Singapore-based data center startup Digital Edge has raised over $1.6 billion in funding through a mix of equity and debt financing, the company announced on Monday. This comes as demand for data centers surges, fueled by the growing need for […]
We may still be mostly waiting for a smarter Siri, but OpenAI CEO Sam Altman thinks the company already knows how to create the holy grail of AI: artificial general intelligence (AGI).
AGI is the term given to an AI system which can match or exceed human cognitive capabilities across a wide range of fields – in other words, AI which is at least as smart as we are …
Birdfy has announced the Birdfy Bath Pro, a camera-equipped smart bird bath that lets you watch your local birds as they plop into the water to wash up. The device features two lenses — a wide-angle one and an auto-tracking one — and an optional AI analysis feature that keeps track of and summarizes the bath’s visitors. It’s in preorder now.
The onboard camera consists of a 2MP wide-angle lens that shoots at 1080p and a 3MP “Portrait Lens” with 2K resolution. It carries an IP66 waterproof rating, so it should be able to withstand bird splashes, rain, and a direct blast from a water hose. But if you live somewhere cold, you should know the camera may be slow or not start at all if the outdoor temperature drops below 14 degrees Fahrenheit (or minus 10 degrees Celsius).
Image: Birdfy
The Bath Pro notifies you when birds arrive.
The fountain portion comes with five interchangeable nozzles that Birdfy says make “captivating water patterns.” The Bath Pro will run you $249.99, or $299.99 with the stand included. For another $50, you can also get a lifetime subscription to its AI analysis service that Birdfy says will recognize birds and offer daily visitor counts and bird picture highlights. It also offers monthly recaps that rank your bath with that of other Birdfy owners.
Rounding out its features are an integrated solar panel to keep its 9,000mAh battery topped up, cloud storage for videos and images, and Wi-Fi connectivity so you can watch birds from your phone, “catching every flutter and dip in real-time.”
Honeywell Home’s latest smart thermostat isn’t sexy, but it promises simplicity and significant savings. | Image: Resideo
Sadly, not all smart thermostats are things of beauty like the latest Nest Learning Thermostat, but that doesn’t mean they can’t save you some cash.
This week, Resideo announced the Honeywell Home X2S Smart Thermostat, an entry-level smart thermostat that looks utilitarian but costs just $79.99 and works with Matter. This means it supports Apple Home, Amazon Alexa, Google Home, Samsung SmartThings, and other systems for smart home and voice control of your HVAC system.
Launching this spring, the X2S is designed to be simple, straightforward, and deliver big energy savings. It features a big, bright screen and large, spongy push buttons for controlling the temperature. It’s compatible with existing Honeywell Home thermostat wiring plates — so you might not have to do any wiring at all to install it. Resideo says that if you use the app’s recommended set points, the X2S can save you an average of 22 percent on heating and 17 percent on cooling.
Image: Resideo
The X2S is the first Honeywell Home thermostat to support Matter.
The X2S is the first Honeywell Home thermostat to work with Matter, which allows you to control the temperature and mode from any compatible ecosystem. It also works with Resideo’s First Alert app for more advanced features, such as scheduling and setting up an automatic away mode that uses geofencing to set the thermostat back when you leave home, helping save energy.
The Energy Star-rated thermostat requires a C wire and is compatible with up to two heating and cooling stages on conventional systems or up to two heating and one cooling stage on heat pump systems. It can also monitor humidity and offers air filter replacement reminders, but it won’t work with Honeywell Home’s room sensors.
According to Resideo, close to 80 percent of homes still don’t have connected thermostats, and this product is designed to be a simple, inexpensive way to upgrade. The addition of Matter, which should simplify the process of connecting to any smart home platform, is also something that would help push broader adoption of the technology.
“The Honeywell Home X2S’s price point and feature set make it the ideal upgrade from a non-connected to a connected thermostat, and Matter compatibility helps unlock other smart home benefits across other ecosystems,” said David Kaufman, director of strategic initiatives at Resideo.
