Our worst-case scenario for a 20% decline in prices and those of others seeing 30% plus falls are unlikely thanks to support measures and the earlier reopening of the economy. To get these worst-case scenarios would require a second wave of coronavirus cases & so a renewed shutdown or another down leg in the economy in response to a surge in bankruptcies.

However, further falls in prices are still likely, as true unemployment (to become clear after September) remains high for several years, government support measures and the bank payment holiday end after September, immigration falls and likely government measures boost housing construction. Our base case is for national average prices to fall around 5-10% into next year. Sydney & Melbourne are likely to see 10% falls as they are more exposed to immigration and have higher debt levels whereas Adelaide, Brisbane, Perth & Hobart are only likely to see small falls and Canberra prices are likely to be flat.

This may be seen as a reasonable outcome in terms of making housing more affordable but without posing a big threat to the economy (via a downwards spiral of falling prices and negative wealth effects on consumer spending) at the same time.

Stay up to date with my content by hitting the 'follow' button below and you'll be notified every time I post a wire. Not already a Livewire member? Sign up today to get free access to investment ideas and strategies from Australia's leading investors.

Excerpt from:
Australian house prices starting to fall - collapse likely averted but expect more weakness ahead - Livewire Markets

Kottayam: The Kerala Police suspect the role of a quotation gang in the murder of a 55-year-old woman, Sheeba Salih, at Thazhathangady in Kottayam district.

Sheeba, 55, was found dead at her house, Shani Manzil, at Parappadath in Thazhathangadi on Monday morning, while her husband, Mohammad Salih, was found unconscious nearby with assault wounds.

The police have found that Sheeba and her husband had financial dealings with several people. It is suspected that a dispute over the financial deal had led to the murder.

The investigation points fingers at a gang, based out of Thazhathangady, and involved in financial dealings.

It was also suspected that the assailants had not plotted the murder. Instead their objective was to extort money from the couple.

The cops reached this conclusion as the assailants had not used lethal weapons to attack the couple. However, when the dispute escalated, the assailants were provoked to attack the couple using the tea table in the room. Though electric wires were tied around the victims' bodies, there was no proof of them being electrocuted.

Attacked & tied up

The assailants had first hit Sheeba and then attacked Salih. Both of them were tied up using electric wires and the assailants ransacked the house. They then left the gas cylinder open. They exited the house through the back door and fled the house in the couple's car. Sheeba's relatives said that the gold bangles, chain and earrings worn by her, and the ornaments stored in the cupboard were missing.

As the victims had suffered grievous injuries, the police suspect that the assailants have a criminal background, or have a history of substance abuse or mental illness.

It is also suspected that the car and gold ornaments were stolen to make it appear as a case of burglary and mislead the investigation.

Meanwhile, the police have found CCTV images of a person, suspected to be the culprit, fleeing in a car from the crime scene. Though images of the car as it passed through Kumarakom and Vechoor were found, the car is yet to be traced. The police have also received information that their car was taken to Kochi, based on CCTV visuals. The probe team hopes to the nab the culprits within two days.

The police, however, suspect the involvement of more than one person as it is unlikely that a lone individual can attack two people in the house and tie them up.

The police are probing the three possible angles of personal enmity, dispute over financial dealings and burglary in the blood-chilling incident.

The heinous manner in which the couple were attacked prompted the police to suspect that the culprits harboured enmity against them. The police team is also checking whether the assailants planned to set the house on fire, by leaving the gas cylinder open.

The police also found blood-stained gloves from the house. Following the scent of the blood-stained glove, the police sniffer dog had run up to near the Arupuzha bridge on Kottayam Road, which is 1km away.

The police recorded the statements of some people who frequently interacted with the couple on Tuesday.

The case is probed by a 13-member team led by DySP R Sreekumar. DIG Kaliraj Mahesh Kumar and district police chief G Jayadev are also following-up on the investigation.

Autopsy findings

The post-mortem report has said that Sheeba had died of head injuries. Her skull was fractured in the impact of the attack, leading to haemorrhage. Several wounds were also found on the body. The autopsy also found signs of assault.

Though live electric wires were found on the bodies, the post-mortem report does not say that Sheeba was electrocuted. However, the body parts will be sent to the forensic lab in Thiruvananthapuram for more tests.

Police surgeon Dr Ranju Raveendran, who is also the Kottayam Medical College forensic department chief, carried out the post-mortem.

Sheebas husband continues to be in a critical condition at the Kottayam Medical College Hospital. The 65-year-old had undergone a surgery at the hospital.

Sheeba's funeral was held at the Taj Juma Masjid in Kottayam on Tuesday evening. Her daughter Shani and her husband, who are in Muscat, watched the funeral proceedings through a video call.

See original here:
Quotation gang behind Kottayam womans murder? - Onmanorama

The plants and saplings I used to care for on our roof are gone. For a week, we had no electricity. We saw the rescuers work day and night though. They said it was too risky to restart supply as a lot of the areas were still submerged and there were torn wires lying all around, she says.

Indrani Roy Mitra Joint Managing Director Mitra and Ghosh Publishers, Kolkata

Ascion of the family that owns one of Bengals biggest book publishing companies with sales of several Crores of Rupees every year, she was working with an international NGO at Gopalpur On Sea in Odisha when the supercyclone struck in 1999.

I have now seen two of the worst ones but this one was definitely the strongest. I have never been so afraid in my life. All of us were huddled in one room in our 100-year-old house. It was like apocalypse. Somehow, our old structure held out, whereas I saw the balcony of a modern apartment in my area collapse. Fortunately, my house had power too though just six houses apart, the neighbourhood did not have any power for over three days.

She was heartbroken though when she finally visited her office in the historic Boi Para (The Books Neighbourhood), the largest book market in the world where thousands throng the length of Kolkatas College Street.

There was waist-high water and the 500 second hand book sellers had lost everything. Their stalls were lying strewn all over the main road, pages wet and tattered. Giant trees had been felled. The College Street like you knew it once has vanished, she says, choking on her own words.

The rest is here:
First person accounts of the devastation by super cyclone Amphan - National Herald

The deal to sell Peterboroughs electricity distribution system to Hydro One is set to close on Aug. 4, states a new city staff report and now city councillors have four new proposals to evaluate as they mull how to use the proceeds.

