Episode 561 - 8K Is Dead, Long Live Buttons

On this week’s show: Control4 previews shiny new touchscreens and subscriptions, Google Home finally wakes up to buttons, and Ikea’s Matter devices can’t seem to "Thread the needle." Home Assistant wants your device data (respectfully), the 8K dream is officially dead (RIP pixels), and Nice and Yubii have ecosystem updates. Plus, a new dirt-hugging soil sensor, a pick of the week, project updates, an AI bot forces Gavin to spend money, and so much more!

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• Home Tech Headlines
  • Nice to Showcase Smart Living ecosystem at ISE 2026 - rAVe PUBS
  • ADI Previews Upcoming T5 Models as Well as New Connect Subscription for X4 Platform - CEPRO
  • Google Home finally adds support for buttons - The Verge
  • Ikea’s cheap new smart home gear is struggling to get connected - The Verge
  • The TV industry finally concedes that the future may not be in 8K - Ars Technica
  • New Govee Outdoor Pathway Lights 2 Lite bring S‑shaped color effects to your garden - The Ambient
  • This Dreame lightstrip is a brighter alternative to Hue’s Flux, and it’s available now - The Ambient
  • Pre-sale: WH52 Soil Moisture/Temperature/EC Sensor, Wireless 3-in-1 So - Ecowitt
• Pick of the Week
  • Surprise Birthday Delivery Surprise Gone Wrong
• How we'll build the device database, together - Home Assistant
• Only Fan Controller

Episode 560 - Sidewalks, SwitchBots, and Sonos Zones

On this week’s show: Gavin as a Service officially launches on YouTube, Sonos drops a new multi-zone Amp while Sony seems ready to drop the whole TV business. Amazon Sidewalk quietly infects Canada. ESPHome gets Control4 support, SwitchBot launches an AI hub with Home Assistant inside, and Zooz Z-Wave joins Apollo’s party. Seth tests drives a new AI assistant, TJ is all in again with Sonos (not really), a pick of the week, project updates, and so much more!

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Image credit: arkangel.wordpress.com

Show Notes

• HomeTech Headlines
  • Sonos Introduces Amp Multi Streaming Amplifier for Large Residential Audio Systems - CEPRO
  • Industry is Abuzz - What's Happening With Sony TVs & Audio? What is China's TCL's Involvement? - Strata-gee.com
  • Amazon Sidewalk Arrives in Canada Feb. 26: How to Opt Out of the Shared Network | iPhone in Canada - iPhone in Canada | Canada’s source for Apple, telecom, tech news, and deals
  • Ecowitt WS90 - 7-in-1 weather station - Shelly Europe - Shelly Europe
  • Apollo Automation Now Carries ZOOZ Z-Wave Smart Home Devices: Expandin - Apollo Automation
  • ESPHome - Driver for Control4 - chowmain.software
  • Wemo App Support Ending for Select Products in 2026 - manage.kmail-lists.com
  • SwitchBot Launches its AI-Centric Matter Home Hub - Homekit News and Reviews
• Pick of the Week: 100 years since the 'birth' of television took place in Soho | ITV News - ITV News
  • Kuba Komet TV - Early Television
• Home Assistant shifts Matter integration to Matter.js in beta - Matter Alpha
• Like, Subscribe, Ring the Bell, Save Automation, Do Your Thing: Gavin as a Service (YouTube)
• Affliate Link for Droplet: Droplet - The Smart Home Platform
• OpenClaw — Personal AI Assistant

Episode 559 - What Happens in Vegas... Ends Up in Our Podcast

On this week's show: Josh.ai and Control4 settle but at a cost —voice control stays, but touchscreens and remotes get benched. CES 2026 brings a flurry of floor interviews straight from Vegas, and we dig into a listener letter on Homey Self-Hosted. All that, a pick of the week, project updates, and so much more!

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Show Notes

• CES Coverage
  • The Future of Z-Wave: Your Involvement Matters
  • Smart Button Home - Slate Switch - Wireless Smart Remote Switch
  • Droplet the #1 Smart Home Water Sensor - Hydrific, part of LIXIL
  • Gemns™ | Energy Harvesting Technology
  • A New Smart Toilet Sensor May Be the Key to Solving Dehydration

Episode 558 - CES 2026

On this week's show: CES 2026 gave us everything from refrigerators with ads and humanoid laundry bots to pool cleaners smarter than your thermostat. Amazon and Samsung double down on AI (for better or worse), IKEA floods the market with affordable Matter gear, and Ring keeps dancing with Sidewalk and privacy. Kwikset locks in a new Matter smart lock under $200, SwitchBot wants to do your chores, and Roborock dares to climb stairs. Plus, Home Assistant gets a powerful new Music Assistant, Bose open-sources old gear instead of bricking it, a pick of the week, project updates, and so much more!