In terms of competition, Google’s non-learning Nest Thermostat supports Matter but costs more at $129.99, and Meross just announced a Matter thermostat for $99. Both have more style than the X2S and rely on touch-sensitive interfaces rather than big buttons. Amazon has a similarly priced Smart Thermostat, but it only supports Alexa.
Shelly introduced the Wall Display X2 at CES 2025, a new smart panel designed to fit into a wall electrical box that you can use to control your smart home.
The display makes it easy for anybody in the household to control smart lights, thermostats, and more by simply tapping its 6.95-inch touchscreen. It also has built-in temperature, humidity, and light sensors.
The Shelly Wall Display X2 stands out from rivals with its built-in relay functionality, which means you can add smarts to switches, outlets, fixtures, and more. So, for example, it will add smart capabilities to an existing circuit if you wire it up where there was a light switch.
The panel can also be used to create customizable scenes, play music, and show information like real-time power usage and the weather.
The Wall Display X2 works with all Shelly devices and Home Assistant. It supports Bluetooth and Wi-Fi.
Shelly didn’t announce pricing or a release date but said that the Shelly Wall Display X2 should be available internationally in Q1, with US availability to follow.
The Doorbell Camera Hub G410 is a new video doorbell from Aqara that doubles as a smart home hub for Matter, Thread, and Zigbee devices. | Image: Aqara
Aqara revealed the long-awaited update to its Video Doorbell G4 at CES this week, and it looks like it’s been worth the wait. The Aqara Doorbell Camera Hub G410 adds 2K video quality, a 4:3 aspect ratio, and end-to-end encryption on live and recorded video. It is also one of the first doorbells to use an mmWave sensor for more accurate person detection.
The G410 works over dual-band Wi-Fi and has Thread and Zigbee radios on board. So — yes — it’s a full-on smart home hub. It can connect to and integrate both Aqara accessories and third-party Matter devices into your smart home.
Aqara is also adding Real-Time Streaming Protocol support so you can send its feed locally to a third-party client such as Home Assistant. And this is all in addition to features carried over from the G4, such as Apple Home compatibility (including HomeKit Secure Video support), on-device facial recognition, local storage, and the ability to work on battery (six AAs) or be hardwired to your home’s wiring. When hardwired, it offers 24/7 continuous recording to a microSD card.
The doorbell also supports Amazon Alexa, Google Home, and Samsung SmartThings to stream to compatible smart displays. It works with Aqara’s new Panel Hub S1 Plus, which can act as a video intercom inside your house.
Image: Aqara
Aqara’s new Panel Hub S1 Plus, which installs in place of a regular light switch, can act as a video intercom for the G410 video doorbell.
There are a few disappointments, though. The field of view is wider than the G4’s, at 172 degrees on the diagonal, and it now offers a top-to-bottom 4:3 aspect ratio, but the G410 doesn’t have HDR imaging, which means it may be harder to see faces in some lighting. Its weather rating is still IPX3, meaning it really needs to be mounted under a porch or something similar to protect against heavy rainfall.
The doorbell’s smart alerts are limited to people and motion — there are no package, animal, or vehicle alerts (but you can get them through Apple Home). It also only records clips for up to 12 seconds at a time. Like the G4, the G410 won’t ring your existing chime and still requires that you plug in a small chime repeater to a nearby power outlet. This can house a microSD card for local storage.
The G4 offered free cloud storage, but the G410 will require a subscription. Local storage is free, though, and you can also use Apple’s HomeKit Secure Video service for recorded video. There’s no pricing or release date yet, but the G4 was $150, so this will likely land somewhere around that price.
The Aqara Panel Hub S1 Plus is a touchscreen smart home controller that can replace an existing light switch. | Image: Aqara
I’m a big fan of different ways to control your smart home outside of using your phone or relying on voice, so I was very excited to see that Aqara is launching three touchscreen controllers at the CES tech show in Las Vegas this week — and one has a wheel!
