HomeTech.fm

On this week's show: CEDIA’s first-timer list hints at where custom integration is heading next, Sonos teases a new soundbar, Control4 gets new Google Home and Google TV integrations, Wyze builds privacy right into a $40 indoor cam, Amazon raises prices on Echo, Fire TV, and Kindle gear while also handing some Fire TV users Alexa Plus for free, a pick of the week, project updates, and so much more!
Are These First-Time CEDIA Expo Exhibitors the Next Big Thing in Custom Integration?
Sonos Teases New Soundbar Ahead of September Hardware Reveal | iPhone in Canada
Chowmainsoft Introduces Google Home and Google TV Integrations for Control4
HomeTech HeadlinesRecessed Entry Sensor - Ubiquiti Store
Mova’s latest robot vacuum solves the kitchen stool problem
Wi-Fi 8 is the first wireless upgrade in years that isn’t chasing speed, and home networks need it
The lens in Wyze’s new $40 indoor camera retracts for privacy
Hackers Compromised 14,500+ Dahua Devices Using Credential Attacks, Auth Bypasses, and P2P
FCC officially decides gigabit speeds are too good for you
Amazon just hiked the prices for Echo, Fire TV, and Kindle products by up to 60 percent
Fire TV users are getting an Alexa Plus update – for free
Aqara expands H1 Matter lighting lineup with new downlights and spotlights
From the homeautomation community on Reddit: I reverse engineered the Litter Robot 4 to control it 100% locally via Home Assistant. Custom firmware and install guide in description!

From the homeautomation community on Reddit: I reverse-engineered local Ecobee control and put it on PyPI (no cloud, no dev key, no Home Assistant)
From the homeassistant community on Reddit: Samsung Family Hub Reborn: Turning a Fridge Touchscreen into a Home Assistant Dashboard 🏠🥳
Video: I Finally Sorted Out My Box of Mystery USB Cables
Treedix USB Cable Tester 2.4" Screen for eMarker PD3.0/3.1 Resistor
Korg nanoKONTROL2 Slim-Line USB Control Surface, Black
Photon | Bring your agents to iMessage, WhatsApp, Telegram, Slack, and beyond
Hot Dog Stand – The Game

On this week's show: TiVo decides skipping commercials should cost something, LG TVs face some very ugly privacy claims, Home Assistant 2026.9 brings a big Modbus cleanup, UniFi tries a friendlier whole-home Wi-Fi pitch, and Sonos rolls out Beam Ultra, Ace Ultra, and a whole new Sonos 27 software story. We also hit new gear from both CEDIA and IFA, a full mailbag of feedback for Gavin, project updates, and so much more!
HomeTech HeadlinesApple announces September iPhone launch event
TiVo Plans to End Free Automatic Commercial Skipping in November, Tests Paid Premium Replacement Service | Cord Cutters News
LG smart TVs caught logging audio with screen off and snooping on local devices
Homey expands beyond the app with the Portal touchscreen and rotary controller
JBL takes on Sonos with new multi-room Cove speakers
Shelly launches first smart camera at a budget price without any subscriptions
Sonos Launches Beam Ultra and Ace Ultra Pre-Orders in Canada | iPhone in Canada
How Sonos rebooted itself
Sonos 27: Why Your System Keeps Getting Better
Introducing UniFi Travel Router Long-Range
Introducing Whole-Home WiFi by UniFi
ProStudio by Josh.ai Raises the Bar for Custom Home Control, Integration, & Installation at CEDIA Expo 2026
AVA OS 3.0 Adds Over 100 New Features to Systems
Audio Pad Series | Architectural Audio Integrated into Faceplates | Magna Audio
CEDIA Announces Winners of 2026 Smart Home Awards Americas
Govee expands its smart lighting lineup at IFA 2026 with dual-zone outdoor lights, a simulated skylight, and new COB strips
Aqara expands its global smart lighting range with Thread and Zigbee support at IFA 2026
These new robot lawn mowers trim your edges
Roborock expands beyond the living room with automated pool cleaners and LiDAR mowers at IFA 2026
iRobot unveils the Roomba Duo

FeedbackICO – The Smart Pool Monitor
Smart Pool Water Analyzer | Make Pool Care Effortless - iopool
Droplet: Smart Home Water Sensor
Tailwind iQ3 Smart Automatic Garage Door Controller
ESPHome Tesla BLE

“How Many Gavins” Calculator
2026.9: There's room on this bus
E-Wand™ Single Unit – Current Luxury

