireless sound transmission in CD-quality
• Two full-range drivers and a passive bass driver for balanced, rich sound
• Party mode: connect two smartphones and play songs alternately
• Double trouble: pair two ROCKSTER GO via Bluetooth and play synchronously
• Integrated speakerphone for wireless calling, Skype, Facetime and voice control via Google and Siri
• High-capacity battery for longer playing times of over 12 hours
• On-device control buttons, AUX audio input, battery status indicator
• Elastic carry strap
• Available to order now for £139.99 on www.teufelaudio.com, will also soon be available in the Teufel stores in Berlin, Essen and Vienna.

Power sound to-go

The ROCKSTER GO is a real go-getter! It is so compact that it can easily fit in your pocket or backpack and weighs only 700g. Nevertheless, it is extremely robust. The case is shock-absorbant and waterproof to IPX7, which means that the speaker is even protected against periods of immersion of up to 30 minutes in depths of up to one meter.

Editor Pick: Loudest Bluetooth Speakers 2018

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Loud and proud

With its two full-range drivers and an additional passive bass diaphragm, the ROCKSTER GO is much more powerful than you would expect from its size. The high-quality aptX® codec is used to ensure stable audio transmissions via Bluetooth in CD-quality. The integrated battery delivers enough power for 12 hours of playing time. The current battery status can be viewed at any time at the touch of a button. For optimal operating comfort, music and volume control buttons are integrated on the top of the device – so your mobile phone can stay in your bag.

Double the power, double the fun

Two functions make the ROCKSTER GO twice as much fun. With party mode, you can connect two Bluetooth-enabled devices at the same time and play music alternately over the speaker. And if you want the party to get a little louder, you can connect two ROCKSTER GO wirelessly and play as a stereo pair with double the power.

Price and availability

The ROCKSTER GO can be ordered now in the Teufel webshop at www.teufelaudio.com at the price of £139.99 and will be delivered shortly. It will of course also soon be available in our Teufel stores in Berlin, Essen and Vienna.

About Teufel Audio

Teufel is one of Germany’s largest manufacturers of audio products. Teufel’s product range includes Hi-Fi, home cinema and multimedia systems, headphones, Bluetooth and Wi-Fi multi-room speakers featuring the company’s own Raumfeld technology. The company first began developing speaker kits in Berlin in 1980 and is now the no. 1 manufacturer of audio products in Europe.

Since its foundation, the company has been setting trends in areas such as stereo and surround sound, portable speakers and multi-room streaming. At Teufel, excellent sound is always our top priority – and our numerous awards from consumers and trade press are proof of its success

The post Teufel ROCKSTER GO Review – Powerful, Robust and Waterproof appeared first on ChipIn.

Well, we’ve culled the bike accessory catalogs to find out which gear truly lives up to the hype. And the consensus is in. Smart bike accessories have put forward-thinking design to the ultimate test in order to evolve in tandem with your ever-evolving bike ride. Smart predictive lighting, smart navigation systems and automatic metrics tracking, smart helmets, and smart turn signals and rearview mirrors all populate the greater canon of biking gear this year. Here’s a rundown of which ones perform with flying colors.

The Best Smart Bike Accessories Of 2018
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You’ve had to be under a rock not to have noticed the plethora of bike companies hyping their latest GPS navigation systems. Granted, we all need some sense of direction when we jump on our 8 speed. Sometimes it’s a matter of navigating an alternative route to avoid the upcoming traffic or road construction. Sometimes we need to anticipate how long the route will be. Whatever the case, here are a few that go beyond the usual spiel of “Turn left at the next red light” to give you a more interactive and dynamic navigation system.

1. Beeline

Beeline betrays its seemingly lofi hardware with simple and straightforward smart function: a compass, a speedometer, and a clock. The idea behind the Beeline device and its respective app is to take all of the complication out of GPS navigation systems. In its aesthetic design, the device pays clever homage to the old school rounded bike bells that attach to the handlebar. You attach the device (a silicon strap) to your handlebar and let the compass, battery life counter, or speedometer keep you abreast of your route and progress. The connected app takes it further. From the comfort of your iOS or Android phone, you can plan your trip, keep a log of saved destinations and places, and archive your history and metrics.

The bottom line is that the Beeline device is simply no fuss, lightweight, and compact. It hardly passes for smart gear at first glance. But once you get rolling you’ll find yourself easily pairing it with your smartphone like a discreet appendage from your bike. Recharge and synchronize the device easily with a USB cable. The Beeline comes in red, blue, and black and retails for $126.15

2. Smart Halo Bike Navigation

Smart Halo Smart Bike Navigation not only tackles the question of where you are going but how you get there.

These are strong elements for Smart Halo’s navigational app. Couple those with its intuitive lighting and you no longer limit yourself to biking only at daylight. At sundown, the night lighting kicks in. And when you are finished with your bike route the light shuts off automatically. No need to worry about seeing where you are going or wasting the energy life of your light with this one.

