MacRumors

Kanex today introduced the GoPlay SideKick, a pocket-sized wireless game controller for iPhone, iPad, and Apple TV. The MFi-certified controller connects to Apple devices over Bluetooth 4.0 and offers up to 20 hours of gameplay on a single charge with almost any controller-supported game on the App Store.

The console-inspired game controller features pressure-sensitive buttons, dual analog joysticks, trigger buttons, a directional pad, and a Lightning connector, while one of its more interesting features is its patent pending protective clamshell case with an integrated stand that props up an iPhone during gameplay.

Kanex said the GoPlay SideKick will be available in February for $59.95. For reference, Apple sells the SteelSeries Nimbus Wireless Gaming Controller and HORIPAD ULTIMATE Wireless Game Controller for $49.95 each. Other options include, among others, the MOGA Rebel and Mad Catz CTRL i.

Chamberlain, a connected smart home company that specializes in garage door openers, today announced that it will be introducing Apple HomeKit compatibility to a range of its connected smart home devices. For users already using the company's products in the "MyQ" ecosystem, they will be able to gain HomeKit support through the addition of a new MyQ Home Bridge.

For new users, Chamberlain will launch the all-new Smart Garage Hub, a device that can add smartphone controls to "virtually any brand of garage door opener" that users already own.

Thanks to HomeKit compatibility, users will be able to control their garage door -- and any MyQ connected lighting accessories -- through their iPhone, iPad, iPod touch, or Apple Watch, and even use Siri.

“The value of MyQ technology extends far beyond the garage, but into the daily fabric of families and their lifestyles in the home,” said Cory Sorice, Vice President of Marketing for Connected Products and eCommerce at Chamberlain. “Through our growing product line, new features that add convenience and control, and expanding partnerships with tech leaders, Chamberlain has established itself as the industry’s preeminent smart home innovator.”

Additionally, Chamberlain announced new Smart Light Switches and lamp controls, as well as new features within the MyQ mobile app, including guest accounts and scheduling abilities. On iOS, users will be able to add Touch ID onto the app's startup to ensure an additional layer of security is protecting access to their garage door and lighting controls.

The company said that the MyQ Home Bridge should arrive by April 2017, and the Smart Garage Hub will launch around July 2017. The MyQ Home Bridge will run at a special introductory price of $49.99 (regular $69.99), but there was no mention of how much the Smart Garage Hub will cost.

French company Netatmo has unveiled two new consumer-facing smart home products at CES 2017 this week, namely the HomeKit-compatible Smart Smoke Alarm and non-HomeKit Indoor Security Siren.

In addition to activating a loud 85-decibel chime when it detects smoke, the connected Smart Smoke Alarm uses a home's Wi-Fi network to send real-time smoke alert notifications to paired smartphones so that homeowners can alert emergency services or carry out other actions necessary when away from home.

The smoke alarm is equipped with a 10-year battery, and an alert will be sent when it approaches the end of this lifetime and needs to be replaced. For peace of mind, the alarm automatically performs constant battery and overall performance tests, generating self-check reports that are sent directly to paired smartphones.

If the smoke alarm is activated by burnt toast or another false trigger, a Bluetooth LE hush feature enables it to be easily silenced with a paired smartphone using the free Netatmo Security app. An integrated LED strip on the front of the alarm enables users to view its current status at a glance.

HomeKit compatibility allows users to create smart home scenarios involving the Smart Smoke Alarm. For example, it can be configured to switch on all your smart lights when smoke is detected to make sure the whole house is alerted.

Meanwhile, Netatmo's new Indoor Security Siren activates a piercing 110-decibel chime when a home intrusion is detected by Netatmo's existing Welcome camera or Tags, with a goal of scaring away intruders. The siren is highly customizable and can be adjusted so that it is only triggered in specific situations.

For instance, homeowners can choose to only sound the siren when an unknown face is seen while the house is unoccupied. They can also choose to activate the siren when the Tags detect that a specific door or window has been opened.

The siren includes a handful of pre-installed voice messages such as "the police are on their way" which homeowners can choose to activate in order to hopefully deter intruders. The siren also detects vibration and movement, so it can tell if someone tries to tamper with it and notify the homeowner immediately.

The Indoor Security Siren can be controlled with the free Netatmo Security app, including for on-demand alarm activation, and it is also programmable with IFTTT. However, unlike the Smart Smoke Alarm, the siren does not support HomeKit.

