Google Nest is giving away 100,000 free Home Minis to people who are living with paralysis.
The company announced a partnership with the Christopher and Dana Reeve Foundation Friday to provide the devices to paralyzed individuals as a way for them to be able to better control their environment as well as gain some additional independence.
It announced the partnership through a blog post written by Paralympic athlete Garrison Redd. Redd hopes to take home the gold for powerlifting during the 2020 Olympics in Tokyo. In his post, Redd details how he has specifically used the Mini in his day to day life for things like changing the temperature in his home, remembering his training schedule, and making grocery lists.
“Some of the greatest challenges and hurdles I face are at home,” Redd wrote in the blog post. “When you’re paralyzed, your home goes from being a place of comfort and security to a reminder of what you’ve lost. Light switches and thermostats are usually too high up on the wall and, if my phone falls on the floor, I may not be able to call a friend or family member if I need help.”
“These may seem like simple annoyances but, to members of the paralysis community, they reinforce the lack of control and limitations we often face,” he added.
Individuals living with paralysis can see if they’re eligible for a free Mini on the company’s website dedicated to the project. That site also features the stories of several other paralyzed individuals that have benefited from using Google Home.
The announcement comes on the 29th anniversary of the signing of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).
Google’s Home Mini is the most affordable speaker in the company’s lineup. The device can be connected to smart home devices and used for everything from controlling your thermostat to turning lights on and off. It can also play music and answer questions you might otherwise Google, among other features.
The Home Mini typically retails for $49; however, it routinely goes on sale for as low as $25 and is often offered as a “free” add-on when you purchase some smart home devices.
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.
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