Smart home & IoT
Smart home platforms, Matter/Zigbee, cameras, and home networking from official brand rooms.
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SmartThings API Additional Details for Developers and Business Partners
SmartThings BlogNathan Sterner
New API plans for individual developers and business partners available November 4, 2026, while the SmartThings app and local integrations stay free. Starting on November 4, 2026, developers and business partners using SmartThings’ direct cloud APIs move to a structured access mo
Unusual Event Alert: Fewer Notifications, Smarter Security
Ring BlogRing
Every home has a rhythm. The neighbor and their dog pass by your yard at 7AM. The mailman arrives at noon. Your kids get off the bus at 3:15PM. The problem? Your device treats every motion event the same. The mailman you’ve seen a thousand times gets the same alert as a stranger
“What the Heck?!” 2026: Everyone at home gets a say
Home Assistant
WHAT THE HECK?! November 2026 TL;DR All of November is the Month of “What the Heck?!” Tell us what makes Home Assistant hard, confusing, or annoying for you in the WTH category on our forum . Everyone is welcome, and this year we’d love to hear from new and non-technical users, a
Amazon unveils its newest lineup of Alexa devices
Amazon Devices
Five new products purpose-built for the home, powered by the latest Alexa, that help make daily life easier.
Amazon introduces Alexa Photo Frame—the smartest way to bring your photos into the home
Amazon Devices
Alexa intelligently picks the photos worth seeing from Amazon Photos, keeps them current, and makes any moment easy to find, relive, and share.
Amazon introduces the all-new Echo Show 16—our most advanced, versatile smart display yet
Amazon Devices
All-new premium design with the best screen ever on an Echo Show, three new Screen Styles to make it your own, and Fire TV built in.
Introducing the new Echo Dot and all-new Echo Studio with Home Camera
Amazon Devices
The Echo speaker lineup gets an upgrade—Echo Dot is more capable than ever with a built-in smart home hub, while a new Echo Studio gains a camera that lets Alexa+ see and help.
Amazon introduces Echo Time, a smarter way to start and end your day
Amazon Devices
The all-new Echo Time is a smart alarm clock with hundreds of customizable clock faces, smart alarms, and a beautiful adaptive display.
Meet Alexa Home Map, an interactive 3D map that lets you see and control your home
Amazon Devices
A new way to view your home and property, inside and out, with every connected device right where it actually is.
How to Secure Your Vacation Home Rental Property
Arlo BlogDavid Roberts
Key takeaways Always check with your vacation home rental platform’s policies before you install security cameras on your property. Outdoor security cameras are usually ok, as long as they’re disclosed. Indoor security cameras are generally not allowed. Set ground rules with gues
Everything Smart Home joins Works with Home Assistant
Home Assistant
We’re detecting a new presence in the Works with Home Assistant program … and we’re pretty excited about it! A big welcome to our newest partner, Everything Smart Home 🎉 Founded by long-term community member Lewis Barclay and his dad, Dave Barclay, the family-run business brings
Single Event Alert: Cut Through Notification Clutter
Ring BlogRing
Your phone buzzes. Then, it buzzes again…and again. You’ve gotten another notification for the same motion several times in a row. Sound familiar? If you’ve ever felt like you get too many notifications for a single event, you’re not alone and it’s exactly what Ring Single Event
Halloween Moments That Were More Treat Than Trick
Ring BlogRing
Halloween is more than costumes and candy. It’s the season that turns front porches into stages, doorbells into punchlines, and everyday moments into memories you’ll replay for years. This year, Ring neighbors showed up in full force, and their Ring devices caught every hilarious
SmartThings for Samsung Washers and Dryers: Every Feature Explained
SmartThings BlogNathan Sterner
SmartThings adds real-time cycle notifications, customizable wash and dry settings, remote start/stop/scheduling, built-in maintenance alerts, and cross-appliance intelligence to a connected Samsung washer and dryer, all managed from the SmartThings app rather than the appliance’
How to Activate the SmartThings Hub Built Into Your Samsung TV
SmartThings BlogNathan Sterner
Many 2024-and-newer Samsung TVs have a SmartThings Hub built in, so no separate hub device is needed. It can be turned on either from the SmartThings app on a phone or from the SmartThings app on the TV itself; both methods connect the TV, activate the hub, and let a user start a
How to Control Your Samsung TV From Your Phone With SmartThings
SmartThings BlogNathan Sterner
The SmartThings app turns a phone into a remote for a connected Samsung TV, with Quick remote available from the phone’s notification screen or Dynamic Island. Invite member lets a user share control of specific devices with family or guests through a QR code, without handing ove
The Family Guide to Home Security
Arlo BlogDavid Roberts
Key takeaways The best home security cameras for a family looking to protect their property should include outdoor cameras with a floodlight or spotlight and a video doorbell camera. Other tips for keeping the family safe include getting to know your neighbors, keeping doors lock
Ring Announces Appstore Challenge with $500,000 in prizes for college students
Ring BlogRing
Starting today, eligible U.S. college students can submit entries to the Ring Appstore Challenge. If you’re selected, you’ll build an app for the Ring Appstore, launch it to Ring customers, and compete for four prizes worth a combined $500,000, including a $250,000 Grand Prize. A
Blink debuts its first 4K, spotlight, and pan-tilt cameras, plus an expanded XR lineup
Amazon Devices
The new lineup delivers higher resolution, broader coverage, and extended range to help customers see more of what’s happening around their homes and properties.
