Dan Wroclawski
@smarthomeguy.bsky.social
Gadget geek covering smart home and more for
Consumer Reports. All views mine. DM for Signal/email.
Consumer Reports. All views mine. DM for Signal/email.
The "hands-full-of-groceries" struggle is officially over.
I’ve been living with the Aqara Smart Lock U400 for two weeks, and the UWB auto-unlock feature feels like living in the future.
Read my full review here:
www.consumerreports.org/home-garden/...
#smarthome #matter #tech
I’ve been living with the Aqara Smart Lock U400 for two weeks, and the UWB auto-unlock feature feels like living in the future.
Read my full review here:
www.consumerreports.org/home-garden/...
#smarthome #matter #tech
January 6, 2026 at 3:27 PM
The "hands-full-of-groceries" struggle is officially over.
I’ve been living with the Aqara Smart Lock U400 for two weeks, and the UWB auto-unlock feature feels like living in the future.
Read my full review here:
www.consumerreports.org/home-garden/...
#smarthome #matter #tech
I’ve been living with the Aqara Smart Lock U400 for two weeks, and the UWB auto-unlock feature feels like living in the future.
Read my full review here:
www.consumerreports.org/home-garden/...
#smarthome #matter #tech
If you’re attending #CES2026 and interested in the smart home, you won’t want to miss this panel on the future of sensing and open standards in the home!
It features a number of smart home all-stars, plus yours truly 🙈
It features a number of smart home all-stars, plus yours truly 🙈
January 4, 2026 at 11:56 PM
If you’re attending #CES2026 and interested in the smart home, you won’t want to miss this panel on the future of sensing and open standards in the home!
It features a number of smart home all-stars, plus yours truly 🙈
It features a number of smart home all-stars, plus yours truly 🙈
Amazon quietly released its new Alexa+ website. It functions similar to ChatGPT or Gemini, but also includes access to smart home controls! You can try it out at alexa.amazon.com
#smarthome #alexa #ai
#smarthome #alexa #ai
December 12, 2025 at 10:25 PM
Amazon quietly released its new Alexa+ website. It functions similar to ChatGPT or Gemini, but also includes access to smart home controls! You can try it out at alexa.amazon.com
#smarthome #alexa #ai
#smarthome #alexa #ai
Amazon quietly released its first Matter smart plug! It’s cheap but only uses 2.4GHz WiFi…
www.amazon.com/Amazon-Basic...
#smarthome
www.amazon.com/Amazon-Basic...
#smarthome
November 12, 2025 at 3:29 AM
Amazon quietly released its first Matter smart plug! It’s cheap but only uses 2.4GHz WiFi…
www.amazon.com/Amazon-Basic...
#smarthome
www.amazon.com/Amazon-Basic...
#smarthome
Products built for Google Home now have their own dedicated “Preferred Product” badge #smarthome #googlehome
July 2, 2025 at 3:34 PM
Products built for Google Home now have their own dedicated “Preferred Product” badge #smarthome #googlehome
Belkin sold Phyn to an investor group led by the Property Brothers’ Jonathan Scott for $24.9 million
May 23, 2025 at 1:08 PM
Belkin sold Phyn to an investor group led by the Property Brothers’ Jonathan Scott for $24.9 million
Later this year, Google will end support for its oldest Nest thermostats. You can still use them as a thermostat, but they won't connect to the Nest app, Google Home app, or Google Assistant, and features that require connectivity like Home/Away Assist won't work. More here: tinyurl.com/58wcym7v
April 25, 2025 at 5:43 PM
Later this year, Google will end support for its oldest Nest thermostats. You can still use them as a thermostat, but they won't connect to the Nest app, Google Home app, or Google Assistant, and features that require connectivity like Home/Away Assist won't work. More here: tinyurl.com/58wcym7v
Aqara also announced a custom feature called Advanced Matter Bridging that will add Aqara triggers and scenes as virtual occupancy sensors and plugs (respectively) to third-party Matter platforms. This allows you to use them in automations on those platforms.
April 9, 2025 at 3:18 PM
Aqara also announced a custom feature called Advanced Matter Bridging that will add Aqara triggers and scenes as virtual occupancy sensors and plugs (respectively) to third-party Matter platforms. This allows you to use them in automations on those platforms.
Aqara is becoming a full fledged Matter platform with support through version 1.4 coming this month. That means it’s further along than Apple, Amazon, and Google.
April 9, 2025 at 3:04 PM
Aqara is becoming a full fledged Matter platform with support through version 1.4 coming this month. That means it’s further along than Apple, Amazon, and Google.
