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Smart Home News 31 August 2025 - 16 December 2025

Newfoundland Power and Mysa Launch takeCHARGE Smart Thermostat Pilot: How NL Households Can Earn Up to $140 for Cutting Peak Demand

Newfoundland Power and Mysa Launch takeCHARGE Smart Thermostat Pilot: How NL Households Can Earn Up to $140 for Cutting Peak Demand

ST. JOHN’S, N.L. — A new winter pilot in Newfoundland and Labrador is offering cash-like rewards to households that help reduce electricity demand when the provincial grid is under the most pressure. Newfoundland Power, working with St. John’s-based smart thermostat company Mysa, is rolling out a limited-capacity “demand response” program aimed at trimming peak-time electricity use—primarily from electric baseboard heating—through small, automated temperature adjustments that participants can override at any time. Alapbs+2TakeCHARGE+2 The initiative is being delivered through takeCHARGE, the energy efficiency partnership backed by Newfoundland and Labrador Hydro and Newfoundland Power. It’s designed to test whether coordinated, short-term reductions
Google Home’s Gemini Revolution: Can AI Fix the Smart Home and Win Back Your Trust?

Google Home’s Gemini Revolution: Can AI Fix the Smart Home and Win Back Your Trust?

Gemini Replaces Assistant: A New AI “Brain” for Your Home After nearly a decade, Google is pulling the plug on the original Google Assistant in its smart home products and swapping in something far more powerful. Gemini, Google’s latest conversational AI, will now handle voice interactions on Google Home speakers, displays, and other deviceswired.com. The trigger phrase “Hey Google” stays the same, but everything behind it is new – instead of the old scripted Assistant, you’ll be talking to a modern large language model that understands natural language and contextwired.com. Google Assistant debuted in 2016 as an answer to Amazon’s
Amazon’s Finance Teams Unleash AI for Complex Tasks – Transforming Corporate Finance

Amazon’s Fall Gadget Bonanza: Color Kindle Scribe, $40 4K Fire Stick, AI Ring Cams & More

All-New Kindle Scribe Lineup Amazon completely redesigned its Kindle Scribe e-reader/notetakers for the 2025 model year, focusing on productivity. The lineup now has three models (up from one): a base Scribe without a front light, a Scribe with a front light, and the new Kindle Scribe Colorsoft. All share a new slim body (just 5.4 mm thick) and a larger 11″ E Ink display (previous Scribe was 10.2″). As Andrew Liszewski of The Verge reports, Amazon “got rid of the asymmetrical chin” and slimmed the device so it’s lighter – only 400 g (versus 433 g before) theverge.com. The bigger screen better matches a sheet of paper: users can view
1 October 2025
Amazon’s AI-Powered Device Overhaul: Alexa+ Echoes, Color Kindle Scribbles & 4K Ring Cameras Unveiled

Amazon’s AI-Powered Device Overhaul: Alexa+ Echoes, Color Kindle Scribbles & 4K Ring Cameras Unveiled

Massive 2025 Hardware Launch Event On Sept. 30, 2025 in New York City, Amazon held its biggest hardware showcase in years – unveiling revamped gadgets across Echo speakers, Kindles, Fire TVs and security cameras. The headline was Alexa+, a generative-AI revamp of Alexa. Panos Panay (SVP of Devices & Services, formerly of Microsoft) led the presentations. He framed the event as the culmination of a multi-year “devices overhaul” aimed at making Amazon’s gadgets smarter and more polished aboutamazon.com. In his introduction to Alexa+, Panay wrote that with 600 million Alexa devices deployed, “advancements in generative AI have unlocked new possibilities”
1 October 2025
SwitchBot’s New AI Hub, Art Frame & Robot Pets Stun IFA 2025 – A Smart Home Revolution?

SwitchBot’s New AI Hub, Art Frame & Robot Pets Stun IFA 2025 – A Smart Home Revolution?

SwitchBot’s Big Reveal at IFA 2025 At the IFA 2025 tech expo in Berlin, SwitchBot made waves by unveiling a trio of AI-driven smart home devices that blur the line between utilitarian gadgets and personable home companions. SwitchBot – known previously for quirky, clever add-ons like robotic button-pressers and smart curtain motors – stepped into the spotlight with its new “Embodied AI” lineup prnewswire.com. Announced on September 4, 2025, the lineup comprised: This breadth—from a home automation hub to an AI art display to literal robot pets—shows SwitchBot’s ambition to integrate AI “in every room,” from the living room to
18 September 2025
19,500Pa Suction & AI Mop: Ecovacs Deebot X11 OmniCyclone Takes Robot Vacuums to the Next Level

