Brian Heater
Hardware Editor
The Latest from Brian Heater
Kickstarter CEO Everette Taylor on blockchain, inclusion, unions and the future of crowdfunding
For most CEOs, the first several weeks or months are spent learning the ropes, poring over financials and meeting shareholders. More often than not, press interviews are reserved for a later date. Eve
Google debuts a new Nest Doorbell, faster Wi-Fi router and redesigned Home app
Seems Google couldn’t wait until Thursday to announce all of its upcoming hardware. In a pair of blog posts this morning, the company announced two additions to its Nest line of smart home products:
It’s a sprint, not a marathon
Here’s a question for you: How seriously should we take Amazon’s home robotics play? Perhaps a better way of framing it is: When do we take Amazon’s home robotics play seriously? I realize these
Google pulls the plug on Stadia
Two and a half years after unveiling Stadia onstage at GDC, the game streaming service is officially done. Subscribers will have access to the games library through January 18 of next year, after whic
Amazon’s iRobot deal faces renewed scrutiny from Dems
A new letter penned by Senate and House Democrats accuses Amazon of “anticompetitive” practices in its bid to purchase Roomba-maker, iRobot, for $1.7 billion. Massachusetts Senator Elizabeth Warre
Kickstarter names Everette Taylor CEO
Kickstarter announced today that it has appointed Everette Taylor as CEO. The news comes nearly six months after Aziz Hasan officially stepped down from the chief executive role. Hasan had served in t
Amazon’s Astro robot gets pet detection, home security updates and an SDK
There’s been a standing question surrounding how seriously we should ultimately take Astro. The product was launched exactly one year ago, in limited quantities as a Day One offering for $999 a pop.
Amazon’s latest Halo device is a bedside sleep tracker
In 2020, Amazon announced its entry into the fitness tracking space, with the launch of the Halo View. The wearable was certainly priced right at $80, with a design that appeared to take cues from som
Kindle Scribe brings writing to Amazon’s popular e-reader
Hard to believe that, in 2022, the Kindle can still headline an Amazon event — and yet, he were are. We’re expecting plenty of news out of today’s virtual Amazon event (and slightly melancho
Cionic gets $12.5M to accelerate its assistive mobility wearable
There’s been plenty of excitement on the robotic exoskeleton front in recent years. For the most part, these devices slot into two categories: 1) workplace assistance and 2) mobility assistance. The
The Freewrite Alpha boldly asks: Can a small screen be too small?
If you’re reading this, you almost certainly have a complicated relationship with screens. Every year that passes, they become larger and increasingly present in our lives. Meanwhile, we continue to
Livin Farms’ investors are betting $5.8M on powdered fly larvae
In a world of climate change-fueled food shortages, insect-based proteins are being viewed as an increasingly valuable potential alternative food service. Livin Farms has put insect larvae at the cent
Finally, a Roomba that vacuums and mops
IRobot makes robots that vacuum. IRobot makes robots that mop. Other companies make robots that vacuum and mop. So, why doesn’t iRobot? If you had asked the company that question as recently as a fe
Nothing is prepping a new pair of earbuds
When Nothing was unveiled early last year, founder Carl Pei promised that the hardware startup had a full road map. Early stories about the London-based firm alluded to a pitch deck full of Pokémon c
Humankinda
Let’s talk humanoids for a minute, shall we? Why do so many roboticists insist on creating robots that look like us? Get ready to see plenty more humanoid robots. The subject is top of mind for a fe
Archer’s co-founder is bootstrapping an all-purpose humanoid robot
The quest to build the perfect humanoid robot is heating up, as Figure — a startup currently operating in stealth — is developing a multi-purpose bipedal ‘bot it plans to pilot in 20
Apple Watch Ultra first impressions
We posted a pair of Apple Watch reviews this time last week. Both the Series 8 and second-gen SE received high marks for their categories — flagship and budget, respectively. Were Apple to stick
AirPods Pro (2nd Gen) review: Welcome updates to Apple’s best buds
Market share analyses aren’t an exact science, exactly. Different firms take different factors into account, though more often than not, the numbers more or less line up among the bigger players. We
Framework partners with Google for a user-repairable $999 Chromebook
Repairable electronics firm Framework just announced a new take on the company’s signature laptop. Produced in association with Google, the company is releasing the Framework Laptop Chromebook Editi
SoftBank Robotics Europe is now Aldebaran (again)
Its 2015 acquisition of Aldebaran didn’t go as smoothly as SoftBank hoped. At the time, the French robotics startup was best known for its Nao, which had become a fairly ubiquitous presence in resea