Dan Wroclawski
@smarthomeguy.bsky.social
Gadget geek covering smart home and more for
Consumer Reports. All views mine. DM for Signal/email.
Consumer Reports. All views mine. DM for Signal/email.
Amazon quietly released its first Matter smart plug! It’s cheap but only uses 2.4GHz WiFi…
www.amazon.com/Amazon-Basic...
#smarthome
www.amazon.com/Amazon-Basic...
#smarthome
November 12, 2025 at 3:29 AM
Amazon quietly released its first Matter smart plug! It’s cheap but only uses 2.4GHz WiFi…
www.amazon.com/Amazon-Basic...
#smarthome
www.amazon.com/Amazon-Basic...
#smarthome
If you're looking for deals on smart home gear during Prime Big Deal Days, I've got you covered! www.consumerreports.org/money/sales-...
#smarthome
#smarthome
Best Prime Big Deal Days Sales on Smart Home Products - Consumer Reports
With Amazon's Prime Big Deal Days on Oct. 7 and 8, it's a great chance to take advantage of deals on popular smart home devices.
www.consumerreports.org
October 7, 2025 at 6:24 PM
If you're looking for deals on smart home gear during Prime Big Deal Days, I've got you covered! www.consumerreports.org/money/sales-...
#smarthome
#smarthome
Google wants every security camera maker to build Gemini AI-powered cameras developers.googleblog.com/en/gemini-fo...
#smarthome #Gemini #GoogleHome
#smarthome #Gemini #GoogleHome
Gemini for Home: Expanding the Platform for a New Era of Smart Home AI- Google Developers Blog
Google Home is enabling new Gemini-powered features for our partners’ devices and launching a new program to help them build the next generation of AI cameras.
developers.googleblog.com
October 1, 2025 at 2:05 PM
Google wants every security camera maker to build Gemini AI-powered cameras developers.googleblog.com/en/gemini-fo...
#smarthome #Gemini #GoogleHome
#smarthome #Gemini #GoogleHome
Why yes, I’d love some ads on my $5,000 smart fridge 🙄
www.theverge.com/news/780757/... #smarthome #Samsung
www.theverge.com/news/780757/... #smarthome #Samsung
Samsung brings ads to US fridges
Samsung’s ‘screens everywhere’ initiative is morphing into ads everywhere.
www.theverge.com
September 18, 2025 at 2:42 PM
Why yes, I’d love some ads on my $5,000 smart fridge 🙄
www.theverge.com/news/780757/... #smarthome #Samsung
www.theverge.com/news/780757/... #smarthome #Samsung
Reposted by Dan Wroclawski
Apple's new N1 networking chip is a smart home powerhouse, supporting Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 6, and Thread. It will ship in the iPhone 17, iPhone 17 Pro and Pro Max, and iPhone Air: www.theverge.com/news/774941/...
#smarthome
#smarthome
The iPhone 17 comes with Apple’s new in-house networking chip
Apple’s lineup of custom silicon continues to grow.
www.theverge.com
September 9, 2025 at 7:26 PM
Apple's new N1 networking chip is a smart home powerhouse, supporting Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 6, and Thread. It will ship in the iPhone 17, iPhone 17 Pro and Pro Max, and iPhone Air: www.theverge.com/news/774941/...
#smarthome
#smarthome
Last week, Ring quietly rolled out a new take on its video request tool for law enforcement that was shuttered over a year ago. This new version is called Community Requests.
www.consumerreports.org/electronics/... #Ring #Amazon #smarthome
www.consumerreports.org/electronics/... #Ring #Amazon #smarthome
Ring Is Again Letting Police Request User Videos Through Its Neighbors App - Consumer Reports
Ring has resumed letting police request security camera footage through the Neighbors App. Here's how to participate in Community Requests works or opt out.
www.consumerreports.org
September 8, 2025 at 9:37 PM
Last week, Ring quietly rolled out a new take on its video request tool for law enforcement that was shuttered over a year ago. This new version is called Community Requests.