SmartThings Family Care: Care on Call and Safety Patrol
SmartThings BlogNathan Sterner
Samsung SmartThings Family Care is a feature that lets a caregiver track a care recipient’s daily activity, medication schedules, and location, all from the SmartThings app. Now Brief is a personalized daily briefing service on Galaxy phones that pulls together home, health, and
Is a Ring Protect Plan Worth It? What Each Plan Adds and How To Choose
Ring BlogRing
Every Ring device works the moment you set it up. Live View, real-time motion alerts, Two-Way Talk. All included, no subscription required. But a Ring Protect Plan¹ takes your home security to the next level. Save and review video from the past 180 days², get smarter alerts that
Halloween Home Safety Checklist: Preparing for Trick-or-Treaters
Arlo BlogDavid Roberts
Key takeaways Need halloween safety tips to keep your home secure during the busy holiday? Make sure you advertise your participation in the festivities, keep your walkways clear and well lit, and lean on your security system to help you answer the door while preventing thieves a
Amazon introduces 2 new AI products from Bee: Bee Frontier and Bee Eclipse
Amazon Devices
Bee expands its ambient AI family with two personal AI devices designed to remember the moments that matter most, plus new integrations with Alexa+ and Amazon.com.
Fall Home Security Checklist: 8 Things to Do Before Winter
Arlo BlogDavid Roberts
Key takeaways Our fall home security checklist includes testing security cameras, checking your custom zones and notifications, and testing your alarms and sensors. Fall is also a great time to check door and window seals, test your lights, and put together an emergency kit that
Meet Apple HomeView, a new way to enjoy entertainment and manage the home
Apple Newsroom
Apple today introduced Apple HomeView, designed to be central to the home and personal to everyone in it.
Introducing Apple Home Collection, a new lineup of smart home accessories
Apple Newsroom
Apple today announced Apple Home Collection, a new lineup of smart home accessories built in collaboration with LG Electronics and Schneider Electric.
Ring Intelligent Features Explained: Video Descriptions, Video Search, and More
Ring BlogRing
Your Ring devices have access to a suite of intelligent features that make your notifications more useful and your footage easier to find. Instead of checking your phone every time a leaf blows across the driveway or scrolling through hours of footage to find the one moment you a
Aqara Makes Canadian Retail Debut with Canadian Tire, Expanding Access to Smart Home Technology Nationwide
Aqara Newsshuangyu wang
Canadian consumers can now find Aqara smart home solutions in upwards of 500 locations Canadian Tire locations across the country. [Toronto, Canada — October 9, 2026] — Aqara, a global leader in IoT today announced its Canadian retail debut through a new partnership with Canadian
Ring Announces Smart Lock, Expands 4K Camera Lineup, and Introduces New Pan-Tilt 2K Indoor Camera
Ring BlogRing
Big things are happening at Ring, as we announce our first-ever smart lock with a battery you can recharge by hand, an expanded Retinal Vision 4K camera lineup, and an all-new Pan-Tilt Indoor Cam 2K. From the front door to every corner of your home, we’re giving you more ways to
Video Doorbell vs Security Camera: Which One Does Your Home Need?
Arlo BlogDavid Roberts
Key takeaways When comparing video doorbell vs security cameras in your purchasing decision, it helps to understand the particular strengths of each choice. Wireless doorbell cameras are designed to replace a standard doorbell, and are designed around interactivity. Security came
Amazon announces an all-new family of tablets designed just for kids
Amazon Devices
New Amazon Kids Tablets available in two models for younger and older kids
Introducing all-new Amazon Alexa Tablets—powerful tablets with Alexa+ built in
Amazon Devices
An all-new lineup of tablets with world-class hardware, personalized intelligence from Alexa+, and full Google Play Store access.
Ring ends smart lock anxiety with a lock you can recharge by hand
Amazon Devices
Ring's first-ever smart lock eliminates the need for a key with a built-in power dial and four ways in.
Ring introduces four new 4K cameras and a pan-tilt indoor cam
Amazon Devices
Ring’s expanded camera lineup gives you more ways to see and protect your home, indoors and out.