Councillors had previously considered banking the proceeds in a Toronto investment firm or backing its own renewable energy company, but now they can also think about four new ideas: creating a home energy retrofit program, creating a trust to support renewable energy projects, investing in a local bank or creating a stream of grants for local charities.

City council approved the sale of Peterborough Distribution Inc. (PDI) more than three years ago after a contentious debate. The deal was finalized in the summer of 2018 and approval from the Ontario Energy Board came in April.

PDI is the wires and poles distribution arm of Peterborough Utilities Inc., which will continue to exist as a power generation company.

The agreement to sell PDI to Hydro One includes the wires, poles and transformers of Peterborough Utilities, which delivers electricity to 37,000 customers in Peterborough, Lakefield and Norwood.

Although the sale price is $105 million, the city is expecting to receive somewhere between $50 million and $55 million once fees and debate are paid.

In a virtual meeting on Monday, councillors will discuss the idea of striking a new group made up of city staff plus three councillors (Andrew Beamer, Gary Baldwin and Dean Pappas) to review all options for use of the sale proceeds and make recommendations to council later.

Councillors will also vote Monday on a staff recommendation to invest 100 per cent of the sale proceeds and spend only the returns from the investment.

At a meeting earlier this year at City Hall, councillors heard two detailed pitches: one to place the money in a bank portfolio with the Toronto non-profit One Investment and the other to invest instead in renewable hydro and solar generation facilities of the municipally owned City of Peterborough Holdings Inc. (CoPHI) in a plan that would return dividends to the city.

But now the city has received four new proposals that merit consideration, states the staff.

Those new proposals include:

Alan Slavin, climate activist and physicist, suggests investing the sale proceeds but using the interest as homeowner loans for energy retrofits.

Fred Irwin, founding director of Transition Town Peterborough, suggests the creation of a trust fund to ensure theres money available to maximize local renewable power generation in the future.

George Ripoll, investment adviser at BMO Nesbitt Burns, suggests investing through a local bank with a Peterborough-based adviser rather than going with the Toronto-based non-profit ONE Investments.

The Community Foundation of Greater Peterborough suggests banking most of the sale proceeds but setting aside at least 20 per cent or $10 million for a new fund, with interest disbursed as grants for charities.

Although the sale closes Aug. 4, the report states that council may not have settled yet on a final plan by then and if thats the case, the money would be placed in a short-term investment.

Never miss the latest news from the Peterborough Examiner. Sign up for our email newsletters to get the day's top stories, your favourite columnists, and much more in your inbox.

PDI is a branch of Peterborough Utilities Inc., which was founded 105 years ago.

The previous councils decision to sell it wasnt popular with some residents who said at public meetings they didnt want the city to lose control of the asset because electricity rates could increase over time.

But CoPHI, which governs PDI, had advised council at the time that replacement of PDIs aging infrastructure would cost so much it would soon threaten the distribution systems viability and so the city was better off to sell.

joelle.kovach@peterboroughdaily.com

Read more:
Deal to sell Peterborough Distribution Inc. to Hydro One closing in August - ThePeterboroughExaminer.com

A full-size Chevrolet Silverado is ready to roll off the assembly line at Flint Assembly.(Photo: Jeffrey Sauger, Jeffrey Sauger for General Motors)

Thousands of General Motors union members will remain laid off at least another week and a speedy ramp-up inproduction ofthe automaker'shighlyprofitable pickups is now in a holding pattern.

GM can't get the flow of parts it needs to support bringing backsecond shiftworkers at GM's Flint Assembly and Fort Wayne Assembly plants, several sources toldthe Free Press on Friday.

That means GM'splans to nearlydouble pickup output at the two factoriesaredelayed.

Any delay in pickup production is bad newsfor GM. The vehiclesalreadyfacelower-than-usual supply because of the 40-day UAW strike against GM last fall. The pickups, which carry fat profit margins,are crucial to GM's bottom line.

In fact, during GM's first-quarter earnings, CEO Mary Barra said as GM restarts its production after the coronavirus shutdown"trucks and full-size SUVs will remain a very high priority." GM idled its North American plans in March because ofthe pandemic.

Union members told the Free Press that GM is delaying its callback of more than 2,000 workers in Michigan and Indiana.

The workers were scheduled to returnTuesday. Instead, those at Fort Wayne in Indiana will return June 1, saidRich LeTourneau, shop chairman for UAWLocal 2209, which represents workers at Fort Wayne where GM builds the light-duty Chevrolet Silverado and GMC Sierra pickups.

We had all intentions of bringing back second shift on the 26th; however, because of the COVID pandemic in Mexico we get some harnesses from them they have not opened up their doors 100% yet, LaTourneau said.We cant bring on a second shift.

A GMC Sierra 1500 travels down the assembly line at GM's Fort Wayne Assembly in Fort Wayne, Indiana.(Photo: Ryan Hake, General Motors)

A harness is a bundle of wires wrapped togetherfor easy installation in a vehicle, located under the dash. It connects the electronics in the pickup, LaToureanu said, explaining that everything thats digital goes through that harness. The truck cant run without it.

About 80% of wiring harnesses that go invehicles built in North Americaare madein Mexico, mostly in the Maquiladora plants alongthe U.S.-Mexico border with some work done on each side, said Jon Gabrielsen, auto industry consultant.

"The border area of Mexico is one of the biggest hot spots for COVID-19, half of the Mexican states with the highest number of cases and deaths are border states," Gabrielsen said. "So it may not get better supply soon."

GM spokesman Jim Cain declined to discuss the specifics of the production schedule or when employees will return, saying: We continue to plan to ramp up production in a gradual cadence."

At GM's Flint Assembly, where the heavy-duty and regular-cab pickups are made, management told workerslate Thursday that the return of a second shift has been delayed.

In aGM alert to workers, obtained by the Free Press, it read:"As you know, a portion of our production operations resumed the week of May 18, 2020. At this time, we have NOT established a return to work date for remaining production operations. Return to work updates will be shared with employees as soon as additional information becomes available."

A worker at Flint, who asked to not be named because he is not authorized to speak to the media, said, "Weve been told by management its a parts shortage from suppliers, but no idea where its from."

