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Aqara’s new U400 smart lock is the first to use Apple’s UWB-based hands-free unlocking, and it works every time, even with full hands.
The DIY blinds cost a flat $429 for any size up to 48 inches wide and 80 inches tall and are available in white or walnut. They join the company’s lower-cost smart shades and feature Natural Light Optimization that automatically tilts blinds throughout the day based on the sun’s position.
Caséta blinds integrate with Apple Home, Alexa, Google Home, and other platforms and are available now on Caséta’s website.
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Gardyn Studio 2 makes indoor gardening a mostly hands-off experience, thanks to AI, hydroponics, and smart lighting
The Roomba maker is being sold to its Chinese contract manufacturer, a move CEO Gary Cohen says will keep the company alive and allow it to grow.
iRobot’s collapse marks the end of an era. Co-founder Colin Angle calls it a blow for robotics.
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Posha uses AI and a motorized arm to cook your dinner autonomously. It’s impressive but expensive, and raises all the usual concerns about connected kitchen appliances.
Doma Home debuts the first motorized door that works with Matter and uses mmWave and UWB tech to automatically open as you approach.
You’re in luck. I just published a big update to my robot vacuum buying guide following months of testing dozens of new bots. Plus, this week is the best time of year to buy a floor-cleaning machine, as they’re seeing major discounts ahead of Black Friday. (Well, all except my top pick!).
The best robot vacuums you can buy
From my colleague Jennifer Pattison Tuohy’s story about Matter 1.5:
The Matter 1.5 spec, announced today, adds support for all types of video cameras — from video doorbells, indoor and outdoor, wired and battery-powered cameras, to baby monitors and pet cams. And, perhaps most importantly, Matter support can be added to existing cameras with an OTA update. The new spec also adds garage door controllers, bi-directional charging for EVs, soil sensors, and more advanced integration with utilities for energy management.
Read her whole piece for more, including an interview with the Connectivity Standards Alliance.
The 1.5 spec fills a huge gap in the standards’ promise of universal smart home compatibility.
Hot on the heels of the launch of its big Z-Wave stick, Home Assistant is launching a slightly smaller stick to support Zigbee and Thread protocols.
The Home Assistant Connect ZBT-2 USB adaptor launches today for $49 (€45) and is a plug-and-play option for connecting Zigbee, Thread, or Matter devices directly to the Home Assistant platform.
According to the organization, it replaces the Connect ZBT-1 and is more powerful, with four times the speed, and features an ESP32-S3 chip that supports experimental firmware.
When I tested the Current Pizza Oven earlier this year, I loved its pizza-making skills, but wasn’t sold on its single-purpose design. Now, a free over-the-air update turns it into a more capable oven, adding a bake mode for things like muffins, bread, or roasting a chicken, a sear mode for cooking a steak, plus a Detroit-style pizza mode, for those who enjoy pizza pain.
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