Even at a brief glance, the Subaru Crosstrek clearly prioritizes rugged design and personality over any semblance of aerodynamic efficiency. Subaru’s best-seller also comes only in all-wheel drive, to stay true to customer expectations of all-weather confidence and the appeal of an aspirational adventure lifestyle. And yet, the latest-generation Crosstrek’s new hybrid variant improves power and torque output significantly, while simultaneously resulting in the most efficient Crosstrek to date.

Any consideration of aerodynamic improvements for this generation can best be thought of as minor. And yet, the wheel well vents do reduce turbulence and pressure while more cleanly skirting air around the side panels. And some mild smoothing versus the previous generations include tiny elements like the forward-facing edge of the roof rail mounts. However, reduced plastic cladding on the hybrid Crosstreks that might seem intended to improve airflow counterintuitively came about only because Subaru builds the hybrids in Japan for all international markets, and only Americans prefer going overboard on tacky plastic trim pieces.

More importantly than aero, the Crosstrek now shares a hybrid powertrain with the Forester SUV. If a naturally aspirated 2.5 L horizontally opposed Boxer four-cylinder engine sounds familiar from Subarus over the past four decades, in reality, this hybrid system significantly works over the flat-four versus even current internal-combustion siblings. This year introduces a host of mechanical modifications to the cylinder head, block, camshaft, crank pulley, fuel system, intake, exhaust, cooling, and more. But more importantly, the engine now runs on an Atkinson cycle, which holds the intake valves open longer to reduce piston resistance during the expansion stroke, resulting in reduced power output but improved fuel efficiency.

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At the Dash Forward keynote, DoorDash has unveiled a cute electric delivery robot named Dot that was designed specifically for quick neighborhood trips. Dot is around one-tenth the size of a car, can move up to 20 mph and can navigate not just roads, but also bike lanes and sidewalks. It’s small enough to fit through doorways and driveways and can help local businesses meet demand from people who prefer to shop from the comfort of their own homes. The robot was developed in-house by DoorDash Labs to integrate with the company’s new Autonomous Delivery Platform, an AI dispatcher that matches orders with the best delivery method. 

“You don’t always need a full-sized car to deliver a tube of toothpaste or pack of diapers,” said Stanley Tang, the head of DoorDash Labs. “That’s the insight behind Dot.” To start with, the company is launching an early access program for Dot in Tempe and Mesa, Arizona. DoorDash said it’s the beginning of Dot’s commercial deployment and that the robot will make its way to new markets in the future. 

The company has assured Dashers the Dot will not replace them. Human dashers will still handle the “vast majority” of its deliveries, and Dot is supposed to allow them to pick up the more high value ones while it fills in the gaps for local trips that don’t pay as much. DoorDash said that it needed to conjure up more “innovative ways to keep pace with demand” to support more local businesses and as it expands to new regions. It also previously teamed up with Coco Robotics to offer sidewalk robot deliveries in LA and Chicago, and it offers drone deliveries in Christiansburg, Virginia and Frisco, Texas.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/apps/doordash-introduces-a-cute-delivery-robot-named-dot-130036016.html?src=rss

Since it began rolling out AI Mode at the start of March, Google has been slowly adding features to its dedicated search chatbot. Today, the company is releasing an update it hopes will make the tool more useful for visual searches.

If you’ve tried to use AI Mode since Google made it available to everyone in the US, you may have noticed it responds to questions about images with a lot of text. Robby Stein, vice president of product for Google Search, admits it can be “silly” to see text in that context, and so the company has been working on applying AI Mode’s “query fan-out” technique to images. Now, when you prompt AI Mode to find you images of “moody but maximalist” bedrooms for instance, it’s better equipped to respond to that request, with an algorithm that will run multiple searches in the background to get a better understanding of exactly what it is you’re looking to find.

Google has built this feature to be multimodal, meaning you can start a conversation with an image or video. And as you can probably guess, Google believes these capabilities will be particularly useful in a shopping context. You could use AI Mode to shop before today, but Google argues the experience benefits greatly from the more visual responses the chatbot is able to generate. What’s more, it’s better able to make sense of tricky queries like “find me barrel jeans that aren’t too baggy.” Once AI Mode generates an initial response, you can ask follow-up questions to refine your search.

As with any Google update, it may take a few days for the company to roll out the updates it announced today to everyone. So be patient if you don’t see the new, more visual experience right away.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ai/googles-ai-mode-gets-better-at-understanding-visual-prompts-130001201.html?src=rss

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In Lifehacker’s series, “A Guide to Automating Your Entire Home,” we’re highlighting all the ways you can power your home with autonomous technology, room by room. Whether you want to build a smart security system, turn a “dumb” device smart, or simply control your lights from your phone, this guide will help walk you through it.

Temperature is crucial to your comfort at home, and smart tech can help you find that perfect balance—starting with smart thermostats, but extending to other devices and apps to help through the summer and winter months.

Not only does a smart tech overhaul like this mean more precise temperature control, it also helps cut down on energy bills, because you’re only heating and cooling when you need to. These systems can be operated remotely via apps, set to work on a schedule, and can sometimes even automatically adapt to the local weather conditions.

Smart thermostats

A smart thermostat is a good starting point for most people. They’re simple to set up in most cases, replacing the thermostat on your wall and connecting to the same internal wiring: Google, for example, has a complete guide to installing a Nest thermostat. Once you’ve disconnected the power, it’s typically a 20- to 30-minute job, although on older properties some more work and extra connections might be required.

You can then control the temperature in your home through the physical smart thermostat itself, and through the companion app on your phone. Many smart devices will hook up to a smart home platform (or two) as well, which gives you extras like voice control (through an AI assistant such as Alexa), and tighter integration with everything else in your smart home.

If you already have a home full of devices that work with Apple Home, Samsung SmartThings, or Google Home, then it makes sense to buy a smart thermostat to match. It means you’ll have more options for controlling your gadgets (through an Apple TV 4K box, for example, if you’re deep in the Apple ecosystem).

Once you’ve mastered the basics, you can move on to more advanced features. Smart thermostat features can vary depending on the model and manufacturer, but most offer a broadly similar set of functions: The ability to set up heating and cooling routines to work on a schedule, remote access when you’re away from home, and smart adjustments based on weather, time, or sensor readings from around your home.

You could, for example, have the smart thermostat automatically adjust to your current location (reported by your phone), so putting your HVAC system into a power-saving mode when you’re out at the office, then starting to heat up rooms again when you’re on the way back. Or maybe you can have the temperature automatically adjusted while you sleep, maintaining a consistent coolness based on sensor readings overnight.