The new Panel Hub S1 Plus, Touchscreen Dial V1, and Touchscreen Switch S100 can be installed in place of a regular light switch. They can control the existing circuit and wirelessly manage devices connected to the panel through the Aqara smart home app. This lets you — and anyone in your home — use touch to adjust lights, thermostats, blinds, and more without needing a phone or knowing the right voice command. The Panel and the Switch can also control Matter devices, exposing six wireless buttons to Matter.
Aqara is also launching new non-touchscreen smart switches that can connect over Thread or Zigbee. The Aqara Light Switch H2 and Dimmer Switch H2 come in several switch configurations and don’t require a neutral wire. The Light Switch H2 can also control Aqara’s wired smart lighting products, such as its T1M ceiling light, giving you an option for physical control that doesn’t cut off the device’s smart features. They’re slated for release in Q1 2025.
Image: Aqara
The EU version of the Panel Hub S1 Plus dispenses with the speaker grille at the bottom.
I first saw several of these products showcased at the IFA tech show in Berlin, Germany, last year, and now Aqara is debuting US versions. The Panel Hub works over dual-band Wi-Fi, has a 6.9-inch touchscreen with a 1440 × 720 resolution, and can be installed in a regular light switch outlet. It can connect to two lights on a wired circuit to automate them, including Aqara smart lights such as the T1M ceiling light.
The customizable display can show several widgets to control devices connected to an Aqara smart home, such as lights, locks, thermostats, and curtains, as well as trigger scenes and routines. It can also act as a display for viewing live camera feeds from an Aqara camera and as a video intercom for an Aqara doorbell — such as the new G410 Aqara Doorbell that’s also launching at CES.
A proximity sensor can turn off the screen when it’s not in use, and you can upload photos and custom wallpapers. The Panel Hub also doubles as a Zigbee hub for connecting the company’s Zigbee accessories like sensors and locks and can bridge those devices into Matter.
Image: Aqara
The Dial V1 has a tactile ring that can be used to adjust lights and control shades or blinds.
The Touchscreen Dial V1 is a compact tactile rotary dial that looks and feels a bit like a mini Nest thermostat with a 1.32-inch touchscreen inside. I got to play with the European version at IFA, and it was easy to swipe through the touchscreen to choose a device to control and then turn the dial for fine-tuned adjustments, such as dimming lights, adjusting a thermostat, or opening or closing curtains or shades. Unlike the Panel and Touchscreen Switch, the Dial is not Matter-compatible.
The Dial V1 can be wired to an existing light fixture. It has a temperature and humidity sensor and a presence sensor for screen activation. The Dial V1 and the Panel Hub will launch in Europe later this month and in the US later this year.
Image: Aqara
The S100 has two physical switches and a touchscreen. It’s also a Thread border router.
Finally, the Touchscreen Switch S100 US combines the physical and digital in one device. A smart switch with two physical buttons and a 1.3-inch touchscreen, the S100 can control an existing light fixture and wirelessly control smart devices and scenes.
Like the touchscreen on the Dial V1, you can use the touchscreen to dim lights or adjust a thermostat. Unlike the other two touchscreen devices, the S100 includes Thread as well as Wi-Fi and can work as a Thread border router and through Matter over Wi-Fi. Aqara hasn’t provided a launch date for the Switch.
Image: Aqara
As a battery-powered presence sensor, the FP300 offers more versatile installation options than Aqara’s wired mmWave sensors.
If switches aren’t your thing, Aqara is launching a new smart sensor that can control your lights automatically. The battery-operated Presence Multi-Sensor FP300 packs five sensors: PRI, mmWave, light, temperature, and humidity.
A follow-up to Aqara’s wired mmWave-powered presence sensors, the FP2 and FP1E, the FP300’s mmWave sensing can detect presence in a room with precision down to someone’s chest rising and falling when they breathe. This should ensure your lights never turn off when you’re quietly working on your laptop or reading a book.
One of the first wireless mmWave sensors, the FP300 can operate on two CR2450 batteries for up to two years over Thread and three years using Zigbee and a connection to an Aqara hub, according to the company. (You can pick your protocol.)
