T3 Agenda: KitSound's smart Hive 2+ wireless speaker. Master Lock's Select Access Smart lock box. And more!

T3's daily roundup of the best new announcements from the world of tech

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In this new instalment of the T3 Agenda, we give our music a smart upgrade with KitSound's Hive 2+ wireless speaker, keep our valuables extra safe with Master Lock's new smart lock box and more...

Use your voice to control your tunes with KitSound's upgraded Hive 2+ wireless speaker

Audio specialist KitSound has announced a brand new update on its popular Hive 2 wireless speaker. The new Hive 2+ will retain all the aspects that made the first so popular - including powerful bass and extended playback time - as well as adding in Siri and Google integration for easy voice control.

With 40mm active drivers and a passive bass radiator producing 12 watts of sound, the Bluetooth-powered Hive 2+ just made KitSound's wireless speaker range ever more intelligent. Smart devices with wireless connectivity can easily connect to the Hive 2+ or even through one touch NFC pairing, and the majority of mobile phones, tablets, MP3 players, and computers can access its wonderful sound through the line-in connection. 

Receive a call that usually interrupts your tunes? Don’t worry: the Hive 2+ has call handling built-in, so you can talk hands free and then return to your music. And controlling your music is as easy as asking a question - leaning over and pressing a button to change songs will be a thing of the past.

No confirmation on a release date or a price just yet, but the original Hive 2 retails for around £50 so expect this new model to fall in a similar pricing bracket.

Keep your valuables safe and secure with Master Lock's new smart lock box system

American security brand Master Lock has become the first security specialist to release a Bluetooth key lock box (a device that can be accessed via a smartphone) on this side of the Atlantic.

Designed with Master Lock’s 90 plus years of trusted security expertise, the smart, simple and secure lock box ensures you will never have to hide your keys under a doormat or flower pot ever again. Master Lock’s Select Access Smart provides essential peace for mind for parents who worry their kids won’t be able to get into the house after school or that they will have to get another set of keys cut.

Using the Master Lock Vault eLocks app (for iOS and Android), you can control who has access to the device via a series of simple to add and remove permissions. It's keypad is backlit (so you won't struggle to see it at night or in low light conditions) and its battery has a two-year lifespan so there's no fear of it running out any time soon. You'll even get a notification when it's finally running low on juice!

Master Lock's Select Access Smart is priced at £109.00. The Bluetooth device is available to purchase online from www.masterlock.eu and www.amazon.co.uk.

Electronics firm TP-Link has unveiled the latest addition to its range of networking products - the Deco M5 Whole Home Wi-Fi System. With built-in anti-virus and malware protection powered by Trend Micro, the Deco M5 provides a secure whole-home Wi-Fi system for today’s connected lifestyle.

Designed with consumers in mind, TP-Link HomeCare and Deco M5 offers comprehensive built-in security features. TP-Link HomeCare provides exploit and malware protection, plus SPI firewall and device access contro, as well as safeguarding every device in your home from malware and hackers by blocking malicious sites, intrusions and other digital threats.

Robust parental controls can be managed in real-time via the TP-Link Deco app, which enables you to manage and monitor who accesses your network, regardless of applications or URLs. The Deco app even enables you to allocate a maximum amount of cumulative “screen time” per day to individual devices, even when you’re not home.

The TP-Link Deco M5 Whole Home Wi-Fi System is available now with a price tag of £229.99. You can pick it up from a range of retailers, including Very.co.uk, Maplin, Dixons and more.

Dom Reseigh-Lincoln

Dom Reseigh-Lincoln has been writing for T3 for over half a decade now, covering everything from mobile phones and laptops right through to video games and gaming peripherals. Purveyor of an excellent beard, as well as some perpetually cheeky offspring, Dom likes to wind down in his spare time by listening to heavy metal. 

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