As well as the Google Nest Thermostat mentioned above, you’ve also got devices like the Ecobee Smart Thermostat Premium. Its capabilities include being able to adjust temperature in relation to humidity—via the bundled smart sensor—and timing its heating and cooling for periods when electricity is going to cost the least amount, as much as possible.

Ecobee Smart Thermostat Premium

$219.99
at Amazon

$259.99
Save $40.00

$219.99
at Amazon

$259.99
Save $40.00

The Honeywell T5 Smart Thermostat is one of the most customizable devices of its type around, which extends to the information shown on its clear touchscreen panel, and you can schedule heating and cooling timings for up to a week in advance. The accompanying Resideo app means easy access to all the controls from a phone or tablet.

Smart thermostat accessories

Smart vents give you a little bit more control over how and when specific rooms are heated and cooled, whether this control is automated or handled manually. A Flair Smart Vent, for example, can be operated through a dedicated app or through a wider smart home system.

Then you’ve got smart ceiling fans—rather than having you switch these fans on or off manually, you can set them to operate on a schedule, or have them enabled or disabled depending on the temperature. They start up when needed, and you might not have to lift a finger.

With ceiling fans and some other devices (such as smart lights), you can opt to make the connected switch smart rather than the device itself. So, invest in a Lutron Caseta Smart Switch, and you can control a connected ceiling fan from your phone or tablet, or through the Amazon Alexa app and devices. It can be automated based on timings, temperature, and your location, like the other smart devices in your home.

Air purity is something else that you might consider looking at, with devices like the Levoit Air Purifier available. It’s another device that plugs into the Alexa ecosystem, enabling control via apps and smart speakers, and it can scrub dust and pollen from the air across an area of up to 1,073 square feet.

Levoit Air Purifier

$182.99
at Amazon

$219.99
Save $37.00

$182.99
at Amazon

$219.99
Save $37.00

There are also spot heating and cooling fans that work separately to a smart thermostat, giving you on-demand temperature control across a smaller space—you can move these from room to room as needed, and they often come with support for app control and at least some level of integration with your other smart home devices.

Another example here is the Dyson Purifier Hot+Cool HP1, which throws in air purification features as well. While the cooling isn’t active (it’s just blowing air around), the heating is, and it can come in useful all the year round—and again, it can be operated via an app in addition to a physical remote control and the buttons on the device itself.

One final option: Smart blinds. These are handy to have at night, but they also help you manage the temperatures in specific rooms. If there’s a room that’s a real sun trap, you can set a smart blind to block out the sunshine during the hottest part of the day, so it’s relatively cool whenever you decide to go into it.

Something like the Zstarr Motorized Smart Blind works well here. Via the remote control, you can set up timings for raising and lowering the blinds, and it can be plugged into Amazon Alexa and Google Home smart ecosystems as well if you need it to work with your other smart devices.

There are plenty of ways to approach this, and you can add devices as you need once you’ve got the essentials in place. Eventually, it’s possible to get the temperature of every room carefully calibrated using the right gadgets and apps—with the devices all working on a schedule of your choosing, and in combination with each other.

Camembert writes: In a move that is sure to make Ripple nervous, traditional financial network Swift announced yesterday that it is partnering with Consensys and more than 30 global banks to build a blockchain based network that will run in parallel with its traditional network. Interestingly, unlike XRP, there is no native coin, rather it aims for interoperability (probably using Chainlink with whom the company did case studies for a few years already). There is also a strong focus on regulatory compliance. There are several news articles and opinion pieces on this event; I linked the Reuters article.

Read more of this story at Slashdot.

Smart home devices can streamline a lot of your day-to-day tasks: With an internet connection and some simple automations, you may never have to carry house keys, turn off the lights, or touch your thermostat. But all of this convenience comes at a potential cost, as smart tech is vulnerable to attack by cyber actors, leaving your personal data and your privacy at risk.

Here’s what you need to know to secure your smart home.

Is your smart home secure?

The short answer: not by default. Smart homes have vulnerabilities at multiple levels, from the devices themselves to your home network to the physical endpoints, like your phone, that have access to and control over your Internet of Things (IoT).

To start, IoT devices may have weak built-in security protocols or lack clear instructions to help users lock them down from factory settings, leaving them open to hackers, who have to exert very little effort to access your data or spy on you. Wifi routers and smart home devices often have default credentials that are publicly available and therefore easy to get past—and data show that the vast majority of users have never changed their router admin password or adjusted any factory settings. If your home network isn’t secure, nothing connected to it can be considered secure either.

Smart devices can also be integrated into botnets, allowing threat actors to conduct malicious activity like account takeovers and malware distribution using your home network. A recent instance of this was a campaign known as BADBOX 2.0, which targeted off-brand consumer electronics manufactured in China.

Bill Budington, a senior staff technologist at the Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF), notes the digital divide may increase the risk for some consumers, who may seek out cheaper devices from low-cost manufacturers that have weaker security and far less to lose in terms of reputation if they are implicated in vulnerabilities compared to companies like Amazon.

Finally, security can be compromised if your physical devices fall into the wrong hands. For example, if you control your smart home using apps on your phone, a threat actor could gain access in the event said phone is lost, stolen, or hacked.

Smart homes can compromise privacy

Left unsecured, smart home devices can also put your privacy (and potentially your safety) at risk. Internet-connected cameras, from baby monitors to pet cams, are vulnerable to hacking, and threat actors can use them to surveil you and your home. This may include snooping on and tracking your movements, “shoulder surfing” to collect sensitive personal information, recording audio and video footage of your private activities, and sharing or selling live feeds on the dark web. (In a particularly alarming incident in 2018, a hacker reportedly issued verbal threats toward a four-month-old through a Nest-brand baby monitor.)

Your smart tech is likely collecting a lot of information about you in the course of its normal activities—all of which could be exploited. For example, your robot vacuum creates and utilizes a map of your physical layout to know where to go, and usage patterns from various automations can be used to track your movements and confirm when you’re away from home.

There’s also the possibility that your smart home devices are compromising your data in ways you aren’t aware of and haven’t actively consented to. A 2023 report from security experts—led by the nonprofit IMDEA Networks and Northeastern University—shows that IoT devices may inadvertently expose personal information that can be harvested and sold to companies involved in surveillance capitalism. Researchers found that spyware apps and advertisers abuse local network protocols to access sensitive data, making it easier to profile users.

No security standards for smart homes

There isn’t a single set of cybersecurity standards that smart home companies have to follow or an easy, centralized resource for users to research this information. Earlier this year—during the last few weeks of the Biden administration—the Federal Communications Commission launched the U.S. Cyber Trust Mark voluntary labeling program to incentivize device manufacturers to improve security and help consumers buy with confidence. However, the agency later launched an investigation into the program, delaying its rollout.

