HomeTech.fm

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 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: 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: 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?