Upcoming Philips Hue lights to add Bluetooth connectivity, filament bulb options
Philips Hue, now under the Signify banner, released a host of new and updated lights and smart home devices Thursday, adding Bluetooth connectivity for the first time. Also coming later this year are brand new filament bulbs and a new smart plug and smart button, the company says.
Amazon cuts the Alexa-enabled Philips Hue Starter Pack to its lowest price ever
We love Philips Hue. While they're not cheap, some of us have first-generation bulbs — now some seven years old — and they are still working just as good as they did on day one. Now in their fourth generation, they're better than ever, and now cheaper than ever on Amazon.
RoomMe, a smart home sensor that knows who you are, finally ships to buyers
RoomMe, the smart home sensor that's long been in the pipeline at Israel-based startup Intellithings,promises smart home automation based on personal identification rather than time-based programming. Now, it looks like the crowdfunded product will finally ship this month.
Your Nest products will still work with Wink, but at the cost of new features
In previous months, Google had said Nest and Wink integrations would no longer work beyond August 31. They've since amended this declaration and will allow integrations to remain, but customers can't access new features like single-account control. Users will receive security updates, however.
Virtual universe machine models galaxies to learn about dark matter
Researchers are discovering new facts about our universe by creating a virtual universe machine that models the way galaxies develop over time. A team from the University of Arizona created a computer simulation of 12 million different galaxies, stretching back 400 million years after the Big Bang.
Telescope array discovers a trove of ancient, massive galaxies
Huge, billion-year-old galaxies have been hiding in plain sight, according to a new study. Astronomers discovered 39 ancient, massive galaxies by combining data from different telescopes around the world. They were hard to find because the light they give off is very faint, and they are obscured by dust.
Arlo’s smart security cams take a bite out of Apple, finally add HomeKit support
After announcing at CES earlier this year that it was launching support to add its popular smart security cameras to Apple's HomeKit smart home platform, device manufacturer Arlo has delivered on its promise in its latest update by enabling users to add cameras to the platform.
Moen is adding support for Siri, Apple HomeKit to its U smart shower
At over $1,000 for even a basic model, the ultra-luxurious Moen U smart home shower is quite an indulgence. But smart home owners who are partial to Apple's HomeKit platform or are heavy-duty Siri users now have a reason to think about buying one: Moen has added support for Apple HomeKit.
The Nanoleaf Canvas can now control your smart home through touch
The Nanoleaf Canvas improves its functionality thanks to HomeKit-based "Touch Actions" that let users turn any Canvas Square into a smart button. These buttons can be set to control devices throughout the home with a single press. This improved functionality is available starting today.
Vizio updates even 3-year-old SmartCast TVs with AirPlay 2 and HomeKit
Vizio joins LG in updating its smart TVs with Apple's AirPlay 2 and HomeKit technologies. Unlike LG, Vizio is adding these features to a huge range of models, some of which date back as far as 2016. The features are contained with SmartCast 3.0 which starts rolling out to eligible TVs today.
Space telescope to probe the mysteries of dark energy and dark matter
Two of the biggest mysteries in astronomy are dark matter and dark energy. A new project from the European Space Agency (ESA), the Euclid mission, will attempt to unravel some of the puzzles over these forces and is set to launch in 2022. Euclid will perform a survey of billions of distant galaxies.
Are people losing interest in smart home technology?
Recent analysis of sales trends suggest that the smart home boom may be over and that consumers are beginning to lose interest in the market, but more factors are at play than just simple sales rank. The reasons people buy, and the number of products available to them, have a huge impact on the market.
Amazon discounts the Alexa Guard Kit with Ring Alarm, Echo Dot, and Philips Hue
Amazon dropped the price on a smart home security device bundle that demonstrates the giant retailer's unique ability to mix its own products with a leading third-party brand. The Alexa Guard bundle is a functionally complete smart home package in a compelling pre-Prime Day 2019 deal.
Dark matter galaxy crashed into the Milky Way, causing the ripples in its disk
New research suggests hundreds of millions of years ago, the Milky Way collided with Antlia 2, a nearby dwarf galaxy. This collision caused ripples in the disk of gas around the Milky Way which we still observe today. Antlia 2 is about one third the size of the Milky Way and is dominated by dark matter.
Your smartphone could be the key to predicting natural disasters
One of the challenges for atmospheric scientists is gathering enough data to understand the complex, planet-wide weather system. Now an atmospheric scientist has come up with a clever idea to gather more data using smartphones and Internet of Things (IoT) devices.
Woot offers huge discounts on Philips Hue smart lighting for one day only
If there's a standard bearer for smart home lighting, it's Philips Hue. As one of the first manufacturers to offer LED light kits for smart homes, Philips Hue light bulbs, switches, hubs, and starter kits command premium prices. That's why we jumped when we saw Woot's one-day sale on Philips Hue smart lights.
Scientists find organic matter from outer space in 3.3-billion-year-old rocks
Scientists believe they have located organic matter that is extraterrestrial in origin, in 3.3 billion year old rocks in the Makhonjwa Mountains in South Africa. This offers support to the theory that organic chemicals arrived on our planet aboard a meteorite and created the building blocks for life.
