HomeTech.fm

On this week's show: Netflix raises prices (again), Snap One and AVA settle, new products come out of Lightapalooza, Smartwings introduces PoE powered shades, SmartThings launches ambient sensing, Zigbee has a new trick, a mailbag question about soil sensors, a pick of the week, project updates and more!

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• E-Wand – Current Luxury
• HomeTech Headlines
  • Netflix Had a Great Year. Now Pay Up. - Vulture
  • After Year-and-a-Half Fight, All Claims are Dismissed in Snap One vs AVA - Strata-gee.com
  • Lightapalooza 2025: Snap One Previews Lux by Control4 - Residential Systems
  • Lightapalooza 2025: DMF Lighting Introduces PhaseX Solution and Artafex Linear - Residential Systems
  • Smartwings Introduce First Ever PoE Matter Smart Shades
  • Samsung bringing ambient sensing to SmartThings - The Verge
  • Here’s the tech that could turn millions of Zigbee light bulbs into motion sensors with a single update - The Verge
  • New Philips Hue Automation for smart home devices now live - NotebookCheck.net News
• Mailbox
  • WH51 Wireless Soil Moisture Sensor Max 8 Channels Soil Humidity Tester
  • WH51L Wired Soil Moisture Sensor
  • Soil Moisture Sensor, Vantage Pro2™ and EnviroMonitor® - SKU 6440Default Title
• Pick of the Week
  • Next Level Truck Nuts
• Unraid Releases Updates to address Security Concerns
• GitHub - clusterzx/paperless-ai: An automated document analyzer for Paperless-ngx using OpenAI API, Ollama and all OpenAI API compatible Services to automatically analyze and tag your documents.
• Outemu Yellow Jade Silent Switch 5Pin HP Tactile Custom Mechanical Keyboard Mute MX Switch Like Holy Panda lubricated for Gaming
• 110PCS Switch Springs Gold-plated Two-stage for Diy Cherry mx Mechanical Keyboard 35g/45g/60g/62g/67g/78g/80g/150g Spring
• Elevation Lab TimeCapsule AirTag 10-Year Battery Case - Over 14x More Capacity Than CR2032 | IP69 Waterproof, Uses AA Batteries, Patented
• Wireless HDMI Transmitter and Receiver 4K, 2.4G/5G Plug & Play Portable Wireless HDMI Extender Kit for Streaming Video and Audio to Monitor from Laptop/PC/TV Box/Projector
• DVDO Wireless HDMI Extenders

On this week's show: Patrick Spence is out at Sonos and we may have written a song about it... Needless to say this episode is best heard on a Sonos. What's more, we have an amazing pick of the week, tons of holiday project updates, and so much more!

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• Protect AI Port - Ubiquiti Store
• HomeTech Headlines
  • Sonos CEO Patrick Spence steps down after disastrous app launch - The Verge
  • Sonos’ interim CEO hits all the right notes in first letter to employees - The Verge
  • Sonos continues to clean house with departure of chief commercial officer - The Verge
• Pick of the Week
  • TV too... Big?
  • Memphis Grizzlies' billionaire owner Robert Pera angers neighbors by turning home on super-wealthy Miami island into basketball arena with jumbotron blazing 24 hours-a-day
• Expanding Smart Home Automation Capabilities | Apollo Automation
• Emporia Vue 3 Home Energy Monitor
• HA Podcast - Automating the pool pump started Gavin’s smart home journey
• Chowmain Software - Control4 Home Assistant Driver
• Lamps | PureEdge Lighting
• Falling Iguana Checker - NOW WITH AI!

🎵 The Ballad of Patrick Spence 🎵

(Verse 1)
In the land of speakers, Sonos reigned supreme,
With Patrick Spence steering the dream.
But one dark day, a bug came through,
A brand-new app, and the users booed.

(Chorus)
Oh Patrick Spence, the board said, “No!”
“We can’t let this broken app steal the show!”
While the world hit delete, and frustration was met,
TJ laughed loud, for he’d won the bet.

(Verse 2)
The app was meant to be sleek and smart,
A symphony crafted from the tech world’s heart.
But crashes, glitches, the UX was dire,
And soon enough, Patrick faced the fire.

(Chorus)
Oh Patrick Spence, the board said, “No!”
“We can’t let this broken app steal the show!”
While the users complained, and investors upset,
TJ cashed in on his clever bet.

