The Smart World Series With SiliconANGLE

This week’s Smart Living roundup features the world’s first traceable umbrella, a smart way to accept packages, and a retail giant’s new focus on smart, connected products..

Blunt + Tile = first traceable umbrella

For Londoners and Seattleites, never worry of misplacing your umbrella again. Blunt Umbrellas UK Ltd. has partnered with Tile Inc., a Bluetooth Low Energy tracker with an international lost-and-found community, to deliver the traceable umbrella. This is the first major partnership for Tile to incorporate its location-tracking chips into a consumer product.

Blunt is best known for its unique and lightweight design that makes their umbrellas sturdy, even when faced with strong winds and rain. Its ribs and shaft are made from durable fibreglass and has an aerodynamic design. Blunt umbrellas are also storm resistant and come with a two-year warranty.

To make the famous umbrella traceable, the waterproof Tile unit lives discreetly in the Blunt’s canopy and connects to the Tile mobile app. This allows users to locate a misplaced umbrella. It also leverages the large Tile community to help locate a lost umbrella, as each Tile emits a signal that can be picked up by other nearby Tile users.

Pelipod for smart deliveries

The postman may always ring twice, but you’re not always at home. For expensive deliveries, there’s nothing more agonizing than worrying over potential thefts or having to drive to a local center to pick up the package yourself.

In the United Kingdom, a parcel delivery system is being tested with residents and businesses in St Albans and Radlett. Called Pelipod, the delivery unit is a large and durable box with a built-in battery that lasts for a year, a cable lock to secure the container to the building, an electronic locking system, and GPRS technology to monitor package delivery or pick-up.

So how does it work? When you order online, you can include in your shipping instructions to have the item/s delivered to your Pelipod. It will then create a one-time deliver code which the delivery person uses to open the Pelipod. It also features a camera that allows verification of the delivery, and a notification when the package has been delivered. When a user gets home, he or she uses their own user code to open the Pelipod to get their package. If the package is damaged or needs to be returned for some reason, the Pelipod can also be used for the same purpose.

Pelipod is currently offering a 60-day free trial, after that, the service costs £5.99 a month.

Best Buy to highlight smart, connected products in stores

Best Buy Co., Inc. recently launched a new portal dedicated to smart and connected products for your home. And soon, when you step inside actual Best Buy stores, there will be dedicated sections for these products, complete with blue-shirted personnel ready to assist you.

The renovations will happen around Thanksgiving in over 400 plus Best Buy stores nationwide. The updated stores will have a Connected Home department with various sections such as a home networking solution which includes products such as smartphones, routers, range extenders – the basic needs in starting a smart home. It will also feature do-it-yourself products as well as products from popular brands such as Belkin International, Inc, Nest Inc. and Honeywell International, Inc.

Photo via Blunt Umbrellas UK Ltd.