A message from the UAW local shop chairman to workers, also obtained by the Free Press, said: "The launch of the second shift next week has been delayed. The expected start timing will not be understood until sometime next week. We believe this is only a minor delay."

Flint employees said they have been told second shift could start June 1, but it is not confirmed. Cain declined to comment.

GM employs about 5,200 people at the Flint Assembly plant, according to its website. About 1,200 to 1,500 people work per shift, several employees said.

At Fort Wayne, LeTourneau said there are about 1,300 people scheduled for each shift. With second shift pushed back to June 1, it will likely mean the third shift will also be pushed back. Third shift was supposed to start June 1, but LeTourneausaid, GM won't bring back two shifts at the same time.

If we dont get the partwe need, theyll delay the shifts again," LeTourneau said. "Right now, there is one plant open in Mexico getting us what we need."

It's enough for the first shift to churn out 200 pickups a day, but normally they build 440 pickups a shift, or 1,290 a day, he said.

GM's Flint and Fort Wayne factories accounted for about 62% of GMs output of large pickupslast year, according to the Wall Street Journal, citing data from researcher Wards Intelligence.

The Journal cited Credit Suisse sayingGMs truck sales brought in nearly$10.7 billion in pretax profit last year,or about 90% of the companys total, excluding the impact of the strike.

Meanwhile, GM got approvalfrom the government of Mexico onThursday to restart its plants south of the border.GM is opening three assembly plants and powertrain and stamping plants that support them in a gradual restart beginningThursday night.

More: GM to restart its plants in Mexico as soon as Thursday night

More: GMs Barra, leaders want to experience factory work conditions

Here are GM's plants in Mexico:

GM said it was restarting the engines and transmissions plants in Ramos Arizpe and Silao complexes, located in Coahuila and Guanajuato states respectively, Thursday evening.

GM said its assembly plantswithin the Ramos Arizpe and Silao complex could tentatively restart operations Friday, depending on the status of their suppliers.

But the Silao plant is the third pickup factory GM has,so presumably it will also be constrained by the same Mexican supplier of wiring harnesses, Gabrielsen said.

The restart date of GM's manufacturing operations in the complexes in Tolucaand San Luis Potos is still being determined, GM said.

Contact Jamie L. LaReau: 313-222-2149 or jlareau@freepress.com. Follow her on Twitter @jlareauan. Read more on General Motors and sign up for our autos newsletter.

Read or Share this story: https://www.freep.com/story/money/cars/general-motors/2020/05/22/gm-layoffs-pickups-parts/5243620002/

Original post:
Thousands of GM UAW members told to stay home, pickup production stalled - Detroit Free Press

NEW DELHI More than 80 people were killed by the powerful cyclone that slammed into India and Bangladesh on Wednesday, wiping out thousands of homes and drenching low-lying areas in torrential rain, officials said on Thursday.

Many of the dead were crushed by falling trees, electrocuted by downed wires or buried inside collapsing buildings as Cyclone Amphan pummeled the region, leaving a wide swath of devastation and grief.

The worst damage was reported in the Indian state of West Bengal, which includes the metropolis of Kolkata and many small, coastal villages where people live in shacks made from mud and sticks.

The storm ripped through there, and though many villagers had evacuated beforehand, as the Indian authorities had urged, some had resisting packing into shelters because they feared the coronavirus.

The authorities said it was too early to know the full damage or the final death toll. Many areas were still inaccessible because of a dangerous maze of split-open trees and live electricity wires sprawled across the roads.

But West Bengals chief minister, Mamata Banerjee, one of Indias most powerful women, said she had never seen such a disaster before.

At one end there is this small Covid virus that is terrifying people, she said in a video conference. This was another virus from the sky.

On Tuesday and Wednesday, as the storm barreled up the Bay of Bengal, emergency crews plied beach roads, shouting to people through megaphones to leave their homes and go to evacuation shelters. Around three million people in India and Bangladesh heeded the calls and moved to safety.

But Indian police officers said some villagers resisted, fearful of being stuck in a closed space with thousands of others at a time when India is struggling to contain the coronavirus.

Just this week, the country reported its 100,000th infection; many health experts believe the real numbers are far higher, but hidden because of Indias relatively low rates of testing.

On Thursday, as the day wore on, more stories of death flowed in.

Khanat Begum, a mother in a village in southern Bangladesh, was cooking when a blast of wind uprooted her neighbors tree, crashing it through the roof of her home. Her 13-year-old daughter was also inside the house. They both died.

Like many homes in Chandpur village, Ms. Begams house has been obliterated. The roads leading to the village were still blocked on Thursday.

Our village has been reduced to rubble, said Israar Kamal, a resident of Chandpur.

The cyclone weakened further as it moved into northeastern India on Thursday, with a wind speed of 37 miles per hour. The skies over many of the cyclone-damaged areas were clear.

Many villagers who had fled to cyclone shelters were still inside them; others were beginning to trickle back to their villages, only to find their homes smashed to the ground, scatterings of sticks and clumps of mud.

Among the reported deaths, the authorities said 10 people had died in Bangladesh and at least 73 in India.

One of the hardest-hit places was the metropolis of Kolkata, a former capital during colonial times and one of Indias biggest cities, with around 15 million people in the greater urban area. The authorities said the cyclone had killed at least 15 people there. On Thursday, its streets were littered with trees, and parked cars bumped into one another as workers struggled to clear the roads.

The cyclones eye had passed nearby, bringing with it 100-mile-an-hour winds and nearly nine inches of rain.

Ms. Banerjee, the West Bengal minister, said that the region was in a warlike situation, and that the loss of lives could surpass the toll of Covid-19 there so far.

Videos on social media showed uprooted trees blocking roads and water cascading down the stairs of apartment buildings. The runway of Kolkatas international airport, typically one of Indias busiest, was completely underwater and looked like a long pond.

I was very scared when water started coming into my flat, said Anushree Hamirwasia, 22, a student in Kolkata.

Sankar Halder, who runs a nonprofit organization in West Bengal, said many people in his area did not take the cyclone seriously.

Villagers had become complacent, he said, having lived through cyclones before, and this time their biggest fear was coronavirus and crowding into a place where they might get infected.

Even the local news was focused more on coronavirus than the cyclone, Mr. Halder said. When the government finally started evacuating people and people realized the intensity of the storm, it was too late.

