The Ambient

Xiaomi’s smart washing machines are finally going global

Xiaomi is continuing its push beyond phones and smart home gadgets. This time it's bringing its connected laundry appliances ...
the-ambient

Alexa is now in your browser

Amazon has launched Alexa.com in the UK, a web browser version of its Alexa+ assistant. That browser destination follows months of anticipation – ever since Amazon teased browser access when Alexa+ ...
the-ambient

Google Home Speaker review

It's been a long time waiting for a new speaker, and the Google Home Speaker is nicely designed, a capable audio performer and a Matter-compatible smart home hub. That seems promising, but Gemini for ...
the-ambient

Amazon Music Unlimited gets a price hike

Amazon has announced that it is raising the price of its Amazon Music Unlimited subscription service, both sides of the pond. The price hike will see the cost of an individual plan increase by $1 / £1 ...
the-ambient

This connected smoker uses AI and cooks inside

Indoor grills aren’t exactly new, but this latest launch is trying something a little more ambitious. The new COZYTIME LUMO combines infrared cooking, AI-powered automation, and an integrated smoking ...
the-ambient

Apple and Google have added Thread 1.4 support

Two of the smart home industry’s biggest ecosystem players have taken a meaningful step toward resolving one of Matter’s most persistent interoperability problems, with Apple and Google both rolling ...
the-ambient

Apple Home cameras are getting an Apple Intelligence boost

Apple has announced a series of Apple Intelligence features for HomeKit Secure Video cameras arriving with iOS 27, bringing automated footage descriptions, natural language search, and 4K resolution ...
the-ambient

ChatGPT can now help run your Homey smart home with one click

Homey is taking another step toward making AI a core part of the smart home. This time it’s doing it by plugging directly into ChatGPT. Athom has launched a native integration that lets users connect ...
the-ambient

Philips Hue vs WiZ: which smart lighting is worth your money?

Both Philips Hue and WiZ are made by Signify, yet they sit at opposite ends of the smart lighting market in terms of price, technology, and target audience. That shared parentage confuses a lot of ...
the-ambient

Blink Outdoor 2K+ is a sharper budget security camera, but there’s one frustrating catch

Blink has launched the Outdoor 2K+ security camera with sharper video and a new storage limitation. The launch upgrades Blink’s long-running budget outdoor camera, which previously captured only 1080p ...
the-ambient

Z-Wave and Matter: How to bridge the gap and use them together in your smart home

Matter may have got off to a bumpy start, but the smart home standard looks set to play a bigger role in the smart home world in 2025 and beyond. However, while smart home platforms such as Amazon’s ...
the-ambient

Ecovacs Deebot N30 Omni review

The Ecovacs Deebot N30 Omni offers a fair bit for its mid-range price, including a self-cleaning, self-emptying dock and an anti-tangle brush. While vacuuming performance impressed on hard floors and ...