Finally, Smart Halo gets security right. The Smart Halo system uses a motion sensor to detect if any brazen thief has tried to access your bike. And thanks to that motion sensor system there is an automatic shutdown mechanism. But just for added measure, you can manually deactivate your bike as well should you need to. The locking mechanism quickly incapacitates the bike before thieves can override the system. Thieves will think twice before trying to hassle with Smart Halo’s bulwark of security measures.

Other bells and whistles include a 3-week battery life, fitness and activity tracker, simple pairing with your iOS or Android device, and simple installation or removal from your bike. The Smart Halo system retails at a starting price of $179.

3. Cobi

Cobi throws its hat into the ring with its own take on smart connected bikes. Unlike the aforementioned devices, Cobi invites you to mount your smartphone to your device on the handlebar. It comes with a charging mount for your smartphone. The phone charger and remote control put the app right at your fingertips. And depending on how much of your phone you need at arm’s length, this device could be right for you. But if you’d rather keep your fingers on the handles than the phone, Cobi has a thumb-manipulated remote control that can sit just at the handles of your bike.

The app comes with forward-thinking navigation, monitoring not only your route but the weather and the conditions of the commute itself. And to top it off, it’s voice-guided. So should you need to keep your eyes firmly fixed on the road, you can listen to your navigation system guide you through turn by turn directions.

Cobi has also embraced intuitive thinking for security and lighting. Here, sensors can detect suspicious activity in order to secure the bike. Sensors also finesse your front and rear lighting with 3 different modes of lighting to take you from day to night. And rear turn signals are an added touch to keep drivers up to speed with when and where you are turning or stopping. Lastly, an electronic bell acts intuitively as well to caution pedestrians that may be too close.
The fine folks at Cobi are so confident in their design that they’ve given buyers a full 24-month warranty and a 60-day return policy. The Cobi system retails at a starting price of $249.

Read our full review of the Cobi Smart Bike Navigator System here

4. Hexagon

Start-up Smart Bike (cool points for the original company name) has jumped headfirst into the smart bike arena with its take on rearview mirrors and navigation. Sure the concept has been already explored in the traditional sense and the not-so-traditional sense (i.e. Cycliq Fly6). But here Smart Bike couples traditional functionality with forward-thinking inventiveness. Enter Hexagon.

Hexagon uses the handlebar to mount its camera and your smartphone. The system then gives you eyes on what’s happening behind you much like a traditional rearview mirror. But Hexagon doesn’t limit itself merely to the rear view. It uses its sensors to detect if you’ve been in an accident or not. And like your very own OnStar biking system, Hexagon will notify any emergency contacts you’ve programmed into the system.

Then it goes on to streamline all the bulky hardware you may be fitting to your bike. It tracks distance, follows your fitness activity, and it even live streams. And finally, there’s a power bank to recharge your phone when you’re not using your bike for…well, biking. And not to be outdone by Cobi, Hexagon’s turn signals are par for the course.

Smart Bike’s Hexagon is clearly the outlier here in the fray. And they know it. Though new to the market, they’ve taken a ball to the wall approach to captivate consumer cyclists. Hexagon’s starting retail price is $99.

We shouldn’t forget that while much of this year’s catalogue surrounding bikes focuses on the latest models of bikes themselves and any extension of the bike, helmets play just as integral a part in your safety if not more than anything else you can invest in as a cyclist. And a few heavy hitters have not taken that point lightly. Here’s a look at the strong contenders for smart helmets should you decide to upgrade your head gear from average to forward-thinking.

1. X1 Smart Bike Helmet

Enter the ever-evolving world of X1 connected helmets. Here the brand populates its universe of bluetooth connected helmets (more specifically the X1 and the X1 Pro) with a bevy of devices and gear that keep the cyclist in the fast lane of tech. The two most impressive add-ons to the helmet design are bluetooth connectivity for simple pairing with your smartphone for both versions of the helmet and a video camera for the X1 PRo iteration.

Let’s tackle the cleverness and common sense of the Bluetooth function. Here X1 allows you to completely put your phone away and navigate through a grocery list of functional apps that include GPS navigation, fitness and goal tracking, phone calls, and even listening to FM radio. The helmet is equipped with both a microphone and speakers that offer multifunctionality from conversations and voice commands to listen to your favorite tunes.

The X1Pro boosts your riding experience with its integrated camera. Shooting in up to 2 hours of 1440p or 1080p, the camera is specially designed for sport and action sequences. Much like your standard sports video cameras, this one offers many of the same perks. It also allows you to narrate your filming experience with the built-in microphone, add music from your FM radio or Bluetooth-paired smartphone, and capture photos and videos that can be instantly downloaded to your smartphone and shared.

