The original Bird Buddy ushered in the age of the smart bird feeder, which not only gave you an up-close-and-personal look at the visitors to your feeder, but could also record photos and video and, thanks to AI, even identify your feathered or furred friends.

At CES 2026, the company introduced what was then called the BirdBuddy 2, its second generation feeder that uses the same camera as its Petal Smart Nature Camera. Initially, the feeder was supposed to ship in February (I received my review unit in January), but it was delayed a number of times; only now — in October — is it finally going on sale to the public.

So, I’ve had a lot of time to test this thing out. Now called the BirdBuddy Home, this feeder has a new 2K HDR camera module that lets you rotate it to capture horizontal or vertical photos and videos. The feeder itself has also been modified to fit more feed, and to make it easier to load in seed and clean everything.

So, after nearly 10 months sitting in my backyard, how does the BirdBuddy Home compare with the original?

BirdBuddy Home: Price and availability

The BirdBuddy Home is available starting today (Oct. 22) at BirdBuddy’s website for $219, and will be available at other retailers shortly after.

BirdBuddy is also launching a smaller version, the BirdBuddy Nook, which will cost $99 for the non-solar model, and $159 for the solar version. The nonsolar model will only be available at mybirdbuddy.com, while the solar model will be sold at most major retailers.

The original Birdbuddy Pro will be phased out, with remaining inventory available on Amazon through the end of 2026.

BirdBuddy Home: What I liked

The camera can rotate

With the original BirdBuddy, you were locked into a portrait-oriented video, which gave you a nice vertical view, but not so great side-to-side. It reminded me of the early days of video doorbells, where companies took off-the-shelf cameras that either gave you a narrow vertical view or a narrow horizontal view.

The BirdBuddy Home’s camera doesn’t solve that issue exactly, but it at least gives you the option of whether you want your videos in portrait or landscape orientation. All you have to do is rotate the camera in the feeder’s housing.

Hopefully, smart bird feeders will take a cue from the best video doorbells, and start using cameras that can take square videos.

The app has been improved

While not directly hardware-related, the BirdBuddy app has improved over time. One of the most recent additions has been a weekly recap of all your visitors, which makes it easy to see in one place who’s dropped by, stats on how many birds have visited, and more.

The app also makes it a cinch to scroll through videos and photos of all the birds, and seems to be fairly accurate when it comes to identifying species. I only get cardinals, blue jays, sparrows and wrens; it sometimes confuses the latter two, but you can change the identification with just a few taps.

There's also a host of other fun features, such as information on bird species, and the ability to check out feeds from other BirdBuddy feeders around the world.

It’s easier to fill and clean

I have my Bird Buddy mounted on a six-foot pole, so it’s somewhat easy to reach without me having to haul a ladder out every time I need to refill it. Like the original, there’s a triangular door at the top of the back of the feeder that swings open; on the newer model, the door is a bit larger, which makes it a lot easier to fill without spilling lots of seeds all over the ground. However, the company no longer ships the little filling cup that came with the original.

Also, all of the pieces pop off somewhat easily, so it’s much quicker to clean the inside of the feeder — an essential task to prevent diseases from spreading. However, as I found out, this leads to other issues…

BirdBuddy Home: What I didn’t like

It’s been chewed up by squirrels

One of the best attributes of the BirdBuddy Home is also its worst. It’s very easy to disassemble to clean, but the large opening in the bottom of the feeder makes it a lot easier for squirrels to empty it out quickly. Once those furry-tailed rodents found the feeder, they would drain it in a day or two. By comparison, the metal grate on the front of the BirdFy 2 Metal 4K feeder prevented the squirrels from eating all the seeds as quickly.

One other disadvantage of the BirdBuddy Home’s all-plastic design: When the squirrels couldn’t easily reach the seeds, they started chewing the front plastic section of the feeder.

It’s expensive

The BirdBuddy Home is available at Amazon for $219. That’s a lot to pay for a smart bird feeder. I can’t vouch for the competition, but you can find plenty of other models with higher-resolution cameras for less than $200. Currently, you can get the original BirdBuddy Pro Solar for $169 at BirdBuddy’s site; I recommend picking up that deal if you like what the company is offering.

There’s also the BirdBuddy Nook ($99/$159 for solar), which has the same camera, but a smaller reservoir, so you’ll be refilling it more often.

If you don’t want to pay a monthly subscription, you can record video at up to 2K resolution. If you want 2K Ultra (which records HDR content) or slow-motion (which captures video at 90 fps) you’ll need to pony up for a Premium subscription, which costs $69/year for an individual membership and $98/year for a family membership, which lets up to 10 invited members look at the feed from the camera.

Regardless of whether you have the free or paid tier, BirdBuddy only saves videos on its servers for seven days; if you want to save anything for posterity, you’ll need to save it to your in-app collection or download it.

One I dunno

Upgraded, but distorted visuals

I suspect the reason for the BirdBuddy Home’s delay was that the company was working on improving its camera quality. When I first received the device, it could only record in resolutions up to 1080p. A few months later, and it was upgraded to 2K. When that switch occurred, I was able to see much more detailed images, such as individual feathers on the birds, and strands of fur from the squirrels who regularly raided the feeder.

Compared to the BirdFy Metal 2K, the BirdBuddy’s video was better — not only was more of the frame in focus, but the camera did a better job at accounting for differing levels of brightness in the background. For example, it was able to capture the clouds in the sky more accurately.

However, images and videos are more distorted around the edges than they are with the original BirdBuddy. While birds and objects in the center look accurate, things such as seeds at the bottom in the foreground were stretched out so much they looked like grains of wild rice.

Within the last week, I’ve also noticed some water between the lens cover and the camera itself; while it doesn’t seem to have affected the quality of the video itself, it’s a little concerning.

I suspect the issue I experienced could be due to the fact that I had an early model. I reached out to BirdBuddy, and the company is sending me a new unit to test.

BirdBuddy Home: Verdict

I’ve had a BirdBuddy in my yard for more than three years at this point, and it’s been a real treat to see all the critters that come to the feeder. The BirdBuddy Home is a modest improvement on the previous generation, but not such a great leap that you should toss the model you have.

It’s nice that you can now pick between portrait or landscape videos, but I hope that the company can fix the lens distortion. And, a little bar of metal along the bottom of the feeder would probably help keep hungry squirrels at bay, if just for a little longer.

We’ve only just got the first HomeView, but the Cupertino crew is thinking about the long-game here, and it expands into a companion era I’m not sure we’re ready for — with a fascinating backstory.

What’s actually rumored

Per Gurman, the arm-equipped device pairs the motorized base with a bigger 9-inch display — up from the 7-inch panel on the standard HomeView just announced. But what’s key to note is that this is not HomeView 2.

It’s a more premium experience, and a companion that is actually able to rotate on its base and look at you as you walk around a room. Less of a passive device on your kitchen countertop and one that can actively engage with you — with a rumored $1,000 price tag penciled in for a 2027 launch.

Apple already showed you this future

In February 2025, Apple Machine Learning Research published a video of a robot lamp research demo — a little articulated Pixar-looking lamp that watched a person move around a room, and responded with something uncomfortably close to personality. Head tilts. Leaning in. The unmistakable energy of Pixar’s mascot coming to life with a machine learning degree.

Nobody treated it as a serious thing at the time. But here we are in October 2026, watching how things can come full circle. The more I watch it, the more I realize this wasn’t just a lamp demo. It was Apple workshopping the idea of making your furniture behave like it notices you.

And soon, we may see what that looks like in a real product. But that’s not the only place where Apple may have already been unintentionally working on the HomeView Max.

The car is dead. Long live the car’s robot arm

Here’s the story underneath the story: the $10 billion electric car is the most expensive graveyard in Apple history. When it was gutted, we all thought that everything was scattered into the wind.

Gurman’s reporting suggests something more deliberate — the robotics lived on, moving the arm from the driveway to the living room. And all that gesture recognition, smooth motion and spatial awareness of that car arm is reportedly being repackaged as this screen that turns its head when you walk in mid-Siri.

As a tech nerd, this is an absurdly cool use of some serious engineering.

The reality check: this is a pet, and pets are expensive

So, it’s time to put the tin hat on, together.

First, the swivel is the whole thing — and the entire privacy conversation. Apple’s pitch has always been privacy-centered, and for good reason when you see what other companies are doing.

And while that may well be the case with this arm version of HomeView, I think there’s a creep factor to a screen following you around the room that will cause some spirited discussions around the Thanksgiving table.

Second, that rumored price is going to turn some heads. Compared to other smart home hubs, the current HomeView is already pretty pricey and kind of limited in functionality. Now we have a premium robot sibling option set for launch next year? That’s a big test of household budgets.

Third, Siri has to be good. A robot arm that turns toward you only matters if there’s something worth saying to it once it’s looking. The HomeView ad does show how it can fit into a chaotic family household, but if my iPhone’s Siri response time is anything to go by, those pauses between people asking questions and getting answers would actually leave some awkward silences.

When it’s just a screen on your countertop, that can be forgiven. But when you make it a companion, it has to be near-instantaneous. The arm, ironically, is probably the least important component of this device when it comes to actually using it.

Who should care?

Gurman’s report uses the word “companion,” and I couldn’t agree more. For the past decade, smart home devices have been appliances — helpful, static and furniture-adjacent.

This robot arm is the moment the real hub is elevated above being just a screen with a speaker, but a feeling that something in your house knows you walked in.

Are people going to be comfortable with this? That’s something we’ll find out. Apple’s $299 HomeView is a slightly high, but rational price for a smart display, and it’ll get the software updates the robot needs anyway.

This rumored arm version is for a different person entirely: the smart-home early adopter with a spouse who’s stopped asking where the money went, and the Apple watcher reading the tea leaves.

So to figure this out, I turn to you, dear reader!

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Rumors of a smart speaker with a built-in display from Cupertino have been making the rounds online for years. Mark Gurman first reported all the way back in 2021 that Apple planned to expand its smart home lineup with a display-equipped device.

Then came reports of a smart display attached to a robotic arm that could swivel to follow you around the room, much like the now-discontinued Echo Show 10. Later, in 2023, Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo predicted the new device would feature a 7-inch display.

Now, after five years of speculation, the Apple HomeView is real and could be in your house in time for the holidays. But is it actually worth buying? Here are five reasons to pick up the HomeView to control your existing smart home devices — or make it the starting point for your setup — along with two reasons you might want to skip it for one of the best smart displays instead.

Apple HomeView: Reasons to buy

Apple’s first smart display brings a lot to the table, especially if you’ve already bought into the company’s ecosystem. From its dual dashboard system and hands-free recipe navigation to deeper Siri AI integration and seamless FaceTime calls, here are the top features that make the HomeView worth adding to your smart home.

Smart home dashboard

One of the hardest things about living in a smart home is having to juggle between multiple apps on your phone. If you have one of the best iPhones, the Apple Home app helps simplify this, but the Apple HomeView takes things a step further.

The HomeView actually features two distinct dashboards: a shared household view and a personal one. When no specific person is in front of the screen, the device defaults to a shared layout displaying universal widgets for controlling smart lights and thermostats or viewing live security camera feeds. This is a great addition for guests, who can easily adjust a room’s lighting without having to guess the exact names of your individual smart lights.

Then, when one of up to six household members approaches the HomeView, the display switches to a personalized home screen using facial recognition. This second dashboard surfaces your private reminders, personal calendar events, and favorite accessory shortcuts pulled directly from your iPhone.

Siri AI

Just like how Amazon’s Echo Show smart displays got an upgrade to the AI-powered Alexa Plus earlier this year, HomeView relies heavily on Siri AI. Powered by Apple Intelligence and the built-in A18 chip inside HomeView, this new version of Siri is tailored to handle natural follow-up questions, mid-sentence corrections, and complex, multi-part commands without you having to repeat the wake word.

When paired with your iPhone or iPad, Siri AI can pull personal context from Apple’s first-party apps like Messages, Mail, Calendar, and Reminders. At the same time, Siri AI on HomeView uses broad world knowledge to deliver conversational answers instead of just redirecting you to a web link on your other devices.

When it comes to HomeView’s 7-inch display, Siri AI acts directly on what’s currently on screen. For instance, you can look at a live camera feed and ask it to unlock the front door — provided you have a compatible smart lock installed. Likewise, when looking at a recipe on your HomeView, you can ask Siri AI to add those ingredients straight to your shopping list.

Hands-free FaceTime, messages and calls

Having to prop your iPhone up every time you want to FaceTime with your grandparents gets old fast. Fortunately, Apple’s HomeView handles video calls with ease thanks to its 12MP camera equipped with Center Stage auto-framing. You can also start a FaceTime call completely hands-free just by asking Siri, which is especially handy if you’re mid-recipe and need to quickly check an ingredient with your parents.

Just like on a Mac, you can send iMessages directly from the HomeView. While you can type them out using the on-screen keyboard, you can also dictate them — and have incoming replies read back to you — using Siri AI. Phone calls work seamlessly, too; if your iPhone rings in another room, you can simply answer the incoming call directly on the smart display’s screen. Plus, HomeView doubles as an in-home intercom, letting you blast quick voice announcements like “dinner is ready” across every Apple device in the house.

Multi-person recognition

That 12MP camera on the front of HomeView isn’t just for video calls. While the new device lacks Face ID, it uses the camera to scan the faces of up to six people in your household. This is what allows your personal dashboard to automatically pop up when you walk up to the screen.

In a way, HomeView’s multi-person recognition feels like having separate user accounts on the shared family computer back in the day. Once the device recognizes you and verifies your unlocked iPhone or iPad is nearby on the same network, you can securely access your personal iMessages, calendar, and reminders. HomeView’s far-field microphones also support multi-user voice matching, allowing Siri AI to differentiate between family members and respond with personalized answers when different people talk to it across the room.

Step-by-step recipes

There’s no better place for a smart display than the kitchen, and Apple definitely considered this when designing HomeView. One of its best features is how you can take any online recipe you’ve opened in Safari and send it straight to the device. From there, HomeView strips away all the clutter and reformats the page into clean, step-by-step instructions with large text that’s easy to read across the room. It even uses proximity sensing to automatically scale the text size up or down based on how far away you're standing.