Image: Aqara
The Climate Sensor W100 has programmable buttons that can control a connected Aqara thermostat.
The company also announced an updated climate sensor. The Climate Sensor W100 has the option of Thread or Zigbee and features an integrated display that can show room temperature, humidity, and more. Three wireless buttons can be programmed to control any connected smart device, including a thermostat.
Image: Aqara
The Hub M100 is a small, discreet way to add a Matter, Zigbee, and Thread hub to your smart home. It plugs into an outlet.
Finally, Aqara is adding a new entry-level smart home hub, the Hub M100. The small device includes Wi-Fi, Thread, and Zigbee to enable connections for all of Aqara’s smart devices as well as third-party Matter devices. It can act as a Thread border router and a Matter bridge for Aqara Zigbee devices.
On Monday, Flic announced the Flic Duo, a wall-mountable smart button you can pick up to control other gadgets using customizable gestures.
The dual-button remote allows users to create over 30 programmable motion-based commands, so you could, for instance, program the smart button to play a specific music playlist with a swipe. You could even configure the Duo to perform different tasks based on its location, so it turns into a light switch when mounted to the wall and functions like a music controller in your hand.
Flic’s also added other conveniences designed to make it easier to integrate with other smart tech. It’s compatible with Matter, for example, which means it works with all major smart home platforms, and offers up a replaceable battery that should last up to three years. And if you were to ever lose the button, you can easily keep tabs on its location via the companion Flic app.
In addition to being a smart home controller, the Flic Duo also includes safety features targeted toward senior adults and “lone workers.” These include fall detection capabilities and the ability to use it as a personal alarm via a built-in speaker. Flic says the remote should last for three years off a single coin-cell battery.
The Flic Duo will be available to preorder on January 28th at an “early bird price” of $49. It will ship sometime in the second quarter of this year.
The JBL Tour One M3 can be connected to almost any audio source using an optional wireless transmitter. | Image: JBL
JBL announced a pair of premium headphones at CES today that can be purchased with an optional transmitter that allows the Tour One M3 to be used wirelessly with audio sources like a plane’s in-flight entertainment system. The headphones will be available starting on April 13, 2025 in black, mocha, and blue for $399.95, but can also be purchased without the transmitter.
The option to connect to audio devices without wireless connectivity is a feature borrowed from JBL’s Tour Pro 3 wireless earbuds which incorporates the functionality into a charging case. With the new JBL Tour One M3 headphones, it’s offered through a small touchscreen accessory called the Smart Tx audio transmitter that connects to devices with a USB-C or a 3.5mm audio cable.
Image: JBL
The JBL Tour One M3 headphones will be available in black, mocha, and blue color options.
The Tour One M3 can connect to devices over Bluetooth, but the Smart Tx audio transmitter uses a “direct proprietary wireless connection” that JBL says offers reduced latency and improved stability. The Smart Tx’s touchscreen can also be used to adjust headphone settings like ANC and EQ, control music playback, answer phone calls, and broadcast audio “to an unlimited amount of Auracast enabled devices.”
The headphones feature “newly developed 40mm Mica Dome drivers” that JBL says are “precisely tuned to deliver deep bass, balanced mids, and crystal-clear highs.”
They reduce noise using JBL’s True Adaptive Noise Cancelling 2.0 technology which relies on eight microphones that are also used to boost ambient sounds when you want to be more aware of your environment. And in addition to offering EQ adjustments that can be customized for each ear, you can take a hearing test through JBL’s app to tailor the sound of the Tour One M3 to your liking.
Aptera is aiming to get a little more time in the sun.
The once-dead and now-resurrected startup unveiled a new “production-intent” solar-powered electric vehicle that it made with a little help from legendary Italian automotive designers Pininfarina. And much like the last go-around, the new prototype is an ultra-efficient three-wheeled electric vehicle powered, in part, by embedded solar panels.
