As the current course of making devices smarter reaches an absolute fever, a new smart gadget hailing from a team of ex-Samsung engineers just might seem like the trend’s most unusual addition. No, it’s not an artificially intelligent refrigerator or even an autonomous vacuum but rather, a smart umbrella. Dubbed the Opus One — and already in circulation in Japan and Korea — the rig is intended to alert users to whether or not they should tote the thing with them before leaving the house each morning.
Though news of this sort is likely to draw reactions such as, “it’s not hard to look outside before you leave” or “there is no way it could accurately predict the weather,” the specifications for the Opus One are intriguing. Capable of scanning trusted local weather reports via Yahoo Weather each morning, owners simply shake the umbrella to quickly see if the device is needed that day or not — blinking red means rain is on the way while green signifies it is safe to leave the umbrella at home.
While leaning on a Bluetooth connection to a smartphone to gather weather data, the Opus One also leverages this connectivity to offer its owner even more useful features. Say, for instance, someone leaves their umbrella on the bus, the umbrella’s connection to a companion smartphone allows it to notify the user before they get too far away or (in this scenario) before the bus leaves. Furthermore, the Opus One also boasts the capability to send vibrated notifications to users when they receive text messages, emails, or phone calls — once again, by utilizing the Bluetooth connection.
Aesthetically, the Opus One looks like any other standard umbrella, however, the designers added their own bit of flare and offer two different varieties: a mustachioed, bowler hat version and one featuring a queen’s guard. As mentioned, it’s only currently available in Japan and Korea, retailing for roughly $105 (10,778 yen) but its recent push back into the news sphere suggests the firm is looking to expand.
At $105, the Opus One certainly isn’t cheap for an umbrella but considering its weather-predicting abilities, Bluetooth tethering, and notification ability, it’s likely the last umbrella anyone would ever need to own. Construction-wise, the designers chose to craft the water-repellant top out of a premium pongee fabric coated in weatherproofing, while outfitting the interior shafts of sturdy fiberglass to ensure supreme durability. Additionally, the device runs on four AAA batteries and is said to function for up to a year under normal use.
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.