For now, consumers are left to do their own due diligence. In 2017, the nonprofit Mozilla Foundation created a resource called *Privacy Not Included, with reviews of products measured against “minimum security standards” and breakdowns of any privacy concerns. The site doesn’t appear to have been updated in the last year, but you can still find detailed information about the privacy and security history of well-known smart home manufacturers like Amazon, Google, Wyze, and Ecobee.

Otherwise, Budington suggests simply searching the device you’re considering (and the company that makes it) before buying to see if researchers or users have reported any concerns.

How to improve smart home security

Securing your smart home starts with securing your internet connection via your router. We’ve got a whole guide to protecting your home network, but at the very least, you should change any default router settings—admin usernames, passwords, and network names—to something unique and not personally identifiable and turn on encryption in your wireless security settings. Regularly check for updates, which provide patches for security flaws, and audit the devices connected to your network to identify anything suspicious and remove those you no longer use.

You can add another layer of security with a guest network set up specifically for your IoT devices. That way, if your smart devices are compromised, everything connected to your primary network (such as computers and phones with access to your personal and financial accounts) will be protected.

According to Budington, one way to further mitigate vulnerability is to reduce the number of devices with their own wireless connection, running them through a secure, centralized hub instead. Home Assistant is a self-hosted option that can be installed on a Raspberry Pi or a traditional PC or used with the plug-and-play Home Assistant Green. Hubitat also gives you local control over your device data and integrates with a variety of products, including those compatible with the Zigbee, Z-Wave, and Matter standards.

Once your network is secure, you’ll want to take similar steps with each of your IoT devices. Change default usernames and passwords to unique, secure alternatives and enable all available security features, such as two-factor authentication and encryption, in the device settings. Ensure your devices (and any apps used to control them) receive automatic firmware updates.

You should also check your device’s privacy settings, removing permissions that aren’t essential for it to function and disabling features you won’t use. For example, you could turn off location tracking on your smart thermostat and disable voice control for devices other than your voice assistant.

Finally, while we’ve focused mostly on digital threats, your smart home isn’t immune to physical compromise. Be aware of ways your devices can be accessed, such as those installed on the exterior of your house, and ensure phones and tablets and the apps on them that control IoT devices are secured with a PIN or biometric authentication.

Remember that, by nature, anything connected to the internet is at least somewhat vulnerable to attack. You’ll have to consider your own risk tolerance and weigh the convenience of having a smart device against the potential for it to be compromised—and your privacy along with it. You may find that there are some things that you simply don’t need to automate, and therefore you can stick with the “dumb” alternative.

Would you pay $20 for an AI-powered browser? Opera is betting on it with the release of its $19.90 (per month) “next generation AI browser,” Opera Neon, meant for people who use AI every day. The Norwegian company first announced Neon in May and has now launched it to a limited number of users. 

According to Opera, “it’s a browser built to not only let you browse the web, but to also use agentic AI to act for you and with you as you browse and work on complex projects. Opera Neon moves beyond a simple AI chat to execute tasks, create code, and deliver outcomes directly within the browser experience.”  

Opera Neon includes features such as Tasks, which acts as your own workspaces to use AI for things like comparing and analyzing sources. There’s also Cards, which is made up of reusable AI prompts, versus having to rewrite the same prompt over and over again. You can make your own prompts or pull them from the community’s collection. 

Then there’s Neon Do, which works with a Task to navigate the web for checking sources, looking at information, completing forms and more. 

Opera is hoping that this “premium, subscription-based browser” will entice users enough to pay $19.90 per month, rather than use free options such as Google’s Gemini-powered Chrome features. You can join the waitlist to try it yourself, with Opera claiming more spots will become available soon. 

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ai/operas-ai-browser-will-cost-you-20-a-month-123022110.html?src=rss

Cleaning is one of those necessary chores that most of us don’t have much enthusiasm for. It’s often demanding and tedious work, and while you’re taking care of it, you do so with the knowledge that you’re going to have to do it all again next week.

There’s some good news, though, for the cleaning-averse: Modern day tech can handle a lot of these jobs on your behalf, as smart cleaning gadgets continue to get better and better. In recent years, they’ve become more reliable and more effective, and you’ve got a host of different models to choose from.

This introduction to smart cleaning technology will bring you up to date on the products that are available, and what they can do for you. Yes, you can have a home that’s neater and cleaner—with just a few button presses.

The pros and cons of cleaning tech

The big positive from investing in smart cleaning gadgets is, of course, that you won’t have to do these jobs yourself, so the hours you save can be put towards doing something you actually enjoy.

These gadgets don’t get tired, sick, or irritable, and will work at any time of the day or night—though you don’t necessarily want a robot vacuum humming away at 4 a.m.. In many cases they can be operated remotely and work autonomously, so they can be taking care of the chores while you’re out at work or on vacation.

You can get smart devices to wash your windows for you.
Credit: Ecovacs

You are going to have to make an initial investment in the technology, and, for some devices, a rather sizable one. The argument can be made that hiring someone to do your cleaning is a better option than getting robots to do it: They might do a more thorough job, depending on the person and the gadget you’re comparing them to, and you can give them more specific instructions. However, getting cleaners in does involve giving someone else access to your home, and finding a mutually convenient time. It will also be an ongoing expense.

There are a few more cons to consider. One is that a certain amount of tidying up and preparation work is often required before the robots can take over. You may have to pick up toys and clothes, for example, so the robot vacuum can vacuum. By the time you’ve done that, you might think it makes more sense to just do the whole job yourself.

Many smart devices can be controlled via an app.
Credit: iRobot

What’s more, these gadgets require a certain level of maintenance: Depending on the device, you need to empty them out, supply them with power, water, and cleaning products, and perhaps even clean parts of them yourself. Like any piece of hardware, they will experience wear and tear, and will eventually need to be replaced.

There’s one other consideration to think about, which is that manual cleaning is a great way to exercise. Studies have shown that domestic duties can give you enough of a workout to extend your lifespan and improve a host of different health markers, so you might want to use some of the time that these gadgets are saving you to head out for a run or for a session at the gym.

The best smart cleaning gadgets you can buy

If you’ve decided that you want to transform your home into one that cleans itself, you can automate a number of different processes using a number of different devices. There’s plenty of choice out there, so the usual rules apply: Take your time to research the various options and the features they’re offering versus their price, and find as many reviews as you can from people who’ve used them.

Robot vacuums and mops

This is the obvious place to start, as these are the gadgets that usually come to mind when you think of smart cleaning tech. You can find single-purpose devices that only vacuum or only mop, or devices that combine both functions.

While early models had their issues with reliability and cleaning power, the robot vacuums you can buy today are generally more impressive in terms of how clean they can get your carpets and floors. You’ll find features like LiDAR and camera-powered mapping and obstacle avoidance, self-emptying capabilities, and auto-adjustments depending on what surface is being cleaned.

