STT 91: Your Smart Home Questions Answered - Automated lightsabers, A-L-E-X-A, soil sensors, SmartThings

Matthew Cassinelli and Mikah Sargent announce the sunsetting of Smart Tech Today and look back at the year's smart home trends. Amazon's Alexa Stalled With Users as Interest Faded, Documents Show Matthew's Airtable list of Smart Tech Today stories Matthew's Airtable list of Smart Tech Today's most-covered topics Ember Mug HomePod Eve Motion Sensor Awair Eve Door and Window Sensor Hue Motion Sensor Nanoleaf Canvas Picks of the week Matthew: Focused 2022 Calendar Mikah: Beyerdynamic MMX 150 Hosts: Mikah Sargent and Matthew Cassinelli Download or subscribe to this show at https://twit.tv/shows/smart-tech-today Get episodes ad-free with Club TWiT at https://twit.tv/clubtwit Show notes and links for this episode are available at: https://twit.tv/shows/smart-tech-today/episodes/109 Sponsors: betterhelp.com/stt UserWay.org/twit

The upcoming universal language for smart home devices, Matter, has revealed a TV spec that will theoretically allow for universal media casting. The Opal C1 webcam aims to be a DSLR camera packed into a webcam frame. Intel thinks it's going to be awhile before the Metaverse really kicks off due to technological constraints it feels its chips can help surpass. Matter could bring universal casting that actually works Smart home company Eve plans to use Matter to move beyond Apple's HomeKit Opal's C1 offers DSLR-rivaling video quality in a small form factor Dell's wireless webcam prototype uses magnets to stick to a screen Google Home update makes it easier to review Nest camera footage MGM Resorts is letting job seekers try out roles using virtual reality as it looks to reduce employee churn Intel Throws Cold Water on the Metaverse Happening Any Time Soon Meta adds sign language interpreters for Portal video calls LG's StanbyME is a wireless TV on wheels Alexa's latest celebrity voice is Santa Claus himself Enhanced Sleep Sensing in Nest Hub Picks of the week Matthew: Grovemade Wool Felt Desk Pad Mikah: Eve Room (with Thread) Hosts: Mikah Sargent and Matthew Cassinelli Download or subscribe to this show at https://twit.tv/shows/smart-tech-today Get episodes ad-free with Club TWiT at https://twit.tv/clubtwit Show notes and links for this episode are available at: https://twit.tv/shows/smart-tech-today/episodes/108 Sponsors: UserWay.org/twit betterhelp.com/stt

Amazon's Alexa voice assistant is happy to announce package updates, but that's a bit of an issue around the holidays. Meta (Facebook) has opened up Horizon Worlds to adults in the U.S. and Canada. DARPA is funding research from a company that makes a device to charge a swarm of drones. Sonos plans to improve its mixed environmental track record How to keep Alexa from ruining your Christmas surprises Kobo's Elipsa and Sage e-readers are better for reading than writing Meta opens up access to its VR social platform Horizon Worlds DARPA Is Exploring Ways to Wirelessly Charge Drone Swarms Drop a Magnet on This Map and a Fake Window Provides Live Views From Around the World Razer's New MagSafe Cooling Fan Brings RGB to Your iPhone, Because Why Not A New Tesla Safety Concern: Drivers Can Play Video Games in Moving Cars The Popular Family Safety App Life360 Is Selling Precise Location Data on Its Tens of Millions of Users Apple and Hyatt begin rolling out hotel keys in Apple Wallet Kuo: Apple AR Headset to Feature Advanced Hand Gesture Controls and Object Detection Picks of the week Dan: Lutron Aurora Smart Bulb Dimmer Switch Mikah: Anker 637 Magnetic Charging Station Hosts: Mikah Sargent and Dan Moren Download or subscribe to this show at https://twit.tv/shows/smart-tech-today Get episodes ad-free with Club TWiT at https://twit.tv/clubtwit Show notes and links for this episode are available at: https://twit.tv/shows/smart-tech-today/episodes/107 Sponsors: betterhelp.com/stt UserWay.org/twit

Google is rumored to be working on its first smartwatch that will reportedly debut in 2022. Some of Amazon's Alexa-enabled devices will be able to listen for the sound of running water or appliances beeping in order to alert you or trigger a routine. 7-Eleven partners with Nuro for autonomous vehicle deliveries. New Google Maps Features Will Help You Navigate the Holiday Shopping Shitshow Healthcare providers in Google Search, Maps can now list which insurance they accept Google announces grab bag of new Android features for the end of 2021 Google is making its first in-house smartwatch that could launch in 2022 Google's 'Look to Speak' accessibility app now works in 17 more languages Spotify Pulls Plug on Car View Feature, Offers Users No Alternative Amazon Alexa can now respond to running water and bleeping appliances Twinkly smart holiday lights gain HomeKit support via new firmware update Honeywell Home's T9 smart thermostat gets HomeKit support, finally 7-Eleven and Nuro begin autonomous vehicle deliveries in California Uber's audio recording safety feature is coming to the US Microsoft Makes Breakthrough in the Quest to Use DNA as Data Storage Twenty percent of Xbox Cloud Gaming players only use touch controls Holiday IoT Ugly Sweater Workshop Picks of the week Matthew: Mozy Stadium Blanket Mikah: Google Nest Hub (2nd gen) Hosts: Mikah Sargent and Matthew Cassinelli Download or subscribe to this show at https://twit.tv/shows/smart-tech-today Get episodes ad-free with Club TWiT at https://twit.tv/clubtwit Show notes and links for this episode are available at: https://twit.tv/shows/smart-tech-today/episodes/106 Sponsors: hover.com/twit betterhelp.com/stt UserWay.org/twit