Since you don’t want to be touching a glass screen with messy hands, you can navigate the entire process using voice commands. Saying phrases like “Siri, next step” lets you advance the recipe without leaving greasy fingerprints on the display. HomeView’s recipes also feature embedded step timers, allowing you to set, label, and manage multiple concurrent timers hands-free while you cook.

Apple HomeView: Reasons to skip

As impressive as the HomeView is on paper, it isn't going to be the right fit for every home. Between its strict reliance on the iPhone and the steep additional costs required just to get a clean wall-mounted install, here are two major drawbacks you should keep in mind before picking one up.

iPhone required

Unlike Amazon’s Echo Show or Google’s Nest Hub devices which are platform agnostic, for the best experience with Apple’s HomeView, you’re going to need an iPhone or at least an iPad. In fact, without one, you can’t even set up a HomeView since you need a device running iOS 27.2 or later just to register it.

While there are households where iOS and Android co-exist, non-iPhone users won’t get anywhere close to the full HomeView experience. Without an iPhone or iPad, you don’t get access to the device’s personal dashboard since facial recognition won’t work — it only matches faces to active Apple IDs. Essentially, without an iPhone, you're stuck feeling like a guest in your own home.

A clean install costs even more

At $299, the standard Apple HomeView is already one of the most expensive smart displays on the market, sharing a price point with Amazon’s much larger Echo Show 15. However, if you want to wall-mount it — especially if you’re aiming for a sleek, wire-free installation — that $299 base price quickly balloons.

Unlike the tabletop model, the wall-mounted HomeView doesn't include a mount or a power supply in the box. Choosing the DIY route with Apple’s entry-level Power Mount USB-C adds $59 to your tab, pushing the total to $358. If you want a hardwired, flush-to-the-wall setup without visible cables dangling down to an outlet, the Power Mount AC Wired costs $79 extra — plus the additional cost of hiring a licensed electrician to wire it safely, which Apple recommends through a partnership with ADT.

Finally, if you want to run power and data over a single network cable, the Power Mount PoE costs an eye-watering $129 on top of the display, and that's before factoring in the cost of a PoE switch or professional installation.

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Powered largely by Apple Intelligence, these updates simplify how you monitor video footage and keep your lock screen clutter-free.

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I was initially a big believer in the Echo Show. I loved the idea of having recipes, music, photos and smart home controls available without constantly reaching for my phone. But the longer I lived with them, the more I realized how much work I was doing to make these supposedly convenient devices useful.

Want to follow a recipe? I found myself working around Amazon's suggested options rather than easily opening one I'd already saved on my phone. Want to turn the screen into a digital photo frame? That meant managing another app just to display my favorite pictures.

Add in the increasingly intrusive ads, and my Echo Shows eventually went from helpful household gadgets to screens I didn't particularly want to look at. It wasn't long before I sent them off to my storage unit.

But after seeing Apple's new HomeView in action on a bedroom nightstand, mounted on a wall and, most practically for me, on a kitchen counter, I started reconsidering whether I'd actually given up on smart displays altogether.

Unlike my Echo Shows, HomeView seems designed to work with the things I'm already doing on my iPhone, rather than asking me to figure out another way to do them.

HomeView works with my life, not the other way around

Usually, when I'm following a recipe, I've already decided what I'm making. The instructions might be in a link I've texted to my partner, a screenshot or an increasingly chaotic collection of ingredients and instructions copied into Notes (surely I'm not the only one?).

With my Echo Shows, getting to that specific recipe was often more trouble than it was worth. Eventually, it became easier to prop up my iPhone or iPad on the counter. Not exactly the convenience I was looking for.

HomeView takes a different approach. I watched Apple AirDrop a recipe from an iPhone to the display, where Safari transformed the webpage into step-by-step instructions, complete with automatically suggested timers. You can even use Siri to move through the steps hands-free.

Siri AI can also retrieve a recipe someone sent through Messages, using personal context from a compatible iPhone.

Other smart displays have offered guided recipes for years, but what appeals to me is that HomeView starts with content I've already found, rather than expecting me to find something within its own ecosystem. Whether it can handle my messier Notes recipes remains to be seen.

In a similar vein, I like how HomeView can pull photos from existing Apple Photos albums, including shared albums, and display collections featuring specific people or places. I wouldn't need to maintain a separate library through Amazon Photos, which is something I rarely bothered updating on my Echo Shows.

Neither of these features is necessarily revolutionary. But together, they address the biggest reason I stopped using smart displays: I don't want another gadget that requires homework.

A screen that feels like it belongs in my home

Then there's the issue of what actually appears on the screen when I'm not interacting with it.

One of my biggest frustrations with the Echo Show was the promotional content. When I'm making coffee, I want to see my calendar, the weather or a favorite photo — not a recommendation for an Amazon Prime TV show or something to buy.

HomeView is ad-free, and its customizable faces put much more emphasis on the information you choose to display. There's a Modular face with widgets, a Photos face and even an animated Snoopy.

Because HomeView recognizes up to six household members, information displayed changes depending on who's standing in front of it. That means my partner and I could approach the same device and see our own schedules, reminders and widgets without manually switching profiles.

There are requirements, of course. Personal context relies on a compatible iPhone with Apple Intelligence connected to the same Wi-Fi network, and the phone must have been recently unlocked. Still, I like the idea that HomeView is an extension of my existing devices instead of another screen demanding its own digital life.

Apple doesn't need to reinvent the smart display

HomeView still has plenty to prove. There's no traditional App Store; some of its smartest features depend on a compatible iPhone or iPad; and at $299, it's considerably more expensive than many competing smart displays.

But I'm not asking Apple to reinvent the smart display category. All I want is one that feels useful without requiring extra effort. Taking familiar features and connecting them to the way I already use technology is something I wish Amazon had been better positioned to implement.

And while HomeView has yet to prove it'll deliver on that promise in the long-term, it's made me excited about owning a smart display again.

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I got an early look at Apple's new $299 smart home display ahead of its official announcement, and what struck is that HomeView doesn't feel like an iPad attached to a speaker or an oversized Apple Watch. Instead, it borrows some of the best ideas from across Apple's ecosystem and turns them into something that feels designed specifically for the home, built on a platform Apple is calling “HomeView Software.”

Sure, Amazon's Echo Show and Google's Nest Hub have been around for years, but HomeView is the most inventive new product for Apple users since the Vision Pro — only with a much more approachable price and a purpose that's considerably easier to imagine in everyday life.

Between its personalized interface, surprisingly clever cooking features and new Siri AI capabilities, I came away from the demonstration with a breakdown of these seven features that stand out most.

1. HomeView recognizes who's standing in front of it

Using facial and voice recognition, HomeView can identify up to six people in your household and adjust the information on its screen based on who’s interacting with the display accordingly. That means schedules, reminders and widgets on the home screen you're looking at can be different from what your partner sees when they approach the same device.

Apple is also drawing a distinction between accessible shared experiences, like controlling lights or playing music, and private information, like iMessages, Safari browsing and calendar events.

There's a security-related catch, though. To access personalized information, your iPhone needs to be home, connected to the same Wi-Fi network and has to have been recently unlocked.

2. Siri AI understands your personal context

We've heard plenty about how Apple is making Siri smarter with personal context, but Apple's demonstration gave me a more tangible example of what that means.

Imagine asking Siri to find a recipe that someone sent you in a text message. Instead of searching through your conversations, you can ask HomeView to find it using information from your iPhone.

The same intelligence can help with calendar requests, questions about everyday topics and other tasks that would typically send you reaching for your phone.

Apple says Siri requests are processed on HomeView’s A18 processor, while relevant personal context is retrieved from your iPhone (15 Pro or newer supporting Apple Intelligence.)

It's an interesting approach because your iPhone essentially remains the keeper of your personal information, even when you're interacting with another device, but only you can request the use of personal context.

3. It turns online recipes into a cooking experience

When I’ve used Amazon’s smart displays in the past, it's been, primarily, to follow recipes. Apple’s version of using a smart display into a sous chef relies on a new Safari sub-interface that translates internet recipes into organized, step-by-step instructions.

You can AirDrop a recipe from your iPhone or search for one directly using Safari, or using personal context, ask for a recipe sent to you in iMessage or Mail to be surfaced.

It even recognizes when a recipe calls for a timer and automatically presents one (that looks very similar to the Apple Watch’s timer) that you can start with a tap.

You can use Siri to move through the instructions, too.

As someone who regularly cooks with a recipe open on my phone or iPad, often propped against whatever happens to be nearby, this is the kind of feature I could actually imagine using several times a week.

4. HomeView doubles as a customizable digital photo frame

Apple has clearly borrowed some inspiration from the Apple Watch for HomeView's interface, particularly its customizable faces.

There are clock faces, modular layouts with widgets, a moving Flow face that reminded me of a lava lamp and even an animated Snoopy face.

The Photos face is especially appealing. You can display images of specific people, places or albums, including shared albums, and have them rotate throughout the day. As is the case for iPhone wallpapers, Portrait photos look particularly dynamic.

HomeView’s TrueTone display can adjust to the surrounding light, with brightness ranging from 500 nits all the way down to just 0.3 nits. That's the dimmest display it has ever engineered. That makes me think a HomeView makes as much sense for your nightstand as it does in those shared high-traffic areas of the house.

5. FaceTime hands-free with a 12MP Center Stage camera

HomeView has a 12MP Center Stage camera and a four-microphone array for hands-free FaceTime calls.

I can see this being particularly convenient in a kitchen, where you might want to chat with someone while preparing dinner, or in a living room where several family members want to join the same call.

You can also hand off FaceTime calls from your other Apple devices.

No, it's not an entirely new concept for smart displays, but the integration with Apple's existing FaceTime experience could make it especially useful for households that already rely on iPhones.

6. Your entire smart home gets a control center

Naturally, HomeView is also designed to manage your smart home. You can control compatible lights, locks, thermostats and other accessories, create widgets for devices in Apple's Home app, and view up to five security camera feeds simultaneously.

But Apple isn't just introducing a new way to control existing Matter-equipped accessories. It's also teaming up with LG Electronics and Schneider Electric on an entirely new lineup of products called the Apple Home Collection.

The collection includes indoor and outdoor security cameras, a video doorbell with two cameras for monitoring visitors and packages, smart thermostats, and a smart door lock that automatically unlocks when you approach with a compatible iPhone or Apple Watch via UWB.

7. There are two versions of HomeView hardware

When it comes to controlling smart home devices, an optimally-placed, wall-mounted control center tends to be a preferred interface. That’s why Apple is introducing two versions of HomeView hardware at the same price.

The tabletop HomeView comes with a speaker base featuring a down-firing woofer and two passive radiators, along with two full-range drivers in the tilting display itself. Apple demonstrated its music playback capabilities, including album artwork, lyrics and controls for managing speaker groups.

The wall-mounted model, meanwhile, has audio tuned for its placement and is particularly well-suited for smart home controls. It will offer three mounting options, including two in-wall solutions developed with Schneider Electric.

Apple HomeView: My early verdict

The more I saw of HomeView, the more I realized Apple is serious about giving its smart home ecosystem something it's been missing all along: a centerpiece.

What's particularly interesting is that HomeView doesn't seem to depend on having a house full of connected gadgets to be useful. Between FaceTime, recipes, music, photos and personalized information, there's plenty here for someone who hasn't invested much in smart home technology. And for those who have, HomeView could be the missing link that brings everything together.

There are still some important questions, particularly around how reliably Siri AI handles personal context and how limiting the lack of a traditional App Store in “HomeView Software” might be. But after witnessing HomeView in action, I'm considerably more interested in having one in my kitchen or on my nightstand than I expected to be.

Apple has spent years finding its way into nearly every corner of our lives. With HomeView, it might have finally figured out how to make the home itself feel like an Apple product.

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Apple wants to simplify that process with the new Apple Home Collection, a lineup of smart home accessories developed by LG Electronics and Schneider Electric in collaboration with Apple.

The collection includes a variety of standard smart home devices from security cameras and smart thermostats to a door lock that can recognize when you're approaching with your iPhone or Apple Watch.

But more importantly, rather than requiring a collection of separate apps and accounts, these accessories are designed to work directly with the new Apple HomeView smart home display and Apple Home app, with an emphasis on easy setup, privacy and integration with your existing Apple devices.

Apple Home Collection: The full list of smart home devices

A smart lock that knows when you're coming home

Of everything in the collection, the LG Smart Deadbolt Lock might be the accessory I'm most interested in trying.

Using Ultra Wideband (UWB) technology, the lock can detect when you're approaching with a compatible iPhone or Apple Watch and automatically unlock the door. No need to pull out your phone, tap your watch against the lock or enter a passcode.

That said, the lock does also include a keypad, plus a physical keyhole concealed behind a sliding cover. As much as I like the idea of a door that recognizes me, I wouldn't want to find myself locked out because my phone battery died.

Security cameras that know when you're home

LG is also introducing indoor and outdoor security cameras designed to work directly with Apple Home.

The $199 indoor camera has a particularly thoughtful privacy feature. In lieu of, say, a physical privacy shutter, it can automatically tilt downward when you arrive home. You can also configure schedules for this behavior.

For outdoor security, LG is offering a camera designed to monitor the area around your house, including an option with a motion-activated floodlight.

The cameras integrate with Apple's existing HomeKit Secure Video features, including recognition of familiar faces, pets and package deliveries, with supported video history stored through iCloud+.

A video doorbell with two different views

The LG Video Doorbell features two cameras: one facing outward to capture visitors and another pointing down toward the ground.

That second camera is designed to give you a better look at packages left near your doorstep, which is something traditional doorbell camera angles don't always capture particularly well.

And with Apple's new HomeView smart display, you'll be able to check up to five compatible camera feeds at once from a central screen instead of reaching for your phone. This camera, when set up with an iPhone with Apple Intelligence, also monitors familiar faces and pets for motion activity recaps.