But on to the brass tacks. How does the X1 perform in terms of protecting your cranium? The X1 is forged from a polycarbonate shell with a nylon strap. The soft interior is equally comfortable for the wearer. And the X1 uses an open ear design so that the wearer can be fully aware of his surroundings when en route. And most importantly the helmet is designed to withstand heavy impact, making it a robust choice for keeping the cyclist safe.

The X1 comes with a 2-year safety warranty and retails at a starting price of $199.

2. Lumos Smart Helmet

Lumos credits itself as being the next generation of helmet for the city cyclist. What that means for cyclists is a new brand of helmet expressly tailored for the precise nuances of the urban commute. And here’s the interesting thing about that concept. Rather than relegate some of the functional tech to the bike itself, Lumos kits out its helmet with a vast array of tech.

So the idea of spiriting through the city at the speed of light has got you going. Lumos’ helmet comes front and rear-equipped with lights. And these lights do a number of clever things rather than just simply illuminate your bike path for you. They also have turn signals and intuitive warning lights. Now pedestrians and drivers alike will be even more conscious of your intentions when you take to the road. And so will your helmet with its sensors that respond to your level of activity.

As for accessibility and freedom, the helmet comes with a handlebar remote control. That way your hands stay on the handlebar rather than fiddling with the helmet. And for design, Lumos has won a grocery list of accolades for its lightweight, weatherproof helmet. It retails at a starting price of $179.

3. Torch Bike Helmet

Torch offers a strong entry into the smart helmet fray with its robustly designed helmet. Like the aforementioned helmets on this list, it offers a lightweight yet sturdy design. It also goes the way of 360-degree vision. One size fits all here where padding adjustment and a dial fit acclimate themselves to the contours and size of the wearer’s head. And like Lumos, Torch has front and rear-equipped lighting and bright colored helmets so that drivers and pedestrians can see you day or night.

As for safety, the helmet is CPSC and EN1078 certified. What does that mean beyond the fact that the T2 withstands impacts like a boss? It means you can purchase the helmet in North and South America and in Europe.

But as for other tech features, the T2 is rather minimalist. It can be recharged with a USB cable in under 2 hours. But minimalist is what the fine folks at Torch are banking on. Simple functionality at a very affordable price of 85 British Sterling.

No point in upgrading your bike if you can’t keep it protected from theft. Thankfully, a few standouts have brushed off their thinking caps and gotten down to the hard business of building a better bike lock. Here’s what the contenders look like.

1. Ellipse Smart Bike Lock

Lattis has taken forward the standard design of the U-lock with its intuitively designed Ellipse. Here the brand couples tech ingenuity with old school fortitude to render a bike lock that is both hard to break as well as hack. What have they come up with? The Ellipse is a 17mm stainless steel horseshoe that locks into a chamber. Breaking the lock will take a gargantuan effort on the part of any audacious thief.

But then take into consideration, that same thief will also have to get past the Ellipse’s security controls. The lock is paired via Bluetooth to your smartphone. And in so doing you can personalize your level of security, waxing from keyless entry and automatic shutdown to merely double tapping your phone. But if you’re at all worried about a hacker bypassing any of these controls, find some peace of mind with Lattis’ high tech design. They’ve used “bank level” encryption to keep your lock well out of the hands of any standard hacker.

How does all this tech stay up to speed in one place? The lock is self-charging thanks to its solar panel. No need for extra cables or a charging mount to bog down your commute with cumbersome gear. And if you want to bike share, there’s even an app for that as well.

The very forward-thinking Ellipse is hefty and muscular. But its price is surprisingly lightweight at an affordable $199 or a payment plan option of $22 a month.

2. Linka Smart Bike Lock

Linka’s drive to a safer more secure bike comes on the heels of its efficiency campaign: “Lock smarter not harder.” Like Ellipse, it is an auto locking device. But unlike Ellipse, the lock resembles one half in a pair of handcuffs. It readily mounts to your bike for lockdown or for the commute.

The idea is simple. The device locks the wheel to the frame, instantly incapacitating and immobilizing the bike. But should the thief try to cart off with the whole bike in hand, there is an anti-theft siren at the ready to ward him off. And it detects any form of tampering and kicks into defense mode automatically.

Here is yet another take on keyless entry. As you approach the bike, the lock recognizes you and unlocks. And if you need to find your bike, there is a tracking app that will pinpoint your bike with your phone. Linka retails for a starting price of $129.

3. Connected Cycle Smart Pedal

Here’s a completely different take on securing your bike. Connected Cycle has rendered the first smart pedal. Yes, you can virtually upgrade your bike into a smart bike by installing new pedals. The pedal in question is easily installed in under 2 minutes. And once installed it can only be removed by the owner’s coded key.

Should a thief try to steal your bike, the pedal sends you a notification on your phone. It also locates your bike if the thief is, in fact, successful with wheeling it away. While those two elements are probably not enough to stop a thief dead in its tracks, it’s already a step in the right direction.

