Smart Home
The latest smart home news and reviews.
Latest
Mui's whimsical wooden smart home controller hits Kickstarter tomorrow as CES 2024 kicks off
Mui's second-generation wooden smart home controller will be up on Kickstarter on January 8.
Nathan Ingraham01.08.2024
Samsung is teaming up with Tesla and Hyundai to offer deeper smart home and EV controls
Samsung is partnering with Tesla and Hyundai to expand SmartThings into the areas of home energy and vehicle/home automation.
Steve Dent01.05.2024
IKEA's new smart home sensors focus on safety and avoiding water damage
They're compatible with IKEA's Dirigera Hub.
Sarah Fielding11.28.2023
iRobot's Roomba Combo j7+ is $305 off for Black Friday
The deal is an Engadget exclusive.
Sarah Fielding11.25.2023
Amazon is laying off several hundred employees working on Alexa
The company has so far laid off more than 27,000 employees since last year.
Pranav Dixit11.18.2023
Amazon's Echo Show smart displays fall back to all-time lows
Both devices are over 50 percent off.
Sarah Fielding10.30.2023
Google Nest cameras are up to 33 percent off in early October Prime Day sale
Just ahead of Google's October "Bid Deal Days" Prime Day sale, multiple Nest products are on sale, some back to all-time low prices.
Steve Dent10.09.2023
Amazon will start charging for formerly free Alexa Guard smoke and security alerts
Amazon will soon start charging extra for some Alexa Guard home security features. You'll need an Alexa Emergency Assist plan if you want your Echo speakers to listen out for intruders and home alarms.
Kris Holt09.26.2023
Everything Amazon announced at its 2023 Devices and Services event
Amazon’s annual fall product launch was full of new devices — and a fresh take on Alexa using generative AI for more natural conversations.
Will Shanklin09.21.2023
Amazon Echo Frames (3rd-gen) hands-on: Refined look, better sound, faster Alexa
We wore the new Echo Frames to try the updated audio and faster Alexa responses.
Billy Steele09.21.2023
Amazon Echo Show 8 (3rd-gen) hands-on: The screen that adjusts as you move around the house
Our first look at the all-new Echo Show 8.
Billy Steele09.21.2023
Amazon's $180 Echo Hub is a smart home control panel for your wall
Wednesday, during a press event at its HQ2 in Arlington, VA, Amazon announced a new way to control smart home devices using the upcoming Echo Hub.
Sam Rutherford09.21.2023
Amazon's Map View puts your smart home devices on a digital floor plan
Amazon has revealed a Map View for controlling your smart home devices. Via a digital floor plan, you can (for instance) tap on lights to switch them on or off or an Echo speaker to change the volume.
Kris Holt09.21.2023
Kids will soon be able to have natural conversations with Alexa
Amazon just announced Explore with Alexa, a kid-friendly conversational chatbot. The company also unveiled new Fire tablets and a child-friendly Echo Pop.
Lawrence Bonk09.21.2023
Alexa Emergency Assist can call first responders from your Echo speaker
Alexa Emergency Assist is an upcoming paid feature that lets people in need call first responders by saying, "Alexa, call for help."
Will Shanklin09.20.2023
Amazon debuts Eye Gaze accessibility features on the Fire Max 11 tablet
Amazon just unveiled new accessibility features, including an Eye Gaze for Alexa tool for the Fire Max 11 tablet.
Cherlynn Low09.20.2023
Amazon Alexa is evolving into a chatbot for your home
Great news everyone! Amazon's Alexa is getting a slew of new AI-enhanced abilities!
Andrew Tarantola09.20.2023
Panos Panay is reportedly heading to Amazon after leaving Microsoft
It didn’t take long to learn Panos Panay’s new home. The industry veteran, instrumental in developing Windows 11 and the Microsoft Surface line of 2-in-1s and laptops, will land at Amazon.
Will Shanklin09.19.2023
iRobot’s new flagship Roombas ship with an updated OS to make cleaning simpler
iRobot just announced presales for the forthcoming J9+ line of vacuums, a refresh of the flagship J7+ line. These vacuums boast more suction power than ever before and a whole suite of new features, thanks to an updated operating system that prioritizes automation and efficiency.
Lawrence Bonk09.11.2023
iRobot’s latest Roombas can vacuum and mop for cheaper
iRobot announced two new combo vacuum / mop combo robots today. The Roomba Combo j5+ and Combo i5+ provide some of the dual-mode features of the $1,1099 Roomba j7+ but for more affordable prices. However, there are some tradeoffs in selling these models for $799 (j5+) and $549 (i5+), including having to swap out their bins when it’s time to switch between vacuuming and mopping.
Will Shanklin08.29.2023