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Show Notes

• The Handy
• Worst in Show' CES products include AI refrigerators, AI companions and AI doorbells - AP News
• HomeTech Headlines
  • CES 2026
    • Samsung Reveals Wireless 'Music Studio' Speakers and Soundbars for Home Theaters - CEPRO
    • Bose is open-sourcing its old smart speakers instead of bricking them - The Verge
    • Amazon Introduces Ember Artline Lifestyle TV, Expands Ring Security Portfolio at CES 2026 - CEPRO
    • Alexa+ is Coming to Samsung TVs, BMW Cars, and More - Thurrott.com
    • Kwikset’s new Matter-over-Thread smart lock costs under $200 - The Verge
    • Ring Unloads a Flood of New Security Tech at CES: What’s Coming to Canada | iPhone in Canada - iPhone in Canada | Canada’s source for Apple, telecom, tech news, and deals
    • Ring’s Fire Watch turns doorbell cameras into wildfire detectors - The Verge
    • Ring’s new smart home sensors use Sidewalk instead of Wi-Fi or Z-Wave - The Verge
    • A Broad New Lineup of Affordable Matter-over-Thread Devices from IKEA Unlocks Easier Whole-Home Automation for SmartThings Users - SmartThings Blog - SmartThings Blog
    • Lifx launches a smart mirror and a $30 dimmer switch that can control smart bulbs - The Verge
    • GE’s new smart fridge wants to help you shop for groceries - The Verge
    • RainPoint Unveils First All-in-One Irrigation System at CES, Revolutionizing Home Gardening with Smart Home Tech - All For Gardening - All For Gardening
    • Segway unveils new Navimow robotic lawn mower lineup at CES 2026 - The Ambient
    • Roborock’s Rover walks, jumps, and vacuums your stairs - The Verge
    • Mammotion unveils its most ambitious pool cleaner yet - The Ambient
    • Beatbot’s new mid-range pool robot is all about value - The Ambient
    • SwitchBot says its humanoid household robot can do your laundry - The Verge
    • Aiper showcases autonomous robot pool cleaners and more at CES 2026 - The Ambient
    • Ecovacs adds a mop cover to its flagship robot vacuum - The Verge
    • LG says its CLOiD home robot will be folding laundry and making breakfast at CES - The Verge
    • ECOVACS Wants to Run Your Whole Home, and Yes, There’s a Robot Dog | iPhone in Canada - iPhone in Canada | Canada’s source for Apple, telecom, tech news, and deals
    • TP-Link announces Aireal, its AI assistant - The Verge
    • It’s all about AI robotics for Switchbot at CES 2026 - The Ambient
    • Google TV Is Getting Smarter and It’s Powered by Gemini | iPhone in Canada - iPhone in Canada | Canada’s source for Apple, telecom, tech news, and deals
    • LEGO introduces 'Smart Brick' that has tiny computer inside - MobileSyrup
    • Gemns™ | Energy Harvesting Technology - Gemns™
    • DONUT LAB INTRODUCES THE FUTURE OF ELECTRIFICATION AT CES PRESENTING WORLD’S FIRST ALL-SOLID-STATE BATTERY READY TO POWER UP PRODUCTION VEHICLES NOW - Donut Lab - Donut Lab
• Pick of the Week
  • fiio.com
• Music Assistant 2.7 - Taking over the airwaves - Blog - Home Assistant Community - Home Assistant Community
• Open Home Foundation (@openhomefoundation@fosstodon.org) - Fosstodon
• 2026.1: Home is where the dashboard is 🥂 - Home Assistant
• Changes to Home Assistant Green pricing - Nabu Casa
• UniFi Protect + Home Assistant — Integration Update (now Platinum quality)

Episode 557 - CES Live - Apollo Automation Monthly Livestream

On this week's show: Live from CES! The HomeTech team joined Justin and Kyle on the Apollo Automation monthly livestream on in Las Vegas at CES 2026. We had a great time and wanted to share the conversation on our feed as well.

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Show Notes

• Episode 21 (January 5, 2026) - Apollo Automation Monthly Live Stream
• Expanding Smart Home Automation Capabilities | Apollo Automation