Tag: The Verge

At CES 2026, Samsung announced an exciting update to its Family Hub smart refrigerator line, introducing voice-activated door opening and closing functionality. Through the integration of Bixby voice control, users can now effortlessly command the fridge to ‘Shut the door’ or ‘Open the door,’ with the door opening fully beyond 90 degrees. Additionally, users can activate the door movement by tapping it with their palm or the back of their hand, providing convenience, especially while cooking or when hands are dirty.

This innovation not only enhances the user experience but also signifies a significant step forward in accessibility features. Furthermore, Samsung announced that the Family Hub line will benefit from an AI upgrade dubbed Gemini. The AI Vision technology, responsible for recognizing items inside the fridge, will now leverage Google’s large language model (LLM) to identify various fresh and processed food items instantly. This advancement aims to assist users in meal planning and reduce food waste effectively.

Source: The Verge

Mammotion has introduced the Luba 3 AWD, the latest version of its robotic lawnmower equipped with lidar technology for precise mapping capabilities. Revealed at CES 2026, the Luba 3 AWD features lidar sensors that can create a detailed 3D map of your yard, scanning from the ground up to the treetops with exceptional centimeter-level accuracy.

The lidar system is part of Mammotion’s advanced “Tri-Fusion” technology, integrating lidar, geopositioning tools, and an AI chip with cameras for enhanced yard analysis and navigation. Building on the success of the Luba Mini AWD, the Luba 3 AWD boasts an upgraded lidar system with a 360-degree horizontal and 59-degree vertical field of view, capable of scanning distances of up to 330 feet.

In addition to lidar, the Luba 3 AWD incorporates dual 1080p cameras and an improved AI chip for better obstacle detection, including pets, toys, and over 300 other obstacles in various lighting conditions. It also utilizes NetRTK geopositioning technology, enabling wireless navigation without the need for physical base stations or cables.

The Luba 3 AWD maintains its cutting-edge specifications, such as a 15.8-inch cutting width, dual six-blade discs, and four independently driven motors for steep slope maneuverability. The robot lawnmower now includes a more powerful 15Ah battery, allowing it to cover up to 7,000 square feet per hour or 1.75 acres per day.

Source: The Verge

Shure has unveiled an updated version of its MV88 microphone, now featuring a USB-C connector for direct compatibility with smartphones, as reported by The Verge. The original MV88, launched in 2015 with a Lightning connector, has been modernized to align with current technology standards. Unlike the previous MV88+, which required a cable connection, the new MV88 USB-C seamlessly mounts onto phones and tablets.

The MV88 USB-C boasts a condenser microphone with versatile polar pattern options, including stereo, mono cardioid, mono bidirectional, and raw mid-side. To enhance the user experience, Shure offers dedicated apps such as MOTIV Video, MOTIV Audio (for mobile), and MOTIV Mix (for desktop) that provide presets and manual controls for gain, a five-band EQ, limiter, compressor, and high-pass filter for precise sound adjustments.

For effortless content creation, users can simply plug the MV88 USB-C into their smartphones, activate the Auto Level Mode and Real-time Denoiser, and commence vlogging or livestreaming with minimal setup. Additionally, the microphone’s included foam windscreen ensures clear audio capture in various environments, even amidst noisy surroundings.

The MV88 is competitively priced at $159, positioning it alongside wireless lav microphones like those from Rode. While wireless lavs may be preferable for solo vlogging, the MV88 shines in scenarios where capturing ambient sounds or multiple subjects simultaneously is essential.

Source: The Verge

At CES 2026, Withings introduced its latest smart scale, the $599.95 Body Scan 2, focusing on comprehensive cardiovascular and metabolic health tracking. The scale features eight electrodes on the scale itself and an additional four electrodes in a retractable handle, providing more accurate upper-body data measurement compared to traditional smart scales. In addition to weight, heart rate, and body composition, the Body Scan 2 offers a 90-second ‘longevity assessment’ that tracks over 60 biomarkers related to heart performance, artery health, cellular health, and metabolic efficiency. Withings aims to simplify the data interpretation for users by providing a Health Trajectory score, visualizing their overall health trends.

Withings’ director of product management, Antoine Joussain, emphasized the importance of daily health monitoring and the ease of tracking key indicators over time. This approach aligns with the industry trend of integrating more comprehensive health tracking into wearable devices and smart scales. The Body Scan 2’s expanded biomarker tracking sets it apart from conventional scales, offering users deeper insights into their overall health and well-being.

