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Latest by Patrick Hearn

The Twinkly Dots can spruce up any room.

Twinkly Dots review: Nice to look at, but nothing new

The Twinkly Dots have a unique design and look nice when set up, but don't bring new functionality to the table.
iRobot Roomba j7+ in dock beside dog.

The iRobot Genius 4.0 update makes Roombas even smarter

The iRobot Genius 4.0 software update has rolled out, bringing with it new features and capabilities.
The Fitbit Sense on a man's wrist while he walks outdoors.

Fitbit Sense review: One of the best wearable sleep trackers

The Fitbit Sense is a small, compact wearable that tracks a lot of valuable health information -- all for an affordable price.
Customers inspect the new Apple HomePod at an Apple Store on February 9, 2018 in San Francisco, California.

Sorry, there’s no new HomePod on the way

Apple said nothing about a new HomePod in today's stream, leaving fans asking when HomeKit will get its next upgrade.
Liteboxer VR challenges you to keep moving.

I had the best cardio workout of my life while boxing in VR

Liteboxer VR gamifies working out in the best way possible, but is it an effective workout?
The AirThings View Plus is an indoor air quality monitor.

What I learned after tracking my home’s air quality for a week

The air quality in your home might not be as great as you imagine. An indoor air quality monitor can show surprising insights and tips on how to breathe easier.
The Ikea Starkvind is a table and air purifier in one.

Is assemble-it-yourself smart tech the way of the future?

My Ikea Starkvind air purifier arrived in several pieces that I had to put together on my own. Is this the future of smart home tech?
Blink Wireless Outdoor 1080p Security Camera installed on an exterior wall.

How to set up a Blink Outdoor Camera

The Blink Outdoor Camera is easy to set up, but it takes a little bit of time to complete the process. Follow our step-by-step guide to set up your cam.
Amazon Echo Show 15 on countertop.

How to customize an Echo Home screen

Learn how to customize the Echo Home screen and you will get far more utility from the device than with the basic layout.
The Blink Video Doorbell is an affordable option for home security.

Blink Video Doorbell review: An affordable starting point

The Blink Video Doorbell combines affordability with functionality for solid, reliability front door security.
The Garmin Epix series 2 is an incredibly powerful fitness watch.

Garmin Epix Gen 2 review: The ultimate fitness watch

The Garmin Epix might be the king of smart fitness watches, delivering more health metrics and detailed information than any other device.
The bathroom is the last frontier of the smart home.

Why the bathroom is the final frontier of the smart home

The bathroom is the final frontier of smart home technology, and the reason is clear: No one wants something listening or speaking to them in the bathroom.
The Neato D10 is the latest flagship robot vacuum from Neato.

Neato D10 Review: Putting the D in deep clean

The Neato D10 provides a better, deeper clean than the competition thanks to its unique shape and versatile cleaning modes.
The Felaqua Connect is a smart water bowl for your cat.

A smart cat water bowl is cool, but not for everyone

The Felaqua Connect is a smart water bowl for cats with a lot of interesting features, but it might not be for everyone.
Amazon Echo Show 15 Smart Display on a wall.

7 things you didn’t know the Echo Show 15 could do

The Echo Show 15 is the largest Alexa smart display, and it's capable of much more than just controlling your smart home.
The Wyze Scale S provides numerous health metrics with each weigh-in.

Wyze Scale S review: Highly functional and affordable

The Wyze Scale S is an affordable, easy-to-use smart scale that gives a large amount of information and is perfect for the average user.
Roborock Dyad wet-dry vacuum

CES 2022 felt a bit lacking in the smart home department

Perhaps the biggest smart home trend of CES 2022 is that there wasn't one. Despite a wave of interesting announcements, no pattern stood out.
A collection of Matter-enabed Amazon devices.

Why Matter is the most important smart home trend from CES 2022

There were a lot of tech trends at CES 2022, but one stands out above the rest: The rapid adoption of Matter among smart home companies.
The Bev can make cocktails, but can't save money.

Black & Decker enters the cocktail-machine market with the Bev

The Bev is Black & Decker's entry into the world of cocktail makers. The $300 device can hold up to five bottles of booze.
The Wemo Video Doorbell works with HomeKit Secure Video.

Wemo expands its home security lineup with a smart video doorbell

Wemo expands its lineup to include a Smart Video Doorbell that works exclusively with HomeKit Secure Video.
A 55-inch Samsung The Frame 4K TV hangs on a wall in a dining room.

The Home Connectivity Alliance wants to bring you the smart home of your dreams

The Home Connectivity Alliance is a partnership between multiple smart home appliance companies that seeks to improve interoperability within the smart home.
The Whirlpool Smart Oven line is getting an air fry mode.

Your Whirlpool smart oven can now act as an air fryer, too

Some of Whirlpool's smart ovens are getting over-the-air updates to include an air fry mode, as well as compatibility with a smart thermometer.
The Arlo Security System features an NFC reader.

The Arlo Security System brings all-in-one functionality thanks to its multisensor

At CES 2022, Arlo announced the Arlo Security System, as well as their new membership in the Matter Alliance.
Astro Robot lifestyle image.

Smart home trends to look for in 2022

With a new year comes a new host of smart home innovations, especially as the industry looks to recover from the previous two years.
Tonal Fitness Smart Mirror

Exercise equipment that requires a subscription to work is the opposite of smart

When smart home gym equipment doesn't provide basic functionality without a subscription, it's anything but smart.
The Govee Immersion Kit enhances on-screen content.

Govee Immersion Kit review: Making TV watching a more colorful experience

The Govee Immersion Kit extends the colors of your TV screen to the wall around it, drawing you deeper into anything you watch.
The LG AeroTower is a fan, heater, and air purifier in one.

The LG PuriCare AeroTower cleans your air with just a whisper

The LG Puricare AeroTower will debut at CES 2022. The heater, fan, and air purifier combo has a sleek design and is whisper-quiet.
The Echo Show 15 is the largest smart display yet.

Amazon Echo Show 15 review: A big screen with widgets we didn’t know we needed

The Amazon Echo Show 15 combines a large screen and a suite of different widgets to become one of the most useful smart displays yet.
Sportneer Smart Weights tie to your hands or ankles.

Smart weights are the key to WFH — workouts from home

Smart weights are the key to working out from home without breaking the bank or finding a large amount of space to move around.
Amazon Echo Show 15 hanging vertically on the wall.

Is your Amazon Echo, Alexa, or Ring down today? You aren’t alone

Outages at Amazon Web Services have caused malfunctions for Amazon, Ring, Disney Plus, and other platforms.
Echo Show 5 in the kitchen

Alexa can now tell you if you left the water on or the fridge door open

Alexa can now listen for the sound of running water or for beeping appliances, adding even more utility to the smart assistant.
Alexa listening indicator.

This South Korean smart home hack is one more reason you should secure your home

The capture and sale of hundreds of photos and recordings in South Korea points at exactly why you need to secure your smart home devices.
Amazon Fire TV Stick Lite

How to make any TV “smart” for $20 on Cyber Monday 2021

You can make any TV "smart" with the Amazon Fire TV Stick, only $20 for this incredible Cyber Monday deal.
The Ryse SmartShades fit to existing blinds to make them smart.

The Ryse Smartshades are HomeKit-compatible conversion kits for your blinds

Ryse SmartShades offer a more affordable solution for retrofitting your existing blinds with smart functionality.