The new Hiku shopping assistant brings more to the table

[MUSIC] Imagine an alternate reality in which you don't have to go grocery shopping. That is the future that Hiku Labs is trying to provide with its new shopping assistant device, Hiku. The Hiku is available right now on the Hiku Labs website for $50 But after New Years, the promotional period will end and it will be back up to $80. Basically, the Haiku magnets to your fridge, and when you're done with a jug of milk or some other grocery, you scan its bar code, using the Haiku, and then you toss it, and that item is added to your grocery list. With the original Haiku, that's where things ended. But now, thanks to partnerships with Walmart and Peapod, you can upload that list onto an online purchasing service. While Walmart will only bag your groceries and get them ready for pickup, Peapod will actually deliver those groceries to your house. The hiku actually works pretty well. If you buy big name products, it will usually recognize what you're scanning, but if you shop at smaller places like Whole Foods or Trader Joes, then the scanning is a little bit more hit or miss. Similarly, when you take advantage of the additional step of online purchasing, the third-party providers can be a little bit loose in their interpretation. Patients of what you want to replace your depleted groceries. For instance, it suggested a bottle of agave syrup to replace a bottle of Patron. At the end of the day, I like the idea of the hiku more than its execution. I just don't see it streamlining the grocery list making process any more than a pen and paper or a note on your smartphone already does. But for families or for anyone who has difficulty getting out to the store for any reason this can save a lot of frustration. For more on our smart home coverage check out cnet.com. Here at CNET appliances I'm Dave Priest. [SOUND]