Latest news with #smarthome
CNET
4 days ago
- Business
- CNET
Let the Roborock Qrevo Edge Vacuum and Mop Handle Your Cleaning for a Record-Low Price
When you have a full schedule, chores stack up. But you can take some of them off your plate and save time and effort by upgrading to smart home devices, like a robot vacuum. The Qrevo Edge robot vacuum and mop can clean your floors for you, while you sit back and relax or finish other chores. This top model comes with plenty of features, which means a hefty price tag to match. But with early Fourth of July and Prime Day deals on the rise, Amazon has slashed the price of this robot by over 30%, dropping it by $500 and taking it down to $1,600. That means you'll pay just $1,100, a record-low price this model. With a whopping 18,000 Pascals of suction, this powerful vacuum can clear debris like crumbs and pet hair from your carpets and hard floors. It also has pet recognition technology and reactive AI obstacle recognition to help avoid socks, shoes and your furry friends, among other hazards. It has multilevel mapping, the ability to set no-go zones, and an app for easy control, including scheduling. This Roborock model can also lift itself to clear thresholds of up to 4 centimeters. Plus, the multifunctional dock does more than charge your cleaner. It also has auto-emptying to collect up to seven weeks of debris before you have to clear the bin. And the water is heated, reaching 167 degrees Fahrenheit for hot water mopping. The gadget also self-cleans and refills its mop. Hey, did you know? CNET Deals texts are free, easy and save you money. Another bonus? It has its own voice assistant, so you can start or adjust hands-free. Plus, there are plenty of cleaning customizations available in the app. Your cleaner also allows for video calls and two-way audio with your pet, along with letting you track pet activity and capture pictures. One important note: This robot cleaner only supports 2.4GHz Wi-Fi, so make sure it's compatible with your setup before you buy. Not quite the right fit? No problem. We have plenty of other vacuum deals for you to shop at a discount. Why this deal matters This device both vacuums and mops, so your floors can stay clean, even when you're busy with other tasks. There's certainly a large price tag attached, but this deal knocks $500 off the cost, dropping the Qrevo Edge to the lowest price we've seen. This might be your last chance to snag this deal before tariffs increase prices on electronics, so if you've been considering an upgrade and it's within your budget, this is a great time to take the leap.
Digital Trends
21-06-2025
- Digital Trends
How to set up and install smart lights
Plain-jane bulbs are so yesterday. Smart lights are in, not only because they're one of the easiest ways to enter the world of smart home tech, but also because they're one of the most affordable. Most smart lights operate in the same fundamental way; while specific instructions might vary from one to another, the following steps will hit the highlights for most brands of lights. Recommended Videos Difficulty Easy Duration 10 minutes What You Need Smart lights Mobile device Even if you aren't tech-savvy, don't worry. Setting up these lights is easy; in fact, I often recommend smart lights for first-time smart home users, as they're a great way to get started and familiarize yourself with the technology. How to set up smart lights Setting up smart lighting follows a similar process, whether you're installing a smart bulb, a set of light panels, or a light strip. The on-screen instructions in the apps will guide you through any brand-specific requirements. Step 1: Download the app and create an account. Note: Use a single account for all of your smart home devices. Many brands allow you to log in using your Gmail account. Step 2: Open the app and look for an option to "Add device" or "Set up new light." Phrasing will vary from app to app. For this example, we're using the AuraScape Smart Hexagon Panels from AIDot. Step 3: Select the device you want to set up. Depending on your app, you might be able to scan a QR code, search for nearby devices, or choose from a list of options. If your lights are not available as a selection, make sure they are in pairing mode. Step 4: After you've chosen your lights, proceed to the next step. In this case, that means connecting them to your home Wi-Fi network. Step 5: (For smart light panels only.) Select the number of panels you have connected. Step 6: Select the position of the controller in your lighting layout. Step 7: After this, some devices will prompt you to connect with a smart home assistant like Amazon Alexa or Google Assistant. You can also do this later. Smart lights are incredibly convenient. There's nothing like saying, "Alexa, turn off the bedroom" after you've snuggled under the covers. You can also set schedules (for example, my office lights turn on automatically at 7 AM each morning) or even have your lights react to motion. Beyond that, smart light panels and strips enhance the ambiance of a room. They can change colors, react to music, and so much more. Even in the last five years, smart lights have come a long way.
