Episode 590 - Hacking the Echo Dot

On this week's show: Schneider Electric wants Shelly, Apple’s smart home hub may finally be real, Amazon refreshes the Fire TV Stick 4K, Disney raises streaming prices because apparently doubling profits wasn’t enough, ULTRALOQ rolls out new Matter and Aliro-ready locks, Home Assistant’s latest beta overhauls maps, and the local-control crowd keeps cooking with June oven and Roborock cloud-escape projects. We also hit some custom-install gear from Crestron and NextLevel, a weird little Pro-Ject streaming amp, a pick of the week, project updates, and so much more!Shelly Group Has Entered Into an Investment Agreement With Schneider Electric on the intended Voluntary Public Takeover supported by the founders | Shelly GroupReport: Anthropic Lost $42 Billion in 2025, Will Spend $518 Billion in Coming YearsHomeTech HeadlinesApple's smart home hub could arrive next month - EngadgetAmazon unveils a thinner and faster Fire TV Stick 4K, plus a new remote - EngadgetDisney+ and Hulu raise prices by up to 13 percent after doubling profitsULTRALOQ Launches New Smart Lock Collection Including ULTRALOQ Bolt Mission, Bolt Pro and Latch 5 ProWireless Box E – Pro-Ject Audio SystemsNextLevel Acoustics Mantelbar Integrates Fireplace AudioCrestron Home OS 4.12 Adds Multiview for Multiple Video SourcesAnker's new eufy S4 video doorbell sees everything with 360-degree AI trackingThe June oven could live onFrom the selfhosted community on Reddit: Self-host your own Roborock cloud without rooting or hardware modificationTechnical Writeup - Roborock Local ServerHome Assistant 2026.10 Beta: You are here 📍Tesla, Home Assistant, ESPHome and Smarter Automation with Gavin Campbell – HGG690Droplet: Smart Home Water Sensor

On this week's show: your smart TV is probably spying on you, so we talk through what to turn off and why “just don’t connect it” keeps sounding smarter; Matter 1.6.1 finally locks in Groupcast to help grouped devices act like a group; a local Sofabaton integration gives Home Assistant users more remote-control fun; Crestron and Hubitat get a pro-friendly upgrade; D-Tools says the CI market is growing and also very much not growing, depending on who you ask; plus a pick of the week, project updates, and so much more!LinkedIn CringeBot 3000Free LinkedIn Post Generator (AI-Powered) | Postiv AIHomeTech HeadlinesThere are ways to protect yourself from your spying TVSofabaton X: local Home Assistant integration for the X1, X1S and X2Crestron-Hubitat Integration Driver Gets a Major v2 UpgradeD-Tools 2026 Midyear Report Finds Widening Performance Gap in CI ChannelMatter 1.6.1 finalizes Groupcast and adds chime sound controlsHome Gadget Geeks  - The Average Guy NetworkGitHub - loryanstrant/HA-CustomComponentMonitor: Reports on whether you are using your Home Assistant custom components

On this week's show: CEDIA’s first-timer list hints at where custom integration is heading next, Sonos teases a new soundbar, Control4 gets new Google Home and Google TV integrations, Wyze builds privacy right into a $40 indoor cam, Amazon raises prices on Echo, Fire TV, and Kindle gear while also handing some Fire TV users Alexa Plus for free, a pick of the week, project updates, and so much more!Are These First-Time CEDIA Expo Exhibitors the Next Big Thing in Custom Integration?Sonos Teases New Soundbar Ahead of September Hardware Reveal | iPhone in CanadaChowmainsoft Introduces Google Home and Google TV Integrations for Control4HomeTech HeadlinesRecessed Entry Sensor - Ubiquiti StoreMova’s latest robot vacuum solves the kitchen stool problemWi-Fi 8 is the first wireless upgrade in years that isn’t chasing speed, and home networks need itThe lens in Wyze’s new $40 indoor camera retracts for privacyHackers Compromised 14,500+ Dahua Devices Using Credential Attacks, Auth Bypasses, and P2PFCC officially decides gigabit speeds are too good for youAmazon just hiked the prices for Echo, Fire TV, and Kindle products by up to 60 percentFire TV users are getting an Alexa Plus update – for freeAqara expands H1 Matter lighting lineup with new downlights and spotlightsFrom the homeautomation community on Reddit: I reverse engineered the Litter Robot 4 to control it 100% locally via Home Assistant. Custom firmware and install guide in description!From the homeautomation community on Reddit: I reverse-engineered local Ecobee control and put it on PyPI (no cloud, no dev key, no Home Assistant)From the homeassistant community on Reddit: Samsung Family Hub Reborn: Turning a Fridge Touchscreen into a Home Assistant Dashboard 🏠🥳Video: I Finally Sorted Out My Box of Mystery USB CablesTreedix USB Cable Tester 2.4" Screen for eMarker PD3.0/3.1 ResistorKorg nanoKONTROL2 Slim-Line USB Control Surface, BlackPhoton | Bring your agents to iMessage, WhatsApp, Telegram, Slack, and beyondHot Dog Stand – The Game

