Smart Home

The Konka R7 Mini QD-LED TV is now on sale in China. The new model is available in sizes between 55-in and 75-in and has a native 4K@144Hz resolution, making it suitable for gaming. Other features include HDR10+ and Dolby Vision support, Wi-Fi 6, voice commands and JBL Pro audio.

The TCL 115-in X11G Max QD-Mini LED TV is now available to pre-order in China. The large display has up to 5,000 nits brightness and over 20,000 dimming zones. Other features include built-in 6.2.2 speakers with Dolby Atmos, an HDMI 4K 144Hz port and support for FreeSync Premium Pro.

The flagship home theater ultra-short throw (UST) projector with Leica branding has finally become available in the US. The Cine 1 throws an image of up to 120 inches in size at up to 3,000 nits of brightness in XPR-upscaled 4K. It also packs 50W Dolby Atmos-enhanced speakers and has Google TV for its smart-home features.

The Xiaomi Mijia Magnetic Reading Light is now crowdfunding via Youpin. The lamp has up to 150 lumens brightness and comes with an adjustable magnetic stand, allowing you to adjust the angle of the light. Plus, you can adjust the brightness of the battery-powered lamp to suit your needs.

The Hookii Neomow X and Neomow X Pro robot lawn mowers are now crowdfunding at Kickstarter. The gadgets start from US$1,199, with the campaign gathering over 700 backers to date. Features of the front-wheel drive robots include LiDAR navigation, Wi-Fi connectivity and app controls.

TCL has unleashed the X955 as the new flagship of its QD-Mini LED 4K TV series. The device is touted as the first of its kind with 5,000 nits of brightness and over 5,000 full array local dimming (FALD) zones. The X955 comes with an "Ultra Slim Design" despite its wall-hogging size options, and boasts an up to 160W Onkyo-branded sound system.

Xming by Formovie has launched an Indiegogo crowdfunding campaign for the Page One LCD projector. The 1080p gadget can throw images up to 120-in (~305 cm) wide with up to 300 ANSI lumens brightness. Other features include Google TV, integrated Boston Acoustics speakers and ultra-low input lag.

Samsung has discounted its Q70C QLED 4K TVs in the US, with discounts available at its online store, Amazon and Best Buy. The 65-in model has the most significant price cut versus its RRP, now selling for US$897.99. The 2023 model includes 4K upscaling, Motion Xcelerator Turbo+ and dual LED backlights.

Xiaomi has launched the Mijia Sweeping Robot 3 in China. The new model is cheaper than its predecessor, the Mijia Sweeping Robot 2 and the recently released Mijia Sweeping Robot 3S. Despite its lower price, the device still has 4,000 Pa suction power, vibration mopping and Mijia smart home integration.

Roborock has launched the P10 Pro robot vacuum cleaner in China. The device brings many new features, including an Apple Watch quick launch tool and offline voice commands. The robot has a self-cleaning docking station with a higher dynamic mop washing temperature of 60°C (~140°F).

SwitchBot has launched the Curtain 3. The new smart curtain opening and closing robot works with regular curtains on different rail types. Features of the latest model include Matter compatibility and a more powerful and quieter motor.

Kowoll has started a new Kickstarter campaign for the Kolmower M28E following issues surrounding the initial launch. The robot lawn mower uses LiDAR and RTK-GPS to navigate your lawn, with obstacle avoidance and rain detection features. Plus, you can adjust various settings via an accompanying app.

Xiaomi has launched the Redmi Smart TV A50 2024 in China. The new model has a 4K resolution and a 50-in display. Features include built-in speakers, voice commands and wireless screen casting. The model is relatively cheap, currently on sale for the discounted price of 1,349 yuan (~US$185).

Philips has launched its 4K Ambilight OLED708 TV in Europe, already on sale in the UK and Germany. The new model is available in sizes from 48 to 65-in, with the company’s immersive colorful experience. Other features include Dolby Vision and Atmos, AMD FreeSync Premium and NVIDIA G-Sync.

IKEA is rolling out a Control Anywhere feature to its Home Smart app. Update 1.16.3 has provided some users in the UK with the new tool, with IKEA rolling out the feature in phases. Control Anywhere will allow you to operate products in your IKEA smart home system via Wi-Fi or mobile networks.

Jackery's latest "Stay Powered, Stay Prepared" flash sale has kicked off with up to US1,200 off select Explorer-series portable power stations and SolarSaga solar panels. There is also ~20% off the OEM's flagship Solar Generator 3000 Pro bundle, with codes valid for under 72 hours from now (August 21, 2023).

The sturdy and super-bright TV has an all-metal shell with many of the same features as a modern indoor TV including 5 GHz Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, Android TV, HDMI Arc, and 4K HDR.

