Google’s new $99 Home Speaker offers 360-degree audio and next-gen Gemini perks

Gemini replaces Google Assistant; you get 360-degree audio and four color options, and the Nest Audio is officially discontinued.

Google’s first smart speaker in six years arrives next week
Google’s first smart speaker in six years arrives next week

Google’s first new smart speaker in six years starts shipping on June 29th, narrowly missing its promised spring launch window. Preorders for the Google Home Speaker open today, June 17th. Nothing has changed hardware-wise in the nine months since the $99 speaker was announced. It has the same slightly squished round design, with touch-capacitive buttons […]

Thread Direct looks to solve Matter’s biggest setup headache
Thread Direct looks to solve Matter’s biggest setup headache

The smart home networking protocol Thread is adding a new way to onboard devices without a Thread border router. The feature, called Thread Direct, is designed to let users set up Thread-powered devices – such as smart plugs and smart locks – using only a phone or mobile device equipped with a Thread radio. Current […]

Jackery announces ‘world’s slimmest’ fridge battery
Jackery announces ‘world’s slimmest’ fridge battery

Jackery is jumping on the fridge-battery trend with what it says is the “world’s slimmest.” FridgeGuard also looks nice; a break from power stations that tend to look more at home at a job site than the kitchen or living room. Measuring just 2.63 inches (67mm) thick, the Jackery FridgeGuard power station is meant to […]

Got Thread problems? There’s an app for that
Got Thread problems? There’s an app for that

The new Thread Networks Diagnostics Tools app from Thread Group, the standards body behind the wireless IoT protocol, officially launches in beta today. The app, which arrives in beta today on iOS and Android, is the first dedicated tool to provide visibility into your Thread-based smart home network. I’ve been testing the alpha version of […]

Will Matter finally be able to do what it should have always done?
Will Matter finally be able to do what it should have always done?

Matter, the smart home interoperability standard, might finally get a feature that should have been there from day one: a single shared Matter network managed by multiple ecosystems. With this feature, called Joint Fabric, smart devices added to the network will be controllable by any authorized platform – Apple Home, Google Home, Amazon Alexa, and […]

My backyard made me a color-changing smart lighting convert
My backyard made me a color-changing smart lighting convert

I’ll admit it. I was wrong. Wildly colorful lighting is delightful for your smart home – well, outdoors, at least. Smart lighting is one of my favorite features of the smart home – it combines convenience with ambiance, letting you change the entire look of your room with just a press of a button. But, […]

Which Ring doorbell should I buy? A simple guide to the different options

Not sure whether to go hardwired or battery? Or what difference between Pro and Plus models? Here’s what you need to know before buying a Ring video doorbell.

Your smart home devices could be part of a cybercrime network without you knowing

Some internet-connected gadgets may contain hidden software backdoors that allow cybercriminals to route traffic through home networks, carry out fraud, and launch cyberattacks without the owner’s knowledge.