Latest Smart Home News
SEE SMART HOME STORIES BY CATEGORY
Updated
New Sonos speaker in FCC filing looks a lot like the Sub Mini
The cat’s been out of the bag for months as far as Sonos’s rumored Sub Mini goes, and a new FCC filing hints that the unannounced subwoofer will become official sooner rather than later.
News
Nanoleaf puts HomeKit-over-Thread update on back burner
The update, which would have allowed Nanoleaf’s Thread border routers to work with Thread-enabled HomeKit devices, had been slated to arrive in the first quarter.
News
Ring’s Protect Basic plan gets new features, plus a price hike
Ring’s most affordable subscription plan will soon add a slew of features, including more video storage, better bulk video downloading, sound detection, and additional smart alerts, but you’ll have to pay more in the bargain.
News
Amazon will end support for Cloud Cam, offers free Blink Mini instead
Yet another Amazon smart cam is about to become a paperweight, but the company is offering a consolation prize.
News
LG has a limited-edition 'Star Wars'-themed OLED TV
Hardcore 'Star Wars' fans will soon have an opportunity to buy a Darth Vader-themed OLED TV from LG.
News
Ikea is finally replacing its terrible Tradfri smart home hub
The new Dirigera hub boasts Wi-Fi, Zigbee, and Thread radios, and it’ll let you connect smart devices without pairing them to a remote first.
Cord-Cutter Confidential
Which Roku should you buy? Here's how to pick
Having reviewed the, Roku Express 4K+, Streaming Stick 4K, Ultra, and more, we break down which ones are best.
News
User profiles are finally coming to Google TV
Initially promised for last November, multi-user support for Google TV devices is finally rolling out.
Feature
Nanoleaf’s Lines Skins gussy up its smart lights
These snap-on covers give Nanoleaf’s Lines smart lights a $20 makeover.
News
New Ecobee thermostat with air quality monitor and onboard Siri leaks online
The leaked Ecobee Smart Thermostat Premium appears to have a new design and a built-in air quality monitor, as well as Alexa and Siri.
News
TP-Link launches its Tapo smart home brand in the U.S.
The new-to-the-U.S. brand includes four security cameras and a color LED light strip.
News
Bluesound's new Hub welcomes turntables, other legacy audio sources
BluOS expands its ecosystem with its $319 hub, which is expected to arrive in June.
News
Goldring's Eroica HX moving-coil turntable cartridge works with a moving-magnet input
The British manufacturer says its new cartridge can deliver higher vinyl audio performance without requiring listeners to upgrade all the rest of their gear.
News
Roku’s top-of-the-line streamer now comes with its best remote
The Voice Remote Pro will replace the step-down “enhanced” remote that originally came with the Roku Ultra.
News
7 things to know about Hey Sonos
Who will be voicing Sonos’s new voice assistant, what commands will it understand, and what music services will it work with? We’ve got answers to those questions and more.
News
Google Nest Hub Max is making it easier to skip saying “Hey Google”
Soon you’ll be able to start speaking to Google Assistant just by looking at the Nest Hub Max’s screen, or by saying a specific “quick phrase.”
Cord-Cutter Confidential
TV antenna marketing gets ever more sleazy
Beware of extra long-range antennas on Amazon, Walmart, and eBay
News
Rumored Xbox streaming device and Samsung app will bring games direct to TV
Is it a stick? Is it a puck? Microsoft is reportedly launching the streamer within the next 12 months.
News
Vivint Smart Home retools its full security cam lineup
The home security service provider announced new indoor and outdoor cameras, a new video doorbell, and an add-on smart spotlight.
News
Google’s 2021 Nest Cameras, Doorbell now work with Amazon Alexa devices
With new Google Nest skill, you can view livestreams on Echo Show, Fire Tablet, and Fire TV.
News
Hey, Sonos: What makes the speaker company’s new voice assistant different?
Report: Sonos Voice will arrive June 1 as part of a software update, serving as an alternative to Alexa and Hey, Google.
News
Roku moves to acquire a 20-percent stake in Starz
Teaming up with a private-equity firm, Roku looks to add more original programming to its streaming platform.
News
‘Jackass’ returning to TV with new Paramount+ series
The box-office success of ‘Jackass Forever’ leads to a spinoff with the original creators.
News
The Marshall Willen is the smallest Bluetooth speaker to carry the iconic brand
Zound Industries is also bringing out a second-generation Emberton speaker.
