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News from CES: January 8, 2018

This week the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) is in full swing in Las Vegas. There are too many announcements to list each one in a separate article, so here are some of today’s highlights:

Wemo, the smart home and IoT brand from Belkin International is shipping the Wemo Bridge enabled with Apple HomeKit compatibility for the more than two million Wemo solutions on the market. With the HomeKit enabled Wemo Bridge, Wemo users can use Siri on their iPhone, iPad or Apple Watch or use the Apple Home app to control any of these devices. Users can also include Wemo products into scenes and rooms to work with more than 100 other HomeKit compatible products and access them while on the go.

The Whirlpool Smart All-In-One Care Washer and Dryer won’t require a transfer between the washer and dryer, allowing for one load to be completely washed and dried in the same machine. The ventless unit will fit in a variety of places including under kitchen counters, closets, laundry rooms and bathrooms for those with limited space. And it can be remotely controlled from a mobile device through the Whirlpool mobile app. Through mobile device notifications or the Apple Watch, alerts are sent once a load of laundry is complete, so no more guessing and checking in frequently only to find out the cycle is not complete.

Incase, creator of design-driven solutions centered on protection and mobility, and Carbon, a digital 3D manufacturing company, have announced a global, multi-year partnership to “3D-manufactured protective mobile solutions designed with complex structures in new elastomers at scale.”

Toshiba Memory America announced the RC100 Series, a new line of NVMe (NVM Express M.2 solid state drives (SSDs) for the retail, e-tail, system integrator, and channel markets.

Hampton Products is taking preorders for its ARRAY smart deadbolt at https://arraylock.com/. ARRAY is a cloud-connected, app-enabled door lock that can be installed without adding separate hubs or accessories. The ARRAY allows consumers to use their existing Wi-Fi routers to connect the deadbolt to the cloud, providing a “Simply Smart Security” solution for homeowners.

IOGEAR is debuting the new IOGEAR GW4KHDKIT60 Wireless Long-Range HDMI 4K @ 60Hz Kit and GWMHDKIT22 Expandable Wireless HDTV Connection Kit. The GW4KHDKIT60 is a wireless 4K solution available for consumers, allowing the transmission of HDMI 2.0-quality video (4K @ 60 Hz) over distances up to 656 feet. The GWMHDKIT22 enables users to share one or two sets of source equipment, such as cable/satellite receivers and Blu-ray players, between two displays over distances up to 150 feet in separate areas in the home.

HARMAN International has announced: the JBL GO 2, a portable, compact Bluetooth speaker; the JBL Xtreme 2 portable Bluetooth speaker; and the JBL Clip 3, a compact, waterproof Bluetooth speaker.

Viotek has announced the Fastpad line of wireless charging devices. Fastpad purportedly charges compatible Apple, Samsung, and other mobile devices up to 50% faster than industry-standard wireless charging surfaces, while boasting a surprisingly slim profile — about the thickness of a nickel. Fastpad technology is available in a line of form factors, with retail prices ranging from $39.99 to $44.99.

Kohler has created its own smart home platform, Kohler Konnect, which allows some of its products to communicate with HomeKit and other smart home frameworks, as well as offering control via an iPhone app and through voice commands. 

Moen is expanding its U by Moen smart shower system with the latest virtual assistant techn from Apple and Amazon, allowing users to turn on fixtures, adjust temperature settings and more with their voice using, for instance, Siri. 

First Alert is getting into the premium speaker business with its Onelink Safe & Sound smoke and carbon monoxide alarm, an in-ceiling device that boasts integration with Apple’s HomeKit platform. 

Elgato has expanded its HomeKit-enabled product line with a revamped “Eve Room” sensor with embedded e-ink display and “Eve Button,” a new wireless device capable of triggering HomeKit scenes remotely.

Dennis Sellers
the authorDennis Sellers
Dennis Sellers is the editor/publisher of Apple World Today. He’s been an “Apple journalist” since 1995 (starting with the first big Apple news site, MacCentral). He loves to read, run, play sports, and watch movies.