Often, everything these machines do can be organized through a companion app, so you can set the cleaners to work on a specific schedule, as well as set zones or rooms that are off limits. We’re even starting to see robot vacuums that can climb up the stairs, so they really can get your whole house vacuumed and mopped without an assist.

The Roborock Saros 10R comes with its own docking station.
Credit: Roborock

These cleaners can be a significant investment. The Samsung Jet Bot+ costs $600 and brings with it automatic emptying, LiDAR-based navigation around your rooms, smart suction adjustments, and an advanced 5-layer HEPA filtration system for trapping dust. If you’ve got more to spend, the Roborock Saros 10R can be yours for $1,600, and offers top-tier suction, obstacle avoidance, corner and edge cleaning, and automatic emptying via the supplied dock.

Smart window washers

You can also put robots to work on your windows—although there are fewer models to choose from. Using suction to work their way across windows, cleaning and drying as they go, leaving you with window panes free of dust and grime. Again, these tools can be managed via an app, though a bit more manual setup is required to get them in position to start cleaning.

The Ecovacs Winbot series includes some of the best window cleaning options on the market at the moment. The Ecovacs Winbot W2 Pro Omni costs $450, and can work while plugged in or via its built-in battery. It has a triple-nozzle system is combined with a cleaning cloth for effective performance as it methodically travels across windows of almost any size or type.

The LG WM6700HBA comes with AI settings.
Credit: LG

Smart washers and dryers

Then there are devices that add some extra smarts to existing appliances, such as smart washers and dryers. These pieces of hardware elevate clothes cleaning with a variety of useful and intelligent tricks, including the ability to adjust cleaning and drying cycles to the type and size of load, remote control via mobile apps, and a number of self-maintaining mechanisms.

A good example is the LG WM6700HBA, which will set you back $1,250. There’s on-board AI assistance to work out the best cycles for the clothes you’re washing, an automatic dispenser for just the right amount of detergent and fabric softener to cut down on waste, and remote operations and monitoring via the LG ThinQ app.

Smart dishwashers

Finally we have smart dishwashers, which use automated technology to give your crockery and cutlery a better clean than standard appliances might. The features are similar to those you’ll find on smart washers and dryers: Sensing technology for understanding what’s been loaded in and adjusting the cleaning accordingly, remote app control and smart home integration, and as much automated maintenance and self-cleaning as possible.

Take a look at the Bosch 500 Series, which is priced at $1,250 at the time of writing. It has intelligent sensors to check cleaning progress, an AutoAir feature that automatically pops the dishwasher door open when cleaning is finished to let air circulate, and the option of operating cleaning cycles and other dishwasher features from an app on your phone.

Meta’s Ray-Ban Display glasses are now on sale, but actually buying a pair will be a bit more complicated than ordering a pair of Meta’s other smart glasses. That’s because Meta isn’t allowing online sales of its display glasses. Instead, they are only available by reservation at a handful of physical retail stores.

For now, the $799 Meta Ray-Ban Display glasses are available at select Ray-Ban, Sunglass Hut, LensCrafters and Best Buy locations in the United States. Verizon will also start carrying the glasses sometime “soon,” according to Meta. The company will also allow people to demo and buy a pair at its own Meta Lab locations. These include the Burlingame, California space that opened as the “Meta Store” in 2022, as well as pop-ups in Las Vegas, Los Angeles and New York opening in the coming weeks. 

In order to actually get your hands on a pair, though, you’ll need to book an appointment for a demo at one of these stores through Meta’s website. According to Meta, this is “to make sure customers get the glasses and band that’s perfect for them.” (In my own experience with both the Meta Ray-Ban Display glasses and the Orion prototype, the neural wristband requires a snug fit to function properly.) An appointment will also give shoppers the opportunity to order prescription lenses for the glasses. The glasses only support a prescription range of -4.00 to +4.00, though, so they won’t be compatible with all prescriptions.

The company recently said it’s seen “strong” demand for demos and it looks like most locations are already booked out for several weeks, judging by Meta’s scheduling website. It will also be difficult if you don’t live near a major city. For example, Sunglass Hut’s website currently lists just seven locations where demos will be available. 

The good news is that Meta does plan to eventually increase availability. The company has said the Meta Ray-Ban Display glasses will be available in Canada, France, Italy and the UK beginning in “early 2026” and that it expects buying options will “expand” the longer they’re on sale. 

Sales of the glasses, which are Meta’s first to incorporate a heads-up display, will be closely watched. At $799, the glasses are significantly more expensive than the rest of the frames in Meta’s expanding lineup of “AI glasses.” But, as I wrote after my recent demo at Meta Connect, the display also enables wearers to do much more than what’s currently possible with the existing Ray-Ban or Oakley models.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/how-to-buy-and-try-the-meta-ray-ban-display-glasses-121500138.html?src=rss

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In Lifehacker’s series, “A Guide to Automating Your Entire Home,” we’re highlighting all the ways you can power your home with autonomous technology, room by room. Whether you want to build a smart security system, turn a “dumb” device smart, or simply control your lights from your phone, this guide will help walk you through it.

We might not live in a future where your home can cook your meals, do your dishes, and walk your pets—yet. But there’s one area where the smart home of the future became a normal reality while we were barely paying attention: your lights. I’ve been using smart lights for the better part of a decade and I can’t go back to typical lights.

There are several brands of smart lights from companies like Philips, GE, Wyze, and more that can turn any lamp or light fixture into smart home-controlled lighting. You can use your phone, smart speakers like Amazon’s Echo line, or Google’s Nest speakers.

The best smart light brands right now

WiZ Connected Smart Light Bulbs

$31.13
at Amazon

$31.13
at Amazon

Several major brands manufacture smart lights and, while it is technically possible to mix and match bulbs from different companies, it’s easier if you stick to one ecosystem. With that in mind, here are a few of the most established companies and the benefits of each:

• The reigning champion: Philips Hue. These are the lights I personally use. Philips Hue is the most established competitor, with a massive array of bulbs, light strips, lamps and other lighting gear. Its software suite is also one of the most developed, with robust automation tools and colorful scene libraries. Historically, it’s also been the most expensive system, but the company recently announced a line of cheaper bulbs.

• An inexpensive entry point: Wiz. If you don’t want to spend $50 per light bulb in your home—and who can blame you?—Wiz is an affordable alternative to Hue. The company offers full-color bulbs that start as low as around $12 per bulb, in a variety of form factors.

• For stylistic flair: LIFX. Similar to Philips Hue, LIFX is a bit more expensive, but the company offers a wide variety of unique, stylish lights, like colorful tube bulbs, or flexible LED strips. 

