The clamour of modern urban life – in both the physical and digital worlds – can sometimes be overwhelming. In the first of a two-part report, Canvas8 looks at how complexion reduction is seeing apps redesigned with bold headers, simple icons and reduced colour for a unified mobile experience.

Running a car is hard work – especially if it’s a bit of a banger. Let alone the little inconveniences – where did you park? Are you low on fuel? Xee is a French app that transforms standard cars into smart vehicles, contributing to a connected car market set to be worth $2.2 trillion by 2020.

As you leave for work, you yell “lock” and “camera on” to keep the house secure, before telling your vacuum to clean the bedroom carpet while you're out. It's not a sci-fi film - the technology is available now. But do we really want our homes to be controlled by technology?

By the end of 2015, 20 million US households will have a smart home device. But while brands keep releasing tech, many people remain underwhelmed. Philips now hopes to make smart home lighting simple with its wireless dimming kit, but can it spark interest in the modern, connected home?