The majority of the dead, he said, could have escaped but died inside their homes.

Mohammed Salah Uddin, 42, said he and 10 others returned to his village in southern Bangladesh on Thursday after crisscrossing knocked-down trees and electrical poles littering the roads. He said that the shelter he had fled to was very crowded inside, and that people had not maintained a safe distance from one another, despite the threat of the coronavirus.

It looked scary, Mr. Uddin said. It is better to live in a destroyed home than catch the diseases.

Photographs from other shelters in Bangladesh showed huge crowds of people, few of them wearing masks.

Another area that got walloped was the Sundarbans, the worlds largest mangrove forest and a wildlife refuge, home to endangered species including Bengal tigers.

The cyclone whipped right through the Sundarbans, which stretches across the border of India and Bangladesh along the Bay of Bengal.

Villagers in that area told Belinda Wright, the executive director of the Wildlife Protection Society of India, that there wasnt a tree standing.

But the villagers also relayed that no one had been injured in the storm.

They dont like leaving their homes, Ms. Wright said, but most did because they knew how terribly dangerous cyclones can be, she added.

Rescue operations intensified on Thursday across the entire belt of devastation. Jawhar Sircar, a retired government administrator who lives in Kolkata, said that in his part of the city, the situation was calm. Electricity was back on, though essential supplies like vegetables and fruits were still not available because street vendors were unable to move on the roads.

The mood in Kolkata is like it is all over now, he said.

Hari Kumar contributed reporting.

See the article here:
Cyclone Amphans Death Toll Rises to 80 in India and Bangladesh - The New York Times

Smart home tech existed before Alexa, but Amazons voice assistant was an epochal leap forward for the Internet of Things. No longer was it necessary to interact with a dozen different apps in the home setting, or fiddle with an app slider to dim smart lights. Heck, even turning on the TV and playing your favourite Netflix show without hunting for the remote under the sofa cushions became a thing.

Its now perfectly possible to have a smart home controlled entirely by Alexas hands-free controls. From locks to lights, from speakers to sprinklers, the breadth of compatible products is impressive.

When selecting these products weve considered the value proposition, the quality of the functionality on offer, as well as the accessibility for people who are new to the smart home arena. We'll add to the list over time. So, without further ado: Alexa, smarten up my home.

Amazons own Fire TV and Echo products are natural gateways to this functionality, so weve chosen our favourites for this list. The entry-level Amazon Echo Dot With Clock (40) is the best Echo smart speaker for most people.

View the Amazon Echo Dot With Clock for 40 on Amazon

The Philips Hue lighting system (from 24) has long been a conduit to wider smart home adoption, and adjusting the lights with your voice is still a boast-worthy piece of functionality for the Alexa smart home. Hue is still the best Alexa compatible smart lighting.

View the Philips Hue White and Colour Starter Kit E27 for 127 on Amazon

The Sonos Beam (369) aka our best Alexa-enabled soundbar also made the cut. Video doorbell? Get a Ring Video Doorbell 3 Plus (199) if you're all in with Alexa and like the option to view the front door via a Fire TV or Echo Show. Lastly weve opted for a TP-Link HS110 smart plug (15) that can also monitor home energy usage.

WIRED Recommends is your definitive guide to the best technology. Head to our best gadgets guide for our top picks in all the categories we've tested. When you buy something using the retail links in our stories, we earn a small affiliate commission. This does not impact the products we recommend.

Better sound and an attractive design sees the Dot come of age it's the best Echo

Speaker: 1.6-inch | Bluetooth: Yes | 3.5mm line out: Yes | Size: 99 x 99 x 43 mm | Weight: 300g | Wi-Fi: Dual-band 2.4GHz and 5GHz | Power: 1.3 GHz ARM Coretex-A35 Quad-Core / 512MB RAM

The baby of the Echo speaker family is now the easiest to recommend. The sound quality on the third-generation model is mightily improved, the compact design befits modern smart home decor and the addition of an LED clock peeking out from the speaker grille is a small, but impactful addition to Amazons most popular Echo.

The first two versions of this device were fine; they fulfilled their purpose as the cheapest way to consult Alexas knowledge and utilise its growing array of smart home Skills. They were valuable as secondary models in multiple rooms and could be physically linked to your go-to speakers for voice-controlled music from all the major services. As a standalone music player, the Dot hasnt been worthy, but the Echo Dot (3rd Gen) With Clock (40) rectifies this. Its now a viable option as a decent music player for the bedroom, kitchen or home office.

Sound is well-rounded with fuller bass, and it's louder too thanks to the larger 1.6-inch speaker firing 360-degree sound. The fabric grille is a much better solution than the previous generations, which simply pushed limp, tinny audio through small pin holes. With the volume around 70% distortion is very limited, but you dont want to push it much higher.

The Dot offers all of the familiar physical controls (mic, volume, Alexa) and a light ring, but its significantly more attractive than previous generations. The microphone itself also feels more sensitive, which is really handy for tools like Whisper Mode; when you speak softly to Alexa and the voice assistant responds in-kind.

This particular Dot is slightly more versatile thanks to the LED lights beneath the fabric. Its functionality is limited, but definitely worth the extra 10 as the clock makes it a better a bedside device. The LED lights ease depending on the time, and you can tap to snooze an alarm. Place it in the kitchen and the display will offer countdown timers when cooking.

While the Echo Plus (90) and Echo Studio (190) each have a built-in Zigbee smart home hub, this model still requires one to control some smart home devices without standalone Wi-Fi or Bluetooth. However, it doesnt take away from the fact the total package makes this the best compact smart speaker on the market. Wed recommend it over the standard Echo (70) too.

Pros: The best-sounding Dot; affordable Alexa access; much improved designCons: Limited clock functionality; no built-in smart home hub

Price: 40 | Check price on Amazon | Currys | Argos

The best all-round A/V Alexa device

Internal speaker: 1.6-inch | Max video quality: 4K HDR (Dolby Vision, HDR10+) | Bluetooth: 5.0 + LE | 3.5mm line out: No | Size: 86.1 x 86.1 x 76.9 mm | Weight: 465g| Wi-Fi: Dual-band 2.4GHz and 5GHz | Power: Hexa-core (Quad-core at up to 2.2GHz + Dual-core at up to 1.9GHz | IR Support: Wired | Audio support: Dolby Atmos, 7.1 surround sound

Aw, the Amazon Fire TV box and Echo Dot speaker had a baby and its so cute! Actually, it isnt. Its a sharp (seriously, you could kill somebody with this thing), ugly, boxy plastic cube. But its also an all-singing, all-dancing showcase of almost everything you do with Amazons Alexa personal assistant. And, design aside, its executed perfectly.

