Mansion Global

Smart Homes: The Best of 2017 (So Far)

Here, a few of our favorite devices from the year to date

Save

This smart mirror will offer customized skincare solutions.

himirror.com
This smart mirror will offer customized skincare solutions.
himirror.com

Those of us in the Northern Hemisphere are firmly ensconced in the summer of 2017. This midpoint milestone calls for some self-reflection and to that end, we are highlighting a few of our favorite products we’ve featured here in our Smart Homes column so far in 2017.

HiMirror

Featured in Bring the Spa Experience Home with Smart Technology, the HiMirror provides a service that your friends, family or any flesh and blood with proper upbringing simply can not: honesty.

Armed with a high resolution camera and 14" smudge-free LCD panel, the HiMirror analyzes its subject’s skin condition, checking for wrinkles, fine lines, complexion, dark spots, red spots, pores and dark circles. Post-analysis, HiMirror will offer a custom-built skincare solution to address the user’s unique issues.

The HiMirror also offers multiple lighting conditions, so whether you’re heading to the club or a cafe, you can apply your makeup accordingly.

Regardless of the toll 2017 may have taken on your face, there is a reflective surface that could be the solution to your skincare needs.

The HiMirror is available for $299-$369, depending on model and peripherals.

ili

First highlighted in Smart Home Away From Home, a guide to high-tech travel toys, the ili, a wearable language translator, is a slice of Star Trek available to you at this very moment.

Users simply speak into the diminutive device and their phrase is translated into the language they desire—provided that language is English, Chinese or Japanese.

While those language options may seem a bit limited, ili’s creators say they will add more based on user demand—and there are a fair amount of Chinese- and English- speaking regions to keep you busy in the meantime.

Honestly, the most challenging aspect of using ili will be resisting the urge to start each translation request with "Captain’s Log, Stardate 2017…"

Those interested in owning the ili, can sign-up for the second phase of pre-orders at iamili.com; the first phase is sold out.

Hydro Hammock

After humanity realized the instantly classic mix of chocolate and peanut butter, the world’s collective intellectuals rested on their laurels, content in knowing that no greater combinations could now be discovered.

But not the innovators of the Hydro Hammock, which we first featured in Bringing Smart Technology to the Backyard.

These true geniuses understood that it is not enough to recline while suspended above the ground, sometimes you ALSO need to enjoy a hot tub—and they made that vision a reality.

The danger with the Hydro Hammock, of course, is that once you enter the elevated spa swing you may never want to exit and will live out the rest of your days known as "The Human Prune."

The Hydro Hammock is available for $1,892 to $1,999, depending on the model.

Coolest Cooler

It’d be hard (dare we say, unconscionable?) to exclude what is essentially a portable party machine from any "Best of" list.

So here we are: The Coolest Cooler, which first appeared in Clever Ways to Keep Cool This Summer, is destined to become an essential part of beach days, barbecues or any outdoor activities involving carousing.

The cooler, which can hold up to 600 pounds and keep ice for four to five days, comes equipped with reusable dishware, an LED lid light, a bottle opener, a USB charger, a bluetooth speaker that is splash-proof and can stream eight hours of music between charges—and best of all, a built-in blender, with pitcher, capable of crushing ice into chilly cocktails.

Coolest Cooler owners can safely expect that "bring the cooler" will be the only request made of them when invited to summer celebrations..

The Coolest Cooler is available for $449.

Navdy

The Navdy, first featured in Smart Tech Gifts for Father’s Day, has found an elegant solution to an issue of growing importance (and consequence) in this modern age—interacting with your smartphone while keeping your eyes on the road.

Navdy eliminates the all too understandable, and potentially damaging, urge to check devices while driving by putting everything in perspective.

Projecting a user's phone navigation system on a small transparent screen directly in front of the driver, Navdy allows motorists to remain focused while following directions. Better still—Navdy will read aloud user’s text messages as they come in and allow drivers to dictate their response as well as control music and other phone functions by gesture and voice command, or with a peripheral device that attaches to the steering wheel.

Navdy is currently available for $399.

Amazon Echo Show

The recently released Amazon Echo Show, which we first discussed in Grad Gift Guide: Digital Devices for Dorm Rooms adds that element that we all  felt was missing in the first iterations of the Echo line of products—video.

Multi-taskers—essentially everyone these days—will appreciate the ability to call up YouTube tutorials while cooking, perform hands-free online research or simply watch their favorite shows, via voice command, while folding laundry.

The Echo Show, which comes equipped with not just a 7" touchscreen but a 5- megapixel camera as well, makes video calls a breeze.

Also a breeze for the video-enabled smart speaker? Shopping on Amazon (surprise, surprise).

The Amazon Echo Show is now available for $229.

Article Continues After Advertisement