VOICE CONTROL & CONNECTED AUDIO Home Entertainment
that feature too hard, as the user experience varies massively between products. While I have a stock repertoire of voice commands that seem to work seamlessly with Alexa - “Alexa, play Kerrang radio / What’s the weather today/ How old is Ronnie Wood?” - communicating with TV tech remains hit and miss.
My Netgem PLEIO streamer can’t tell the 26 TCL RayNeo glasses at CES.
So will retailers soon be selling AI robots that make robot vacuums look quaint? Never say never..
The rise of smart media streamers More immediately, devices like the Manhattan Aero 4K TV Streamer look certain to be a big hit in 2026, as they allow legacy TVs to be pulled into modern smart ecosystems. The Aero brings the Freely platform to any TV via Wi-Fi, offering more than 60 live channels
and extensive on-demand content without an aerial or subscription. Built on the TiVo OS, it also includes Netflix, Disney+, Prime Video and TiVo+, alongside voice search and 4K output. Alex Arbab-Zadeh, COO at Manhattan, describes it as a practical upgrade path rather than a replacement cycle: “Aero fixes that. Just connect to Wi-Fi and you’ve got live TV, catch-up and all your favourite streaming apps.” Voice control continues to be part of the smart feature bouquet, but personally, I wouldn’t push
difference between BBC One and Radio One, and a search for Tom Cruise movies on the same device pulls up Uncle Tom Cobley and all. Smart lighting strikes me as a more convincing sell, particularly when tied to entertainment. It’s one of the easiest categories to demo, bundle and upsell, particularly when paired with TVs, gaming setups or sound systems. Brands like Govee are exploiting this with
offerings such as the Envisual TV Backlight 3S. Suitable for 55–65-inch screens, the backlight works seamlessly with Alexa and Google Assistant, and uses a smart camera with real- time colour analysis to extend on-screen visuals onto the surrounding wall - creating an Ambilight- like effect. For buyers, the appeal is immediate: better immersion, stronger contrast and a more cinematic feel without replacing the TV. It seems the smart home journey is still only just beginning.
Manhattan Aero streamer.
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