Day: January 7, 2019

Valeo introduced XtraVue at CES last year in different version that lets you see through vehicles ahead of you to spot any danger in front, much as Tesla’s Autopilot does to prevent accidents. That version, however, relied on cameras installed in other vehicles and public LTE mobile networks.

XtraVue Trailer works on the same principal but is a lot more practical, relying only on your vehicle’s onboard cameras. It’s designed to help drivers “change lanes, reverse and park, all with full control over their environment,” the company said. It looks impressive from the image above, but it remains to be seen whether it’ll ever keep your Airstream on the straight and narrow.

So who needs this, really? Much like LG’s thin wallpaper OLED TV, the company is targeting discerning, style conscious buyers. The OLED TV R is particularly appealing for people who want a large 65-inch screen for immersive movie watching, but don’t always want it to dominate their living space. Up until now, their only option was to buy a smaller TV, or figure out a creative way to hide the screen.

The OLED TV R’s base is also a 100-watt Dolby Atmos speaker system — again, similar to the soundbar LG bundled with the wallpaper OLED. There aren’t any upward firing speakers, but it can virtualize surround decently. Based on a short demo, the speakers sound solid for music, and about on-par with modern soundbars when it comes to movies. Of course, it’s not going to replace a dedicated home theater setup, but anyone with something that extensive probably isn’t concerned about hiding their AV gear.

Aside from opening and closing completely, the OLED TV R can also leave a sliver of its screen up, something LG calls “line mode.” That gives you a bit of a display for controlling music, or displaying a clock, family photos or soothing digital patterns. Honestly, it looks like you’re just begging to have your child or pet destroy your precious OLED TV, but it’s certainly a cool party trick. LG claims the set is good for 50,000 rolls, but it’s unclear how long that actually entails. As with any device with moving parts, its roller could eventually fail, which adds a certain amount of anxiety for potential owners.

Quality-wise, the rollable TV is on-par with LG’s other 4K OLED screens this year (including support for 120FPS), and it’s also powered by the second generation Alpha 2 processor. The OLED TV R will also feature LG’s latest WebOS release, which adds support for Amazon’s Alexa virtual assistant. And, just like Samsung, LG is also adding Apple’s AirPlay 2 standard, as well as HomeKit integration. There’s no standalone iTunes app, unfortunately, but the AirPlay support should make it easier for iOS owners to throw content on their sets. And it’s yet another sign that Apple is finally starting to broaden its entertainment reach.

LG doesn’t have a price in mind for the OLED TV R yet, but the company says it’ll be available in the second half of the year.

The company itself has yet to publicly share news of the blinds, but Zatz Not Funny notes that it has already listed two such products on its German website. KADRILJ and FYRTUR are wireless, battery-powered shades that interact with IKEA’s existing TRÅDFRI lighting gateway. That means it will play nice with Alexa, HomeKit and Google Assistant, as they already support IKEA’s smart lighting platform.

The product itself is a typical blackout blind that carries slightly more bulk as it includes a small compartment for a rechargeable battery. Once the battery is placed inside the fascia, owners can pair the blind with the accompanying white puck, which then serves as a manual control. IKEA’s own documentation states that KADRILJ and FYRTUR can be programmed to open or close at dedicated time via the associated app.

According to IKEA, the blinds will be available from February 2nd. They’ll come in five European sizes and range from 99 to 155 euros (roughly $113 and $181). There’s currently no word on whether they’ll come to the US or the UK (we have contacted the company for more details), but if the launch mirrors that of its smart lighting range, we can expect them to become available in other regions sooner rather than later.