Smart home
Lenovo Laptops Can Now Turn Into Smart Displays Using Alexa’s Show Mode
In a blog post, Amazon says the new Show Mode supports many Alexa features. You can ask for information on a wide range of topics like popular recipes, play games, set reminders, create to-do lists, ask Alexa to read your favourite audiobook from Audible, and more. Additionally, users can easily control compatible smart home devices through their laptops. To enable Show Mode on a compatible laptop, just say, “Alexa, open Show Mode,” or click on the Show Mode button in the Alexa app on your laptop to get started.
“With the ‘set it and forget it’ Alexa experience in Show Mode, users can talk to Alexa on a large screen display without having to either be in front of their laptop at all times or reach for their phone to get things done,” the company explained in the blog post.
As mentioned, Show Mode will currently be available exclusively on select Alexa-compatible Lenovo Yoga, IdeaPad, and ThinkPad PCs with Windows 10 in India, Austria, Australia, Canada, France, Germany, Ireland, Japan, New Zealand, UK, and the US.
Lenovo first announced Show Mode at CES 2021 wherein it had said the Yoga Slim 9i, Yoga 9i, Yoga 7i, Yoga AIO 7 and the IdeaPad 5 Series will get it first. Lenovo advises users to ensure the devices are unlocked with an open lid and support far-field mics to make the experience of Show Mode seamless. Amazon says that it looks to expand compatibility and Show Mode will become available on additional PC models later this year.
Redmi Buds 5A, Xiaomi Robot Vacuum Cleaner S10 and Xiaomi Handheld Garment Steamer price in India
Redmi Buds 5A price in India is set at Rs. 1,499 and the company says this is a “special launch price”, which means it could be revised at a later date. The wireless headset available in Bass Black and Timeless White colourways and will be available starting on April 29, via the company’s online store, Xiaomi retail stores, and Reliance-owned stores in the country.
The Xiaomi Robot Vacuum Cleaner S10 price is set at Rs. 20,999. The smart home device will be available via Amazon, Flipkart, and Xiaomi retail stores starting on May 6, while pre orders will begin on April 29. Customers can also avail of a Rs. 1,000 discount on HDFC Bank and SBI credit card and credit card EMI transactions.
Meanwhile, Xiaomi Handheld Garment Steamer is priced at Rs. 2,299. Customers can purchase the appliance via Amazon, Flipkart, the company’s online store, and Xiaomi retail outlets starting on May 6, while pre orders will begin on April 29, according to the company.
Redmi Buds 5A, Xiaomi Robot Vacuum Cleaner S10 and Xiaomi Handheld Garment Steamer specifications
The Redmi Buds 5A is equipped with 12mm dynamic drivers, according to the company. It supports up to 25dB ANC and transparency modes for media, along with artificial intelligence (AI) environmental noise cancellation (ENC) for calls. The wireless headset also supports touch controls that can be customised via the Xiaomi Earbuds app and comes with Google Fast Pair support.
It is claimed to offer up to 30 hours of battery life (with ANC disabled), and Xiaomi hasn’t disclosed how long the Redmi Buds 5A will work on single charge. The TWS headset will also provide 90 minutes of playtime with a 10-minute charge, according to the company. It has an IPX4 rating for splash resistance.
Xiaomi Robot Vacuum Cleaner S10 avoids obstacles within an 8-meter scanning range
Photo Credit: Xiaomi
The Xiaomi Robot Vacuum Cleaner S10 is equipped with a 360-degree laser-based navigation system that is capable of moving around obstacles within an 8-meter scanning range, according to the company. It features a peak suction power of 4000Pa and a floating roller brush and a 300ml dust box.
The company’s latest vacuum cleaner can sweep and mop in Y-shaped and zigzag cleaning paths using custom map functions, with Silent, Standard, Strong, and Turbo modes. It supports both Alexa and Google Assistant voice command. It also supports over the air (OTA) updates that could improve its functionality at a later date.
Meanwhile, the Xiaomi Handheld Garment Steamer has a ceramic sole plate. The foldable 1300W device has a steam rate of 24g per minute, has a 160ml water storage unit, and heats up in under 26 seconds, according to the company. It is claimed to kill up to 99.99 percent of bacteria, while removing allergens. The device works with a range of fabrics, including cotton, linen, wool, nylon, silk, and polyester. It can also be used in horizontal and vertical modes, and can be used without an ironing board.
A free-to-roam metaverse ecosystem, Wilder World is primarily a competitive racing game that launched for alpha testing in December 2023 and will begin a wider rollout this year. The team behind the game announced its partnership with Samsung via an official post on X on Wednesday.
In Samsung’s next sale of exclusive Web3 TV bundles, fifteen select buyers will get Wilder World NFTs as rewards. Through this partnership, the metaverse game expects to add new players to its ecosystem.
Samsung, catching up with the advancements in emerging technologies, is essentially looking to connect with a newer generation of customers. The Seoul-based company is hence integrating Web3 elements like the metaverse and NFTs with its newer range of products.
Samsung has long maintained its lead in the television market. In 2023, the company reportedly occupied a 30.1 percent market share of televisions sold globally, which was slightly higher than the previous year’s 29.7 percent. With its new initiatives, Samsung could directly bring Web3 technologies to its vast user base.
This is not the first time that the tech mammoth has taken a Web3-friendly approach. In April 2023, for instance, Samsung teamed up with Crypto.com to bring asset trading services on devices from the Galaxy Z fold series.
In 2022, Samsung tied up with partners Theta Labs and Nifty Gateway to get NFTs to its smart TV and smartphone ecosystems.
In fact, the same year Samsung introduced the world’s first TV-based NFT explorer. Later that year, the company started rolling out smart TV models that came with features like NFT buying and management.
According to the report, the iPhone maker is reportedly working on two potential products. The first one is a robotic device that sits atop a table and moves a display around using robotics. The second product, which is also in development, is a mobile robot that can follow a user around their house. These products are not ready to be launched, but the former is said to be in a more advanced stage than the mobile robot, as per the report.
Development of hardware for the robotics project was reportedly overseen by Matt Costello and Brian Lynch, Apple executives who work on the company’s home products. The company is said to be looking for its next product to generate additional revenue, following the launch of the Apple Vision Pro earlier this year.
The Bloomberg report also states that Apple was planning on a three-pronged approach for new products in the coming years. One of these — a autonomous car said to be in development for over a decade — has been cancelled, while the company continues to focus on smart home and mixed reality products, such as the first-generation Apple Vision Pro.
The rumoured robotics-enabled products from Apple would likely compete with existing products from companies like Amazon’s $1,599 (roughly Rs. 1.33 lakh) invitation-only Astro robot that is available in the US. There’s currently no word from Apple — the company is known for keeping its products and services under wraps until they are ready to be announced — on plans to develop or sell smart home products equipped with robotic features, and it is possible that these initial devices might never be sold by the company.
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