Source: The Verge

Ikea has introduced its latest Sjöss USB-C charger, priced at just $3.99, offering a cost-effective alternative to higher-priced options from Apple and Anker. This new 20W charger follows Ikea’s previous releases of a $8 30W version and a $35 65W model, expanding its range of affordable charging solutions.

Compared to Apple’s $19 20W USB-C Power Adapter and Anker’s $11.99 Nano Pro 20W USB-C charger, Ikea’s offering stands out for its competitive pricing. While slightly larger and heavier than Anker’s option, the Ikea charger provides a practical solution for users who may need multiple chargers for various locations.

The 20W Sjöss charger does not include a USB-C cable, but Ikea adds a fun touch by including a set of colored stickers for personalization, enhancing the user experience and allowing for easy identification of chargers within a household.

Source: The Verge

SwitchBot, a leading smart home company, has announced the Onero H1, a new humanoid household robot set to debut at CES 2026. The Onero H1 is designed to tackle a range of household chores, from operating a coffee machine to folding and putting away clothes.

Equipped with articulated arms and hands, along with advanced perception capabilities powered by multiple cameras, the Onero boasts an impressive 22 degrees of freedom for nimble movements. Utilizing an OmniSense vision-language-action (VLA) model, the robot can learn and adapt to different tasks and home environments, enhancing its versatility and functionality.

While the Onero may not have legs, its wheeled base ensures mobility and accessibility throughout the home, making it a practical addition to any household seeking automation solutions. The demo video shared by SwitchBot showcases the robot’s ability to perform various tasks with precision and efficiency.

Source: The Verge

The Connectivity Standards Alliance (CSA) has announced the upcoming launch of Aliro, a smart lock standard that aims to revolutionize home security. Aliro’s first specification introduces NFC-based tap-to-unlock and UWB hands-free unlocking capabilities for smart locks, offering a standardized communication protocol for trusted smartphones and wearables to act as digital keys.

According to Nelson Henry, Chair of the Aliro Steering Committee, the standardized credential and communication protocol has successfully passed its final verification milestone and is scheduled to debut in Q1 2026.

Originally unveiled in 2023, Aliro represents an open standard that enables seamless communication between smart locks and various mobile devices, regardless of the manufacturer or platform. This development is expected to broaden the availability of features akin to Apple’s Home Key functionality, allowing users to utilize their smartphones as digital keys for tap-to-unlock operations using NFC technology.

Furthermore, with the inclusion of UWB-powered hands-free unlocking, Aliro aims to enhance user convenience by automatically unlocking doors as individuals approach, a feature recently introduced by Apple for its Home Key system.

By fostering industry-wide collaboration and compatibility, Aliro paves the way for Android devices and other smart home platforms to access these cutting-edge features, enabling multiple users with different devices to unlock the same smart lock effortlessly.

Source: The Verge

SwitchBot has introduced a new RGB desk lamp, the Obboto, which brings a miniature version of the Las Vegas Sphere into your living space. Revealed at CES, this AI-powered lamp serves as an ‘expressive globe light companion’ that can showcase preset animations and user-uploaded images and GIFs in pixel art form, offering a personalized desktop lighting experience.

The Obboto lamp boasts over 2,900 RGB LEDs and a motion sensor that reacts to touch or movement. Its features include music visualization, AI-generated ‘mood animations,’ and various modes tailored for sleep, focus, relaxation, meditation, and general ambiance settings, as per SwitchBot’s announcement.

In addition to its lighting capabilities, the Obboto lamp can also provide real-time weather and time information, a feature reminiscent of Amazon’s Echo Dot with Clock. While pricing and availability details are yet to be disclosed by SwitchBot, it will be interesting to see how the Obboto compares to the now-discontinued Echo Dot with Clock.

Source: The Verge

SwitchBot has introduced a new AI-powered voice recorder called the SwitchBot MindClip, a clip-on device that captures and categorizes conversations from daily life and work interactions. Unveiled at CES, this gadget records spoken content and transforms it into summaries, to-do lists, and a personal audio memory repository. The MindClip, weighing 18 grams, supports over 100 languages and features a discreet design similar to Anker’s Soundcore Work.

