Smarter's new WiFi Coffee Machine.
Beyond Bright
Though most of us barely have our heads around the concept (and price tag) of 4K televisions, Sharp’s AQUOS Beyond 4K Ultra HD certainly takes this year’s prize as most jaw-dropping. The 80-inch TV employs 4K imagery—four times the resolution of hi-definition—to create a picture that is bright and lifelike, with an uncanny sense of depth not far from 3D. Out later this year, the Beyond 4K Ultra HD has not yet been priced—but expect some serious depth there, too. sharpusa.com
Coffee Break
Smarter’s new WiFi Coffee Machine, with built-in WiFi and an iOS- and Android-compatible app, enables the bleary-eyed to brew the perfect cup from afar. The machine is a grind-on-demand drip brewer that can be instructed by a regular timer or at the touch of a button; once the coffee is ready, it will notify you via the app on your phone. This single-serve coffee maker, priced at $150, is scheduled to hit stores in May. smarter.am
Recipe for Success
Dacor remains a front-runner in oven evolution. This year, the company added voice control to its already Jetsonian Discovery iQ line of dual-fuel ranges. Starting this spring, iOS and Android users will be able to turn the oven on and off, alter settings, set timers and activate lights via voice commands using their Dacor iQ iOS apps. The 48-inch oven costs $12,000; the 36-inch model costs $9,300. dacor.com
Washed Up
The laundry room remains a bastion of consumer-electronics innovation. This year’s winner: the TWIN Wash System from LG Electronics. Though no bigger than LG’s front loader, it accommodates two loads simultaneously thanks to the transformation of its base drawer into a mini washer (inset). While not large enough to handle a heaping load, the drawer will do the trick when, for instance, some items call for a different cycle—without stealing capacity from the main washer as some side-by-side models do. The mini washer drawer can be retrofitted in an existing LG model. Price and release date to come. lg.com
In From the Cold
For those weathering uneven heating systems in their homes, the Keen Home Smart-Vent offers customization via app-enabled vents that can be opened and closed remotely—or can do the job themselves using automated temperature and pressure sensors. The possibilities of these $80 battery-powered gadgets are endless: Closing off rooms when not in use, focusing heat on bedrooms overnight, warming the kitchen before dawn. Debuting this summer. keenhome.io
Cathy Applefeld Olson is an Alexandria, Virginia, freelance writer.