The key proposition of the Amazon Fire TV Cube (110) is full, hands-free control over your television set. The other Fire TV models require the Alexa remote for voice controls, so this makes a real difference. Saying Alexa, play Stranger Things on Netflix as you strut across the room with a beer in-hand feels great. Thanks to the hexa-core processor, this is the fastest Fire TV yet, so the TV is switched on and the episode is playing before your posterior hits the couch.

Like the Echo Dot (above), theres built-in far field microphones, a speaker and the familiar physical control panel and light bar (unlike the Fire TV Stick 25). This enables functionality independent of the TV. You can control the smart home gadgets mentioned in this guide, and consult Alexa on weather, traffic and receive your daily Flash briefings all through the tiny built-in speaker. Requests for proper audio content are fulfilled through connected soundbars/speakers/TV.

The familiar Fire TV interface is exceptionally well-equipped with apps and content (thankfully YouTube now too). Weve got 4K HDR visuals as well as access to Dolby Atmos if you have compatible equipment. The IR tech also provides voice-control of Sky boxes (Alexa, switch to Sky), soundbars and AV receivers, as well as your TV.

At the official price of 110, the Cube costs more than a Fire TV stick and an Echo Dot speaker combined. However, the whole is largely greater than the sum of the parts. With your television on, you can view your security camera feeds, listen to music, watch video, browse the internet, play games and more. Most of this can be controlled with hands-free voice commands. This is the Fire TV device we recommend for the best overall experience.

Pros: The best all-round Alexa experience; hands-free TV controls Cons: Horrible design; hands-free Alexa comes at a price

Price: 90 | Check price on Amazon | Currys | Argos

The gold (well, any colour you want) standard for voice-controlled smart lighting

Bulb lifespan: 25,000 hours, 50,000 switching cycles | Hue bridge standard: Zigabee | Hue bridge connection: Ethernet | Bulb connections: Bluetooth or Zigabee | Bulb energy rating: A+ | Standalone app: Hue for iOS and Android | Official Alexa Skill: Yes

We still get a buzz asking Alexa to lower the lights. Its hard to overstate the importance of Philips Hue to Alexa even now, it provides a showcase for the voice assistant and home automation. This is partly because Hue is a brilliant gateway into smart home technology. Theres no drilling, handling electrical wires, changing locks, or installing doorbells. As long as you can change a lightbulb, youre in business.

Hue bulbs such as the Hue White and Colour Starter Kit E27 (127) are fun and easy to use, a doddle to set up and offer a massive array of functionality beyond the on/off or dim/brighten settings. For example, you can set scenes, colours and warmth for rooms, zones and individual bulbs through simple voice commands. Or just turn off all the lights at once. With the Hue Bridge (43) you can control bulbs from outside the home and set schedules for your lights.

Alexa is the difference maker for this product. Hue without voice control is like Garfunkel without Simon. On its own, Hue can be an app-centric faff, but Alexa makes it eminently recommendable. Like whatshername to Jerry Maguire you complete me.

Its just the little things. When you get up at night theres no fumbling for the switch. You can use Alexas Whisper Mode via the bedside Echo Dot to turn on the nightlight without waking your significant other.

The bulbs can be controlled by any voice-enabled Alexa device meaning the Echo speakers, Fire TV range or third-party microphone-equipped devices like the Sonos One (194). If you have an Echo Plus with a built in Zigbee smart hub, that does away with the need for the Hue Bridge. Likewise, newer bulbs are also Bluetooth-enabled which allows Alexa controls from an Echo Plus, Echo Show 2nd gen), or Echo Dot (3rd gen).

However, youll still need the Wi-Fi-enabled Hue bridge that ships with the starter pack to unlock all features; such as control from outside the home, syncing with music and access to a wide-range of apps from third-party developers. This starter pack also includes a connected, freestanding dimmer switch if you dont wish to use voice and app controls the whole time.

Pros: Easy set-up; impressive array of voice controls; great app Cons: Hue bridge requires Ethernet; additional bulbs are expensive

Price: 127 | Check price on Amazon | Currys | John Lewis

The best Alexa soundbar. In fact, the best soundbar period

Microphones: 5 far-field mics | Speaker array: 4 full-rage woofers, one tweeter, 5 class D digital amps | Size: 7 x 65 x 10cm| Weight: 2.8kg | Surround: No | Connections: Wi-Fi or Ethernet / AirPlay 2 / HDMI ARC / optical audio | Standalone app: Sonos for iOS and Android | Dedicated Alexa Skill: Yes

Heres the thing about most smart speakers; the speaker bit often plays second fiddle to the smart part. But not here. The Sonos Beam (369) soundbar will upgrade your TV sound and most likely become your primary music streaming speaker. Add hands-free voice controls into the mix and suddenly the Beam appears good value even at almost 400.

Sonos and Amazon have had their disagreement but here the integration works seamlessly. Naturally, you can call upon tunes from all of the major streaming services with hands-free voice commands. If you have a cheap Fire TV Stick in your set-up, the Beam adds hands-free Alexa voice controls enabling you to call on apps and services, while interacting with smart home devices.

However, this is a soundbar first and foremost. And owning a great telly without investing in a good soundbar is like wearing an Armani suit with Reebok Classics. The Beam packs a massive punch despite its relatively compact size. The clarity of speech is spectacular (and can be enhanced further within the app), even during action-packed scenes. Its ability to handle big diagetic and extra-diagetic audio especially orchestral scores can further enhance the emotional impact of a movie like Avengers: Endgame, with its action set-pieces, big musical numbers and touching quieter moments throughout.

The booming bass as the brontosaurus brings down its front paws during the iconic Welcome to Jurassic Park scene made our hair stand on end especially as John Williams incredible score hit the peak.

