HomeTech.fm

On this week's show: TJ gets ready to head to Canada, Apple pays for promising too much from Siri, ULTRALOQ goes tap-to-unlock with Aliro, and Homebridge 2.0 finally speaks Matter. The Roomba creator builds a furry robot friend, Matter.JS Server gets smarter debugging, BEGA lights up Home Assistant, and the new HA beta tunes into sub‑GHz RF. Plus, a pick of the week, project updates, and so much more!

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• Apple Will Pay $250 Million for Overhyping Siri. Canadian Users Get to Watch | iPhone in Canada - iphoneincanada.ca
• HomeTech Headlines
  • ULTRALOQ achieves Aliro certification for Latch and Bolt locks | Matter Alpha - matteralpha.com
  • Homebridge 2.0 is here, and it speaks Matter | The Verge - theverge.com
  • Google's Gemini-powered Home speaker is MIA - mobilesyrup.com
  • Introducing Dream Machine Beast - blog.ui.com
  • Bose takes a swing at Sonos with its new home speakers | The Verge - theverge.com
  • Sonoff Unveils NSPanel Pro Gen2 with Matter, dual relays, HA Support - homekitnews.com
  • The creator of Roomba is back with a furry robot companion | The Verge - theverge.com
  • Matter.JS Server now offers ultimate tool to troubleshoot Matter and Thread | Matter Alpha - matteralpha.com
  • BEGA joins Works with Home Assistant - Home Assistant - home-assistant.io
  • 2026.5 Beta: We're on the same frequency now 📡 - Home Assistant - rc.home-assistant.io

On this week's show: Walmart’s Vizio TVs can’t stream without an account, La‑Z‑Boy gets loud with Klipsch‑powered furniture, and Govee keeps lighting up everything from ceilings to patios, one fixture at a time. Home Assistant hikes the price of Green, eero gets a government seal of approval, ubisys joins the club, and Unraid teams up with 45HomeLab for a monster NAS. Plus ap pick of the week, project updates, and so much more!

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• U.S. government recognizes eero as a trusted and secure provider of routers – The Download - blog.eero.com
• Home Assistant Green price hiked, here’s why | Matter Alpha - matteralpha.com
• HomeTech Headlines
  • Alexa+ is Now Available in Early Access in Spain - thurrott.com
  • The New Site Manager - Now Official - blog.ui.com
  • TP-Link Announces Forthcoming Matter downlight with Dual Light Sources - homekitnews.com
  • Govee expands premium smart home fixtures with the Ceiling Light Ultra | Matter Alpha - matteralpha.com
  • Govee’s new colorful outdoor lights are its first with solar power | The Verge - theverge.com
  • Newly purchased Vizio TVs now require Walmart accounts to use smart features - Ars Technica - arstechnica.com
  • La-Z-Boy’s recliners and sofas are getting built-in Klipsch speakers | The Verge - theverge.com
• Pick of the Week
  • Release RoomRelay v1.0.4 · guicn555/RoomRelay · GitHub - github.com
• ubisys joins Works with Home Assistant - Blog - Home Assistant Community - community.home-assistant.io
• You asked us to tell you first. The X15 is here. - dua63.r.a.d.sendibm1.com
• Unraid | Meet the X15 | 45Homelab >< Unraid Partnership Signature Series - unraid.net
• You can now visualize your smart home network with Thread Group's new Network Diagnostics app [UPDATED] | Matter Alpha - matteralpha.com

On this week's show: Alexa+ learns Italian while Amazon’s new Fire TV Stick gets slimmer and smarter, Netgear dodges a router ban, Ecovacs blasts stains with cleaning jets, and Aqara quietly launches a new Matter sensor. Ubiquiti unveils EAV switching for pro AVs, Apollo celebrates open source with a new ESPHome starter kit, and BLUETTI wants to keep your fridge alive through any storm. All this, a pick of the week, project updates, and so much more!

Fan of the show? Want to support our efforts? Please consider becoming a Patron!

• HomeTech Headlines
  • Netgear Wins FCC Conditional Approval on Its Consumer Routers, Exempting Them From Ban - Strata-gee.com - strata-gee.com
  • Alexa+ Launches in Early Access in Italy - thurrott.com
  • Toronto could get Canada's first 'virtual gated community' using controversial tech - mobilesyrup.com
  • BLUETTI FridgePower Review: Silent Backup That Saves Your Fridge | iPhone in Canada - iphoneincanada.ca
  • Amazon's New Fire TV Stick HD is 30% Slimmer and Supports Alexa+ - thurrott.com
  • Ecovacs’ new robovac spots and pretreats dried stains using powerful jets | The Verge - theverge.com
  • New Aqara FP310 sensor brings 24GHz radar and Matter support to China - Matter Alpha
  • Introducing EAV Switching - blog.ui.com
• Pick of the Week
  • Illumibot - House of Glass - TikTok
• State of the Open Home 2026 Was Incredible and We Announced the ESPHom – Apollo Automation - apolloautomation.com
• Birdbuddy : Home
• Birdfy Smart Bird Feeder Camera | AI Bird Watching & Identification
• TJs Bird Friend

On this week's show: Google finally lets Workspace users into the Google Home party, Aqara keeps busy with new hubs, thermostats, and sensors, Samsung trims the price tag on its 2026 Frame TVs, Hisense adds a smaller CanvasTV that still wants to be art, LG shows off a mighty new MAGNIT Micro LED system, and Sony teases some serious RGB tech. There’s also a peek at the Home Assistant roadmap, project updates, and so much more!