Amazon has begun to roll out a new, smarter "Conversation Mode" to Echo Show 10 devices that helps Alexa take visual and audio cues from nearby users. The company has also introduced four new smart switches that work with Alexa. Instagram has a new bug-reporting feature called "Rage Shake" that lets you shake your phone to report a bug. Amazon starts rolling out Alexa's Conversation Mode on Echo Show 10 Some Echo speakers can now detect people What should you eat? Thanks to this Amazon employee, Alexa can help Amazon has four new smart switches Zipline starts first commercial US drone deliveries with Walmart partnership in Arkansas Starbucks Has Launched a Cafe in NYC That Uses Amazon's Cashierless Payment System FCC votes to let people text '988' to reach the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline starting in July Instagram Has Announced a New Feature Called 'Rage Shake' Ring doorbells will be able to greet people with holiday cheer Upcoming smart home products wirelessly charge without cable or pad Picks of the week Dan: Level Bolt Mikah: Google Pixel Buds A-Series Hosts: Mikah Sargent and Dan Moren Download or subscribe to this show at https://twit.tv/shows/smart-tech-today Get episodes ad-free with Club TWiT at https://twit.tv/clubtwit Show notes and links for this episode are available at: https://twit.tv/shows/smart-tech-today/episodes/105 Sponsor: UserWay.org/twit

Google releases an update for its Nest Hub that adds more sleep tracking metrics, Flo Ion reviews the new Lenovo Smart Clock, and Ikea makes some sound-dampening curtains to block out noise from your roommates and pets. Google's Nest Hub gets more sleep tracking features Author Clock' Tells Time Using Book Quotes That Mention the Time of Day Stack Overflow's Copy / Paste Keyboard Is No Joke I Love This Smart Alarm Clock Ikea Made Sound-Absorbing Curtains to Broker Peace Between Noisy Roommates The Playdate Handheld Console Is Delayed Until 2022 Steam Deck Launch Delayed as Valve Succumbs to the Chip Crunch Qualcomm's Snapdragon Spaces try to make it easier to get apps ready for augmented reality Qualcomm's new AR 'Smart Viewer' lets you pin virtual screens to your walls Lenovo ThinkReality A3 based on Qualcomm's reference design Controller for HomeKit adds new maintenance features for HomeKit troubleshooting Review: Apple's polishing cloth is the new gold standard for device cleaning Netatmo announces HomeKit compatible CO detector Amazon launches a $70 air quality monitor for Alexa Tempo's New Smart Home Gym Is Actually Affordable Peloton Made a Camera That'll Guide You While You Lift Weights Fitbit's new feature might tell you not to go to the gym after all Withings reveals a new hybrid ScanWatch with medical tracking, 30-day battery All I want from my smartwatch is to give me a break Picks of the week Matthew: AirPods Beanies Mikah: Lovebox Hosts: Mikah Sargent and Matthew Cassinelli Download or subscribe to this show at https://twit.tv/shows/smart-tech-today Get episodes ad-free with Club TWiT at https://twit.tv/clubtwit Show notes and links for this episode are available at: https://twit.tv/shows/smart-tech-today/episodes/104 Sponsors: Command Line Heroes - STT UserWay.org/twit

Facebook's AI research team is improving upon technologies that let robots "feel," GM's Cruise embarks on its first completely driverless ride in San Francisco, and GE releases a "Turkey Mode" software update for its smart cooking appliances. Microsoft's Mesh for Teams brings mixed reality to work Facebook is enabling a new generation of touchy-feely robots Miso Robotics made its Flippy kitchen robot faster and even more autonomous University of Adelaide built a robot spider to scan Australia's Naracoorte Caves Leak suggests a Sonos Voice Assistant launch is imminent Cruise launches driverless robotaxi service in San Francisco Apple Wants iPhones to Detect Car Crashes, Auto-Dial 911 Cooperative Perception' Could Help Autonomous Vehicles See Pedestrians Around Corners Arlo's latest LTE camera is cheaper and captures 1080p footage Traeger now ships full barbecue meals for you to cook on its smart grills Gobble, gobble: GE Appliances wants you to trust its smart oven to cook the perfect turkey Picks of the week Jason: Google One users in 4 countries can get a free 2nd-gen Nest Hub by upgrading to 2TB annual plan Mikah: LED Strip Light Connector Kit Hosts: Mikah Sargent and Jason Howell Download or subscribe to this show at https://twit.tv/shows/smart-tech-today Get episodes ad-free with Club TWiT at https://twit.tv/clubtwit Show notes and links for this episode are available at: https://twit.tv/shows/smart-tech-today/episodes/103 Sponsor: UserWay.org/twit