With a Beam nestled beneath your television set, its easy to add a pair of wireless Sonos One speakers as satellites and/or a Sonos Sub (699) to create a more immersive audio environment for your home theatre. However, as a standalone device, Sonos TruePlay room-mapping tech (iOS app only) does an excellent job of customising the soundscape and delivering the optimal sound to your favourite comfy chair. The audio still casts a wide net throughout the living room, offering the illusion sound is coming from multiple directions. This thing can get loud so, if youre worried about the neighbours, theres a night mode within the app that reins in the louder moments.

Listening to the master recording of The Beatles Abbey Road through Tidal Hi-Fi, was joyous. The delicate intricacy of Harrisons Something composition truly shines through, building to an emotional and impactful crescendo during that middle-eight. With this in mind Beam is also the perfect base device for Sonos multi-room music capabilities, away from home theatre needs. Even with the audio cranked up, we had no problem communing with Alexa, although the interaction does result in an annoyingly long pause of whatevers playing.

We also found Apples AirPlay 2 highly useful. Itll help you build a multi-room audio system with speakers from other, less expensive manufacturers.

Also consider: As we penned this review Sonos announced a higher-end smart soundbar. The brand new Sonos Arc offers both Alexa compatibility and, crucially, Dolby Atmos audio tech that can simulate 360-degree audio. But its 799. Look out for that review but pound-for-pound, its still easy to recommend the Beam.

Pros: Excellent Alexa integration; works with Fire TV; incredible soundCons: Only one HDMI port; using Alexa causes long interruptions

Price: 369 | Check price on Amazon | Currys | John Lewis

The best video doorbell for Alexa integration

Video: 1080p HD, live feed + recording, 160-degree field of view | Power: Wired or rechargeable battery | Wi-Fi: Dual-Band 2.4GHz & 5GHz | Alexa integration: hands-free voice control, two-way audio, live video feed on displays | Pre-roll: 4-second video previews | Size: 128 x 62 x 28mm | Standalone app: Ring for iOS and Android | Official Alexa Skill: Yes

The Ring Video Doorbell (199) is one of those products that can sell you with a 30-second TV ad of homeowners politely informing unsuspecting neer-do-wells to refrain from skulking on the doorstep.

The doorbell alerts users to the presence of people at or around the front door via live and recorded video feeds. When a visitor rings the bell, you can interact with them directly thanks to the two-way audio capabilities. Tell the delivery guy where to leave the parcel, or inform a salesman you arent interested in a new conservatory.

Alexa integration (Amazon owns Ring, so its tight) comes through announcements of motion activity and doorbell presses via your connected speakers and devices. If you have a Fire TV device or Echo Show (from 60), say Alexa, show me the front door to view the live feed in 1080p HD. If youre leaving the house, you can tell an Echo: Alexa, arm Ring.

Recent Ring models, including this one, have assisted wider adoption by adding a removable battery; meaning hardwiring into an existing doorbell unit is optional. That does mean recharging the battery, so its less suitable for long periods away from home.

The key difference between the Ring 3 (179) and the Ring 3 Plus we're recommending is the addition of pre-roll footage which shows the four-seconds (in black and white) before the camera detects motion. This feature takes a higher toll on battery life if youre unwired. The improvements in motion detection between the second and third-gen models remain too.

Motion detection alerts can be obnoxious if you live on a busy street, or have neighbours with doors directly facing yours. However, you can block out zones. Motion alerts can also be customised to pick up human-only activity. The Ring doorbell relies on Wi-Fi and we did need to shift our router a little closer in order to pick up a reliable connection with the front door. Ring sells a Chime Pro (49), which also acts as a range extender, as well as boosting the volume of the Chime.

A note on privacy and security beyond the general smart home advice: Ring finally enabled mandatory two-factor authentication in 2020 after a number of high-profile breaches. It also has cosy arrangements with police forces and there has been valid criticism over data handling and collection, both internally and through third-parties. Your comfort level with these ongoing concerns needs to be assessed before buying a Ring doorbell.

Pros: New Pre-roll footage; tight Alexa integration; great video qualityCons: Ring Plus subscription required for video/photo recording

Price: 199 | Check price on Amazon| Argos | John Lewis

The best Alexa smart plug and a worthy addition to any smart home

Smart hub: Not required | Wi-Fi: 2.4GHz | App: iOS and Android | Out of home control: Yes | Scheduling: Yes | Energy use monitoring: Yes | Size: 100.3 x 66.3 x 77 mm | Weight: 131.8g | Standalone app: Kasa for iOS and Android | Dedicated Alexa Skill: Yes

Every smart home needs a few smart plugs added to the mix. Want to switch on the coffee pot and hair straighteners while youre still lazing in bed? Forgot to turn off the TV before leaving the house? Suspect an electrical item you leave plugged-in is wolfing down power? Want automatic timers for your lights like in the Home Alone house? You get the idea; the right smart plug can deliver.

The plug we opted for was the TP-Link HS110 (15), for a number of reasons. Basically, it ticks all of the above boxes and is made by a reputable brand, which played out in testing.

It's an affordable option and offers compatibility with other smart assistants voice commands if you decide to move away from Alexa. Its Wi-Fi enabled (no connection issues), so theres no need for an additional hub, once youve enabled the Alexa skill. From here, youll simply be able to say Alexa turn on *name youve given to the plug*.

The dedicated TP-Link Kasa app makes it easy to set schedules for your appliances (for example turn off hair straightener plug at 9am). While an away mode gives you control and peace of mind after leaving the home. You can also turn on the lights a few times to trick the local burglars.

This version of the plug also offers ability to monitor the energy usage. Run time and usage for the day is displayed within the app and measured against a seven-day average. We use a really, really old fridge for brewing beer and this confirmed our suspicions its an absolute power hog.

On the downside, this is among the larger smart plugs (131g) around and it isnt really that much of a looker. TP-Link offers a mini version of the plug in the United States, but thats yet to arrive in the UK.

Pros: No hub required; energy monitoring included; multiple assistants supportedCons: Indiscreet; no two-factor authentication security yet

Price: 15 | Check price on Amazon | Currys | John Lewis

Read the rest here:
The best Alexa compatible tech to build out your smart home - Wired.co.uk

LifestyleHomes and GardensThis new home has plenty of curve appeal and sensational views

Friday, 22nd May 2020, 5:00 pm

This new home near Skipton, which is on the market for 1.3m, is exceptional but, like all the best Grand Designs, it has taken longer than expected to complete.

