Latest Smart Home News
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News
Philips Hue reportedly delays its Matter update
The smart lighting brand said it wants to take "a little more time" before releasing its Matter update, which was originally due in the first quarter of 2023.
News
Blueair’s latest air purifiers promise to scrub the air more quickly
The new Blue Pure Max purifiers are faster and quieter than their predecessors, Blueair says.
News
The BenchSentry Delivery Box hides and protects your packages
The 7-cubic-foot storage chest keeps packages out of sight and can be upgraded with a Wi-Fi-connected smart lock and keypad.
News
Nanoleaf’s first Matter-compatible bulbs available for pre-order
Nanoleaf's Matter-ready A19 bulb and light strip will ship in April, but you can place an order now.
News
Wyze’s Lock Bolt can now be unlocked from anywhere
Wyze’s smart deadbolt just gained the ability to use the Wyze Video Doorbell Pro as a Wi-Fi bridge, meaning you can now unlock your door remotely.
News
A HomePod with a screen? Your wait just got longer
Apple still has plans for a HomePod smart display, but it probably won't arrive this year, according to the latest buzz.
News
Samsung prices its 2023 QD OLEDs (mostly)
On the heels of its LCD pricing announcements, Samsung has finally revealed what five out of its six 2023 QD OLEDs will set you back
Opinion
Belkin's Matter pause doesn’t matter much, at least not yet
Belkin's "step back" from the nascent Matter standard only matters if other smart home manufacturers hit the brakes, too.
Cord-Cutter Confidential
Is Verizon +play a good deal?
Verizon offers free Netflix to promote its subscription marketplace, but caveats apply.
News
Roku 4 streaming player won't get any more feature updates
Roku's first 4K-enabled streaming device will still get critical patches, but no more OS or channel updates, Roku says.
News
Amazon launches a March Madness Hub for Fire TV users
Fire TV users: Say “Alexa, fill my bracket” for an interactive experience that displays your predictions and outcomes during the 2023 NCAA basketball tourney.
Cord-Cutter Confidential
Sports streaming is a mess. Who will clean it up?
Apple, Roku, and reportedly ESPN want to help make sense of sports streaming options, but it won't be easy.
News
New Ring Battery Doorbell Plus promises higher video resolution
The $180 video doorbell also offers a 150- x 150-degree field of view, but you'll still need a Ring Protect subscription get event recordings.
News
The Sonos Era series should cement the company's leadership
Sonos Era 100 and Sonos Era 300 feature Wi-Fi 6 and Bluetooth connectivity. The larger speaker delivers spatial audio from a single cabinet or a two-piece set.
News
LG announces prices for its 2023 wired OLED TVs
With CES well in the rear view mirror, we now find out how much LG's new and improved 2023 OLEDs will set us back.
Cord-Cutter Confidential
What's up with YouTube TV video quality?
Has YouTube TV video quality increased? It's hard to say.
News
Sony finally unveils its 2023 TV and soundbar lineup
Five updates to the Sony Bravia XR lineup include a new QD OLED in the Sony Master series, three new mini-LED series, and a new full-array backlight series.
Feature
Make the most of free streaming services with these 8 tips
Between Pluto TV, Tubi, The Roku Channel, and countless others, cord-cutters have plenty of options for free streaming. Here's how to make the most of them.
News
Eufy launches the Mach brand of smart cleaning devices
The Mach V Ultra, a cordless stick vacuum/steam mop combo that cleans and sterilizes hard surface floors, is the the premium cleaning brand's first product.
News
Thermacell’s EL55 will repel mosquitoes while lighting your table
The latest portable device from the mosquito-repelling experts at Thermacell features a 200-lumen lamp and a rechargeable battery.
News
Blink Wired Floodlight Cam is now available on Amazon for $100
Blink's new smart home device features a 1080p security camera mounted between a pair of floodlights that produce 2,600 lumens of brightness.
Updated
New Apple HomePod release date: What we know so far
Could a new version of the full-size Apple HomePod be on the way? Here's what we've heard about a successor to Apple's HomeKit hub.
News
Apple takes another shot at high-end audio
Apple once again asks a premium price for a home audio device.
News
Wyze Cam OG series gets back to basics—and then some
The $24 Wyze Cam OG features a 120-degree field of view, while the $34 Wyze Cam OG Telephoto boasts a 3x telephoto lens. Both are discounted by $4 at launch.
News
YI’s Home Camera is your ticket to cheap 24/7 monitoring
YI's budget security camera has limited features, but an ultra-affordable 24/7 monitoring plan sweetens the deal.
