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As promised, the smart lock that doesn’t look like a smart lock now supports the new smart home standard, bringing better connectivity options without needing Level’s bridge.
The new Level Lock Plus (Matter) costs $329, and existing Level Plus owners can upgrade to Matter for free through January 14, 2025. But while they could support Thread, the Level Bolt, Lock, and Lock Touch aren’t eligible for this upgrade.
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The Google Home extension for Gemini is now available on Android, and the AI-powered features for Google Nest cameras are rolling out to select Nest Aware Plus users in Public Preview today and will come to more users in the next few weeks.
Google also announced a new customizable Member access feature for sharing select devices with friends and family.
Gemini intelligence is coming to Google Home
At its developer conference today, the company announced support for the latest version of the Matter spec, which includes EV chargers, ovens, cooktops, microwaves, tumble dryers, extractor hoods, water sensors, and water valves — along with energy reporting.
There aren’t Matter devices available in these categories yet, but this news might mean we’ll see some soon. Though not Samsung appliances, which don’t support Matter yet.
The open-source smart home platform has joined the Z-Wave Alliance board to help shape the direction of the protocol alongside companies like Ring, ADT, and Assa Abloy.
Founder Paulus Schoutsen said that around one-tenth of Home Assistant households use Z-Wave, “accounting for an estimated 1.7 million Z-Wave devices.” They’re also seeing increased interest in the protocol, which has faced questions about its future since the arrival of Matter.
In another WSJ report about Amazon’s struggles to reinvent Alexa with AI, the newspaper says it’s now going backward:
In some tests, for example, it lost the ability to turn on the lights with 90%-plus reliability.
Merging the new with the old was always going to be a challenge. Amazon has now charged one of Alexa’s creators, Rohit Prasad, with solving this mess.
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Verge Score
With more storage, a (slightly) faster processor, and some proper smart home chops, Google’s new take on the Chromecast is its best attempt at a streaming device yet.