19,500Pa Suction & AI Mop: Ecovacs Deebot X11 OmniCyclone Takes Robot Vacuums to the Next Level

The Ecovacs Deebot X11 OmniCyclone is a new flagship robot vacuum-mop announced at IFA 2025, boasting unprecedented suction power (19,500 Pa) Vacuumwars, a bagless self-emptying base, and advanced AI features. Priced around $1,499, it promises nearly hands-free cleaning with minimal maintenance. Below we break down its specs, innovations, and early impressions – and see how it stacks up against top rivals like the Roborock S8 Pro Ultra, DreameBot L20 Ultra, and iRobot Roomba Combo j9+. Key Facts at a Glance: Ecovacs Deebot X11 OmniCyclone robot vacuum and mop at its base station – the X11 introduces a bagless cyclone dock and
18 September 2025
Google Nest Hub vs Nest Hub Max: The Ultimate Smart Display Showdown (2025 Edition)

Smart Home Showdown 2025: Google Nest vs Amazon Alexa, Apple HomeKit & More

(Today’s smart home battlefield is fiercer than ever, with Google’s Nest lineup facing off against Amazon’s Alexa/Ring empire, Apple’s HomeKit ecosystem, and a host of specialized rivals. Who’s winning in thermostats, speakers, cameras, and beyond? Read on for the ultimate 2025 smart home showdown.) Key Facts Thermostats: Nest vs Ecobee (and the Rest) Google Nest Thermostats: Google’s flagship thermostat is the Nest Learning Thermostat (4th Gen), launched in 2024 as the first major update in nearly a decade tomsguide.com tomsguide.com. The 4th-gen Nest Learning Thermostat features a premium bezel-free glass display and built-in AI smarts that make it more context-aware
Smart Home Showdown 2025: Google Nest vs Alexa, HomeKit & the Rest – Which Ecosystem Rules?

The Post-Assistant Era: Google’s Gemini Comes Home – What It Means for Your Smart Home

A New AI Voice Assistant for the Home: Gemini for Home Nearly a decade after introducing Google Assistant as a handy voice helper, Google is now giving its smart home ecosystem a radical upgrade. Gemini for Home is an all-new AI voice assistant that will “eventually replace Google Assistant” on all Nest-brand smart speakers and smart displays theverge.com. Announced in August 2025 by Google’s Nest team, Gemini for Home is built on the company’s latest large language model (LLM) technology (the same family of AI models behind Google’s Gemini chatbot). This means it can understand and respond to far more
Smart Home Showdown 2025: Google Nest vs Alexa, HomeKit & the Rest – Which Ecosystem Rules?

Smart Home Showdown 2025: Google Nest vs Alexa, HomeKit & the Rest – Which Ecosystem Rules?

Key Facts at a Glance Google Nest Ecosystem in 2025 – Smarter Assistant, Unified Platform Google’s smart home universe, branded Google Nest, spans thermostats, smart speakers, displays, cameras, video doorbells, security alarm systems, smoke detectors, and Wi-Fi routers. All these devices integrate with the Google Home app and respond to Google Assistant voice commands (“Hey Google…”). A key selling point of Google’s ecosystem is how well it ties into the everyday services many people already use: Android phones, YouTube and Chromecast streaming, Google Calendar, Gmail, etc. If you’re an Android user, controlling a Nest device can feel seamless – the
6 September 2025
Google Nest Hub vs Nest Hub Max: The Ultimate Smart Display Showdown (2025 Edition)

Nest Hub vs Nest Hub Max: Google’s Smart Displays Face Off in 2025 – Which Should You Pick?

Key Facts Overview: Google’s Two Smart Displays in 2025 Google offers two smart display devices in its Nest smart home lineup – the standard Nest Hub (2nd Generation) and the larger Nest Hub Max. These devices combine the voice-controlled intelligence of Google Assistant with a touchscreen, allowing you to not only hear responses and music but also see visual info, watch videos, view cameras, and more. Despite sharing an almost identical design language and software, the Hub and Hub Max cater to slightly different needs. The Nest Hub (7-inch screen) is the second-gen model released in 2021, succeeding the original 2018 Google Home Hub. It deliberately omits a
6 September 2025
NexLawn Master X Series: The Robot Lawnmower That Plays Fetch and Picks Fruit