Then there are the other added bonuses. We already know that the pedal synchronizes fluidly with your smartphone. So not only does it come with GPS, it has strong activity tracking to help monitor your goals and progress. But here’s the most forward-thinking attribute to the pedal. It’s self-governing, meaning that it generates its own power. So there’s no need to recharge the pedal or connect it to a cable or charging mount of some sort.

The Connected Cycle pedal launches officially this year.

The post The Best Smart Bike Accessories Of 2018 – Smart Biking for Smart People appeared first on ChipIn.

From our smartphones and wearables to our laptops and consoles, our devices are now connected for additional convenience. Therefore, the smart security camera movement didn’t take long to catch on, with cameras now having access to Wi-Fi networks in order to store footage on the cloud or to send notifications to your phone whenever something’s off.

If you are looking to get your hands on one of these extremely-developed security cameras, here is a list of the best and most innovative ones currently on the market.

Best Smart Home Security Cameras 2018

1. Lighthouse AI

The first one on the list is “so much more than the best security camera”. How so? It doubles as a personal assistant, like the Amazon Echo, but it also contains an advanced security system.

Being a complete security system, it allows you to live stream your home from any device supported in 1080p, sends you snaps of whatever triggered its alarm on your phone so that you can choose whether to call the police or sound an audio cue to scare potential burglars off, and it can even recognize persons and supervise your home at night.

The interesting part about its assistant features is that because the Lighthouse AI is able to recognize certain objects and persons, you can talk to the assistant and ask it questions such as “What did the kids do while I was gone?” or even set it to “ping” you on your phone whenever something specific happens (or doesn’t happen), such as someone coming home or nobody taking the dog for a walk in the morning.

Perhaps one thing that drags the Lighthouse AI down is its awkward design. Trying to emulate the Amazon Echo’s big tubular shape, this security camera is easy to spot, and therefore easy to avoid once you know its location. However, there is the (costly) option of mounting several Lighthouse devices in your house, if you want to go for complete protection.

2. Arlo Range of Smart Home Cameras

This line of security cameras is created by NETGEAR and has several models tailored for different needs. The wire-free models, Arlo and Arlo Pro, along with the mobile model, Arlo Go offer mostly the same features in terms of security, differing the only inconvenience. That being said, all three models are 100% wire-free, IP-65 certified weatherproof, offer HD video and night vision, as well as motion-based alerts to your phone. However, the Arlo Pro has a smart siren in the base station, as well as multiple advantages shared with the Arlo Go, such as using rechargeable batteries, a 130 degrees field of view, local storage as well as audio support for audio-based alerts.

The powered models, Arlo Q and Arlo Q Plus offer much of the same features, with the difference being that they can store up to 7 days of video footage on the cloud for free, which is then accessible using any compatible smart device. This free offering supports up to 5 cameras on the same network and comes with limited support for 3 months. If you want to add more cameras to your network, or store footage on the cloud for longer periods on time, you can opt for the Premier or Elite subscriptions, which cost $99 per year, respectively $149 per year.

Another model is the Arlo Baby, which is a security camera with two-way communication, in-built lullabies functions, air sensors and a night light, which makes it a great addition to any baby’s room, giving parents their peace of mind.

Users can program Arlo’s schedule to fit their own, in terms of supervising certain areas at certain times, as well as receive notifications to watch live whenever a motion or audio trigger was set off.

3. Homeboy

While the name may not make you think of a professional security camera, Homeboy is an accurate representation of one. It may not bring a lot of innovation with its security features, but it certainly comes a long way in terms of convenience and ease of access.

Homeboy is easy to set up, as it mounts magnetically with its base, and is able to pivot and point in any direction, it doesn’t use wires or rechargeable batteries, meaning it only needs to be recharged every 3 months, and it seems to understand the woes of low bandwidth: whenever it runs on low-quality Wi-Fi, it only sends 5 to 30 second clips instead of continuously streaming with interruptions and low quality.

Much like the Arlo line of products, Homeboy offers free video history for 12 hours, after which it is deleted. The video history is accessed through the official Homeboy app, available for free on Google Play and on the Apple App Store, and can be extended to 30 days of cloud storage for $4.99 per month, or $49.99 per year. Whether the 12 hours seem enough or not doesn’t matter, as you can download any videos you want within that time period.

Homeboy is also able to connect to other devices on your networks, such as the Phillips Hue or Nest Protect through IFTTT, enabling hundreds of interactions that will make your life easier.

4. Nest Cam Indoor

A brilliant indoor solution, Nest Cam Indoor doesn’t necessarily revolutionize the security camera, but it sure offers a great example of clever design and functionality. The main feature of the Nest Cam is that you can also talk back through its speakers whenever you are watching a live stream of your home so that you can either scare off any intruders or simply pacify an excited pet.

