2017 home tech: the essential guide...— nad c316bee — yamaha as300 or as301 premium options...

HOME TECH:THE ESSENTIAL GUIDE

2017

HOME TECH CONTENTS THE ESSENTIAL GUIDE3

01INTRODUCTION 4

03ENTERTAINMENT 22

Introduction 24

Televisions 26

Projectors 28

Home Cinemas 30

Gaming 32

Virtual Reality 36

05SMART HOME TECHNOLOGY 48

Introduction 50

Home Security 52

Kitchen Tech: 62

— Small Appliances 62

— Smart Shopping 66

Eco Home 68

Robotic Vacuums 70

Intelligent Personal Assistants 72

02MUSIC & AUDIO 8

Introduction 10

Wireless/Smart/Multi-Room Systems 12

Classic Hi-Fi Systems: 16

— CD Players 18

— Turntables 18

— Amplifiers 18

— Speakers 19

Headphones 20

04CAMERAS 42

Introduction 44

Cameras 46

CONTENTS

01INTRODUCTION

HOME TECH INTRODUCTION THE ESSENTIAL GUIDE5

HOME TECH INTRODUCTION THE ESSENTIAL GUIDE7

ACCORDING TO CNBC, 2017 IS THE YEAR THAT WILL FINALLY REALISE THE POTENTIAL OF THE AUTOMATED SMART HOME, AND AS TRENDS SWAY TOWARDS SMARTPHONE-AUTOMATED EVERYTHING, WE THINK THEY MIGHT BE RIGHT. IMPRESSIVE ‘SMART’ UPDATES TO THE BEST-LOVED CLASSICS, AND BRAND-NEW, INNOVATIVE GADGETS SHOW THAT WE’RE CERTAINLY SHAPING UP FOR AN EXCITING YEAR IN HOME TECH. MUSIC BUFFS, SERIOUS GAMERS, ASPIRING CHEFS, AND ECO-WARRIORS HAVE PLENTY TO LOOK FORWARD TO. WE’VE HANDPICKED THE BEST IN EVERYTHING FROM ENTERTAINMENT TO KITCHEN TECH, TO HELP YOU CHOOSE THE BEST SPEAKERS, TVS, GAMING CONSOLES AND EVEN LIGHT BULBS.

HOME TECH MUSIC & AUDIIO THE ESSENTIAL GUIDE9

02MUSIC & AUDIO

HOME TECH MUSIC & AUDIO THE ESSENTIAL GUIDE11

EVERY HOME SHOULD HAVE AN AUDIO SETUP. WHETHER YOU’RE COOKING A MEAL, ENTERTAINING SOME FRIENDS, OR HAVING A MUCH-NEEDED TIDY-UP, THE RIGHT MUSIC MAKES IT BETTER. THERE ARE SEVERAL APPROACHES YOU CAN TAKE TO HOME AUDIO, FROM THE CUTTING-EDGE TO THE TRIED-AND-TESTED. YOU NEED TO ASSESS WHICH SORT OF SETUP IS RIGHT FOR YOUR LIFESTYLE, AND MAKE YOUR CHOICE BASED ON THAT.

HOME TECH MUSIC & AUDIO THE ESSENTIAL GUIDE13

WIRELESS/SMART/MULTI-ROOM SPEAKERS

The premise is simple: you install the smart speaker’s app on your chosen device (smartphone, tablet or laptop), then you connect that device to your smart speaker via Wi-Fi or Bluetooth, and you’re good to go. You can control the music – browsing menus, creating playlists, skipping songs and adjusting the volume – from wherever you are in the house. It couldn’t be much more convenient.

Most smart speakers are compact in size and are therefore suitable for any room in your home. You might even want to buy several of them, so that you can have the same music playing simultaneously in different rooms. It’s certainly something to consider if you like to potter around, or if you often have guests over.

WIRELESS ‘SMART’ SPEAKERS HAVE BECOME INCREASINGLY POPULAR OVER THE PAST FEW YEARS, AND ARE IDEAL IF YOU CONSUME MOST (OR ALL) OF YOUR MUSIC THROUGH A STREAMING SERVICE LIKE SPOTIFY OR APPLE MUSIC.

HOME TECH THE ESSENTIAL GUIDE15

THE BIG PLAYERS

Sonos

Sonos is arguably the most popular brand in the smart-speaker market. The speakers in its ‘Play’ range start at around £170 (Play:1) and go up to around £500 (Play:5). The mini home speaker has been conveniently designed to fit any space and fill the room.

Bose

Another leading brand in the market is Bose, which has been in the wireless speaker game for over ten years. The SoundTouch 20 retails at around £280, and comes in black or white to fit your aesthetic needs. Designed to be compact yet deliver a full, rich sound, you’ll be wirelessly streaming music in no time.

Denon

With decades of innovation behind them, you can't go wrong with a Denon speaker. The HEOS 7 HS2 (£379) offers high-resolution audio support and a 7 driver speaker system. This award-winning speaker is top of the line.

Cambridge Audio

Possessing 200W of amplification, the Cambridge Audio Minx Air 200 is an undisputed champion in the smart-speaker market. Retailing at around £350, it’s a versatile wireless speaker that also provides AirPlay support along with Bluetooth, meaning it’s the perfect speaker for your compatible Apple devices.

MUSIC & AUDIO


CLASSIC HI-FI SYSTEMS

To achieve this, you’ll need separate components: a CD player or a turntable (or both), an integrated amplifier, and at least two foot-high speakers. They don’t all need to be the same brand – some manufacturers are better than others at certain components, so a mix can actually result in a better overall setup.

This sort of setup certainly takes up more space than a modern smart system does, but the resulting sound quality is more than worth it if you invest well.

You’ll need to spend at least £600 altogether in order for your system to be any good. If your budget doesn’t stretch that far, you could try seeking out second-hand separates on eBay or in charity shops – with a little luck you’ll find a real bargain.

You can plug a laptop or tablet into a classic stereo setup too, which means you’ll still be able to play streamed music out loud.

IF YOU’RE A CD OR VINYL COLLECTOR, YOU SHOULD INVEST IN A MORE TRADITIONAL HI-FI SETUP IN ORDER TO GET THE MOST OUT OF YOUR ALBUMS AND COMPILATIONS.

MUSIC & AUDIO


CD PLAYERS

If you’ve amassed a nice collection of CDs over the years, it’s a shame to leave them sitting there on the shelf. Sure, you can burn them onto your PC or laptop as MP3 tracks, but the file-compression that takes place when you do so diminishes the quality of the music (by roughly 20%). In other words, listening to a CD on a proper stereo

setup will result in a better audio experience for you.