(Bridge)
The lessons we learn, oh, they come at a cost,
In the world of tech, one glitch and you're lost.
Now Sonos must rise from this painful fall,
To reclaim the trust of music lovers all.

(Chorus)
Oh Patrick Spence, the board said, “No!”
“We can’t let this broken app steal the show!”
As the dust settles down, we won’t forget,
The day TJ stood proud, winning his bet.

(Outro)
Now the speakers still play, the music rolls on,
But Patrick Spence’s era is gone.
The moral is clear, don’t gamble too much,
And always beta test before you touch.

🎵 The End 🎵

On this week's show we take a look at all of the news coming out of CES 2025. AI, Robots, TVs, Matter, Speakers, IoT, and so much more! We also take time for a few mailbag items and find a pick of the week that Gavin can't wait to get his hands on.

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

• HomeTech Headlines
  • AI at CES
    • Google will use more mics and Gemini AI to get you to talk to your TV
    • Samsung’s smart fridges will use AI to suggest groceries to buy on Instacart
    • Samsung Unveils Vision AI and New Innovations at CES 2025
    • EcoFlow Announces AI-Powered OASIS Energy Management Systems
  • Matter at CES
    • Matter speakers are coming to stream music and tell you when the wash is done
    • Google Home hubs can now work locally thanks to Matter
    • Apple, Google, and Samsung will accept Matter certification of smart home products
    • I found the first Matter smart fridge
  • Lights at CES
    • Lifx made its first smart lamp
    • GE Cync’s new smart switches look better and work with Matter
    • Lutron Debuts HomeKit-Compatible Caséta Smart Shades
    • Govee Announces New Gaming Pixel Light, Mini Panel Lights and More at CES 2025
  • Locks at CES
    • Schlage just unveiled its new Schlage Sense Pro Smart Deadbolt, supporting Matter-over-Thread and Ultra Wideband
    • Lockly’s latest smart lock is a digital peephole
    • This $700 door handle has an entire security suite built in
    • Tapo’s palm-scanning door lock promises a full year of battery life
    • Oh yeah, that’s a smart dog door with custom RGB lighting
  • Lawn Stuff at CES
    • The IrriSense Smart Irrigation Sprinkler will automatically adjust its watering schedule based on the weather and soil conditions.
    • Anker to launch its first Eufy robotic lawnmower in spring 2025
  • Energy at CES
    • Ecobee launches an even cheaper smart thermostat
    • Honeywell Home’s first Matter thermostat costs just $80
    • Bluetti has two new flagship energy storage kits for the home and beyond
  • Robots at CES
    • iRobot’s founder is working on a new kind of home robot
    • This robovac has a self-cleaning mop that extends outward for more reach
    • The innovative Multitasking Household Robot K20 Plus Pro is a modular robot vacuum that can also clean, purify, monitor, and cool your home.
    • Roborock’s Saros Z70 features a robotic arm that can clean up as it vacuums your floors.
    • Segway at CES: a powerful pair of e-bikes, a 50mph scooter, and a robot mower
    • Narwal’s latest mopping robovac keeps corners clean
    • Eureka’s new robot vac can tackle wet messes
    • Eufy’s new robovac transforms into a handheld vacuum
    • Samsung claims its Ballie AI robot will actually be released this year
    • ElliQ’s companion robot is now a much more useful tool for caregivers of the elderly.
  • TVa at CES
    • Samsung announces The Frame Pro: could this be the perfect TV?
    • LG and Samsung are adding Microsoft’s Copilot AI assistant to their TVs
    • TiVo-powered TVs are coming to the US
    • LG’s microwave has a 27-inch display that’ll be perfect for ads
  • IoT at CES
    • Aqara Reveals New Switches, Sensors, a New Doorbell, and More at CES
    • With the Shelly Wall Display X2, you don’t need a smartphone to control smart home devices.
    • SwitchBot’s new video doorbell comes with an in-home display
    • Ring is upgrading its outdoor cameras with 2K resolution (even if you already own them)
    • Ring is making a smart smoke alarm
• Pick of the Week
  • This tiny robot cat will blow on your coffee to cool it off

For this year’s Fireside Chat, Adam Justice, Richard Gunther, TJ Huddleston, Gavin Campbell, and Seth Johnson sit down to chat about news and events that happened in 2024 and predictions for next year.