Apart from that nifty feature, Nest Cam Indoor is more of the same, albeit a different flavor: it has a magnetic base, meaning it can be easily placed, it sends notifications to your phone whenever it detects activity, and it saves videos for three hours.

Here comes the downside: if you want to make the most of your Nest Cam, you’ll have to shell out $10 per month minimum in order to subscribe to Nest Aware. Nest Aware offers notifications for whenever a person is spotted or when there is activity in a certain spot (useful for safes or hidden stashes), as well as longer storage of videos, snapshots of critical moments and more.

Nest Cam can also connect to other Nest products, such as smoke detectors, thermostats, and light bulbs. For anyone interested in the features of the Nest Cam Indoor who are thinking whether one would work outdoors as well, there is a Nest Cam Outdoor which has the same features but is better prepared for outdoor conditions.

5. Netatmo Welcome

Netatmo Welcome is another security camera with the usual smart features, but with a nice twist: instead of going for the Big Brother approach, recording you and your family’s every move, it goes for a sensible, private approach.

Because Netatmo Welcome can detect and memorize faces, you can either set it to alert you everytime a certain person enters its view, or to stop recording whenever it detects them in its view. This is so that people feel less awkward doing things in the front of the camera, as could happen when one person has complete control over the footage.

Apart from that, it can ignore pet movements so that it doesn’t alert you needlessly, as well as detect alarms in your home, at which point it starts recording and alerts you, so that you may check in and see whether there’s a real threat to your home.

Netatmo Welcome has a tubular design similar to the Amazon Echo and features an anodized aluminium casing. It has a 130 degrees field of view, night vision, and a 1080p camera. Netatmo Presence is its outdoors counterpart, sharing the same features, with an added automatic floodlight.

The cameras can be controlled via the official apps for Android and iOS, as well as from desktops. Both cameras will feature Apple Homekit compatibility by the end of 2017, allowing Apple device users to control the cameras through their Apple Homekit app.

6. Icontrol Networks Piper NV

Piper NV doesn’t seem to bring anything new on this list, but rather it seems to be a compilation of the best features of other products. Bragging about its lack of a monthly fee in order to access all of its features, the Piper NV is certainly one of the best bangs for your buck security solutions for your house.

Not only does it have a 105db siren for deterring intruders, but it also has 2-way audio so that you can communicate with whoever’s in front of the 180 degrees camera. Additionally, Piper NV has, as its name suggests, night vision capability, as well as a motion sensor and microphone, so that it may protect your home at all times.

The Piper NV has 3 security modes, each one customizable, for whenever you’re at home, away or on vacation.

7. Canary Smart Home Camera

The Canary line of products is another solid choice for anyone looking to get a reliable security camera. Both the Canary and the Canary Flex, which is the weatherproof version, are easy to set up, as you only need to place them on a shelf in order to start using them. They can connect to Wi-Fi or via an Ethernet cable, and then they are ready to work.

Canary, the base model, offers a 147 degrees field of view, as well as a 1080p camera, HomeHealth Technology, which detects humidity, temperature, and air quality, and a two-way audio system. Meanwhile, the Canary Flex is a bit different with its magnetic 360 degrees base and 116 degrees field of view, for which it makes up with its night vision capabilities.

The problem with Canary is that like the Nest products, it requires a yearly $99 (or monthly $9.99) membership in order to access many features, such as two-way talking and video downloading from the cloud.

8. Nokia Withings Home

The last entry on this list is perhaps one of the most sensible choices for a family man – the Nokia Withings Home. Not only does it have a night light as well as two-way audio for parents to pacify their babies with, but it also features a lot of high-tech sensors that let you know exactly what’s going on around your home.

Perhaps one of the most amazing features of the Nokia Home is its capability of detecting Volatile Organic Compounds (VOC) in the air and tracking them in the official app, as well as starting to blink red whenever the air reaches unhealthy levels of VOC. Add to that its amazing night vision 135 degrees camera, its sleek design, the fact that it stores your data with bank-level crypting technologies and that you don’t have to pay for any service after buying it, and you’ve got yourself one of the best offers on the market.

.Stay Safe with the Best Smart Home Cameras

The market nowadays is full to the brim with cameras that want to outplay their market opposition by only adding one simple feature, or by offering a better subscription plan than their competitors. However, it seems as if the security camera market is slowly degrading, with manufacturers trying to find new ways of getting money out of people by holding their customers’ data hostage instead of trying to truly innovate. Regardless, the cameras on this list are some of the best ones you will find on the market today, and just about any product should be enough to satisfy most of the needs of the common user.

The post Best Smart Home Security Cameras 2018 – 8 Innovative Smart Cameras appeared first on ChipIn.

