LG Is Adding Features to Speakers You Already Own, and Will Not Say What It Costs
LG is adding DTS:X and Google Cast to speakers people already own, which is the good half of modern audio. It will not say the price or whether the update is free.
#smart-home
Apple's $299 Home Hub Is a HomePod With a Screen, and the Wall Costs Extra
Apple's $299 home hub is a HomePod with a screen, and the wall version costs up to $429 once the bracket is in. The mount could be printed; the power cannot.
The Wall HomeView Needs a Charger It Does Not Include, and a Weak One Will Not Do
The wall HomeView needs a charger it does not include, with a specific 20W spec. A device that will not run without an accessory is not sold complete.
Apple Let LG and Schneider Build Its Locks, Which Is the Good News Here
Apple's locks and doorbells are built with LG and Schneider, which is the good news. The prices are not: $349.95 for a lock buys integration, not better hardware.
Siri AI Is Not Coming to Your Original HomePod Mini
Apple says Siri AI will only come to the HomePod mini 2, so the original HomePod mini is left out. The S5 chip is the reported reason.
Apple Is Holding Its First Event About the House, and I Am Not Switching for It
Apple's first event about the home will not move a working house: switching ecosystems means re-pairing everything you own. Arriving late only helps if you arrive better.
A Smart Plug That Measures Power Is Sold Wrong. It Is Not About Saving Money
Energy-monitoring plugs are sold as a way to save money, which nobody does. As an early warning that an appliance is breaking, they earn their place.
Apple's AI Camera Summaries Are Free. The Storage Plan They Live In Is Not
Apple's camera summaries fix the real problem with security cameras. The price is hidden inside an iCloud+ tier, which is how a feature avoids being compared.
A $600 Discount on a Robot Vacuum Answers the Wrong Question
Roborock cut up to $600 off its priciest robot vacuums. Whether that is a deal depends on your floor area, not on the discount.
Tovala's Oven Is Only Cheap If You Eat Less Than Takeaway
Tovala's oven drops from $299 to $69 if you commit to six weeks of meals. At two meals a week the cheap oven already costs more, and the real rival is the takeaway you already order.
Eight Sleep's $1,999 Mattress Cooler Has a Cheaper Rival in Your Window
Eight Sleep's Pod 6 cools one side of the bed for $1,999. An air conditioner cools the whole room, including the person next to you, and a lighter blanket costs nothing.
Apple Now Sells a Thermostat That Decides For You. The Useful Part Is Deciding From Work
Apple now sells the Aqara W200, the first third-party thermostat with Adaptive Temperature. The feature worth paying for is not the automation, it is switching the heating on from work.