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Samsung's One UI 9 update adds new personalization options accessible through its Good Lock suite and Home Up application. Key additions include a Favorites Background tool for editing blur, shadow, image, and color on the Favorites screen, similar controls for the Edge Panel, and configurable multi-finger gesture shortcuts for actions like screenshots or volume control.
Credit rating firm Egan-Jones published a commentary titled 'It's Over,' arguing that AI capabilities have crossed a threshold enabling widespread adoption that will disrupt hourly-billed professional services and senior talent roles. The firm predicts compressed margins in professional services, lower venture capital returns, and short-term pressure on home prices as screen-based jobs are affected. It also forecasts a new business model where highly successful firms operate with very few or no employees.
A developer who already used Home Assistant to track bin collection schedules built a new project called BinRange to detect whether bins had actually been moved. The system uses a fixed ultra-wideband radio anchor, six battery-powered tags attached to wheelie bins, a 3D-printed enclosure, custom firmware with wireless updates, and integration with Home Assistant to combine location data with collection schedules. The build followed an earlier, less successful attempt using Bluetooth tags and a proxy, and was developed with heavy use of AI coding tools including Codex and Astra.
According to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman, Apple is building small cylindrical home sensors that use AI facial recognition to detect people and activity without saving video footage. The devices would pair with Apple's upcoming AI home hub launching Oct. 13, delivering text alerts like "someone is outside the back door" instead of stored clips. Apple has not responded to requests for comment.
Owners of the Lenovo Smart Clock Essential began losing the weather display from their devices' screens during August and September, leaving only the time showing. Within the last day, users on Reddit and in reader comments have reported that the weather information has started reappearing on their devices.
Meta has opened a project called Muse Gadgets, offering developers open-source firmware and a Linux SDK to build their own devices powered by its Muse AI agent. The company also released its own example, the Muse Home Link, a USB-C dongle that connects Muse to home networks and smart devices; Meta says it has produced 5,000 units to give to Muse subscribers. Nat Friedman, head of product for Meta's superintelligence labs, announced the initiative and set up a Discord community for developers.
A new survey reports that a growing share of American sports fans now favor celebrating game day at home rather than tailgating at stadiums. Respondents cited comfort as the leading reason for the shift away from the traditional pregame ritual.
Home Widget, a third-party iOS app for building custom HomeKit control panels, released version 1.10 with a new camera mosaic feature that shows every HomeKit camera in one scrollable view from a single widget tap. The update also adds direct thermostat control and whole-room lighting adjustments from widget tiles, plus a Control Center option to jump straight to the camera mosaic or a specific camera.
Meta has released open-source code letting developers build their own gadgets powered by its Muse AI agent, using hardware like ESP32 boards or Raspberry Pi. Suggested projects include E Ink reminder displays, HDMI stick setups, and touchscreen devices. Meta also built its own Muse Home Link device, with 5,000 units manufactured, which can control lights, TVs and printers via community-built skills, and is now open for waitlist signups ahead of shipping this month.
Apple expanded its third-party accessories lineup this week with eight new products, led by the Aqara Thermostat Hub W200, which first launched in April after debuting at CES 2026. The device sells for $169.95 through Apple, about $10 more than on Amazon, and supports Apple Home features including Adaptive Temperature and Clean Energy Guidance. Apple also began selling the Aqara Climate Sensor W100 alongside six other new accessories.
Users on Reddit reported slowdowns and error messages, including an 'Internal error encountered' prompt, when using the Google Home app on iOS and Android, while the web version continued working normally. Google's official Nest Community account confirmed it is actively rolling out a fix, though no timeline was given for when all users will receive it.
Nabu Casa, the commercial partner behind Home Assistant, has renamed its Home Assistant Cloud service to Home Assistant Link. The company says the service, launched in 2018, lets users remotely access their smart home setup and funds development of the open-source platform through subscription revenue directed to the Open Home Foundation.