On this week's show: CEDIA says the crowds showed up, Apple unveiled a foldable iPhone, LG is pushing back on smart TV spying claims, Google wants outside AI agents in your home, Aqara and IKEA both have new Matter-friendly hardware, SimpliSafe would like a human guard at your doorbell, plus a pick of the week, project updates, and so much more!HomeTech HeadlinesCEDIA Expo 2026 By the Numbers - Residential SystemsHeard at CEDIA Expo 2026: The Future Is Experiences, Not Products - Residential SystemsLG strongly denies TV spying claims, says tracking and snooping concerns 'not true' - online investigation claims 216,000,000 TVs spy and record audioApple event 2026 recap: iPhone Duo, iPhone 18 Pro, and morereddit.com/r/iphone/comments/1whl55w/the_biggest_disappointment_with_the_duoAqara Announces the Availability of The Spatial Multi-Sensor FP400, Offering Advanced Spatial Intelligence for Smart HomesIKEA DUBBELKISEL Brings Matter Over Thread to Cabinet LightingApple wants $60 a month to unlock AI summaries on five camerasGoogle Home is unlocking the agentic smart home — which is great, right?This doorbell camera lets a human security guard watch your front doorCAST-1 Audio CastingDeco Gear 49" Curved 5K Display | DQHD 120Hz Ultrawide MonitorYoolax Motorized Blinds with Remote, Smart Blinds for Windows, Custom SizeHow long until local AI pays for itself? — Sunk CostMy Results: You’re underwater for 19.7 years. — Sunk Cost

On this week's show: TiVo decides skipping commercials should cost something, LG TVs face some very ugly privacy claims, Home Assistant 2026.9 brings a big Modbus cleanup, UniFi tries a friendlier whole-home Wi-Fi pitch, and Sonos rolls out Beam Ultra, Ace Ultra, and a whole new Sonos 27 software story. We also hit new gear from both CEDIA and IFA, a full mailbag of feedback for Gavin, project updates, and so much more!HomeTech HeadlinesApple announces September iPhone launch eventTiVo Plans to End Free Automatic Commercial Skipping in November, Tests Paid Premium Replacement Service | Cord Cutters NewsLG smart TVs caught logging audio with screen off and snooping on local devicesHomey expands beyond the app with the Portal touchscreen and rotary controllerJBL takes on Sonos with new multi-room Cove speakersShelly launches first smart camera at a budget price without any subscriptionsSonos Launches Beam Ultra and Ace Ultra Pre-Orders in Canada | iPhone in CanadaHow Sonos rebooted itselfSonos 27: Why Your System Keeps Getting BetterIntroducing UniFi Travel Router Long-RangeIntroducing Whole-Home WiFi by UniFiProStudio by Josh.ai Raises the Bar for Custom Home Control, Integration, & Installation at CEDIA Expo 2026AVA OS 3.0 Adds Over 100 New Features to SystemsAudio Pad Series | Architectural Audio Integrated into Faceplates | Magna AudioCEDIA Announces Winners of 2026 Smart Home Awards AmericasGovee expands its smart lighting lineup at IFA 2026 with dual-zone outdoor lights, a simulated skylight, and new COB stripsAqara expands its global smart lighting range with Thread and Zigbee support at IFA 2026These new robot lawn mowers trim your edgesRoborock expands beyond the living room with automated pool cleaners and LiDAR mowers at IFA 2026iRobot unveils the Roomba DuoFeedbackICO – The Smart Pool MonitorSmart Pool Water Analyzer | Make Pool Care Effortless - iopoolDroplet: Smart Home Water SensorTailwind iQ3 Smart Automatic Garage Door ControllerESPHome Tesla BLE“How Many Gavins” Calculator2026.9: There's room on this busE-Wand™ Single Unit – Current Luxury