www.consumerreports.org/electronics/... #Ring #Amazon #smarthome
www.consumerreports.org/electronics/... #Ring #Amazon #smarthome
Philips Hue just overhauled its entire product line and its smart bulbs now support Matter over Thread! That’s quite the endorsement for the nascent wireless protocol. www.theverge.com/ifa-berlin/7... #smarthome #ifa2025
Philips Hue lights get bigger, brighter, and cheaper with a major product refresh
It’s a HUE-ge launch
www.theverge.com
September 4, 2025 at 2:26 PM
Philips Hue just overhauled its entire product line and its smart bulbs now support Matter over Thread! That’s quite the endorsement for the nascent wireless protocol. www.theverge.com/ifa-berlin/7... #smarthome #ifa2025
Belkin is ending support for nearly all its Wemo smart home devices
No mo’ Wemo
www.theverge.com
July 11, 2025 at 12:50 PM
I'm tracking the best Amazon Prime Day (more like Week) smart home deals every day over the 4-day sale. Keep checking my deal roundup for the latest finds: www.consumerreports.org/money/sales-... #smarthome
Best Amazon Prime Day Smart Home Deals on Smart Thermostats, Security Cameras, and More - Consumer Reports
These are the best Prime Day deals on smart thermostats, smart locks, and more that have all performed exceptionally in Consumer Reports' tests.
www.consumerreports.org
July 8, 2025 at 3:20 PM
I'm tracking the best Amazon Prime Day (more like Week) smart home deals every day over the 4-day sale. Keep checking my deal roundup for the latest finds: www.consumerreports.org/money/sales-... #smarthome
Products built for Google Home now have their own dedicated “Preferred Product” badge #smarthome #googlehome
July 2, 2025 at 3:34 PM
Products built for Google Home now have their own dedicated “Preferred Product” badge #smarthome #googlehome
CR is collecting consumer stories on installing solar panels. If you’ve bought solar panels for your home and want to share you story, you can do so here: www.consumerreports.org/stories?ques...
Stories - Consumer Reports
www.consumerreports.org
May 23, 2025 at 2:55 PM
CR is collecting consumer stories on installing solar panels. If you’ve bought solar panels for your home and want to share you story, you can do so here: www.consumerreports.org/stories?ques...
Belkin sold Phyn to an investor group led by the Property Brothers’ Jonathan Scott for $24.9 million
May 23, 2025 at 1:08 PM
Belkin sold Phyn to an investor group led by the Property Brothers’ Jonathan Scott for $24.9 million
This is a real bummer. The Symfonisk line was a great way to try out Sonos without spending Sonos levels of money. Maybe that’s why the partnership is ending… www.theverge.com/news/661491/...
Sonos and Ikea are ending their partnership | The Verge
Get those Symfonisk speakers before they’re gone.
www.theverge.com
May 6, 2025 at 5:33 PM
This is a real bummer. The Symfonisk line was a great way to try out Sonos without spending Sonos levels of money. Maybe that’s why the partnership is ending… www.theverge.com/news/661491/...
I had the pleasure of going on the HomeKit Insider podcast to chat about the latest #smarthome news and all the cool smart home work CR does. You can listen to the episode here: podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/e...
Eufy Omni E28, ESR Find My Wal… - HomeKit Insider - Apple Podcasts
Podcast Episode · HomeKit Insider · 05/05/2025 · 59m
podcasts.apple.com
May 6, 2025 at 2:28 PM
I had the pleasure of going on the HomeKit Insider podcast to chat about the latest #smarthome news and all the cool smart home work CR does. You can listen to the episode here: podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/e...
The spiritual successor to Nest Secure, ADT Plus, now has its own Yale smart lock that can disarm the system with just your fingerprint
www.theverge.com/news/658636/...
www.theverge.com/news/658636/...
Yale’s latest smart lock can disarm your ADT security system with your fingerprint | The Verge
Touch to disarm
www.theverge.com
April 30, 2025 at 5:12 PM
The spiritual successor to Nest Secure, ADT Plus, now has its own Yale smart lock that can disarm the system with just your fingerprint
www.theverge.com/news/658636/...
www.theverge.com/news/658636/...
Later this year, Google will end support for its oldest Nest thermostats. You can still use them as a thermostat, but they won't connect to the Nest app, Google Home app, or Google Assistant, and features that require connectivity like Home/Away Assist won't work. More here: tinyurl.com/58wcym7v
April 25, 2025 at 5:43 PM
Later this year, Google will end support for its oldest Nest thermostats. You can still use them as a thermostat, but they won't connect to the Nest app, Google Home app, or Google Assistant, and features that require connectivity like Home/Away Assist won't work. More here: tinyurl.com/58wcym7v
Aqara also announced a custom feature called Advanced Matter Bridging that will add Aqara triggers and scenes as virtual occupancy sensors and plugs (respectively) to third-party Matter platforms. This allows you to use them in automations on those platforms.
