HomeTech.fm

On this week’s show: We catch up with Apollo Automation's Justin Bunton to talk about their new H-2 Annual Holiday Ornament, Kohler’s toilet cam raises privacy questions despite being rear-end-to-end encrypted, UniFi launches a 5G lineup, Honeywell has a new thermostat, and Meross drops a millimeter-wave sensor that sees you breathe. Aqara brings Siri to the wall (at least in the UK), and Wyze wants to watch the outdoors from indoors — through a window. All this, a pick of the week, project updates, and so much more!

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• HomeTech Headlines
  • Kohler Can Access Data and Pictures from Toilet Camera It Describes as “End-to-End Encrypted” - /var/log/simon - varlogsimon.leaflet.pub
  • New Meross Thread Smart Presence Sensor, MS605 - Meross Official Store
  • Introducing UniFi 5G - blog.ui.com
  • This new Honeywell Home smart thermostat can answer your Ring doorbell - The Verge
  • Aqara Brings Siri to its Smart Home Control Panels in the U.K. - CEPRO
  • Wyze’s Window Cam patrols the outdoors from inside your house - The Ambient
• Pick of the Week: Apollo H-2 Annual Holiday Ornament For Charity

On this week's show: UniFi bridges the gap with new wireless gear, Alexa+ finally heads north to Canada (except for Gavin), Matter 1.5 adds long-awaited camera support, Josh.ai teams up with JVC for voice-controlled cinephilia, Sonos continues its 'transitional' phase with shrinking sales and growing losses, letters from the mailbag, 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!

Sonos artwork courtesy of TJ and I have no idea where he got this from.

• Ubiquiti Store - Black Friday Deals
• Ecoflow Delta Classic 3
• 200 Watt Solar Panel, 12V Single Panel, N-Type Monocrystalline 25% High-Efficiency PV Module for RV, Boat, Marine, Trailer, Farm, Shed, Rooftop and Home Off-Grid System (1 Pack 200W, Black)
• HomeTech Headlines
  • All-New UniFi Bridging - blog.ui.com
  • Amazon’s Alexa+ Launches in Canada and is Available Now | iPhone in Canada - iPhone in Canada | Canada’s source for Apple, telecom, tech news, and deals
  • Josh.ai Partners with JVC to Reimagine Modern Home Theater Control - josh.ai
  • Matter 1.5 is official – and it supports cameras - The Ambient
  • Camera support could be the boost Matter needs - The Verge
  • Calling Year 'Transitional,' Sonos Reports Fiscal 2025 Results; Revenues Decline, Losses Increase - Strata-gee.com
• Pick of the Week
  • GitHub - francescopace/espectre: 🛜 ESPectre 👻 - Motion detection system based on Wi-Fi spectre analysis (CSI), with Home Assistant integration. - GitHub
• GitHub - kavishdevar/librepods: AirPods liberated from Apple's ecosystem.

On this week's show: Ring thinks AI can stop crime (what could go wrong?), Zigbee 4.0 goes the distance with Suzi, Shelly rolls out a giant snake of a leak sensor, Home Assistant drops a faster Zigbee/Thread toilet paper holder, Kaleidescape launches a mini server for high-bitrate binging, and Wyze gives its smart lock an upgrade, but it comes with a catch. All that, 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!

I wish you were.

Image credit: Wyze advertisement on Facebook

• HomeTech Headlines
  • Ring's Jamie Siminoff thinks AI can reduce crime - Apple Podcasts
  • Zigbee Enters the Long-Range Game with 4.0 and Suzi Launches - CEPRO
  • Shelly Flood Gen4 Smart Water Leak Detector Now Available - Residential Systems - Residential Systems
  • Home Assistant has a new Thread/Zigbee stick. - The Verge
  • Kaleidescape Goes Mini with Its Newest Terra Prime Server - CEPRO
  • Wyze Lock Bolt v2 - Wyze Labs, Inc.
• Pick of the Week: Wyze Cam Install

