Home automation

This story was originally published by Grist. Sign up for Grist’s weekly newsletter here.Uh Oh, Amazon Bought Your Favorite Robot CompanyDoing laundry accounts for about 8 percent of a home’s annual electricity use, a figure that does not include the energy needed to heat the water swirling through the washing machine. Beyond that financial cost, the appliances contribute mightily to the nation’s carbon footprint. On Thursday, the Biden administration announced new washer and dryer efficiency standards that could ease…

There may be bad news if you purchased one of Amazon’s “Overall Picks” for video doorbells in recent months. New tests from Consumer Reports find that popular doorbell cameras sold under names including Eken and Tuck are rife with security flaws that make it dead simple for anyone to watch your camera footage.Prepping the Sandworm Scenes in Dune: Part TwoConsumer Reports looked at ten seemingly identical video doorbells sold under various names including Eken and Tuck that are widely available on websites including…

Andy Boxall / Digital Trends If you’re planning to buy a foldable smartphone, here’s an offer from Motorola that may be hard to refuse — the Motorola Razr 2023 for a discounted price of $500, for savings of $200 on its original price of $700. Folding phones rarely appear in phone deals, and they get sold out quickly when they do. We expect the same thing to happen with this bargain, so if you’re interested in taking advantage of it, you should proceed with completing your purchase as soon as you can. Why you should…

If you’re like most people, you’ve probably amassed a drawer of unused electronics over the years. Many of these are probably smartphones — after all, carriers offer great promotions nowadays, giving you a chance to upgrade your device every two years without paying hefty fees. However, instead of letting your old smartphones collect dust (or worse, throwing them away), consider turning them into a makeshift security camera. There are plenty of great iOS and Android apps available that help turn your old smartphone…

Andy Boxall / Digital Trends If you want to get a foldable phone but Samsung’s Galaxy Z devices are too expensive, you may want to turn your attention towards the Motorola Razr 2023. From an original price of $700, it’s currently available from Amazon with a $200 discount, so you’ll only have to pay $500. There’s no telling when the offer expires though, so you’re going to have to make a quick decision on whether you’re buying this if you want to pocket the savings from one of the most interesting phone deals we’ve…

Image: SamsungRobot vacuums have always used sensors to detect furniture and identify your spaces, but of course, you’d expect one coming out in 2024 to be significantly more intelligent. In the era of AI-powered everything, Samsung just announced the Bespoke Jet Bot Combo, a smart vacuum/mop/steamer robot that knows when it needs to dig into a stain.Teenage Cybercrime Gang LAPSUS$ Strikes AgainThis cleaner surpasses Samsung’s last robot vacuum, the Bespoke Jet Bot AI+ with even more (artificial) intelligence. For…

Image: IkeaIkea just announced a set of smart home sensors all for under $10. The set includes a door and window sensor named Parasoll, a motion sensor called Vallhorn, and a water leakage sensor called Badring. These are set to be globally released in the first half of next year. Like It or Not, Your Doctor Will Use AI | AI UnlockedParasoll is a standard door and window sensor. It can be mounted on any of the two and will let you know when it detects an open or closed action. The cool thing about this sensor is that it…

Although they claim to make cleaning easier, robot vacuums often require as much attention and care as a toddler. The Ascender wants to change that, and its creators are claiming it’s the first robovac that can both climb and clean stairs: an obstacle that’s usually a death trap for most autonomous cleaners.Warning! Microsoft Wants ChatGPT to Control Robots NextThe earliest robovacs didn’t quite deliver on the promise of eliminating the chore of vacuuming. They’d randomly crisscrossa room and bounce off walls with…

One of thousands of made-up holidays invented by marketers that’s actually worth celebrating is Pet Appreciation Week, which is happening now and goes on until Sunday. To help mark the occasion this year, engineers at iRobot have created a Roomba accessory that dispenses treats to help make the device a friend, and not an enemy, to your pupper.Uh Oh, Amazon Bought Your Favorite Robot CompanyLike oil and vinegar or kids and baths, dogs and vacuum cleaners do not mix, but it’s not exactly a mystery as to why your furry…

Although its recent product announcements have included a hair straightener that doesn’t use plates and a questionable pair of air purifying headphones called the Dyson Zone, Dyson today returns to what made the company a success with a collection of new home cleaning products that include a redesigned robot and its first wet mopping tool.Uh Oh, Amazon Bought Your Favorite Robot CompanyDyson 360 Vis Nav Robotic VacuumDyson first revealed that it would be putting its innovative vacuum technology in an autonomous cleaning…