After repeatedly leaving customers without smart control of their lights, Sengled has been booted from Amazon’s Works With Alexa program. As first reported by TechHive, beginning August 1st, Sengled’s Alexa skill for controlling its line of LED lights, plugs, switches, and sensors with your voice and routines is no longer available. In a statement to […]
In the week’s least surprising news, Amazon CEO Andy Jassy revealed that the company is exploring ways to bring ads to Alexa Plus, its new generative-AI-powered voice assistant. During a conference call following the company’s second-quarter earnings report, Jassy said that “there will be opportunities, as people are engaging in more multiturn conversations [with Alexa […]
iRobot’s first roller mop-equipped robovac has a unique trick to help keep your carpets dry. Announced this week, the Roomba Max 705 Combo is an upgraded version of the robovac iRobot launched in April, offering a “first-of-its-kind” mop cover that it automatically deploys when cleaning carpets. Unlike with mopping pads, many robovacs with roller mops […]
Ring has once again started letting police request footage from users. Axon, a law enforcement technology company and maker of TASER, announced in April that it’s partnering with Ring to allow customers to share “relevant video with law enforcement to help solve crimes faster and safeguard neighborhoods,” as spotted earlier by Business Insider. The move […]
Google is raising the price of its Nest Aware and Nest Aware Plus subscriptions starting in August 2025. According to emails sent out to subscribers today, the cost of the entry-level Nest Aware service is increasing from $8 per month or $80 per year to $10 per month or $100 when paying for a full […]
EcoFlow is powering up its first permanently installed whole-home energy solution for the US. The Ocean Pro system launches this week, featuring the new Ocean Pro Battery with 10kWh of storage expandable to 80kWh, and the Ocean Pro Inverter, which supports solar arrays of up to 40kWh. EcoFlow claims the system delivers 24kW of continuous […]
I’ve waited two years to try out the new Alexa, which was first announced way back in 2023, and this week I finally got access to Alexa Plus (not organically – I did have to pull a few strings). I’ve now spent 24 hours with Amazon’s generative AI-powered voice assistant, and it’s not just an […]
Google’s fourth-generation Nest Learning Thermostat (the latest model) is one of the few smart home accessories I rely on every day, and it’s at an all-time low price of $218.99 ($61 off) at Amazon for Prime Day. Prime Day is almost over, but Best Buy and Google are also offering a $40 discount. This generation […]
Amazon has already slashed the pricing on several excellent robot vacuums for Prime Day, including high-end hybrid mopping models like the Dreame X40 Ultra and Narwal’s Freo Z Ultra. Thankfully, if a $700 or $800 robovac is out of the question, Tapo’s RV30 Max Plus is an impressive alternative that’s currently on sale at Amazon with […]
Belkin has announced that it’s made the “difficult decision” to end support for almost its entire line of Wemo smart home devices from January 31st, 2026. The only models that will continue to work after that date are those that have been configured through Apple HomeKit. The news was shared in an email to customers […]