GoKawiil
Tech News
SmartLabels is a QR-code labeling system for bins, boxes, and drawers that pairs printed codes with a companion iOS/Android app to log and photograph each container's contents. Each package includes 48 unique QR stickers, and users scan a code to view or update an inventory tied to that specific storage spot.
A TechCrunch reviewer spent two weeks using Tovala's connected oven and pre-portioned meal deliveries to see if the system could rival the ease of ordering takeout. The oven, priced at $299 or $349 for the Pro model with steam capability, automatically adjusts cooking modes when users scan a QR code tied to each meal. Results were mixed: some dishes impressed while others fell short of a traditional home-cooked meal.
Starting Tuesday, pubs and shops in England and Wales can accept digital identity apps from government-approved providers like the Post Office, Yoti and Luciditi as proof of age, alongside traditional physical ID. The scheme is voluntary and technology-agnostic, letting businesses choose whether to adopt it, though officials say most venues will still accept physical documents too.
Writer Ploum recounts telling businesses he has no smartphone to avoid being pressured into installing apps or scanning QR codes for basic services. He says he had to push back against 18 separate app installation demands in the past year, including for kitchen appliances, a car, and even a toilet with separate apps for its seat, flush, and ventilation.
Life360 is rolling out a new line of scannable pet tags priced at $7.99, expanding beyond its GPS-based pet trackers introduced last year. Scanning the tag's QR code sends contact details to whoever finds the pet and simultaneously notifies the owning family through the Life360 app, without requiring the finder to have the app installed. The company is also adding pet care tools, including scheduled care logs, to its platform.