The smart home was once a far-flung pipe dream, but it is now a reality. Wherever you live, your home is ground zero for some of the most interesting tech available right now, and tech that’s yet to come. Best of all, it doesn’t have to cost a fortune to get your home up and running with smart hardware and services. Home security and monitoring solutions can alert you to a burglary, smoke, fire, or just simple motion activity. There are plenty of options with a range of capabilities, from smart doorbells and smart locks to indoor and outdoor cameras that can see in the dark. Smart speakers, like the Google Home, Amazon Echo, and Apple HomePod each play a big role in helping you out, too. In the kitchen, they can read out recipes, or if you’re cleaning, you can call out to them to change the song on the fly. If you buy smart light bulbs, for instance, you can turn them on and off by using your voice.
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Dyson, which employs around 15,000 people worldwide, told workers about the cuts on Tuesday, according to a report from the Financial Times.
“We have grown quickly and, like all companies, we review our global structures from time to time to ensure we are prepared for the future,” Dyson CEO Hanno Kirner said in a statement obtained by FT.
[Financial Times]
The Aqara U200 replaces your existing lock and comes with a wireless keypad, which you can tap with an iPhone or Apple Watch for easy unlocking.
It’s now available to buy on Amazon and works with European and UK locks, as well as US deadbolts. It uses Thread, is Matter-compatible, and has fingerprint and PIN code access.
I’ll have a review soon.
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The new Echo Spot looks like an intriguing option for a bedside smart display, thanks to Amazon’s decision to ditch the camera with this iteration.
The $80 smart speaker competes against the Google Nest Hub and the Echo Show 5. but the Nest takes up a lot of real estate, and the Show has a camera. Will the Spot be just right? I’ll have a review soon.
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The best robot vacuums
Floor-sweeping robots are only getting better, with new mopping skills, better navigation chops, and more automation, meaning less work for you. We picked the best bots you can buy right now.
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Moving from one home to another can be extraordinarily nerve-racking. We offer some tips to help keep your stress levels down.
Apple’s smart home efforts could use both a smarter Siri and a smart display, and we may soon get both.
MacRumors has discovered code that indicates Apple is working on a new HomeAccessory 17,1 that could be powerful enough to run Apple Intelligence.
Existing HomePods seem unlikely to be able to support the AI, so new smart home hardware seems inevitable.
Every smart home device that works with Matter
All the Matter-compatible devices you can buy, plus the latest on the Apple, Amazon, Google, and Samsung-backed smart home standard.
It might be because the heat index is 110 degrees, but the new GE Profile Opal 2.0 Ultra has been a huge hit in my house.
I’ve been testing the smart nugget ice maker for a week, and its ability to make a full batch of ice in 10 minutes is impressive. But for $630, you have to really love chewable ice. I’ll have a review soon.
Now that both Samsung and Apple have promised support for robot vacuums through Matter (Samsung SmartThings will support them this summer and Apple Home later this year), I’ve rounded up a list of robo vacs with Matter support, along with info on how they’ll work in your platform of choice.
Get all the details in the FAQ section of my robot vacuum buying guide.
SwitchBot claims its new Water Leak Detector can not only alert you to leaks and drips but also monitor water levels, thanks to an optional immersion cable.
This sounds handy for warning you if your fish tank is draining, your bathtub is too full, or your sump pump levels are rising. It doesn't need a hub, works over Wi-Fi, and costs $17.99 ($19.99 with the cable).
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You’ll need a new smart lock if you want Apple Home to ‘magically’ unlock your door
Apple is finally putting its U1 ultra wideband chip to use in the smart home with a new hands-free unlocking feature. But it’s not compatible with any existing smart locks.
Leaked images indicate a new smart lamp is on its way, with its lampshade fixed at an interesting angle.
However, according to HueBlog.com, the lamp uses Hue’s “multi-source light” technology, which uniquely allows you to control the direction of the light in the app.
There’s no pricing yet, but it appears the wired lamp comes in black or white with a cork base.
I’ve been trying out the new widget, now available in Public Preview, which lets you put shortcuts to Google Home devices directly on your Home screen, and it’s very useful.
It can be resized to one tile, three tiles, six tiles, or a total of 9, and can control devices like lights directly, but cameras and thermostats launch the Home app.
Correction: The widget is still only available in Public Preview, not for everyone, and it has up to 9 tiles.
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