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Bloomberg's Mark Gurman reports Apple is testing a smart home display, internally coded J490/J491, in employee homes ahead of a possible launch as soon as next month. The device reportedly combines elements of iOS, tvOS, and watchOS, with its own home screen, widgets, and clock faces, and leans heavily on an upgraded Siri to handle tasks across apps like Notes and Reminders.
A tech guide identifies seven free streaming services offering both on-demand libraries and live, cable-like channel surfing, all available as apps on most major smart TV platforms. These services are ad-supported, meaning viewers get content at no cost but must sit through commercial breaks.
Smart TVs running WebOS, Google TV, Fire TV OS or Roku OS use standby mode to install software and app updates in the background rather than forcing users to wait through updates at power-on. OLED TVs specifically rely on standby to run pixel-refresh routines that prevent image retention and burn-in, a process that gets interrupted if the set is shut down or unplugged too soon after use.
Smart TVs still rely on remote controls, and many now support using a smartphone as a substitute via built-in IR blasters or app-based connectivity. Certain Android phones have infrared hardware and pre-installed universal remote apps that let users pair with their TV brand and control power, volume, and navigation. Devices from Apple, Samsung, and Google lack this IR hardware, but alternative software-based remote options exist for those users.
Australia's public service minister Katy Gallagher announced the government is exploring a ban on Meta's AI-enabled smart glasses in federal government buildings, citing privacy and security risks tied to their recording capabilities. Officials plan to consult the public service commission and hold a roundtable with major employers like Microsoft and Commonwealth Bank to develop broader AI workplace guidelines.
Aqara has released the Multi-Sensor FP400, its latest mmWave presence detector for smart-home setups. Despite being a newer model, reviewers found it fails to meaningfully advance on the capabilities already offered by Aqara's earlier presence sensors.
Thermacell has released LIV 2.0, an upgraded version of its whole-yard mosquito repellent system, replacing nearly all original hardware components except the connecting cables. The reviewer, who previously tested and praised the original LIV two years ago, received the new units directly from the company to evaluate improvements. The core design remains the same: Wi-Fi-enabled hubs plug into wall power and connect via cables to multiple pesticide-emitting repellers spaced up to 20 feet apart in a perimeter.
Apple's iPhone 18 Pro now starts at $1,200 for 256GB storage, with top configurations reaching $2,400, while Google's Pixel 11 Pro keeps its 256GB starting price at $1,099 after dropping the base 128GB tier. Android Authority argues the Pixel offers significantly better value across storage tiers, saving buyers as much as $200 compared to Apple's equivalent options.
Apple's upcoming iPhone Duo will require developers to recompile apps for iOS 27.0 just to fill the device's larger inner screen, with iOS 27.1 needed to access the Duo's new tab bar and other custom UI elements. Apple chose not to let iPad apps with resizable layouts run on the Duo, opting instead for a purpose-built interface exclusive to the new hardware.
A tech review explains that standalone streaming devices such as Roku, Fire TV Stick and Chromecast can meaningfully improve on a smart TV's built-in software. Because smart TV manufacturers license operating systems from companies like Amazon, Google and Roku, performance varies widely and often degrades as the hardware ages, leading to lag and crashes. Adding a modern streaming device can restore speed and reliability at a fraction of the cost of replacing an entire television.
Petlibro has released the Granary 2 series, a new lineup of four automatic dry-food dispensers ranging from $129.99 to $249.99, including a base model, a camera-equipped Vision version, a dual-bowl Vision Duo for multiple pets, and a top-tier X model with individualized AI portioning. Each device uses a built-in scale to measure both dispensed food and what remains in the bowl, letting owners track actual consumption rather than just dispensing times.
Smart locks replace either a full deadbolt or just its indoor thumb turn, connecting to home Wi-Fi so owners can lock, unlock and monitor doors remotely via a smartphone app. Many models add features like keypads, fingerprint readers, temporary guest passcodes and real-time lock-status alerts.