Netatmo said both products will be available in the second half of 2017, but it has not disclosed pricing at this time. For reference, the Smart Smoke Alarm's main competitors include the non-HomeKit Nest Protect for $99 and HomeKit-enabled First Alert Onelink for $119.95, each of which also have carbon monoxide alarms.

After initially launching a thermal camera that doubled as a case for the iPhone 5 and iPhone 5s, at CES this year FLIR Systems has now expanded its line of thermal imaging smartphone accessories with a professional grade FLIR ONE Pro. The company also introduced an updated version of the original FLIR ONE thermal camera attachment.

The Pro line of the device works like the other versions by connecting to the bottom of an iPhone or Android smartphone, through a Lightning or USB-C connector. It also has a small wheel that users can toggle to extend the connector to adjust its length, making it possible to use the Pro with thick-skinned protective cases - like LifeProof and OtterBox - often seen on professional work and construction sites.

The all new FLIR ONE Pro is a must-have for any inspector or contractor’s toolbox. Combining enhanced high resolution MSX imagery with powerful measurement tools and report generation capability, the FLIR One Pro works as hard as you do, almost.

Concerning its thermal abilities, the FLIR One Pro can measure temperatures on any spot in a scene between -4°F and 248°F (-20° to 120°C) and capture the images with a resolution of 160x120 pixels, double that of the third-generation FLIR ONE. The Pro model also packs in what the company calls "VividIR" to fuel the accessory's "powerful image processing" so users can get crisp and clear details from each thermal image.

Due to its professional designation, the FLIR ONE Pro comes at a higher price of $399.99, while the basic FLIR ONE will cost users $199.99. FLIR Systems has shared a collection of images taken with the thermal camera attachment on its website, as well as detailed a few areas where the accessory can be used, for anyone curious.

Ford and Toyota have formed a four-automaker consortium to speed up the deployment of open source software for connected in-car systems, according to a report by Bloomberg on Wednesday.

The SmartDeviceLink Consortium, which includes Mazda, PSA Group, Fuji, and Suzuki, aims to prevent Apple and Google from controlling how drivers connect smartphones to their vehicles. Suppliers Elektrobit, Harma, Luxoft, QNX, and Xevo have also joined the organization, which is named after an open source version of Ford's AppLink connectivity interface, a system used in over 5 million vehicles globally.

The non-profit group's goal is to promote more choice in how drivers connect to in-car technologies like dashboard displays, steering wheel controls and voice recognition systems. By using an open source platform, the automakers hope to set a standard by which they and their suppliers can integrate smartphones with vehicles, and thereby attract developers who can then integrate the universal linking technology into their software.

Toyota has so far resisted including Apple's CarPlay and Google's Android Auto in its vehicles, arguing that doing so would diminish safety and security standards. Ford offers them on all its 2017 model vehicles, but remains supportive of an open-source software platform that all app developers can use as an alternative to Carplay and Android Auto.

The open source project will be managed by Livio, a software startup Ford acquired in 2013. Livio will work with early adopters to build the interfaces and infotainment systems for each vehicle environment.

Apple's own system, CarPlay, brings Maps, Phone, Messages, Music, Podcasts, and a number of third-party apps, such as Spotify, to a vehicle's dashboard. Apple announced CarPlay with several big-name partners already on board, like BMW, Ford, GM, Honda, Hyundai, Kia, Nissan, and more.

Due to Apple's commitment to user privacy, CarPlay collects very little data from users and car manufacturers. According to information released by Porsche, Apple only collects information on whether a car is accelerating while CarPlay is in use. This is in stark contrast to Android Auto, which collects a lot more car data when in use.

Withings, Kérastase, and L'Oréal have teamed up to create the world's first Bluetooth-connected smart hairbrush that's able to interface with your smartphone.

The "Kérastase Hair Coach Powered by Withings" combines sensors created by Withings with signal analysis algorithms designed by L'Oréal to determine the quality of the hair and "monitor the effects" of your haircare routine.

There's a built-in microphone that listens to the sound of hair brushing to determine details about frizziness, dryness, split ends, and breakage, plus a feature that measures the force being applied to the hair and the scalp while you brush.

An accelerometer and a gyroscope analyze brushing patterns and count brush strokes, haptic feedback capabilities alert you if you're brushing too hard, and conductivity sensors can tell if you're brushing your hair wet or dry to provide accurate measurements.

The hairbrush connects to a mobile app that analyzes the data and ambient weather to provide a hair quality score, data on brushing habits, and customized product recommendations for different hair types.

