This Week's Essential Smart Home Reading #9
News
2025.12: Triggering the holidays 🎄
Home Assistant's latest release enhances automation with intuitive triggers and introduces a fun Winter mode, making it a must-read for holiday automation enthusiasts.
home-assistant.ioGoogle and Apple are ready to optimize your battery-powered sensors
Google and Apple are set to enhance battery life for smart sensors, potentially transforming the Matter ecosystem and reducing maintenance issues for users.
matteralpha.comAmazon Fire TV's new AI feature lets you jump to scenes by describing them to Alexa+ | TechCrunch
Amazon's new AI feature for Fire TV lets you jump to specific movie scenes by describing them to Alexa, making movie watching faster and more intuitive.
techcrunch.comGoogle Home trick lets you enable the new Gemini voices immediately
Unlock the new Gemini voices in Google Home with a simple trick—no need to wait for full rollout. Enhance your assistant experience today!
9to5google.comTitan OS raises $58 million from Highland Europe for its smart TV OS | TechCrunch
Titan OS's $58 million funding signals a shift in smart TV revenue models, emphasizing ongoing content and advertising profits over hardware sales. Essential reading for industry insights.
techcrunch.comThe Google Home app won’t let you “Call Home” anymore
Google's removal of the 'Call Home' feature from the Home app could impact how users connect with their smart displays and speakers, raising questions about future functionality.
pcworld.comProducts
Making Your Dumb Home Smart: What You Need To Know About Shelly
Transform your home with Shelly's affordable smart relays, enabling easy DIY upgrades for lights and appliances without rewiring. Perfect for budget-conscious enthusiasts!
forbes.comI tested the top streaming video players. Here’s who wins in 2025
Navigate the crowded streaming market with our top picks for every budget, highlighting unique features and performance to enhance your viewing experience.
pcworld.comNo time to vacuum? We tested out the best robot vacuums to cut down your chores list
Find the perfect robot vacuum for your home with expert reviews highlighting unique features, performance, and budget options to simplify your cleaning routine.
techradar.comI've tested scores of smart lights. These are the ones you should buy
Navigate the best smart lighting options with insights on unique features, compatibility, and pricing to enhance your smart home setup effectively.
pcworld.comSonoff adds iPlug Gen2 and MINI-2GS relay to its Matter listing
Sonoff's new iPlug Gen2 and MINI-2GS relay offer versatile Matter support, enhancing your smart home with reliable control for multiple devices and circuits.
matteralpha.comThe Ultimate Smart Camping Bundle for 2025: Power, Comfort & Fun Anywhere
Transform your camping experience with this smart bundle featuring app-controlled lighting, cooling, and entertainment devices for ultimate convenience and comfort.
gearbrain.comProjects
Hear Your Weather — Build a Talking Weather Station
Build a fully offline talking weather station using TinyTTS and CrowPanel, perfect for personalizing your smart home experience with voice alerts and updates.
hackster.ioRGB+CCT LED Controller With ESPHome and Home Assistant
This project showcases how to create a professional-grade RGB+CCT lighting system using ESPHome and Home Assistant, perfect for DIY enthusiasts looking to enhance their smart home lighting.
hackster.ioThings I've learned from upgrading all of the wall switches in my home
Transform your home with smart switches that keep traditional functionality while adding convenience. Discover practical insights from a real upgrade experience.
matteralpha.comUniversal Smart-Home Modular Hub
Unlock the potential of your smart home with this modular hub project, offering flexibility and support for multiple protocols like Zigbee and Thread. Perfect for DIY enthusiasts!
hackster.io5 projects that gave my smart TV a new life
Revitalize your aging smart TV with these five DIY Raspberry Pi projects that enhance functionality and user experience without breaking the bank.
xda-developers.comPerspectives
“The local-first rebellion”: How Home Assistant became the most important project in your house
Understand how Home Assistant's local-first architecture empowers users with privacy and control, reshaping the future of home automation and community-driven development.
github.blog4 uncomfortable truths about Home Assistant
Consider the challenges of using Home Assistant: from technical barriers to family frustrations, this article reveals why it's not for everyone and what to expect if you dive in.
howtogeek.comSmart home notifications are more curse than blessing
Understand why smart home notifications can lead to overload and how they might not be the perk you expect in your automation journey.
matteralpha.com‘End-to-end encrypted’ smart toilet camera is not actually end-to-end encrypted | TechCrunch
Understand the implications of misusing 'end-to-end encryption' in smart devices, and why it matters for your privacy and data security.
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