Smart thermostats from LG and Schneider Electric

The collection also includes $199 smart thermostats from both LG and Schneider Electric with slightly different designs, giving buyers some choice in how the thermostat looks on the wall.

Like existing smart thermostats, these can make adjustments throughout the day to help maintain comfortable temperatures while reducing unnecessary energy use.

The thermostats are designed for North American heating and cooling standards, so availability will be more limited than some of the other products in the collection.

Apple Home Collection outlook

To me, the biggest selling point of the Apple Home Collection is how easily they're designed to work together. Simply bring your iPhone near a device, follow a few prompts and add it directly to the Home app. There are no separate manufacturer apps or accounts required.

The accessories will begin arriving in December. Security cameras will be available in the U.S., Canada and U.K., while the smart lock and thermostats are limited to the U.S. and Canada. Prices start at $199 for the indoor camera and thermostats, with the smart lock costing $439.

Apple has supported third-party smart home accessories for years, but collaborating with LG and Schneider Electric to develop them is definitely a different approach. Combined with the new HomeView display, which gives Apple's smart home ecosystem a more obvious centerpiece, there's finally a clearer picture of what an Apple-powered home could look like.

If Apple can truly make setting up and managing a connected home feel less like managing a dozen different gadgets, that might be the smartest feature of the entire Apple Home collection.

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Apple's "Welcome home" event took place yesterday, and the star of the announcements was a brand new product called the HomeView.

After months of rumors, Apple unveiled its HomeView smart home hub that will go toe-to-toe with Amazon's Echo Show and Google's Nest Hub devices. Alongside the new device, we saw a renewed focus from the company on its smart home ambitions.

Apple has struck deals with manufacturers like LG and Schneider Electric to help provide a lineup of devices such as thermostats and security cameras that work seamlessly together. Unlike almost every Apple device, the HomeView will launch without access to the App Store. Instead, it will work as a control center for these third-party accessories, with users interacting with it via voice with Siri AI or Apple's Home app.

The HomeView may be the centerpiece of Apple's announcements, but the company also revealed a revamped Apple TV 4K and an updated HomePod mini speaker. Unfortunately, both of which came with price hikes to match.

How to follow Apple's 'Welcome home' event

Apple's 'Welcome home' event was teased by SVP of Worldwide Marketing, Greg Joswiak, who shared a video revealing the date of the announcements.

The 'Welcome home' event took place in New York and kicked off at 9 a.m. ET / 6 a.m. PT / 2 p.m. BST. However, this isn't an "event" in the same way as September's iPhone event, so there wasn't any keynote livestream to follow.

Instead, select members of the media got to experience the new products from Apple at a dedicated showcase. Tom's Guide was among those in attendance.

As a result, we got some early hands-on time with the new products. Full reviews will be coming soon but you can read the overview of the main announcements below. We also covered the day with more in-depth analysis and reaction that you can recap in the live blog section of the article. Finally, if you have your own thoughts you want to share — drop them into the comments at the end.

Biggest announcements

• Apple HomeView: Apple's first ever smart home hub boasts a 7-inch Liquid Retina display with True Tone and ambient light adjustments from 500 nits to 0.3 nits. Available as a countertop or wall-mounted unit it uses Apple Intelligence to recognize up to six different household members. It can be used for FaceTime calls, web browsing or playing music but also as a command center for the Home app and various smart home devices. Price is $299 and pre-orders open today, October 13.
• Apple 4K TV (2026): A refreshed version of Apple's set-top box now features the A19 chip and hands-free Siri AI support. It can also now support for up to four HomePod speakers for a more immersive home theater setup and comes with a redesigned remote that can play an audio chime to help you find it among the couch cushions.
• Apple HomePod mini 2: Apple's long-overdue update to its 2020 mini speaker includes a bump up to the S10 processor from the Apple Watch Series 10 that gives it support for Apple Intelligence and Siri AI. There are also five new colors: green, blue, pink, white and midnight.

Apple event: Recap

October 13, 2026 – 10:23 AM

Free-standing or wall-mounted?

Here are a few more pictures from our hands-on time with the Apple HomeView at today's event in New York. If you were going to pick one of these up for your home, would you opt for the free-standing version or what you want to wall mount it to save countertop space?

There’s been plenty of leaks, many from Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman, so let’s take a look at them all and figure out what you can expect to see Apple CEO John Ternus talk about tomorrow.

iMac G4 nostalgia

As someone who fawned over the iMac G4 in the window of my local PC World, this calls to me. The hardware is set to come in two form factors — first is the 6-inch screen attached to a flat, square mounting plate on the wall. This is probably the common sense option to free up countertop space…but I’m not one for common sense.

That brings me to the second form factor — that same 6-inch screen suspended over a spherical metal and fabric speaker base.

A18 muscle for Siri AI

To get Siri AI running zippy, you need some serious horsepower under the hood. That’s where the rumored A18 chip and 8GB of RAM come in. This is going to be the big differentiator from other home hubs — all of which rely exclusively on the cloud to get things done.

This should enable small models to run locally on HomeView without any of that cloud lag to do simple things like adjust lighting or temperature, while offloading to the cloud if you’ve got something more complex in mind.

The catch: no App Store allowed

This is the most surprising part if you ask me. The App Store has always been a jewel in the crown of Apple devices, so to (reportedly) see the HomeView not get one is a little concerning.

If you want third-party functionality, leaks suggest you’ll have to “project” widgets from a nearby iPhone, for things like pulling up a native YouTube recipe video, for example.

In terms of actually using this device, that could be a problem. I know many people who use their Echo Shows in the kitchen with recipe videos, so hopefully the OS gets an update to support this in the future. Also, I hope this doesn’t mean the smart home device support isn’t walled off so significantly.

The price may be steep for a smart home hub

Now for the cost. Rumors are pointing to $350, which is quite a bit more than the likes of the $249 Echo Show — placing it costwise $100 shy of the base iPad (which does have a full App Store, larger screen and a battery). That means smart home control is available on a bigger slab already.

Apple’s mission with HomeView is going to be proving that this separate device with its iMac G4 looks and a better speaker in the base justifies the cost for a more locked-down OS.

The supporting cast

No, I’m not talking about the rumored Apple TV 4K or HomePod mini 2 announcements. Rather, what seems to be a suite of devices that have been designed to play nice with the HomeView.

It’s looking likely that we’ll see a smart lock, temperature sensor and thermostat all co-developed with LG — all of which seem to have been leaked pretty extensively on X.

The Smart Deadbolt Lock will support all the things you’d expect like tap to unlock, master codes, and a rotatable keypad revealing a physical lock if you need to use a key in clutch moments.

The Smart Thermostat can be temperature calibrated, and can also display humidity too with a simple UI that should be readable from across the room.

And this comes paired with a Temperature Sensor with a magnetic back to attach to metal surfaces (as well as an adhesive back for other surfaces). The battery is replaceable in this, and it links up with the thermostat to give an accurate real-time reading.

Outlook

Apple’s HomeKit launched in 2014, yet Amazon Echo Shows and Google Nest Hubs have owned the kitchen counters for a decade. Tomorrow, Apple looks finally set to fix that with HomeView with an updated Siri AI in tow.

I’m hoping the support isn’t walled off to specific devices, and that the wider smart home ecosystem is supported through this central command center. That alongside the “it just works” nature of Apple could be a game-changer for the home.

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Apple is set to host the first of possibly two October hardware events today, and the likelihood is that the "Welcome Home" event will focus on smart home gadgets. According to Mark Gurman over at Bloomberg, that includes an all-new product called a HomeView, as well as updates to the Apple TV 4K and HomePod mini.

Gurman's report zeroes in on the HomeView as the product that will 'close the biggest hole in its ecosystem' by essentially fusing an iPad with a HomePod. Rumors have circulated about this product for a long time but Gurman has corroborated previous reports — 24 hours before the product is officially unveiled.

This will be an all-new product to act as the control center for your smart home, but Apple has apparently partnered with other brands to make sure that compatible accessories — like a smart doorbell and thermostat — are in production.

Part of the reason Apple's smart home ambitions haven't been met was, as Gurman puts it, because Siri's capabilities were never "reliable or capable enough to serve as the connective tissue holding everything together". That's changed with Siri AI and Apple now appears ready to launch an all-out assault on the smart home market.

Here's what to expect at tomorrow's event.

Apple HomeView smart home hub

According to the report, the HomeView will be equipped with an A18 chip, likely paired with the same 8GB of RAM used in the iPhone 16 and 16 Plus that it first appeared in. The device will use Siri AI for voice control and be available in either a free-standing tabletop version or as a wall-mounted version that packs the speaker into a flat, square wall plate.

Despite being built on the shoulders of the HomePod, the HomeView will reportedly feature better sound than Apple's smart speaker and come in a choice of four colors: Gray, Silver, Starlight and Rose. However, the wall-mounted version will be limited to Gray and Silver.

There are a few caveats also apparently in place with the HomeView. While it will be revealed tomorrow, Gurman says it won't launch until "mid-November". Furthermore, it will arrive with first-party Apple apps on board, but no App Store for any third-party options. Lastly, the mentioned accessories above — which will also include indoor and outdoor security lights, a deadbolt lock and a floodlight camera — won't ship until later this year "at the earliest."

So while the arrival of a wholly new Apple product is an exciting one, Apple may have a bit of a waiting game to play with this one.

New Apple TV 4K

It was a bit of a surprise not to see a new Apple TV 4K announced back in September but apparently the device is coming tomorrow. The current Apple TV is nearly four years old and, according to the leaks, little will change when it comes to the outward appearance.

Instead, the new set-top box will have an upgraded A17 Pro chip inside (taking over from the A15 Bionic) as well as a RAM boost to 8GB. It will also feature the N1 chip and support for Apple Intelligence, Siri AI and — crucially — Wi-Fi 7 and Bluetooth 6. Oh, and we may get a revamped Siri Remote.

One thing we don't know is whether or not the new Apple 4K TV will stick at the same $199 starting price (it was hiked earlier this year from $129) or be increased further.

New HomePod mini

Like the Apple 4K TV, we are probably going to see a long-overdue refresh to the HomePod mini that upgrades the internals but keeps the outward design exactly the same. Well, apart from some new colors. Gurman claims we'll see the speaker drop in Green, Pink, Blue, White and Midnight.

The new HomePod mini 2 will be equipped with the same S10 chip that debuted in the Apple Watch Series 10 — a big upgrade over the S5 in the current version. As someone who still uses a first-gen Apple HomePod, I'm really looking forward to even an iterative update to Apple's smart speaker.

Again, as with the Apple 4K TV, I just hope that Apple doesn't increase the pricing too much. We'll have to wait until tomorrow to find out. As a reminder, the event is taking place in New York and is set to kick off at 9 a.m. ET / 6 a.m. PT / 2 p.m. BST.

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When the die-cutting brand approached me with a secret briefing on a new range of products, I was rather intrigued. What more could the craft-focused brand do? My first thought was anything BUT a sticker-exclusive device. I had envisioned perhaps an even smaller die-cutter than the Cricut Joy 2, or maybe a new suite of tools, but I was more than happy to be wrong.

Upon first unveiling, I was pleasantly surprised to find that the StickerPix Print + Cut was an entry-level Cricut device that keeps the essence of the brand alive and well, all while appealing to a beginner-friendly market. In the grand scheme, by using thermal dye-sublimation technology and a precise-cut blade, the StickerPix takes a popular Cricut hobby — a.k.a. making DIY stickers — and puts it into a slightly more affordable, yet exclusive package.

In fact, the StickerPix comes in two packages — the Print model and the Print + Cut model. The glaring difference between the two? The standalone Print model uses pre-cut sticker sheets, whereas the Print + Cut can trim its own sheets. For transparency's sake, I opted for the Print + Cut for this review solely for the additional cutting factor.

After reviewing the newest flagship, the Cricut Maker 5, last month, among the other Cricuts I've tried in the past, I was well-placed to try the StickerPix Print + Cut. But how will the brand's first solo sticker and photo printer stack up? I put it to the test to find out.

Cricut Stickerpix Print + Cut review: Price and availability

Globally, the Cricut StickerPix Print + Cut can be found at craft stores and major retailers. In the U.S., crafters can buy the machine and the Essentials Bundle for $299 (more on that below). Similarly, crafters in the U.K. can buy the Cricut StickerPix Print + Cut directly from the brand's website for £249.99 with the Essentials Bundle.

In Australia, the machine and the Essentials bundle retails for AU$469. You can buy it from retailers such as Harvey Norman and Spotlight. Aussie crafters should note that the machine is only available starting October 15, 2026.

Similar to the Joy 2, the StickerPix Print + Cut comes in a two-tone Powder Blue colorway, which I am officially dubbing "Cricut Blue". The machine is quite compact, only taking up 8 in x 11.3 in x 4.1 in / 20.4 cm x 28.7 cm x 10.4 cm of desk space. It has one LED power on/off button on top, a storage space for extra sticker or photo paper, and an internal system that slides the paper from the Print side to the Cut side when making stickers.

Much like newer Cricut-branded machines, the StickerPix now comes with a bundle of materials in the box. The Essentials bundle includes 18 sticker sheets, 18 photo paper sheets and one ink cartridge. In the U.S. and UK, crafters can opt for an Ultimate Plus bundle instead, which includes 90 sticker sheets and 90 photo sheets; however, this does come at an additional $80 / £90 cost.

If you run out of sticker or photo paper, Cricut has extra materials available to purchase. For the Essentials bundle on its own, it will cost you $24.99 / £24.99 / AU$44.95. This is a bit costly for a pack of sticker sheets and photo paper, but it also includes an additional ink cartridge, which could be useful in the long run.

Cricut Stickerpix Print + Cut review: Specifications

Cricut Stickerpix Print + Cut review: Performance

The Cricut StickerPix Print + Cut (and the Print-only model) uses thermal dye-sublimation technology to produce high-resolution, ultra-vivid sticker and photo prints that are water-, scratch-, and fade-resistant. On the Print side, the machine will print each ink color, as represented by the LED-lit power button, before passing it through the machine to the Cut side. On the Cut side, a built-in fine-point blade cuts neat edges for every kind of sticker or label shape.