NexLawn Master X Series: The Robot Lawnmower That Plays Fetch and Picks Fruit

Key Facts NexLawn’s Master X Series Concept Unveiled The NexLawn Master X Series Concept robot mower equipped with its versatile mechanical arm, which folds down when not in use. This ambitious prototype can not only cut grass but also interact with the environment – from picking up yard debris to playing fetch with a pet. From Dreame’s Labs to the Lawn The Master X Series Concept marks the global debut of the NexLawn brand, which was introduced at IFA 2025. NexLawn is a gardening and robotics arm of MOVA, itself under Chinese smart appliance maker Dreame (known for robot vacuums).
5 September 2025
Eufy’s MarsWalker: The Stair-Climbing Robot That Carries Your Vacuum Upstairs

Eufy’s MarsWalker: The Stair-Climbing Robot That Carries Your Vacuum Upstairs

Summary of Key Facts What Exactly Is the MarsWalker? The Eufy MarsWalker is essentially a robotic stair-climbing transporter designed to carry a robot vacuum cleaner from floor to floor. Unlike traditional robot vacuums (which are limited to one level and typically avoid stairs for fear of tumbling down), MarsWalker actively navigates stairs while carrying a vacuum on its back. Eufy describes it as the “world’s first stair-climbing carrier for robot vacuums,” a kind of elevator or “stairlift” for your robo-vac Theverge Globenewswire. In practical terms, MarsWalker is a separate robotic base that your compatible Eufy vacuum can dock into when it needs to change floors. The unit has four motorized legs/arms that can extend, lift and stabilize,
5 September 2025
MagicFit Smart Fitness Mirror Review: The AI-Powered Home Gym That Could Replace Your Gym Membership

MagicFit Smart Fitness Mirror Review: The AI-Powered Home Gym That Could Replace Your Gym Membership

Key Facts MagicFit Mirror Overview: An AI Personal Trainer in Your Home The MagicFit Smart Fitness Mirror is a new breed of home gym equipment that fuses reflective display technology with artificial intelligence. In essence, it’s a full-length mirror that transforms into an interactive workout screen, enabling you to see yourself exercise while a virtual trainer (displayed as a life-sized hologram) appears on the glass to coach you scotsman.com scotsman.com. This mirror’s AI “eyes” watch your form through an embedded camera and motion sensors, and its “brain” (the ReflectAI® system) analyzes your movement in real time. As you work out,
5 September 2025
Ring’s Flying Security Cam Takes Off Again? Inside the Ring Always Home Cam & the Future of Home Surveillance

Ring’s Flying Security Cam Takes Off Again? Inside the Ring Always Home Cam & the Future of Home Surveillance

A Flying Security Camera for Your Living Room The Ring Always Home Cam is unlike any security camera you’ve seen – because it doesn’t sit in one place. Announced at Amazon’s 2020 hardware event, this pint-sized indoor drone is designed to take off from its dock and fly preset routes through your house, giving you a roaming eye on your property digitaltrends.com digitaltrends.com. It essentially promises to be “an extension of your own two eyes”, reaching every corner that a fixed camera can’t digitaltrends.com. Ring’s pitch was simple: instead of buying a camera for each room, one flying cam could
5 September 2025
Govee TV Backlight 3 Pro Unveiled: Triple-Camera Ambilight Killer or Hue’s New Rival?

Govee TV Backlight 3 Pro Unveiled: Triple-Camera Ambilight Killer or Hue’s New Rival?

Key Facts Meet the Govee TV Backlight 3 Pro TV bias lighting isn’t new, but getting it right can be tricky. A properly tuned backlight can make movies more immersive and even reduce eye strain – if the lights can keep up with the on-screen action techlicious.com. Govee’s new TV Backlight 3 Pro, unveiled at IFA 2025, aims to solve the typical lag and color accuracy issues of older kits. It does so with a first-of-its-kind HDR triple-camera system and a redesigned low-latency chipset that syncs lighting effects in real time, even during fast-paced scenes techlicious.com. In other words, this is Govee’s most advanced attempt
4 September 2025
Philips Hue’s 2025 Update Changes the Game: Bridge Pro, Cheaper Bulbs & Bold New Moves

Philips Hue’s 2025 Update Changes the Game: Bridge Pro, Cheaper Bulbs & Bold New Moves

Hue Bridge Pro: A Supercharged Smart Hub The Philips Hue Bridge Pro is a long-awaited upgrade to Hue’s central hub. Visually debuting in sleek black, this hub is significantly more powerful than the standard Bridge V2 (2015) it complements. It can handle 150+ lights and 50 accessories on one network – a godsend for smart home enthusiasts who were bumping against the old ~50–60 device limit techradar.com pcworld.com. The hardware jump (quad-core ARM CPU and 1 GB RAM) not only expands capacity but speeds up response times across the system macrumors.com hueblog.com. Users with sprawling indoor/outdoor Hue setups or multiple cameras
4 September 2025
DJI Romo Robot Vacuum Shakes Up the Floor Wars: Drone Tech vs. Roborock, Roomba & More