Alexa, how’s the smart home revolution doing? As it turns out, just fine
More than a third of broadband-equipped households now own at least one remotely monitored internet-connected device, with smart speakers in the lead, followed by thermostats and networked cameras, analysts at Parks Associates reported at the Connections connected-home conference.
Sale at Microsoft Store knocks 20% off Samsung SmartThings devices
Looking to make your home even smarter? Samsung SmartThings is the electronics manufacturer's smart home hub, sensor, and most recently a decent mesh Wi-Fi router system, and everything's on sale for 20% off at the Microsoft Store at the moment.
Control4 assures customers that its products will still work with Nest
Google is ending the "Works with Nest" program that allows third-party companies to build products that integrate with the Nest ecosystem. Smart home product maker Control4 is promising that its products will continue to work with Nest and Google devices through the "Works with Google Assistant" program.
Best Buy cuts the price of Philips Hue Smart Light Kit with 2 Google Home Minis
Best Buy cut the price of the Philips Hue White and Color Ambiance Multicolor LED Starter Kit and added a Google Home Mini 2-pack for no extra cost. This bundle saves $128 from the combined price of the smart light starter kit and the Google Minis. This is a great deal for anyone starting to set up a smart home.
Philips Hue smart bulbs get steep discounts at Best Buy
Philips Hue are some of the best smart bulbs on the market, but they are by no means the cheapest. That's why when we see a deal like Best Buy's on the Hue White and Color Ambiance BR30 bulbs, we recommend stocking up.
Philips Hue users can activate their favorite routines through Google Home
Philips Hue expanded its Google Home integration through the Gentle Sleep and Wake routine. Say, "Hey Google, sleep my lights" and your Philips Hue bulbs will dim over half an hour. Say "wake my lights" and they will brighten instead. This simulates a natural sunrise for a more natural wake-up.
Use this tool to see where your smart home devices are sending data
Your smart home devices may only work inside your home, but they might be sending data your data all over the world. A tool developed by researchers at Princeton University can help you track the data being sent from your smart home devices to see where it is being sent and who is using it.
Wink Hub has been out of stock almost everywhere for the past few months
The Wink Hub is one of the best reviewed smart home hubs around. There's just one problem: It hasn't been available for months. The Wink website lists the Wink Hub and other products as out of stock and no new product integrations have been added, leaving some to wonder if the company is still operating.
Hubitat swoops in to save Lowe’s Iris smart home devices from extinction
Owners of Iris-braded smart home devices sold by Lowe's were understandably bummed when the company stopped supporting the platform on March 31, but a smart home manufacturer called Hubitat has saved the day by figuring out how to support the devices via its home automation hub.
A milestone in the history of particle physics: Why does matter exist?
For every particle that exists in our universe, there is an antiparticle. But if matter and antimatter were both produced in equal amounts by the Big Bang, why is there so much matter around us and so little antimatter? A new experiment from CERN may hold the answer to this decades-long puzzle.
Cheer for your favorite NCAA team and Xfinity will respond with matching lights
Screaming at your favorite team just became a lot more rewarding thanks to Comcast's Xfinity voice remote and some special NCAA commands that set your smart lightbulbs to your favorite team's colors. The players may not hear you, but that doesn't mean you'll be ignored.
Fibaro smart devices are now compatible with the Samsung SmartThings hub
Samsung SmartThings now supports even more devices with the recent integration of Fibaro, a company known for its smart home sensors. Several devices are already compatible, with more on the way. In time, Fibaro hopes to make its entire line compatible with SmartThings.
Lutron’s Fan Control makes ceiling fans smart, but has some turnoffs
Is your goal in life to tell your ceiling fan to start while you lay in your bed? Lutron recently came out with a new smart switch that controls ceiling fans, the Lutron Caseta Fan Speed Control Switch. How does it stack up? Here's a first-hand review of the Lutron Fan Control switch.
Who should fix Internet of Things cybersecurity? Congress takes a crack at it
While the U.S. government has held a tight rein on security for networked devices like computers and cellphones, a bipartisan groups of legislators is now taking on the issue of cybersecurity for Internet of Things (IoT) devices by introducing a bill that would set new security standards.
CERN scientists create antimatter to answer fundamental question of the universe
The Big Bang should have created equal amounts of both matter and antimatter. And yet there is hardly any antimatter in our universe today. Why is that? A new experiment from CERN has been tackling the question by looking at how matter and antimatter could react differently to Earth's gravitational field.
SoftBank’s solar-powered drone could dispense 5G internet from the skies
An experimental, solar-powered drone capable of beaming internet down to Earth is set to take off. The drone is the product of a tightlipped partnership between Softbank and AeroVironment, an American aerospace company, aimed at delivering 5G and Internet of Things connectivity from the skies.
Blockchain is overhyped, but it’s also perfect for California’s drought problem
A prolonged drought left California parched, and years of unregulated groundwater use exacerbated the damage. Now, with aquifers sinking, the state is looking for ways to manage groundwater, and a group of researchers is trying a combination of two exciting technologies: the internet of things and Blockchain.