Moxie
Moxie combines a shower head with a wireless speaker to deliver up to seven hours of tunes.
Dreampad
Dreampad pillows work gentle vibrations into your ear, which the makers say can help you relax your way to a good night’s sleep.
Flic
Flic buttons can replace apps on your smartphone by carrying out the task when pressed.
Amazon
Alexa Look can tell you whether you’re fashion-forward or rocking a faux pas.
Euro Home
Eero Home WiFi System can extend the range and reliability of your home connection.
It used to take a lot of money to make your home a smart home. A doctorate in software and/or electrical engineering didn’t hurt, either.
Today, making your house smarter is as easy as plugging in a light bulb — literally.
Better still, you can select the specific kind of intelligence you need — whether it’s setting the right lighting for a romantic date, picking out a cute outfit, helping you become better at singing in the shower or just helping you avoid being scalded.
Here are five gadgets that will help you live smarter.
1. Improving your singing in the shower
Moxie Showerhead & Wireless Speaker, US$199, kohler.com
What it is: A combination speaker and shower head.
Why it’s so smart: It pairs with any Bluetooth-enabled device to deliver up to seven hours of music while you soap up. Of course, if you’re looking for the morning traffic report while you get ready, you can tune in to the news. But that’s not as fun to sing along with.
2. Helping you sleep better at night, but in a totally different way
Dreampad pillows, US$159-179, dreampadsleep.com
What it is: A pillow that sings you to sleep... well, sort of.
Why it’s so smart: Download the app, then plug your phone into this pillow (or use the Bluetooth adapter). Then via something called bone conduction, gentle vibrations from your music (or pre-loaded spa sounds) work their way into your ear. The makers say science backs them up when it comes to this product’s ability to help you relax your way into a good night’s sleep.
3. Press here for a smarter home
Flic, starting at US$34.99, flic.com
What they are: Brightly coloured, programmable little Bluetooth-connected buttons that replace your smartphone apps. Place wherever you choose — your desk, bedside or near the tub — and program them to do an app’s job, such as controlling lights, turning on music or ordering an Uber.
Why they’re so smart: No one likes to fumble with a smartphone when taking a bath.
4. Your fashion sensor
Alexa Look, US$199.99, amazon.com
What it is: You’ve probably heard of Amazon’s Alexa, the tech company’s handy personal assistant. This is like Alexa’s fashionista little sister.
Why it’s so smart: More than just a voice-controlled camera that takes a full-length picture of your outfit, it uses an algorithm to assess your look. It tells you if you’re wearing a fashion do or don’t.
5. Maybe the smartest purchase of all
Eero Home WiFi System, US$399, eero.com
What it is: An easy way to extend the reach and reliability of your home Wi-Fi. It coats your home in a mesh of Wi-Fi signals to end dropouts and dead zones.
Why it’s so smart: All those smart appliances? They’re basically dumb as a doorstop without a strong Wi-Fi signal to help them do their job.
— Chicago Tribune
