Nest Secure is gaining Google Assistant support, turning the Nest Guard base station for the home security system into Google Home-style AI interface. The update to the keypad-topped Nest Guard will see the security tech expand its Assistant integration, which until now has been used primarily to arm the system.
Lowe's Iris smart home platform is shutting down at the end of March, another example of an Internet of Things system failing to gain traction - and leaving owners frustrated in the process. The home improvement company quietly confirmed that Iris was on the chopping block back in November 2018, after a mediocre Q3 which prompted a rethink of the IoT platform.
Even before smart homes were a thing, iRobot has been making autonomously moving cylinders and boxes that leave families fewer reasons to argue over chores. Over the years, the Roomba has become a household name, literally and figuratively, for such robots. Now iRobot is taking the technology and lessons it learned from inside homes to the outdoors. With the iRobot Terra robot lawn mower, not only will you be able to escape the hassles of mowing, you will also escape the tangles of boundary wires.
TVs are no longer just the entertainment hubs of the home, some have even become smart home hubs. But while smart TVs have all sort of Internet-connected features, not all of them are able to support all the streaming services and sources one might like. The next best thing is to stream videos and audio from your phone to the TV and as of SmartCast version 3.0, VIZIO’s smart TVs will be equipped to handle almost all content sources, including iPhones, iPads, and Macs.
There might be an overabundance of connected appliances these days but not all of them speak the same language. For that, you would need a gateway that would act as a hub and translator for the myriad connected products you may have at home. Although its name doesn’t always come up in IoT news, abode’s gateway is one of those that can speak multiple languages and integrate with multiple AI assistants. And with the abode Gen 2 gateway, it is getting more capable with the promise of one important integration coming soon.
Smart speakers have gone beyond simply being speakers. It was really only a matter of time before many realized they actually also wanted to see what’s going on rather than just hear about it. But not everyone may want a large display that may or may not be watching them all the time. That’s where a new class of “smart clocks” come in. Like the new Lenovo Smart Clock with Google Assistant, a smart touch screen device you keep by your bed to somewhat ironically help you get better sleep.
Amazon’s Alexa assistant is great and all but most of her incarnations come in a faceless speaker that stays either rooted on the spot on in your home. Those are great for use at home and nothing more. What if you wanted something that can be used anywhere on the go? Either you hope to get your hands on an Android phone with Alexa built-in or get your hands on Lenovo’s new Smart Tabs. Part Android tablet and part Amazon Echo Show, the Lenovo Smart Tab P10 and Smart Tab M10 lets you enjoy the best of both worlds, whether you’re at home or on the road.
The Internet of Things, voice control, and having everything in an app is all well and good, but sometimes you just want a good old-fashioned switch to control your fans and lights. Lutron's new Caséta Fan Speed Control isn't quite an old-school wall switch as you'd know it - they don't tend to have wireless connectivity, for instance - but it should be straightforward all the same.
Appliances, even some that may not make sense, these days are getting smarter just by connecting to the Internet. That, however, is almost moot if you can’t control them at your convenience. Sure, you can probably ask your smart speaker, but what if you don’t have one. Sure, you can use your smartphone, but what if you left it in the other room? Fortunately, there are such things as smartwatches that may always be on your wrist all the time. And if you have a Wear OS smartwatch and a Whirlpool connected appliance, those two will soon be able to talk to one another as well.
Doorbells are no longer sufficient these days. While they served their simple function of calling attention to those inside the home, they no longer offer enough security and peace of mind in this modern age. That’s where smart doorbells and doorbell cameras come in. The niche market is slowly growing, along with the larger smart home market, around a few key players. Not to be left behind, August, makers of one of the earliest smart locks, is jumping into the fray again. And this time, it might have a video doorbell you won’t be ashamed for anyone and everyone to see.
A new update for Philips Hue smart bulbs has improved how the lights recover after losing power, with the option to have them resume their last state. The connected bulbs can be controlled from a smartphone or a voice-controlled smart speaker, but they've always had one semi-frustrating limitation.
Facebook's Portal video chat smart display is getting a big software update, adding a web browser, new games, and extra content. The pair of touchscreen-fronted video calling hubs launched earlier this year to mixed reviews, with concerns about functionality combined with lingering suspicion about Facebook's privacy credentials.