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• HomeTech Headlines
  • Google Home App Now Supports Google Workspace Accounts - thurrott.com
  • Aqura Hub w200
  • Aqara W200 Thermostat Release Video
  • Aqara Multi-State Sensor P100
  • Samsung announces 2026 Frame TVs and the Pro costs less than last year’s
  • Hisense Adds 50-Inch Model to Its CanvasTV Lineup - Residential Systems
  • LG Introduces New MAGNIT Micro LED TV - Residential Systems
  • Sony Introduces True RGB Technology for Its Televisions
• Home Assistant Roadmap
• TJ's Trench

On this week's show: Ring launches 4K video doorbells and a whole developer portal while Ubiquiti sends AI to the edge with a new series UniFi G6 cameras. Reolink shines bright with its solar floodlight cam, Nuki taps into Apple Home Key, and DEWENWILS dives into Matter with a smart pool pump timer. Matter 1.5.1 gets better camera streaming, Heatit joins Works with Home Assistant, and backup encryption gets a serious upgrade. Plus, a pick of the week, project updates, and so much more!

Fan of the show? Want to support our efforts? Please consider becoming a Patron!

• Artemis 2 live updates: launch time, pre-flight checks - thestar.com
• HomeTech Headlines
  • Ring finally brings 4K video to its battery-powered doorbell camera | The Verge - theverge.com
  • Ring Developer - developer.amazon.com
  • Introducing G6 Edge Series - blog.ui.com
  • Reolink’s first solar-powered floodlight camera offers wire-free home security | The Verge - theverge.com
  • Nuki adds Apple Home Key to its smart lock | The Verge - theverge.com
  • DEWENWILS launches the world's first Matter-compatible smart pool pump timer | Matter Alpha - matteralpha.com
  • The latest Matter update improves camera streaming | The Verge - theverge.com
• Pick of the Week: GitHub - piitaya/ha95: Home Assistant 95 · GitHub - github.com
• 2026.4 Beta: Infrared never left the chat - Home Assistant - rc.home-assistant.io
• Music Assistant 2.8: Let's get this party started! - Music Assistant - music-assistant.io
• Heatit joins Works with Home Assistant - Home Assistant - home-assistant.io
• We now make the best Zigbee and Z-Wave repeaters and open whole-home audio - nabucasa.mailcoach.app
• Modernizing encryption of Home Assistant backups - Home Assistant - home-assistant.io
• HAGHS
• GL.iNet GL-BE3600 (Slate 7) Portable Travel Router, Pocket Dual-Band Wi-Fi 7, 2.5G Router, Portable VPN Routers WiFi for Travel, Public Computer Routers, Business Trip, Mobile/RV/Cruise/Plane
• Anker Nano Power Strip, Desk Clamp with 1500J Surge Protector, 5ft Extension Cord, 70W Max Gaming Desk Accessories, 6 AC, 2 USB A, 2 USB C, Home Office Essentials, Fit 0.6~1.8'' Tabletop Edge

On this week's show: Josh.ai takes smart homes to a whole new level of language learning, Amazon’s Alexa+ crosses the pond with a serious accent, Telus launches an all-Canadian AI butler, and Hisense decides you need ads with your HDMI inputs. The FCC bans foreign-made routers (so, almost all of them), and Brava joins the long list of smart gadgets that got cooked by their own cloud. All this, a pick of the week, project updates, and so much more!

Fan of the show? Want to support our efforts? Please consider becoming a Patron!

• HomeTech Headlines
  • Josh.ai Keynote 2026: Home in Harmony Showcases a New Era of Adaptive Home Control - josh.ai
  • Amazon's Alexa+ Assistant Launches in the UK - thurrott.com
  • Telus Launches New AI Smart Home Assistant to Control Thousands of Devices | iPhone in Canada - iphoneincanada.ca
  • Hisense TVs force owners to watch intrusive ads when switching inputs, visiting the home screen, or even changing channels — practice infuriates consumers, brand denies wrongdoing | Tom's Hardware - Tom's Hardware
  • Another smart oven shuts down. - The Verge
  • The US government just banned consumer routers made outside the US | The Verge - theverge.com
• Pick of the Week GitHub - danielwoz/ubiquiti-protect-onvif-event-listener: A binary that listens to the configured third party cameras for detection events and sets up ubiquiti protect events with thumbnails. · GitHub - github.com

On this week’s show: UniFi drops Protect 7.0 with customizable dashboards, smarter event review, local AI image search, and a $4,999 Enterprise NVR Core to store all that footage—plus a $39 Relay and a whole lot of 25G. WAGO says Matter is finally electrician-friendly, while Ikea proves Matter still means “it depends.” Aqara launches the first Matter-certified camera, a new PoE doorbell with HomeKit Secure Video, and we check in on a Navimow mower integration for Home Assistant. A pick of the week, project updates, and so much more!

