All Shows

584 episodes

Episode 284 · December 23, 2019 · 01:22:03

The 5th Annual Fireside Chat Special

On this very special episode of HomeTech: Join us as we look back on the biggest smart home stories of 2019 on our fifth annual Fireside Chat! We are joined by both Richard Gunther and Adam Justice of the Digital Media Zone’s Home:On Podcast. This jam-packed episode will provide you with a comprehensive look back at all the trends that defined the connected home this year, including predictions about what 2020 will bring. Don’t miss it!

Episode 283 · December 6, 2019 · 01:05:11

Polk Audio's Bronson Gannon

On this episode of HomeTech: We are joined by Bronson Gannon, Global Brand Manager for Sound United’s Polk Audio. Our discussion covers the company’s new Legend line of speakers. We also dive into many of the fundamentals of speaker design, providing information all of us can use in order to make more educated buying decisions. That, plus the latest home tech headlines including: Cyber Monday 2019 shatters records. Plex launches their ad-supported TV streaming service. Sony updates TVs to support AirPlay 2 and HomeKit. The FBI warns consumers about the cybersecurity risks of smart TVs. Wyze undercuts the competition once again with their $89 smart lock. Best Buy hits an impressive 2M+ subscribers to their Total Tech Support membership. And more…

Episode 282 · November 29, 2019 · 01:02:35

Black Friday Roundup, plus a Conversation with the Smart Kitchen Platform Innit

On this episode of HomeTech: Now that you’ve recovered from your Thanksgiving food coma, we are joined by Kevin Brown, CEO and Co-founder of Innit. Innit is a leading platform for the connected kitchen. Acting as a unifying layer designed to simplify and enhance the home cooking experience, Innit works with a diverse set of industry partners including appliance makers, retailers, tech giants, and large food distributors. Tune in to learn more about their novel and comprehensive approach to the rapidly expanding connected kitchen market. That plus our annual Black Friday roundup. Join us to discover some of the best and most unique connected home deals available this holiday season!

Episode 281 · November 15, 2019 · 00:52:36

Catching up with SnapAV featuring Charlie Kindel and G. Paul Hess

On this episode of HomeTech: We are joined by Charlie Kindel, SnapAV’s Chief Product Officer, and G. Paul Hess, SnapAV’s Chief Marketing Officer, to catch up on what has been a very busy year for the company. Our conversation covers the latest on the Control4 merger, the new NEEO remote, the latest on the OvrC remote management platform, Control4’s upcoming C4Yourself event, and much more. Don’t miss it! Plus the latest home tech headlines including: Netflix explains why certain older streaming devices will no longer be supported. Disney+ comes out of the gate swinging. Hikvision launches the most racist product feature of all time. Amazon patches a vulnerability found in Ring doorbells. and more.

Episode 280 · November 8, 2019 · 00:40:08

Meet the all new Assistant Security Shield

On this episode of HomeTech: Tune in to learn all about the hottest new device in connected home security—the HomeTech Assistant Security Shield (ASS)™. Your worse fears have been realized. Hackers are taking to the streets armed with lasers capable of unleashing mayhem on your smart speaker. You feel vulnerable. Helpless. Ready to throw in the towel on your smart home dreams. But fret not. The HomeTech Assistant Security shield leverages Advanced Impenetrable Reflective Technology (AIRT)™ to keep you and your family safe. It’s security, at the speed of light. Tune in to learn more! That, plus the latest home tech headlines, including: Initial thoughts on Apple TV+. Insignia smart products are smart no more. Walmart reportedly looking to put Vudu on the selling block. Google buys Fitbit for $2.1B. Lutron dismisses lawsuit against Savant. Control4 launches new NEEO remote. And more…

Episode 279 · November 1, 2019 · 00:58:16

Smart-Home Cheers and Consumer Fears with Brad Russell of Parks Associates

On this episode of HomeTech: We are joined by Brad Russel, Parks Associates’ Research Director, Connected Home. A leading market research and consulting company, Parks Associates is a go-to resource for anyone looking for a data-driven understanding of the smart home market. Our conversation with Brad covers the current state of the industry along with the “cheers and fears” driving connected home adoption. Don’t miss it! That, plus a very busy week in home tech news including: Is Wink in its death throes? Apple pulls a HomePod update after reports of bricked devices. Sonos launches a trade-in program. Playstation Vue is shutting down. More details emerge regarding HBO’s forthcoming streaming service, HBO Max. The Apple TV app is officially available on Amazon Fire TV devices. Reports that Apple is ramping up its HomeKit efforts. And more…

Episode 278 · October 25, 2019 · 00:36:44

WiFi -3

On this episode of HomeTech: Researchers have found a way to extend WiFi (sort of) up to 200 ft. SpaceX plans to launch satellite-based low latency broadband service in 2020. Google Home update bricks some units. Homebuilders are ditching Nest. Voice assistants introduce a new kind of phishing attack. Best Buy takes on Amazon with free next-day deliveries for the holidays. Ikea’s long-awaited smart blinds are finally available in parts of the U.S. An interesting debate over Google’s decision to leave WiFi6 out of Google Nest WiFi. And more…