On this week's show: the Open Home Foundation puts Community Day 2026 on the calendar, Apollo makes ESPHome a little less breadboard-y, Petlibro reminds everyone why cloud-dependent pet gear is a terrible way to miss dinner, and Whisker proves AI still can’t always tell one cat from another. We also hit Brilliant’s new managed-service subscription, Comcast turning routers into motion sensors with a privacy asterisk, Aqara pushing Matter camera controls forward, Sonos news, plus CEDIA-bound gear from DreamWall and DoorBird, a pick of the week, project updates, and so much more!Community Day 2026: Save the date! – Open Home FoundationESPHome Starter Kit is shipping!Universal Paperclips (Game)HomeTech HeadlinesCats and dogs are missing meals after a popular smart feeder went downWhisker’s AI-powered litter robot thinks my cats swapped bodiesBrilliant Launches Subscription Service for Managed Smart Home AutomationDreamWall to Debut New Generation of Outdoor CooLED MicroLED Video Wall Solutions at CEDIA Expo 2026DoorBird Launches the New D22x Series - Residential SystemsComcast adds motion sensing to millions of its newer routers, with a privacy catch | TechCrunchSonos gets ready to launch new Ace Ultra headphonesSonos Adds Live Activities Support on iPhoneAqara enables PTZ camera control through Matter on the G350SEED - SEED Early Access | A brand new world, ready to be populatedWhats Up, Reynoldsburg?

On this week's show: CEDIA Expo 2026 is almost here with hundreds of product debuts on deck, GE talks up US-made chips in connected laundry, Home Assistant finds a new way to boss around Apple devices, Google Home on iOS may be turning lights on just for fun, Alexa+ lands in Australia, Sonos learns some Lutron tricks, OpenAI’s hockey-puck AI speaker rumor rolls on, ESPHome gets a much friendlier desktop app, plus a pick of the week, project updates, and so much more.Oberlin, OhioHomeTech HeadlinesHundreds of New Products Anticipated to Debut at CEDIA Expo 2026GE Appliances doubles down on US-made chips.iOS 27 Flips the Script: Home Assistant Can Now Control Your Apple DevicesDolby Vision 2 is officially available on select Hisense TVs - EngadgetA Google Home bug is randomly turning on smart lightsAmazon's Alexa+ Assistant Launches in Early Access in Australia“Hey Sonos, open the shades.”OpenAI speaker to be hockey puck-sized and cost over US$300: reportSimplify your ESPHome setup with the new desktop appWiiM Bar | Display-First Dolby Atmos SoundbarBadgers : animated music video : MrWeebl

