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Latest by Rick Stella

Sharp Tea-Ceré TE-T56U Matcha Tea Maker

Sharp Tea-Cere TE-T56U Matcha Tea Maker review

Sharp’s one-of-a-kind Tea-Ceré machine brings teahouse quality matcha to the comfort of anyone’s kitchen.
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Honeymoon phase over: Google Home users report the first batch of glitches

According to posts published on Google's Home Help Forum, some Google Home users reported issues surrounding the device's ability to respond.
arkansas police department asks amazon for echo access

Alexa, whodunnit? Arkansas police seeking Alexa info to help solve murder case

Amazon finally forked over requested Alexa data to help with a murder investigation at the request of the suspect himself.
google home

Google's algorithm-based Featured Snippets may send fake news to Home devices

While Google's Featured Snippets results provide a quick way for people to hear the news, it does show a tendency for pulling fake stories.
russian cabin built in just 10 days dubldom exterior 3

Prefabrication was the key for this Russian cabin to install in just 10 days

Bio Architects installed this Russian cabin in 10 days and it sits perfectly nestled among its surroundings at Pirogovo Lake outside Moscow.
Whirlpool WRF995FIFZ review

Whirlpool WRF995FIFZ french-door fridge review

Featuring more refrigerator real estate than most families may need, Whirlpool’s 36-inch French-door refrigerator is a bona fide beast. While it’s not perfect, what it does get right absolutely shines.
Diamo One

Diamo One 21-Bar Pump Espresso and Cappuccino Machine review

Whether you fancy a single shot of espresso or a good old-fashioned Americano, Diamo One’s automated espresso machine is up to the task … for a price.
plastic film may replace air conditioners 40546782 ml

New translucent cooling material could revolutionize the AC industry

A team of researchers at the University of Colorado developed a radiative cooling material which requires zero energy for use.
bond debuts new ir blaster 44883348  remote home control system on a digital tablet or phone

Turn ordinary devices into the smartest in the room with Bond’s IR blaster

By plugging the Bond IR blaster into an outlet and syncing it with a smartphone, anyone has the ability to turn ordinary appliances smart.
wooden pallet pavilion india inhabit palette 3

Zen and tranquility ripple through this artistic installation of wood pallets

Designed and constructed by the New Delhi-based design firm Mofa Studios, more than 1,000 wooden pallets went into building the Pensieve.
mattel hello barbie hologram new york toy fair 2017

Mattel gives Barbie a 21st century makeover with the Hello Barbie Hologram

Featuring similar voice commands like Amazon Echo or Google Home, Mattel's Hello Barbie Hologram is an interactive new Barbie experience.
IBM Watson

FIU students develop solution for protecting smart homes during disasters

By making use of IBM's Watson, a pair of students at FIU developed a system capable of helping smart homes adapt to disasters in real-time.
snappower switchlight nightlight kickstarter 024

Boogeymen beware: SwitchLight turns ordinary light switches into night lights

Currently taking Kickstarter by storm, the SwitchLight boasts the ability to turn an ordinary light switch into a functioning nightlight.
dyson smart tech research facility singapore dysonlab1

Dyson embraces smart-tech innovation at its new research center in Singapore

In an effort to keep its innovation at a 21st-century level, Dyson just opened an AI-focused research and development center in Singapore.
oberholz mountain hut italy peter pichler architecture 1

Italy’s Oberholz Mountain Hut pairs great food with stunning vistas

Located in Italy's gorgeous Dolomites mountain range, the Oberholz Mountain Hut pairs exquisite cuisine with breathtaking views.
stanford engineers use urea for low cost battery 68328970  university campus

Stanford researchers use a compound in fertilizer to create inexpensive battery

Stanford engineers found urea, a compound typically found in fertilizer, proves a cheap and competent base for a renewable energy battery.
desert rain house living building challenge desertrain5

Oregon home generates more energy than it uses, completely recycles its used water

Located in the high desert of Bend, Oregon, the Desert Rain House recycles every drop of used water and produces more energy than it uses.
ikea diy shelters go up in just four hours ikeashelter1