News
Convert a Ford F-150 Lightning into a backup generator with this $3,895 system
With this option, even the base-model pickup can power your home during outages.
News
Wyze Room Sensors will extend the reach and precision of the Wyze Thermostat
The Bluetooth sensor costs $24.99 and monitors temperature, humidity, and room occupancy.
Updated
Roku drops the needle on Apple Music app
Now you can stream Apple Music tunes on your Roku streaming player, TV, or soundbar.
News
Leviton's new smart switches don't need a neutral wire
Also new to the company's Decora Smart Wi-Fi line: A second-gen motion-sensing dimmer and tamper-resistant outlet.
News
Smart home of the future: Look where Google might hide digital displays
Google AI Blog’s ‘Hidden Interfaces’ entry reveals latest efforts at ‘on-demand, touch-based interaction’ in household items
Updated
Alexa can now tell you when a security cam spots a person or package
Ring, Abode, and even Google security cameras will be able to trigger spoken Alexa alerts.
News
Why Charter and Comcast want to be the next Roku
Guess who wants to compete in the streaming wars with their own platform and hardware? Big Cable.
News
Home Depot adds six new lighting products to its Hubspace smart home platform
The new Wi-Fi and Bluetooth-controlled offerings include in-home lighting controls as well as landscape lighting.
Cord-Cutter Confidential
Surprise! TiVo now offers the best streaming TV guide
Two years after launch, the TiVo Stream 4K does a great job making sense of streaming.
News
Wyze says its new Garage Door Controller knows all, sees all
Used in conjunction with a Wyze Cam v3, the pair use artificial intelligence to determine if your garage door is still open at bedtime and will then close it for you automatically.
News
In the future, we might control our smart homes with just our eyes
One step beyond Google's Look to Speak: Carnegie Mellon researchers' EyeMu combines gaze predictor with phone's motion sensors.
News
Smart home brand Insteon has gone up in smoke
One of the world’s oldest smart home vendors has apparently shut its doors without notice.
News
The Wyze Lock Bolt: A ridiculously low-priced biometric smart lock
A $70 smart lock sounds like a compelling deal; one with a fingerprint reader could be a game changer.
News
Philips Hue’s latest update doesn’t solve its bridge problem
The Hue Bridge supports only 50 devices at a time, and it’s easier to hit that limit than you might think.
News
Wyze unleashes its first air purifier
After making everything from security cameras to cordless vacuums, Wyze enters the air purifier space.
News
Anker expands its Eufy-brand smart home product line
Our first impressions of two new vacuums, a 4G security camera, and a smart scale.
Cord-Cutter Confidential
Cord-cutting is still too complicated, and it's not your fault
Cord cutting is still too complicated, and it's not your fault
Updated
Vizio tests “Jump Ads” during live TV shows on its smart TVs
The next time you watch a live Fox show on a Vizio TV, you might see an ad overlay that’s being served by the TV itself.
News
Eyes-on with Samsung’s innovative QD-OLED TV
Samsung’s quantum dot-packing S95B OLED TV is shipping soon, and we got an early look. Also on display: an updated version of The Frame.
Updated
Wyze needs to come clean about the Wyze Cam’s security flaws
If Wyze knew about a serious flaw in the original Wyze Cam when it abruptly discontinued the camera last month, the company should have told us.
News
The original Wyze Cam reportedly has a big security hole
The recently discontinued Wyze Cam v1 has a bug that lets hackers access the camera’s SD card, researchers warn.
News
Samsung’s quantum-dot OLED TVs to arrive in April
Most of Samsung’s 2022 TVs and soundbars will be arriving in the coming weeks, including the manufacturer’s hotly anticipated quantum-dot RGB OLED TV.
News
Roku OS 11 will let you turn your photos into TV screensavers
Among the improvements in Roku OS 11 is the ability to upload snapshots, which you can share or use to create personalized screensavers.
News
Is Sonos looking to jump into the streaming video market?
A series of Sonos job postings refer to a “Next Generation Home Theater OS,” stoking rumors that the company might be mulling a streaming video device.
Updated
Apple TV app for Android TV and Google TV won’t let you buy or rent iTunes movies
Users of Google-powered streaming devices can still watch previously purchased iTunes movies via the Apple TV app, but they can no longer buy or rent them.
News