On this week's show: the FCC’s robot ban turns out to include future robot vacuums and mowers, which may make the next robovac harder to buy without making it much safer; Roku decides budget streamers are a premium experience now; Apple’s smart home hub and Siri refresh are reportedly getting closer; Sonos is teasing some kind of AI move for September; UniFi adds a Thread border router and beefs up Protect; plus new gear from Zooz, Aqara, Xiaomi, Homey, SmartThings, and Home Assistant, a pick of the week, project updates, and so much more!HomeTech HeadlinesThe US is banning foreign robotsThe US government just banned RoombasRobot vacuums are included in US robot banThe ban on robot vacuums won’t make them safer. But it may make your next one worseThe US Just Banned New Chinese Robot Vacuums and Mowers: Canada Could Be Next | iPhone in CanadaRoku raises streaming stick prices by up to 60 percentZooz 800 Series Z-Wave Long Range Motion Dimmer ZEN12 800LRXiaomi’s smart washing machines are finally going globalSonos Is Reportedly Planning Something Big for AI in SeptemberApple’s long-awaited smart home Siri AI refresh is achingly close to realityApple Could Start New Smart Home Push as Early as OctoberUbiquiti’s new SuperLink Gateway HA brings professional Thread hardware to UniFiUniFi Gets Its Own Thread Border RouterIntroducing UniFi Protect 7.2Homey is a rare smart home platform that is Matter 1.5 certifiedSmartThings quietly brings Matter 1.6 to beta hub firmwareFinally: Aqara launches dual-protocol Matter and Thread smart plugs in the UK and EUHome Assistant 2026.8 beta adds Matter doorbell events and simpler setupFireAvert joins Works with Home AssistantBuilding the device database together: Public preview now live – Open Home FoundationGitHub - GuiPoM/ha-sentinel: HA Sentinel — proactive health monitoring for Home Assistant integrations and appsESPHome Starter KitMaslow4 Large Format CNC

On this week's show: OpenAI may be building a screen-free AI home companion, Nice is skipping CEDIA 2026 and insisting everything is fine, the 2026 TV Shootout crowns both Samsung and Sony, Philips Hue might stick a camera on your TV, and a TP-Link Kasa camera vulnerability report is a rough reminder to patch your gear. We also chat about a touchscreen Zigbee switch from Zemismart, an open-source robot vacuum project, Matter Server 9.1.0, the Only Fan Controller update, a pick of the week, project updates, and so much more!HomeTech HeadlinesOpenAI Reportedly Developing Screen-Free AI Companion for Smart HomeNice Announces It Has Pulled Out of CEDIA Expo 2026The 2026 Kings of TV Are Crowned at Value Electronics TV Shootout - Residential SystemsZemismart Launches Zigbee Touchscreen Light Switch With Power MonitoringPhilips Hue’s latest camera might be for your TV.IoT-Vulnerability-Research-Public/TP-Link_Kasa_EC71/Kasa_EC71.md at main · BadChemical/IoT-Vulnerability-Research-PublicMatter Server 9.1.0 Releasedxcancel.com/ThirdRealityIncOnly Fan Controller v1.2.1Jimothy

On this week's show: Apple wants smarter Home cameras, but only if you spring for the 2TB iCloud plan, IKEA quietly makes Matter less annoying, and Matter cameras from Tapo, Aqara, EZVIZ, and friends are finally becoming a real category. We also get into Josh.ai adding DMX and DALI for the fancy-lighting crowd, Sonos trimming some of the people you’d think it should keep, a coax-powered floodlight for those Wi-Fi dead zones, Ecowitt’s Kickstarter water tester, new Home Assistant-friendly gear from IoTorero and Third Reality, a pick of the week, project updates, and so much more!The story behind Erling Haaland and his taxidermy raccoon: ‘Lock the doors, let’s make this special’HomeTech HeadlinesTHIRDREALITY Smart Wall Outlet, Dual Independent Control for 2 Sockets, Individual Power Monitoring, Zigbee Repeater, Compatible with Home Assistant & SmartThings, ETL CertifiedWQT01: Smart Water Quality TesterChannel Master’s Pro Floodlight uses coax to bring smart lighting to your garden’s dead zonesApple Intelligence in Apple Home will require the $10-a-month iCloud Plus plan.Sonos Sacks Top Designers Behind its Premium Speakers | iPhone in CanadaJosh.ai Now Offers Native DMX & DALI Support - Residential SystemsIKEA updates DIRIGERA hub with Matter 1.4.2 support and improved network stabilityTapo, Aqara, Ulticam, and EZVIZ: All the Matter-certified camerasIoTorero joins Works with Home AssistantHermes Agent — The Agent That Grows With YouIrriSense 2 | 4-in-1 Smart Sprinkler & Irrigation System | AiperElegoo Saturn 4 Ultra 16K – Best 3D Printer for Beginners & ProsPrismML — Announcing Bonsai 27B: The First 27B-Class Model to Run on a Phone