Feature
Robot vacuum features that mean you’ll never step in crumbs
New robot vacuums have surprising features that can instantly upgrade your home life. Here are some of the best, along with the robots that have them.
News
Amazon seems to have crippled universal guide apps on Fire TV
Why Plex's "Discover" feature doesn't work as well on Fire TV devices.
Cord-Cutter Confidential
ATSC 3.0 in 2023: Why NextGen TV still needs another year
The latest on ATSC 3.0 NextGen TV, and why your current TV will still work for years to come.
News
Wyze unveils an outdoor version of its pan-and-tilt security cam
The Wyze Cam Pan v3 arrives with IP65 weather resistance, twice the amount of tilt coverage, and a feature that quickly blocks the camera lens for privacy.
News
Rise Gardens’ modular indoor smart garden gets an upgrade
The new Rise Garden Charcoal Collection features more durable electronics, a larger water reservoir, and a new color scheme for growing vegetables indoors year round.
Updated
The best products we've seen at CES 2023
Wireless TVs, superb soundbars, security cameras for your car, tech for communicating with your pets, and more. CES was packed with great products.
News
You might actually want a TiVo TV someday
TiVo OS preview: These smart TVs make sense of streaming.
News
Baracoda's BBalance bathmat at CES has an integrated scale
This smart bathmat will measure your weight, body composition, balance, and posture.
News
Twinkly wants you to know it offers more than cool holiday lights
The smart lighting manufacturer’s new app lets you create dynamic scenes across multiple light sets, and it says it will have a new line lower-cost lights this fall.
News
Securam jumps into the in-wall smart light switch market at CES
The switches and dimmers have ambient light sensors, nightlights, and backlit buttons; two have laser-based motion sensors.
News
Dyson Zone air-purifying headphones: Hands-on at CES
These cans, coming to the U.S. in March, promise to tackle both noise and air pollution.
News
Reolink shows off 3 new wireless home security cameras at CES
The company plans to release two new indoor/outdoor, pan/tilt models in 2023, plus an outdoor pan/tilt model with PoE support.
News
Leviton’s 2nd-gen Decora Wi-Fi line to get Matter updates in 2023
Firmware updates delivering Matter compatibility will begin in early 2023, with the in-wall Decora Smart D26HD Dimmer and D215S Switch first in line.
News
SmartThings Station has a Thread radio, but not a Z-Wave one
Samsung continues to move away from supporting Z-Wave in its smart home products.
News
Samsung Display unveils new 2,000-nit RGB OLED panel
Samsung Display's 2022 RGB OLED panel was a huge hit, powering top-ranked Sony and Samsung TVs. This year's version offers significant gains in brightness and power efficiency.
News
Bird Buddy shows off a smart hummingbird feeder at CES 2023
Designed specifically for hummingbirds, the feeder is the first of more species-specific models from the company.
News
Lutron unveils new Diva colors, Claro accessory switch at CES
The Diva and the new Claro accessory switch are available in white, black, gray, brown, ivory, and light almond.
News
SwitchBot debuts Matter-enabled Hub 2 with thermometer at CES
The Hub 2 connects Switchbot’s quirky Bluetooth smart devices, including the button-pushing Bot, to your smart home.
News
Home Connectivity Alliance releases its smart appliance standard
Working on what is essentially a parallel track to Matter, this alliance of smart appliance manufacturers released its first interoperability standard at CES.
News
Ring’s airborne Always Home Cam makes flyby at CES
Flying under the radar since its invite-only debut, Ring’s Always Home Cam made an appearance in Vegas this week.
News
Masonite's M-Pwr is the front door every smart home needs
On display at the Z-Wave Pavilion at CES, the high-tech door can be purchased from custom installers now and will be available at Home Depot later this year.
News
Ring has yet another place for you to stick a camera: In your car
The new Ring Car Cam is a dual-facing security camera that mounts to your car’s dashboard, where it can record motion-triggered video and audio even when your automobile is turned off.
News
Rachio’s Smart Hose Timer is a hose-based smart sprinkler
On display at CES 2023, this smart valve connects to an outdoor spigot and offers most of the features found in Rachio’s sophisticated sprinkler controller.
News
Davis reveals a new smart-home-ready weather station console at CES
The WeatherLink Console is designed to integrate seamlessly with Davis’ Vantage Vue and Vantage Pro2 weather stations.
Cord-Cutter Confidential