The trusty manufacturers:

— Cambridge Audio — Marantz — Onkyo — Denon — Yamaha

Each of these brands offers a varied selection of CD players to suit all budgets – from entry-level to higher-spec. Cambridge Audio and Marantz are the best bets if you are on a tight budget (between £130 and £180), whereas Onkyo, Denon and Yamaha players start around the £200 mark.

SPEAKERS

The big decision to make is whether you want standmounts or floorstanders. Go for standmounts if they’re going to sit on a shelf, desk or cabinet, because they’re compact and are usually between 25-40cm in height. Floorstanders are generally more expensive, but they’re the ones to go for if you want taller speakers or you don’t have space to mount them on a raised surface.

Recommended standmounts (£60-£200)

— Wharfedale Diamond 9.0 (24cm high) or Diamond 9.1 (30cm high)

— Q Acoustics 2020i — Tannoy Eclipse One — Cambridge Audio SX50 (23cm high) or SX60 (34cm high)

— Roth VA4 — Bose Companion 20

Recommended floorstanders (£200-£550)

— Mission MX3i — Tannoy Eclipse Three — Cambridge Audio SX80 — Wharfedale Diamond 230 — Q Acoustics 2050i — Dali Zensor 5

TURNTABLES

Vinyl LPs sound wonderfully rich and detailed, but only when played on the right equipment. This starts with your turntable.

Worthwhile turntables start at around the £150 mark, with entry-level models by Audio-Technica, Marantz, Pro-Ject and Pioneer. If you only have a small vinyl collection, or you plan to use your turntable sparingly, one of these should more than suffice.

For a little bit more you can get an Audio-Technica LP120, which is an entry-level DJ-style turntable. This one is based (both visually and

mechanically) on the iconic Technics 1200/1210 models, but is much cheaper in price – a brand-new Technics 1200 costs roughly £1,300, and a pre-owned one can fetch anywhere between £350 and £550 on eBay.

Entry-Level stalwarts (£150-£250)

— Pro-Ject Essential II or Essential III — Marantz TT5005 — Pioneer PL30 — Audio-Technica LP120 — TEAC TN300 — Rega Planar 1

If you have more money to spend, go for a more advanced model.

Higher-end recommendations (£250+)

— Sony PSHX500 — Rega Planar 2 — Audio-Technica LP5 — Edwards Audio TT1 — Clearaudio Concept — Technics 1200

AMPLIFIERS

A high-spec CD player or turntable is nothing without a strong amplifier. As What Hi-Fi? puts it, your amp is “the powerhouse of your hi-fi system” – it has an enormous influence on the resulting sound quality.

As with any piece of audio equipment, you can spend a little or you can spend a lot, but it’s wise to go with the best your budget can stretch to, because the value and quality usually reflects the price you pay.

Reliable budget models (£150-£300)

— Cambridge Audio Topaz AM5 — Pioneer A10 — Onkyo A9010 — Marantz PM5005 or PM6005 — NAD C316BEE — Yamaha AS300 or AS301

Premium options (£500+)

— Audiolab 8300A — Cambridge Audio CXA60 — Lehmann Audio Stamp — Marantz HD-AMP1 — Pioneer A-50DA — Yamaha A-S801

MUSIC & AUDIO

Audi

o-Te

chni

ca L

P5


HEADPHONES

IF YOU LIKE YOUR MUSIC LOUD BUT YOU DON’T WANT TO ANNOY YOUR NEIGHBOURS, A SET OF HIGH-PERFORMANCE HEADPHONES WILL BE A WORTHWHILE INVESTMENT FOR YOU.

CLASSIC (WIRED)

One of the most well-received headsets on the market right now is the Beyerdynamic DT 1770, priced at £387. Designed for sound engineers and studio users, you get impressive sound quality that will let you hear music in a completely different way.

The Sony Oppo PM-3 offers exceptional value for the £350 price tag, providing great insulation and boasting features usually found in more expensive pairs.

Meanwhile, the V-Moda Crossfade M-100 (£270) delivers a bass-heavy sound in a stylish package. V-Moda has been worn by many high-profile DJs, including Avicii and Deadmau5, so you’re in good company.

WIRELESS

If you’re looking for a wireless option, the Bose QuietComfort 35 (£299) lets you go about your day without the need to worry about wires – especially if you want to move away from your hi-fi system for a bit, offering up to 20 hours of wireless listening.

Another trusty wireless pair comes in the form of the Sony MDR-ZX770BN (£119), which also offers noise-cancellation – an added bonus at the competitive price.

GAMING HEADSETS

If you’re a big gamer, you’re going to want to find the perfect set of headphones that lets you jump right into all the action as it happens. HyperX Cloud II (£65) is the perfect gaming headset for PC and PS4 users (XBox One users will need an adapter). With a built-in sound card boasting 7.1 Virtual Surround Sound, plus a noise-cancelling microphone, it's the perfect teammate for your next gaming session.

The Logitech G933 Artemis Spectrum (£129) also boasts 7.1 Virtual Surround Sound and can connect up to three devices simultaneously. No longer do you need to pause the game to answer calls: you can do it all on the one headset.

MUSIC & AUDIO

03ENTERTAINMENT

HOME TECH ENTERTAINMENT THE ESSENTIAL GUIDE23

HOME TECH MUSIC & AUDIIO THE ESSENTIAL GUIDE25

IT’S NOT JUST MUSIC THAT’S BEING ENHANCED BY SMARTER AND MORE ADVANCED TECHNOLOGY. WE’RE WATCHING FILMS IN HIGHER DEFINITION. WE’RE EXPERIENCING MORE VISUALLY STUNNING GAMES. WE’RE SEEING AND HEARING MORE DETAIL IN EVERYTHING WE WATCH AND PLAY, THANKS TO HIGHER-RESOLUTION SCREENS, INCREASINGLY REALISTIC VR, AND IMMERSIVE, CINEMA-QUALITY SURROUND SOUND. WHETHER YOU’RE A MOVIE BUFF OR AN AVID GAMER, FIND THE TECHNOLOGY THAT WILL TAKE YOUR AT-HOME EXPERIENCE TO THE NEXT LEVEL.

TELEVISIONS


“ AFTER CURVED TVS WERE A BIG HIT LAST YEAR, WE EXPECT 4K TRANSPARENT TVS TO BECOME THE NEXT POPULAR ADDITION TO OUR ENTERTAINMENT PACKAGE. COMPANIES SUCH AS PANASONIC AND LG ARE LEADING THE WAY.”

— Nooria Mangal, Marketing Executive at KitMapper

SMART

A ‘smart’ TV is one that can connect to the internet and use apps like Netflix, BBC iPlayer and Spotify. Most of the big manufacturers make their TVs smart as standard nowadays, but some models really stand out as the best smart TVs on the market.

