A lamp, a speaker, an air purifier

There was a time when technological "convergence" in the home was defined by a combo device that merged television with computing. Now, it can be anything from a table-refrigerator to a smart coffee maker.

And the pace of innovation is furious. Just a few days after posting an item on a combo speaker lamp, we discovered that it's already been trumped by a combination lamp, speaker and air purifier, according to Chip Chick. The tower-shaped "Rigel," by Italy's Artemide, has a mirrored finish that gives way to colored lights when in use. But at more than $3,700, it would have to be programmed to fetch beers before we'd even consider it.