Samsung has announced a second generation of its innovative The Freestyle projector, designed to throw a 1080p image of 30 to 100 inches in size anywhere in an automatic "Point and Play" manner. This new variant is shipped pre-loaded with a Hub full of gaming apps such as NVIDIA GeForce NOW, Amazon Luna, Twitch and Xbox Game Pass out of the box.

The Samsung S95B OLED 4K smart TV has been discounted further in the US. The 55-in model is now available for US$1,348.99, and the 65-in version reduced to US$1,589.99. The model, launched in 2022, has Quantum Dot technology and a Neural Quantum Processor for 4K upscaling.

Xiaomi has launched a crowdfunding campaign in China for its Mijia Smart Massage Chair. The product uses AI to determine what pressure to apply via rollerballs and air cushions. You can adjust the chair's settings with a remote control, voice commands, or the Xiaomi app, where you can customize your experience further.

The Xiaomi Mijia Almighty Sweeping Robot 2 is now on sale in China. The vacuum cleaner has up to 6,000 Pa suction power and can also be used to mop your floors. Plus, an intelligent docking station allows hands-free cleaning for up to 75 days.

XGIMI has launched a pre-order event for its H6 Pro 4K projector in China. The device has a hybrid light source, combining LED and laser, for high brightness and accurate colors. Other features of the gadget include true 4K lossless scaling, smart obstacle avoidance and built-in speakers.

A pre-order event for the Xiaomi Mijia Vertical Air Conditioner 5 HP has been launched in China. The new model is powerful, suitable for spaces between 50 and 80 m² (~538 and 861 ft²) in size. Plus, you can control the smart home gadget via an app, with voice commands or using the built-in touch screen.

Xiaomi has listed the new Smart Air Fryer 6.5L on its global website. The model is large enough to roast a whole chicken and can be used for multiple cooking methods, with a top temperature of 220°C (~428°F). Smart features include automatic warming after cooking and a degreasing tool for healthier food.

The Hookii Neomow X robot lawn mower has been unveiled. The new model does not require a boundary wire, instead using LiDAR SLAM navigation with obstacle avoidance technology. The gadget is suitable for lawns up to 5,000 m² (~53,820 ft²) in size and can be controlled via a smartphone app.

Huawei might be able to release smartphones with 5G again, even those of the mid-range Nova series as well as high-end P50 or Mate 50 successors, soon. The OEM has registered a whole host of new products with model numbers traditionally associated with up-to-date mobile connectivity within its company. They all also seem to come with slightly outmoded Bluetooth specs, however.

The Hisense PX2-Pro is a new DLP and ultra-short throw projector that can create up to 130-inch images in 4K at 2,400 ANSI lumens. The projector also has 30 W built-in speakers that support Dolby Audio, among other features.

The BenQ GV31 portable projector has been unveiled and is currently on sale in the UK, Australia and Singapore. The gadget has up to 300 ANSI lumens brightness and a wide adjustable projection angle, allowing you to throw images onto a wall or the ceiling. Plus, the device has built-in speakers and can play movies for up to 180 minutes using its integrated battery.

The Xiaomi Xiaomi Home Screen Pro 8 is an 8-inch gadget designed to control smart home devices. Equipped with an 8-inch touchscreen dispdlay, the Xiaomi Home Screen Pro 8 also has a 7,500 mAh battery and can be picked up in China for CNY 749 (~US$104).

HarmonyOS 4.0 contains a number of new features oddly reminiscent of the newer versions of iOS, Live Windows included. It is a new animated pill for the top or top corner of a given device's screen, which can expand as it tracks functions such as recordings and countdowns. Accordingly, Huawei's adoption of this UI tweak might officially endorse certain Mate 60-series display upgrade rumors.

Samsung's second-gen smart tag is indeed on track to launch soon, according to new documentation from the Federal Communications Commission (FCC). The regulator indicates that it may have grown in size compared to the inaugural Galaxy SmartTag, and contains two antenna types for different modes of connecting to paired or related devices. Accordingly, the SmartTag2 is thought to consolidate the features of Samsung's standard and premium smart tracker devices in this generation.

Wanbo's latest projector is in fact a re-boot of an earlier model that was designed to be as compact as possible while still offering an "HD" throw and in-built speakers. The "New" version of the T2 purports to have taken a step up in terms of brightness compared to its forebear, as well as to "much smarter" AI-powered auto-focus (AF). The new miniature gadget is now priced at under US$200.

TCL has launched its new 98-in C955 Mini LED TV in Japan. The model has up to 2,000 nits brightness, built-in Google TV and support for Dolby Vision IQ. Gaming features of the device include support for 4K@144Hz VRR and Game Accelerator, and the TV is AMD FreeSync Premium Pro certified.