Functioning as a ‘second brain,’ the SwitchBot MindClip enables users to easily search and retrieve past dialogues that might have otherwise been forgotten. The device’s AI-powered summarization, task organization, and information retrieval capabilities will be accessible through a cloud service subscription, although pricing details and launch dates are yet to be disclosed.

Source: The Verge

SwitchBot, a company known for its innovative smart home devices, introduced a new product at CES 2026 that caters to weather enthusiasts – the Weather Station. This gadget features a 7.5-inch E Ink screen displaying a range of weather data, including date, time, current weather conditions, a six-day forecast, sunrise/sunset times, indoor temperature, and humidity levels.

The Weather Station also incorporates AI functionality accessible through dedicated buttons. This AI component provides insights, recommendations based on weather forecasts, and even generates weather-related quotes to enhance the user experience.

In addition to its weather capabilities, the Weather Station doubles as a calendar display with multiplatform syncing options. For users with a SwitchBot hub, the device allows seamless scene switching for various connected devices compatible with Matter, Alexa, Google Assistant, or Apple Home.

While pricing and availability details for the Weather Station are yet to be revealed, tech enthusiasts are eager to explore this new addition to SwitchBot’s lineup.

Source: The Verge

SwitchBot has introduced its latest innovation in smart home security, the Lock Vision series, a deadbolt smart lock that leverages facial recognition technology to revolutionize access control. Showcased at CES, this new smart lock offers users the convenience of near-instant unlocking by simply scanning their face.

The Lock Vision marks a significant advancement for SwitchBot, as it requires direct installation into the door, departing from the retrofitting approach of its previous smart lock models. Utilizing 3D facial recognition technology, the Lock Vision ensures secure and efficient access to homes. Furthermore, it integrates with Matter-over-Wi-Fi connectivity, allowing seamless compatibility with Apple Home devices.

Designed for long-term usability, the Lock Vision comes equipped with a rechargeable battery capable of powering the lock for up to six months on a single charge. Additionally, an extended backup battery ensures operational functionality for up to five years, enhancing the reliability of this smart security solution.

The Lock Vision provides multiple access options, including facial recognition, passcodes, app controls, geofenced auto-unlocking, NFC card access, and traditional physical keys. The Lock Vision Pro variant extends these options to include fingerprint scanning and contactless palm-vein recognition, catering to diverse user preferences.

While pricing and availability details for the Lock Vision series are yet to be disclosed by SwitchBot, the integration of advanced biometric authentication methods in smart home security showcases the company’s commitment to enhancing user experience and bolstering home security measures.

Source: The Verge

LG is set to showcase its latest innovation, the CLOiD home robot, at CES, offering a glimpse into the future of smart living. The robot is designed to transform homes into ‘zero labor’ spaces by handling various household chores. According to The Verge, CLOiD can perform tasks such as fetching items from the fridge, preparing breakfast, and even folding laundry.

While laundry-folding robots are not entirely new, LG’s CLOiD stands out with its impressive capabilities. Equipped with two articulated arms boasting seven degrees of motion, CLOiD can efficiently handle laundry duties with precision. Additionally, its integration with smart home appliances enhances its functionality, positioning it as a central hub for smart home management.

Moreover, CLOiD’s communication features, including spoken language and facial expressions, add a touch of personality to its utility. The robot’s compatibility with LG’s ThinQ and ThinQ ON platforms ensures seamless interaction with existing LG products, emphasizing a cohesive smart home experience.

As LG introduces the CLOiD home robot, the practicality and affordability of such advanced technology remain key considerations. The unveiling of the CLOiD home robot signals a shift towards automated living spaces, where robotic assistants cater to various household needs, from cooking to cleaning.

Source: The Verge

Plaud has announced an updated version of its compact NotePin AI recorder, the NotePin S, featuring a new button interface. This iteration maintains the sleek design of the original NotePin while integrating a more user-friendly control mechanism.

Accompanying the NotePin S launch is the introduction of the Plaud Desktop app, which enables audio recording during online meetings. This desktop application is available at no cost to owners of any Plaud Note or NotePin device, further enhancing the user experience.

Similar in size and appearance to the original NotePin, the NotePin S includes improved accessories such as a lanyard, wristband, clip, and magnetic pin. It retains the core features of the previous model, including support for Apple Find My, audio recording, and transcription and summarization capabilities for meeting notes and reminders.

The transition from haptic controls to a button interface simplifies the recording process, with a long press initiating recording and a short tap marking highlights. This change aims to address user feedback and provide a more straightforward and efficient user experience.