In terms of set-up, you'll need to download the Cricut Design Space app and follow the instructions to insert the ink cartridge. I found I didn't need any handholding, but there are setup tips in the app and in the box if you need them. I was very much ready to get started as soon as I plugged the StickerPix Print + Cut in and turned it on.

The only thing to note is that you'll need to load the sticker or photo paper sheets into the printer from the storage slot before each use, which is simple enough to do. And you'll need to leave some space on either side of the machine to allow the paper to slide in and out when printing or cutting. I'd suggest leaving at least 10cm on either side.

Because the machine has two basic functions — i.e., printing and then cutting — and operates on two media — stickers and photo prints — it was easy to test its performance.

Stickers

I'm not beating around the bush here — this machine had me mesmerized.

There are thousands of templates to choose from on the Design Space app, and you can even make your own stickers using your own photos or graphics.

The software has gotten substantially better in the last two years, and has had a mini glow-up for the StickerPix machines. Now you can create sticker sheets with printed backgrounds and use label or photo templates. You can even let the software fill the sheet to optimise space or let it 'surprise' you with the sizes of your stickers.

I stuck pretty true to form for my tests. For this project, I made a mix of my own photo stickers and cute Design Space templates, and let the app organise them for me. After selecting a sticker sheet template in Design Space, I edited the stickers and made some adjustments, but otherwise I was good and ready to print.

Once the sticker paper was loaded into the machine, I hit the 'make' prompt and watched the machine go. It started printing the designs, color by color, before sliding it into the cutting side and making accurate kiss-cuts for each sticker. The entire process took around 2-3 minutes from start to finish.

After cutting five or so sheets, the StickerPix more than excelled in every way. There were some instances where user error impacted the overall design of the sticker — i.e. sizing a detailed sticker too small or photos needing a simple edit to make the color pop more — but other than that, I was particularly impressed with every sticker I made.

Photo Prints

Next up — photo prints. Honestly, this wasn't something I thought I'd be particularly interested in. But after thinking about making upcoming holiday party invites or printing cute photos of my niece and nephews, the thought immediately erased itself from my mind.

Sure, I might be used to heading to my local office supply store and printing photos for 80c a piece, but now, I could just as easily do it from home — and from my phone, which is a big win in my book.

Again, much like the stickers, there are hundreds of photo print designs to choose from in the Design Space app, or you can make your own. I decided to go simple for my initial test, and uploaded a commissioned graphic of myself and my husband with our favorite Pokémon... cheesy, I know!

This image was particularly detailed, especially with the amount of blues and greens in the background, so I was a little hesitant. But sure enough, it delivered a pristine, crystal-clear image.

It's worth noting, though, that the photo paper prints at a different size than the stickers, and you'll need to adjust the paper tray when loading each time. Sticker sheets are 4 x 7 in, whereas the photo paper is 4 x 6 in, which is pretty standard for everyday photo prints. I forgot to do this while making stickers, and it ended up chopping my sticker sheet in half...

Cricut Stickerpix Print + Cut review: App features

All Cricut machines, including the StickerPix Print + Cut, are dependent on the companion design software, Cricut Design Space.

You'll need to download the software to set up the machine, and you'll find QR codes on the box and in the instruction manuals for the App Store and Google Play Store. Design Space is also available for PC and Mac. It's also worth noting that the software needs to be regularly updated to use StickerPix effectively.

As mentioned, Design Space has gotten a lot more user-friendly, especially when using the StickerPix machines. Templates for stickers, labels, photos and cards are displayed on the homepage, and there are easy ways to tweak existing designs. You can also upload your own images or files to use in your designs.

You can also add the designs straight to a blank canvas or bookmark them for later projects. If you haven't used Design Space before, the software does have a step-by-step tutorial you can follow.

Now you can pay for a subscription that gives you access to everything Design Space has to offer; however, most users can get by without one. In full transparency, for this review, I was supplied with a paid subscription, which I've used a fair bit more than the average crafter.

Cricut Stickerpix Print + Cut review: Verdict

In a world of fun hobbies, let making stickers reign supreme! But in all seriousness, the Cricut StickerPix Print + Cut didn't disappoint. That said, it's definitely not a must-have machine for every crafter.

Here's my breakdown: if you're just as keen on sticker making and want to join the Cricut gang, this machine could be considered a 'gateway drug'. The StickerPix Print + Cut has all you need to make your own stickers and photo prints, without the cost of forking out for a Maker 4 or Maker 5.

If you want to craft more than just stickers and photos, but still want a taste of the Cricut life, I'd suggest opting for the Joy 2, which has a speedy print-then-cut sensor exclusively for making stickers.

But regardless of which sticker or photo-making machine you choose, if your life depends on crafting, you can't go wrong with a Cricut.

Bbased on the rumors we've been hearing, the event will be centered around the company's new smart home device, which could be called the HomePad. Apple sent around invites, and also posted a somewhat cryptic announcement on X, which shows two people doing a needlepoint of the old-school Apple logo.

What we expect to see at the Apple October event

As noted, we expect that the Apple HomePad, or whatever it will be called, will be the highlight of the event. This new smart home hub/tablet is likely to have a new interface similar to the Apple Watch, and will be able to customize what it displays based on who's in the room.

It should also feature the new-and-improved Siri, to better handle requests, a la Alexa+ and Gemini can with the best smart speakers and displays from Amazon and Google. It's been speculated that the HomePad, which was rumored to come out at least a year ago, has been delayed until Apple could get Siri right.

Also rumored to make an appearance at the event could be a new HomePod smart speaker, as well as a new Apple TV device; it's been several years since either has been refreshed.

As part of its renewed push into the smart home, we could also see a series of new smart home devices that Apple is developing in conjunction with LG. Just recently, a number of images leaked showing several smart home devices, including a video doorbell, smart thermostat, and smart lock made by the Korean company, which would purportedly work with Apple's ecosystem.

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Apple is reportedly holding an event on October 13 where several smart home devices could be announced, including the much-rumored HomePad smart home hub.

Now the reputable leaker, pdfu has followed Mark Gurman's report with leaked renders of the LG/Apple lock, thermostat and a smart temperature sensor, plus some details about the devices. Here's what they look like and what each device is supposed to feature.

Smart Deadbolt Lock

Notably, of the three devices that pdfu revealed in their posts, none of them have an obvious Apple logo. However, they all feature an LG log, typically on the top of the device but not front and center. These first smart home devices are reportedly going to launch under LG's branding and not Apple's.

Starting with the Smart Deadbolt lock, it features a rotating keypad to open. It supposedly comes with a swivel pin to limit the rotation so it doesn't hit a wall.

There are settings for a touchpad light ring, door left open alarm and lock sound volume. It should support auto-unlocking, tap-to-unlock, emergency power and master codes. All typical for a smart lock.

It should fit 2.375-inch (60.3mm) and 2.75-inch (69.9mm) brackets and comes with two normal keys.

Smart Thermostat

The leaker did not provide as much information about the smart thermostat. Reportedly, it will have settings for a far-sight display, a humidity display, brightness and language.

It should also feature a calibrated temperature and temperature offset options.

Interestingly, the rounded design feels similar to Google's Nest thermostat, while most other smart thermostats, like the Ecobee Smart Thermostat Essential, seem to have a squircle design.

LG Temperature Sensor

Finally, the little white circle that is the Temperature Sensor should detect both temperature and humidity.

It allegedly features a magnetic back to attach to metal surfaces and comes with a metal plate that can be adhered to surfaces. It should come with a replaceable battery and replacement alerts.

Per Gurman, Apple and LG are also working on a video doorbell and a trio of security cameras (indoor, outdoor, and floodlight).

Are you excited for a more Apple-centric smart home? Let us know in the comments.

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Smart devices, from your thermostat to your washing machine, utilize IoT (Internet of Things) technology, which means that they’re embedded in a network that exchanges data with other devices over the internet. But what sort of data could a washing machine collect that could pose a potential privacy issue? Well, that simple smart appliance is connected to the same network as your laptop or computer, so hackers can bounce from a lightbulb to a PC.

We live in a time where we’ve traded our privacy for convenience, and while these companies have gathered a ton of data on us already, it doesn’t mean we need to keep the toxic river flow going. Let’s go over how to secure your devices.

Change your password

Come on now, don’t walk around with your username as “admin” and password as “password” for your router or any of your smart devices. You might as well be handing the manila envelope of your life directly to a hacker.

If you’re looking for convenience, use a strong password manager to autogenerate a password for you. Using personal information in a password is almost as bad as whatever the default is. Simple words are also ill-advised. If you really want to know how fast a hacker can break your password, Hive Systems produced a convenient graphic for you to get the idea.

Most importantly, don’t use the same password twice. I know it’s a pain, but it’s necessary, and let’s move onto why.

Enable 2FA or MFA

Changing your password is not enough. Even if you’ve somehow developed an impenetrable string of letters, numbers, and symbols, it could easily be put on blast if there’s a security breach. And suddenly, a hacker knows the password for your Samsung washing machine, which could be the same password you use for your laptop (if you happened to not take my previous advice).

Most devices let you set up two-factor authentication (2FA) or multifactor authentication (MFA), and it is a simple way to stop a hacker from breaching your smart home even if they have the password to your device. Setting this up, typically through your phone, is another layer to keep your smart home safe.

Enable automatic firmware updates

This may seem rather obvious, but it’s important to point out that you should keep all your smart home devices, especially your router, up to date and this includes your other devices too, like your smartphone and laptop. The easiest way to do that is to enable automatic firmware updates. Whenever there’s a security issue, manufacturers will ideally patch the vulnerability as soon as possible.

Unfortunately, that might not always be the case. If a company is no longer supporting the product or simply discontinued it, that might be your cue to do the same. No one likes spending money on something new when the old one works just fine, but the older a product is, the more vulnerable it could become.

Use a router-level VPN

Setting up a VPN (Virtual Private Network) can not only secure your smart home devices but all of the devices on your network. A VPN encrypts your data, so hackers won’t be able to see what exactly your smart home devices are communicating. It’s not impenetrable, but it’s a strong layer of security.

Now, the only problem with this is that most VPNs aren’t free and not all routers are compatible with VPN integration. However, if you have access to a VPN and a compatible router, you should be able to set it up via your router settings, in a section likely labeled VPN Client mode.

Set up a smart home network

One of the most significant changes you can make to your smart home is using a local or separate Wi-Fi network for your smart home devices. This does come with some drawbacks, however.

You can set up a guest network on your router and throw all your smart home devices on there, effectively isolating them from your primary network. How effective this is comes down to the type of smart home device you’re connecting. Some can get temperamental with your phone not being on the same exact network. You might need to switch to the guest network, connect with the device, and switch back to see if that works. In other cases, it might not be compatible at all.

If you want to go the local network route, things will take a slightly more challenging but effective turn. You’ll need to get your hands on a Raspberry Pi or an old laptop and start looking into Home Assistant, an open source home automation system that keeps all of your smart home devices local.

If you’re willing to trade convenience back for privacy, this should be your next step. It’s more involved than what we can cover here, but to put it simply, your smart home devices connect to your laptop or Raspberry Pi locally and then can be managed through the Home Assistant app.

Bottom line

The more steps you take to secure your network, the less likely you’ll have to worry about your personal data being breached because of something as simple as your washing machine. Even one of these steps will drastically improve your security, but changing your passwords and using 2FA or MFA is great advice in and out of your smart home.

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But the company doesn't appear to be done releasing new products, as the latest rumor from Bloomberg suggests it's preparing new smart home devices, including the rumored HomePad (or whatever it decides to call its screen-based smart home hub).

Fans of the Cupertino-based company had to turn to Google Nest or Amazon Alexa if they want a screen-based device to talk to in their homes while Apple worked to get its Siri assistant and device ready for primetime. If these rumors are accurate, we should learn more about the new smart home devices on October 13, which is just two weeks away.

Here are the features of Apple's HomePad that you need to have on your radar (note that a lot are on other smart home hubs):

Visitor Mode

To me, Visitor mode is what really sets Apple's device apart from the best smart displays. Google and Amazon have the smart home hub space pretty cornered right now, but Apple could take some of the market thanks to this privacy feature.

According to Bloomberg's report, when the hub detects unfamiliar people in the room (those not registered in the household), it won't show any personal information. It'll use facial and voice recognition to identify visitors and non-household members (neither is new; current hubs from other companies use both facial and voice recognition). But the way Apple plans to use it (if these rumors are accurate) sounds fantastic and like a great way to keep anything embarrassing or private from showing up on your screen when guests are lingering.

Siri AI

We couldn't have a 2026 or 2027 Apple device without Siri AI being a huge part of it. Whether that's a positive depends on how you feel about Apple's use of AI so far, but as Siri AI improves over time, it should be a net positive overall.

I'm neutral to Siri AI so far, but I do use Google's AI on my Nest devices to ask quick questions or help settle arguments in the home, and I could see myself using Siri for the same purposes (I do use Siri in the car to find out quick facts that pop up during conversation, and it does the job well enough). We'll have to see exactly how Apple chooses to integrate its AI tool, but I fully expect it to do what it needs to well enough.

iMac G4-like design

I guess this isn't a feature in the traditional sense, but it might be the aspect of the HomePad I'm most excited about. The iMac G4 is nothing short of iconic, so the idea of a device sitting on my kitchen counter that looks like a mini one of those sounds great.

And when the larger version with the movable arm comes out later (it'll reportedly have a 9-inch display), it could capture the look of the iconic all-in-one computer even more faithfully. I might ditch my Google Nest devices based on the look alone.

FaceTime and intercom

Apple will reportedly offer FaceTime as part of the smart home experience, so you can chat with friends and loved ones on video, as you would on your iPhone. It will also include an intercom system to communicate with other hubs in the home.

The report doesn't mention whether the intercom feature will be able to broadcast to iPhone or iPad devices, but that seems like a nice convenience if you want to summon everyone for dinner and household members are in a room without a hub. We'll see what happens come October 13.