Ikea’s Better Shelter goes from flat pack kit to functioning relief shelter

To help the more than 65 million displaced refugees, furniture giant Ikea unveiled a shelter which takes just four hours to construct.
rotimatic robotic roti maker rotimatic1

Skip eating out and make your own flatbread for life with the Rotimatic

Packed with 15 sensors and a cutting edge artificial intelligence system, the Rotimatic is the robotic roti maker you've always wanted.
google home super bowl ad googlehomesuperbowl2

Google’s use of ‘OK Google’ in its Super Bowl ad sends Home devices into a frenzy

A one-minute ad for Google Home shown during the Super Bowl reportedly made Home units act strangely after hearing its wake word.
hyperloop one competition

Pod racers: SpaceX’s Hyperloop competition pits concepts head-to-head

Teams from around the world competed at the SpaceX Hyperloop Pod Competition to help bring Elon Musk's futuristic idea to life.
canada pole house flooding prevention din  3

Recycled gas pipes keep this Canadian cottage high and dry

Designed by Canadian architecture firm, DINS Projects, Manitoba's Pole House turned to recycled gas pipe stilts to save it from flooding.
simpresso portable espresso maker kickstarter simpresso1

The portable Simpresso machine lets anyone quickly craft quality espresso on the go

Simpresso, the latest coffee device to storm the crowdfunding site Kickstarter, lets users craft high-quality espresso on-the-go with ease.
objectifier gesture controls objectifier2

The Objectifier is a 21st-century reboot of the classic ‘clap-on’ light switch

Designed by Copenhagen Institute of Interaction Design's Bjoern Karmann, the Objectifier lets people teach gesture controls to any device.
tesla mira loma energy station powerpack1

Wasted renewable energy a thing of the past as Tesla unveils energy storage center

After only breaking ground roughly three months ago, Tesla's massive energy storage facility in Ontario, California, officially turned on.
uuni pro outdoor oven indiegogo uunipro1

Pick a fuel, any fuel: Versatile Uuni Pro is more than a wood-burning stove

Featuring the ability to cook with wood, pellets, gas, or charcoal, the Uuni Pro took to Indiegogo to bring quad-fueled baking to the masses.
Papaya Playa Project Treehouse

Experience the luxurious side of the Mexican jungle in this two-story treehouse

For roughly $1,400 per night, visitors to Tulum's Papaya Playa Project can take in Mexico's gorgeous jungle in a luxury treehouse.
atlas survival shelters selling underground bunkers atlassurvival2

Atlas Survival Shelters offers affordable bunkers for doomsday preppers

For just $50,000, Atlas Survival Shelters will provide avid doomsday preppers with their very own corrugated pipe underground bunker.
hotel thermostats rigged 43223072  modern elegant twin room interior

Think your hotel room’s heater is ignoring you? You’re probably right

According to a new report, thermostats in hotel rooms don't offer guests as much control as they let on and it's the hotels who are to blame.
los angeles firm designs homes for homeless veterans homelesshome4

Los Angeles design firm produces unique housing solution for disabled veterans

To help the growing homeless crisis in Los Angeles, design firm Brooks and Scarpa built a dedicated housing project for disabled veterans.
almond cow milk maker kickstarter almondcow1

The Almond Cow lets you bring the almond-milking process into your home

Featuring a design not much different than a coffee grinder, the Almond Cow device allows owners to make almond milk in 30 seconds.
engineering students brew moon beer moonbeer2

An out-of-this-world brew: Engineering students aim to make beer on the moon

A group of engineers at UC San Diego hopes to become the first to brew a batch of beer on the moon while studying yeast's reaction in space.
snohetta cabin sweden aurora borealis treehousehotel 04

Experience the Aurora Borealis as it was meant to be seen — in a luxury treehouse cabin

Featuring breathtaking views of the northern lights, the 7th room at Sweden's treehouse-inspired Treehotel is a modern marvel.
shape shifting walls south korean school dssi elementary seoul pic1

A South Korean elementary school just installed shape-shifting walls

To update the traditionally dull elementary school setting, DSSI Elementary in South Korea outfit its school with shape-shifting walls.