It has, however, been worth the wait for Jo and Michael Harper and Kim and Dale Chapman, who bought the plot that was once part of historic Carr Head Hall in Cowling.

Michael is a seasoned builder with 40 years of experience developing sites and renovating properties.

Kim is my sister and we were looking for a project the four of us could do together when we spotted this. We fell in love with the location. Its tucked away in a very tranquil spot with great views. Its got a lovely feeling of calm but yet its only a short drive to a train station and to Skipton, says Jo.

Keen to get started, they encountered an unexpected hurdle.The plot came with planning approval for the crescent-shaped home and for the conversion of an historic folly in the garden into an office. However, the design was slightly flawed.

We got a structural engineer to check the plans and he pointed out that the building was set too high and would contravene the planning stipulation that the house be lower than the historic walls surrounding the plot, says Jo.

Far from being downbeat, the team turned the setback into an opportunity by reapplying for planning permission to lower the building and to add a basement, which gave the property space for a gym, cinema room and games room.

They also got the go-ahead to put on a zinc roof and have added an eco-friendly and energy-efficient ground source heat pump, which means the estimated heating costs for The Paddock are just 900 per year.

We are really proud of what we have done. It is such a beautiful place to live, especially as the rooms are visually connected to the garden and to far-reaching views, says Jo.

The property has underfloor heating, a bore hole, septic tank and a Control4 Smart Home wiring system. Inside, it has an open-plan living space, two bedrooms with ensuites, two further bedrooms and a bathroom. On the lower ground floor, there is a games room, cinema room and gym and outside, there is a converted folly/home office, a large walled garden and parking for five cars.

For more details on The Paddock, Cowling, contact: Dale Eddison, tel: 01756 630555, http://www.daleeddison.co.uk

See more here:
Grand design for sale with its own folly - Yorkshire Post

Chicagoans took to Twitter last night with dramatic photos after the city's iconic Sears Towererr, Willis Towerlost power. In these images, the skyscraper looms like Christian Bale's Batman over an unbothered city.

This content is imported from Twitter. You may be able to find the same content in another format, or you may be able to find more information, at their web site.

This content is imported from Twitter. You may be able to find the same content in another format, or you may be able to find more information, at their web site.

But how can the power go out for just one tiny part of the city, and how is the Sears Tower powered in the first place?

Heavy rain gets into the ground and causes electric wiring to, well, go haywire. There are multiple reasons why that can happen. If there are even micro-small flaws in the insulation or connections within a system, water can and will short the system out.

Thats because as soon as conductive water touches the wire, the current is drawn in that direction. When theres more than one exposed spot, the water can form a circuita short circuit.

Over time, repeated exposure to flood waters can cause corrosion and other kinds of damage. And because of the danger to workers and others on the premises, utilities are carefully slow to turn power back on to affected buildings. If every flood represents a new wash of potential damage to the system, every switch-on after a flood involves a new and different amount of risk.

The National Electrical Manufacturers Association recommends all flooded electrical equipment be at least spot checked. In an industry guide to assessing water damage, the organization explains:

This echoes similar water damage fears in everything from used cars (which you can try to sell following a flood, but good luck) to home interiors. And all of it is even worse when the flood is saltwater. Trying to safely and completely dry any of these things is really difficult and often leaves a stench, mold or mildew, corrosion, or some other demerit.

In this case, local news reports: The power was knocked out at Willis Tower early Monday morning after four feet of water flooded the building's electrical vault. Crews have been working to pump the water out of the building before ComEd can send a team inside to assess the damage.

As for why the Sears Tower is affected when buildings around it look fine, there are explanations for that, too. The building weighs 440 million pounds and rests all the way down on the Illinois bedrock, with enough steel to build 50,000 automobiles, and enough telephone wiring to wrap around the world 1.75 times, PBS explains.

And theres much more: Within the building, there are 25 miles of plumbing, 1500 miles of electric wiring, 80 miles of elevator cable, 796 restroom faucets, and more than 145,000 light fixtures, the official Skydeck website reports.

So a flood that affects the undergirdings of the Sears Tower could happen in any part of a huge area at the base of the building, and the massive amount of materials in the structure opens up a whole bunch of potential attack surface for rising waters. In this case, high rise buildings usually have dedicated transformer vaults, and trying to drain four feet of water out of an underground room is a Herculean task unto itself.

With different generations of neighboring buildings built over the nearly five decades since the Sears Tower opened, what affects one doesnt affect them all. A shorter building with a different electrical structure could just not be affected.

In 2018, the Willis group said the building was at 95 percent occupancy. Few of the buildings tenants would be considered essential businesses, but Willis has closed the building entirely until its fully assessed and checked out. The Chicago Fire Department and Commonwealth Edison (ComEd) have been on site through the night working to assess the situation, the website says.

Anyone whos tried to dry out a car or home interior has some idea of the task facing the firefighters and private workers trying to drain and dry this building. Besides sending in a flotilla of DampRid, battery-powered water pumps can pull out a lot and then industrial dehumidifiers can do the rest. After that, ComEd can think about turning the power back on.

This content is created and maintained by a third party, and imported onto this page to help users provide their email addresses. You may be able to find more information about this and similar content at piano.io

This commenting section is created and maintained by a third party, and imported onto this page. You may be able to find more information on their web site.

Read the original:
How Much Water Does It Take to Knock Out the Sears Tower? - Popular Mechanics

Flipping Out Grey Clock; Exacompta Desk Pad; Microsoft Surface Arc; TAG Heuer Connected; Samsung Galaxy Note10 + 5G; Tech21 Evo Type; HP Elite Dragonfly; Neubau Adam

Christopher Mitchell/WIRED

You've opened up a dialogue on colleagues leaving their Zoom feed on all day. You've circled back on the status of the contents of your desk drawer. The dining table just isn't conducive to long term impactful synergy. Time for some much needed disruption. These value-add tech tools and tchotchkes will close the loop on your at-home working journey.

Deeper thinkers might argue that the fragile nature and definitive movement of the minute hand represents the relentless march of time. Slash corporate despondency and banish such existential thoughts with this stylish retro clock neatly combining the elements of an analogue flip display with a digital font. Constructed from steel and PVC, and available in a host of combinations including copper and grey, gold with white, silver and black, it looks sensational from any angle.

