Platforms & Ecosystem
4 articlesHow we'll build the device database, together6 min
Home Assistant 2026.2 adds a Labs opt-in that feeds the Open Home Foundation Device Databaseâaggregated, anonymized âreal-worldâ device stats (local vs cloud behavior, reliability, sensors exposed, protocol fit). Early dataset: 2,000+ unique devices across 160+ integrations; public dashboard/downloads now, web UI planned H1 2026.
Google Home finally adds support for buttons3 min
Google Home automations can now trigger on âswitch or button pressed,â enabling single/double/long-press starters for smart buttons (but not via Gemini âAsk Home/Help Me Createâ yet). The update also adds triggers like vacuum docked, humidity threshold, and device battery/binary-state changes, plus a fix for âVideo not availableâ playback errors.
Connectivity problems with new IKEA Matter-over-Thread devices3 min
Hold off on IKEAâs new budget Matter-over-Thread gear: users report pairing failures and devices vanishing across Apple Home, Google, Amazon, and Home Assistant. IKEA says itâs investigating with ecosystem partners/CSA. Key gotcha: devices auto-enter pairing for 15 minutes after first power-on, then require manual re-pair.
2026.2: Home, sweet overview20 min
Update to Home Assistant 2026.2: the new Home Dashboard becomes the default Overview (legacy still available), plus a redesigned Quick search (Ctrl/â+K) for navigating/commands/entities fast. âAdd-onsâ are now called Apps, and Labs adds opt-in anonymized device analytics powering an Open Home Foundation device database (~10k devices).
Product Launches
4 articlesSwitchBotâs AI photo frame is finally here â this is the feature youâll love the most4 min
SwitchBotâs AI Art Frame (color EâInk âSpectra 6â) is now on sale in 7.3/13.3/31.5in sizes, showing classic art or your own AI-generated images. The killer feature is AI Art Remix: turn photos/sketches into styles like oil, watercolor, or anime. Up to 2 years battery; ÂŁ149.99/$149.99 + ÂŁ3.99/mo for some features.
Shelly Dimmer Gen 4 gains Matter support and launches in the US1 min
Shelly Dimmer Gen4 now supports Matter and is finally on sale in the US for $49.99. The in-wall module adds Zigbee to WiâFi/Bluetooth, letting one âdumbâ dimmer work across Apple Home, Google Home, and Home Assistant. Fits behind a switch, works with/without neutral, and supports up to 150W LED loads.
Meross' latest gadget is a 3-in-1 smart sensor with a very impressive lifespan â and it's less than ÂŁ303 min
Meross launched the MS605 3âinâ1 presence sensor (ÂŁ28.99/$37.99) combining mmWave radar + PIR + light sensing to cut false triggers and enable smarter lighting automations. Detects motion to 6m (presence best within 4m), offers customizable zones, runs ~3 years on a CR123A, is IP67, and supports Matter for Apple/Alexa/Google/SmartThings/Home Assistantâno hub.
Netatmo quietly launches indoor camera with facial recognition â and thereâs no subscription fees3 min
Netatmoâs new Indoor Camera Advance launches in the UK at ÂŁ219.99 with 2K HDR video, 130° view, 16x zoom, and AI detection (people/animals/motion) plus facial recognition. Smart Privacy auto-closes a mechanical shutter when it recognizes you and reactivates via geolocationâplus no monthly subscription fees.
Reviews & Spotlight
4 articlesIf I had to buy a smart display right now, I'd get this one16 min
Amazonâs 4thâgen Echo Show 8 ($179.99) is the Alexa smart display sweet spot: sleeker âfloatingâ design, noticeably better bass, and built-in Zigbee + Thread/Matter + Sidewalk hub features. Big tradeoff: the camera loses a physical privacy shutter. Alexa+ now costs $19.99/mo for nonâPrime and still feels inconsistent.
Sensereo MSC-1 Matter smoke and CO alarm review: High standards for Thread safety7 min
Sensereoâs MSC-1 is a Matter-over-Thread smoke + CO alarm with a loud 85dB siren, LED ring, and a digital CO/battery display. Pairing was smooth across HA/HomeKit/SmartThings/Alexa/Homey, with stable Thread and ~1âminute reconnects; Google Home shows missing battery/diagnostics. Early-bird preorder: $69.99.
I tested Dyson's new Spot+Scrub Ai, and unfortunately it's not quite the robovac redemption the brand must have been hoping for18 min
Dysonâs new Spot+Scrub Ai robot vac/mop (UK ÂŁ1,049.99) nails âlittle-and-oftenâ cleaning with strong hard-floor pickup, smart obstacle avoidance, and excellent hot-water roller mop self-wash/dry (mop still looked new after 2 months). But itâs loud, sometimes struggles docking/self-emptying, and targeted zone cleans can misbehaveâso not a top-tier standout.
SwitchBot Lock Ultra Review: A Good Retrofit Smart Lock for Secondary Doors10 min
SwitchBotâs $140 Lock Ultra is a retrofit smart lock that can motorize unusual jimmy-proof/mortise locks with a $20 adapterâgreat for secondary doors like garages. App/Bluetooth control can take 1â10s, and Matter via SwitchBot hub was slow/unreliable. Best paired with a keypad; Vision face/fingerprint felt finicky for the price.
Projects & How-To
3 articlesThis Home Assistant helper can warn you before mold appears in your house5 min
Set up Home Assistantâs Mold Indicator helper to estimate mold/condensation risk per room using indoor temp+humidity plus outdoor temp, then calibrate it by measuring the roomâs coldest âcritical pointâ (window frames, etc.). Readings >70% mean mold-friendly conditionsâtrigger dehumidifier/HVAC âdryâ before it hits 70%; 100% suggests condensation likely.
GeekMagic SmallTV Pro & Home Assistant - Neil Turner's Blog4 min
Turn the GeekMagic SmallTV Pro (ESP32) into a tiny always-on Home Assistant status screen. Easiest path: install a HACS integration that renders selected entities (1â9 tiles) into an image and pushes it on a timerâauthor needed ~10s refresh and removed other images. Alternate: flash ESPHome via web updater/UART but lose stock features.
4 Home Assistant triggers you aren't using in your automations (but should be)5 min
Upgrade Home Assistant automations with 4 overlooked triggers: Calendar (run routines only on event days like âGuestâ/vacation), Webhooks (fire automations from external apps/scripts via HTTPâgreat for PC-on-call indicators), Zone (enter/leave home/work/gym for presence routines), and NFC Tag scans (cheap, per-user actions + logging).
Perspectives
2 articlesVulnerability Report: Unauthenticated MQTT Broker Access in Molekule IoT Air Purifiers11 min
Molekule air purifiers reportedly exposed fleet-wide telemetry: an unauthenticated AWS Cognito Identity Pool let anyone get temporary AWS creds and subscribe to wildcard AWS IoT Core MQTT topics, streaming shadow updates from ~100k devices. Data included SSIDs, MACs, device names, and sensor/usage metadata (read-only, no device control).
Why I'm hesitant to trust Matter-certified smart home gadgets6 min
Donât assume the Matter logo means âworks everywhereâ: ecosystems support different Matter versions, so device-type support varies (SmartThings 1.5, Alexa/Apple 1.4, Google Home 1.2). Newer categories can degrade to basic controlsâe.g., Matter robot vacuums showed up as outlets in Apple Home until iOS 18.4.