• For customizable lighting arrays: Nanoleaf. While Nanoleaf technically makes its own series of typical smart light bulbs, the company is best known for its modular lighting kits. These kits come in shapes like hexagons, lines, blocks, and more. Each piece can be individually controlled, and you can combine them to make your own designs for wall lighting. They’re not subtle, but they’re fun as heck.

These are just a few of the many companies out there producing smart lights. While a few like Philips Hue require dedicated hubs to make their lights work, most companies are now focused on making standalone bulbs that can connect directly to wifi.

The growing Matter standard is also (slowly) making it easier to integrate lights from multiple companies. While you’ll still likely need to refer to a company’s own app or hub to make some changes, Matter-compatible smart lights can usually replace the need to look for “Works With Google Home” or similar labels for your specific setup.

What you need to set up smart lights

In most cases, the only thing you’ll technically need to set up smart lights is the lights themselves. Most smart light manufacturers at least make bulbs compatible with A19 sockets (the kind in most of your lighting fixtures and lamps), and ecosystems like Wiz, LIFX, and GE’s Cync don’t require a dedicated hub. Philips Hue, notably, does. And if you’re getting into Hue now, you’re probably best off getting the Hue Bridge Pro, which supports syncing lights to your media, using your bulbs as motion sensors, and more new features.

While that’s technically all you need to set up smart lights, there are a few things you can get to make even better use of your new system:

• A smart speaker. I cannot emphasize enough how great it feels to turn your bedroom lights off while tucked snugly under the covers. Voice-controlled speakers like Google Nest and Amazon Echo devices are excellent for this.

• A smart display. The one downside to smart lights is that you can’t use switches on the walls the same way anymore (more on that later). But a smart display can be a huge improvement. Google Nest Hubs or Amazon Echo Show devices can put an array of controls for your smart lights in a prominent place so anyone in your home can not only turn lights on and off with a tap, but change lighting levels or color scenes.

• Some smartphone widgets. While all of the above are convenient, more often than not, you’ll probably have your phone on you. Some smart light manufacturers build robust widgets for iPhone and Android devices, so you can tap a button on your home screen to turn your lights on and off. It’s worth checking to see which features a company supports before committing to an ecosystem.

The last things you’ll need to set up your smart lights are time and patience. While the process has gotten a lot simpler than it was even a few years ago, you might need to spend a bit of time fiddling with room names, syncing services, and testing out a few commands. Fortunately, you usually only need to do this once. I’ve even moved to a new home and kept my old setup largely intact.

What you can do with smart lights

“Okay, sure, smart lights are getting cheaper, but are they really worth the extra money over simple bulbs and a wall switch that’s worked for decades?” I hear you cry. And I’m here to tell you, absolutely, yes. I’ve used a lot of new tech over the years that’s fun at first, but annoying once the novelty wears off. But smart lights are one of the few areas where I never want to go back.

Here are a few of the ways I make use of smart lights on a regular basis:

• Change lights with the sun. During the day, the bright, cool light coming in from your windows has a different quality than the warm, dimmer lights you’re used to from lamps. With smart lights, you can set your bulbs to automatically adjust based on a set schedule (or your local sunrise/sunset) to ease the lighting conditions in your home.

• Set the mood for date night… Sometimes, all it takes to turn a regular Tuesday night into a romantic evening is a simple shift in mood lighting. I have a few scenes in my Philips Hue app saved for when I want to create some nice ambiance for my partner when we’re having a chill evening in.

• …or for self-care. Similar to the above, one of my favorite Hue scenes is an animation that mimics the flickering of candlelight. Set the lights in your bathroom to this scene, draw a warm bath, toss in a bath bomb, and have the most relaxing night in.

• Simulate activity while you’re away. One of the best ways to make a local burglar think twice about trying to enter your home is to convince them someone is there. With lighting schedules, you can set your home to turn lights on and off even while you’re away.

• Turn lights on automatically for you. Ever trip over things in the dark while you’re bringing in groceries? No more. Most smart light ecosystems allow you to automatically turn on certain lights when you enter a geofenced area (like your home). Alternatively, some suites like Philips Hue have motion-sensing features so you can turn lights on when you enter a room, without relying on tools like GPS.

With automation services like IFTTT, you can even set up more complex controls—e.g., flashing lights when your doorbell rings, or blinking a light in your office when you get an email from your boss.

Smart light switches make it all even easier

LIFX Smart Switch, 2 Button in-Wall Wi-Fi Smart Touch Switch (White)

$23.90
at Amazon

$49.99
Save $26.09

$23.90
at Amazon

$49.99
Save $26.09

When I first set up smart lights in my home, my loved ones were mostly on board, but there was one point of contention: the light switch. People are still generally used to flipping switches when they enter a room. With smart lights, they generally need to stay on all the time, and you even need to retrain your muscle memory a bit to not forget and accidentally turn them off manually.

There are two main ways to fix this in the smart home world, and which one you need can depend on how much effort you want to put in (and, frankly, whether you rent or own your home):

• In-wall smart light switches. Some smart light switches, like this one from LIFX can be installed directly in place of your existing light switches. This one lets you turn a light on or off from the wall switch, without cutting off the ability to turn it back on from a voice command or smart phone app. Since it also replaces the old switch, there’s less need to adjust your muscle memory.

• Remote control switches. If you don’t want to (or can’t) replace your in-wall light switches, companies like Philips Hue offer a handy alternative in the form of remote switches. These provide buttons you can use to turn on/off or dim lights from a battery-powered remote. This model in particular comes with a plate you can stick on your wall next to your regular switch, while the remote is removable so you can take it with you around the room. It uses sticky pads and magnets for mounting, so you can safely put it up in an apartment and take it with you when you move.

Strictly speaking, smart light switches are optional. That’s part of the appeal of smart lights, after all. But if you live in a home with multiple people, and if you have guests over who might not have access to your lighting controls, a physical switch can be a handy addition.

The event hasn’t officially begun, but we’ve already found some of the best Prime Day deals under $50. The October Prime Day sale, or Prime Big Deal Days as Amazon calls it, is a great time to stock up on smaller tech like bluetooth trackers, mini speakers, earbuds, mice, power banks, wall chargers, and more. Everything here is pulled from our own guides and reviews — products and brands we’ve tried ourselves and currently recommend. If you want to snap up a whole bunch of new tech without spending too much, this list of the best Prime Day deals under $50 is a great place to start.

Best Prime Day deals under $50

Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K Max for $40 ($20 off): Amazon’s most powerful streaming dongle supports 4K HDR content, Dolby Vision and Atmos and Wi-Fi 6E with double the storage of cheaper Fire TV sticks. It earned an honorable mention in our guide to streaming devices and also happens to make a good retro gaming emulator.

