Tornados, like the one that recently hit Nashville, Tennessee, can happen any time of year, according to the National Centers for Environmental Information. They can also occur just about anywhere in the country. Early warning is important with an impending tornado, or any type of major weather event such as flooding, strong winds, and hail because it gives you time to take shelter. While you can get severe weather alerts through your phone with apps, Alexa has a new feature that may save lives as well.
Now you can get severe weather alerts from Alexa, which can be particularly useful if you tend to have your phone on silent while you sleep or work. To set up the feature say, “Alexa, tell me when there’s a severe weather alert.” The next time there is a local severe weather warning, Alexa will let you know. Don’t worry, if you find you don’t like the alerts, you can turn them off by simply saying, “Alexa, turn off severe weather alerts.”
This isn’t the only new Alexa feature revealed recently. You can also now ask Alexa to send you information about your daily commute, traffic conditions, or directions to a destination to your phone, so as you leave the house you can take all of your important information with you. To use this feature ask Alexa what information you need, then tell her to send it to your phone. For example, you could ask, “Alexa, how is the traffic to the airport?” When you get the answer you simply say, “Alexa, send that to my phone.” After a confirmation from Alexa, you’ll get a notification on your phone. In this example, tapping on the notification would send route guidance to the airport to your phone’s map app.
Another new feature is for basketball fans, just in time for March Madness. Miss a game or want to relive a great moment? You can now watch NBA game highlights on Alexa devices that have a screen, like the Echo Show. To see clips say, “Alexa, play the (your favorite team) highlights.” Then, the highlights from your team’s most recent game will play on the screen. If you want the best clips from all of the recent games throughout the league say, “Alexa, play the NBA highlights.”
Few things ruin a quiet evening faster than a robot vacuum roaring through the living room. Most of us end up pausing the cleaning run, which defeats the whole purpose of owning one. Matic thinks it has the answer with its new Serene robot vacuum, and the big selling point is how little noise it makes.
The Matic Serene runs at 52 decibels even when cleaning at full power. To put that in perspective, Matic compares it to the hum of your refrigerator. It is available now for $1,695, which is $200 more than the original Matic’s current price.
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.
Technology evolves every day, transforming how we live and work. Our devices are becoming more than tools we use. They are increasingly capable companions that help streamline day-to-day routines and spark creative ideas. If you have been waiting for the right moment to upgrade your tech setup, the Discover Samsung Shopping Event offers an opportunity to explore what connected, AI-powered living can look like.