Plaud’s focus on user-centric design and enhanced functionality with the NotePin S and Plaud Desktop app demonstrates the company’s commitment to improving AI recording technology for seamless integration into professional settings.

Source: The Verge

Belkin has introduced the UltraCharge Modular Charging Dock, a 3-in-1 charging solution that supports a variety of smartwatches beyond just the Apple Watch. Revealed at CES 2026, this new offering from Belkin aims to address the limitations of many current chargers that cater primarily to smartphones and earbuds but lack compatibility with multiple wearables.

The UltraCharge Modular Charging Dock features a design that can accommodate different smartwatches, offering users the flexibility to charge devices from various brands. While users will need to provide their own charging puck, the dock includes adapters for attaching charging pucks for different wearables, such as smartwatches from Samsung, Google Pixel watches, and the Apple Watch.

Equipped with a 25W Qi2.2 pad for compatible smartphones, a dedicated pad for wireless earbuds, and multiple USB-C ports for charging, the dock provides a comprehensive charging solution for a range of devices. Additionally, Belkin has included a 10W USB-C port on the underside of the dock for convenient charging puck connectivity, along with a second USB-C port to power the entire setup.

Furthermore, Belkin has complemented the dock with a 10K wireless power bank that offers users the convenience of wireless charging on the go without compromising on versatility. The power bank’s design includes a ring of magnets for attaching accessories like magnetic wallets to smartphones even while charging.

Source: The Verge

An AI robotics startup, Zeroth, is introducing two new robot companions for home use. The first is the W1, a 22.6-inch tall robot with a dual-tread design that can navigate various terrains and carry up to 110 pounds. The W1 offers features like item transportation, following users, hosting games, and capturing photos with its 13-megapixel camera.

Zeroth is also launching the M1, a 15-inch humanoid robot powered by Google’s Gemini AI model. The M1 excels in conversational interactions, reminders, fall detection, and monitoring individuals within a home environment. With a battery life of approximately two hours, the M1 can autonomously return to its dock for recharging and self-recover from falls.

While the official WALL-E version is exclusive to China, Zeroth’s W1 robot offers a similar, unbranded experience for US consumers, priced at $5,599. The M1 humanoid companion is available from $2,899.

Source: The Verge

Xreal has announced an updated version of its entry-level AR glasses, the Xreal 1S, priced at $449. The standout feature of the Xreal 1S is its ability to convert 2D videos to 3D without the need for additional apps or software.

The Xreal 1S features incremental hardware upgrades, including a resolution of 1200p Full HD (up from 1080p), increased brightness at 700 nits (up from 600 nits), and a wider field of view of 52 degrees (up from 50 degrees). The aspect ratio has also been adjusted to 16:10. Despite these improvements, the Xreal 1S is $50 cheaper than its predecessor, making it a more affordable option for AR enthusiasts.

The Xreal 1S is compatible with the company’s modular Eye camera, which can be detached if needed. The glasses cater to users seeking a balance between immersive content consumption and portability, distinguishing themselves from AI glasses that prioritize cameras and AI assistants over displays.

Xreal has also introduced a Real 3D feature that leverages the X1 spatial computing chip to convert any 2D video content into 3D, enhancing the user experience. This feature will be extended to existing One Pro owners through a software update, showcasing Xreal’s commitment to enhancing its product ecosystem.

Source: The Verge

Chinese accessory brand Baseus has introduced the Spacemate RD1 Pro, a comprehensive desktop dock showcased at CES 2026. One of its standout features is a magnetic Qi2 25W charging pad that conveniently flips up from the top of the dock.

Marketed as a 15-in-1 docking station, the Spacemate RD1 Pro offers an extensive range of connectivity options. It includes two HDMI ports, four USB-C ports, four USB-A ports, 1Gbps Ethernet support, UHS-I SD and microSD card slots, and the Qi charger, providing users with a multitude of connection possibilities.

The dock supports 4K resolution at 120Hz for a single monitor or 4K at 60Hz for dual monitors, along with up to 10Gbps data transfer speeds via USB-C. Each USB-C PD port can deliver up to 100W for charging, while the Qi2.2 wireless standard enables 25W charging. The total output capacity reaches a maximum of 160W concurrently. The Spacemate RD1 Pro is compatible with Windows, macOS, and Linux systems.

Source: The Verge