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Smart Home Archive

Archives for June 2026

Andrew Liszewski
Andrew Liszewski
SwitchBot launches new budget-friendly Matter-compatible ceiling lights.

While existing Matter-friendly smart ceiling lights from Lifx and Aqara are $95 to $150, SwitchBot launched a 2,000-lumen 12-inch option for $49.99, and a slightly brighter and larger 3,200-lumen 15-inch model for $79.99. Both include full color plus warm or cool white lighting, dimming, 26 preset scenes, and eight lighting effects.

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1/2Image: SwitchBot
Andrew Liszewski
Andrew Liszewski
LG’s new robovac has a camouflaged dock that looks like an Ikea side table.

It may never come to the US, but LG announced its new HomeBot AI Objet Collection Roni robot vacuum in South Korea today. Its charging/cleaning dock can be hidden in kitchen cabinetry (requiring some reno) but there’s also a standalone dock that looks like a nondescript side table.

<em>The robovac’s standalone charging dock includes a door flap that closes once the robot is parked inside.</em>
<em>The dock doesn’t include any internal storage except for a water tank, but it can be decorated with items on top to help further disguise its true purpose.</em>
<em>If you want the robot’s dock to be completely out of sight an under-cabinet option is available that’s just 15cm tall and connects to your kitchen’s plumbing directly.</em>
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The robovac’s standalone charging dock includes a door flap that closes once the robot is parked inside.
Image: LG
Let him cook: How Weber Blackstone CEO Roger Dahle went from upstart to the biggest name in grilling
Play

After taking over Weber, Blackstone founder Roger Dahle’s new job is integrating his griddle empire with what used to be his biggest competitor.

Nilay Patel
Inside the room where the smart home industry is still betting on Matter

At the CSA’s inaugural Unify conference, the mood was optimistic but realistic. Matter hasn’t delivered on its promise — but I left convinced that it still can.

Jennifer Pattison Tuohy
David Pierce
David Pierce
Today’s Vergecast: Google’s new speaker and your smart home questions.

Google is shipping its first smart speaker in years, and we’re starting to test it. The Verge’s Jennifer Pattison Tuohy joins the show to explain why the Home Speaker matters, whether Google actually cares about the smart home, and more. Then, she helps answer a few questions from the Vergecast Hotline (call 866-VERGE11 or email vergecast@theverge.com!) about the power of Ikea and the future of your thermostat.