For those who have everything: The smartest speaker

last updated 8 January 2015

This device wants to be more than an attractive speaker. Cone ($399) — from startup A-ether — "aims to be your cool friend, the one who always knows the perfect song for any occasion," said House Beautiful. Like Rdio and Stitcher, the music-streaming services it links to, the 6-inch-tall speaker accepts song and artist requests, learning your tastes as it goes. You make such requests by talking to it. It also notes the time of day and which songs you turn up; it recognizes when you move it to another room, too. "Soon, it starts anticipating what you might be in a mood to hear, which can be really fun."