On this week's show: the Open Home Foundation puts Community Day 2026 on the calendar, Apollo makes ESPHome a little less breadboard-y, Petlibro reminds everyone why cloud-dependent pet gear is a terrible way to miss dinner, and Whisker proves AI still can’t always tell one cat from another. We also hit Brilliant’s new managed-service subscription, Comcast turning routers into motion sensors with a privacy asterisk, Aqara pushing Matter camera controls forward, Sonos news, plus CEDIA-bound gear from DreamWall and DoorBird, a pick of the week, project updates, and so much more!
Community Day 2026: Save the date! – Open Home Foundation
ESPHome Starter Kit is shipping!
Universal Paperclips (Game)
HomeTech HeadlinesCats and dogs are missing meals after a popular smart feeder went down
Whisker’s AI-powered litter robot thinks my cats swapped bodies
Brilliant Launches Subscription Service for Managed Smart Home Automation
DreamWall to Debut New Generation of Outdoor CooLED MicroLED Video Wall Solutions at CEDIA Expo 2026
DoorBird Launches the New D22x Series - Residential Systems
Comcast adds motion sensing to millions of its newer routers, with a privacy catch | TechCrunch
Sonos gets ready to launch new Ace Ultra headphones
Sonos Adds Live Activities Support on iPhone
Aqara enables PTZ camera control through Matter on the G350

SEED - SEED Early Access | A brand new world, ready to be populated
Whats Up, Reynoldsburg?

On this week's show: CEDIA Expo 2026 is almost here with hundreds of product debuts on deck, GE talks up US-made chips in connected laundry, Home Assistant finds a new way to boss around Apple devices, Google Home on iOS may be turning lights on just for fun, Alexa+ lands in Australia, Sonos learns some Lutron tricks, OpenAI’s hockey-puck AI speaker rumor rolls on, ESPHome gets a much friendlier desktop app, plus a pick of the week, project updates, and so much more.
Oberlin, Ohio
HomeTech HeadlinesHundreds of New Products Anticipated to Debut at CEDIA Expo 2026
GE Appliances doubles down on US-made chips.
iOS 27 Flips the Script: Home Assistant Can Now Control Your Apple Devices
Dolby Vision 2 is officially available on select Hisense TVs - Engadget
A Google Home bug is randomly turning on smart lights
Amazon's Alexa+ Assistant Launches in Early Access in Australia
“Hey Sonos, open the shades.”
OpenAI speaker to be hockey puck-sized and cost over US$300: report
Simplify your ESPHome setup with the new desktop app

WiiM Bar | Display-First Dolby Atmos Soundbar
Badgers : animated music video : MrWeebl

On this week's show: the FCC’s robot ban turns out to include future robot vacuums and mowers, which may make the next robovac harder to buy without making it much safer; Roku decides budget streamers are a premium experience now; Apple’s smart home hub and Siri refresh are reportedly getting closer; Sonos is teasing some kind of AI move for September; UniFi adds a Thread border router and beefs up Protect; plus new gear from Zooz, Aqara, Xiaomi, Homey, SmartThings, and Home Assistant, a pick of the week, project updates, and so much more!
HomeTech HeadlinesThe US is banning foreign robots
The US government just banned Roombas
Robot vacuums are included in US robot ban
The ban on robot vacuums won’t make them safer. But it may make your next one worse
The US Just Banned New Chinese Robot Vacuums and Mowers: Canada Could Be Next | iPhone in Canada
Roku raises streaming stick prices by up to 60 percent
Zooz 800 Series Z-Wave Long Range Motion Dimmer ZEN12 800LR
Xiaomi’s smart washing machines are finally going global
Sonos Is Reportedly Planning Something Big for AI in September
Apple’s long-awaited smart home Siri AI refresh is achingly close to reality
Apple Could Start New Smart Home Push as Early as October
Ubiquiti’s new SuperLink Gateway HA brings professional Thread hardware to UniFi
UniFi Gets Its Own Thread Border Router
Introducing UniFi Protect 7.2
Homey is a rare smart home platform that is Matter 1.5 certified
SmartThings quietly brings Matter 1.6 to beta hub firmware
Finally: Aqara launches dual-protocol Matter and Thread smart plugs in the UK and EU

Home Assistant 2026.8 beta adds Matter doorbell events and simpler setup
FireAvert joins Works with Home Assistant
Building the device database together: Public preview now live – Open Home Foundation
GitHub - GuiPoM/ha-sentinel: HA Sentinel — proactive health monitoring for Home Assistant integrations and apps
ESPHome Starter Kit
Maslow4 Large Format CNC