Ever accidentally taken your watch into the sauna? The end result of doing so may be a relaxed body, but that relaxation will almost certainly be undone when you realize you now have a completely cooked watch. Casio, however, has a fix and in fact, is crowdfunding a watch thats not only sauna-approved, but specifically built for it.The watch is currently dubbed the Casio CPP-002, and is purpose-built with enough durability to survive use in ultra-hot and ultra-humid environments. The watch is being crowdfunded on Japanese platform Makuake, and the campaign is set to last three months, so it could be a while before youre able to get your hands on one.There are three models of the CPP-002. Theres the black, white, and orange CPP-002-OR; the all-black CPP-002-BK; and the black and blue CPP-002-BU, which was designed in collaboration with sauna platform Sauna Ikitai.Color-scheme aside, the watch has a 35.44mm body, with an analog watch face. Not only that, but it has a 12-minute counter that sauna-goers can use to time their sessions, and an expandable band thats perfect for gym locker keys.Of course, theres more to durability than just the outer body. The watch has a special heat-resistant battery that Casio says should last roughly five years. And, the device has a 5 ATM rating, or the ability to be used in water as deep as 50 meters.Given the fact that the watch is still undergoing its months-long crowdfunding campaign, its currently unclear if itll get a full production run. That said, during the campaign it runs between 10,000 11,000, or around $60 to $70. We certainly hope it gets a wider launch, even if it does end up being something you only use at the sauna.

We may earn a commission from links on this page.One of the most common first sensors people buy for their home is a motion sensor. But in almost all cases, you want a presence sensor instead. The one I'd want is the FP300, which Aqara released today at CES 2025.Motion sensors are triggered by light changes. As people cross a room, the light shifts, and a motion sensor is triggered; as long as people are moving enough, a motion sensor works fine. But anyone left working in an office or library late at night knows that if youre not moving enough, the motion sensors cant perceive you in the room, and if the lighting relies on being triggered by motion, youll end up sitting in the dark.A presence sensor uses wave radar technology to sweep a room, looking for the slightest movement, not the broad gestures that would be caught by a motion sensor. If you're breathing, the presence sensor will catch that. It can even detect if someone has fallen to the floor. Theyre great at discerning the difference between pets and people, too. Any sort of automation that relies on sensing whether there are people in the room would likely be better served by a presence sensor than a motion sensor. From a user perspective, they work the same way: You mount the sensor high up on a wall or on the ceiling and ask it for automation to use motion as a trigger. This sensor will work with Alexa, Apple Home, Google Home, Home Assistant, Homey, and SmartThings.Aqara invented the presence sensor, the FP1, back in 2021. They released the FP2 in 2023. Each time, Aqara has won awards from major bodies, including IFA and CES. Both previous presence sensors work so well, that the news they would release a new sensor caught me by surprise. What could they add to the functionality?Well, the FP3 relies on battery, and while that may sound small, its not. Most sensors still use continuous power, which means a plug; Ive never seen motion or presence sensors that were cordless. For the amount of action they see, theyve generally needed the constant influx of electricity, but having a cord is inconvenient for mounting a sensor where it needs to be. Its why these sensors dont get used as often as they could be: Cords are a pain. So a cordless sensor is a big deal, if it works well. You don't want to have to recharge it every month or take it down and change batteries. Aqara says the battery will last two years.There are other improvements besides the battery. The FP300 is Matter-enabled, and supports Threads and Zigbee as well; with that kind of cross platform support, it should be usable into the next few years. Aqara has thrown a lot of sensory technology at this piece of tech to sense what is going on within 20 feet of the sensor: mmWave (a series of radio waves), passive infrared, light, temperature, and humidity sensors.Aqara is, in my opinion, the best company for sensors, with the widest library of sensors for smart homes. Theyre also the most reliable sensors that Ive tested; the app is well-designed and the sensors are easy to pair and immediately start using. Im excited to test this particular sensor, but I dont have a release date or price yet.

