Smart home news, reviews, and guides — making your home smarter.
Smart home news, reviews, and guides — making your home smarter.
HACS, the Home Assistant Community Store, is moving into Home Assistant itself as a built-in integration called Marketplace, expected in the 2026.11 release in November. Existing downloads should migrate on their own, custom repositories should carry over, and the main catalog will no longer need a GitHub account. Here is what changes, what can break, and what to check before updating.
Read MoreVodafone is rolling out CUJO AI software across millions of its Wi-Fi 7 home hubs in Europe, scoring how well apps like video calls and streaming actually perform instead of just measuring headline speeds. Here is what the Quality of Outcome system does, what it does not inspect, and why it matters for smart homes packed with cameras, speakers, and sensors.
Read MoreCNET’s updated Vivint review scores the professionally installed security system 8.0 out of 10. New Pro cameras, AI detection, and active deterrence impress, but the closed ecosystem, missing Alexa and Apple Home support, and opaque pricing remain real drawbacks for smart home buyers.
Read MoreToday’s verified smart home deals at Best Buy: a Roomba 105 robot vacuum at 47% off, a Yale keypad smart lock, a Philips Hue Gradient floor lamp, the new Echo Show 11, and an Amazon Smart Plug — all checked on the retailer’s own product pages.
Read MoreEspressif’s third-quarter revenue jumped 33% to 889 million yuan, but the ESP32 chipmaker says smart home demand itself was only ‘relatively stable.’ We break down what the results mean for Matter devices, ESPHome builders, and the component costs behind your next smart home gadget, and why two suppliers stockpiling components at once is a signal worth watching.
Read MoreBudget smart home gear often hides a cloud server between you and your devices, and that server can disappear without warning. Belkin’s Wemo shutdown shows even big brands are not immune, so here is why Matter over Thread and local control are the safer buy.
Read MoreA community Home Assistant integration now controls Nanoleaf Essentials lights and the Secretlab MAGRGB strip over Bluetooth LE via an ESPHome proxy, keeping scenes and effects local without the Nanoleaf app or account. Here is what it does, what has actually been tested, and when Thread or Matter still makes more sense.
Read MoreTP-Link has disclosed a high-severity authentication flaw in the local protocol used by many Kasa plugs, switches and bulbs. Updating fixes the flaw, but some Home Assistant users may also need to switch on Third-Party Compatibility in the Kasa app to restore local control.
Read MoreOnvis’s Matter-over-Thread outdoor smart plug has its first price cut: $30.59 on Amazon with an on-page coupon, down from its $36 launch price. We break down the deal, the plug’s energy monitoring and weatherproofing, and what to check before buying for holiday lighting, plus how Thread coverage and a border router affect outdoor performance.
Read MoreToday’s verified smart home deals for October 24, 2026: a Ring video doorbell at 55% off, a Shark self-cleaning robot vacuum, a fingerprint smart lock, a 4K solar camera kit, and an ecobee thermostat — every price checked on the retailer’s own product page.
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