Aptera insists the partnership with Pininfarina is providing necessary resources, like access the company’s wind tunnel located in Turin, Italy, to refine its design “to achieve one of the lowest drag coefficients of any production passenger vehicle, setting a new standard for energy efficiency in the automotive industry.” But the biggest hurdles will likely finding enough funding to go into production.
Aptera didn’t include the exact drag coefficient for the new vehicle, but has claimed that past prototypes were able to achieve one of 0.13, as compared to 0.23 for Tesla’s Model 3.
The vehicle is equipped with 700W of integrated solar cells, allowing most drivers to drive every day without ever needing to plug in to charge. The cells can provide up to 40 miles of solar-powered range each day, and the ability to travel up to 400 miles on a single charge.
Aptera’s previous attempts to be one of the first companies in the world to mass produce a solar-powered car were derailed when it failed to qualify for the US Department of Energy’s advanced technology loan program. The company shut down in 2011, but reopened in 2020 after successfully raising enough money through crowdfunding and other means.
It’s unclear if the work is enough to get its weird, three-wheeled solar powered vehicle off the ground. Aptera isn’t the only company squinting at the sun for inspiration. German startup Sono Motors was working on a solar-powered electric car, but now its betting on solar buses. Mercedes-Benz’s Vision EQXX concept includes a solar roof array of 117 cells. And Toyota has promised an optional solar roof for its recently released BZ4X electric SUV.
Apple's AirTag is the best Bluetooth tracker for iPhone users, and if you've been thinking about picking some up, now would be a good time to do so. A four-pack of AirTags has dropped to $70, which is $29 off the regular price. That marks a return to a record-low price for the bundle.
If you'd rather buy just one AirTag for now to test it out, there's some good news on that front as well. A single AirTag will currently run you $23. That's six bucks off the usual price.
AirTags take just seconds to set up using an iPhone. They are integrated into the Find My network, so you don't have to register for another service or download a separate app. AirTags also support the ultra-wideband wireless protocol. When your iPhone gets within roughly 25 feet of a linked AirTag, you'll see directional arrows and an approximate distance meter to help you locate it.
On top of that, Apple recently revealed that several major airlines are adding support for AirTag tracking to their systems. The idea is to help you (and your airline) more easily locate any missing bag that has an AirTag inside.
Meanwhile, you might be interested in picking up some AirTag accessories to, say, more easily attach them to your keychain. We've got you covered there too, thanks to our round-up of the best AirTag accessories.
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This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/deals/a-four-pack-of-apple-airtags-has-dropped-to-70-150049936.html?src=rss
With the increasing popularity of 4K and even 8K displays, today at CES 2025 the HDMI Forum officially revealed version 2.2 of the HDMI spec.
While the shape of the connector and its general capabilities aren’t changing a ton, the big upgrade for HDMI 2.2 is that it can now support bandwidths of up to 96Gbps. This should make it significantly easier to send content with higher refresh rates and resolutions to compatible displays to help ensure your content looks as good as possible.
Notably, alongside the increased bandwidth, the HDMI Forum is also rolling out new Ultra96 HDMI branded cables that will be part of the organization's certification process to help customers better identify when they are buying a compatible HDMI cord. The forum says testing will be required for each model length and instructed to display an official Certification Label on the cable itself.
Other additions to the spec include next-gen Fixed Rate Link signaling technology which is designed to better support uncompressed content at 4K60 resolutions and above. Also, the inclusion of a new Latency Indication Protocol (LIP) should improve audio and data synchronization, particularly for multi-device setups like those with dedicated receivers or soundbars.
That said, while HDMI 2.2 looks like a very useful upgrade to support higher quality audio and video, don’t try to run out and upgrade all your gear right away. The HDMI Forums says the official spec will be released to all HDMI 2.x adopters in the first half 2025, so it will take some additional time after that for compatible devices to begin hitting the market.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/home/home-theater/hdmi-version-22-adds-support-for-bandwidth-of-up-to-96gbps-150046354.html?src=rss
One of the new additions to version 2.2 of the HDMI spec includes official testing and certification of cables capable of carrying audio and video bandwidth of up to 96Gbps.