CNET
19-06-2025
- CNET
Today Only: Keep Your Cat Hydrated and Healthy With This $59 Petlibro Smart Fountain
Making sure your cat drinks enough water isn't always easy, and monitoring the amount they do drink can be just as difficult. One way to fix both issues is to treat you and your furry friend to a smart water fountain -- they get a drink, and you get a new smart home toy to play with. Sure, it isn't the cheapest way to hydrate your cat, but right now you can grab it for just $59 at Best Buy. The only catch that you need to be aware of is the fact this is a one-day deal, so it'll end tonight. This Petlibro fountain means you won't have to worry about refilling your cat's drinking water multiple times a day. It features a 2.5-liter water tank and has two modes for continuous water flow or intermittent refills to suit your cat's preference. Plus, it's equipped with a four-stage filtration system to help get rid of dirt, heavy metals and other harmful substances. Plus, with Wi-Fi connectivity, you can use your phone to get helpful info about your cat's drinking volume, frequency and duration. The smart fountain will also send you a notification whenever the water level is getting low. It's made of food-grade stainless steel with a safety snap lid, and has a chew-proof cable to help protect it from more mischievous kitties. Why this deal matters This Petlibro smart drinking fountain is a convenient solution for cat owners with a busy schedule, or anyone who wants a better understanding of their pet's health and habits. It has a durable design, 2.5-liter water tank, multiple flow modes and the app makes it easy to track your pet's water intake. Just make sure to get yours now, before this deal comes to a close.
CNET
18-06-2025
- Business
- CNET
Score $500 Off This Yeedi M12 Pro Plus Robot Vacuum and Mop Today
Your smart home probably already has smart lights, smart speakers and smart plugs. So now it's time that you added a smart robot vacuum to the mix, too. It'll do all the dirty work so you don't have to, and some even mop your floors as well. Right now, Amazon is offering you the chance to ditch your old vacuum by slashes you a full $500 off a robot vac. And yes, it mops, too. This deal gets you the Yeedi M12 Pro Plus robot vacuum and mop for just $400, the lowest price that we've seen this product sell for so far. You don't even have to enter any discount codes or clip any coupons to get this price, but we can't promise it will last for long. These limited-time deals often disappear without any notice, so factor that into your buying decision before it's too late. In our breakdown of the best robot vacuums, CNET editors write, "The base station and robot vacuum are both loaded with features. The dock self-empties and includes a water tank to refill during mopping. It also has built-in hot air drying to sanitize the mopping pad between cleanings. And speaking of the mop, like many new robot vacuums, the M12 Pro Plus will lift up its mopping pad if it encounters carpet. The mopping pad is even pressurized, giving you a bit more elbow grease when cleaning." Hey, did you know? CNET Deals texts are free, easy and save you money. Given how big of a discount this is, this is easily one of the best vacuum deals available right now. Sure, there are cheaper options on the market, but they don't offer the same premium features that the M12 Pro Plus can boast. If you want to truly leave your robot vacuum to do everything for you, we suggest this might be the answer to your dreams. Why this deal matters Chances to get really good robot vacuums for cheap don't come around very often. The Yeedi M12 Pro Plus is currently on our list of the best robot vacuums because it just does so much and does it so well. So, a chance to get it with $500 off shouldn't be missed. This is the lowest price we've seen since it launched.