Ring Battery Doorbell for $50 ($50 off): At $49.99 this juuust qualifies as an under $50 tech deal. If you don’t have doorbell wires at your front entrance, you can still have a camera to capture all the package deliveries and neighborhood animal sightings with the Ring Battery Doorbell. It records video in HD with more vertical coverage than the last model, so you can see people from head to toe.

Blink Mini 2 security cameras (two-pack) for $35 ($35 off): This is the top budget pick in our guide to the best security cameras. The Mini 2 is a great option for indoor monitoring or you can put it outside with a weatherproof adapter, but since it needs to be plugged in, we like it for keeping an eye on your pets while you’re away and watching over entry ways from the inside.

Anker 622 5K magnetic power bank with stand for $34 ($14 off with Prime): This 0.5-inch thick power bank attaches magnetically to iPhones and won’t get in your way when you’re using your phone. It also has a built-in stand so you can watch videos, make FaceTime calls and more hands-free while your phone is powering up.

Amazon Smart Plug for $13 ($12 off): We named this the best smart plug for Alexa users because it hooks up painlessly and stays connected reliably. Use it to control lamps or your holiday lights using programs and schedules in the Alexa app, or just your voice by talking to your Echo Dot or other Alexa-enabled listener.

Levoit Mini Core-P air purifier for $40 ($10 off with Prime): This is the mini version of the top pick in our guide to air purifiers. It has a three-stage filter (pre, activated carbon and particle filters) though that particle filter is not a true HEPA filter. But it’s rated at 250 square feet and can help clear the air in your office or other small room.

Echo Pop smart speaker for $25 ($15 off): The half sphere Pop is the most affordable Echo speaker in Amazon’s lineup. The sound won’t be as full as its larger siblings, but will do a fine job of bringing Alexa’s help to smaller rooms. Just note that it went as low as $18 for Black Friday and October Prime Day last year.

Roku Streaming Stick Plus 2025 for $29 ($11 off): This is our top pick for the best streaming device for accessing free and live content. The dongle supports 4K video and HDR and doesn’t need to be plugged into the wall for power. It’s a great way to access any streaming service you could ask for: Netflix, Prime Video, Disney+, HBO Max and many more.

Leebein 2025 electric spin scrubber for $40 ($30 off with Prime): This is an updated version of the electric scrubber we love that makes shower cleaning easier than ever before. It comes with seven brush heads so you can use it to clean all kinds of surfaces, and its adjustable arm length makes it easier to clean hard-to-reach spots. It’s IPX7 waterproof and recharges via USB-C.

Jisulife Life7 handheld fan for $25 ($4 off with Prime): This handy little fan is a must-have if you live in a warm climate or have a tropical vacation planned anytime soon. It can be used as a table or handheld fan and even be worn around the neck so you don’t have to hold it at all. Its 5,000 mAh battery allows it to last hours on a single charge, and the small display in the middle of the fan’s blades shows its remaining battery level.

Anker Soundcore Select 4 Go speaker for $26 ($9 off with Prime): This is one of our top picks for Bluetooth speaker. It gets pretty loud for its size and has decent sound quality. You can pair two together for stereo sound as well, and its IP67-rated design will keep it protected against water and dust.

Amazon Echo Spot for $50 ($30 off): Amazon brought the Echo Spot smart alarm clock back from the dead last year with a new design and improved speakers. In addition to being able to control smart home devices and respond to voice commands, the Echo Spot can also act as a Wi-Fi extender for those that have Eero systems. It went as low as $45 for Black Friday last year.

Samsung EVO Select microSD card (256GB) for $23 ($4 off): This Samsung card has been one of our recommended models for a long time. It’s a no-frills microSD card that, while not the fastest, will be perfectly capable in most devices where you’re just looking for simple, expanded storage.

JBL Go 4 portable speaker for $40 (20 percent off): The Go 4 is a handy little Bluetooth speaker that you can take anywhere you go thanks to its small, IP67-rated design and built-in carrying loop. It’ll get seven hours of playtime on a single charge, and you can pair two together for stereo sound. The previous model, JBL Go 3 is on sale for $30.

Anker Soundcore Space A40 for $45 (44 percent off): Our top pick for the best budget wireless earbuds, the Space A40 have surprisingly good ANC, good sound quality, a comfortable fit and multi-device connectivity.

Blink Outdoor 4 security camera for $35 ($45 off): We named this the best choice for Alexa users in our guide to security cameras. It works seamlessly with Alexa devices like the Echo speakers and Show displays. Plus it can run for up to two years on a set of AA batteries and we found the motion detection to be spot on.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/deals/early-october-prime-day-2025-tech-deals-under-50-save-on-gear-from-apple-anker-ring-jbl-and-roku-120531892.html?src=rss

LEIPZIG, Germany—Porsche is synonymous with sports cars in which the engine lives behind the driver. From the company’s first open-top 356/1—which it let us drive a couple of years ago—to the latest stupendously clever 911 variants, these are the machines most of us associate with the Stuttgart-based brand. And indeed, the company has sold more than a million 911s since the model’s introduction in 1963. But here’s the bald truth: It’s the SUVs that keep the lights on. Without their profit, there would be no money to develop the next T-Hybrid or GT3. The first Cayenne was introduced just 23 years ago; since then, Porsche has sold more than 1.5 million of them. And the next one will be electric.

Of course, this won’t be Porsche’s first electric SUV. That honor goes to the electric Macan, which is probably becoming a more common sight on the streets in more well-heeled neighborhoods. Like the Macan, the Cayenne Electric is based on Volkswagen Group’s Premium Platform Electric, but this is no mere scaled-up Macan.

“It’s not just a product update; it’s a complete new chapter in the story,” said Sajjad Khan, a member of Porsche’s management board in charge of car IT.

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Smartphone company Nothing now has quite the line of audio accessories and now counts a new adaptive ANC (active noise cancellation) over-the-ear headphone from its sub-brand CMF. The Headphone Pro offers remarkable specs for less than $100, with features like 40dB of noise cancellation, LDAC (Lossless Digital Audio Codec) and Hi-Res certification for both wired and wireless audio, along with an “Energy Slider” to adjust EQ.

The CMF Headphone Pro doesn’t at all resemble Nothing’s boxy over-the-ear Headphone 1 cans. While that design was rather eccentric and austere, CMF’s model has a softer, more conventional look with a rounded headband reminiscent of Sony’s WH-1000XM5s. Another prominent feature is the large, interchangeable ear cups that appear to have generous padding.