"Withings has a track record for empowering everyday objects such as bathroom scales and watches with sensors that provide people with insight into their behaviors, and we're excited to now bring this expertise to the beauty industry," said Cedric Hutchings, Vice President of Digital Health for Nokia. "Each time someone uses the smart brush they get rich data they never before had access to, which can improve their overall hair care experience."

The hairbrush will be priced at under $200 and will be available at Kérastase hair salons, the Kérastase website, and the Withings website in the fall of 2017.

At the Consumer Electronics Show that's taking place this week, ConnectSense is showing off its latest connected home products, including HomeKit-compatible sensors and a new Bluetooth Extender.

ConnectSense's Bluetooth Extender serves as a Bluetooth to Wi-Fi converter and is designed to allow users to access and control their Bluetooth-enabled sensors and products outside of their homes.

The Bluetooth Extender works with HomeKit or with the ConnectSense Cloud, and when paired with ConnectSense's new Bluetooth-enabled temperature and water sensors, it allows those sensors to be accessed from anywhere. It also works with other Bluetooth-enabled sensors, such as those from Elgato's Eve lineup.

With ConnectSense cloud, sensor data is saved to the cloud and notifications can be sent to a smartphone or via email. Using the ConnectSense Bluetooth Extender, HomeKit users do not need to have an Apple TV or an iPad to access their Bluetooth-enabled accessories, which were previously the only way to use Bluetooth HomeKit products when away from the home.

ConnectSense is also showing off its Smart Outlet and the aforementioned new sensors, the Bluetooth Temperature & Humidity Sensor, which detects room temperature, and the ConnectSense Bluetooth Water sensor, designed to detect water and send alerts before damage can be caused. Both sensors work over Bluetooth and are powered by AAA batteries.

ExoLens, a company that's partnered with Zeiss to bring professional-grade lenses to the iPhone, today announced a new protective case for the iPhone 7. The case is designed to keep the iPhone 7 safe from bumps, scratches, and drops while it's being used with ExoLens' range of Zeiss lenses.

Designed for the iPhone 7, ExoLens says the new accessory is an "ultra-durable dual layer case" created with impact-resistant materials and designed to be slim and low-profile.

"After launching our line of ZEISS ExoLens mobile photography solutions earlier this year, consumers told us that they loved the mobile photography lenses, but also expressed a desire for a solution that protected their iPhone, while still providing the lens attachment capability," says John Fellowes, Chief Executive Officer of Fellowes Brands. "The new ExoLens Case will provide the ability for users to seamlessly utilize our visually enhancing lenses, but the case will also shield the individuals iPhone from everyday drops and scratches at the same time."

The case is compatible with all Pro Zeiss Lenses and upcoming ExoLens Prime lenses. The company sells a range of Zeiss telephoto, macro, and wide-angle lenses, which range in price from $150 to $200.

The ExoLens Case will be available for purchase during the first quarter of 2017. Pricing has not yet been announced.

Belkin is introducing two new smart home products at CES 2017 this week, including the WeMo Mini smart plug and WeMo Dimmer light switch.

The WeMo Mini is a compact smart plug that is half the size of the older WeMo Switch smart plug, allowing homeowners to stack two of them in a single wall outlet. The smart plug enables homeowners to wirelessly control lamps, heaters, fans, and more over Wi-Fi using the free WeMo app for iPhone [Direct Link].

The WeMo Mini can be controlled remotely as well with an iPhone or iPad connected to a cellular network, with no hub or subscription required. The smart plug also supports Amazon Echo and Google Home for control via voice commands, and IFTTT and "home" and "away" modes on Nest thermostats.

The WeMo Dimmer, a CES 2017 Innovations Award Honoree, is Belkin's next-generation smart dimming light switch with new features such as Night Mode, which prevents harsh lights at night, and a customized bulb calibration.

Current dimmer products have a single dimming range for all bulb types, which tends to create flickering and noise issues, but Wemo Dimmer uses the Wemo app to custom calibrate for any bulb type including incandescents (up to 400 watts), CFLs or LEDs, to eliminate those annoyances. In addition, Night Mode enables users to set a specific level of brightness during a set period of time, which is ideal for middle-of-the-night bathroom trips or checking on the kids when they are asleep.

The WeMo Dimmer, like the Mini Smart Plug, is compatible with Amazon Echo and Google Home for dimming and on/off control via voice commands, as well as the Nest thermostat's "home" and "away" modes.

WeMo Mini is available now for pre-order on Belkin's website for $34.99, and will be in stores later in January. The WeMo Dimmer will be available in the spring, but pricing has not been finalized. WeMo products do not support HomeKit, as Belkin placed plans to support the Apple platform on hold last year.