Table or wall (depending on model)

Apple is rumored to be developing two models of its HomePad. One will sit on a table, and the other will mount on a wall.

Both models will lack batteries, so it will need to be plugged in at all times. This is pretty standard for smart home hubs, so I'm not surprised Apple is forgoing a battery.

iPhone-like thickness

Perhaps one of the more interesting rumored aspects of the HomePad is how small it's rumored to be. The 6-inch screen isn't overly surprising, but the reported iPhone-like depth is quite shocking. We're used to smart home hubs being a little bulky (largely due to the speakers), so Apple launching one with iPhone-like depth is interesting.

Of course, that leads me to wonder how good the internal speakers will sound compared with the competition. iPhone speakers have come a long way over the years, but they still lack the depth and punch of more robust speaker systems.

Ambient display

Almost every smart home hub has some kind of ambient display mode, and the HomePad looks set to follow the trend. This isn't overly exciting on its own, but Apple is expected to put its own spin on it with a lava lamp-like mode that'll make the hub feel like a display piece.

Of course, it'll have photo slideshows as well if a digital clock with a lava lamp aesthetic isn't your thing. With the quality Apple offers for its Mac and iOS wallpapers, I'd be shocked if the screensavers Apple includes with its smart home hub are anything but gorgeous.

More from Tom's Guide

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However, I’m not like most people, which is why my wife plays a crucial role with any smart home tech I bring home to test. She’s far more skeptical than I am, and less tolerant of those little idiosyncrasies. Her mindset is: do we really need this in our home?

It’s a welcome reality check to my enthusiasm and has helped me become a much better product reviewer over the years.

For example, I once installed the Brilliant smart light switch in our dining room that had a touchscreen instead of a physical button. In addition to turning on the lights, you could also control music playback, talk to Alexa, and even use it as an intercom and a mini digital picture frame. But to turn the lights on and off manually, you had to tap the screen, then slide your fingers up or down.

That little extra bit of effort — plus the fact that it didn’t always respond when you tapped it — drove her crazy. She hated it “with the fury hot as a thousand suns” whenever it wouldn’t respond properly to touch. “I want to walk into a room and flick my hand without thinking or stopping and know that I will be able to see,” she said. Plus, these switches cost $299 each when we tested them; they're now $599.

I ultimately swapped it out for another smart light switch (one from Lutron), which has a physical control, and it also let me set up a wireless switch on the other side of the room without calling an electrician. I haven’t heard a complaint since.

Another thing that drove her bonkers was a $2,000 in-home robot that was more or less an iPad on wheels. It stood about four feet tall, rolled around, and was designed to follow you around, so that you could carry on video calls throughout your house. Not only was it huge, but it freaked out the dog and was terrifying to our then 3-year-old daughter.

“I thought that it would perhaps be a decent option for someone who had certain mobility deficiencies,” she said, “but why would it be necessary for anyone with typical motor skills?”

It quickly got boxed up and shipped out. I think it’s safe to say that any future robot that comes into our house will have a very high bar to clear. “If I’d been given a choice, it would have met the same fate as the printer in ‘Office Space',” she said.

You can forget about smart speakers — Alexa, Google, and Siri have all been banished to my attic office. We only ever really used them for turning our lights on and asking them to play music, and the idea that a device was always listening was unsettling.

Tech that I have brought home that she likes is things that just work with no fuss and disappear into the background. The aforementioned light switches, for instance. There are a few scattered throughout the house that are smart, in that I can set them to turn on and off on a schedule and connect them to smart assistants, but outwardly, they look just like any other non-smart switch.

One of her favorite items I’ve brought home was the Luma Indoor Composter. “It’s saved me from being swarmed by flies every time I open the barrel composter (which had been chewed through by an enterprising rat),” she said. “We’ve significantly reduced food waste and have done a great job feeding our garden with a dramatically expedited timeline. Sometimes it smells a little earthy in the kitchen while it’s on, but we just use it at night to avoid that problem.”

Sadly, the composter no longer appears to be in stock, but the model we have is still going strong two years later.

Holiday decorations are a winner. “We’ve had some fun Christmas lights which have a variety of themes we can wrap around our tree,” she said. “Want candlelight without worrying about setting the house on fire? How about an ombré rainbow one night and Chanukah blue and white the next (for the pizza bagel households like ours)? We can have all that and more without having to disturb a single ornament.”

The Alexa-enabled Big Mouth Billy Bass? Not so much.

It can be easy to get swept up in hyperbolic marketing claims and shiny new features; who doesn’t want a phone that can take better pictures, or a refrigerator that knows when you’re running out of milk? But as my wife proves, if those smart devices can’t smoothly replicate the dumb devices they’re replacing, then they’re not very smart at all.

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Those devices could still be on the way. Apple typically announces new MacBooks in October, and we could see some other products then as well. Here are the seven new Apple products that we could see next month.

Touchscreen MacBook Ultra with OLED

Apple has already released a surprising number of Mac laptops and desktops this year. We had the MacBook Neo, M5 MacBook Air, and M5 Pro and M5 Max MacBook Pros way back in the spring, plus late refreshes of the Mac mini and Mac Studio.

Next month we're expecting an M6 version of the iMac, which also might get some new colorways, and an M6 MacBook Pro.

But the headliner should be a new MacBook Pro (or Ultra). The big change here should be a new OLED touchscreen display, which would make it the first OLED MacBook.

OLED panels are thinner, so the Ultra should be both slimmer and lighter in both 14- and 16-inch versions. It could be powered by the as-yet-unannounced M6 Pro and M6 Max chipsets. This does mean that we might not see the Ultra until early 2027, as Apple has pushed announcing those chips into the first half of the year.

Unfortunately, all these new features and higher-tier silicon mean that the Ultra could have a starting price around $2,499 for the 14-inch model, up from $2,199 for the current M5 Pro models.

iPad mini with OLED

The iPad Pro has had an OLED display since 2024, but we could finally see an iPad mini with OLED this October. Coincidentally, the mini hasn't received an update since October 2024, when the iPad mini 7 was released.

It will likely get a faster chip, probably the A19, if not the new A20, so it can run Apple Intelligence, especially the new Siri AI. It's not clear from rumors if any other design changes will be made. However, it might be thinner and lighter since the OLED panel is thinner.

We should also see an updated entry-level iPad. As far as we're aware the only update here would be new chips.

Smart Home Devices

We warned before the iPhone event that rumors about Apple's smart home options need to be taken with a grain of salt. For years, leaks and rumor mongers have suggested that Apple is planning to introduce a suite of smart home devices, including a revamped HomePod and an AI-powered Apple TV 4K set-top box.

Rumors suggested that Apple would announce these devices during the iPhone event, which obviously did not come to fruition.

Apple seems to have finally figured out Siri AI with iOS 27. If it releases and works as pitched, we could finally start seeing Apple Home.

HomePod Home hub

Previously, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman, long a reporter of the rumored HomePod updates, believed that a new HomePod mini could launch with the iPhones alongside the rumored HomePod Home hub.

However, right before the iPhone event, Gurman cheekily tweeted, "If you don't see the Apple TV, HomePod mini, home display and touch MacBook today, don't worry. It's only September."

Several different iterations of this device have been rumored, including one with a $1,000 robot arm. The most common version involves a wall-mounted touchpad or a HomePod speaker with a touch display about the size of an iPad mini.

This device would have a FaceTime camera for video calls and presence sensors to initiate smart home routines.

HomePod mini 2

A new HomePod mini might also debut, but it might not be as big of an upgrade as the Hub. Most rumors suggest that it will feature a new chip and audio improvements. It will probably get new colors.

The HomePod mini 2 has been on our rumor radar since at least 2023. The current version debuted in 2020, and like the next device, is long overdue for an update.

Apple TV 4K 2026

Like the HomePod series, Apple hasn't released a new version of the Apple TV 4K since 2022. We're long overdue for an upgrade — even if it's only a more powerful chip for stronger performance.

Previously, it was suggested that a new Apple TV could feature the A17 Pro chip, but it's more likely it'll get the new A20 or, to save some money, last year's A19. The device should also get the rumored N2 chip for better Wi-Fi and Bluetooth connectivity.

Outside of chips, the big upgrade would be Siri AI, which could let you connect the Apple TV as a hub for smart devices. One rumor suggested that Apple might release a set-top box with a camera, which would allow for FaceTime calls and gesture-based controls.

However, a rumored refresh of the Apple TV has been making the rounds for multiple years now. I won't believe this one until it actually happens.

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Without touching a phone or digging through a settings menu, the Sonos system registered a subtle, satisfying "boop." The accelerometers inside the portables recognized they’d been placed down, fired off an imperceptible ultrasonic chirp to locate the soundbar and instantly reconfigured themselves into active rear surround channels.

But remembering I was in a public setting and should probably respect everyone else’s ears, I double-tapped the physical action button on the earcup of the new Ace Ultra headphones. The roar of the race track instantly lifted off the soundbar and dropped straight into my ears.

No Bluetooth pairing screen, no app lag — just an instantaneous network handoff.

After two years of software headaches, this seamless handoff felt like the turning point Sonos has so desperately needed.

Earning back trust with Sonos 27

It’s no secret that Sonos software has faced intense scrutiny from its most passionate users, primarily via Reddit, over the last two years or so.

But rather than dancing around the past, Sonos is framing its new operating system, Sonos 27, as a direct answer to that feedback. In fact, surveying the room, I learned that members of the Sonos Reddit community were actively participating in demos right alongside the media.

"We’ve been listening to customers all along, but especially in the last two years... we've learned a ton about what customers actually want," explained Andrew Sutherland, Sonos Senior Director of Product Management during an interview with me following the event.

"Internally, the way we're thinking about testing and releasing things has really been bolstered,” said Sutherland. “A really good example is the app redesign with tabs in the last three months, which has actually been behind a test that users can opt into and try out."

Beyond core stability and opt-in testing, Sonos 27 introduces open platform AI control via Model Context Protocol (MCP), letting users connect outside assistants like ChatGPT alongside Sonos' own voice engine or custom agents.

"It always comes back to choice and being an open platform for control," Sutherland said. "We don't really have skin in the game to say one intelligence should be used over the other."

Ecosystem-first hardware design

While competitors like Sony and Bose dominate commuter noise cancellation, Sonos is carving out a hybrid category with the $449 Ace Ultra: high-end cans designed to act as an instant extension of your living room system.

"These headphones are definitely the best headphones you can use at home, no doubt. But they're also the best headphones you can use away from the home," Brandon Holley, Sonos Interim Hardware Lead, clarified to me when I asked about Ace Ultra’s competition.

"We worked incredibly hard to make them light, but also extremely comfortable. So when you walk in the front door, it's an amazing experience that you don't need to leave at the front door."

Under the hood, bringing Wi-Fi system-linking directly into a wearable via Headphone Engine 2 required a complete internal redesign.

"You have to get into the radio. That means making sure you have space for the antennas, the radio, and moving electronics so the thermal design works," Holley said.

Acoustically, the Ace Ultra upgrades its predecessor's hardware for a custom-engineered 40mm driver optimized for sheer dynamic range.

"When you're creating sound, you're trying to transfer mechanical energy into movement of air. Power-to-weight ratio—if you want to think about it in terms of automobiles—that is king," Holley emphasized. "You want as much power as you can with as light of a diaphragm as you can make."

Meanwhile, on the Beam Ultra front, Holley revealed that fitting nine custom drivers (including two dedicated up-firing speakers) into the mid-size Beam Ultra meant engineering every component completely from scratch to solve cabinet displacement constraints.

The unseen magic of Sonos Fabric

The thread binding this new hardware generation together is Sonos Fabric, the underlying software capability that lets devices sense each other in physical space. Whether it's enabling portable speakers to act as instant, dynamic rear surrounds or letting headphones pull sound straight off a soundbar, Sonos’s goal is to eliminate manual configuration entirely.

"Fabric is the set of technologies that allows us to be able to do that," said Sutherland. "You shouldn't have to go into an app to set those things up or change them. It should just feel natural in your home. You almost don't want anyone to actually talk about Fabric, you just want it to happen."

When the roar of an F1 engine can jump from a soundbar, route through two self-configuring rear surrounds, and land straight in your headphones with a single tap (all without looking at a phone screen) I’m able to recognize what Sonos is actually fighting for at this moment in the company’s 20-plus-year history.

For loyalists who felt burned by Sonos' recent software missteps, Sonos 27 and this new hardware push send a clear message: Sonos is dedicated to making its ecosystem feel effortless again.

When the sound follows you from the soundbar to your headset without a single glance at your phone, you don't care how complex the underlying tech is. You're just glad it finally gets out of your way.

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However, that's just the beginning, and Bloomberg's Mark Gurman just released a massive report that highlights 41 devices that could be released in the next three years and beyond.

That includes new devices like the foldable iPhone Ultra and Apple's first foray into smart glasses.

Later 2026 and Early 2027

Most every device meant to launch in the next six months should arrive during one of two events: the September 9 iPhone soiree and an announcement in October or early November.

Mostly, the difference here is that new MacBooks are usually announced in mid-fall, usually with a new chipset.

The key devices to be aware of in the next few months include Apple's first foldable iPhone Ultra and the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max models, all of which are expected to launch next week. There's also the first iPad mini with an OLED screen and the rumored HomePad with a screen, which should be Apple's next steps into smart home devices.

There's also the rumored MacBook Ultra, a high-end version of Apple's Pro laptop with a touch display and OLED panel. Personally, I'm interested in the refreshed Apple TV 4K with a faster chip and more Siri features. Though that has been rumored for years now and has yet to actually be released.

• iPhone Ultra
• iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max
• Apple Watch Series 12 and Ultra 4
• AirPods 5
• Apple TV 4K set-top box
• HomePod mini
• HomePad
• iPad mini with OLED screen
• M6 iMac refresh
• M6 14-inch MacBook Pro refresh
• MacBook Ultra

In development for 2027

Next year is when we could start seeing some truly updated designs for Apple's products from the all-glass iPhone 20 to redesigned Apple Watches and even more smart home products.

