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Nanoleaf Sense+ Control Lighting Handles Automation By Itself
The smart light switches connect to a Thread Border Router known as the Nala Learning Bridge, which features an onboard assistant.
Smart devices such as light bulbs and switches have been around for a long time. These products allow you to turn lights on and off remotely, adjust colors and brightness, plus set up automatic schedules.
There is, however, a slight catch.
Until now, the scheduling part of the equation is something you’ve mostly had to handle yourself, and depending on the app in question, the experience can often be frustrating and time-consuming.
Nanoleaf aims to fix those scheduling issues with its newly announced Sense+ Control family of products. The smart device lineup consists of the Sense+ Smart Light Switch, Sense+ Wireless Light Switch, and Nala Learning Bridge. All three products are Matter and Thread enabled and feature built-in motion and ambient light detection. The Nala Learning Bridge functions as a Thread Border Router and acts as the smart home network’s hub while featuring its own ambient lighting.
As well as a router, Nala is also the name of the Nanoleaf Automations Learning Assistant. The inbuilt technology uses complex machine learning algorithms to predict a user’s routines and adjust lighting accordingly. The company claims that, “Over time, users will be able to have a truly intelligent and hands-free experience with the smart lighting in their home.”
Nanoleaf 4D
Also announced at this year’s CES 2023 was the Nanoleaf 4D, a system that synchronizes Nanoleaf lights with your TV. The system will ship with the Nanoleaf Screen Mirror Camera and a light strip featuring 50 customizable LED zones.
Using Nonoleaf’s Sync+ technology, the Nanoleaf 4D can mimic your screen’s colors and lighting patterns across all of the other Nanoleaf lights in the room, and supports pre-made scenes, including sunrises.
Nanoleaf Skylight
Nanoleaf already offers modular wall panels in its lineup, but soon, the company will add a set of square RGBW LED panels that can be arranged in different patterns on ceilings.
Named Skylight, this new product includes Nanoleaf’s screen mirroring technology, a music visualizer, and supports group scenes. Like the Nala Learning Bridge, Skylight can also be used as a Thread Board Router.
Finally, the company will also update its Essentials line to make them Matter compatible and release software updates to ensure everything works harmoniously. The Sense+ Control line, Nanoleaf 4D, and Skylight should all arrive in stores by the second half of 2023, with pricing yet to be announced.
News
Checkout.com Set To Launch Card Issuing In The UAE
The payment service provider’s expansion is a first-of-its-kind investment and could reshape digital transactions across the region.
Checkout.com is laying the groundwork to become the first global payments platform to introduce card issuing in the United Arab Emirates — a move that could reshape how businesses in the region manage financial transactions.
The company plans to roll out its domestic card issuance offering in the UAE by 2026, subject to regulatory approval. The launch would give businesses the tools to issue both physical and virtual branded cards. This, in turn, opens up new ways to reward customers, streamline expense processes, and handle B2B payouts efficiently.
Checkout.com’s CEO and Founder, Guillaume Pousaz, revealed the plans during Thrive Abu Dhabi, the firm’s debut conference in the Emirates. Joined on stage by Remo Giovanni Abbondandolo, General Manager for MENA, Pousaz presented to an audience of over 150 partners and merchants at Saadiyat Island. Also in attendance was H.E. Omar Sultan Al Olama, the UAE’s Minister of State for Artificial Intelligence, Digital Economy, and Remote Work Applications.
Abbondandolo highlighted the strategic importance of the announcement: “As a global business, we focus on bringing products to markets that our customers want and need. Today’s announcement is proof of our commitment to the MENA region and its rising influence in the digital economy. The appetite for innovation here is real, and we’re proud to be building the infrastructure that powers it”.
One early adopter of Checkout.com’s UAE acquiring services is Headout, a travel experiences marketplace, which recently named the payment provider as its main partner in Europe. The company has already begun card issuing there and is keen to expand that offering into MENA once approval is granted.
The expansion of services in the UAE and beyond builds on Checkout.com’s track record in the region. It was the first global payments firm to secure a Retail Payment Services license from the UAE’s Central Bank and was instrumental in rolling out Mada and Apple Pay in both the UAE and Saudi Arabia.
Also Read: Protecting Your WhatsApp Account From Hackers: Kaspersky Expert Tips
The firm has also been rolling out new products: One of the latest is Flow Remember Me, currently in beta testing. It allows shoppers to store their card information once and access it across Checkout.com’s entire network, potentially cutting checkout times by up to 70%.
Earlier this year, Checkout.com also introduced Visa Direct’s Push-to-Card solution in the UAE, enabling both domestic and international payouts. Its collaboration with Mastercard has grown as well, making it easier for businesses to send funds directly to third-party cards securely and quickly.
With regional tech ambitions on the rise — spurred by initiatives like Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 and the UAE’s 2031 Agenda — Checkout.com sees its role as one of a key enabler. “Our mission is to help ambitious businesses navigate the complexity of payments, so they can move faster, go further, and make the most of every opportunity,” said Abbondandolo. “In MENA, performance is personal. It’s local. It’s built on trust. And when payments perform, businesses thrive”.
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