CMF’s new cans come with adaptive ANC that reduces outside sounds by 40dB or up to 99 percent and automatically adjust the level according to outside noise. Though battery life is a generous 100 hours with ANC disabled, it gets cut in half to 50 hours with ANC turned on. That’s still more than Sony’s new WH-1000XM6, even without ANC enabled. You can get an additional four hours of service with just a five minute charge, and the Headphone Pro can be directly charged by some smartphones via a USB-C cable. 

Control-wise, the Headphone Pro is nicely analog, with buttons instead of the touch controls found on other headphones. Those include Bluetooth/power button on one side and an action button on the other that’s customizable via Nothing’s X app. There’s a multifunction rocker for volume, playback and control of ANC/ambient sound. Then there’s the Energy Slider that lets you make treble and bass adjustments without the need to dive into the X app’s EQ settings. 

Nothing’s CMF sub-brand will soon spin off into its own budget brand, the company announced recently. That doesn’t seem to have happened yet, but you can now order the CMF Headphone Pro for just $84 in light grey, dark grey and light green, with shipping set for October 6. The company will soon offer interchangeable ear cushions as well in orange or light green for $25 a pair. 

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/audio/headphones/nothing-spin-off-cmf-announces-100-headphone-pro-120002029.html?src=rss

We may earn a commission from links on this page.

In Lifehacker’s series, “A Guide to Automating Your Entire Home,” we’re highlighting all the ways you can power your home with autonomous technology, room by room. Whether you want to build a smart security system, turn a “dumb” device smart, or simply control your lights from your phone, this guide will help walk you through it.

So, you want to start a smart home, but you don’t know where to begin? Whether you’re starting a smart home from scratch or figuring out how to configure the one you already have, the good news is that it’s much less of a headache now than it used to be. Smart home tech has undergone significant simplification in recent years, partly due to the consolidation of platforms and standardization of connected protocols. You just choose your path based on the ecosystem you want to operate in, and then build out your repertoire of devices—things like video doorbells, security cameras, and smart lights—from there. It’s all fairly straightforward at that point, so the important thing is choosing the right smart home ecosystem before you begin.

The main players here are Google, Apple, and Amazon, which you’ll want to choose by determining which control interface you’d prefer. That’s because the Matter protocol that most modern smart devices work on is compatible with all three, so it’s really the software experience that matters most here. That said, you will also occasionally also run into the Z-Wave and Zigbee protocols when setting up legacy devices, so it’s important to double check your chosen ecosystem’s support for these if you have a lot of old gear sitting around. (Usually, this relies less on your software and more on your hubs—or, in other words, the central devices that anchor your smart home devices together.)

With that explained, let’s run through everything you need to know to pick a smart home ecosystem.

Google Home

The Google Nest Audio.
Credit: Florence Ion/Lifehacker

Anyone who is already deeply embedded in the Google ecosystem, whether through an Android device, Chromebook, or the Chrome browser, will probably find this ecosystem to be the most comfortable for them. The Google ecosystem is a smart home platform built entirely around the Google Home app and Google Assistant—soon to be Gemini. That means it seamlessly integrates with your Google account and other services, including Gmail, Google Photos, and YouTube, which is a huge plus for people that make heavy use of those apps.

On a hardware/protocol level, devices like the Nest Hub smart display and Nest Wifi Pro mesh router are equipped with Matter, so again, they’ll work with most current smart home devices. Additionally, they also serve as Thread border routers, with Thread being a low-power protocol that helps maintain your devices’ connection throughout your smart home. Additional smart devices with Thread built in help extend that range, but these can help boost it if you notice it’s lacking.

As for the software experience, your Nest Hub smart displays and Google speakers will act as your smart home’s control interface. Or, you could also use an Android device with hands-free “Hey, Google” activated to control your smart devices. iPhone users can tap into this ecosystem natively through iOS, too, although it relies on a combination of the Google app and Google Home apps. Additionally, you’ll need an external Nest device, like a Nest Hub or a Google TV Streamer (4K), to act as an anchor. Android users are fully embedded into the ecosystem, meaning less of a reliance on Google’s smart home apps, but there are ways to set up Shortcuts on iOS that partially replicate this experience.

The best part about the Google smart home ecosystem is that it’s compatible with third-party manufacturers, including some of the more obscure ones on the market, such as Rachio, a smart sprinkler controller, and Wiz, Philips Hue (Signify)’s budget-friendly line. Google also has the strongest track record for contextual voice commands, and the company will continue to build on it even as Gemini starts powering the helm. Google says that Gemini will bring more natural language conversations and deeper intelligence in automations.

Even if you don’t care for voice assistants, the Google Home ecosystem also has a robust smart home routines editor. It’s a newer offering since Matter was rolled out, but it has helped enhance the relative tinkerability of the platform.

Apple HomeKit

The Apple HomePod mini serves as a hub for HomeKit.
Credit: Florence Ion/Lifehacker

Apple HomeKit, controlled by the Apple Home app, is the preferred smart home ecosystem if you already have an iPhone, iPad, and/or Mac in your life. Apple relies on a combination of wifi, Bluetooth, and Thread for connections, and a specific Apple device is required to act as an anchor for your smart home control. This could be a HomePod (second generation), HomePod mini, or Apple TV 4K (second generation, or third generation with 128GB storage), all of which have the requisite components for acting as Thread routers. It’s also worth noting that the iPhone 16 Pro functions as a Matter controller, but you’ll still need a “core” device, such as a HomePod mini, to enable remote access, shared control within the household, automations, and routines, as well as end-to-end encrypted video.

As is standard inside Apple’s walled garden of highly curated but less-open apps, its smart home ecosystem adheres to the idea that it should be secure and well-managed. Apple is the curator of device compatibility within this ecosystem, so while it supports Matter, it also requires third parties to undergo a strict MFi certification process, which stands for “Made for iPhone/iPad.” Apple maintains a list of devices that have been certified for use with its products. If you’re already accustomed to this lifestyle, it’s not a significant change from the status quo, but it can make building out your smart home with Apple seem limited compared to doing it with Google or Amazon.

However, an upside to Apple’s smart home ecosystem is that it’s particularly privacy-focused, especially compared to Google and Amazon’s ecosystems. HomeKit prioritizes local processing, relying on devices like the HomePod to execute routines and commands rather than pinging external servers. Apple will also allow you to encrypt security footage from HomeKit-compatible cameras, ensuring it is never transmitted to the company’s servers. This contrasts with Google, which still heavily relies on cloud servers for video storage and advanced features, like face detection. The Gemini smarts coming to Google Home will also initially rely on cloud processing.

Amazon Alexa

The Amazon Echo Dot.
Credit: Florence Ion/Lifehacker

Amazon was the first to introduce consumer-ready smart home products, all the way back in 2014. Since the days of its first smart speaker and early forays into Alexa, the Amazon smart home ecosystem has become the most robust and expansive option compared to those of Google and Apple, even if it doesn’t rely on a familiar interface you might be used to from your Android or iOS phone.