2026.10: You are here 📍
Home Assistant
Home Assistant 2026.10! 🎉 Last week, Nabu Casa dropped: Big Tech ruined the cloud, so we’re renaming ours . Home Assistant Cloud is on its way to becoming Home Assistant Link. Same service, new name. I love that title, by the way. If you haven’t read the story behind it yet, go
Microsoft named a Leader in the 2026 Gartner® Magic Quadrant™ for Global Industrial AIoT Platforms
Microsoft Azure BlogMichael MacKenzie
We’re proud to share that Microsoft has been named a Leader in the 2026 Gartner® Magic Quadrant™ for Global Industrial AIoT Platforms. We believe this recognition reflects our vision for the future of industrial operations: moving toward intelligent systems that continuously lear
How to Secure Your Home When Kids Go Back to School
Arlo BlogDavid Roberts
Key takeaways Need home security tips for when your kids go back to school? Start by figuring out how your family’s schedules are changing. Then, set up a video doorbell camera so you can keep watch over your main entryway when your kids are expected to leave and arrive. Other he
Samsung Introduces ‘SmartThings Now’ in New Platform Update That Brings More Intuitive User Experiences
Samsung Newsroom
Samsung Electronics today announced the latest update to SmartThings, its global connected living platform now serving 470 million registered users and supporting 430+ Works with SmartThings (WWST)-certified brands worldwide. The update introduces SmartThings Now at the top of th
Renter-Friendly Security: What You Get With and Without a Subscription
Ring BlogRing
Renting doesn’t mean settling for less when it comes to home security. Whether you’re in your first apartment or your fifth, you deserve a security device that works for you without locking you into permanent installations or unnecessary fees. Ring devices deliver powerful securi
Arlo Essential Solar Security Camera Makes Solar-Powered Security Easy
Arlo BlogDavid Roberts
Key takeaways The Arlo Essential Solar Security Camera combines a built-in solar panel with all of the best-in-class features you’ve come to expect from Arlo. There are two configurations available: High-resolution 2K video for the best possible visual quality or clear HD video f
Big Tech ruined the cloud, so we’re renaming ours
Home Assistant
From ever-increasing subscription prices to outages and data harvesting: we don’t like what the cloud has come to represent. So we’re redefining what an online service should be: private, optional, and free from lock-in or walled gardens. That’s why today Nabu Casa is renaming Ho
Prime Day Security Camera Deals: Save Big on Arlo This Fall
Arlo BlogDavid Roberts
Key takeaways Arlo’s Prime Day Security Camera Deals run between October 6 through October 7, 2026. The Arlo Fall Security Event takes place at the same time, beginning on September 28 and running through October 11. Before buying your next Arlo camera, be sure to examine your se
What Is SmartThings Family Care? Features, Setup and How It Works
SmartThings BlogNathan Sterner
SmartThings Family Care is a caregiving feature within the SmartThings app that helps caregivers remotely monitor a care recipient’s activity, location, medication schedules, and appointments. It connects information from compatible Samsung and SmartThings devices and lets the ca
IKEA Matter Devices Work With SmartThings: What Users Can Connect and Automate
SmartThings BlogNathan Sterner
Did you know that Samsung SmartThings supports all IKEA Matter-over-Thread devices, including smart bulbs, plugs, remotes, and sensors that connect directly to a compatible SmartThings? Integrating these devices into an existing SmartThings ecosystem gives users a simple, cost-ef
How to Be a Good Neighbor: Tips From a 4-Year-Old
Ring BlogAnna Butzlaff
When you’re 4 years old, you probably don’t spend much time thinking about what makes your neighborhood feel like home. What likely comes to mind are the people who make it feel that way. And for Roman, many of those people happen to live right outside our front door. Our neighbo
Why You Should Add a Home Security System Installation to Your Wedding Registry
Arlo BlogDavid Roberts
Key takeaways Adding a home security system installation to your wedding registry is a quick and easy way to prioritize safety for your new family the day after you say “I do.” Consider a variety of cameras, like outdoor cameras, indoor cameras, and a video doorbell, to flesh out
Are Indoor Security Cameras Worth It If You Already Have a Video Doorbell?
Ring BlogRing
Your Ring Video Doorbell shows you everyone who approaches your front door. Every package, every visitor, every motion on your porch. But here’s the thing: your front door is one entry point and your home has dozens of spaces that your doorbell will never see. An indoor camera do
AI Cameras: What They Are and Why They Matter
Arlo BlogDavid Roberts
Key takeaways An AI camera uses artificial intelligence and machine learning to analyze the video footage it records. The goal is to group and filter recognized people and objects that regularly appear on camera. With this data, the AI camera can then provide more accurate alerts
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