First, They Came for the Robot Vacuums
with Gavin Campbell, TJ Huddleston, Seth Johnson
FCC robot ban may block future robot vacuums, while Apple’s smart home hub inches closer and Roku hikes streamer prices.
Show Notes
On this week's show: the FCC’s robot ban turns out to include future robot vacuums and mowers, which may make the next robovac harder to buy without making it much safer; Roku decides budget streamers are a premium experience now; Apple’s smart home hub and Siri refresh are reportedly getting closer; Sonos is teasing some kind of AI move for September; UniFi adds a Thread border router and beefs up Protect; plus new gear from Zooz, Aqara, Xiaomi, Homey, SmartThings, and Home Assistant, a pick of the week, project updates, and so much more!
- HomeTech Headlines
- The US is banning foreign robots
- The US government just banned Roombas
- Robot vacuums are included in US robot ban
- The ban on robot vacuums won’t make them safer. But it may make your next one worse
- The US Just Banned New Chinese Robot Vacuums and Mowers: Canada Could Be Next | iPhone in Canada
- Roku raises streaming stick prices by up to 60 percent
- Zooz 800 Series Z-Wave Long Range Motion Dimmer ZEN12 800LR
- Xiaomi’s smart washing machines are finally going global
- Sonos Is Reportedly Planning Something Big for AI in September
- Apple’s long-awaited smart home Siri AI refresh is achingly close to reality
- Apple Could Start New Smart Home Push as Early as October
- Ubiquiti’s new SuperLink Gateway HA brings professional Thread hardware to UniFi
- UniFi Gets Its Own Thread Border Router
- Introducing UniFi Protect 7.2
- Homey is a rare smart home platform that is Matter 1.5 certified
- SmartThings quietly brings Matter 1.6 to beta hub firmware
- Finally: Aqara launches dual-protocol Matter and Thread smart plugs in the UK and EU
- Home Assistant 2026.8 beta adds Matter doorbell events and simpler setup
- FireAvert joins Works with Home Assistant
- Building the device database together: Public preview now live – Open Home Foundation
- GitHub - GuiPoM/ha-sentinel: HA Sentinel — proactive health monitoring for Home Assistant integrations and apps
- ESPHome Starter Kit
- Maslow4 Large Format CNC
Pick of the Week
The MVP Box
A mount designed to pair with a Ring doorbell to watch over a parked vehicle and send real-time alerts.