April 9, 2025 at 3:18 PM
Aqara also announced a custom feature called Advanced Matter Bridging that will add Aqara triggers and scenes as virtual occupancy sensors and plugs (respectively) to third-party Matter platforms. This allows you to use them in automations on those platforms.
Aqara is becoming a full fledged Matter platform with support through version 1.4 coming this month. That means it’s further along than Apple, Amazon, and Google.
April 9, 2025 at 3:04 PM
Aqara is becoming a full fledged Matter platform with support through version 1.4 coming this month. That means it’s further along than Apple, Amazon, and Google.
I’m surprised Samsung is claiming Ballie will ship this summer despite all the tariff chaos. And it will now have Google’s Gemini built-in. www.techradar.com/home/smart-h...
Samsung's Ballie AI robot companion will have Gemini onboard when it launches this summer in the US and Korea | TechRadar
A recommitment to a 2025 launch and a partnership with Google Cloud
www.techradar.com
April 9, 2025 at 12:59 PM
I’m surprised Samsung is claiming Ballie will ship this summer despite all the tariff chaos. And it will now have Google’s Gemini built-in. www.techradar.com/home/smart-h...
Interesting move. I would argue Ring has floundered a bit since Jamie’s departure. Maybe he can make it innovative again? www.theverge.com/news/644013/...
Ring founder Jamie Siminoff is back at Amazon | The Verge
Jamie Siminoff returns.
www.theverge.com
April 5, 2025 at 4:57 PM
Interesting move. I would argue Ring has floundered a bit since Jamie’s departure. Maybe he can make it innovative again? www.theverge.com/news/644013/...
Looks like the tariffs might derail Nintendo’s launch plans for Switch 2…
www.theverge.com/news/643483/...
www.theverge.com/news/643483/...
Nintendo delays Switch 2 preorders over tariff concerns | The Verge
Preorders won’t start April 9th as originally announced.
www.theverge.com
April 4, 2025 at 2:55 PM
Looks like the tariffs might derail Nintendo’s launch plans for Switch 2…
www.theverge.com/news/643483/...
www.theverge.com/news/643483/...
Switchbot just announced official integrations with Home Assistant! There are three to choose from: Bluetooth, Matter, and the cloud. More details on supported devices here:
https://us.switch-bot.com/pages/home-assistant
https://us.switch-bot.com/pages/home-assistant
March 21, 2025 at 1:23 PM
Switchbot just announced official integrations with Home Assistant! There are three to choose from: Bluetooth, Matter, and the cloud. More details on supported devices here:
https://us.switch-bot.com/pages/home-assistant
https://us.switch-bot.com/pages/home-assistant
Does anyone know of a no-neutral smart switch or dimmer that is compact enough to fit inside old, no-longer-to-code metal switch boxes? I’ve tried Leviton and Lutron but both are too big for the box 😤
March 16, 2025 at 8:35 PM
Does anyone know of a no-neutral smart switch or dimmer that is compact enough to fit inside old, no-longer-to-code metal switch boxes? I’ve tried Leviton and Lutron but both are too big for the box 😤
Long live Amiibo!
According to new FCC filings, Switch 2 will have:
- NFC
- Wi-Fi 6
- Ability to charge Switch either via its bottom USB-C port or its new top USB-C port
www.theverge.com/news/625931/...
- NFC
- Wi-Fi 6
- Ability to charge Switch either via its bottom USB-C port or its new top USB-C port
www.theverge.com/news/625931/...
March 7, 2025 at 6:42 PM
Long live Amiibo!
We recently completed our first-ever tests of smart thermostats for mini splits, window ACs, and heat pumps! You can see our top picks here: https://www.consumerreports.org/appliances/thermostats/best-smart-thermostats-of-the-year-a4768074255/
Best Smart Thermostats of 2025 - Consumer Reports
Consumer Reports' exhaustive tests reveal the best smart thermostats, including models from Ecobee, Google Nest, Honeywell Home, Mysa, and Sensibo.
www.consumerreports.org
March 7, 2025 at 5:39 PM
We recently completed our first-ever tests of smart thermostats for mini splits, window ACs, and heat pumps! You can see our top picks here: https://www.consumerreports.org/appliances/thermostats/best-smart-thermostats-of-the-year-a4768074255/