Some devices will be a simple chip refresh, like the M6 MacBook Air or the A19 Pro MacBook Neo, which proved so popular the first go-round that Apple couldn't keep it in stock.

A slew of iPads, from a refreshed iPad 12 to an iPad Air OLED are also expected next year.

iPhones will get weird next year starting in the spring where Apple splits the launch of the iPhone 18 series. We should see the vanilla iPhone 18, alongside the iPhone 18e and iPhone Air 2.

In the back half of the year, the 20th anniversary iPhone could feature one of the largest design changes in years. The biggest is a curvy all-glass wraparound design that seamlessly covers the entire phone. An analyst claimed this design was canceled in August, but Mark Gurman pushed back, saying that it's still on track. There are more potential changes, but the glass look will be immediately noticeable.

We were expecting to see camera-laden AirPods this year after leaked code and videos appeared, but Gurman claims these have been delayed until 2027. The cameras would enable Siri AI to "see" the world around you and respond to queries. People are voicing privacy concerns already, but presumably the cameras would not record photos or video.

Finally, Tim Cook was allegedly obsessed with Apple Glasses, but it's not clear if Ternus shares that same excitement. Apple's take on the form should arrive next year and be similar to the Meta Ray-Ban allowing you to take calls, pictures and videos but lacking a display. Rumors had slated the glasses for 2028 but a summer report claimed Apple was rethinking its roadmap after Vision head Paul Meade left for OpenAI.

• M6 MacBook Air
• A19 Pro MacBook Neo
• Entry-level iPad refresh
• iPad Air OLED
• iPad Pro
• New Apple Pencils.
• iPhone 18 and 18e
• iPhone Air 2
• M7 14-inch MacBook Pro
• AirPods with cameras
• In-home security sensor and system.
• Apple Glasses
• iPhone 20 (XX)
• iPhone Ultra 2
• Redesigned Apple Watches
• M7 Pro and M7 Max MacBooks

2028, 2029 and beyond

The next batch of potential Apple devices could be released any time between 2028 and 2030. Some are chip and OLED updates, but a couple are new devices that we haven't seen from Apple before.

The HomePod on a robot arm was rumored two years ago and apparently will actually debut in the next couple of years. Per Gurman, this version will have a 9-inch display and advanced AI features.

Before the rumor mill settled on the foldable iPhone, Apple's first foldable device was actually supposed to be a giant foldable 18-inch iPad or MacBook. Apparently, this is still in the works and could launch in 2028. Gurman claims manufacturing issues pushed a potential launch back.

Apple allegedly wants to release its own AR glasses à la the Meta Ray-Ban Display. The glasses would superimpose data on your real-world view. There's no specific release year for these, but they could arrive before 2030.

Apple is apparently working on an AI pendant as well. The Apple version would work with your iPhone and use AI and the camera for tasks.

• HomePad with a robot arm
• M7 Max and M7 Ultra Mac Studio
• Apple Vision Pro revamp
• AI Pendant
• Larger foldable iPhone
• Foldable iPad
• MacBook Air OLED
• Higher-end iMac OLED
• Augmented reality glasses

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• Apple HomePad rumored release date, price and all the latest leaks
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Last year, I had the opportunity to review the Cricut Maker 4, which was my first entry into the die-cutting cult. I had seen Cricut-made projects pop up on my socials, across a million Etsy sellers and in real life, so I knew what the machines could do. For me, it was an investment I had been debating, as I didn't know how much use I'd get out of a Cricut.

However, after using the Maker 4 for a few months, I was utterly impressed. Not only did I continue to use it near daily, but I was always thinking of potential projects and became a regular at my local craft store. Then came the opportunity to try the Cricut Joy 2, which also impressed me tenfold.

Better yet, in March this year, Cricut introduced material and tool bundles alongside the Joy 2 and Explore 5 machines. This meant new users could purchase the machine and all the tools, vinyl, cardstock and more at once, without needing to spend extra to get started.

At the time of the Joy 2's launch, there was no word of the new flagship. But thankfully, the crafting gods heard my call and have officially launched the Cricut Maker 5. The newest generation brings together expanded material capabilities, specialized tools, and an intuitive guided design experience with the accompanying Design Space app. The machine also touts a new lidless design, similar to the Explore 5, and is 30% more compact than the Maker 4.

It goes without saying that I skipped into this review very eager to take it on. After all, the Cricuts of my past hadn't disappointed me so far... but still the question remained — is the Cricut Maker 5 worth the $349 / £349.99 / AU$699 price tag? Let's find out together, shall we?

Cricut Maker 5 review: Price and availability

As with most Cricut machines, the Cricut Maker 5 can be found at craft stores and major retailers globally. In the U.S., crafters can buy the machine directly from Cricut US for $349 by itself, or with the Essentials Bundle for $399 (more on that below). Similarly, crafters in the U.K. can buy the Cricut Maker 5 directly from the brand's website for £349.99 by itself, or for £399.99 with the Essentials Bundle.

In Australia, the machine retails for AU$699 and comes with the Essentials Bundle as standard. You can buy it from retailers such as Harvey Norman, Spotlight or Officeworks.

As the new flagship, the Maker 5 is the most feature-packed device, and its new improvements are pretty notable. For starters, you can create custom projects with over 300 compatible materials, and you can also cut and engrave materials up to 3mm thick — which is a 25% increase in clearance compared to the previous generation's 2.4mm limit.

At launch (September 9, 2026), the Cricut Maker 5 comes in one colorway: Slate Blue. Design-wise, it takes on a similar, compact footprint as seen in the Explore 5 and loses its lid in favor of a flat surface where you can rest your tools mid-make. The machine also has two buttons on the front — a power switch and a pause/play button — both of which will illuminate when the machine is on or in use.

With 13 compatible tools, the Cricut Maker 5 cuts, writes, draws, foils, scores, debosses, embosses, engraves and more, so your project options are truly endless. You can create projects of any size, with the Maker 5 capable of cutting materials up to 12ft / 3.6m long in one go. When using the machine mat, you can cut up to 11.5 x 23.75 in / 29.2 cm x 60.3 cm, as per the mat's width. If using Cricut's matless Smart Materials, you can cut up to 12 in x 12 ft / 30.5 cm x 3.6 m.

When it comes to Cricut bundles, there are a few to choose from, depending on country availability. As mentioned, Australian machines come with an Essentials Bundle, whereas other markets can opt to include the Essentials, Ultimate or Ultimate Plus bundle at varying price points. For the most part, the Essentials Bundle has everything you need to get crafting straight out of the box, with up to 65 projects worth of materials.

The Maker 5's Essentials bundle includes tools and ready-to-craft items such as value cardstock, Cricut-branded Smart Vinyl, transfer tape, iron-on sheets, insert card sets, printable vinyl and a portable trimmer. As for machine blades, the bundle has a standard cutting tool, a scoring tool, and an engraving tool (both typically sold separately). The bundle also features a light grip machine mat and a card mat.

If you opt for a non-bundle package or quickly run out of your materials, Cricut sells branded materials, such as cardstock, vinyl and sticker sheets, along with accessories like additional cutting blades, fine-point pens and markers and activity-specific mats (like a fabric mat).

Additional vinyl or material rolls typically cost around $8.99 / £7.49 / AU$15 for a 4ft / 1.2m roll in black. If you need to replace a blade, you could be forking out anywhere from $37.99 / £39.99 / AU$50 for a Fine Point Blade from previous generations, as the blades are backwards-compatible. You can easily find off-brand dupes; however, Cricut always recommends using materials and tools directly from the brand.

Cricut Maker 5 review: Specifications

Cricut Maker 5 review: Performance

As mentioned, you can customize and create almost anything with a Cricut cutting machine, let alone the Maker 5. For this review, I really wanted to focus on what was included in the Essentials Bundle, as it provides so many projects to start off with. I was also keen on using the engraving tool, as I hadn't done that previously. So to keep it all concise, I focused on two key projects: vinyl cutting and stickers.

And with all Cricut machines, the Maker 5 operates wholly within the Design Space app. You'll need to complete your design and hit the "Make" prompt before the machine will cut it. You'll also need to be connected to Wi-Fi and have at least 3 in / 10 cm clearance behind the machine to allow the mat to glide in and out while cutting.

Vinyl Cutting

Vinyl cutting is as synonymous with Cricut machines as it gets. The Maker 5 comes with a 12 in x 12 in / 30 cm x 30 cm adhesive mat, which makes all materials that cling to it immovable. As with most Cricut machines, you'll need to practice with a test cut, and the app will walk you through how to do it.

This wasn't my first rodeo after all, so I cut my test piece and moved pretty quickly onto the actual design I wanted to make. This time around, I decided to rifle through my old hoodies and cut an iron-on vinyl design to give it new life.

I am a Coke Zero enthusiast, so it made sense to exclaim my love for the drink with a hoodie. After designing and picking out my text, I was ready to cut.

Using the Design Space app, you can create your own designs or use SVG files made by other creators within the Cricut community. For this review, I was supplied with a complimentary premium subscription to Cricut Access — a paid service that provides unlimited access to a library of images, fonts and projects within the Design Space app.

After finishing up my design, I loaded the white iron-on vinyl onto the mat provided and let the app guide me through the process. From cutting to "weeding" (removing the cut vinyl from the mat) and ironing, I had step-by-step instructions, so I really couldn't get any part wrong. Once loaded into the machine, all I had to do was hit the "play" button and the machine took off, cutting my design in a matter of seconds. It was so speedy!

Iron-on vinyls have the additional step of ironing onto your preferred fabric, so I used baking paper on top of my design and let the iron do its job. After a few minutes, I was presented with my final design, and I was quite pleased with it.

Engraving

Look, I won't lie here: I had some human error come into play, but I still think engraving with the Cricut Maker 5 is the easiest thing ever.

I was super keen to engrave with the new machine, so much so that I promised my sister that I would gift her my first creation — an engraved portrait of her dog, Soda. As it was my first time engraving, I watched Cricut's YouTube tutorial, which was super helpful and cracked on with my design.

After finishing up with the design process, I eagerly stuck down the aluminum sheet I was going to use, without thinking twice about its placement. One of the biggest downfalls that any newbie Cricut user can have is not lining up the material correctly on the mat — and I knew better.

Before hitting "Make", Design Space will mockup where your design will lie on the mat. It's totally moveable, and you can change the placement to suit your material. I will claim rookie error here, as I didn't refer back to my laptop screen before letting the machine do its thing and it resulted in my design being a little off-center.

It's not the end of the world — most Cricut crafts need some trial and error before you get the hang of it — but it's something to keep in mind. My design didn't turn out exactly as expected; however, with a few fixes, it would have been excellent.

In terms of the cut, the Maker 5 exceeded all expectations, without surprise. I loved watching how seamless and quiet it was as it sliced through the material. I will definitely be engraving again and taking my own advice next time.

Cricut Maker 5 review: App features

The Cricut Design Space app is truly where all projects begin, and over the last 12 months, my experience with the software has gotten so much better. It started off as a buggy, not-very-helpful app, but now it has seamless automations, helpful prompts and tutorials for most projects.

You'll need to set it up on your preferred devices before getting started with the Maker 5 and you'll find QR codes on the box and in the instruction manuals for the App Store and Google Play Store. Design Space is also available for PC and Mac.

I use the app on my personal MacBook Neo and my iPhone and have had very few issues with it this year. Of course, that's largely due in part to the improvements that were introduced during the Joy 2 and Explore 5 launch in March.

At the time, Cricut introduced "Guided Flows", which was designed to understand what the user wants to make and provide step-by-step instructions from start to finish. Guided Flows show users only what's needed at each stage of the design process and help them understand exactly which materials and tools are required for their chosen project. Plus, you can now preview your design on the canvas by clicking the preview button, and you can find templates for most projects, just in case you need some inspiration.

Alongside this, Cricut welcomed a "Create AI" feature for paid Design Space subscribers, which allows you to generate custom single-layer AI designs. Having said that, this tool might not be the most essential, given the community offers plenty of designs you can use, but it can provide powerful niche customization.

Guided Flows are really a lifesaver for me when starting new projects, and is arguably the most useful feature in the app. If you're completely new to the world of Cricut cutting machines, Design Space takes away a lot of the crafting instruction hassle. If you're a seasoned Cricut veteran, you'll appreciate that the automations take away some manual processes — i.e. Auto Loading and selecting your material.

Designing in the app is very similar to Canva and Photoshop, and you can use templates to help you during your process. You can adjust the size of your canvas to fit a specific dimension — e.g., a water bottle decal or a children's t-shirt — and create your design to fit within that shape. I found the app very intuitive and easy to use, as I am a frequent user of the Adobe Creative Suite. However, a step-by-step tutorial is available in the app for anyone not as familiar with design programs.

There's a wealth of fonts, shapes, images and everything you need in between to help create the perfect design within the app, and there are plenty of options for every user, including those not on a paid subscription. For those interested in the paid subscription, Cricut Access starts at $9.99 / £7.49 / AU$13.99 per month and gives you access to the entire Design Space library.

Cricut Maker 5 review: Verdict

I feel bad saying this in front of my Maker 4, but I adore the Cricut Maker 5. I am beyond impressed. From the included material bundle to the new design and speedy cutting, this machine will be my new favorite obsession.

That said, it is very similar in functionality to its predecessor. If you already own the older model, you're not missing out on much. However, if you're considering the Maker 5 as your first machine or an upgrade from a Maker 3 or below, this is definitely worth it.

Again, the rather hefty price tag is quite the investment for anyone, let alone a heavy-duty crafter or small business owner. However, when you include the Essentials bundle and the fact that you can start creating straight out of the box, the value is pretty exceptional.

Keep in mind, though, that after the bundle materials run out, purchasing Cricut-branded materials can add up.

UGreen is launching its own smart voice assistant as part of a new smart home ecosystem that could help alleviate two emerging concerns of consumers: ever-increasing subscription prices and cloud-based AI that knows too much about you.

