Skip to main content

Hayo is a connected device that wants to make you the master of your domain

Hayo, Augmented Reality for the Connected Home
Who needs a universal remote when you can turn the universe into a remote instead? That’s the approach being taken by Hayo, a new Internet of Things (IoT) device launching on Indiegogo today. Together with its accompanying app, Hayo turns everyday objects, surfaces, and spaces into virtual remote controls for your smart home. Being the master of your domain just took on a 
Recommended Videos
whole new meeting.

The ambitious device claims to scan the objects and spaces in your vicinity, turning them into a set of “magical buttons” that can be set and toggled to control various appliances. Turn on your lights or turn off your speakers, set the temperature or reset your security cameras, all with gestures or simple taps.

“At Hayo we are all about bringing the unconventional to life,” says CEO Gisele Belliot, “We are committed to improving lives through spatial analysis technology, giving users the ability to create useful remote controls. Four core values that we want our community to experience are empowerment, adaptability, magic and collaboration, and Hayo is just the beginning.”

So how does it work? Broadly speaking, Hayo creates a 3D image map of a room, which you can view in the companion app. From here, you can create virtual remote controls on top of objects or in the air. Then, simply connect these controls to connected home platforms and products. And because Hayo is always sensing your movements and gestures, you can start moving, grooving, and controlling right away. The IoT device claims that you’ll be able to raise your arm to turn on your speakers, tap the corner of your coffee table to adjust the volume, or even point at your lights to turn them on or off.

The Hayo is available now for pre-order from Indiegogo for $199, with an estimated delivery date of August.

Lulu Chang
Former Digital Trends Contributor
Fascinated by the effects of technology on human interaction, Lulu believes that if her parents can use your new app…
Pegasus and BlastDoor are why you need to update your Apple devices immediately
iPad, iPhone, and airpods.

The iPhone 13 may be ready to launch tomorrow, but Apple is working fast to patch a major vulnerability to its devices with a new update for iOS 14.8, iPad 14.8, and watchOS 7.6.2, none of which were given a beta test period first. While none contain major features as you might expect in advance of tomorrow's "California Streaming" event, these are important security updates, as they contain fixes to two system vulnerabilities.

The potentially more serious one is Pegasus, which is an invasive spyware discovered by Israel's NSO group. This "zero-click" exploit requires no input from a phone's user to take effect, and was being used specifically against activists in Bahrain, including members of the Bahrain Centre for Human Rights. By defeating Apple's BlastDoor security system, the ForcedEntry exploit was able to install the Pegasus spyware suite for purposes of surveillance.

Read more
Sony wants you to play your summer soundtrack on its new wireless speakers
Sony xg500 wireless speaker

Every summer has a soundtrack, and Sony wants you to listen to yours on its newest series of portable Bluetooth speakers. The product line is available now and can help kick off a more active, less quarantined season. Here's our rundown of the offerings:
XB13 Extra Bass

The smallest and most portable of the bunch, the XB13 Extra Bass comes with an IP67 waterproof and dustproof designation -- that's enough protection for serious showers or splashes and sand, but don't let it go for a swim. The speaker is available in several vibrant colors befitting the summer season and, as its name would suggest, hangs its hat on its ability to handle bass-heavy tracks and produce a "deep, punchy sound."

Read more
WhatsApp now lets you make voice and video calls from your computer
WhatsApp messaging app

WhatsApp is now rolling out voice and video calling to desktop users, the company announced today. The messaging service, used by over a billion people worldwide, is improving the feature set of its desktop apps to match both its Facebook Messenger counterpart, as well as rivals from Apple's FaceTime and Microsoft's Skype.

WhatsApp says it is making this change due to a growth in voice and video calling that has happened over the past year. Due to the ongoing pandemic, a mix of social isolation, and lockdowns, more and more people have used the app to stay in touch in place of face-to-face communication. WhatsApp says this has reflected in "significant" growth, citing 1.4 billion voice and video calls made on New Year's Eve alone.

Read more