A long-time Google Home user reports that most of Google's smart home devices have gone years without updates, including Nest Cam and Nest Doorbell battery models (none since 2021), the Nest Hub display (over five years old), and Nest Wifi Pro (from 2022). The company's only recent release, the Google Home Speaker, arrived this year after a six-year gap since the Nest Audio and reportedly discontinued both the Nest Audio and Nest Mini.
androidauthority.com
· 2026-10-30
Thrive Holdings, a private-equity spin-out from Josh Kushner's Thrive Capital, has acquired home security company ADT for $10 per share, valuing the equity at roughly $7.6 billion and the total enterprise value at $15.3 billion. OpenAI is a partner and investor in Thrive Holdings, which says it holds more than 75 companies that it aims to revitalize using AI. The companies said ADT will become the foundation of Thrive's smart home security business, though no specific new products were announced.
techcrunch.com
· 2026-10-29
Amazon is selling the Tapo MagCam C425 wireless security camera for $59.99, a $30 cut from its $89.99 list price. The wire-free, battery-powered camera records in 2K QHD, uses a magnetic mount, and Tapo claims up to 300 days of battery life under light use.
androidauthority.com
· 2026-10-28
Amazon unveiled a sixth-generation Echo Dot that integrates a smart home hub and a built-in eero Wi-Fi extender claimed to add 1,000 square feet of coverage. The speaker runs on Amazon's AZ3 chip, adds a combined temperature/presence sensor, a fourth microphone, and 50% more bass than the prior model. It starts shipping today priced at $99.99.
androidauthority.com
· 2026-10-28
Amazon has updated its Echo smart speaker lineup, giving the Echo Dot a built-in smart home hub and Wi-Fi extender, and introducing a $250 Echo Studio with Home Camera that adds live video monitoring. A camera-free Echo Studio remains available, and the camera version lets Alexa use visual recognition to identify objects like board games or cereal boxes to assist users.
cnet.com
· 2026-10-28
Amazon unveiled refreshed Echo Dot and Echo Studio smart speakers alongside new devices including a smart photo frame and a sleep-tracking alarm clock. The Echo Dot now functions as a smart home hub and Wi-Fi extender, while the $250 Echo Studio gains an optional camera that enables live video monitoring, with a camera-free version still available for $220.
cnet.com
· 2026-10-28
Amazon announced the Alexa Home Map, a new interface that renders a home as an interactive 3D blueprint with animated icons for connected devices like lights and speakers placed where they physically sit. The map also integrates with outdoor security cameras to depict vehicles, pedestrians and weather conditions like rain or snow in real time, using stylized visualizations rather than photorealistic imagery.
engadget.com
· 2026-10-28
Amazon unveiled a refreshed Echo Dot featuring its custom AZ3 chip for on-device AI voice processing, a fourth microphone for better voice recognition, and a built-in smart home hub supporting Zigbee, Matter and Thread protocols. The speaker can also now function as an eero Wi-Fi extender, adding up to 1,000 feet of range to an existing eero network, and includes audio upgrades like a full-range driver for improved bass and vocals.
engadget.com
· 2026-10-28
Amazon introduced five new smart home products and a new feature on Wednesday, roughly two weeks after Apple revealed its HomeView display and HomePod Mini 2. The lineup includes Echo Time, a $200 camera-free alarm clock with Alexa Plus-powered sleep tracking and an optional smart alarm that wakes users during light sleep, plus a kids' version called Amazon Kids Echo Time that pairs with parental controls via the Amazon Parent Dashboard.
cnet.com
· 2026-10-28
Amazon announced a wave of fall hardware, including the Echo Show 16 with a 16-inch anodized aluminum display, a 13-megapixel wide-angle camera, and an upgraded Omnisense sensor platform, priced at $499.99 ($569.99 with anti-glare Nanomatte screen). It also introduced a $199.99 Alexa Photo Frame that uses Alexa Plus to surface Amazon Photos based on people and context, plus a new Echo Dot with a built-in smart home hub.
theverge.com
· 2026-10-28
Matic has released the Serene, its first new robot vacuum since 2023, priced at $1,695 — $200 more than the original Matic, which remains on sale at $1,495. The main change is noise reduction, with Serene running at 52 decibels at full suction compared to 55 decibels on the original model, achieved through a new hardware stack. Current Matic owners will be able to request a hardware upgrade to Serene starting in early 2027.
theverge.com
· 2026-10-27
Google ended software support in October 2025 for first- and second-generation Nest Learning Thermostats, cutting them off from app connectivity, accessory integration, and updates after roughly 14 years of use. The devices still function for basic on-device temperature control and scheduling, and Google has offered discounted upgrades to its fourth-generation thermostat as an alternative.
engadget.com
· 2026-10-25
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