The Samsung KS9500 Series delivers life-like pictures that contain a huge amount of detail, colour and information, which make watching TV a truly dramatic experience. This series also uses direct LED lighting with local dimming, meaning that the screen can show incredibly deep colours and maintain brightness.

The Panasonic DX802 Series provides an excellent external sound-bar audio system consisting of 12 speakers, support for range playback and native UHD screens. The smart TV system in this series is surprisingly simple and easy-to-use, and it is competitively priced.

The Samsung KS7000 Series brings quality HDR to a broad audience. The quantum dot colour reproduction and ultra-bright panel also means that the colours in the screen are immediately striking. The sets fit into any modern home too, with the sleek, metallic frames offering a minimalist feel.

4K/UHD

4K – or UHD – is picture technology that quadruples the amount of pixels found in an HD picture. This adds more depth, colour resolution and detail to the final picture, making images look incredibly vivid and lifelike.

The Panasonic DX902 series is a particularly impressive range of 4K TVs. The bright, contrast-rich pictures and additional dimming technology make the screens in this series stand out as especially dramatic.

3D

A wide range of tech giants are producing some incredible 3D TVs. Usually with the aid of 3D glasses, these highly-advanced sets create a cinematic feel in the home by offering a special 3D feature, which allows viewers to change their regular 2D screen into an outstanding 3D picture.

The Sony BRAVIA 3D LED TV is very popular amongst home-cinema lovers. Viewers can quickly immerse themselves in the world of 3D TV, bringing their favourite films and shows to life at the press of a button.

OLED

An OLED TV produces richer and fuller colours than standard LED or LCD TVs do. As TechRadar puts it, “think blacker blacks, and brighter whites”. In other words, it’s a huge step up. OLED pixels also emit light directly, so viewing angles are much broader and contrast stays the same even from 90 degrees off-centre.

The LG OLED55B6V is a great TV that offers depth, strong contrast and a clear picture. The fantastic picture quality enhances every frame with superb detail, in addition to solid and full-bodied sound.

SONY VPL-VW300ES

The Sony VPL-VW300ES is an ideal projector if you want to get that cinematic feel. The picture quality is incredibly sharp, because the reality creation technology brings out a huge amount of detail from DVDs, Blu-Ray and native 4K sources.

BENQ W1070+

Simple, compact and great quality, the BenQ W1070+ fits easily into your living room and delivers a fantastic picture. Extras for this projector include 3D viewing and wireless HD, which add to the cinematic effect.

SONY VPL-VW520E

The Sony VPL-VW520ES delivers full 4K resolution, supports high dynamic range playback and provides excellent picture quality. It also has a 3D-playback option, making it even more cinematically impressive.

PROJECTORS


IF YOU DON’T HAVE ROOM FOR A GIANT TV (OR YOU DON’T WANT TO MAKE ROOM), YOU COULD INSTEAD OPT FOR A PROJECTOR. THIS WAY YOU CAN WATCH FILMS AND SHOWS ON A LARGE SCREEN, JUST AS THE DIRECTOR INTENDED, AND AVOID ADDING CLUTTER TO YOUR LIVING ROOM. IN ADDITION TO THIS, PROJECTORS ARE GENERALLY CHEAPER THAN MOST HIGH-QUALITY TVS.

HOME CINEMA


ONCE YOU’VE INVESTED IN A DECENT TELEVISION SETUP, YOU’RE GOING TO WANT TO MAKE THE MOST OUT OF IT WITH A WORTHY HOME CINEMA SYSTEM. FOR ANY FILM BUFF OR TV ADDICT, THESE HOME CINEMA SYSTEMS WILL NOT ONLY BOOST THE QUALITY OF THE PICTURE BUT ALSO PROVIDE EXCELLENT SURROUND SOUND AND IMMERSE YOU RIGHT IN THE MIDDLE OF THE ACTION.

The Bose SoundTouch 300 Soundbar (priced at £599) is packed with power and sets out to deliver a clean and punchy bass. Making it even better, the SoundTouch has been designed to be space-efficient, meaning it won’t stand out like a sore thumb amongst all your other gadgets and gizmos.

If you’re looking to spend a bit less, the SONOS PLAY:3 Smart Wireless Speaker (£299) is the little wireless speaker that can. As well as providing immersive sound designed to fill the room with powerful audio, the SONOS PLAY:3 can be placed either horizontally or vertically – nifty for those tricky spaces.

If you’re serious about sound, the Q Acoustic 3000 Cinema Pack (£775) comes with all the speakers you’ll need to create the perfect movie night: two-stand mount speakers, a centre speaker and a subwoofer. Offering exceptional value, the set has won

titles left, right and centre including TrustedReviews Editor’s Choice and Best Buy from Home Cinema Choice.

Meanwhile, the Sony BDV-N5200W (£350) packs it all in. The main unit consists of a Blu-Ray player which can also stream on‐demand movies and use the likes of YouTube, Netflix and BBC iPlayer. Through its 5.1 channels, you’ll get 1000W of powerful surround sound providing you with the full cinematic experience.

Make the most out of your setup with streaming devices, such as the Amazon Fire Stick (£40) or the Now TV Box (£15), which will provide you with access to thousands of TV shows and movies. Now, the most important decision you need to make is which film to test your new home cinema on.

THE ENTERTAINMENT SYSTEM: XBOX ONE S (£249.99)

Also offering a high dynamic range (HDR) and 4K streaming is the Xbox One S. Although this and the PS4 Pro have similar specifications, the PS4 Pro is all about being a powerful gaming console, whereas the Xbox One S focuses on its ability to support native 4K streaming to make up for the lack of native 4K gaming support. By offering native 4K streaming, the One S builds itself up as a console for more than just gaming. Instead, it can be your games console, your streaming device and your entertainment system – all rolled into one.

GAMING


THE CLASSIC: NINTENDO NES CLASSIC MINI (£49)

Technology in our homes may be about new and innovative additions, but when it comes to gaming, the re-release of Nintendo’s classic NES console proves that there is still some room for nostalgia. The compactly sized console comes pre-loaded with 30 popular, classic Nintendo games, and it has so far been such a hit that getting hold of one has proved difficult (it is regularly out of stock on most consumer sites).

THE 4K CONSOLE: SONY PLAYSTATION 4 PRO (£349.99)

The PS4 Pro is the latest gaming console from Sony, although it is branded as a bigger and more powerful version of the original PS4 rather than as a brand-new console. Offering a graphics processor (GPU) that’s more than twice as powerful as the standard PS4’s, the Pro can run games at native 4K resolution and is optimised for HDR TVs. This means that unlike the standard PS4, whether you’re gaming or using your console to stream movies, you will be able to enjoy them in their maximum resolutions.

