Barbara Krasnoff is a reviews editor who manages how-tos and various projects. She’s worked as an editor and writer (and occasional sci-fi author) for more years than she cares to admit to.
A new line of small appliances and devices from IAI Smart, billed as Emerson Smart products, are now available that will let you operate fans, heaters, smart plugs, and air fryers with your voice — with no apps, Wi-Fi, or smart home connection at all.
Using the company’s SmartVoice technology, the devices react to wake-up words for verbal commands, using built-in microphones. Most of the appliances will also offer a built-in speaker so that they can react audibly to the commands. IAI Smart emphasizes the ease of use that this offers. “Our guiding principle is simpl…
Barbara Krasnoff is a reviews editor who manages how-tos and various projects. She’s worked as an editor and writer (and occasional sci-fi author) for more years than she cares to admit to.
A new line of small appliances and devices from IAI Smart, billed as Emerson Smart products, are now available that will let you operate fans, heaters, smart plugs, and air fryers with your voice — with no apps, Wi-Fi, or smart home connection at all.
Using the company’s SmartVoice technology, the devices react to wake-up words for verbal commands, using built-in microphones. Most of the appliances will also offer a built-in speaker so that they can react audibly to the commands. IAI Smart emphasizes the ease of use that this offers. “Our guiding principle is simple: make smart home technology easier for everyone,” said Jason Jiang, CEO of IAI Smart. “Voice control should be effortless, and now it is.” And because everything is on-device, personal information never leaves the home.
The first devices with this technology include:
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SmartVoice Tower Fans, which come in 29-inch ($89.99), 40-inch $99.99), and 42-inch models ($119.99), and which will offer three speeds, 15-hour sleep timers, LED touch displays, over 40 voice commands, and (if you’re into aromatherapy) an integrated scent diffuser.
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SmartVoice Fan-Heaters, which come in 25-inch ($129.99) and 32-inch ($169.99) models and which will supply wide-angle 1500-watt heating with anti-tipping features and auto-shutoff timers. Like the tower fans, they will reach to over 40 voice commands.
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SmartVoice Electric Plugs come in three iterations: a single-plug version ($24.99), a dual-plug version ($29.99), and a dual plug that also includes USB-A and USB-C ports ($34.99). The plugs will respond to over 30 preset commands. The USB ports will not.
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SmartVoice Air Fryers may be the most interesting for cooks: available in 5.3-quart ($129.99) and 10-quart ($169.99) sizes, these kitchen devices will, says the company, come with over 1,000 voice commands and over 100 cooking presets, so you can call out “Reheat pizza” without having to move from the sofa.
The SmartVoice appliances are available from Best Buy, Walmart, Amazon, and the Emerson SmartVoice site.
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- Barbara Krasnoff
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