TECHNOLOGY

Digital world

The latest technology and accessories

THE TERRACE

Specialist manufacturers have been producing outdoor TVs for some time. But with this set, Samsung is the first mainstream brand to dive into the niche. If it’s worth its premium price to you, the Terrace is the ideal TV to install in your outside seating area. And to keep it there, even during winter, as it’s built to withstand temperatures of -20° (and if you keep it turned on, Samsung assures us it can handle -31°, should temperatures drop that low). Throughout the year, it’s protected from conditions such as dust and splashing water. With its exceptionally high brightness level (2,000 nits), it’s also quite capable of keeping its image viewable in bright sunlight. That price, though. From €4,000 samsung.be

PHILIPS HUE OUTDOOR

Lighting company Signify extended its Philips Hue range of smart lights a few years ago with outside lighting, and has been further expanding it ever since. Right now, it’s selling dozens of weather-resistant wall lighting, path lighting, garden spots and other outside fixtures. All of these, of course, are just as smart as the interior lights it has been selling for almost a decade, with an app that allows you to change brightness, colour and hue, in 16 million colours and 50,000 shades of white. The main difference between the outside and traditional inside lighting is their sense of direction: they bundle their light, so it accentuates the facade of your house or certain corners of your garden. From €120 philips-hue.com

SONOS ROAM

Sonos already had a speaker for outside use with Move, a weather- and shock-resistant speaker that lets you play your music through your Sonos home network or – for the first time – straight through the Bluetooth connection on your mobile device. The Move was too heavy to take further than your own backyard, but Sonos has extended its outside range with the Roam, an ultra-portable miniature speaker weighing only 450g. So you can mount it on your bike, stuff it in your backpack or take it to the beach. Its battery will last 10 hours and can be wirelessly charged through the Qi standard. It’s also water- and dust-proof. And when you return home, it seamlessly reconnects with your Sonos system. €179 sonos.com

BOWERS & WILKINS PI7

For a while, Apple and Samsung had the market for wireless earbuds to themselves. But traditional audio brands are catching up. Bowers & Wilkins’ PI7 set offers a well-balanced, wellrounded sound. They’re also IP54-rated, meaning they can handle a rain shower or sweat during exercise. They have a battery life of four hours, with an extra 16 from the charging case. €400 bowerswilkins.com