THE BIGGEST TREND THAT WE’RE CURRENTLY SEEING IN GAMING IS THE DEVELOPMENT OF INCREASINGLY POWERFUL CONSOLES TO MEET THE NECESSARY TECH SPECS THAT ARE NEEDED TO POWER VR HEADSETS. WE EXPLORE VR HEADSETS IN DEPTH FURTHER ALONG IN THE GUIDE, BUT FOR NOW, HERE’S OUR LIST OF THE LATEST GAMING CONSOLES CURRENTLY AVAILABLE – AND WHAT THEY CAN OFFER YOU.

THE GAMECHANGER: NINTENDO SWITCH (£279.99)

Alongside the NES re-release, Nintendo has also released the Switch, with its main selling point being that it offers a home console gaming experience on the go, by removing the need for a TV. The Switch exists in a space that blurs the line between handheld and console gaming, because it can adapt to both, depending on the needs of the user. You can carry on playing a game on your morning commute where you left off in your living room the night before. The Switch is by no means as powerful as the PS4 Pro or the Xbox One S, but is does offer a new approach to gaming and urges us to rethink how we see gaming consoles.

THE PREMIUM CONSOLE: PROJECT SCORPIO (TBC)

It might sound like a codename straight out of a spy movie, but Project Scorpio is the latest gaming offering from Microsoft, set to be released later this year. Currently, there is no price available for the console, but the head of Xbox, Phil Spencer, is keen to point out that it will be a “premium” console. Offering six teraflops of computing power – we checked and teraflop is indeed a real word – Project Scorpio will seek to bring true 4K gaming and mixed reality support to users.


VIRTUAL REALITY


Technology is creeping into every aspect of our homes, and whilst most home tech seems commonplace, VR (virtual reality) and AR (augmented reality) still leave most of us scratching our heads.

VR is a completely immersive experience, where all interaction happens in a virtual space.

AR, on the other hand, alters the physical world by layering visual enhancements onto your real environment. And, unlike VR, AR allows you to see and interact with the physical world, blurring the line between the virtual and the real.

VR and AR might yet be a number of years away from practical usage, but they’re already widely available on the consumer market. It won’t be too long before they become a part of everyday life.

It may sound futuristic, but this immersive technology has already caused a stir, with last year’s hugely successful AR game, Pokemon GO, which requires users to interact with their real environments by walking around and collecting the virtual beings.

True AR, such as the Microsoft HoloLens – a headset that combines virtual reality with the real world – is still awaiting consumer release, but VR devices are becoming far more accessible, with a variety of headsets at different price points.

Most currently available headsets fall into two categories: either premium (high-spec investment) pieces, or budget buys.

Budget options use your existing mobile handset, rather than being tethered by cables to a PC. These headsets don’t necessarily give you a lower-quality experience, but they do offer a simpler and more affordable way to experience the technology. Headsets relying on mobile devices also have an advantage over their premium counterparts in that they’re not restricted by cables. This means more mobility and no danger of you tripping over whilst using them.

This wireless advantage also acts as a drawback, because relying on your mobile device’s hardware capabilities means that the level of immersion and the quality of the moving imagery won’t be the same as that offered by a device that is connected to a powerful PC or console.

“AN ASPECT OF HOME TECH THAT IS OFTEN FORGOTTEN IS VIRTUAL REALITY AND AUGMENTED REALITY. THESE TECHNOLOGIES AREN’T ONLY MADE FOR GAMES AND MOVIES – THEY’RE ESPECIALLY USEFUL IN HOMES WHEN IT COMES TO BUYING, SELLING OR RENOVATING PROPERTY. YOU CAN VIRTUALLY EXPERIMENT WITH INTERIOR DESIGN, OR EVEN CREATE YOUR HOUSE IN 3D AND FURNISH IT.”


– OPHÉLIE CASTELOT, COMMUNICATIONS MANAGER AT SPACE DESIGNER 3D


PREMIUM HEADSETS

HTC Vive (c. £760)

It may come as a surprise that the HTC Vive is at the top of the price range, given that the Oculus Rift was first on the consumer market. Utilising “room scale” technology, the Vive turns a room into a virtual 3D space using infrared sensors, allowing you to move around in the virtual world and interact using the 3D controllers – an accessory which comes as standard and offers you a more interactive virtual experience.

Oculus Rift (c. £500)

The Oculus Rift works in much the same way as the HTC Vive, but has the added benefit of an audio headset. It also comes in at more than £250 cheaper than the Vive, but you will have to purchase controllers separately.

Sony PlayStation VR (c. £350)

The last of the tethered headsets on our list, the PlayStation VR headset, offers 360° vision, 3D audio and a built in microphone. Designed to take your gaming experience to the next level, it’s powered by the PS4 console – although you will also need to purchase a PlayStation camera in order for your VR headset to work.

BUDGET BUYS

Samsung Gear VR (c. £80)

With the significant price-drop seen here, you can also expect a drop in the level of immersion, given that the experience relies on a smartphone to render virtual content (rather than a PC). The role of the Gear VR is to turn your Samsung device into a VR headset, but by using a mobile phone as the interface, Samsung has made its VR set fully mobile – unlike the three premium headsets, which are tethered by cables to computers or gaming consoles.

Despite its low price point, the Gear headset is technologically impressive, having been co-developed with Oculus, and it’s compatible with many of the apps on the Oculus Store.

Google Daydream (c. £70)

The Google Daydream is another VR platform that utilises your existing mobile handset. The device itself might only cost £69 but, again, you will need

a compatible phone in order to use it. There are reports of Pixel phones overheating in the headset, but you should have no problems if you avoid prolonged usage. In summary, the Daydream is a great entry point into VR headsets – and it’s one that won’t break the bank.

Google Cardboard (c. £15)

You’d be forgiven for thinking that there’s a typo here and a zero missing from the price, but amazingly the Google Cardboard is only £15. It is nowhere near as immersive or advanced as any of the headsets mentioned above, but it does offer a taste of the VR experience for a fraction of the cost. Unlike the Daydream and the Gear VR, the Cardboard will work with any Android or iOS device that has a screen size of 4 to 6 inches. You can use the Cardboard to view 360° videos on YouTube, and you can also access a number of demos and Cardboard apps on the Play Store.

Having experienced great success in the entertainment market, we are likely to see the application of VR go above and beyond gaming and video enhancement.

Interior designers and architects are already experimenting with virtual reality to map 3D spaces and to trial modifications before committing to physical adjustments. Apps like Space Designer 3D allow users to draw a floor plan in 2D and visualise it in 3D before they even meet with an architect.

By allowing users to experiment with all kinds of different furnishings, the days of fabric samples and paint swatches are long gone. Users can now visualise a completely redecorated space without ever having set foot in a home-improvement store.

