Since the dawn of civilization, we have always strived for achieving maximum efficiency in our day-to-day life. Among the many advancements that we made in search of achieving efficiency, technology proved to be the most effective and viable solution to this perennial problem. From smartphones in our pockets to a smart house equipped with smart gadgets, not only are we surrounded by gadgets, our lives are intertwined with it and there is no way to escape it.
In the following, we will discuss some of those smart gadgets of 2020 that can help make your life a bit easier, efficient, and a whole lot more exciting.
SAMSUNG QLED Q950 8K BEZEL-LESS TV
This year’s Consumer Electronic Shows at Las Vegas brought plenty of amazing technology to consumers but among them, the piece of tech that stood out from the rest is the 43-inch QLED Q950 8K madness from Samsung. The bezel on this TV is so thin that it appears to be almost non-existent when the panel is turned on. That said, the panel is only 15 millimeters thick and has a 99% screen-to-body ratio but yet Samsung somehow managed to put 6 speakers inside!
The TV also comes with an AI quantum processor that combines machine learning and deep learning to enhance the upscaling function (as we are not yet entered in the 8K era and lack any real content at all), which changes the image quality to 8K regardless of the original picture quality. The new “Adaptive Picture” technology of this TV identifies the environment and automatically adjusts the screen brightness and contrast for a better viewing experience. The Q950 comes with 3 screen sizes – 65-inches, 75-inches, and 85-inches.
Although the release date and price are still unknown, it is estimated that the Q950 will be available later in the second quarter of 2020.
Wemo Mini Wi-Fi Smart Plug
Wemo Mini is a smart plug that lets you control any device that is attached to it via your smartphones – from anywhere. One of the best features of this device is that it works with HomeKit, Alexa, and Google Assistant and takes less than two minutes to set up. Since it directly connects with the Wi-Fi, you can control and schedule lights and appliances from your mobile devices. Just download their free app which is available for both Apple iOS 10 or higher and Android 4.4 or higher.
To give you a detailed look at what is going on with your appliances, it sends you push notifications about device activity. Also, you can do a lot of things with your household appliances such as scheduling the fan to turn on before you arrive, setting an on and off timer for your lights and appliances, synchronizing devices to sunrise, sunset, or pre-set times automatically. “Away Mode”, on the other hand, will let you turn your lights on and off randomly to make it look like you’re home even when you’re not.
All in all, at $24.99, Wemo Mini Wi-Fi is one of the smallest and most reasonable smart devices that you can buy this Spring of 2020.
BenjiLock by Hampton Livia Deadbolt
When ensuring the safety and security of your home is your main concern, a smart lock can serve you greatly. BenjiLock, a company with an impeccable history with smart locks, brought its newest smart lock called BenjiLock by Hampton Livia Deadbolt at the CES 2020. With an array of special features and cutting edge technology, we saw quite a few smart lock systems in CES 2020, but Benjilock’s new Livia Deadbolt stood out for its attractive design, advanced features, and ease of use.
In order to open the lock, you have multiple options; you can use fingerprint, passcodes, Hampton’s Array by Hampton app, geofencing (enabling the door to lock or unlock based on your proximity) Alexa, Google Assistant, or Apple HomeKit. You can also use the app to control other Hampton locks and smart devices. You can store up to 10 fingerprints and set 25 PIN codes, also you can limit access and assign keys to use temporarily. Among many other features, Deadbolt’s ability to connect directly to the Wi-Fi to access all the automation features is another standout convenience. You also have the option to choose a Bluetooth-only version, if you want to keep your lock away from the internet. All these features make this Deadbolt one of the best smart gadgets of CES 2020.
At $229, BenjiLock by Hampton Livia Deadbolt will be available from March 2020.
Kohler Moxie
Moxie, a showerhead with smart Alexa speakers by Kohler, is an amazing smart home device that you can use to listen to music, weather forecast, and other things while you are showering. The speaker was made by audio giant Harman Kardon, and it sounds amazing. Kohler Moxie Showerhead is smartly designed. The showerhead is a circular ring, while the Alexa-enabled speaker is a conical component that slots into the middle. The speaker is held into place magnetically and charges with a bundled, cordless dock. You can also order the speaker separately for $159.
For many people, showering is a monotonous task and it can be the perfect time to listen to music, catch up on emails or check out the weather forecast. This amazing product is one of the best smart gadgets that has been showcased in the CES 2020.
At a packaged price of $229, this showerhead will be available later in Q2 of this year.
Nanoleaf Unified Light Panels
Last year at CES, Nanoleaf unveiled its colorful set of square LED wall panels that you could arrange however you want, called Canvas. In retrospect, the Canvas was amazing but with a few shortcomings. For example, the adhesive that holds the panels to the wall was not reusable, so it was not possible to move the panels without ripping the paint off your wall. Also, the connectors were flimsy and the touch controls were built into just one square. This year, however, Nanoleaf fixed all these issues with its newest addition called Unified Light Panels.
The adhesive is now reusable and you can rearrange the panels as much as you want. The connectors are larger and sturdier and the touch controls are no longer built into just one square. Instead, they’re built into a plastic attachment that you can place on a panel of your choice.
The nine included modular hexagonal panels change color in response to music, touch and have hundreds of preloaded and customizable lighting scenes. This Nanoleaf Unified Light Panels Smarter Kit makes it easy to design custom scenes, program gestures and set schedules using the included app. Additionally, it can be used with other Smart Home ecosystems. You can activate scenes through programmed touch gestures or your voice via Apple HomeKit, Amazon Alexa, Google Assistant, the Nanoleaf app, or IFTTT. There are also a couple of built-in games, if you’re into that.
Nanoleaf Unified Light Panels kit is priced at $119.99 and will be available from summer 2020.
As we are moving to a more efficient and smarter lifestyle, it is only natural that technology will take over our lives even more than it already has. With all these smart gadgets and appliances, we are several steps closer to a full autonomous lifestyle. Why compromise when you can bring some of these smart gadgets to your home to make your life simply amazing?