Called the UGreen HomeAgent, the system is centered around a local hub, which not only acts as a traditional NAS drive, but also serves as the brains of your home, helping to analyze security camera footage, photos and videos you’ve backed up from your phone. It can also listen for and react to things happening in and around your house, and then automatically activate smart home devices based on the situation. And, it can even create highlight reels of videos and photos it captures of you and your family around the house.

Tying it all together is its assistant “Uliya,” which will let you control everything using nothing but your voice.

I had a chance to check out UGreen’s new HomeAgent at a preview event on September 1. Here’s a rundown of all the components, and what they can do — and the eye-watering price of its top-end devices.

A smarter NAS hub

At the core of everything is the hub, which is essentially a NAS drive with AI. UGreen will offer three versions, the HA100, HA100 Pro and the MasterAgent MA100, each with greater capabilities — and prices.

At the starting end is the HA100, which will provide the basics, such as storage, smart security, and basic smart home control and object identification. Stepping up to the HA100 Pro gives you more advanced AI capabilities, so it will not only be able to identify more objects and things, but also be able to discern what they’re doing. In addition, users will be able to create smart home automations through natural language requests, similar to what you can now do with Alexa+ and Gemini for Home.

The MA100 will blow past the HA100 models with far greater capabilities, such as the ability to run larger models, provide much deeper understanding about the events happening in your home, and developers will be able to create additional skills to augment the hub.

UGreen's AI HomeAgent and smart speaker

The company’s local AI, called HomeAgent, will be able to recognize people, vehicles, pets, and packages, surfaces alerts for unusual activity, summarizes events, and enables keyword search across recorded footage.

The sophistication of the AI you get is dependent on the hub you purchase. For example, if you get the base model HA100, it can recognize dogs and cats as pets, but it can’t distinguish them as either a canine or feline. It also can’t recognize if someone is running, walking, or jumping, only if they enter, leave, or linger.

Beyond that, it will also create highlight reels from events it records on your local cameras, but also be able to respond to such commands as “Show last year’s ski trip on the TV,” “Where’s the dog?” and "What happened at the front door?"

You'll be able to interact with UGreen's AI through the company's smart speaker, by saying "Hey, Uliya" (pronounced YOU-lee-yah). The speaker, which is about the size of the Amazon Echo Show 5, will cost $99, but can be preordered for $69.

Security cameras

UGreen is launching three security cameras: two outdoor cameras and one indoor camera — that will record video locally to the home hub.

The SynCare Indoor Cam ID500 Pro ($149; preorder for $89) is a 4K pan/tilt camera not unlike what you'll find from TP-Link or Wyze. It can rotate 360 degrees and tilt 111 degrees, can automatically follow people across the room, and has Wi-Fi 6.

UGreen's two outdoor cameras — the $159 SynCare PoE Cam OD600 Pro, and $199 SynCare Battery Cam OD800 Pro — both have a single 4K camera and dual 3K cameras, with a wide-angle lens and then a pan/tilt camera below. The PoE camera has Motion-Activated & Starlight Night Vision, while the Battery Camera has PIR & Radar Detection, as well as a solar panel to help keep its battery charged.

Digital Photo Frame

Once UGreen has backed up all your photos, how best to display them all? The UGreen Gallery digital picture frame uses a 13.3-inch eInk Spectra 6 display with a resolution of 1600 x 1200 — the same as used on the Aura Ink, one of the best digital photo frames. It connects via Wi-Fi, but can also be outfitted with a 512GB microSD card, so you could presumably load more photos onto the device. However, it’s not meant to rapidly cycle through images. The photo frame will cost $299 in preorder, and $439 later on; that's similar to other E-Ink photo frames.

Smart Home functionality

UGreen’s hub is Matter-compatible, which means that homeowners will be able to integrate other smart home devices, and then create automations and routines, which can be activated automatically or via voice command.

At launch, HomeAgent will work with a number of Aqara devices, such as the Aqara Camera Hub G5 Pro, Aqara Doorbell Camera Hub G410, Eve motion sensors and dimmer switches, and GE Cync LED light strips.

Outlook

UGreen’s home-based AI means that any processing of personal information, such as videos and photos, is done locally, rather than in the cloud. That means that the images of you and your kids won’t be exposed to any training models, or risk being compromised.

And, because it’s done locally, you also won’t have to pay recurring subscription fees to save video in the cloud — a requirement of many of the best home security cameras and video doorbells. Likewise, as the hub can also act as a backup for your phone, you can ditch cloud subscriptions to Google, Samsung, and Apple if you want to save all your precious memories.

UGreen is not alone in this approach. Earlier today, Anker announced the MindBase, a similar central hub with a built-in local AI that will be able to analyze security camera footage and control your smart home devices.

Of course, the time it takes to recoup those costs will be years, once you add in the price of not just the UGreen hub, but also the hard drives and other accessories. Even the least expensive hub costs $899, and that's before you equip it with any storage, which itself is rocketing in price. Given the rising costs of subscriptions, though, that break-even point may come sooner rather than later.

Adding a smart display underneath my monitor was a real game changer for my productivity early on. Not only was I putting wasted desk space to good use, but I also had full control over my smart home right in front of me, whether I used a tap on the screen or my voice.

After swapping between Google’s Nest Hub Max and Amazon’s Echo Show 8, though, I realized these more powerful screens might be overcomplicating things. Instead of another standard smart display, I recently switched to one that’s part digital photo frame and part retro desk screen. The coolest thing about Divoom’s Times Frame ($169, Amazon) is its transparent display — and the way its backlight illuminates the space around it.

Here’s what it’s been like spending the past week ditching a traditional smart display for one that mixes analog controls with deep customization.

Trading touch for knobs and buttons

Divoom sent over a Times Frame for me to check out in black, but it’s also available in white or pink to match the rest of your desk setup. In the box, you get the device itself, a power cable, and a cleaning cloth — since its clear 10.1-inch IPS display can be a bit of a fingerprint magnet. Fortunately, you won’t have to worry about smudges too much since you don’t actually touch the screen to interact with it.

Unlike a traditional lightbox that projects light outward behind an opaque sheet, the Times Frame flips this design on its head. Up front, you have a transparent display, while the back of the frame shines light outward. Given that this ambient glow may be too bright for some, Divoom includes an optional paper cutout to place behind the screen. Personally, I love the way it lights up the wall behind my desk, so I chose to leave the device as is.

There’s also a strip of RGB lighting wrapped around the left side of the frame. You can customize its colors, apply several dynamic lighting effects, or even set it to react to music. If you find this a bit too distracting, though, you can easily disable it in the companion app.

On the right side, there are two large knobs that can be pushed in to serve as buttons. The top dial controls screen brightness, while the bottom one cycles through clock faces — including custom ones added through the app. Below the dials, a dedicated settings button pulls up a radial menu to switch between clock faces, a Pomodoro timer, and other tools, with a physical back button next to it.

Powering the device is just as straightforward. It runs on a single USB-C cable, and I really appreciate that Divoom placed the port on the bottom-right rear corner. That placement made running a power cable up from under my desk clean and completely hassle-free.

A portrait-style desk companion

Compared to the other smart displays I’ve used at my desk, what immediately stood out to me about the Times Frame is its portrait orientation. While you can’t put it under your monitor, it serves as a conversation piece that fits quite well on the side of your desk. With the Framework Desktop on the right and my 40-inch ultrawide monitor in the middle, the Times Frame ended up being the perfect size and fit for this particular desk setup.

Its 10.1-inch display gives you quite a lot of screen space to work with and some of the pre-made clock faces make full use of all of it. While I tried out quite a few during my time testing the Times Frame, the one that stuck out to me most — Memphis — features bright colored shapes along with the current time and temperature.

Switching between the device’s various clock faces couldn’t be simpler. You just give the lower dial a twist, find the one you want and push in to select it. From the current MLB Rankings to stock and crypto prices and cartoonish takes on popular works of modern art, there are plenty of clock faces to pick from right out the gate.

Although you can technically set up the Times Frame and use it without the app, downloading it lets you connect the device to Wi-Fi, tweak its settings further, download new clock faces from the community gallery and make your own too.

From twisting to tapping

Once you download the Divoom app for Android or iOS and connect the Times Frame, a massive list of customization features opens up. Right out of the gate, you can remotely toggle the device on or off, adjust screen brightness, or configure the RGB lightstrip along the side.

The app’s main hub features a grid of icons covering everything from photo albums to a tomato-themed Pomodoro timer. Along the bottom, you can manage your active clock faces, while the Community tab lets you browse and download new designs made by other users

While the Aura RGB lightstrip doesn’t quite fit the cleaner look of my workspace, I appreciate just how deep the settings go. The app makes it easy to preview different lighting effects, and the EQ Rhythm mode can even bounce the lights to whatever music or game audio is playing in your room.

If you just want to stay on top of your schedule, though, you can sync the Times Frame directly with Google Calendar or Microsoft Calendar. Once I linked my account, I really loved how the transparent background makes color-coded events pop. That way, your upcoming meetings are almost impossible to miss.

From there, I dug deeper into the rest of the feature set. The Tomato Clock offers surprising depth, letting you tweak work intervals alongside short and long break durations to match your exact workflow. You can even use the frame as a digital scoreboard if you're playing mini-hoops at your desk. Divoom has been building pixel art displays for years, and that heritage shines through in the app’s drawing suite, which lets you design custom animations or static art from scratch.

Overall, the software offers far more utility than you'd expect from a device that looks like a simple desk clock at first glance.

All the info without the wake word

Now don’t get me wrong — I still love my smart displays from Google and Amazon. However, they’re often far better suited for the kitchen counter or a bedside table. The Divoom Times Frame delivers the perfect amount of quick, glanceable info without feeling overwhelming. Since you can’t stream YouTube or launch Fire TV on it, it’s also much less distracting — especially once you disable that Aura RGB lightstrip.

While the Times Frame was on the pricier side at $200 when it first launched, it has since come down in price, and you can often find the standard 64GB model on sale. Divoom also recently introduced a lower-capacity 32GB version for $159, making it a bit easier on your wallet.

Even with the higher price tag, what really sold me on the Times Frame is its intentional focus. It might be a simpler smart display on paper, but it functions as a versatile, multi-use tool — acting as a customizable clock, a color-coded calendar, or a high-tech Pomodoro timer for your desk. After spending a week with it, I don’t see myself swapping it back out for a traditional smart display anytime soon. It’s earned its spot on my desk.

More from Tom's Guide

• I tested Amazon’s new Echo Show 8 with Alexa+ — here’s how it stacks up to its predecessor
• I put 3 stacked monitor setups to the test and this is the one I’m sticking with
• I screenmaxxed my desk setup by going from three to five displays — but they aren’t all monitors

We could finally be there with robot lawnmowers. I’ve been using the Segway Navimow i215 in my yard for the last few months, and a few exceptions aside, I haven’t thought about mowing my lawn for a long time. But is the Navimow i215 the best robot lawnmower for your yard? It depends on a lot of factors, such as the size and slope of your grass, but there are a few universal takeaways I found from testing this, as well as several other robot lawnmowers.

Read on to see how well the Navimow i215 performed for me, and if I’d pick it over other models.

Picking the right size

When I first talked with Segway about reviewing one of its lawnmowers, I initially requested the Navimow X4, the company’s top-end device that costs $2,500, can tackle just about any terrain, and has independent wheels that allow it to make zero-degree turns. It’s a truly impressive mower — and it proved to be too much for my yard.

The main reason I requested the X4 is that my front yard, despite being very small, is on a bit of a hill that in the past proved too daunting for some robot lawnmowers. However, after running the X4 for a while, I noticed that it would repeatedly skip over certain sections. Confused, I talked with Segway, which said that because my lawn was so small — we’re talking less than 500 square feet — it had trouble taking care of it properly.

Segway then sent me the Navimow i215, which costs about $1,000 less, and is more suited for mid-size to smaller yards.

Price and availability

The i215 is the newest of Segway’s mid-tier robot lawnmowers. It came on the market in 2026, costs $1,599, can cover up to 0.37 acres, and uses both LiDAR and vision systems to map and navigate your yard.

It’s a bit more sophisticated than the i210 AWD ($1,299, 0.25 acres) and the i206 AWD ($999, 0.15 acres), both of which have obstacle avoidance, but lack LiDAR.

An easy — but not trouble-free —setup

Like most new robot lawnmowers, the Navimow i215 has everything it needs built right into the mower, so there’s no need to install a tower or a boundary wire around your property. I simply set up the base station where the robot docks to recharge, and then followed the instructions in the Navimow app to connect it to my home Wi-Fi network.

As part of the setup process, you can send the mower out to automatically map your yard, or you can perform this task manually by driving the bot around the perimeter.

Even after creating the map, it still required some tweaking, as the i215 kept nose diving off one corner of my lawn; I would have hoped its Lidar would have recognized the dropoff. However, all I had to do was go into the app and re-draw the map to shave off a few inches. After those adjustments, I rarely encountered an issue with it going astray.

Obstacle avoidance and mowing performance

The Navimow did a good job at avoiding objects. It successfully navigated around a small soccer ball, as well as a plastic child’s toy, but ran right over an orange ball the size of a baseball; perhaps it felt it was small enough that it wouldn’t be a problem.

However, unlike the Sunseeker X3, which I tested last year, Segway’s mower and app doesn’t mark on its map that it encountered an obstruction. The only indication I got was that the app showed a spot of the lawn that was unmowed.

After scanning your yard, Segway’s mower will also plot the ideal direction to mow your lawn most efficiently. In my case, it was a diagonal line along the long axis. Taking this route also meant it was able to avoid driving directly up the steepest part of my lawn. I still worried about it creating divots in my lawn; more than once, I saw it spin its wheels in place on some of the steeper sections, which tore up the grass a bit.

Within the Segway Navimow app, you can adjust the direction of the mowing, but unlike most other robot lawnmowers we’ve tested, Segway’s app doesn’t let you mow patterns, such as a crosshatch or diamond. Some companies’ mowers will even let you mow shapes, like hearts. While I think that’s a little frivolous, I do wish Segway would offer a little something more in terms of letting you control how the mower cuts your grass.