DJI Romo Robot Vacuum Shakes Up the Floor Wars: Drone Tech vs. Roborock, Roomba & More

DJI Enters the Robot Vacuum Arena DJI is world-famous for drones and cameras – so its move into robot vacuums came as a surprise to many T3. Codenamed “DJI Romo,” this vacuum was officially unveiled in China on August 6, 2025 T3 after months of leaks and teasers. Observers immediately noted DJI’s strategy: injecting drone-grade technology into home cleaning. The Romo’s design and capabilities reflect DJI’s expertise in sensors, AI, and robotics: It’s clear DJI swung for the fences with the Romo, packing in cutting-edge features for a premium, feature-rich robot vacuum. As TechRadar put it, “if the Romo is real…it could
Google Smart Home Ecosystem 2025: New AI Upgrades, Nest Devices and Everything You Need to Know

Google’s Gemini-Powered Nest Cams and Smart Speaker Leak – 2K HDR, AI Summaries & a Big Smart Home Upgrade

Key Facts: Google’s Big Nest Comeback – Finally Catching Up in Hardware Google’s Nest lineup has gone four years without a major update, leaving some to wonder if Nest products were on the back burner androidcentral.com. The last significant releases came in 2021, and since then competitor cameras have surged ahead in specs – for example, Arlo’s flagship Ultra series has offered 4K video for years, and even budget-friendly Wyze just launched a 4K pan-tilt cam for $60 theverge.com. Google’s older Nest Cam maxed out at 1080p, lagging in pure video quality. Now, with this upcoming refresh, Google is addressing
3 September 2025
Nest Wifi Pro vs The Mesh Wi-Fi Competition (2025 Showdown) 🚀

Nest Wifi Pro vs The Mesh Wi-Fi Competition (2025 Showdown) 🚀

Meet Google Nest Wifi Pro (Wi-Fi 6E Mesh by Google) Google’s glossy Nest Wifi Pro router sports a minimalist design meant to blend into home decor. Each unit has two Ethernet ports and houses a tri-band Wi‑Fi 6E radio (2.4 GHz, 5 GHz, and 6 GHz). Google’s Nest Wifi Pro is a mesh-capable wireless router system in the Nest smart home family, introduced in October 2022 en.wikipedia.org as the successor to the 2019 Nest Wifi. It’s Google’s first Wi-Fi 6E router, meaning it adds the new 6 GHz band alongside 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz theverge.com. Each Nest Wifi Pro unit is identical – there’s no separate “point” with reduced
Google Smart Home Ecosystem 2025: New AI Upgrades, Nest Devices and Everything You Need to Know

Google Smart Home Ecosystem 2025: New AI Upgrades, Nest Devices and Everything You Need to Know

Google Nest Hardware: Speakers, Displays, Cameras and More Google’s smart home lineup (branded Google Nest) spans smart speakers, smart displays, security cameras, video doorbells, thermostats, sensors, and networking gear. Below we break down each category, highlighting the latest hardware, standout features, specs, and how they compare across generations. Smart Speakers: Nest Mini & Nest Audio (and Upcoming AI Speaker) Google currently sells two main smart speakers: the Nest Mini (2nd Gen) and the Nest Audio. The Nest Mini is a compact, puck-shaped speaker (successor to the original Google Home Mini) that launched in late 2019 for about $49 routenote.com. It

Stock Market Today

Costco stock price retakes $1,000 — what traders are watching before Monday

Costco stock price retakes $1,000 — what traders are watching before Monday

7 February 2026
Costco closed Friday up 1.2% at $1,001.16, regaining the $1,000 level as about 2.36 million shares changed hands. January net sales rose 9.3% to $21.33 billion, with comparable sales up 7.1% and online sales surging 34.4%. Wells Fargo raised its price target to $950, maintaining a neutral rating. The next earnings call is set for March 5.
Johnson & Johnson stock price: What to watch after talc-case law firm ouster and new AFib data

Johnson & Johnson stock price: What to watch after talc-case law firm ouster and new AFib data

7 February 2026
Johnson & Johnson shares rose 0.9% to $239.99 Friday after a New Jersey appeals court disqualified Beasley Allen from state talc cases, citing improper coordination with a former J&J attorney. The ruling affects about 3,600 state lawsuits, while a related federal motion is pending. J&J also reported early 12-month pilot data for its investigational AFib device at a cardiology meeting.
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