Switchbot just announced official integrations with Home Assistant! There are three to choose from: Bluetooth, Matter, and the cloud. More details on supported devices here:
https://us.switch-bot.com/pages/home-assistant
https://us.switch-bot.com/pages/home-assistant
March 21, 2025 at 1:23 PM
Switchbot just announced official integrations with Home Assistant! There are three to choose from: Bluetooth, Matter, and the cloud. More details on supported devices here:
https://us.switch-bot.com/pages/home-assistant
https://us.switch-bot.com/pages/home-assistant
Does anyone know of a no-neutral smart switch or dimmer that is compact enough to fit inside old, no-longer-to-code metal switch boxes? I’ve tried Leviton and Lutron but both are too big for the box 😤
March 16, 2025 at 8:35 PM
Does anyone know of a no-neutral smart switch or dimmer that is compact enough to fit inside old, no-longer-to-code metal switch boxes? I’ve tried Leviton and Lutron but both are too big for the box 😤
“Smart home has transformed with Alexa+” says Panos. This is the new smart home widget for Echo Show
February 26, 2025 at 3:37 PM
“Smart home has transformed with Alexa+” says Panos. This is the new smart home widget for Echo Show
Panos Panay says the rearchitecture of Alexa is now complete
February 26, 2025 at 3:17 PM
Panos Panay says the rearchitecture of Alexa is now complete
Jassy just said the new Alexa is very “remarkable” 😉
February 26, 2025 at 3:16 PM
Jassy just said the new Alexa is very “remarkable” 😉
Amazon CEO Andy Jassy is leading the event, which he says will be 70 minutes of AI news
February 26, 2025 at 3:04 PM
Amazon CEO Andy Jassy is leading the event, which he says will be 70 minutes of AI news
Let’s see if “Remarkable Alexa” is finally ready!
February 26, 2025 at 2:45 PM
Let’s see if “Remarkable Alexa” is finally ready!
I would find a Pico remote in my backpack while at CES…
January 8, 2025 at 4:03 PM
I would find a Pico remote in my backpack while at CES…
It may be the holidays, but I'm already busy prepping for CES. If you're going to the show and want to meet up, let me know!
And here's a throwback to my Reviewed days when we had our trailer with a giant checkmark on the roof. RIP Reviewed
And here's a throwback to my Reviewed days when we had our trailer with a giant checkmark on the roof. RIP Reviewed
December 13, 2024 at 5:30 PM
It may be the holidays, but I'm already busy prepping for CES. If you're going to the show and want to meet up, let me know!
And here's a throwback to my Reviewed days when we had our trailer with a giant checkmark on the roof. RIP Reviewed
And here's a throwback to my Reviewed days when we had our trailer with a giant checkmark on the roof. RIP Reviewed
My toxic trait is I buy smart home stuff and then never get around to installing it 😅
December 6, 2024 at 2:17 PM
My toxic trait is I buy smart home stuff and then never get around to installing it 😅
I think my six year old Ring Floodlight Cam is starting to die…
December 5, 2024 at 3:18 PM
I think my six year old Ring Floodlight Cam is starting to die…
The Echo Show 15 isn’t dead! Amazon just announced new 15-inch and 21-inch versions that now act as Matter, Thread, and ZigBee smart home hubs with WiFi 6E! New Show 15 costs $300, Show 21 costs $400, and both are available now.
November 20, 2024 at 3:53 PM
The Echo Show 15 isn’t dead! Amazon just announced new 15-inch and 21-inch versions that now act as Matter, Thread, and ZigBee smart home hubs with WiFi 6E! New Show 15 costs $300, Show 21 costs $400, and both are available now.
This is really dumb and anti-consumer. Level is only giving Lock+ owners 60 days to upgrade their locks with the Matter firmware. If you miss that window, you’re out of luck.
https://level.co/matter-update/
#smarthome
https://level.co/matter-update/
#smarthome
November 15, 2024 at 2:17 PM
This is really dumb and anti-consumer. Level is only giving Lock+ owners 60 days to upgrade their locks with the Matter firmware. If you miss that window, you’re out of luck.
https://level.co/matter-update/
#smarthome
https://level.co/matter-update/
#smarthome
Level Lock+ is now Matter over Thread enabled! The company didn’t say whether older Level locks will get the update, though ☹️
https://level.co/matter-update/
https://level.co/matter-update/
November 14, 2024 at 11:49 PM
Level Lock+ is now Matter over Thread enabled! The company didn’t say whether older Level locks will get the update, though ☹️
https://level.co/matter-update/
https://level.co/matter-update/