January is a great time to rethink your budget, invest in your HSA, or even try to conquer the fear you feel every time you look at your bank statement. Personal finance podcasts are one tool to help you get there.These ten shows offer a mix of deep dives, diverse interviews, quick and applicable tips, and breakdowns of financial news that will help you make changes in your life and make sense of everything from personal banking, to Wall Street, to bitcoin. The best part? Theyre all free. Look at you, saving money already!Money For Couples Credit: Podcast logo On Money for Couples (formerly known as I Will Teach You To Be Rich) Ramit Sethi interviews couples about their finances down to the penny, but going beyond the figures to get to the heart of who they are and help them understand their different spending and saving habits. Hes a little like Ester Perele, but for personal finance instead of relationships. Ramit applies tough love to help couples solve their money problems and also think about the emotional reasons we struggle with money in relationships in the first place. All the Hacks Credit: Podcast logo Hosted by Chris Hutchins, All the Hacks is your guide to living a more robust lifetopics cover everything from the science of nutrition, to living with intentionality, to busting parenting myths. Chris is obsessed with optimization in all areas, but the money episodes are some of his beststraightforward and potentially sanity saving. Chris and his guests get specific on topics like the gold market, saving for retirement, the cost of college, and turning everyday deals into a reliable income stream. It's so specific that you can tell Chris really wants to help listeners grasp what he knows, which is a lot. (He was the head of new product strategy at Wealthfront after they acquired his company, Grove; he was also an investor at Google Ventures and co-founded Milk, which was later acquired by Google.) Pro tip: Dont skip the travel stuffChris is a points arteest, and will teach you how to redeem your miles for maximum value and completely change how you book your next trip.Everyones Talkin Money Credit: Podcast logo I love Shannah Game, host of Everyones Talkin Money, because she feels like someone I could be friends with, and her podcast feels like a safe place to talk about something that can feel scary. She tires to get to the root of our money issues, with episodes focusing on how emotion and psychology shape our financial decisions, looking at our financial DNA, and confronting the fear we have when we check our bank statements. She also speaks to listeners with the understanding that none of us is perfect, and her advice takes that into consideration. It's a great show to start with if youre interested in tackling your financial fears this year.The Indicator Credit: Podcast logo Every weekday, Planet Money brings you The Indicator, a 10-minute show zooming in on the finances behind work, business, the economy, science, and subjects further afield, from Jimmy Carters legacy to whether or not job references matter. Recent episodes have covered Trumps trade policies, Boeing blunders, and the US housing shortage. Its daily, entertaining, and short.The Money With Katie Credit: Podcast logo The Katie in Money With Katie is Katie Gatti Tassi, who has a self-described "online emoire" designed to help women with their finances. Her show is a mix of data-driven insights and storytelling that offers a refreshing, relatable take on personal finance. You get actionable advice, clear strategies, and a little bit of humor, too. Katie breaks down complex financial concepts into manageable steps, empowering listeners to build better budgeting habits, tackle debt, and invest wisely. With episodes covering topics like reducing impulsive spending, maximizing savings accounts, and long-term financial planning, Money with Katie serves as both a motivational guide and a practical resource for turning your money-saving goals into lasting success. So Money With Farnoosh Torabi Credit: Podcast logo On So Money with Farnoosh Torabi, Farnoosh, an experienced financial journalist, talks to thought leaders, entrepreneurs, and everyday individuals who have mastered their finances, covering a wide range of topics. You'll discover the nitty gritty of budgeting and investing, as well as cultivating a money-saving mindset. Its all delivered in a motivational style. Whatever money issue youre facingtackling debt, building an emergency fund, or planning for a major financial milestoneFarnoosh has the tools that can help you turn your dreams into a reality.Smart Money Credit: Podcast logo Smart Money specialized in short, direct episodes that are both conversational (love the dynamics of nerdy hosts Sean Pyles and Sara Rathner) and informative, and its backed by NerdWallet's trusted reputation for financial expertise. While many finance podcasts focus on complex investing strategies or niche topics, Smart Money centers on practical, everyday financial decisions that anyone can relate to. Sean and Sara tackle real listener questions, offering personalized advice and insights that feel relatable and actionable. Additionally, its focus on breaking down timely financial newslike interest rate changes or tax updatesequips you with knowledge you can use right away.The Best One Yet Credit: Podcast logo The Best One Yet is your daily dose of pop-business news. In 20 minutes, hosts Jack Kramer and Nick Martell serve up the three business stories you need to know to get through the day, providing the context to so you can understand the bigger story and why it matters. Jack and Nick are dynamic, energetic friends, and they are able to make financial datamarket trends, company newsentertaining and accessible. Listening to stories about a stegosaurus skeleton going public, Mattels Hot Wheels sales rising 14%, and how the TikTok ban could be the biggest productivity boost for the American economy ever (to name a few) will keep you informed you so you can go about your day investing, crafting your own business strategies and personal finance habits, or just sound like you know what youre talking about at the water cooler.Networth and Chill Credit: Podcast logo Episodes of Networth and Chill feel like casual conversations with Your rich BFF/former Wall Street trader turned social media finance educator Vivian Tu, who is there for people who feel like they need a definition for the definition when it comes to their finances. Vivians ability to connect real-life scenarioslike navigating salary negotiations, understanding taxes, or avoiding financial scamswith broader money concepts means the show is rich with practical takeaways you can use immediately. Her candid discussions often tackle taboo financial topics, like money in relationships or the social pressures around spending, offering a refreshing and authentic perspective. How To Money Credit: Podcast logo Hosted by best friends Joel and Matt, How To Money provides useful, jargon-free advice on topics like investing in your HSA, crunching the numbers to determine whether you should go for the lump sum or a monthly pension, and how to buy what you love without going broke. In a wide range of guest interviews, Joel and Matt prove to be great at asking the right questions. This ones quick and daily, striking a balance between being simple enough for beginners, yet helpful for people with a higher financial IQ.

