Smart Home

Apple announced the new Homepod Mini, a tiny smart speaker. The device features a single high-range driver and two subwoofers, as well as plenty of software smarts. Key features include Apple's trademark ecosystem integration, including Intercom, a new tool that allows people to send voice messages from the speaker to multiple other Apple devices.

The next Apple Special Event is scheduled for today (October 13, 2020) - the same day on which Evan Blass has decided to leak high-quality renders of the products thought to be involved in all their new colors. They comprise all 4 variants of the iPhone 12 series as well as the alleged new HomePod Mini.

Nokia has added updated models to its range of smart TVs sold through Flipkart in India. They include 2 new 43-inch units as well as the 2 new 32- and 50-inch sizes hinted at in an earlier leak. This new series has speakers tuned by Onkyo, a "Pronto Focal" AI engine and up to 4K/UHD resolutions.

The United States Senate had earlier commissioned an investigation into claims that the "Big Four" tech companies - Amazon, Apple, Facebook and Google - exert monopolies on the main sectors in which they operate, and, furthermore, maintain them through systems that act in their favor. This process has resulted in findings that could be interpreted to uphold these complaints.

Realme has announced a new Android smart TV with a unique display technology it called Spectral Power Distribution. The Realme SLED 4K 55-inch Android TV uses RGB light in the initial stage of picture formation, which the company claims offers excellent color gamut coverage and low blue light emissions. Also being announced is a 100 W 2.1-channel Soundbar with Bluetooth support.

Nokia started selling its Android-powered TVs in the Indian market earlier in 2020. Now, its website is building hype for two new models for this series, one of which may be more wallet-friendly than its predecessors. They are to launch in October 6, 2020, and may feature a different audio partner for their speakers this time.

Samsung appears to be targeting the Mini-LED TV market according to a new report from market analyst TrendForce. Apparently, the South Korean OEM is aiming to ship over two million Mini-LED TVs worldwide in 2021, with potential customers having a wide selection of sizes to choose from.

Mobvoi is an OEM perhaps best known for its TicWatch line of wearables. However, it has branched out into other device classes as of late. The latest example of this diversification is the Home Treadmill, a new piece of remote gym equipment rated for a compact footprint and flat storage. It joins other products such as the Amazfit AirRun in this market.

Xiaomi has launched two new 82-inch Mi Master Series smart TVs in China. The 4K model is priced at 9,999 yuan (US$1,466) and comes with a 120 Hz refresh rate and MEMC. The 8K “Extreme Anniversary Edition” utilizes a mini-LED panel and delivers double the brightness of the cheaper TV, and it costs a hefty 49,999 yuan (US$7,326).

The latest word on HarmonyOS, Huawei's alternative to Google's AOSP-based Android, was that it would not be available until 2021 at the earliest. Now, a new report claims that the OEM will release the software to developers as early as December 2020 so as to make this happen. The company may also take this opportunity to integrate smartphones into the rest of its device ecosystem.

Amazon has made the latest generations of its Echo, Echo Dot and Echo Show smart speakers official. The latter still has an in-built screen; however, this one can swivel around on its base so as to keep a user in the "eyeline" of its 13MP camera. The Echo Dot also now has multiple variants. These new smart speakers are available to pre-order from now.

Xiaomi has a special launch coming up in a few days, with the unveiling of the 82-inch Mi TV Master Ultra Edition 8K mini-LED TV with 5G connectivity. It’s claimed this will be the world’s first mass-produced 5G/8K mini-LED TV, and it is very likely the price will reflect the innovative technology utilized.

Amazon-owned connected home security brand Ring has raised eyebrows with the launch of the Ring Always Home Cam. The device combines a charging base with an in-door camera drone that will activate on the detection of movement and will send the drone out to fly around a house transmitting a live video feed to the homeowner.

Xiaomi announced MIUI for TV 3.0 back in July and now it seems some users in China have started receiving the update. MIUI for TV 3.0 offers a new refined layout for the user interface, a selection of viewing modes, and dynamic animation effects that may be limited only to Xiaomi Master Series devices.

Samsung US has announced that the OEM's TV Plus app is coming to smartphones. This means the 2020 and 2019 Galaxy Note and S flagships will be able to access this service, whereas it had only been available on smart screens prior to this. The in-house streaming service offers over 100 channels of ad-support content.

Google has indicated that it will launch new smart home products alongside the Pixels 5 and 4a (5G) at these smartphones' launch at the end of September. However, a leaks site may have spoiled any surprise left in conjunction with these devices. WinFuture purports to confirm that they will be a fresh take on the Nest speaker and Chromecast, and to have genuine product images of both.