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

• Top Stories of 2024
  • Sonos’ latest app update fixes just a fraction of its problems
  • Sonos Says Sorry For App Update Issues
  • Home Assistant - 2024.12: Scene you in 2025! 🎄
  • Matter 1.4 Enables More Capable Smart Homes
• Favorite Products
  • ESP32 - Wikipedia
  • Mill Food Recycler - Referral Link for Richard
  • Litter-Robot 4
  • MSR-2 mmWave Multisensor For Home Assistant | Apollo Automation
  • Smart Touchscreen Family Calendar and Organizer | Skylight Calendar
• 2024 Retrospective
  • Harmony Remote Manufacturing, Service and Support Update
  • SwitchBot Universal Remote | Simplify & Consolidate Infrared Devices – SwitchBot US
  • The Skip 1s Universal Remote Control - Flirc
  • Nest Learning Thermostat (4th gen)
  • Resideo Completes Acquisition of Snap One
  • Sonos Ace: Wireless Over Ear Headphones with Noise Cancellation

On this week's show: The smart home tech landscape continues to evolve with exciting new product launches and integrations. Inovelli introduces its Blue Switch with a humidity sensor for pre-order, while Shelly unveils a new Z-wave Door/Window sensor. Homey expands its capabilities with advanced energy management features and a new dongle and dashboards for European markets. Tomorrow Fridge brings innovation to kitchen tech, Samsung deepens its YouTube Music integration, 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!

Apollo H-1 Annual Holiday Ornament

• HomeTech Headlines
  • Inovelli Blue Switch w Humidity Pre-Order
  • New Shelly Door/Window Sensor
  • Tomorrow Fridge
  • Homey adds new energy management features and a dongle
  • P1 Monitor Demystified - EVALAN
  • [Getting Title at 58:53](http://Samsung's Music Sync is getting a deeper integration with YouTube Music)
  • Twinkly Music Dongle
• Pick of the Week: Robot on the run!

On this week's show: A MAJOR HomeTech mystery has been solved! The FTC warns that smart gadget manufacturers could face legal consequences for inadequate software support, Ikea introduces adaptive lighting for smart lights, Homey unveils new dashboards, and Meross launches its first Matter-certified smart thermostat, Matter-certified updates from SwitchBot and Level, Home Assistant gets CM5 support for the Yellow CM5, 2024.12 release, project updates, and so much more!

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

Apollo H-1 Annual Holiday Ornament

• HomeTech Headlines
  • Smart gadgets’ failure to commit to software support could be illegal, FTC warns
  • Ikea’s smart lights can now automatically adjust throughout the day - The Verge
  • Homey’s new dashboards look sweet.
  • Meross launches its first Matter-certified smart thermostat - The Verge
  • Eve’s new app unlocks more smart features for Android users
  • SwitchBot Release Two New Matter Certified Relays
  • Level extends its Matter upgrade to its Bolt smart lock
• Pick of the Week
  • Guernsey - Wikipedia
• Home Assistant Yellow gets CM5 support in HAOS 14
• Home Assistant 2024.12 Released
• Seth's WLED Xmas Lights

On this week's show: Friend of the show Jimmy Hawkins is in the WSJ, UniFi introduces their new AI Port, Google reportedly cancels the Pixel Tablet 2, and new mmWave presence sensors promise battery-powered operation. We dive deep into everyday home sensors with our special guests Trevor Schirmer and Justin Bunton from Apollo Automation, discussing their innovative lineup including radar sensors, plant monitors, and their H-1 smart holiday ornament. Plus, we explore the latest in smart blind technology from Sunsa, SwitchBot, and MyiBlinds, share our Pick of the Week, project updates,and so much more!

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

Apollo H-1 Annual Holiday Ornament

• Why Do Smart Appliances Continue to Be So Dumb? - WSJ
• HomeTech Headlines
  • Unifi AI Port
  • Google reportedly cancels Pixel Tablet 2 and might quit the category — again - The Verge
  • Forthcoming mmWave Presence Sensor Promises Battery Powered Option
  • Meross Launches Three New HomeKit Devices - Homekit News and Reviews
  • Integrators Call D-Tools' Payments Tool a ‘Gamechanger’ - CEPRO
• Interview: Apollo Automation
  • Multi-Target Radar Multisensor for ESPHome | Apollo Automation
  • MSR-2 mmWave Multisensor For Home Assistant | Apollo Automation
  • PLT-1 Ultimate Plant Sensor For Home Assistant | Apollo Automation
  • Apollo H-1 Annual Holiday Ornament
• Pick of the Week: MagSafe-like detachable Ethernet cable debuts — Cat6 cables available up to 10 GbE
• Sunsa Wand - The World's Simplest Smart Blinds
• Smart Blinds | SwitchBot Blind Tilt | SwitchBot International
• Myiblinds- Smart blinds for your Home Z-wave