On this week’s show: The Louvre proves bad passwords can be priceless, Ring tries to silence your doorbell’s chatter with a smarter alert, Ikea goes all-in on Matter over Thread, and Third Reality gives your blinds a Zigbee upgrade. Homey MCP lets AI take over your smart home (what could go wrong?), Kohler brings toilet tech to new heights (or lows?), Google says Gemini is going just fine (nothing to see here move along), and hackers resurrect Nest thermostats. Plus, trouble brews at iRobot, SwitchBot has a $1,000 AI powered photo frame, 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
  • The Louvre's video security password was reportedly 'Louvre' - PCWorld
  • Ring’s new feature combats security camera notification fatigue - The Verge
  • Ikea’s new low-cost line is a huge win for Matter and your smart home - The Verge
  • Smart Blind Gen2 - 3reality.com
  • Switchbot AI Art Frame
  • HUESSEN Digital Anti-Glare Picture Frame
  • Introducing the Homey MCP Server – News | Homey - homey.app
  • Google says its confusing Gemini Home rollout is going just great - The Verge
  • iRobot’s revenue has tanked and it’s almost out of cash - The Verge
  • Decode Your Body’s Signals - kohlerhealth.com
  • Hackers are saving Google's abandoned Nest thermostats with open-source firmware - TechSpot
• Pick of the Week
  • Billy Bassistant AI fish | v2.0.0 feature: Improved MQTT say command with support for follow-ups
• New Aquara FP300 wireless mmWave Presence Sensor - Amazon
• Twinkly Lights
• AMS 2 Pro for Printer
• TJ's first design - Unifi UNAS 2 Wall Mount

On this week’s show: TP-Link might be banned, is 4K even worth buying? SwitchBot drops smart candles, Wyze has a new doorbell, Sofabaton has a new remote, letters from the mailbag, project updates, two picks of the week, and so much more!

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

• Apollo H-2 Annual Holiday Ornament - Apollo Automation
• HomeTech Headlines
  • The U.S. Government Might Ban TP-Link Routers - CEPRO
  • Is your ultra-HD TV worth it? Scientists measure the resolution limit of the human eye - techxplore.com
  • Smart Candles, Baby. We F*cking Did It. - Gizmodo
  • Wyze’s new doorbell will last six months between charges - The Ambient
  • X2 Sofabaton Universal Remote（Pre-sale） - Sofabaton Universal Remote
  • Govee’s new power outlet expander gives you voice control and a night light - The Verge
  • Eve Shutter Switch gets huge Matter update - The Ambient
  • Matter over Thread Smart Window Lever Launched in Europe - Homekit News and Reviews
  • Bluetti is finally getting a official Smart Home Integration!
  • Amazon embarks on biggest layoffs since 2022 affecting 30,000 corporate jobs - Hindustan Times
  • Neato’s cloud is shutting down, leaving its robovacs stuck in manual mode - The Verge
  • Looking Ahead: The Next Chapter for Sense - Sense - Sense
• Mailbag
  • AItomations - Home Assistant Automation Creator
  • Youtube - Called my Bluff
• Pick of the Week
  • #thehub - Patron Pick of the Week
  • Illumibot
  • Doorbell GIF maker - ezgif.com
• ELTAKO joins Works with Home Assistant - Home Assistant
• Cameras vs Spiders
• MmWave being shipped 🥹almost feel like it's a prank
• Unraid OS 7.2.0 Stable is Now Available
• Amazon Echo Dot Max
• Blue Series (Zigbee) - Smart Presence Sensing Dimmer
• Gavin Campbell with Smart Yard Automation, Unraid 7.2 Enhancements, and the Rise of Local AI – HGG661
• HolidayCoro
• Eufy E25
• Bambu Lab P1S Combo Printer

On this week's show: AWS takes down smart beds in the middle of the night, Husqvarna gives robot lawnmowers night vision, Roku adds AI to your channel surfing, and Unifi shows off new AI-powered cameras and a fresh Network update. Apple teases a HomePod-iPad hybrid (because of course), Inovelli lights up Homey, and there's a new Matter-compatible garage door opener in town. A pick of the week, project updates, and so many more raccoons! 🦝

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

• HomeTech Headlines
  • AWS crash causes $2,000 smart beds to overheat and get stuck upright - Dexerto
  • Husqvarna's new robotic lawn mowers set to launch with AI-driven cameras on board - The Ambient
  • Roku Updates Platform with New AI-Powered Voice Features - CEPro
  • SmartGarage Door Opener - 3Reality
  • Introducing the G6 Pro & Dome Lineup - ui.com
  • Introducing Unifi Network 9.5
  • Inovelli | Works with Homey - homey.app
  • Apple could be making a HomePod hub – but it’s a ‘kitchen accessory’ built around an iPad - The Ambient
  • Apple's iPad Pro can now double as a Thread smart home hub - The Verge
• Pick of the Week: TJ's Unifi Ghost Detector
• Installer Cheatsheet – Z-Wave Alliance - Z-Wave Alliance

On this week's show, we sit down with The Verge’s Jennifer Pattison Tuohy to talk about all things smart home, how she approaches reviewing and reporting on new products, and what it’s like living on the cutting edge. Plus, a Pick of the Week, project updates, and much more!

