10
GADGETS THAT COULD
CHANGE YOUR LIFE
Not that long ago, personal assistants
were humans primarily serving the rich.
But today, more affordable robots are
taking over as “smart” digital devices
follow orders and do chores with just your
voice or the press of a finger. They control
everything from the warmth of your shower.
to customized skin care at home.
It begins with your smartphone, home
internet service and installation of a basic,
voice-controlled digital assistant, such as
Amazon Echo Dot or Google’s Nest Mini.
Phone and/or assistant become master
controllers of many, if not all, other smart
devices. If you’re not tech-literate, seek advice from local retailers selling these units. But once you’re powered up, prepare to blast off toward the latest in personal technology. Here are ten connective gadgets that could change your life
1 | U by Moen Smart Shower starts your
shower and sets the temperature from your
bed via voice or phone. Starting at $1,600 for
the two-outlet system (valve and controller);
$2,200 for the four-outlet at moen.com
2 | DabbyTouch and DabbyTV use artificial
intelligence to consolidate TV streaming
services in a single-touch remote, monitor
subscriptions and search online content.
$99 per month at heydabby.com
3 | Philips Hue sets multiple lighting moods
and routines around your home with smart
bulbs controlled by voice or phone. Starting
at $14.99 at philips-hue.com
4 | Samsung’s Family Hub 4-Door Flex
Refrigerators do everything from seeing
inside from any location via built-in cameras to
automatically generating food expiration date
notifications to planning meals based on what
foods are available. Prices start at $3,869 at
samsung.com
5 | LG ThinQ AI Washer lets you “do laundry
from your couch” by scanning fabrics to gauge
temperature, water and detergent levels, and
sending dryer instructions to a companion unit.
Prices start at $999.99 at lg.com
6 | The Pod smart mattress heats and cools
your bed to perfect temperatures and monitors
sleep patterns to improve your rest or share
information with your doctor. Prices start at
$2,195 at eightsleep.com
7 | Forme’s Life’s Studio and Studio Lift is
a full-length mirror that comes with resistance-
training equipment and when turned on offers
on-demand classes, including barre, boxing
and meditation, as well as personal training
sessions. $2,495 plus $39 a month for a
multi-user membership at formelife.com
8 | Hyundai’s Remote Smart Parking Assist
uses a wireless fob to park your driverless car
in a tight condo garage or supermarket space.
It’s standard with the 2021 Sonata Limited
sedan. $34,955 at local dealerships.
9 | Waverly’s Ambassador is an over-the-ear
mobile translation device that enhances
retirement travel by helping you grasp any of
20 languages via wi-fi and phone. $199 at
waverlylabs.com
10 | Opte from P&G Ventures uses a wand
with a digital camera and micro printer to
analyze skin variations and create a customized
pigmented “serum” that evens out your
complexion. $599 at opteskin.com