Smart Home

select all Apr. 26, 2018

I Was a Human SiriWho are virtual assistants for, and how do we relate to them?

By Emily Lever

select all Apr. 25, 2018

Amazon Debuts Echo Dot Kids Edition and Parental ControlsYour favorite always-on recording device just got an update meant for your children.

By Jake Swearingen

select all Apr. 24, 2018

Amazon Will Deliver Packages to Trunk of Your CarJeff Bezos wants to put it in your trunk.

By Jake Swearingen

select all Apr. 23, 2018

Tech Companies Want to Get in on the Ground Floor of Smart-Home ConstructionWhy sell someone a smart speaker when you can get them to buy a house with your smart speakers embedded in the walls?

By Jake Swearingen

select all Apr. 23, 2018

Report: Amazon Is Making a Robot to Follow You Around the HouseAlexa … with wheels.

By Brian Feldman

select all Apr. 20, 2018

How Does Siri Actually Know What I’m Saying?A simple guide to how voice assistants process speech, and how they know you’re talking to them.

By Joseph Frankel

select all Apr. 20, 2018

Gimlet’s New Show Is About the Human Side of AIKristen Wiig and Alia Shawkat star in a new fiction podcast that explores the humor and terror of voice assistants.

By Charley Locke

podcast review Apr. 19, 2018

Sandra Is a Tech Thriller for the Age of Siri and AlexaBut as a podcast, it’s jarringly incomplete.

By Nicholas Quah

select all Apr. 18, 2018

Should You Hire a Pro to Smarten Your Home?Please don’t electrocute yourself. It’s so much easier than you’re making it. There are people trained to do these things.

By Jake Swearingen

trust me i should know Apr. 17, 2018

The Smart Appliances That Actually Make My Kitchen BetterFrom voice-activated trash cans to Alexa-enabled coffee makers.

By Steven John

select all Apr. 17, 2018

Why Do My Exes Hate My Echo So Much?All of my exes hated how I talked to my Echo Dot. An investigation into why.

By Madison Malone Kircher

select all Apr. 17, 2018

A Paranoid Guide to Smart-Speaker PrivacyThe demon boxes cater to your every need! How much should you trust them?

By Kaveh Waddell

select all Apr. 16, 2018

Alexa, Where Am I? Welcome to Home, Smart HomeWelcome to a new pop-up blog about smart homes and the people who build, develop, want, live in, and are fascinated by them.

By Graham Starr

select all Apr. 16, 2018

The Smart-Home Future Is Already HereBill Gates maybe spent too much on his geek dream 20 years ago.

By Jake Swearingen

select all Apr. 12, 2018

Apple’s HomePod Struggles to Find a HomeUsers just aren’t drawn to the premium device.

By Brian Feldman

Apr. 9, 2018

Vulture’s 60-Second News Hour Is Now the Second-Best Use for AlexaNothing’s touching “Weather.”

By Vulture Editors

strat explainer Mar. 27, 2018

Do I Need a Smart Doorbell?The latest craze in smart-home security, explained.

By Lauren L'Amie

select all Mar. 15, 2018

Is Never Walking to Tweak a Thermostat Worth $300?Nest has announced a new temperature sensor system to work with its smart thermostats.

By Madison Malone Kircher

select all Mar. 12, 2018

Your Alexa Might Be Working With the PolicePolice in England have been testing ways to use Amazon Echo in crime reporting.

By Madison Malone Kircher

select all Mar. 7, 2018

Like Everyone Else, Amazon’s Alexa Is Laughing at YouUsers don’t know why the devices are activating on their own.

By Brian Feldman

select all Feb. 15, 2018

Two Select All Editors Try to Decide: Is the HomePod Worth $350?Two Select All editors try to decide.

By Jake Swearingen and Max Read

select all Feb. 9, 2018

How to Use Spotify on a HomePodIf you’ve got a particular playlist in Spotify you want to play on your HomePod, here’s how.

By Jake Swearingen

select all Feb. 8, 2018

Should You Get an Apple HomePod?The questions to ask yourself before getting Apple’s new smart speaker.

By Jake Swearingen

select all Feb. 6, 2018

What Reviewers Are Saying About the Apple HomePodGreat sound, but Siri falls short — and it’s for dedicated Apple fans only.