Goo

gle

Car

dboa

rd

04CAMERAS

HOME TECH CAMERAS THE ESSENTIAL GUIDE43


NO SMARTPHONE CAN QUITE CAPTURE THE ESSENCE OF THE MOMENT LIKE A CAMERA CAN. WHILST IT’S GREAT TO BE ABLE TO HAVE A PHONE’S CAMERA ON HAND FOR THOSE ONCE-IN-A-LIFETIME, UNEXPECTED MOMENTS, IT’S GREAT TO OWN A BIT OF KIT TO SNAP THE OCCASION PERFECTLY. IF YOU’RE LOOKING FOR A FIRST STEP INTO THE WONDERFUL WORLD OF DIGITAL CAMERAS, OR IF YOU’RE WANTING TO UPGRADE YOUR SETUP, WE’VE LOOKED INTO SOME OF THE CAMERAS YOU’LL WANT TO CONSIDER INVESTING IN DURING 2017. OUR FIVE FAVOURITE CAMERAS EACH OFFER SOMETHING A LITTLE DIFFERENT TO EACH OTHER, BUT ARE ULTIMATELY THE PERFECT ACCESSORIES TO ANY PHOTOGRAPHERS OUT THERE.

CAMERAS


SEE IN 4K

It seems that all camera manufacturers have implemented 4K shooting into their product lines, and if you’re serious about keeping up with the next revolutionary bit of tech, 4K may just be the way forward for you.

If you’re looking for a 4K camera but can’t quite afford the price tag that goes with a full-blown professional camera, the Panasonic HC-VXF990EBK is the perfect mid-range bit of kit. Reasonably priced at around £699, it offers needle-sharp resolution and enough functions to cater to whatever occasion or event you want to film. The camera even allows you to link to as many as three smartphones over Wi-Fi, enabling you to shoot the same scene from a variety of angles and viewpoints.

GO MIRRORLESS

For the price and the palm-shaped size, you can't go wrong with the Sony Alpha A7. This camera is perfect for beginners but also offers the technical capabilities to equip any professional photographer with the equipment they need.

Priced at £999, it is actually one of the cheapest full-frame cameras on the market. With its 24.3 MP sensor and hybrid autofocusing system, you’ll be ready to go out and create amazing photos. It's the ideal primary camera for enthusiasts wanting to create expert-level imagery and is a great secondary piece of kit for professionals.

COMPACT & POWERFUL

Express yourself with the Canon EOS 77D, which provides a blend of artistic control and powerful performance – perfect for any occasion.

The 24.2 MP sensor and powerful performance means that your images will be packed full of details, whilst the Live View autofocus system allows you to create perfect results even when it comes to fast-moving subjects.

Priced at £829, the EOS 77D is a mid-range consumer DSLR. It offers excellent body-mounted controls and an excellent touch screen that opens up a plethora of options. The Canon L series lenses are some of the most highly rated available on the market right now, so pair one up with the EOS 77D and you’ll be creating images to die for.

KEEP THINGS COMPACT

A compact camera is the perfect accessory for when you’re out and about. Leave the house with the Panasonic Lumix LX100 by your side, and you’re ready for any opportunity.

At £499, you won’t find a more competitively priced compact camera with as great image quality and such dynamic range. Sneaking a Micro Four Thirds system into a compact camera body – which are more likely to be found in mirrorless cameras and DSLRs – means you’ll be getting a better-quality camera than others on the market.

Slip the Lumix LX100 in your pocket and see what you can discover.

CAPTURING THE ACTION

Right now, the best DSLR you can get your hands on is the 24.3 MP powerhouse that is the Nikon D750 (£1,599).

If you’re looking to capture precision, the D750 is the perfect piece of equipment to take crisp and clean images at high ISOs. A fast-moving subject is no issue with the 6.5 fps burst rate, allowing you to focus on all the action without worrying that you’ll miss it.

With the in-built Picture Control 2.0, you’ll be able to take complete control over contrast, hue, brightness or sharpness, meaning that you’ll be able to get the desired image right away.

CAMERAS

CAMERAS

Sony

Alp

ha A

7

05SMART HOME TECHNOLOGY

HOME TECH SMART HOME TECHNOLOGY THE ESSENTIAL GUIDE49


THE ‘INTERNET OF THINGS’ IS CONNECTING OUR PHONES TO OUR HOMES, AND IS LETTING US CONTROL EVERYTHING FROM CONNECTED DEVICES. THE SUDDEN RISE AND REIGN OF SMARTPHONE INTEGRATION BRINGS SECURITY, ENERGY USAGE, CLEANING AND COOKING TO OUR FINGERTIPS, AND ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE IS FINALLY GETTING INTELLIGENT. WHETHER YOU’RE LOOKING TO IMPROVE IN THE KITCHEN, SAVE TIME ON CHORES, OR CHANGE YOUR PLAYLIST WITH YOUR VOICE, 2017 IS THE FIRST YEAR OF THE SMART HOME, AND IT’S GIVING YOU AUTOMATION, CONTROL AND CONVENIENCE.

SMART HOME TECHNOLOGY

HOME SECURITY


Modern home security, like everything else, is getting ‘smart’. This means you can monitor and, in some cases, control your home from an app on your smartphone. Whether you want to keep an eye on who’s coming and going, or you want to arm your home against burglars, smart home technology allows you to install, customise and control your own security system using as many or as few components as you need.

While some systems consist of a single control ‘hub’ that connects to an app on your phone, others offer motion sensors, sirens, two-way audio and video, remote-controlled locks, and even the ability to integrate other appliances.

There’s already a multitude of options in what’s certainly an evolving market, but which is right for your home?

IT’S ONLY NATURAL TO WANT TO KEEP YOUR HOME AND EVERYTHING INSIDE IT SAFE, AND TODAY’S TECHNOLOGY PROVES THAT WE’VE COME A LONG WAY FROM BARKING DOGS AND SCREAMING ALARMS. WHILE THESE MORE TRADITIONAL METHODS HAVE PROVED TO BE EFFECTIVE, EXPENSIVE INSTALLATIONS AND THE TRAINING OF YOUR FAVOURITE CANINE ARE NO LONGER NECESSARY.


“ WHEN HOMEOWNERS ARE LOOKING TO RENOVATE, THEY NOW HAVE TECH IN MIND. USING SMART TECH CONNECTED TO YOUR PHONE YOU CAN GAIN CONTROL OVER YOUR PROPERTY, APPLIANCES AND UTILITIES FROM ANYWHERE IN THE WORLD, LETTING YOU DO EVERYTHING FROM TURNING OFF THE HEATING TO ANSWERING YOUR FRONT DOOR.”

HOME TECH THE ESSENTIAL GUIDE55SMART HOME TECHNOLOGY

– @STEPHEN_JURY, SPOKESPERSON AT PLENTIFIC


FOR SMALL HOMES: RING (FROM £139)

If you live in a small home, especially a flat or apartment, you might not need a full security system. Ring is an easy-to-install upgrade on your average doorbell. Connected to – you guessed it – an app on your phone, Ring makes answering the door as easy as answering a phone call.

