标签：#smart home

Google's first new smart speaker in six years starts shipping on June 29th, narrowly missing its promised spring launch window. Preorders for the Google Home Speaker open today, June 17th. Nothing has changed hardware-wise in the nine months since the $99 speaker was announced. It has the same slightly squished round design, with touch-capacitive buttons […]

The smart home networking protocol Thread is adding a new way to onboard devices without a Thread border router. The feature, called Thread Direct, is designed to let users set up Thread-powered devices - such as smart plugs and smart locks - using only a phone or mobile device equipped with a Thread radio. Current […]

Jackery is jumping on the fridge-battery trend with what it says is the "world's slimmest." FridgeGuard also looks nice; a break from power stations that tend to look more at home at a job site than the kitchen or living room. Measuring just 2.63 inches (67mm) thick, the Jackery FridgeGuard power station is meant to […]

The new Thread Networks Diagnostics Tools app from Thread Group, the standards body behind the wireless IoT protocol, officially launches in beta today. The app, which arrives on iOS and has been available on Android in alpha for a few weeks, is the first dedicated tool to provide visibility into your Thread-based smart home network. […]

Matter, the smart home interoperability standard, might finally get a feature that should have been there from day one: a single shared Matter network managed by multiple ecosystems. With this feature, called Joint Fabric, smart devices added to the network will be controllable by any authorized platform - Apple Home, Google Home, Amazon Alexa, and […]

I'll admit it. I was wrong. Wildly colorful lighting is delightful for your smart home - well, outdoors, at least. Smart lighting is one of my favorite features of the smart home - it combines convenience with ambiance, letting you change the entire look of your room with just a press of a button. But, […]

Tired of vacuuming? Hand the reins to a robot vacuum.

Tech has been encroaching on the family domicile for years—but actor, writer, and satirist Jill Kargman is all in on analog.

It's been more than a year since Schlage announced its first smart lock to support ultra wideband technology (UWB), but now it's finally almost available to purchase. Starting June 29th, the Schlage Sense Pro deadbolt lock will be available for $399 in the US, allowing customers to unlock their doors by simply approaching them with […]

Apple's HomeKit Secure Video service is getting in on the Apple Intelligence party to bring more descriptive alerts from your connected cameras and let you search footage using natural language. The Apple Home app is also getting better notifications powered by AI and is finally adding support for energy reporting. These improvements were announced at […]

Swap out your creaky old box fan for a new model that lights up, mists, or even follows you around the room.

Whether you want to buy cheaper electricity, store solar energy, or guard against outages, EcoFlow’s home battery might be just what you need.

Whether you’re planning a backyard barbeque or a World Cup watch party, Govee’s Table Lamp Classic can help set the mood with color-changing lighting effects. Right now it’s down to just $59.99 ($20 off) at Amazon, which is its best price yet. The rechargeable lamp can last up to 30 hours on a single charge, […]

Light up and secure your driveway, backyard, or porch with a floodlight security camera.

Amazon's rolling out a free software update for Echo Hub devices that gives the home screen a much-needed update to the interface it launched with in 2024. It had already added Alex Plus AI support, but the new interface has a cleaner, fully customizable layout that fits more smart home info and controls on the […]

The old app "still needs to be retired," AcuRite tells us.

You can save on a big set of outdoor security cameras ahead of Prime Day. Amazon has a five-pack of Blink cameras with a video doorbell included that’s marked down to $166.99. The bundle includes a Blink Battery Doorbell 2K+, five Blink Outdoor 2K+ cameras, and a Blink Sync Module Core. The doorbell is typically […]

Apple and Google are updating their smart home streaming devices to Thread 1.4. As first spotted by Matter Alpha and 9to5 Google, the latest spec has arrived on compatible Apple TVs in the tvOS 27 developer beta and the Google TV Streamer through a software update. This lays the groundwork for these devices, which serve […]

The Google Nest Cam with Floodlight is marked down to $179.99 ($100 off) at multiple retailers, including Amazon, Best Buy, Home Depot, and directly from Google. This weather-resistant outdoor camera captures 1080p video across a 130-degree diagonal field of view, with snappy notifications and great customization options. Even without a subscription, the camera can store […]

These bird feeders come with cameras and connected apps to let you see and learn about the birds in your neighborhood.