CNET
08-06-2025
- CNET
Smart Home's Secret Tech Is Geofencing: Here's What It Is and How I Use It
If you search through your smart home app or feature list, you'll often run into the word "geofencing" or something like automatic home/away settings. That signals a powerful, useful feature that far too many users don't even bother turning on. I'm trying to change that. My experiments with smart home technology have shown me all sorts of ways to tap into geofencing technology. If you're interested in saving time and finding clever new ways to use your tech, I highly recommend it -- although there are some data tracking details you should know, too. I'll explain Read more: What is a Smart Home, Anyway? Geofencing: Mapping your location Geofencing requires giving an app location data, such as your address. Tyler Lacoma/CNET Geofencing is a mobile technology that taps into location-based data (usually via GPS and other map app tricks). It allows users to fence in a specific spot and create rules about what happens when they leave that spot, as tracked by the location of their phone. Different companies have different types of geofencing methods but the end result is the same. In smart homes, the geofenced area is typically a home. When a user moves away from their home with their phone or other device that's tracking their location, it dings when it reaches a certain distance away, which causes connected devices to do things. More complex geofencing allows users to literally draw on a digital map to set its boundaries but in most cases, you just give the app your address and it does the rest for you. An important note: Consumer-focused geofencing should not be confused with marketing or law enforcement geofencing, which shares the same name but is a completely different practice. In law enforcement, for example, geofencing refers to requesting user data from all mobile devices in a specific area. Courts are currently in disagreement on whether this growing practice is legal. How smart homes use geofencing Smart home apps have a number of ways to get started with geofencing and some are very simple. Tyler Lacoma/CNET So, what does geofencing actually do? It can change how home devices act when someone is away from home vs. when they are at home or arriving home. This has several practical, time-saving capabilities. For example, users may be able to set routines that turn off the lights, lock the door and close the garage when they start driving away from home. Or, if they regularly get home in the dark, they may be able to link up smart lights to turn on as they're approaching the house. That's just the start of what you can do with geofencing and a smart home. Other people may prefer to focus on their smart thermostat, letting it automatically ease off heating and cooling when they leave their home, then make things more comfortable when they get back. Getting started with geofencing capabilities ADT's new hub has a few extra tricks and supports features like geofencing. Tyler Lacoma/CNET You don't have to arrange complex smart home routines or draw lines around a map to take advantage of geofencing. In fact, it's best to start small when first using this feature and see how it works in your own home. One of the easiest ways to begin using geofencing is to get a smart plug that supports home/away modes. The plug will simply turn off a connected device when you're gone, which can help save electricity. You could connect it to a light, a fountain, fan or air purifier and see if it turns off as you leave and starts working again when you arrive home. That may give you other ideas about what technology you'd like to control based on leaving or arriving home. Home and away settings are a particularly easy way to use geofencing, especially when arming security devices. Tyler Lacoma/CNET Or, if you have an existing security system, you can check to see if it supports home/away modes that use geofencing. It can be very handy to set your security system up to automatically arm and disarm based on whether you are out of the house. Plus, you may not even need to purchase any new devices, just change some settings in your app. I recently tested these sorts of services with ADT and the ADT+ platform, which also allows you to integrate smart lock behaviors and more. If you're looking for new tech that includes geofencing, look for devices that support Matter or that work with major platforms like Alexa, Apple Home and Google Home. Geofencing isn't guaranteed, but this makes it more likely. Is geofencing safe and private? Geofencing will let companies know when you're leaving home. RerF via Getty Geofencing is generally considered safe. In my years of smart home testing, I've never heard of consumer geofencing being misused or landing anyone in danger. The worst that can happen is that geofencing stops working because of bugs or app problems, which could leave a security system disarmed or require reboots and patches (as people have reported on Reddit). Well, that's the worst for individual consumers, anyway: If you're a government, geofencing apps may accidentally show secret military bases. On the privacy front, things are more complicated. Geofencing does require enabling various location-based tracking data. That gives apps -- and the companies that own them -- access to info about where you live, when you leave or arrive at a location and possibly other data. They may use that data for internal analysis and marketing purposes, or even sell it to third parties (although that usually requires some kind of warning or consent). Apps generally need to enable location-based data on demand to use geofencing correctly so you can't usually set it to only activate once like you can with other apps. That's a privacy concession not everyone is willing to make. To learn more, visit our pages on the best smart home devices, security practices to keep your home safe and the cheap smart devices CNET editors are still using.