The camera in the doorbell and the two-way audio allow you to see and communicate equally well with the delivery driver who doesn’t know where to leave your parcel, and with your other half when they arrive home from work.

“With Ring, you’re always home” – giving you the sense of security that comes from knowing if anyone’s hanging around who shouldn’t be. Ring uses live HD video recording and predefined zones of motion detection to help you communicate with friends who’ve called when you weren’t home, and to deter or identify any unwanted visitors.

FOR BUSY HOUSEHOLDS: NETATMO (FROM £159)

If you’re looking for comprehensive surveillance in your busy home, the ‘Welcome’ and ‘Presence’ cameras from Netatmo make the home-security dream team, watching over your property both inside and out.

Netatmo Welcome is not only smartphone ‘smart’, but can learn to recognise certain faces, making it perfect for households with plenty of people, pets, and conflicting routines. Once Welcome recognises a face, it knows not to set off any security alerts, and deactivates automatically when you arrive home, saving you the frantic dash to punch in a security code while your hands are still full of shopping bags.

Netatmo Presence is Welcome’s outdoor counterpart. Presence acts as an outdoor security light, alerting you

to night-time visitors, and helping you to the front door when you’re home late from the pub. It goes without saying that as a pair, the cameras do all the usual video surveillance and smartphone integration, as well as backing up your video on free cloud storage, and connecting to security sirens and door and window monitors (which are sold separately).

Netatmo’s system can also be connected with multiple smartphones, which lets you track who’s home and ‘away’. This is especially useful if you need to check up on kids getting home from school, or if family members stop by without notice.



“ AI AND MACHINE LEARNING WILL TAKE OVER THE DULL – BUT IMPORTANT – DAILY DECISIONS, HELPING TO MAKE OUR LIVES HASSLE-FREE. COCOON USES AI TO ADAPT HOME SECURITY TO THE NEEDS OF EACH INDIVIDUAL PROPERTY. ITS UNIQUE SUBSOUND® TECHNOLOGY LEARNS TO UNDERSTAND THE NORMAL SOUND SIGNATURE OF YOUR HOME, SO IT ONLY ALERTS YOU TO SUSPICIOUS ACTIVITY.”

— John Berthels, co-founder at Cocoon

FOR LITTLE BUDGETS: SALIENT EYE (FREE DOWNLOAD)

Need cheap home security? Of course, there’s an app for that.

If you aren’t ready to splash out on a full security system, Salient Eye turns that old, neglected smartphone in your bottom drawer into a security camera, complete with motion-detection and loud siren-like noises if it catches an unsuspecting intruder.

Salient Eye is newly available to iOS as well as Android users, so can easily be installed in most modern homes to achieve basic security measures in minutes.


“ SMARTHOME TECH IS NO LONGER EXCLUSIVE. THE LIKES OF AMAZON’S ECHO DEVICES HAVE MEANT THAT THERE ARE BUDGET-FRIENDLY OPTIONS TO GIVE YOUR HOUSE VOICE SMARTS. ADD HIVE FOR SMART HEATING, PHILIPS HUES FOR SMART LIGHTS, AND SOON EVEN SONOS, TO GIVE YOU CONTROL OVER MUSIC STREAMING AROUND YOUR HOUSE – ALL JUST BY ASKING ALEXA NICELY.”


– MARC CHACKSFIELD, EDITOR AT TECHRADAR

KITCHEN TECH:SMALL APPLIANCES


UNTIL RECENTLY, MOST KITCHEN GADGETRY HAS BEEN NOTHING MORE THAN A FAD, WITH MOST PEOPLE STICKING TO TRADITIONAL APPLIANCES RATHER THAN INVESTING IN UNNECESSARY TECH. IF IT’S BEEN A WHILE SINCE YOUR KITCHEN RECEIVED ANY UPGRADES, YOU MAY BE SURPRISED BY THE NUMBER OF APPLIANCES THAT ARE ACTUALLY MAKING LIFE EASIER IN THE HEART OF THE HOME.

HEALTHY COOKING

If you’re a health-conscious cook, there are a number of gadgets coming into the kitchen to help you count calories and achieve greater precision in meal preparation. Scales, pans, plates and even cutlery are getting ‘smart’ makeovers in order to help make you a better and healthier cook.

Beginners/Improvers

Cooking class is in session with the smart pan, which is the perfect tool for those who are stuck in a rut when it comes to cooking new recipes, or amateur chefs who don’t know their spatulas from their spaghetti spoons. With in-built weight and temperature sensors, and recipe-laden apps, smart pans claim to help their users become better chefs.

The sensors in smart pans allow users to be guided through each recipe by apps, which offer step-by-step guidance in order to (theoretically) achieve perfection with every dish.

Key players right now are Smartypans (from £200) and Pantelligent (from £170), both of which have been brought to life through crowdfunding campaigns. Claiming the upper hand, Smartypans warrants its slightly higher price due to its integration with fitness trackers and health apps, giving users an accurate look at their daily intake.

Experts

Want to take more credit for what goes on in the pan? Smart scales bring a higher level of precision to each

recipe, but still leave all the hard work to the chef. The ‘Drop’ smart scales (from £59.99) are the frontrunner in smart kitchen scales. ‘Drop’ can scale up or down a recipe to suit the available quantities or desired batch sizes and, as with smart pans, works with a smartphone app for live guidance through recipes.

Despite its conception in the 90s, the internet fridge is leaving most tech experts rather baffled as to its functionality. As most modern homes are equipped with a multitude of connected devices, the connected fridge so far seems to be ‘smart’ for the sake of being smart. For this reason, when it comes to kitchen tech, it’s the small appliances that are really

making a stir, with the larger pieces in our kitchen better left untouched for the time being.

As the nation’s wellness drive continues, we’re looking at smart scales and pans, and, on the flipside, better caffeinated and alcoholic beverages from the comfort of your own home.



TEA AND COFFEE MAKERS

Your morning cup of joe, like everything else, is now little more than the press of a button away. Coffee makers have been bringing freshly brewed, good-as-Starbucks, caffeinated goodness to our homes for years, and they’re quickly joining the rest of our appliances and getting ‘smart’.

What makes a coffee machine ‘smart’? It starts with an app. Want your coffee to be ready for when you wake up? No problem. Need to order more capsules? Got it.

Machines like Nespresso’s Prodigio (from £169.99) let you schedule the making of your morning coffee before you go to bed, ensuring you’ve got a coffee-shop-quality cuppa freshly brewed and ready before you even get up. From the smartphone app, you can also add new capsules to your

shopping list, set your coffee machine to clean, and check how many cups are left before you’ll need to refill.