The Hisense U8K Mini LED TV has arrived in the UK and EU. The model, launched in the US in June, comes in 55-in, 65-in and 75-in sizes. The TV features a Mini LED HDR 1500 display, a 144Hz refresh rate, AI 4K upscaling and Google Assistant or Amazon Alexa voice commands.

Unlike most other neck fans, the Pro3 has a built-in negative ion generator to supplement the regular fan. In practice, however, the neck fan is now larger and some users may not find the ionizer worth the overall bulkier size.

The TCL C11G Pro TV has arrived in China. The new model follows the C11G, which launched earlier this year. The C11G Pro is a 4K Mini LED TV with up to 1,500 nits brightness and a 144 Hz refresh rate. Other features include integrated 2.1.2 channel speakers, Dolby Vision IQ and AMD FreeSync Premium Pro.

Available since late 2022, when it launched with a US$1,499.99 price tag, the Samsung Odyssey G85SB (model LS34BG850SNXZA) is a 34-inch curved gaming monitor with a QD-OLED panel that has finally dropped below the US$1,000 threshold less than a week ago. Thanks to a generous 33% discount, its price fell to US$999.99.

In addition to the high-end Dolby Atmos system from Bose, the much more affordable Bose Soundbar 300 has also dropped to its lowest price ever as Amazon has shaved 33 percent off the official list price as part of its ongoing Prime Day.

Honor has introduced its latest smart TV as the Smart Screen 5. Its 4K display supports HDR10 and variable refresh rate technology that optimizes its up-to-144Hz output over HDMI 2.1, although the OEM asserts that it can do even better than that while used for gaming. The new TV also boasts a 50MP 1080p webcam for video calls, among other UI tricks.

Xiaomi has listed the Multi-function Camping Lantern on its global website, suggesting it could soon launch in markets like the EU. The gadget was initially available via a crowdfunding campaign in China which began earlier this year. The two-in-one device can be controlled via an app, with adjustable brightness and colors.

SwitchBot has released a new update for its Smart Lock, making it Matter compatible; the Hub 2 and iOS app have also been updated. The support for the protocol enables you to control the smart home gadget via various systems, including Apple Home, Amazon Alexa and Google Home.

Samsung has launched its new 98-in Class OLED 4K Q80C TV in the UK and the EU; the TV is also available to pre-order in the US. Customers who purchase the model may be eligible for free gifts such as a Q-Series Cinematic Soundbar. The device uses the Samsung Neural Quantum Processor 4K and Tizen OS and has gaming features like Motion Xcelerator Turbo+.

The 2023 Samsung S90C OLED 4K Smart TV is now available in an 83-in size in the US. The model has a Pantone-validated display, 4K upscaling technology and support for HDR10+. Other features include Motion Xcelerator Turbo+, Freesync Premium and various voice assistants.

Huawei has introduced a new version of the Smart Screen S3 Pro, its high-end Smart TV series that runs HarmonyOS 3.1. Now available as an 86-inch version, the new Smart Screen S3 Pro features a 4K and 120 Hz panel that peaks at 500 nits with 93% DCI-P3 colour space coverage. The extra size, brightness and colour accuracy come at a significant cost increase compared to the existing 75-inch variant, though.

Nebula has made the new Mars 3 portable projector available to pre-order in regions including North America and Europe. The device can be purchased at full price via Amazon or the brand’s online store, with a discount campaign still running for those willing to place a deposit. The outdoor projector has up to 1,000 ANSI lumens brightness and a 200-in (~508 cm) screen size.

Sony touts the HT-AX7 as a revolution in the portable wireless home audio space. It is technically a modular kit, with 2 'satellite' sub-speakers that can detach from the main unit to create a "bubble" of "three-dimensional surround sound" around the user or users with 360 Spatial Sound Mapping technology. The HT-AX7 set is rated to last for up to 30 hours per charge, and is available to order from now.

Honor has announced that it will debut a new tablet during its upcoming major product event. The first-gen MagicPad is touted to alter perceptions in its market with a potentially distinctive 13-inch display with an "eye-protecting" IMAX tie-in on top of that. It is now officially slated to debut alongside a new eSIM-enabled smartwatch and smart TV.

Coocaa has launched its K3 TV, in sizes from 50-in to 75-in, now available in China. The 4K model has a 99.5% screen-to-body ratio, and the larger displays have a 120Hz refresh rate. Other features include a large 2+32GB memory, voice controls and wireless screencasting via Wi-Fi.

Prime Day does not start until July 10 this year - nevertheless, Wemax has chosen to alert its fans to the potential deals it has to offer in conjunction with that event. It will take place on the OEM's webstore as well as on Amazon, and promises "up to 50% off" its laser projectors, some of which support up to 4K resolutions and integrate "breathtaking" ALPD technology.