Image used with permission by copyright holderThis year’s Consumer Electronic Show hasn’t yet started, but we already can tell — just from the slew of emails in our inboxes — that Alexa and other voice assistants will be big. One of the major trends from last year’s show was Alexa in everything, but for CES 2018, Samsung is bucking the trend by adding a different voice assistant into its smart Family Hub refrigerator: Bixby.
In the Samsung Family Hub fridge, Bixby will activate when you say something like, “Bixby, add grapes to my shopping list.”
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Samsung announced the plan to put its voice assistant into its TVs and Hub fridges last year. Initially, Bixby launched in the U.S. in Galaxy S8 phones (after some delays), then slowly made updates and improvements over the next few months. Samsung claims Bixby is an improvement over Google Assistant or Amazon Alexa because its AI can adapt to you, learning from your habits and speech patterns. Not everyone loves it on their phones, but it’s still young compared to Siri, Alexa, and Google Assistant.
In the Samsung Family Hub fridge, Bixby will activate when you say something like, “Bixby, add grapes to my shopping list.” The Family Hub also integrates with grocery delivery apps like Instacart. If you want to listen to music through the fridge’s speakers, Bixby can connect to Pandora or Spotify. The voice assistant can also take a few tasks away from the Family Hub’s screen, by telling you the weather or what events are on your calendar. The fridge has profiles to let family members get more personalized results, and Bixby is also supposed to be able to distinguish between users’ voices.
In addition to Bixby, Samsung’s Smart Hub gateway is getting an app overall, ditching the appliances app for SmartThings integration — an open platform that works with hardware from Philips, Netgear, ecobee, and many more companies, putting all your connected gear under one app.
Owners will also be able to browse new apps on the fridge, like Pinterest and Buzzfeed’s Tasty. A new Meal Planner gives families recipes based on what’s in the fridge, favorite foods, and dietary restrictions. With four new models coming later in 2018, Samsung brings the total to 14 Family Hub refrigerators, though as of now they all cost over $3,000.
The best smart light switch for Alexa, Google Home, and HomeKit
One of the most satisfying smart home devices to see in action are smart lights. The thrill of dimming bulbs and changing colors with an app or voice commands has yet to wear off, and it’s one of the easiest products to set up, schedule, and troubleshoot. But what if you want to add smart capabilities to an existing light fixture? If you’re dealing with a ceiling fan, sconce, or some other pre-wired bulbs, you’ll just need to invest in a smart light switch.
These web-connected products come in multiple gang box sizes, and are sold by many different companies. Not all switches are created equal though, and we wanted to round up the best options for those with Alexa, Google Home, and HomeKit ecosystems. So we’ve done just that!
From Ninja to Cuisinart: The 5 best Keurig alternatives in 2024
There’s nothing better than a hot cup of coffee in the morning. Unfortunately, not all of us have the time to brew a fresh pot before we hit the road. That’s where small appliances like the Keurig come in handy though. Designed to whip up a great-tasting mug of warm delight in just a few minutes, it’s hard to beat the convenience delivered by the popular brand. But Keurig isn’t the only name in town.
If you’ve got a lot of mugs to fill in the morning, or you think you could score a better deal by going with a non-Keurig model, we’re on your side! Here’s five Keurig alternatives for 2024 you can buy right now.
When you spend half (or more) of your day in an office chair, a $50 budget-buy store brand isn’t the kind of purchase you should be making. Not only are these cheap items more likely to break down over time, but there’s a good chance this kind of chair isn’t going to have the elevated support features your body needs. That’s why we’ve put together this list of the five best office chairs for long hours in 2024.
Each of these models are tailor-made for those of us who need a comfortable chair that feels good all day. We’ve also made sure to include a couple of options for folks who experience back pain, shoulder strain, and other sore conditions.