Earlier this year, Switchbot announced the S10, a robot vacuum and mop that could pull clean water directly from your homes water line to not only mop your floors, but to also shuttle the water to a separate humidifier. Today at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES), Switchbot announced the K20+ Pro, a robot vacuum cleaner that can transport drinks, fans, air purifiers (and more) around the house on a special platform. Switchbot is calling both of these robots their Multitasking Household Robots.If you have a robot vacuum, you understand that they become a very visible presence in your home. The dock takes up space, and in most cases, the robot does its job vacuuming while your family is using the home. The idea that these machines can do more than one job is intriguing and, given how expensive they often are, economical.The K20+ Pro is an update to the K10+, a mini robot vacuum that I adore, and the new version only improved on the original. The K20+ Pro is a powerful robot vacuum, running 15,000Pa suctionand it's only the size of your hand. With that small stature, it can get around chair legs and into corners more easily. What makes this new version unique is that the robot can connect to a larger platformthe "FusionPlatform"and you can use that stage to shuttle drinks or other items around the house. The FusionPlatform has a number of holes, ports, and plugs so that other items can be attached, plugged in, or stowed on it. Switchbot will sell a fan, a security camera, and an air purifier with a small table on top that can dock and then move around the house.Switchbot even encourages you to 3D-print your own parts for the FusionPlatform, creating a world of possible accessories and uses. (The platform can hold up to 18 pounds.)Now, there are some drawbacks. First, the robot cant vacuum when the FusionPlatform is attached; it has to undock to do so, and Switchbot was unclear on whether you could abandon the platform anywhere or if it has to return it to the dock first. Also, the extensions like the fan and air purifier dont work while the robot is moving, only when it has stopped. Credit: Switchbot Second, while having a robot drive an air purifier around the house is neat, Im not entirely sure how useful it actually is. Perhaps the most utilitarian use is the K20+ Pro Mobile Stand, which will effectively turn the K20+ Pro into one of those tablet robots the height of a person that can be remotely controlled.The third drawback: As you add more and more accessories to the FusionPlatform, they have to get stored someplace. And, well, they really can start to pile up. Credit: Switchbot Lastly, the K20+ Pro and the S10 dont interact, meaning the two whole-household robots dont acknowledge each other or work together in any way, which feels like a real miss. For what its worth, Switchbot is releasing an update to the S10 and the S20 Pro this week with a number of improvements to what I already considered two competent vacuum/mop combos.Still, the point thats worth focusing on if youre a real robot nerd like me is that Switchbot has imagined an entire ecosystem of devices their robots can work with, and a future where robots dont have one singular gig but are more deeply tied into your household.The K20+ Pro is expect to be available in late March; there is no pricing information as of now.

