Here's a new one for old-time gaming fans. Atari, which made its name in the video game console market, is now getting into the Internet of Things (IoT). Atari signed a deal with SigFox, a communications service provider, to use its name in a new line of Atari-branded connected devices that will be "very simple" and "highly sophisticated." "The initial product line will include categories such as home, pets, lifestyle and safety," the companies said in a statement. "By connecting to SigFox's global network, the products will benefit from its competitive advantages: a very long battery life and a simple solution that …

The Taiwanese electronics manufacture Asus has unveiled a home robot called Zenbo that can talk, control your home and provide assistance when needed – all for the cost of a top-end smartphone. The $599 (£410) robot rolls around on two wheels in the shape of a vacuum cleaner ball with cameras an oblong head extruding from the top with a colour touchscreen displaying a face with emotions. It is capable of independent movement, can respond to voice commands and has both entertainment protocols for keeping kids amused and home care systems to help look after older people.

SoftBank Robotics now is allowing Android developers to create apps for its Pepper humanoid robot. The company has launched the Pepper SDK for Android Studio beta, a software development kit that allows developers to implement apps on the Android platform. In addition, SoftBank will begin Android-supported Pepper presales in July. "The possibilities for Pepper RoboApp developers will greatly increase with Android support," SoftBank said in a prepared statement.

Apple developers aren't very interested in writing apps for the company's Apple Watch these days, says Tim Anglade, an app developer who is vice president for the mobile database Realm. About 100,000 app developers use Realm's database in apps used by about 1 billion people, Anglade says. This gives Realm a unique vantage point in seeing which devices have captured mobile developers' interest and which have not.