Price: $100 | Cloudnola

Made in the centre of Paris in a workshop built by Gustave Eiffel, these writing pads have a rigid metal frames and space for 200 sheets of 21 x 13.5 cm perforated paper. Its a world away from endless post-it notes cluttering the desk and an altogether more executive approach to writing to-do lists you know that deep down youve no intention of actioning. For those who prefer the quaint human activity of handwriting to the plethora of note apps around.

Price: 15 | Amazon | Cult Pens

High-fashion frames with one eye on sustainability, Austria-based Neubau have developed a material called naturalPX thats made from 65 per cent organically sourced and renewable primary products, including castor oil. The result is a strong, light and surprisingly elastic frame in a range of on-trend finishes, such as this in caramel tortoise matte/gold. And apparently, theyre working on a 100 per cent renewable design to ditch the need for petrochemical polymers for good.

Price: TBC | Neubau | SmartBuyGlasses

Flip the screen on this lightweight laptop to use it as a tablet. Lighter than HP's previous EliteBooks, with a pleasing magnesium build, the Dragonfly is stuffed with ports and features. It supports active styluses, the 720p webcam has a hardware shutter for privacy and, alongside a Full HD screen and Intel Core U-series vPro processor, there's business-friendly customisation including a 4G LTE model (end of the garden hide-out?) and a 56Wh battery option that runs for 24 hours.

Price: 1,618 | HP | Ebuyer | Currys Business

This Bluetooth mouse flattens for the commute (if you're engaged in such an antiquated activity), and pops back up for desk use. It's slim, light and ergonomic plus the snap action gets addictive quickly. We're split on Microsoft's Surface series of tablets overall but the accessories? Top notch.

Price: 80 | Amazon | Currys | Argos

TAG Heuer has been building smartwatches since 2015, which means that the 2020 edition of the Connected benefits from three generations of refinement. Here, TAG keeps things simple, saying goodbye to the full modularity of its predecessors and adding useful new features such as a custom Sports app for golf, running, cycling and walking to the 45mm Wear OS watch. The chronograph design is available in stainless-steel or matte black titanium with watch faces to mimic models such as the Heuer 02's skeletonised dial.

Price: From 1,495 | TAG Heuer | Goldsmiths

Rather like the most exclusive of members clubs, the Evo Type Android phone case looks fairly average from the outside, but flip open the folio cover and the magic becomes obvious, revealing an instantly syncing NFC connected keyboard and kickstand, enabling you to type away on a full screen without the need for a bulky battery as the Tech21 app processes the capacitive keys every 40 milliseconds for an oddly natural typing experience.

Compatible with Samsung's Galaxy Note10+ and Note10+ 5G (1,099) phones - the superfast 5G upgrade to its supersized flagship - this is the Android-phone equivalent of Apple's iPad Smart Keyboard Folio.

Price: 56 | Tech21

An under-the-radar design classic, Verpans Reflect table steel table lamp 30cm tall in red or grey powder coated steel has been rescued from sketches found in Danish designer Verner Pantons archives. The simple, linear design consists of a sold steel rod that holds the lamps slanted, disc-shaped shade, which reflects the light beamed onto it softly, producing a diffused, relaxed effect.

Price: 450 | Verpan | The Conran Shop | Finnish Design Shop

It may not be especially innovative given the posture-aligning, wellness-giving options available, but if supreme comfort and a corner office impression is all you crave, this iconic 1960s design from Charles and Ray Eames is still unbeatable. Originally designed for the lobby of the Time & Life Building in New York, the base is chrome-plated die-cast aluminium, and the seat pads and arm rests are made from your choice of 22 plush leather finishes.

Price: From 6,090 | Vitra | Heals | The Conran Shop

Time to finally address that mysteriously sticky ctrl key with this unexpectedly useful office gadget that features a red microfiber pad at one end that will dispatch screen smudges and keyboard fingermarks with a simple swipe, and a small pop-out brush at the other that gets into crevices digging out the crumbs and debris accumulated over hundreds of working lunches.

Price: 10 | Amazon | OXO

This reboot of the original Dieter Rams-designed LE speakers from the 1980s now offers multi-room hi-res streaming performance and a combination of bespoke DSP (digital signal processing), balanced-mode radiators and low-profile aluminium woofers and customised passive bass radiators. There are three options, LE01, 02 and the smallest 03, all with Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, Chromecast, Spotify Connect and AirPlay 2, but the spindle metal frame makes the LE03 stand out from the pack.

Price: 329 | Braun | MoMA Design Store

Machined from aluminium and finished in a faux-carbon-fibre white sheen, Dell has upgraded their highest performing luxury laptop, with an almost bezel-free and brilliantly bright 16:10 ratio, 3,840 x 2,400 4K screen, with a 15 per cent bump in speed from the 2019 model. You get up to 19 hours of use while still making the most of Intels latest 10th-gen processors, topping out with the i7-1065G7, and a great range of memory, with 256 2TB onboard and a lightening fast 32GB of RAM. At 1.2kg its not feather weight, but at just 300mm wide and 20mm deep youll not begrudge carrying it around.

Price: From 1,399 | Amazon | Dell | John Lewis

Designed by Elisa Ossino for luxury Italian stone mason Salvatori, these pleasingly weighty 10cm2 bookends, shown here in classic white Bianco Carrara, but also available in dusky black Nero Marquinia marble, will give your desk a designer flourish without the need to go down the executive toy route.

Price: 280 | Salvatori

Ironically, wireless convenience still tends to rely quite heavily on wires, but Courant has managed to ditch the cables brilliantly, and avoid creating something that looks like a pop-up ad from Wish.com. With an 8,000mAh battery around two full phone charges this 10W-max Qi-compatible wireless charging mat is made from matte aluminium alloy with a beautifully textured Italian pebble grain leather cover. Most impressive is the fact that, thanks to that Qi compatibility, as well as giving up power wire-free, you can place it on any charging mat for a wireless top up.

Price: $150 | Courant

When you buy something using the retail links in our stories, we earn a small affiliate commission. This does not impact the products we recommend.

Read the original:
Here's everything you need to work from home like a pro - Wired.co.uk