Consumer Tech
Home robots, connected devices, automotive autonomy, and the AI products people actually use.
Latest Consumer Tech
The Cheapest Smart Home Upgrade That Delivers
That tiny smart button costs less than a smart bulb, and it runs my entire smart home. The switch isn't flashy, but it has become the backbone of a leaner, more intentional smart setup. A single press can wake the living room lights, cue a “movie night” scene, or start a preheated oven when I’m rush
Vacation mode turns Home Assistant into a remote caretaker
Vacation mode makes your house pretend you’re home while you’re away. How-To Geek’s vacation mode guide shows you can configure Home Assistant to intelligently simulate occupancy, keep tabs on things while you’re gone, and even arm a security setup when travel stretches long. In practice, the featur
Four Smart Home DIY Fails You Should Avoid
Four smart home fixes should never be DIY, experts warn. A MakeUseOf roundup makes the safety and privacy case plainly: certain projects look tempting in a subreddit feed or a quick tutorial, but the risk is real enough to justify hiring a pro. The piece frames these as cautionary tasks that cross f
Lymow One Plus Excels, But Riding Mower Remains
The Lymow One Plus mows like a champ, but it will not replace a riding mower. In a hands-on assessment, the Lymow One Plus proves its mettle on a lawn that is not perfectly flat. The reviewer lauded its high performance mowing, noting that it could navigate uneven terrain with confidence and mulch l
One automation quieted my doorbell's constant pinging
One automation finally silenced my doorbell's relentless alerts. It started as a simple annoyance: a smart video doorbell that should make life easier instead pinged my phone for every flutter of a shadow, every car passing by, every rustle of a shrub. The flood of notifications turned the device fr
Vacation mode for Home Assistant simulates occupancy while away
Your smart home can pretend you’re there while you’re on vacation. A How-To Geek guide walks you through setting up a dedicated “vacation mode” in Home Assistant, a feature designed to make an empty home look lived in. By weaving together automations, you can simulate occupancy with lights, blinds,
Dolphin Pool Robot Keeps Pools Pristine for Years
Two years, zero issues, and a pool that sparkles without drama. A Dolphin robot cleaner has earned praise from a real-world user who says the unit has kept their pool spotless for two full seasons with no hiccups. The reviewer highlights the model’s strong suction and a design that avoids tangles, d
Google Home expands Gemini for Home with camera triggered automations
Your cameras are now in charge of your smart home routines. Google is expanding Gemini for Home with a visual brain that can trigger automations based on what your security cameras see. The feature acts as a new starter that lets you design automations from visual insights, so lights, thermostats, o
Sensereo joins Home Assistant to boost smart alarms
Sensereo has joined Home Assistant, bringing Matter based smoke and carbon monoxide alarms into an open, interoperable smart home chorus. Sensereo, known for environmental sensing technology, unveiled the MS-1 Smoke Alarm and MSC-1 Smoke and Carbon Monoxide Alarm built on the Matter standard. The mo
Apple iPad Air M4 hits new sale prices
The iPad Air M4 slashes its price, and it’s a steal. Apple’s midrange tablet just stepped into a stronger value tier as Amazon hosts notable discounts on the M4-powered iPad Air across both screen sizes. The 11-inch Air with 128GB of Wi-Fi is now $519.99, down from $599, while the 13-inch base model
Valve raises Steam Deck prices by more than $200
Valve just raised Steam Deck prices by more than $200. The 512GB Steam Deck OLED now costs $789, up from $549, while the 1TB model jumps to $949 from $649. The company notes the change is driven by rising memory and storage costs, and it emphasizes that the hardware itself remains the same. In pract
BEGA Joins Home Assistant and Nearly Doubles Certified Devices
BEGA just doubled the Works with Home Assistant lineup. The milestone comes as BEGA, the long-established German lighting designer, joins the Works with Home Assistant program. BEGA brings a depth of architectural lighting expertise built over more than 75 years, and with this integration, the progr
Home Assistant 2026.5.3 patches startup reliability and fixes
Small update, big relief: Home Assistant core 2026.5.3 patches startup hangs, tightens reliability, and tidies a slate of quiet gremlins across devices and integrations. Highlights
Home Assistant Core 2026.5.4 Update
Hundreds of smart-home fixes land in one update. Home Assistant’s latest patch, 2026.5.4, reads like a maintenance marathon. The core release pools a broad set of dependency bumps and targeted bug fixes across integrations that touch everything from vacuum robots to Renault cars and smart lighting.
Xreal launches budget AR glasses with anti shake tech
Budget AR glasses finally curb jerky video in rough hands. Xreal unveiled the X By Xreal subbrand, bringing the a01 AR glasses to the US in July with prices starting at $299. The kit centers on swappable front frames and what the company calls an industry-first spatial anti-shake algorithm designed
GoPro Mission 1 Pro Delivers Top Video Quality
GoPro’s Mission 1 Pro is not just another action cam. It leans into the company’s most ambitious promise, the best video quality you can squeeze from a compact, mountable camera. The key lever is a large 1 inch sensor, which GoPro and Engadget describe as delivering sharp, color accurate footage tha
Memorial Day Deals Live MacBook Air Slashed $200
Memorial Day prices aren’t dead yet, and the MacBook Air just got $200 off. The Verge notes that even after the long weekend, deals are still being held across retailers. In particular, shoppers can still save $200 on the new MacBook Air, a tempting nudge for anyone who asked themselves if the lates
Memorial Day bargains under $50 steal the spotlight
The best tech bargains this Memorial Day fit in your pocket. The Verge spent hours sifting through thousands of deals to surface a lean lineup of discounted gadgets priced at $50 or less. The result is a reminder that high value can come in small packages, from streaming sticks to wireless earbuds,
Briefing
The Best Vacuums of 2026 Finally Align Power and Simplicity
AirFly Pro 2 hits travel season price cut
Microsoft consumer marketing chief exits after 35 years
Smart homes get pricier as Google bets on subscriptions
REI Anniversary Sale Brings Big Wearable Discounts