Ecobee introduced a new smart thermostat at CES 2025 and it looks pretty nifty. The Smart Thermostat Essential is packed with most of the features found with the $250 premium model, only with a price tag of $130. Theres a full-color touchscreen for making adjustments, though that can also be done via the Ecobee mobile app. The app will send alerts to prevent heating and cooling disruptions and will even whip up a comprehensive home energy report each month to provide a macro look at energy usage. This is a modern smart thermostat, so customers can also use smart assistants like Alexa, Google Assistant and Apple HomeKit for the aforementioned adjustments. Ecobee Ecobee says the Smart Thermostat Essential is packed with software that will automatically learn how long it takes to heat and cool the home, which will then inform the device of how much energy to use to reach a desired temperature. The end result? A cheaper utility bill. The company claims that this thermostat will actually pay for itself in just six months. The savings can be increased by adding a few of the companys optional SmartSensors, which cost around $55 per pair. These sensors will teach the thermostat which rooms are used the most, so theyll get increased temperature regulation. Ecobee promises that the thermostat is easy to install, but it likely still requires some light wiring. Anyone familiar with smart thermostats should know the drill. The Smart Thermostat Essential will be available at major retailers in March. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/home/smart-home/ecobees-smart-thermostat-essential-is-packed-with-features-but-still-affordable-160046079.html?src=rss

Audio brand JLab has unveiled its first headphones with adaptive active noise cancellation at CES 2025. The company's Epic Lux Lab Edition Wireless Headphones will cost $199. Pre-orders begin today and shipments are expected to go out starting January 30.The Epic Lux Lab is an over-ear headphone set with 32mm high-fidelity custom dynamic drivers. The set's adaptive ANC can react in real-time to changes in ambient noise levels. Its noise cancelling mode can diminish environmental audio up to 42 dB, while the Be Aware mode allows outside sounds to reach the user. Both modes can be customized with the JLab app.The headphones come with a magnetic wireless charging pad and also have a built-in USB-C port for wired charging. JLab says the Epic Lux Lab can deliver "over 90+ hours of playtime on a single charge," or 60 hours when active noise cancelling is in use.In addition to the Epic Lux Lab, JLab is also introducing an on-ear headset at CES called the Go Lux ANC Wireless. This option provides hybrid active noise cancellation of up to 30 dB as well as a Be Aware mode. The Go Lux ANC Wireless only support wired charging via USB-C, but will last up to 70 hours depending on use cases. These entry-level headphones retail for $50. Like the upscale option, pre-orders are open now and the product is slated to begin shipping on January 30.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/audio/headphones/jlab-debuts-its-first-adaptive-active-noise-cancellation-headphones-at-ces-2025-160036341.html?src=rss

This week at CES, Google presented an early look at new software and hardware upgrades coming to Google TV devices. The new features include the integration of Gemini, Google's AI model, to the Google Assistant, as well as a new ambient experience. New smart TVs with Google TV will also gain far-field mics and proximity sensors to support the new software perks. If you've used a Google TV or Google streaming device, you may have already used the "hey Google" prompt to search for shows to watch. With the addition of Gemini, those "conversations" should now feel more natural. Asking follow up questions or even changing topics to ask about something else won't require you to say the prompt again. You should also be able to search for content more intuitively, saying things like, "What are the newest movies from Disney?" Interacting with your connected smart home devices should be easier as well, letting you say, for example, "Who's at the front door?" to view your video doorbell feed. The new Google TV experience will include YouTube videos to supplement answers to your queries. So if you ask, "what are the best pizza places in Chicago?" your TV will give you a list of videos to check out. To facilitate the new AI-fueled Assistant capabilities, Google TV sets will now come standard with far-field microphones so you can talk to the Google Assistant without the remote. Google is also working on a new ambient experience that will rely on proximity sensors to trigger an on-screen hub that shows personalized widgets like weather, news, traffic and so on. And when you're not viewing the hub or actively watching TV, an always-on mode can display art or even AI-generated screensavers, again enabled by Gemini's smarts. We've seen versions of some of these features before. Amazon's Echo Show smart displays rely on proximity sensors to display personal details. Supplementing your queries with YouTube videos and creating AI screensavers with voice prompts are both features we saw with the new Google TV Streamer from last year. And of course, AI integration has been an unofficial mandate for every tech company throughout 2024 and it's everywhere at CES this year. If the new smarts makes finding something good to watch an easier endeavor, it'll be a welcome use of the technology. Google demonstrated the new features at CES this week and has said the technology will be available on new Google TV devices sometime this year, but we don't have a firm date for when the new devices will be available. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/home/gemini-ai-is-coming-to-google-tv-devices-in-2025-making-them-easier-to-talk-to-160003805.html?src=rss

A new Gemini Live Google Assistant for Google TVs will bring new smart features like improved voice prompts.

Microsoft wants to invest $80 billion on AI data centers in 2025 while upskilling 2.5 million Americans.

From search to AI, the internet's knowledge ecosystem faces disruption. Can Knowledge-as-a-Service save it?