Delving into the Facebook Connect event and the announcement of Facebook's new name, detailing Wyze's new smart home products, and more. Facebook just revealed its new name: Meta Meta (Facebook) is retiring the Oculus brand Facebook says it doesn't want to own the metaverse, just jumpstart it Facebook teases 'Project Cambria' high-end VR / AR headset Active Pack accessories prepare your Oculus Quest 2 for sweaty VR workouts Facebook is adding a mixed reality platform to Oculus Quest Slack and Dropbox are coming to Oculus Quest Wyze announces several new products in honor of its 4th birthday Tesla's Sentry Mode now offers drivers a live view of their car Mercedes-Benz cars are getting Dolby Atmos in 2022 Mercedes' electric delivery van concept cleans the surrounding air Get Your Own Ghostbusters Proton Pack Canon's PowerShot PX Looks Like a Security Camera but Captures Precious Moments Instead of Crooks Raspberry Pi packs more power into its $15 Zero 2 W board McDonald's will sell McD Tech Labs to IBM Android 12 is so last week: Meet Android 12L, now in developer preview Picks of the week Matthew: Ember mug Mikah: The Spice House spices, blends, and extracts Hosts: Mikah Sargent and Matthew Cassinelli Download or subscribe to this show at https://twit.tv/shows/smart-tech-today Get episodes ad-free with Club TWiT at https://twit.tv/clubtwit Show notes and links for this episode are available at: https://twit.tv/shows/smart-tech-today/episodes/102 Sponsor: UserWay.org/twit

Dan Moren's New Smart Home Setup, Wyze Video Doorbell Pro, and More Wyze's new Video Doorbell Pro costs $65 and promises six months of battery life Google Is Getting Everyone Ready for the Future of Smart Home Gadgets Ikea's Bluetooth speaker with Spotify Tap is also a lamp Apple's HomePod Mini gets three new color options Roku Is Losing YouTube As War With Google Rages On You Can Now Buy a Couch Stuffed With Surround Sound Speakers So They Remain Out of Sight The $499 HTC Vive Flow is VR for people who don't like VR Anker announces Soundcore's first audio glasses, priced at $200 Razer's smart RGB face mask is now available for $100 Your iPhone Has Secret Codes Raspberry Pi announces first-ever price increase due to component shortages Dan's Smart Home: Lutron Caséta Philips Hue Bulbs HomeKit Scenes Logitech Harmony Remote Sonos HomePod mini Picks of the week Dan: Fujitsu ScanSnap iX1600 Mikah: Beautyrest Sleeptracker Monitor Hosts: Mikah Sargent and Dan Moren Download or subscribe to this show at https://twit.tv/shows/smart-tech-today Get episodes ad-free with Club TWiT at https://twit.tv/clubtwit Show notes and links for this episode are available at: https://twit.tv/shows/smart-tech-today/episodes/101 Sponsors: Molekule.com promo code STT120 UserWay.org/twit

Apple Watch Series 7 Review: Bigger Screen, Same Short Battery Life Apple Studying Potential of AirPods as Health Devic Apple extends repair program for crackling AirPods Pro buds for one more year Dude, where's my car? AirTag responsible for tracking down stolen Subaru Bowers & Wilkins Zeppelin finally gets AirPlay 2 in 4th-gen TP-Link HomeKit smart plug finally on sale, some two years late Google Photos widget getting a Material You shapes upgrade Google Photos 'Memories' coming to Nest Hub 'Your day' tab Google AR Brings Endangered Swedish Animals Into Your Living Room Waze is rolling out a new 'Drive with Headspace' experience to make commutes less stressful You Can Now Tune Your Guitar In Google Search Google TV adds user profiles to Chromecast streamer and smart TVs You can now directly ask Google Assistant for the UV Index Samsung's browser is now available for its Wear OS smartwatches Google's plans for Fuchsia OS teased in job listings Dead-End SF Street Plagued With Confused Waymo Cars Trying To Turn Around 'Every 5 Minutes' You can now sign up to buy Spotify's Car Thing, but you probably shouldn't Ghost Robotics strapped a gun to its robot dog Arlo Security Cameras Require Subscription for Customer Service Here's Everything You Need to Know About Nanoleaf Lines - Nanoleaf Blog Tile's New Trackers Are a Whole Lot Like AirTags Smart Sticky Note Printer | Works with Alexa Picks of the week Matthew: Shortcuts: Apple Frames Mikah: Wyze Cam Spotlight Kit Hosts: Mikah Sargent and Matthew Cassinelli Download or subscribe to this show at https://twit.tv/shows/smart-tech-today Get episodes ad-free with Club TWiT at https://twit.tv/clubtwit Show notes and links for this episode are available at: https://twit.tv/shows/smart-tech-today/episodes/100 Sponsor: UserWay.org/twit