]]> https://www.chipin.com/best-smart-home-security-cameras-review/feed/ 0 2886 https://www.chipin.com/best-hearables-smart-earbuds-review/ https://www.chipin.com/best-hearables-smart-earbuds-review/#comments Wed, 14 Feb 2018 23:35:03 +0000 http://www.chipin.com/?p=1352 Hearables are the newest trend in wearable technology, and it’s easy to see why: people have always enjoyed listening to their music discreetly, on-the-go. Therefore, taking the technology normal earbuds and headsets have even further is the obvious next step. If you are new to this type of technology or

The post The Best Hearables in 2018 – Smart Wireless Earbuds Review appeared first on ChipIn.

]]> Hearables are the newest trend in wearable technology, and it’s easy to see why: people have always enjoyed listening to their music discreetly, on-the-go. Therefore, taking the technology normal earbuds and headsets have even further is the obvious next step.

If you are new to this type of technology or are simply interested in buying a new set, then you are in luck, as the market is as active as ever, with many diverse choices for everyone.

Hearables, or smart earbuds, have recently become popular with Apple’s controversial decision of not including a 3.5mm headphone jack into their latest iPhone model, thus creating a large demand for wireless earphones.

The Best Hearables in 2018

1. Bragi Dash Hearable

Without a doubt, the most versatile and useful hearable is the Bragi Dash. Winner of many awards since its unveiling, this hearable brags to be “truly wireless”, and with an acceptable storage capacity of 4 GB, or enough to load up to 4000 songs, it lives up to its promises.

The wearable has a sleek, comfortable design that puts a large emphasis on fitness usage, preventing them from falling off during activities which require users to move quickly and intensively.

Bragi Dash Smart Wireless Earbuds. Listen. Track. Communicate.

The Bragi Dash offers a useful smartphone app, available on iPhone, Android and Windows 10, on which you can customize your experience, access tutorials, update the hearable and contact official support if need be. The app also features a great and precise fitness tracking app, making the hearable a threatening rival for fitness bracelets.

Of course, the hearable isn’t perfect, as it only features a 3-hour battery time, but with a carrying case that doubles as a charger and frequent updates pushed through by the company, the Bragi Dash is simply the best offer currently on the market. If you are interested in purchasing it, you can find the Dash on the official Bragi shop or on Amazon, starting at 299 euros.

2. Samsung Gear IconX Wireless Earbuds

Perhaps one of the biggest and most threatening rivals for the Bragi Dash is Samsung’s Gear IconX. Following Bragi’s recipe almost perfectly, this hearable comes in second to the Dash, even in spite of Samsung’s huge brand name. The reason for this? Completely skipping iOS users.

That’s right: while the Gear IconX has a lot going for it, such as being able to track fitness workouts and store the data without a phone, they are a complete miss for anyone with an Apple device, as they do not work with iPhones. They only support Android, which is a fairly questionable marketing strategy, but it is not completely foreign for Samsung not to make their devices usable on phones other than their own.

Without the need for a phone, Gear IconX has you covered. Whether you’re walking or running, it’s smart enough to track your activity and give updates on essential data from speed, distance and duration to heart rate and calories burnt via a dedicated voice guide.

In spite of that, the Samsung Gear IconX is cheaper than the Bragi Dash starting at $199, and it offers almost the same capabilities: accurate fitness tracking, 4GB of storage for your songs and great, comfortable design which lets users wear them during intensive activities.

It still isn’t quite the Bragi Dash it quite obviously tries to imitate, as its audio quality leaves a lot of room for improvement, and it does not receive the significant OS updates the Dash does, but you do get a lot for 200 dollars.

3. Sony Xperia Ear

Sony Xperia Ear

Another Android-only hearable, the Sony Xperia Ear is a lot different than the previous two offerings. This time, the focus is shifted from fitness-tracking and music-listening to adding a virtual assistant to your daily activities. By doing this, one earbud also disappears from the image: the Xperia Ear isn’t a group of earbuds, but one single, small-but-noticeable device that is well-designed and is guaranteed to look sleek on any user.

The hearable is completely reliant on a mobile phone, as it works via Bluetooth connection, and while this may be a turn-off for many users, the connectivity is almost flawless, and shouldn’t take away from any user’s experience.
Additionally, you have to take into account that while all of these devices are considered hearables, the Xperia Ear is targeted towards a whole other market than the previous two.

The Xperia Ear puts a huge emphasis on its ability to use a virtual assistant. This is why it needs to be constantly connected to a phone, as it gives you the choice between every Android phone’s Google Voice, Sony’s Xperia Agent, or if you own a Samsung device, Samsung S Voice.

With comfort and style Xperia Ear is designed to feel as great as it looks. With a super-comfortable ear-fit and a sleek, stylish look you won’t think twice about wearing it all day.

The virtual assistant function works just as it would on a normal phone, but with the added portability of the small earbud in your ear, alerting you whenever you receive a notification, and listening whenever you are ready to dictate instructions.