Fan of the show? Want to support our efforts? Please consider becoming a Patron!

• HomeTech Headlines
  • Introducing Protect 7.0 - blog.ui.com
  • Enterprise NVR Core - Ubiquiti Store United States - Ubiquiti Store United States
  • Protect Relay - Ubiquiti Store United States - Ubiquiti Store United States
  • Wago and Matter: “We Want to Really Get Into This Market” - matter-smarthome
  • Ikea tried to build a smart home for everyone — here’s why it’s not working yet - The Verge
  • Hands on with Aqara’s new Matter-compatible camera - The Verge
  • Aqara Camera Hub G350: The World's First Matter-Certified Camera - Aqara
  • Aqara’s first wired doorbell works with Apple’s HomeKit Secure Video and costs $100. - The Verge
• Pick of the Week: High Security for the Catnip
• GitHub - segwaynavimow/NavimowHA - GitHub

On this week’s show: iRobot comes back from bankruptcy with a tiny Roomba Mini that won’t launch in the US, Homey adds Python support to open the app floodgates, Sonos launches a new portable Play speaker and a mic-free Era 100 SL while also admitting its Apple TV rival is dead, IKEA pushes a Dirigera update to fix Matter pairing, and Zooz gets Z-Wave Long Range sensors certified for Alarm.com. All of this, a pick of the week, project updates, and so much more!

Fan of the show? Want to support our efforts? Please consider becoming a Patron!

• iRobot’s Roomba Mini can clean where its larger robovacs can’t reach - The Verge
• Introducing the Python Apps SDK – News | Homey - homey.app
• Sonos Launches ‘Play’ Speaker and Era 100 SL: Here’s Canadian Pricing | iPhone in Canada
• Sonos CEO Confirms Apple TV Competitor Is Dead: Why ‘Pinewood’ Never Launched | iPhone in Canada
• Ikea Dirigera firmware update targets Matter onboarding and pairing issues - Matter Alpha
• 🎉 Alarm.com Certifications - What's New - zoozcommunity
• Pick of the Week: Can Home Assistant Run Doom?

On this week’s show: Sonos accidentally leaks the Play, and UniFi drops a WiFi 7 U7 Mesh with big range claims. Aqara adds Samsung Home Key as Aliro finally becomes real, Shark’s $1,300 robot hunts stains with UV, and Samsung promises to ask Texans before watching what they watch. Meta smart glasses get creepier (and detectable), BGR says hubs are dead (sure), Home Assistant spring cleaning begins, robotic mowers get their own pet-aware gate, plus a pick of the week, project updates, and so much more!

Fan of the show? Want to support our efforts? Please consider becoming a Patron!

• Anthropic refuses Pentagon’s new terms, standing firm on lethal autonomous weapons and mass surveillance - The Verge
• HomeTech Headlines
  • Portable Sonos Play speaker leaks on Canadian Best Buy - The Verge
  • Buy New - Navimow MowGate Smart Automatic Gate for Robotic Lawn Mowers - The Green Team
  • Introducing U7 Mesh - blog.ui.com
  • Aqara’s U400 now supports Samsung’s Home Key. - The Verge
  • The smart lock standard that could replace your keys is finally here - The Verge
  • Shark’s latest robot vacuum hunts stains with UV light - The Verge
  • Samsung TVs to stop collecting Texans’ data without express consent - BleepingComputer
  • Dear Meta Smart Glasses Wearers: You're Being Watched, Too - Gizmodo
  • GitHub - yjeanrenaud/yj_nearbyglasses at selfh.st - GitHub
  • Someone made an app to detect nearby smart glasses - MobileSyrup
• Mailbag
  • Why There's Simply No Need For A Smart Home Hub Anymore - BGR - BGR
• 2026.3: A clean sweep - Home Assistant
• Apollo Automation Expands Works With Home Assistant Certification: BTN - Apollo Automation

On this week’s show: Google Home lets you delete its pre-made routines, Sonos shows profit but not growth, IKEA’s leaked Matter light driver, Heiman joins Works with Home Assistant with Thread-based safety sensors, a pick of the week, project updates, AI updates, and so much more!

Fan of the show? Want to support our efforts? Please consider becoming a Patron!

• I Donut Believe - Presenting Third Party Results - I Donut Believe
• HomeTech Headlines
  • Google Home now lets you delete pre-made routines, improves clip downloads on web - 9to5Google
  • Sonos Q1/2026 Shows Little Progress; CEO Gives Clues to His Turnaround Plan - Strata-gee.com
  • IKEA’s latest Matter-compatible smart home gadget has been leaked – here's all you need to know - T3
• Pick of the Week
  • GitHub - ugomeda/home-assistant-epaper-remote: An e-ink remote for Home-Assistant built with FastEPD - GitHub
  • How I built Timeframe, our family e-paper dashboard - hawksley.org
• Heiman joins Works with Home Assistant - Home Assistant
• The Open Home Foundation merch store is here! - Blog - Home Assistant Community - Home Assistant Community