Redmi has announced its new A Series of smart TVs for the Chinese market. The series will initially consist of five different-sized devices, with the Redmi Smart TV A55 being the first one to launch. Xiaomi is offering this 55-inch 4K TV, which runs on MIUI for TV, at a special discounted rate of 1,777 yuan (US$262).

Connected health devices are electronics that can provide links to organizations such as the Mayo Clinic or Electronic Caregiver so as to help monitor or even treat a patient in their own home. A new survey indicates that their adoption and use among US residents is growing. This is likely to be related to the fall-out from the Covid-19 pandemic and general trends in medical tech and its use.

The Pixel 5 - not to mention the 5G variant of the 4a - have been anticipated for quite some time. Now, Google has finally confirmed a date for the launch of these new smartphones. This event will also see the debut of the latest Nest speaker and Chromecast device.

Network slicing refers to the process of sharing a single network (usually for mobile data) between different use-cases (e.g. IoT or VR) in a way that renders the same connectivity optimal for each one. Therefore, its market is likely to benefit from the rise of 5G. A new market research report estimates its value will grow to US$600 million or more by 2026.

2020 may go down as the year of truly everyday video-calling and video-conferencing. Google has decided to facilitate this by adding support for its Meet and Duo apps to Android TVs. Therefore, these smart screens will be able to act as the displays for video-chats and work calls, so long as they have a camera.

A report out of China has claimed that Xiaomi is planning on adding more transparent products to its range, with a 27-inch Mi Display monitor that utilizes an OLED panel from Samsung possibly being the next device in line. The Chinese OEM just recently launched the transparent 55-inch Mi TV Lux.

Xiaomi has announced that the 98-inch Redmi Smart TV Max will soon be available in yet another flash sale for the immensely popular big television. However, it seems yet again that it will be buyers in China that will be getting great deals on the Redmi Max 98 (19,999 yuan; about US$2,924), as Xiaomi hasn’t revealed any plans to release the device outside of its domestic market.

Samsung has debuted a new ultra short throw laser projector range it is calling The Premiere. The new devices can project in 4K and are designed to integrate with contemporary house design.

Lenovo announced a new smart clock, the Smart Clock Essential. The device is basically a trimmed down version of last year's Smart Clock, featuring a simple LED display for showing the time and some other tidbits of info. The Smart Clock Essential uses the Google Assistant for voice commands and communicating with other smart home devices.

Xiaomi has seen major success with its recent TV releases. The 98-inch Redmi Smart TV Max, for example, has racked up impressive numbers every time it's been put on sale. It's no surprise, then, that Xiaomi is looking to build on that success with the release of two new massive 82-inch TVs.

Xiaomi has been teasing a new product in its extensive home projector lineup: the Xiaomi Mijia Projector Youth Edition 2. Few details have been revealed about the Mijia Projector so far, but it is scheduled for launch on September 2 and comes with a smart assistant onboard.

D-Link has released its latest AX5400 mesh router on Amazon. This device is rated for up to 6 continuous 4K content streams. Its maker claims that its speeds and bandwidth is due to its "prosumer" build and 160MHz channel.

Hachi's Infinite M1 is an AI-powered projector that can throw a working interface onto the desk or wall in front of it. Its maker originally launched it at CES 2020, and is now prepared to ship it from Amazon or its own website. It works thanks to a Snapdragon SoC and a version of Android 9.0.

Xiaomi has published some infographics to amply portray just how successful the Chinese OEM has been over the last few months. The company is now in the top four places globally for smartphone shipments and in the top five for smart TV shipments. Products such as the Mi 10 Ultra and Mi TV LUX have contributed to Xiaomi’s outstanding performance.

A noted tipster has reported that Huawei will be using the “floating screen technology” that is expected to feature with the upcoming Huawei MateBook X Pro 2020 laptop in a cutting-edge smart TV that will be unveiled by the end of 2020. The so-called floating full-screen design means to eliminate bezels and device frames as much as possible.

Xiaomi has revealed that it managed to sell 1,660 units of the 98-inch Redmi Smart TV Max in a single day thanks to the attractive combination of decent specifications and reasonable price (19,999 yuan; about US$2,877). The giant 4K Redmi Max 98 seems to be completely unrivalled in the domestic market at the moment.

Xiaomi has been celebrating its 10th anniversary in business this week and has decided to issue its own pure gold commemorative coins as an expensive keepsake for fans. The company can afford to dabble in gold when it can boast of selling 1,000 units of the 98-inch Redmi Smart TV Max in just one minute at 19,999 yuan (US$2,877) apiece.

