Like roadside diners, cross-country family vacations, and retro-rockets, the Airstream camping trailer always seemed like a throwback to the halcyon days of 1950s America. But some recent changes to the classic trailer finds Airstream embracing smart home technology that might just turn the vintage trailers into modern classics.
The first clue came earlier this year when the company rolled out its new Nest camping trailer, a $46,000 mini-trailer that costs less than half of one of the company’s Classic models and ditched Airstream’s aluminum design for one that features lighter and stronger fiberglass.
The Nest version of Airstream’s camper even comes with Bluetooth-controlled LED lights that can change color and pulsate with music. It’s a tight squeeze but with its full-sized bedroom, kitchenette and shower, it’s a cozy camper for tight-knit couples or artists looking for space to create.
More tellingly, last month Airstream rolled out a partial smart home solution for all of its 2019 Airstream Classic trailers, including the option for unlimited data and a retrofit conversion for data access for older trailers. It’s a move that reflects Airstream founder Wally Byam’s credo, “Let’s not make changes, let’s only make improvements.”
The new feature is called “Airstream Smart Control,” and includes a smartphone app, Airstream Connected, that can set the indoor temperature and control vent fans, turn interior and exterior lights on and off, and extend or retract the camper’s awning. The new addition also enables remote monitoring of several key RV features including checking the propane and water levels as well as battery voltage. Finally, for those intrepid campers who are not only prone to exhilarating hikes but also getting themselves lost in the woods, the app can help them locate their RV via GPS in a pinch. The new features will come standard on all 2019 Classic models, which start at $150,000.
“Airstream owners have long been bringing digital technology and the Internet of Things (IoT) into their trailers, often in very creative ways,” Airstream Vice President of Product Development and Engineering McKay Featherstone said in a statement. “So, it’s no surprise they embrace the idea of a smart trailer, a recreational vehicle that allows them to adventure with all the digital comforts and connectivity of home.”
A high-gain, roof-mounted antenna boosts Wi-Fi and cellular signals for greater connectivity but Airstream has also partnered with AT&T to make sure its happy campers can stay connected no matter how far they go. Each Classic trailer includes an AT&T modem with dedicated 4G LTE data — each new Airstream trailer includes a year of free data. After that term expires, Airstream owners can pay $25 a month, or can also pay $360 a year for unlimited data.
For those who want to feel a little better prepared to embrace the life of the digital nomad, the Airstream Connected app will even help you prepare for your trip with checklists to make sure you have what you need.
Outdoor security cameras are not always practical if you live in an apartment or rental. Drilling into an exterior wall may be off-limits, while pointing a regular indoor camera through a window can create another problem once reflections start showing up after dark.
Baseus is trying to solve both issues with the new PrimeSentinel W1, a $69.99 security camera designed specifically to monitor the outdoors through glass. It mounts directly to a window without drilling and uses a 4K Starlight sensor with an F1.0 aperture for full-color monitoring during the day and at night.
This post is brought to you in paid partnership with Best Buy.
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With AI progressing so fast, it's only a matter of time before we start getting AI companions like the ones we used to see in movies like R2-D2, Wall-E, or Baymax. Now, Singapore-based OKA Technology has unveiled Mori, a cute little AI companion that looks less like a conventional home robot and more like someone turned the Pokémon Foongus into a table lamp.
Mori isn't meant to clean your house or control your smart home, but to serve as what OKA calls a "Nature Companion." It uses subtle movements, warm lighting, nature-inspired sounds, and small reactions to make its presence around the house feel calming rather than distracting. Mori can sit quietly while you read, sway along to music, welcome you when you enter a room, or encourage you to slow down for a moment without requiring a screen or a conversation.