For what it’s worth, the audio quality of the Xperia Ear is fantastic, being superior to the previous two devices. However, while you can technically listen to music on it, the fact that it is a single earbud will not provide the best experience for music-listening, especially when compared to the other offerings on the market.

The hearable’s excellent audio quality can still be used to make and answer calls.
This hearable also offers a fairly redundant companion app, 4 hours of battery life (charging while in the case), and a high price for what it’s offering, starting at $199.

New and Upcoming Hearables to look forward to

If the best offerings on the market are not your style, or if you’d simply rather support the new kids on the block, here are the most promising new or upcoming hearables that are guaranteed to satisfy your needs.

1. Here One Wireless Earbuds

After being delayed and bringing everyone through a rollercoaster of feelings during its development, the Here One hearable was definitely worth the wait and anticipation surrounding it.

HereOne Hearables Model with Smart Wireless Buds in Black

Developed by the people behind Here Active Listening, one of the pioneers of sound cancellation technology in wireless earbuds, the Here One is a big step forward for both the company and hearables in general.

Using the advanced noise filter found in its predecessor in order to create what is now known as “augmented hearing”, the Here One lets you choose which sounds around you are blocked out, and which you get to hear.

The best part is that the sounds you do hear are placed correctly in space, so that if a sound came from your left side, you’d hear it from there, even with the Here One on. Additionally, the Here One uses this amazing noise filtering technology to provide one of the best Bluetooth listening experience, having a great audio quality.

Chances are that if you are listening to your favorite song on the Here One, you will find new details or instruments in the background that you didn’t even know were there before.

As good as the sound quality and the technology behind the Here One may be, its battery life is downright unacceptable for today’s standards, averaging at just under two hours of streaming music from your phone. Also, its Bluetooth connectivity has a few issues and may cause a lot of annoyance, especially if your favorite song is interrupted.

Two wireless Here Buds and a connected app give you control over the way you hear the world.

But this is just the beginning for the Here One. The development team promised upcoming updates which will add a lot of utility to the hearable, such as detecting whether you’re at a football game and hooking you up with a live stream of commentary from the Internet.

Therefore, whether or not you’re currently impressed by the state of this product, if the developers can fulfill their promises, then their future products will serve as true pioneers of hearable technology.

If you want to purchase the Here One, you can do so from their official page, starting at $299.

2. Nuheara IQbuds Hearables

Successfully raising ten times what they asked for on their crowdfunding campaign, the people at Nuheara are still putting the finishing touches on their IQbuds. Expected to ship in the first or second quarter of 2017 (in certain countries), this hearable took CES 2017 by storm, impressing everyone who dared try it out.

The reason for its resounding success, both online and in person, isn’t its weird name. Its success is brought solely by the fact that the people at Nuheara have managed to take what the Here One features and one-up their offer in almost all aspects.

That’s right: the IQbuds use the same principle behind the Here One and its predecessor in order to allow you to effectively filter out unwanted sounds and frequencies so that you can enjoy your music without background distractions. The music playback is also supposedly good, though it is still to be determined whether it can rival Here One’s spotless playback.

The IQbuds feature twice the battery life of the Here One, sitting at 4 hours of music streaming and 7 hours of sound filtering, according to Nuheara. Its case also holds 3 charges but does take 90 minutes to fully charge them.

However, in spite of all of these great features, there is still one area that hasn’t quite been perfected, and that is the very backbone of the IQbuds: the noise cancellation. The noise emitted by these earbuds can be noticed at times and may not always be effective, whereas the Here One did the job without any errors.

The people at Nuheara have definitely done a great job in their first attempt at the hearable market, and even though they may still have some problems to iron out, they have a future just as promising as the team behind Here One. Whoever wins this race, the race of putting out the perfect hearable for the hearing impaired is irrelevant, as the technology itself will be a reward for everyone.

If you are interested in pre-ordering the IQbuds, you can only do so if you are from the United States, Canada, Australia or New Zealand, by accessing their site and paying 299 US dollars. If you are not a resident of those countries but are interested in the IQbuds, you can sign up for a newsletter which will let you know when you can reserve them in your country.

3. LifeBeam Vi Smart Earbuds

Another crowdfunding wonder, LifeBEAM’s Vi is dubbed “the Siri of fitness” by many hearable enthusiasts. This hearable isn’t simply a rival to the other ones on the market – it is a rival to full-fledged fitness gadgets such as FitBit wristbands. In fact, calling it a rivalry may not even be fair, as the Vi combines accurate fitness tracking, multiple precise sensors and a smart artificial intelligence assistant that gradually learns your preferences and body’s rhythm in order to evolve along with you.

The Vi, or rather the assistant it brings, is a magnificent piece of work. During a workout, it can play music that fits your tastes from music-streaming apps, talk to you in order to encourage you to push past your limits and improve yourself. It does these all while accurately tracking your activity and monitoring your heart using the same sensors that modern-day pilots use.