Connection is primarily based on wifi, although some Amazon Echo smart speakers and displays also serve as Zigbee hubs. This low-power protocol has served as a de facto standard for many older smart home devices, but don’t expect support for modern gear to be lacking. To that end, Amazon has fully embraced Matter from the get-go. Most of the Echo devices currently available also serve as Matter controllers and/or Thread border routers. Alexa-compatible devices are also generally more affordable compared to other offerings.

Amazon’s Alexa voice assistant runs the show, and its companion app is what you’ll use to configure commands, set automations, and select services that are connected. However, the digital assistant has seen little consumer-facing action in recent years, with Amazon focusing on foundational improvements to its backend instead. We’re still waiting for Amazon to provide more details about its long-term strategy for ambient computing, dubbed Alexa+, which is currently in early access. The idea is that Alexa will work in the background, turning on lights and adjusting the climate in your home without you having to utter a word. You can sign up to try out the contextual chatbot before it’s live.

When it does launch, Alexa+ will require a monthly subscription of $20 per month unless you’re already an Amazon Prime member. A “classic” version of Alexa will still be available for basic voice commands, such as playing music, setting timers, and executing pre-configured routines.

Matter: The smart home unifier

With the three major smart home ecosystems explained, let’s dive more into their protocols. I’ve mentioned it a few times already, but the most important word to know when putting together a smart home or updating an existing one is Matter. Matter is a unifying protocol that took years of coordination between major companies and trade organizations, such as the Consumer Standards Alliance (CSA), to become the pre-eminent standard connecting the modern smart home. It is not an ecosystem, but rather a language that enables devices from various ecosystems to communicate with one another. Matter was introduced to solve a fragmentation problem that was affecting the adoption of the smart home. If you’re not sure your smart devices will be able to communicate with each other, you might hold off on buying anything at all, which hurts the whole industry.  

Matter operates on top of existing network protocols, such as wifi and Thread. It works with all major smart home ecosystems, as well as some lesser-known ones. Although Matter is still in its nascent era, its existence can help you avoid getting locked into a specific ecosystem. The standard has also helped simplify setup, and it’s more future-proof than the previous generation of smart home devices.

Z-Wave and Zigbee: Old faithfuls

Zigbee and Z-Wave have been around for a long time, dating back to the early days of the smart home. Before wifi became a sufficient enough connector for low-power devices, these two protocols were the primary method of communication between them. If you were shopping for smart devices that required energy efficiency, such as a motion sensor or smart light switch, you would rely on either Zigbee or Z-Wave to connect.

Zigbee and Z-Wave were designed to be energy-efficient, which is why many battery-powered smart gadgets use these protocols. Zigbee and Z-Wave also employ a mesh network architecture, which allows each device logged onto the network to act as a repeater to help extend the signal’s range. This is exceptionally helpful in building out the smart home in large homes and hard-to-reach spots, such as basements and backyards.

These protocols are still highly relevant if you’re planning to build a robust, automated smart home, and they’re often the best connection choice for battery-powered sensors and devices. Matter is merely the bridge that allows you to bring all your Zigbee and Z-Wave devices into a single app for control. Most recently released smart home hubs, such as this one from Aeotec, support both Zigbee and Z-Wave, in addition to Matter and wifi.

Automations: The best part of having a smart home

The allure of the smart home is that you could have everything, from your lights to your air conditioning, scheduled and programmed without having to command it beforehand. For each ecosystem, the fundamental logic of automations and routines is generally the same: They follow the “if this happens, then trigger this action” principle. In many cases, you don’t need voice input to have these kinds of “ambient” actions working throughout your home. Each ecosystem has its own name for these. Amazon refers to them as “routines,” while Apple and Google call them “automations.” (Google used to call them routines, but it’s transitioning away from that moniker.) The concept remains the same across the board.

Google Home’s automations are relatively straightforward. They can be triggered by a specific time of day or based on a combination of conditions. For instance, you can set up a “leaving home” automation that’s based on your location. When your phone is detected outside a preset geofence, your Nest cameras can automatically turn on and start recording. At the same time, your lights could dim to a minimal level, and any doors with smart locks could be set to lock automatically. All of these settings can be easily configured right in the Google Home app. For users who need more sophisticated, conditional logic, Google also offers an online script editor to build custom routines.

Apple HomeKit’s Automations are more privacy-focused, as they occur on-device and rely on a hub, such as the HomePod mini or Apple TV 4K, for remote execution. You can easily set automations through the Apple Home app on iOS or iPadOS. Automations involve triggers such as a person arriving or leaving the home, a specific time of day, a HomeKit-compatible sensor being triggered, or a change in accessory status, like when a smart bulb turns on. And like Google’s Routines, Apple’s Automations can adjust scenes, which are preset combinations of device settings and individual accessories across the home.

Amazon’s Routines work similarly. They need a key trigger, whether it’s a voice command, motion detection from a sensor, or a device status, like an open door. Alexa is great for controlling lights and smart plugs, playing music and podcasts on specific devices, and even sending messages to another Alexa-enabled device, whether it’s an Echo smart speaker or the Alexa app on someone’s phone. Amazon’s Alexa routine builder has long been regarded as one of the most user-friendly options on the market. We’ll see if it maintains that status when Alexa+ comes into the fold.

Before the introduction of Matter, you had to be careful about which devices you brought into your smart home, as different ecosystems and brands often didn’t work together. Matter’s entire reason for existence was to unify the fragmented market, where an Apple HomeKit accessory would not work with a Google Home speaker. While Matter, as a protocol, doesn’t handle automations, it does allow devices to communicate with a hub that works across various ecosystems. The hub can, for instance, enable a motion sensor from a different manufacturer to be used as a trigger for a smart light from a different ecosystem, with Matter acting as the bridge.  

How to choose the right smart home ecosystem

Ultimately, I can’t tell you which is the best smart home ecosystem for you, because it’s entirely up to your needs and preferences. If you are particularly privacy-focused, the Apple HomeKit ecosystem may be precisely what you want, even with its higher cost and fewer offerings. If you’re a diehard iPhone and Mac user, it’s also the way to go. The same applies to Android users who are already logged into a Google account and embedded into the ecosystem.

If you’re in a mixed-platform smart home, the best way to choose your unifying anchor is to consider which voice assistant you prefer to communicate with. If you’re fine with Siri and prefer the idea of commands being executed on-device, stick with HomeKit. If you’re a big fan of Google and you have existing Nest products, or even a Chromecast, that’s the way to go. And if you’d rather have the simplest experience among the three, Amazon’s Alexa remains the easiest to interface with.