Resideo, the company behind Honeywell Home smart devices, announced a new Matter-enabled thermostat at CES 2025 that’ll work with your Amazon, Google or Apple smart home setup. It’s also Energy Star certified, meaning it’s met EPA-set levels of efficiency and could save you some money on heating and cooling your home. The Honeywell Home X2S thermostat is positioned as a no-fuss smart home device that may appeal to those who aren’t necessarily all-in on the latest technology but still want the energy and convenience perks.
The Matter smart home standard is meant to make for a smoother process setting up and controlling your IoT devices, allowing you to keep using your preferred assistants rather than stressing over compatibility issues. Matter 1.4, the latest version, was released in November. The X2S will work with most routers — both 2.4GHz and 5GHz — according to Resideo, as well as most HVAC systems. It’s “ideal for those who are looking to upgrade their thermostat but may be intimidated by installing smart home technology,” said Pat Tessier, VP of Product Development for Resideo’s First Alert and Honeywell Home.
The X2S is also compatible with Resideo’s First Alert app, which you can use for thermostat controls, schedules and automatic energy optimization when no one’s home. It’ll also provide readings on humidity levels inside the home, and offer reminders for when you need to change air filters. The Honeywell Home X2S Smart Thermostat will be released this spring in the US and Canada for $80, and you’ll be able to find it at retail stores like Lowes, Home Depot, Target and Walmart.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/home/smart-home/honeywell-homes-new-matter-device-is-an-energy-efficient-smart-thermostat-150044882.html?src=rss
New year, new hobby? I don't know about you, but I often find that cost is what's standing in the way of me pursuing new crafts (okay, and time, but that's much harder to fix). So, I'm always excited when a device is on sale that allows people to pursue creativity and fun. In this case, it's not just the device: Right now, you can get the GoPro Hero13 Black accessory bundle for $300, down from $450 — a 33 percent discount. This sale brings it to a record-low price and $50 lower than its Black Friday deal.
The GoPro Hero13 accessory bundle comes with the action cam and the Handler, two Enduro batteries, two curved adhesive mounts, a 64GB SanDisk MicroSD Card and a carrying case. Basically, if your new year's resolution was to dive (literally or figuratively) into using a GoPro, then this sets you up with everything you need.
GoPro released the Hero13 in September and it offered a few upgrades. It comes with a 10 percent bigger battery than its predecessor, which allows it to capture an hour and a half of 4K video at 30fps. It should also run longer in extreme temperatures. The action cam offers a max resolution of 5.3K at 120fps and supports Hybrid Log Gamma. Plus, it's Bluetooth compatible with AirPods and other wireless headphones.
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Agriculture, which consumes about 70% of global freshwater, is grappling with increased water scarcity and inefficient irrigation systems. Traditional methods of irrigation not only lead to wasted water and nutrients, but also contribute to lower crop yields, food insecurity, and unnecessary carbon emissions. Hong-Kong based agriculture technology startup Full Nature Farms thinks there’s a better […]
In a surprising deal announced on Monday, Disney is set to combine its Hulu Live TV business with Fubo, the live TV streaming service known for its extensive sports coverage. Under the terms of the deal, Disney will own about 70% of Fubo, which will continue to be available to viewers as a separate offering. […]
Luxury electric vehicle startup Lucid produced and delivered a record number of electric vehicles in the fourth quarter and full year of 2024. Lucid produced 3,386 vehicles and delivered 3,099 in Q4. On a full-year basis, the company produced 9,029 vehicles and delivered 10,241 vehicles in 2024, meeting its previously announced target to produce roughly […]
Amit Yoran, who led Tenable as its CEO and chair, passed away on Friday at the age of 54. His death, described as unexpected, was confirmed by Tenable in a press release on Saturday. Yoran had taken medical leave last […]
The extradition of Do Kwon, the co-founder of Terraform Labs, to the United States marks a significant milestone in the cryptocurrency industry. For investors, it underscores the importance of identifying the best cryptocurrency to invest in, particularly as the market […]