On this week's show: Amazon unveils a massive 21-inch Echo Show, Aqara introduces their new Valve Controller T1 and Smoke Detector, TP-Link launches the Tapo H110 Smart Remote and hub (in Japan), Nuki promises ultra-fast door unlocking with their new smart lock, Level Lock adds Matter support, Google's Gemini AI heads to home products, Apple plans to expand their smart home lineup with a new hub and security camera, listener feedback, a Pick of the Week, Gavin and Seth discuss Linus Tech Tips' smart home challenges, and so much more!

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

• HomeTech Headlines
  • Amazon made a 21-inch Echo Show
  • Aqara Valve Controller T1, Aqara Smoke Detector (video) - Homekit News and Reviews
  • TP-Link Reveals new Tapo H110 Smart Remote
  • This tiny smart lock promises to unlock your door in under two seconds
  • Level Lock Gets Matter
  • Gemini is finally making its way to Google Home products
  • Episode 231 - What’s So Great About Home Assistant? — The Smart Home Show
  • Apple set to ramp up smart home efforts: new hub and security camera incoming
• USBC Cables with Screens!
• Pick of the Week
  • "This area is under constant video surveillance"
• LTT Youtube - My Wife Hates our Smart House

On this week's show: Matter 1.4 reveals promising features for the smart home future, Apple reportedly plans to enter the IP camera market, TiVo OS Smart TVs prepare for US launch, Blink introduces a new hub to extend camera range, we sit down with Wayne Kreifels from Segway Navimow to discuss their robotic mower lineup including the new X3 Series, 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!

• Home Tech Headlines
  • Matter 1.4 has some solid ideas for the future home—now let’s see the support - Ars Technica
  • Apple to Launch Smart Home IP Camera in 2026 [Kuo] - iClarified
  • TiVo OS Smart TVs Expected to Hit U.S. Shelves Before Year End - CEPRO
  • Blink’s newest hub takes its security cameras beyond Wi-Fi
• Interivew: Wayne Kreifels - Head of Sales at Segway Navimow
  • Navimow H Series
  • Navmimo I Series
  • New: Navimow X3 Series
• Pick of the Week: Ping Clock
• Best HACS Integrations for Home Assistant 2024 - SmartHomeScene
• RECALLED: Govee space heaters SAFETY RECALL
• Meshtastic
• WisBlock Modules – LoRaWan Modular IoT System
• Live Flight Tracker - Real-Time Flight Tracker Map | Flightradar24
• Tuya Zigbee Human Presence Detector,Luminance/Distance Detection, Smart PIR Motion Sensor Support Zigbee 2mqtt Home Assistant
• CodeProject
• Expanding Smart Home Automation Capabilities | Apollo Automation
• Gavin Campbell from HomeTech.fm on How to Replace Devices in Home Assistant, HA AI and Zooz Zen34 Hands On - HGG628
• Home Assistant Podcast

On this week's show: We explore "America's Worst TV Hang," Amazon delays their supercharged Alexa until 2025, consumer TV preferences shift towards extra-large displays, CEDIA introduces new membership tiers, Nice OS releases version 8.9, Sonos faces challenges with Ace sales numbers, a Pick of the Week, projecty updates, and so much more!

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

• America's Worst TV Hang
• HomeTech Headlines
  • Amazon’s supercharged Alexa won’t arrive this year - The Verge
  • Consumer TV Preferences Continue Trending Towards the Extra-Large Thanks to Lowering Costs - CEPRO
  • onn. 98” Class 4K UHD (2160P) LED Roku Smart Television ( 100146865)
  • CEDIA Introduces New Membership Tiers for Integrators: Starter, Professional and Premium – rAVe [PUBS]
  • Nice OS 8.9 Update: Unified Control, Geofencing and Expanded Integrations Now Available – rAVe [PUBS]
  • Sonos Troubles Mount - Poor Sales Suggests Ace May Be a Joker - Strata-gee.com
• Pick of the Week
  • Bidet Follow Up Review
• Home Assistant 2024.11 Released
• Home Gadget Geeks