By Jake Swearingen

select all Jan. 26, 2018

Tennessee Man Very Concerned His Google Home Doesn’t Know Who Jesus IsA Google Home will tell you about Satan, but not Jesus Christ.

By Madison Malone Kircher

select all Jan. 25, 2018

This Is What Apple’s HomePod Sounds LikeAn evening listening to Apple’s upcoming smart speaker.

By Jake Swearingen

select all Jan. 22, 2018

Apple’s Long-Delayed HomePod Will Likely Hit Shelves Before SpringBut is the world still listening?

By Jake Swearingen

select all Jan. 9, 2018

Facebook Is Hoping You’ll Drop $500 on Its Smart-Home DeviceThe Facebook Portal is reportedly capable of identifying faces using its camera.

By Madison Malone Kircher

select all Dec. 20, 2017

Google Home Max Review: A Big, Booming Smart SpeakerThe best-sounding smart speaker on the market is here.

By Jake Swearingen

gifts under $50 Nov. 28, 2017

These $15 Plugs Turn Any Home Into a Smart HouseAnything you stick in them can be controlled from your phone.

By Lindsey Weber

select all Nov. 17, 2017

Apple’s HomePod Delayed Until 2018Oh my pod.

By Jake Swearingen

select all Nov. 15, 2017

How to Have a High-tech ThanksgivingFrom sous vide to smart scales, our comprehensive guide will help you bring your Turkey Day traditions into the 21st century.

By Paris Martineau

select all Oct. 30, 2017

Looking to Dip Your Toe in the Alexa Pool? The Echo Dot Is on Sale Right NowPlease come join us in the future.

By Paris Martineau

select all Oct. 25, 2017

Amazon Wants You to Wirelessly Unlock Your House to Let in Delivery PeopleThe new service is called Amazon Key and would allow for package deliveries while you’re out and about.

By Madison Malone Kircher

select all Oct. 23, 2017

Here Comes a New Google Home … With a Screen?Google source code suggests a speaker with a screen may be coming soon.

By Brian Feldman

select all Sept. 27, 2017

Amazon’s New Echo Is a Tableside Alarm Clock With a ScreenAmazon announced roughly seven gazillion new Echoes today.

By Brian Feldman

trolls Sept. 14, 2017

Last Night’s South Park Commanded People’s Amazon Echos to Say NSFW LinesAlexa, mute everything!

By Dee Lockett

curious developments Aug. 29, 2017

Is Amazon Just Using Whole Foods to Unload Outdated Echos?The device is suddenly no longer for sale online.

By Clint Rainey

select all July 13, 2017

Kill Time Waiting for the New Game of Thrones With These Alexa Easter EggsHey Alexa … is winter coming?

By Madison Malone Kircher

select all July 12, 2017

Alexa, Give My Data Over to DevelopersAmazon is considering allowing third-party app developers access to your voice queries to Alexa.

By Jake Swearingen

select all July 10, 2017

This Is the Lowest Price Yet for the Google HomeGoogle offers some discounts for those who want to stay out of Amazon’s ecosystem.

By Jake Swearingen

select all July 8, 2017

For Today Only, You Can Grab an Amazon Echo for Just $90Get ‘em while they last.

By Jake Swearingen

select all June 26, 2017

What Reviewers Are Saying About Amazon’s New Echo With a ScreenGreat interface, plain design, and an extremely creepy video-chat feature.

By Paris Martineau

select all June 19, 2017

Amazon Echo’s Alexa Jones Tells You the Truths They Don’t Want You to HearTired of the dulcet tones of Alexa? Try out the screams of a very, very angry conspiracy theorist from Texas.

By Jake Swearingen

select all June 5, 2017

The Smart-Speaker Wars Are About to BeginThe world’s four most valuable companies all want to get a smart speaker in your home.

By Jake Swearingen

select all June 2, 2017

The Amazon Echo Is $40 Off for Prime MembersIf you’ve been curious about the Echo, now’s a good time to grab one.

By Jake Swearingen

select all May 11, 2017

The Lighthouse AI Home Camera Is Very Cool and Kinda CreepyI can’t tell whether to be impressed or worried about how smart this home camera system is.

By Jake Swearingen

select all May 10, 2017