iRobot launched the robotic vacuum category in 2002 with the first Roomba, and it continues to be the most well-known robot vac brand and among the smartest and most easily programmable. And now, with the Roomba Combo j7+ robot vacuum and mop ($1,099.99), iRobot breaks new ground in the robotic mop vac category with a mop head that fully lifts up and away, so you can vacuum and mop all of your floors in one pass without the potential worry about soiling your carpet with a dirty mop head.
Proposed legislation aimed at curbing teenage social media use, common sense ways to regulate AI, and the growth of tech manufacturing in India are all topics tackled in this week’s SmartTechCheck podcast with host Mark Vena and my fellow journalists Rob Pegoraro (top right) and John Quain (lower left).
Those of us suffering mild to moderate age-related hearing loss don’t necessarily want to wear a hearing aid all day, regardless of their comfort or lack of visibility. We only want/need hearing assistance in specific situations, mostly when we need to hear and comprehend voices – when talking to people, watching TV, or attending concerts, for example.
It is this occasional, situational hearing assistance that the new class of Bluetooth-enabled over-the-counter (OTC) hearing aids, such as the HP Hearing Pro “powered” by Nuheara ($699), the subject of this review, as well as the Sony CRE-E10 ($1,200), and the Jabra Enhance Plus ($799), are designed for. All three of these standard-styled in-ear Bluetooth buds offer the features required by the new OTC hearing aid regulations and are currently the only products of their type on the market. They are self-fitting, which means you take an app-based hearing test to configure the buds to your specific hearing loss and are FDA-cleared Class II medical devices. Unlike “normal” hearing aids, even those with Bluetooth to enable hands-free phone conversations, Bluetooth OTC hearing aids double as regular – and high-quality – music streaming earbuds.
Read the rest of this review here at Techlicious.com.
xMEMS announces availability of silicon-based speaker replacement for mechanical coil and magnets in earphones and hearing aids, potentially revolutionizing earphone production and quality.
Consumer technology distributors report that business conditions seem to be returning to pre-pandemic conditions with some lessons learned – and maybe some new product categories.
Motorola executives John Mitchell (l) and Marty Cooper (r)
Motorola executives made the first cellphone calls on April 3, 1973, after a crash six-month development process – but a scheduled celebratory anniversary gala has been postponed.
Smart locks now play a big role in any smart home’s security system, extending the way we grant, or deny, access to our abode. Here are 5 questions to ask yourself before buying one.
‘Kidults’ no longer a trend but a major consumer category, with ‘playful adults’ buying higher-priced toys who helped sustain industry during the pandemic.
