Karl Utermohlen
Former Digital Trends Contributor
Author/Co-Author of 24 articles
Karl Utermohlen is a finance and tech journalist with an MFA in creative writing from the University of Idaho. his do Zelda is a constant ray of sunshine.
Brinno SHC500 is an inconspicuous digital peephole that records video
The Brinno SHC500 is a smart peephole that gives you a crisp image of what a visitor looks like through a 2.7-inch high-definition screen.
August Home’s smart locks now come with a deeper Amazon Alexa integration
August Home is rolling out a new line of smart locks and doorbell that is available for pre-orders now. Here's what you should know about it.
ASTI LectroFan Kinder sings soothing sounds that serenade you to sleep
You can now enjoy better sleep with ASTI's LectroFan Kinder, which offers lullabies, sounds of nature, as well as various lighting options.
Naughty Alexa, a feces-smearing Roomba, and more hilarious smart-home fails
From toddlers accidentally giving naughty requests to Alexa to guys trying to delete inappropriate viewing history on their girlfriend’s TVs, here are six seriously funny smart home fails.
Guardzilla 360 keeps you safe with a camera that rotates in any direction
Guardzilla has unveiled a new security system - the Guardzilla 360, which features a 360-degree camera that captures panoramic videos in HD.
Sears will no longer sell Whirlpool appliances, ending 100-year relationship
Sears announced it will no longer sell Whirlpool appliances in its stores following a century of business between the two companies.
Of course the world needs this noise-canceling fork that masks noodle slurping
Nissin's Otohiko is a noise canceling fork that can drown out the slurping noises from eating ramen by emitting a sound to counteract it.
Brighten your home in 64,000 shades of white through Wiz Connected Lights
Wiz Connected Lights can light up your home in 64,000 different shades of white and 16 million colors using your remote smartphone app.
Sony brings back robot dog Aibo with smart home features
Sony announced it will be giving the robot dog Aibo another chance by building a new version of it that doubles down as a smart home hub.
Choosy? You can light up your home in 16 million colors with these solutions
The LIFX Beam and Tile kits offer ambient lighting kits that can illuminate in more than 16 million colors and create patterns on your wall
Grow Duo adds some 21st-century brains to your old-fashioned garden
The Grow Duo is a smart gardening device that helps you develop a garden, with useful tools such as automatic watering.
Bored with ironing? Effie quickly irons up to 12 items of clothing at once
Effie takes care of ironing for you. Just add up to 12 clothing items, and you'll have ironed clothes in about 3 minutes.
Smarter Coffee brews your java with voice commands
Smarter Coffee can brew your coffee drink from afar using a smartphone app or voice commands as it can link up to Alexa and other smart hubs.
Now you can tell your Google Home to remind you of an event
Google Home voice-activated reminders are now a reality, allowing you to tell your smart device when and where you need to be by voice.
The Euclid measuring cup keeps you from adding too much liquid while cooking
The oddly shaped Euclid measuring cup, being developed by a former Google engineer, will help your accuracy when measuring liquids
Amazon Alexa and the Mayo Clinic team up to provide public health information
Amazon Alexa has teamed up with the Mayo Clinic to offer first aid. The Alexa-Mayo Clinic partnership offers health advice and more.
Performance artist serves itty-bitty empanadas, more from a tiny street kitchen
Tom Brown is a performance artist who's been getting attention over his portable tiny street kitchen that serves bite-sized foods to people.
NASCAR driver Denny Hamlin’s house is a smart home masterpiece
NASCAR racer Denny Hamlin commissioned Interactive Interiors to build the smart home of his dreams, which uses the Elan control system.
Infani smart baby monitor gives parents peace of mind, a little extra shut-eye
The Infani smart baby monitor is a new product that lets you keep an eye on your child's breathing and other activities through IR sensors.
‘South Park’ episode triggers viewers’ Amazon Alexa devices with raunchy requests
The latest 'South Park' episode involves Cartman asking Alexa to say various obscenities, which resulted in viewers' Echo devices responding.
Don't bet on your dishwasher saving your valuables during a storm
Putting your personal items in your dishwasher will not protect them from water and mud, even if they are placed inside Ziploc bags.
See how a countertop fits in your kitchen before you buy it with Cambria AR app
The Cambria AR app is a new way to see what your countertops and kitchen islands would look like by displaying various designs digitally.
Sprint-Vivint partnership lets consumers get smart home devices in stores
The Sprint-Vivint partnership means that consumers can buy an array of Vivint items in Sprint's brick-and-mortar stores.
Sharp home appliance lineup at IFA includes washer that auto-dispenses detergent
The lineup of Sharp home appliances at IFA 2017 includes an auto-dispensing laundry detergent washing machine and a dishwasher that can finish a load in less than 20 minutes