Episode 277 · October 18, 2019

"Back" at It

On this episode of HomeTech: We take a deep dive into the numerous smart home announcements unveiled by Google during their recent Pixel event. Plus the latest home tech headlines including: US blacklists several major Chinese surveillance companies. Apple’s HomeKit Secure Video nears launch. Apple adds an option to delete Siri's history. Disney+ unveils its content lineup ahead of its November 12th launch. And more…

Episode 276 · October 4, 2019

Stanky Stankey

On this episode of HomeTech: YouTube TV is finally available on Fire TV devices. A feud between Dish and Fox leaves sports fans in the cold. Next-gen ISP bundles may include various streaming services. The future of DirecTV’s “Sunday Ticket” package may be in question. Google follows Amazon’s lead, adding the deletion of Assistant command history. More delays on Ikea’s forthcoming smart blinds. Vivint is slowly moving forward with 5G internet service. And more…

Episode 275 · September 27, 2019

CEDIA 2019 Wrap-Up

On this episode of HomeTech: Join us on this jam-packed edition as we wrap up another big CEDIA show! Our discussion includes some of the biggest trends and technologies we observed on the floor, plus a few cool product-finds you won’t want to miss!

Episode 274 · September 17, 2019

CEDIA 2019 From the Floor

On this episode of HomeTech: We take a break from working the big show to chat about a few quick observations we had at CEDIA 2019. We’ll be back next with with a wrap up and bigger conversation about the rest of our CEDIA experience.

Episode 273 · September 6, 2019

CEDIA 2019 Preview

On this episode of HomeTech: We are joined by Giles Sutton, CEDIA’s VP of Industry Engagement, to get his take on the upcoming EXPO in Denver! Giles shares several exciting updates surrounding the big event. Additionally, we dive into some of the organization’s latest initiatives including a promising new workforce development program and increased outreach to the design and specification community. Don’t miss this one!

Episode 272 · August 30, 2019

Bravo, Bravas

On this episode of HomeTech: Crestron OS 3 officially launches. Lutron sues Savant over Palladiom knock-off (err… competitor). Details emerge on Google’s forthcoming Nest Mini. A new initiative from the UHD alliance takes aim at the dreaded soap opera effect. Disney+ offers a killer limited-time pre-order deal. Is the Bravas roll-up the sign of a new era in integration, or Via part 2? And much more…

Episode 271 · August 23, 2019

Bringing Smarts to the Breaker Box with Leviton's Justin Berghoff

On this episode of HomeTech: We are joined by Justin Berghoff, Leviton’s Director of Business Development & Product Management. Justin joins us to discuss the company’s Smart Load Center product line. A part of our homes so fundamental that most of us take it for granted, the breaker box was overdue for an intelligent upgrade. Join us to learn how Leviton’s product line is finally bringing circuit breakers into the 21st century.

Episode 270 · August 16, 2019

The TV Fairy

On this episode of HomeTech: Can’t-miss CEDIA courses. A “save-the-date” for our CEDIA HomeTech happy hour. CBS and Viacom agree to a $30 billion merger. Is a portable speaker from Sonos finally in the offing? Cortana is getting kicked out of its own thermostat. A review of SnapAV’s new ultra-compact, WiFi WattBox. A new pro-focused Logitech remote. The TV Fairy visits residents of Virginia. And more…

Episode 269 · August 9, 2019

"Ooverseeopoly"

On this episode of HomeTech: Jason and Seth are both back to discuss this week’s news in Home Technology

Episode 268 · August 2, 2019

Non-Profit Technology Companies

On this episode of HomeTech: SnapAV and Control4 complete their merger, Locast lawsuits get started, AT&T rebrands something to AT&T something, and Seth takes a swing at recording a solo show and writing show notes while Jason is out of town… can you tell?

Episode 267 · July 19, 2019

Can We Stop Talking About Prime Day Now?

On this episode of HomeTech: SnapAV continues to gobble up distributors, acquiring north west-based Custom Plus. Are rumors of HAI’s demise greatly exaggerated? Prime Day topples records. Amazon Music Unlimited growth rate is outpacing its competitors. Hulu quietly brings back 4k. CEDIA names Mitch Klein its Lifetime Award Winner. Five key questions about the forthcoming HBO Max streaming service. And much more…

Episode 266 · July 12, 2019

Newman!

On this episode of HomeTech: IKEA saves American podcasters from the embarrassment of trying to pronounce Trádfri by rebranding the line to “Home Smart”. Prime Video finally works on Chromecast and Android TV. Wyze adds AI-powered people detection to their cameras. Arlo cameras go on fire-sale pricing. Hulu adds a new “yada yada yada” shuffle button for Seinfeld episodes. Details on AT&T’s forthcoming streaming service, HBO Max. Will Apple’s culture help or hurt their TV+ efforts? And more…

Episode 265 · July 5, 2019

Dumpster Fire Sausage

On this episode of HomeTech: Massive hacks and data breaches expose 2 billion home automation records, Alexa will never delete those secrets you told her, Bixby really wants to be a thing, Roku dominates and Netflix starts to pinch pennies in anticipation of more competition. We have a big discussion on how voice isn’t the next big platform we all anticipated it to be and Seth tells everyone how he really feels about his Echo. Spoiler alert: The Echo is out.