We’re a nation known for our love of a good brew, so it’s quite surprising that while home coffee makers have been in and out of fashion for years, tea makers have enjoyed less success.

In recent years, however, even the most on-trend coffee makers have been sharing the spotlight with connected kettles and designated tea makers – or ‘teasmades’ as they were known in the 60s and 70s.

The modern, high-tech take on the teasmade welcomes the Qi Aerista (still in crowdfunding but expected to retail at around £200), which has been painstakingly designed to help you brew the perfect cup of tea every time. While the Qi Aerista is yet to get

connected, its settings are changeable depending on how you like your tea, and the type of leaf you’re brewing.

Less technical, but even smarter, are connected kettles. Set the kettle to boil from the car when you’re five minutes from home, or from the sofa before the ad breaks come on. As an added bonus, smart kettles are usually more environmentally-friendly by helping you boil only as much as you need, with sensors to let you know when to fill up.

HOME BAR GADGETS

More interested in Friday afternoon beverages than Monday morning ones? Don’t worry: there are appliances to make your life easier too.

Smart decanters, cocktail makers and home-brew kits are revolutionising how and what we drink at home. If your home bar is your pride and joy and you’re one for entertaining, these are the gadgets to keep your eye on. While all are relatively new, this looks to become a lucrative market, and definitely one to watch.

For craft-beer lovers

Beer fanatics have always been able to set up their own brews in their kitchens/garages/spare rooms with a selection of the right – or at least well-improvised – equipment.

If you’ve always wanted to brew your own beer but are short on time, an automated brewing system could be just what you need. While the usual home brew can take weeks

and require vigilant monitoring and precise adjustments, an automated system allows you to craft a recipe and enjoy the experience of starting from scratch, but also removes some of the effort and time usually required.

Traditional homebrewers are obviously up in arms at the automation of the process, but automated systems are becoming cheaper, more attractive and more accessible each year. The crowdfunded iGulu is currently fetching £800, which is considerably less than its competitors, which have previously dominated the market. Brewie, PicoBrew and BrewBot are the industry favourites right now, but will set you back between £1,300 and £3,000.

If you’re serious about setting up your own homebrew, it might be worth taking a backseat for a while – the competition is likely to see some more affordable little gadgets appearing in the near future.

For wannabe mixologists

Much like the automated homebrew kits, cocktail-making machines won’t be for everyone, but they certainly make hosting far simpler.

Again, a gadget that’s been years in the making, the cocktail-making machine is finally starting to look like something worth the investment. Forget ordering a Tom Cruise lookalike for a night of bartending – an automated cocktail maker knows hundreds of cocktails, allows you to create your own, and will blend each beverage to perfection.

The Somabar is priced at around £350 and includes six ‘pods’. Let the machine know which spirits and mixers you decide to fill the pods with, and access hundreds of recipes from its smartphone app. Get your party guests to download the app, and then they can choose or create their own drinks and order them from their phones. All that’s left for you to do is pass around the crisps.



KITCHEN TECH:SMART SHOPPING

RUNNING OUT OF THE ESSENTIALS IS ALWAYS A PAIN. DESPITE MOST OF US HAVING ACCESS TO 24-HOUR SHOPPING, DISCOVERING THAT WE’RE OUT OF TOILET PAPER, LAUNDRY DETERGENT OR PET FOOD STILL MEANS ANOTHER TRIP TO THE SUPERMARKET.

Amazon Prime’s answer to this: the Dash Button. This handy little gadget, which TIME has earmarked as ‘the future of shopping’, lets you order individual products as and when you need them. The Dash Button is paired with a product of your choosing; when that product is running low, you press the button, which then puts through an order from your Amazon account.

Each button can only be paired with one product, and the service is currently limited to Amazon Prime customers, in order to provide next-day delivery. Buttons cost £4.99, but this amount becomes Dash credit after your first press, making its installation free overall.

For now, Dash Buttons are only available for selected brands. For a more comprehensive – albeit more

expensive – option, Amazon Dash also powers GeniCan. Costing around £120, GeniCan is another piece of crowdfunded kitchen tech.

GeniCan is a barcode scanner that turns your bin into a personal shopping assistant. When you go to throw something away, scan the product’s barcode to add it to your in-app shopping list. For items without a barcode, the GeniCan recognises voice commands.

If you’re forgetful, these smart shopping gadgets could help you save money and minimise those times when you’re caught short on essentials. If not, this could be tech for tech’s sake, but as the Dash Button is practically free, there’s no harm in giving it a try if you’re an Amazon Prime user.



ECO HOME CENTRAL HEATING

Do you spend too much time in the winter months fiddling with the thermostat, trying to find the balance between warm and affordable? If so, you aren’t alone, and energy providers are finally doing something about it.

‘Hive’ from British Gas (from £249), and the Nest Learning Thermostat (also starting at £249) are designed to help

you keep track of how much you’re spending on heating. Using their apps, these smart thermostats allow you to not only see how much energy you’re using, but also to change the settings remotely.

This means that when you’re lying in bed on a Saturday morning and feeling a bit chilly, you can turn the heating

up a notch from the comfort of your bed. It also means that you can check whether you turned the heating off when you’re on holiday, saving you from unnecessarily big energy bills when you return.

LIGHTING

Proven to reduce our monthly energy bills, to last longer and to make our homes more eco-friendly, energy-efficient lightbulbs are nothing new, and have been widely adopted.

Making efficient lighting ‘smarter’, Philips is leading the way with the Hue range (from £59.99 for the basic starter kit), which can be implemented using a single bulb or throughout your entire home. Philips Hue lighting is available

in a variety of starter kits that give you control over simple, white light or up to 16 million colours. Implementing the full range allows you to set the mood, match your lighting to the movie you’re watching, or even recreate the ambiance of a much-loved memory by using a photo.

Being able to control your home’s lighting from your phone means having a greater level of control over energy

usage throughout your home. As with the smart thermostats, wireless control from your smartphone means being able to monitor and manage your lighting remotely, turning light on – for security reasons – or off in order to save electricity when you aren’t in the house.

ENTIRE HOME

One of the beauties of smartphone integration throughout the home is being able to connect your appliances. If you’re up-to-date with tech, you may know this as the Internet of Things (or IoT).

The IoT means we can control connected gadgets using one system. When it comes to keeping your

home energy-efficient, this becomes essential, because it allows seamless control of all your compatible gadgets.

Apps like Wemo give you access to multiple smartphone-integrated appliances all in one place. Wemo connects products such as Nest’s smart thermostat and Amazon’s Alexa,

so that all your compatible appliances can be controlled in one place.

To seamlessly manage your energy efficiency, choose appliances that will work alongside the ones you already have connected to the IoT.

