Earlier promises of progress turned out to be premature. The green light could be delayed again if proponents can't overcome nagging security concerns on the part of local or national law-enforcement agencies. Proposed projects also may end up stymied if Federal Aviation Administration managers don't find creative ways around legislative and regulatory restrictions such as those mandating pilot training for manned aircraft. But some proponents of delivery and other drone applications "think they might be ready to operate this summer," Jay Merkle, a senior FAA air-traffic control official, said during a break at an unmanned-aircraft conference in Baltimore last week that highlighted the agency's pro-business approach. At least 10 FAA-approved pilot programs for various drone initiatives--some likely including package delivery--are slated to start by May.

When Lois Seed wakes up in the morning, one of the first things she says is "Alexa, what is the weather?" Seed, who is 89 and has low vision because of macular degeneration, finds it convenient to get weather information by speaking to the Alexa voice-activated assistant on her Amazon Echo. She also asks her Echo to tell her the time and to play classical music from her former hometown radio station. "Life is more enjoyable [with Alexa]," she says, proving that the recent Saturday Night Live spoof about Alexa and seniors couldn't be further from the truth. Seed and about 50 other residents at the Carlsbad by the Sea retirement community near San Diego have been testing the personal-assistant technology inside their homes since late February.

But if you really want to light up your front porch (or prison yard), the Maximus Smart Motion Security Light should do the trick. Controllable via Amazon's Alexa digital assistant or via the Kuna app available for Android and iOS devices, Maximus' Smart Motion Security Light builds on the success of the company's Smart Security Light line. The somewhat insectile outdoor fixture is equipped with an integrated 1080p video camera that can broadcast live footage directly to your smartphone. And its powerful 2400-lumen floodlight is unlikely to leave any shadows for miscreants to hide in (that's more than twice as bright as the Netatmo Presence security camera/floodlight we reviewed in November 2016). Through the use of the Kuna app, which you can read about in one of our earlier reviews, you'll not only be able to view the Smart Motion Security Light's video feed, but also hear and speak with individuals standing close to the fixture.