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

Jennifer Pattison Tuohy on Mastodon

• HomeTech Headlines
  • Home Assistant Yellow: End-of-Life Announcement - Home Assistant
  • Portable Z-Wave with Wi-Fi and PoE - Home Assistant
  • SONOFF DONGLE MAX Zigbee & Thread + PoE Dongle (Dongle-M) - SONOFF
• Interview: Jennifer Pattison Touhy
• Pic of the Week: Code Violations from TJ's Travels

On this week's show: TJ might get a shed, Amazon’s Device VP is out, UniFi announces UPS products and tariff prices, Sonos teams up with Peloton, 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
• Days After an Array of New Amazon Devices Debut, a Devices VP is Leaving the Company - Strata-gee
• Introducing: Uninterruptible Power Supply - Ubiquiti Blog
• Ubiquiti Now Passing Tariffs onto Customers
• One Overlooked Feature of Peloton's New Cross-Training Series | Yahoo Creator - Lifestyle - Yahoo Creator - Lifestyle
• BMW Connected Drive - Home Assistant Alerts
• Pick of the Week: 🎃 "House on Fire"
• New Z-Box Integration for Home Assistant - Zooz Community
• Konnected joins Works with Home Assistant - Home Assistant

On this week's show: How many lights is too many lights? Amazon’s fall event delivers the expected, Ring will let police watch your cameras and look for lost dogs, Amazon Alexa Plus finally goes to Canada, Logitech POP is EOL, Walmart has new onn brand doorbells and cameras, Google drops the new Nest kit, 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
  • Amazon's Fall Event 2025: New Echo and Alexa-Powered Devices Announced - The Verge
  • Amazon has a new smart remote that's completely programmable by Alexa - Engadget
  • Ring will let police ask for videos in places of interest by default as part of Ring Search Party - The Verge
  • Amazon Basics Smart Button and Dimmer Wire-Free Remote, Bluetooth, Alexa Enabled - Amazon
  • Amazon Launches External Beta for Alexa Plus in Canada - iPhone in Canada
  • Big News: Rachio is now part of Rain Bird - Rachio Community
  • EOL: Logitech’s POP switches will become electronic waste in a fortnight - heise.de
  • What Does the Kevo App Shutdown Mean to My Kevo Door Lock? - Kwikset
  • Walmart’s new onn. video doorbell and security cameras offer premium features for less - The Verge
  • New Nest Cams and Doorbell: Everything You Need to Know - The Verge
• Pick of the Week: Zillow - 232 Condado Cres, Ottawa, ON
• Home Assistant Core 2025.10! - Home Assistant
• [Official] Reolink Elite Floodlight WiFi | 4K 180° Wi-Fi 6 Dual-Lens Floodlight Camera
• Zigbee2MQTT 2.6.2 released
• Immich v2.0.0. Immich's Stable v2.0.0 Release and What It Means for PixelUnion Users | PixelUnion - Free your photos from American tech platforms
• Emby
  • Release 4.9.1.80 · MediaBrowser/Emby.Releases
• Aladin Connect back in HA
• GO VOTE: Should Seth Go To CES?

On this week's show: After much praise and admiration from the HomeTech community, Gavin decides to share something he’s really, really proud of, Unifi is back with new retrofit options for their Access line, Sonos ups their pricing in Canada, KEF introduces a new wireless speaker, SmartThings gets some decent updates, 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 Retrofit Hub - Ubiquiti Blog
  • Access Retrofit Hub - Ubiquiti Store
  • Google unveils new Home App powered by AI - The Verge
  • Sonos Just Jacked Up Prices in Canada, Arc Ultra Hits $1449 - iPhone in Canada
  • KEF Introduces New MUO Bluetooth Speaker - Residential Systems
  • Thread networks now supported in SmartThings - Matter Smarthome
• Pick of the Week: Interesting Bar Lights
• GitHub - esphome-econet/esphome-econet: esphome-econet is a package for controlling a Rheem water heater or HVAC system with an esp32 or esp8266 micro-computer.
• SMLIGHT Official Homepage | Useful smart automation tools
• Gavin's Ding-Dong
• Gavin's Long Ding-Dong