LifeBEAM, the company that created the Vi also promise an all-day battery life, along with all-day usefulness through voice recognition and reading notifications. The Vi is set to release in 2017, and anyone who pre-orders it gets a special price of $259.

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. A booming market, and a lot of promise

The best part about the hearables market is that even if nothing interests you now, a new product may be unveiled tomorrow which fulfills all your criteria. The hearable market is moving at a rapid pace and will advance at an even quicker one. For example, a company called Waverly Labs is currently developing Pilot, an earpiece that can do everything the current hearables can, including noise cancellation, while also actively translating things you hear in a language into another one.

Join us this Wednesday, for our interview with Bragi from the Mobile World Congress 2017, in order to hear the upcoming improvements planned for the current market-leading hearable.

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]]> https://www.chipin.com/best-hearables-smart-earbuds-review/feed/ 3 1352 https://www.chipin.com/dojo-bullguard-kicks-cybercrime-curb-intelligent-iot-security-platform/ https://www.chipin.com/dojo-bullguard-kicks-cybercrime-curb-intelligent-iot-security-platform/#respond Sun, 11 Feb 2018 12:56:37 +0000 https://www.chipin.com/?p=4848 Dojo by BullGuard announces the release of its Intelligent IoT Security Platform at MWC to offer digital and physical protection against cyber-criminals attacking smart home devices Dojo by BullGuard, the IoT cybersecurity provider keeping the smart connected home secure and private, is announcing the release of its Intelligent IoT Security

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]]> Dojo by BullGuard announces the release of its Intelligent IoT Security Platform at MWC to offer digital and physical protection against cyber-criminals attacking smart home devices

Dojo by BullGuard, the IoT cybersecurity provider keeping the smart connected home secure and private, is announcing the release of its Intelligent IoT Security Platform for Communication Service Providers, preventing external internet threats and attacks from invading smart connected home environments. The platform will be released at MWC 2018 in Barcelona and will provide CSPs the ability to offer their customers premium smart home security and privacy services. Dojo by BullGuard offers CSPs a flexible IoT security platform that can be rolled out as an OTT service or works as a service integrated into a customer’s residential gateway.

Dojo’s Intelligent IoT Security Platform was designed from its early days as an IoT security solution at CSP scale, providing an end-to-end cybersecurity and privacy solution for smart connected homes. The platform is easily integrated into any CSP’s OSS and BSS, via open APIs, using advanced auto-scale technology for operational flexibility purposes.

CSPs can now leverage their existing broadband services and offer enterprise-grade cybersecurity and privacy services to their customers.

Dojo’s Intelligent IoT Security Platform is comprised of three major components:

• Gateway Solution: Dojo offers both OTT and inline solutions; The gateway SDK enables CSPs to integrate Dojo’s intelligent security functionality into any residential gateway, or white labeling of Dojo’s intelligent gateway.
• Platform: Dojo’s cloud-based intelligent platform provides an end-to-end IoT security solution that includes a wide range of services such as subscriber, policy, and device management, as well as real-time alerts, and mitigation. In addition, the platform consists of an intelligent cyber engine that performs network-based anomaly detection and behavioral analysis, using AI and machine learning.
• Mobile app SDK: Dojo’s intelligent mobile app can be co-branded or integrated into the CSP’s existing mobile app using Dojo’s mobile app SDK.

Dojo by BullGuard is an award-winning product known for its premium quality. By using Dojo Intelligent IoT Security Platform, CSPs can offer the most advanced multi-layered security and privacy services to their subscribers in a very simple and consumer-friendly manner.

“It’s getting harder to defend today’s smart connected home environments against cyber-criminals that are able to attack millions of devices at once while collecting consumers’ personal data for their own gain,” says Yossi Atias, GM of IoT Security at BullGuard. “Dojo’s Intelligent IoT Security Platform will transcend digital protection, allowing CSPs to provide cybersecurity and privacy services to millions of consumers around the globe while they continue to adopt smart connected home technology.”

About Dojo

Dojo by BullGuard is the best custom-built solution to protect Wi-Fi enabled devices in the home. Dojo gives customers the freedom to add as many Smart Home devices as they want without compromising privacy or security. Dojo by BullGuard is the cornerstone of a Smart Home, ensuring a connected world where every consumer, in every home, is smart, safe and protected. BullGuard, the company powering the Dojo security product is the leader in consumer cybersecurity and the only crowdsourced community platform on the market.

Dojo’s Founder and GM of IoT Security at BullGuard, Yossi Atias, is an experienced technology executive who has previously held positions as the General Manager Operations at Jajah, as the Head of OTT Strategy at Acme Packet, as the General Manager Nokia Israel, and as the Technical Director at Lucent.

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