NOW, MOST ASPECTS OF YOUR HOME CAN BE CONTROLLED FROM YOUR SMARTPHONE, BUT FOR MANY APPLIANCES, SMARTPHONE INTEGRATION INCREASES CONVENIENCE BUT PREDOMINANTLY ACTS AS A BIT OF A NOVELTY.

When it comes to managing your home, controlling it from your smartphone can result in huge savings. It’s becoming increasingly important to do our bit by becoming more eco-friendly, and using your phone can help you monitor and manage your energy usage and therefore save energy and money.

There are a whole host of gadgets and smartphone-controlled appliances that can help you to be more energy-efficient. Whether you want to upgrade your energy-efficient lighting or be able to control your whole home, this is the tech that can help you to minimise your global footprint.



ROBOTIC VACUUMS

If high power is your priority, robotic vacuums are still falling short of their upright ancestors. Despite big names like Dyson, Roomba and Hoover contributing their expertise to their own models, even the priciest (at £800) can’t match the suction of a traditional machine.

However, as robo-vacs take the hard work out of hoovering, you can clean up more frequently, reducing the need for high power. For the average home, these handy little robots are capable of more than sufficient cleaning power, and come with a multitude of other features to prove their worth.

With big-name brands offering machines from £250-£800, there are a lot of features to consider when choosing your robotic vacuum. Most i/Eye Robots are app-enabled, allowing you to schedule cleaning when you aren’t home, and the most advanced models use lasers to map each room, to keep track of where they’ve already been, and to return to their charging station when the battery’s low.

THE BEST ROBOTIC VACUUM CLEANERS RIGHT NOW:

— Dyson 360 Eye (£800) — iRobot Roomba 980 (£800) — Hoover Robo.com³ (£250) — AirCraft Vacuums Pilot Max Robotic Vacuum Cleaner: (£330)

THE MOST HIGHLY RECOMMENDED

Dyson 360 Eye

When it comes to vacuum cleaners, Dyson is usually at the forefront, offering greater power and more innovative features than its competition. So, it’s no surprise that the Eye 360 offers the best suction and incorporates smart technology the most effectively.

Dyson’s 360 Eye is amongst the priciest robo-vacs, but has features above and beyond those offered by its competitors. For a start, the 360 Eye uses a live-vision camera, which enables the cleaner to navigate safely around obstacles, avoid stairs, and monitor its own route, while sharing its cleaning history with you in the app. The Dyson also features tank-like tracks allowing it to tackle uneven surfaces and thick carpets.

THE MOST COST-EFFECTIVE

AirCraft Pilot Max Robotic Vacuum Cleaner

While the Dyson Eye Robot might be the favourite child in the world of robotic cleaning, it does cost around four times the price of your average upright vacuum – so it’s not the most affordable option.

If you’re looking for an automated vacuum to lighten the load when it comes to chores, but you don’t mind having to give it a helping hand every now and then, the Pilot Max is a budget-friendly option.

Though missing the smart technology that gives users remote control with the Dyson, the AirCraft Pilot is well reviewed for helping its users keep on top of housework. Without the Dyson’s live camera, the AirCraft might suffer a few more bumps and isn’t totally stair-proof, but it is an effective little helper when you need to quickly spruce up the house and are short on time.



INTELLIGENT PERSONAL ASSISTANTS

According to New Scientist, more than 100,000 people greet Alexa every morning – she, and her smart electronic friend, Google Assistant, as well as newcomers like Josh, are clearly starting to make themselves comfortable in our homes.

In the past, Siri has been the closest we’ve come to accessible AI and is usually the butt of the joke rather than a useful gadget. Now, however, we’re suddenly looking at rapid developments, and though it might be a while before we see any life-changing advances, the future is likely to be bright for IPAs.

Alexa vs. Assistant

With Apple remaining mysteriously quiet on the IPA front, Google Assistant

and Amazon Alexa are the only major contenders in the race right now, and both are receiving a lot of love from the experts.

Both Google Assistant (using the Home speaker) and Amazon Alexa (using the Dot and Echo speakers), offer entertainment, smart-home management and personal-assistant features. While the speaker options for both are of decent quality, they can’t compete with the likes of Sonos and Bose when it comes to sound reproduction. However, the Google speaker is coming out with far better results when it comes to impressing the critics.

Google also has the added bonus of Chromecast, allowing its users to ‘cast’ music and video onto connected

smart TVs and other music systems. While Google comes out on top for home entertainment, Alexa is winning hearts and minds when it comes to home management and being a helpful PA. This is predominantly down to the overwhelming third-party support that Amazon has received. This support means that Alexa is compatible with more apps – or ‘skills’ as she knows them – and other smart technology in the home.

The healthy competition between these IPAs will likely encourage each to improve in the areas where they’re let down now. There are plenty of other products in the pipeline, which are set to launch in 2017, so this market looks to be one worth watching, sure to have many exciting developments in the coming months.

INTELLIGENT PERSONAL ASSISTANTS (IPAS) TOOK THE WORLD BY STORM IN 2016. DESPITE AMAZON’S PERSONAL ASSISTANTS BECOMING AVAILABLE IN THE US DURING 2015, IN 2016 THEIR GLOBAL RELEASE SAW THE PRODUCT SELL OUT.


“ BOTH GOOGLE AND AMAZON HAVE SHOWN THEIR HAND RECENTLY WITH VOICE-ACTIVATED HUBS WHICH, RIGHT NOW, CAN CHANGE TRACKS ON SPOTIFY AND ORDER THE GROCERIES, BUT WHICH WILL, OVER TIME, BECOME THE CENTRE-POINT OF A CONNECTED HOME, WHERE EVERYTHING FROM THE LIGHTS TO THE KETTLE CAN BE CONTROLLED SIMPLY BY ASKING THIS STRANGE OBJECT ON THE COFFEE TABLE TO DO THINGS.”


— @HUNTERDOUG, ACCOUNT MANAGER AT DIMOSO PR


THIS YEAR, WE’RE GOING TO SEE A NEW SOCIAL ERA OF AI PERSONAL ASSISTANTS. THE RELEASE OF JIBO IS GOING TO BE VERY EXCITING. IT’S THE FIRST SOCIAL ROBOT, CREATED SPECIFICALLY FOR DOMESTIC INTERACTION, THAT WORKS AS A VOICE-CONTROLLED, FACE-RECOGNISING BODY, BLESSED WITH LIFELIKE MOVEMENTS TAUGHT BY FORMER DISNEY ANIMATORS. AMAZON, GOOGLE, APPLE AND MICROSOFT ARE ALSO DEVELOPING THEIR OWN VARIATIONS. — Alessia Camera, digital startup consultant and contributor at WIRED

2017 home tech: the essential guide...— nad c316bee — yamaha as300 or as301 premium options...

Documents