It’s finally happening. Three years after Matter launched, the interoperability standard now includes the most popular smart home devices: cameras. The Matter 1.5 spec, announced today, adds support for all types of video cameras – from indoor and outdoor, wired and battery-powered cameras, to video doorbells, baby monitors, pet cams, and more. Matter support should […]
Meross has announced a new version of its MS600 presence sensor that’s now battery-powered, so installation isn’t limited to places where you can camouflage a power cord. A single CR123A battery powers the new MS605 presence sensor for up to three years. Battery life may be reduced in high-traffic areas if the sensor is activated […]
Wyze has announced a new version of its electronic door lock that features Wi-Fi, allowing it to be controlled remotely from anywhere using a mobile app or voice commands through Amazon Alexa or Google Assistant. The original Wyze Lock Bolt is currently featured in our smart lock buyer’s guide as the “best budget smart(ish) lock,” […]
Google officially turned off remote control functionality for early Nest Learning Thermostats last month, but it hasn’t stopped collecting a stream of data from these downgraded devices. After digging into the backend, security researcher Cody Kociemba found that the first- and second-generation Nest Learning Thermostats are still sending Google information about manual temperature changes, whether […]
In 2012, The Verge broke the news that Valve was making a game console. Gabe Newell himself dished on the company’s grand plans. By 2015, the “Steam Machines” had utterly flopped. But Valve never stopped quietly working on the idea. The Steam Deck handheld became the seed for a grand reboot of Valve’s console and […]
Aqara has announced its first battery-powered presence sensor, which can be installed nearly anywhere in your home to automate smart devices as your family comes and goes. Instead of having to hide a cord and plan its location around a power source, a pair of CR2450 coin cell batteries powers the Presence Multi-Sensor FP300 for […]
Amazon’s newest Echo Show smart displays launch this week. They’re purpose-built for the new AI-powered Alexa Plus, which comes preloaded in the US. I’ve had a couple of days to play with them, and I have some early thoughts to share. Overall, the devices are a significant upgrade from the last-gen Show 8 and aging […]
The best time to make your home smart is at the very beginning. Whether you’re building from scratch, renovating, or just moving in, a little bit of work on lighting, security, and energy management can go a long way. Getting started can be tricky, though: there’s no obvious path to follow, no starter kit of […]
Samsung’s latest SmartThings update adds support for Siri Shortcuts. In a press release, Samsung announced that you can now use Siri to run SmartThings routines, allowing you to use Apple’s voice assistant to control your smart home. Siri Shortcuts is a feature in iOS that lets you run automations by asking Siri. These can either […]
Google started rolling out its new Gemini voice assistant for its smart speakers two weeks ago and, in a blog post marking the anniversary, the company seems to think everything is going great. It’s even quoting a user who said, “My Google Home just got upgraded with Gemini. It’s actually useful now beyond asking for […]