Why just use a tablet to read a recipe when you can also use it to control the oven from within the recipe? GE Appliances‘ newest way to control the company’s connected wall ovens is from within Drop ($80) recipes displayed on a tablet. More than 500 interactive Drop recipes empower home cooks with GE connected ovens to preheat ovens and set timers and temperatures — all from a tablet screen.
Preheating is a popular function, according to GE. “We know from our own connected oven app that preheating the oven is one of the most frequently used functions, so we expect the Drop integration to provide real value to the home cook,” said Paul Bristow, product manager for built-in cooking at GE Appliances.
Drop’s recipes are converted into a machine-readable format that can control connected appliances remotely. A cook working from a Drop recipe sees step-by-step instructions for food preparation that now can include onscreen oven settings for connected GE ovens.
The partnership is viewed as a next step by both GE and Drop. “We’ve already tapped into Bluetooth technology, IFTTT, and voice commands for our connected ovens, but Drop represents our first interactive recipe partnership,” said GE’s Bristow.
Drop’s vision is building the Kitchen OS of the future, integrating recipes from partners like Food52 and Good Housekeeping, and connecting to smart kitchen appliances such as the Drop Connected Kitchen Scale and, now, GE Appliances connected wall ovens.
GE had another big partner announcement as well: Its connected ovens now integrate with Nest Protect. When the detector senses smoke, it can turn off the oven. With its ability to tell when no one’s home, the Nest Protect can notify you if you’ve left the stove on after making your morning oatmeal.
Updated 1/4/2017: Updated to include the news about the Nest Protect integration.
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.
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.