LG USA has announced that every customer who buys an eligible OLED TV from its 2020 line-up will also get a pair of TONE Frees as a promotional gift. They are this OEM's latest TWS earbuds that are tuned by Meridian and are rated for up to 18 hours of battery life. This offer is valid until the end of August 2020.

A Weibo tipster claims that Huawei’s “Tashan” semiconductor project will start all the way at the top with experimental 45nm silicon, built using fully indigenous technology. The post indicates that a 45nm Huawei part, likely built in collaboration with a Chinese fab, will be ready within one year.

TCL has announced the latest generations of its 5- and 6-series TVs. The former has upgraded to QLED in 2020, whereas the latter now has high-end, high-density mini-LED backlighting. Both new lines have 4K resolutions and have up to 75-inch options.

Xiaomi recently announced its smart Door and Window Sensor 2 for the Chinese market. The US$7 smart sensor carries forward the tech giant’s kitchen sink approach to tech releases, from premium TV and midrange phones all the way down to single-function IoT devices.

Xiaomi released the 65-inch Mi TV Master Series last month and is set to follow it with yet another premium OLED TV. Not much has been revealed so far but word on the grapevine implies a much larger TV, with an accompanying premium in pricing.

The Sony Bravia X7400H smart TV will be released in India on August 6 via Flipkart for INR 63,990 (US$851). It comes with a 55-inch 4K LCD panel that uses Sony's proprietary Triluminos technology. Other features include support for Android TV, in-build Chromecast functionality, 20W speakers, and more.

Samsung is one of a minority of Android OEMs that bake its own in-house personal assistant into its mobile UI. However, some parties might prefer it did otherwise, not the least of which is Google. That company is reportedly offering the Korean giant a better deal to discontinue Bixby.

Xiaomi's official Twitter handle has put out a teaser, which hints that the Mi TV Stick will be released in India on August 5. It comes with a dedicated remote and will likely come with the Mi TV's Patchwall software. It is expected to cost between INR 2,000 (US$27) and INR 2,500 (US$34).

LG will soon be releasing a gigantic 163-inch 4K microLED TV. The huge device is already listed in the South Korean company’s business solutions under the model number LSAB009 (P0.9). Apparently, the 163-inch LG 4K microLED TV will be ideal for business premises and even those who consider themselves living in an ultra-premium abode.

Xiaomi is preparing another flash sale for the giant 98-inch Redmi Smart TV Max while also celebrating the news that the company shipped more TVs in China in the first half of 2020 than any other company. The Xiaomi Mi TV range is immensely popular, and with a price tag of 19,999 yuan (US$2,856), the Redmi Max 98 has also been selling well.

Xiaomi has launched MIUI for TV 3.0 software for its Mi TV range. The new overlay brings an enhanced user interface with it along with detailed animations for the menu and new operating modes, including a gamepad mode. MIUI for TV 3.0 is based on the Android TV operating system.

Realme has been sharing some impressive statistics with its followers on social media. Not only has the Chinese company managed to hit a figure of 40 million smartphone users worldwide in just over two years of existence but the brand has also been celebrating sales of 150,000 Realme C11 smartphones in 120 seconds.

Xiaomi has revealed that the giant 98-inch Redmi Smart TV Max is now in a pre-sale phase again as clearly stocks had dwindled after the amazing sales successes the Chinese OEM had with the huge device. The Redmi Max 98 is currently priced at 19,999 yuan (US$2,855), which is very reasonable for a 98-inch 4K smart TV with MEMC technology.

The Xiaomi Mi Band 4C has been spotted appearing on Amazon Spain, where the budget fitness tracker can be bought for a very reasonable €19.99 (US$23/£18). While the Chinese OEM is busy releasing wearables in Europe, it looks like Xiaomi might be also planning on adding some new Mi TVs to its range in India.

Xiaomi has announced the new Mijia Projector 2 Pro device, which is priced at 4,599 yuan (US$658). The projector is able to cast a screen of up to a maximum of 200 inches, and it features a brightness level of up to 1,300 ANSI Lumens. HDR10+ support is onboard and the Xiaomi Mijia Projector 2 Pro also implements ToF technology.

Google is currently believed to have a new generation of its Nest-branded smart home speakers in the works. A device that looks like the same from a prior leak has been certified by the Taiwanese electronics regulator NCC. It may confirm the new device's model number, as well as its dual-band Wi-Fi.