Apple rumoured to showcase HomeKit at CES 2020

For the first time since 1992, we know Apple will be making its appearance at the Consumer Electronics Show 2020 in Las Vegas. We know Apple Senior Director of Global Privacy Jane Horvath will be speaking at the consumer privacy panel on January 7. But on top of that, there are rumours that Apple will be showcasing its HomeKit smart home system at CES. Some companies will also supposedly show off new products for the home that work with Apple's Siri. Apple itself reportedly won't be showcasing new hardware, though. Amazon and Google are expected to showcase new software capabilities for its internet-connected devices alongside its voice assistants. 

Source: MacRumors

Sony updates six TVs to add AirPlay 2, HomeKit, Dolby Atmos support

Sony finally brings the long-promised support for AirPlay 2, HomeKit, and Dolby Atmos to six of its 2019 and 2018 lineup. As expected, the update is coming to some of its premium models. These include the 2019 A9G, Z9G, X950G, and the X850G, as well as the 2018 A9F and Z9F. The update wasn't expected to come to the 2018 units, so it's a pleasant addition. 

AirPlay 2 gives Apple device owners the ability to stream content directly to their TVs, while the addition of HomeKit will allow you to turn TVs on or off from their Apple gadgets. For some devices, it even allows you to change inputs and access settings. As for Dolby Atmos, the audio format lets the TV beam audio at the ceiling and bounce these back down to give users some form of surround sound.

Source: MobileSyrup

LG will roll out AirPlay 2 and HomeKit support to its TVs starting ‘mid-year’ 2019

There’s a catch to that, though. LG is limiting the addition of AirPlay 2 and HomeKit support to its 2019 TVs. The functionalities are expected to land “mid-year” this 2019. Owners of these TVs are also expected to get a firmware update that will add Amazon Alexa support on top of the Google Assistant support that these televisions come with. LG hasn’t announced any plans yet of possibly bringing the tech to its slightly older TVs. For now, the LG models that will support AirPlay 2 include LG OLED (2019), LG NanoCell SM9X and SM8X (2019), and LG UHD UM7X series (2019).

Source: 9to5Mac

Philips Hue White Ambiance has the right light for the right moment

By Sonya Davidson

We've been looking to renovate our master bathroom at home ideally to resemble the one at the Four Seasons Hotel in Toronto. Wishful thinking but realistically there are ways to recreate at parts of it without breaking the bank.

I had seen the Philips Hue product line several times at press and consumer events. It had stuck with me but originally I couldn't get past the party light mood in my mind as that's what was shown - flashing, colourful and fun. Recently the line extended to include a new Philips Hue White Ambiance light. Now that definitely was appealing since I'll do anything to try and make our house a blissful place to come home to -- hey, winter is coming and I need more of this vibe....

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