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Smart Home Archive

Archives for May 2026

Jess Weatherbed
Jess Weatherbed
Aqara’s new smart locks work with almost any door.

The Aqara U500 lineup includes three separate models. There’s a “Rim Lock” for standard entrance and interior doors that doesn’t require a mortise, a “Gate Lock” for metal grille-style doors, and even a lock that’s designed for glass doors. They’re only available in Europe for now though.

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Aqara Smart Glass Door Lock U500
The Aqara Smart Glass Door Lock U500 doesn’t require any drilling.
Image: Aqara
Stevie Bonifield
Stevie Bonifield
Google says it hasn’t cut off updates for most old Chromecasts.

9to5Google reported Friday morning that a Nest support page had been updated to say that nearly all Chromecast devices except for the most recent one that was released in 2022 were no longer receiving critical security updates. Later, the page changed back and once again shows all Chromecasts except the 1st gen version are still getting critical updates.

Now, Google Home senior product manager Sahana Mysore tells The Verge that “A support article update incorrectly indicated deprecation of software support for legacy Chromecast devices,” and the current version is accurate.

Update: Added response from Google.

A screenshot of a Google Nest support page
A screenshot of a Google Nest support page
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The support page, before the update (with our highlights added)…
Screenshot: Google
Jennifer Pattison Tuohy
Jennifer Pattison Tuohy
Google is turning Google Home into a “full-stack AI offering.”

It’s combining Google Home APIs with Gemini smart home features, so ISPs, security companies, and carriers can “build monetizable, proactive services” for your homes. In other words, Google wants other companies to put Google Home’s AI in their products — and charge you a Google Home Premium subscription. With manufacturers now able to build Gemini-powered speakers and cameras, it seems entirely possible that Google may never make another Nest device again.

The cost of the smart home is going upThe cost of the smart home is going up
Jennifer Pattison Tuohy
Jennifer Pattison Tuohy
Jennifer Pattison Tuohy
More Google Home speakers could be on the way.

While the Google Home Speaker was nowhere to be seen at I/O, the company did announce it’s getting back into the third-party smart speaker game. A new Speaker Reference Design will let manufacturers build Gemini-powered smart speakers, and rumors point to a Walmart Onn speaker being the first.

Google also announced it’s letting companies bundle Google Home Premium subscriptions and integrate more Gemini for Home features into their apps.

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The as-yet-unreleased Google Home Speaker could be getting some friends.
The as-yet-unreleased Google Home Speaker could be getting some friends.
Photo by Jennifer Pattison Tuohy / The Verge
Jennifer Pattison Tuohy
Jennifer Pattison Tuohy
I’m tackling all your robovac questions.

Come join me for a robot vacuum-themed subscriber AMA. Drop your questions in the post linked below, and I’ll be answering them starting at 10 AM PT / 1 PM ET.

Jennifer Pattison Tuohy
Jennifer Pattison Tuohy
ADT is back in Blu.

Its new DIY security system, ADT Blu, revives the Blue by ADT name (the company’s last attempt at an off-the-shelf system) and uses the same hardware as ADT Plus (its self- or pro-installed system). But it’s DIY-only and can be bought on Amazon. The other difference? No Google Nest cameras. The system comes with new ADT cameras. Pricing for ADT Blue starts at $249.

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<em>ADT Blu kits range from $249 to $389 and require a monitoring plan. These include a standalone camera subscription at $9.99 per month, paid self-monitoring at $14.99, and professional monitoring at $24.99 to $34.99.</em>
<em>The base station is the same as in the ADT Plus system and features Thread and Z-Wave radios along with Wi-Fi, cellular, Bluetooth, and DECT UL.</em>
<em>The new cameras feature an indoor and outdoor model and range from $69-$109.</em>
<em>The cameras offer AI video features to deliver smart alerts.</em>
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ADT Blu kits range from $249 to $389 and require a monitoring plan. These include a standalone camera subscription at $9.99 per month, paid self-monitoring at $14.99, and professional monitoring at $24.99 to $34.99.
Image: ADT
Jennifer Pattison Tuohy
Jennifer Pattison Tuohy
Dreame’s stair climbing robovac is coming soon, and there’s a bionic arm, too.

Today, the company announced that on May 27th, it will reveal when its Cyber X bionic quad-track stair-climbing system will launch and, presumably, how much it will cost. The robot that can transport a robot vacuum up a flight of stairs will arrive alongside three new X60 Pro series robots, the most intriguing of which features Dreame’s first dual-joint bionic robotic arm that can extend a mop pad into tight corners and under furniture.

<em>The X60 Pro will work with the Cyber X and features a mopping pad that extends 7 inches from the robot.</em>
<em>There’s also a baseboard brush.</em>
<em>The X60 Pro can climb double-layer thresholds up to about 4 inches.</em>
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The X60 Pro will work with the Cyber X and features a mopping pad that extends 7 inches from the robot.
Image: Dreame
These are the robot vacuum-mops I recommend for every type of home

The right robot for your home has less to do with specs and everything to do with your floors, rugs, clutter, and general tolerance for robot nonsense.

Jennifer Pattison Tuohy