Smart home and security features

Even the least expensive robot lawnmower will cost upwards of $500, so some sort of security feature is warranted, so that someone doesn’t simply walk away with your mower as it’s making its rounds.

Segway built two protections into the Navimow to keep would-be thieves from absconding with your stuff. Within the Segway app, you can set a geofence boundary around your property, so that if the bot is moved beyond a certain radius, it will sound an alarm. You can set it anywhere from a 33-foot to up to a 164-foot radius; obviously, if your yard is larger than that, you might want to disable this feature.

Should the alarm not be enough of a deterrent, the Navimow i215 is also equipped with Apple FindMy, so you can locate the mower if it goes missing.

Finally, the i215 also works with Alexa and Google Assistant, so you can use your smart speaker of choice to command the mower to start working, or connect it to your other smart home devices and routines.

Bottom line

I was initially skeptical that the Segway Navimow i215 would be able to negotiate my front yard, but the little machine defied my expectations. While it’s not quite as smart as I hoped — it drove itself right off one of my retaining walls — it ultimately performed well over the long run.

I also liked the i215’s security features, but there are still a couple of things I wish were included. For example, the Worx Landroid has an edge-mowing feature, and the Sunseeker S4 will show in the app any objects it encounters in your yard. And, both of those models — which cost less than the Navimow — also let you mow your yard in specific patterns.

So, while Segway has made a very capable robot lawnmower, there are still others that are a cut above.

After having my two cats test this open-top litter box for several months, I can tell you it does far more than clean up after them each time. It uses an integrated camera and leans on AI to not only identify each cat, but to also flag subtle changes in their daily habits.

It’s honestly one of the best robotic litter boxes they’ve tested — and for a limited time, it’s $100 off on Amazon.

Open-air design makes it inviting

For the past six months, my cats were accustomed to Whisker’s Litter-Robot 5 tucked in the corner of our living room. But after I swapped it for the Petlibro Luma and placed the Litter-Robot 5 nearby three months ago, I quickly noticed that my cats were choosing the Luma far more often.

I think the primary reason is its spacious, open-air design, which feels much more inviting than the capsule-like drum of the Litter-Robot 5. Thoughtful touches like a removable step and a generously deep basin also make it effortless for them to hop in and out.

From a maintenance standpoint, it’s significantly easier to detach the litter box container from the base for regular cleaning — a welcome change compared to scrubbing out the fully enclosed globe of the Litter-Robot 5.

Built-in camera and tracking habits

With a built-in camera and the companion Petlibro app, the Luma does more than log my cats’ visits — it lets me keep close tabs on their health. This is what sets it apart from other robotic litter boxes I’ve tested: it actually identifies each cat individually and logs their weight after every visit. It’s so smart that when my cat Andy stopped using it for a week, the app sent an alert to notify me.

The camera isn't just there to tell my black cats apart or provide a live video feed, it also tracks their behavior, recognizing whether they're doing a #1 or a #2.

If you subscribe to Petlibro’s AI Standard plan ($9.99/month), you unlock in-depth AI waste analysis along with seven days of cloud video history. When using an ordinary litter box where waste is hidden or quickly scooped, subtle health changes can easily go unnoticed — making that proactive monitoring surprisingly valuable.

Air-purifier cleans up the smell

Another standout feature is odor control: it’s the only smart litter box I’ve tested that includes an integrated air purifier to actively neutralize smells after every visit. Small details like this go a long way, promoting continuous use rather than turning my cats away with lingering odors.

The air purification system kicks on right as the unit prepares for a cleaning cycle, doing an impressive job of keeping the surrounding room fresh. However, the compact design comes with a trade-off: the waste drawer is noticeably shallow. In a multi-cat household, I find myself emptying the bin more frequently than I would with larger models like the Litter-Robot 5.

Even so, my cats continue to use it daily. And with the current $100 off promotion, its discounted $499 price point is far more attractive than the $799 you’d spend on a Litter-Robot 5.

Apple's annual iPhone event has been officially confirmed to take place on September 9, and it could easily be the biggest Apple event in years. We're expecting a slew of new devices to be unveiled as John Ternus takes the reins as Apple's new CEO.

And all of that is before we discuss the launch of the long-rumored, much-hyped foldable iPhone Ultra — Apple's first attempt at a foldable phone. It's not clear when the device will actually launch, but at the very least, its reveal is almost certainly right around the corner.

In all, Apple is expected to launch up to eight different devices, from the expected new iPhones and upgraded Apple Watches to several new smart home-focused products.

Here's what we expect to see at Apple's 'Surprise and shine' September event, and when it's kicking off

When is the iPhone 18 event?

Apple has officially confirmed its "Surprise and shine" event will be held on Wednesday, September 9 at Apple Park. Although Apple normally holds its events on a Tuesday, the Labor Day weekend means it's being moved forward to Wednesday.

This has happened in the past, and the reasoning is that Apple doesn't want to ask attendees to travel on a holiday weekend. For example, the iPhone 14 launched on Wednesday, September 7, following Labor Day on Monday 5, and that'll likely be the case this year too.

The event is set to take place at 10am PT / 1pm ET / 6pm BST and will livestreamed on various social media platforms as well as Apple's own site.

iPhones usually go up for pre-order the Friday following the Apple event, but this year that's September 11. Bloomberg's Mark Gurman has reported that pre-orders will be pushed to Saturday, September 12.

This year's edition will be hosted by incoming CEO John Ternus, and it looks like his tenure will start with a bang.

New iPhones

iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max

This year, Apple is expected to launch only its iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max models. The entry-level iPhone 18 and iPhone 18 Plus reportedly won't debut until next spring alongside the iPhone 18e model.

The iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max are both tipped to feature Apple's new 2nm A20 Pro chip, a smaller Dynamic Island and Apple's new C2 modem. And both phones should get larger batteries.

However, the iPhone 18 Pro Max might have some exclusive upgrades, including a variable aperture camera and longer zoom. For more see our iPhone 18 Pro vs Pro Max comparison.

Unforutnately, analysts have predicted that the new iPhone 18 Pros could cost between $200 and $350 higher than the iPhone 17 Pro family.

iPhone Ultra

The biggest announcement of the Apple event is sure to be the debut of the foldable iPhone Ultra.

Leaks have suggested that it will have more of a wider shape, similar to the Galaxy Z Fold 8, with a 7.8-inch foldable display and a 5.5-inch cover screen. It could measure between 4.5 and 4.8mm when unfolded, making it one of the thinnest iPhones ever.

It's rumored to sport a 4,883 mAh battery, the A20 Pro chipset, Apple's in-house C2 modem, and a Touch ID fingerprint scanner in the power button. The rear is expected to come with a pair of 48MP cameras, horizontally positioned like the back of the iPhone Air, alongside two separate 24MP selfie cameras — one for each screen.

Apple reportedly delayed releasing a folding iPhone until it could eliminate the crease in the display, but whether it's accomplished this remains to be seen. Even Samsung and Oppo, despite their long lead time, have only had moderate success.

One downside is that the iPhone Ultra could be very expensive, costing anywhere from $2,000 to 2,500. And a recent leak suggests that iPhone Ultra may not be immediately available, with only "extremely limited" availability.

Just keep in mind that the iPhone Ultra could have a number of trade-offs versus the iPhone 18 Pro, including the lack of a telephoto zoom.

AirPods Ultra

These ones are a little surprising as based on a previous Gurman report, we weren't expecting the AirPods Ultra until 2027 at the earliest. However, rumor aggregator AppleTrack just reported this week that the Ultra version of AirPods will launch at the iPhone event.

The big change with these headphones is they will allegedly feature a camera that will feed into Siri to allow it to "see" the world.

It would utilize a version of Visual Intelligence to let you ask Siri questions about your surroundings or get turn-by-turn directions from the more powerful AI Siri releasing this fall.

The AirPods Ultra has also just appeared in a leaked video buried within the macOS Tahoe 26.7 release candidate, and it shows how they'll help you identify objects in the real world.

Apple Watch 12 and Apple Watch Ultra 4

Unlike the iPhones, we know a bit less about the next Apple Watches. We are expecting two new models in the Apple Watch Series 12 and the Apple Watch Ultra 4.

The leaks have been sparse, but Apple is reportedly not bringing many upgrades this year. The biggest change might be a new kind of band attachment. This does mean that your old bands might not be compatible with the new watches.

Reportedly, Apple could offer a ceramic case option for the first time in years. It should also sport new health and fitness-related upgrades. We already know that watchOS 27 will bring new AI features, an updated Workout Buddy and more useful data tracking. Plus, it should feature better integration with the upgraded Siri AI which we've already seen in the iOS 27 beta.

Smart Home

Apple's smart home ambitions and the rumors surrounding them need to be taken with a massive grain of salt. Leaks have suggested Apple is planning on introducing a suite of smart home devices starting with a revamped HomePod and an AI-powered Apple TV 4K streaming device.

Those rumors have existed for more than two years and largely feed into the company's promises around the AI-powered Siri.

However, this year with iOS 27, Apple may finally have the chatbot that was promised. If it actually releases and works as pitched, this year could actually be the start of Apple Home.

HomePod Home hub

Bloomberg's Mark Gurman, long a reporter of the rumored HomePod updates, believes that a new HomePod mini could launch this September alongside the rumored HomePod Home hub.

Several different iterations of this device have been rumored, including one with a $1,000 robot arm. The most common version involves a wall-mounted touchpad or a HomePod speaker with a touch display about the size of an iPad mini.

This device would have a FaceTime camera for video calls and presence sensors to initiate smart home routines.

HomePod mini 2

A new HomePod mini might also debut, but it might not be as big of an upgrade as the Hub. Most rumors suggest that it will feature a new chip and audio improvements.

To be clear, this one feels even more far-fetched than the Hub; the HomePod mini 2 has been on our rumor radar since at least 2023. The current version debuted in 2020, and like the next device, is long overdue for an update.

Apple TV 4K 2026

Like the HomePod series, Apple hasn't released a new version of the Apple TV 4K since 2022. We're long overdue for an upgrade — even if it's only a more powerful chip for stronger performance.

Previously, it was suggested that a new Apple TV could feature the A17 Pro chip, but it's more likely it'll get the new A20 or, to save some money, last year's A19. The device should also get the rumored N2 chip for better Wi-Fi and Bluetooth connectivity.

Outside of chips, the big upgrade would be Siri AI, which could let you connect the Apple TV as a hub for smart devices. One rumor suggested that Apple might release a set-top box with a camera, which would allow for FaceTime calls and gesture-based controls.

Will you be tuning in to Apple's event next month? Let me know which device you're most hyped for in the comments.

What we don't expect to see

Even with a huge event like this, there are still going to be devices that won't make an appearance. Due to staggered release schedules and supply-chain timing, Apple is spreading its hardware roadmap across multiple release windows over the next year. As a result, the following devices are unlikely to make any sort of appearance at the event.

• iPhone 18: Apple is reportedly holding back the base model until early 2027 to drive early demand toward the Pro models.
• AirPods Ultra: Rumored AirPods with cameras for Siri AI context are reportedly delayed until 2027 due to software and supply-chain bottlenecks.
• New Macs: Upgraded M6 MacBooks and touchscreen models are typically saved for dedicated computing announcements in October or later.
• OLED iPad mini: The next refresh of the compact tablet is slated for an October arrival rather than competing for stage time with the new iPhones.
• Apple Watch SE (4th gen): The entry-level wearable update will sit out this event, with Apple likely to focus on the Series 12 and Ultra 4 instead.

More from Tom's Guide

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Ring’s newest outdoor camera, the Ring Spotlight Cam (2nd gen) updates its design and sports a new, higher resolution 2K camera that not only delivers a crisper image, but also lets you zoom in closer (somewhat) to view details. It also has improved low-light performance, brighter spotlights, and can accommodate a larger battery than its predecessor.

So is this the best home security camera for those in the Ring ecosystem looking for a spotlight? Yes, but as I found out while testing the Ring Spotlight Cam, there are a few caveats.

Price and availability

The second-generation Spotlight Cam was released on June 3, 2026 for $169. It’s available as either a battery-powered or plug-in model, with solar and wired versions coming soon. Like other Ring cameras, this one also comes in white and black.

Ring launched its second-gen Floodlight Cam ($199) too, which also has a Retinal 2K camera; this model only comes in a wired version for now, but it has two 2000-lumen floods.

What I liked

Design

The 2nd-gen Spotlight Cam looks similar to the first, but that’s not a bad thing. It’s more or less a cylinder, the face of which has a black cutout running the length for the camera, IR sensors, and microphone. Flanking this are two LED light strips.

The bottom of the camera twists off to reveal the battery compartment. The camera ships with one battery, but there’s a compartment for a second. An extra battery costs $50. Each compartment is spring-loaded, and each battery has a metal tab to lock it in place. It’s a neat mechanism, but feels a little over-designed. A single screw secures the battery compartment cover; it’s a traditional Philips head, though.

The rear has two slots to attach the included mounting bracket; below that is a small recess with a USB-C port, which you can use to either recharge the camera, or connect a solar panel.

In all, it’s a sensible-looking camera. It’s perhaps not as sleek as Google’s Nest outdoor camera, but not as ungainly as other devices from, say TP-Link or Eufy, which have multiple, bulbous lenses protruding from their cameras.

Good — but not great — video

The Spotlight Cam’s daytime video was colorful and detailed enough so that I could make out some features of individuals (such as me) walking across my lawn from a distance of about 20 feet away. However, if my face was in shadow — like on a bright day — it was very hard to make out some facial features.

While the Spotlight Cam can record detailed video, it’s not as good as that of Ring’s Floodlight Cam. For example, in a sample video of my backyard and house, I could make out individual roof shingles in the Floodlight cam’s video; in the Spotlight cam’s video, the roof was an undistinguished gray.

Initially, I had both cameras set up near my garage, and about equidistant from my router (a Netgear Orbi). The Floodlight Cam did receive a marginally better signal — rssi -50, as opposed to -59 for the Spotlight Cam (numbers closer to 0 are better).

Ring sent me a second Spotlight Cam to test, but I saw similar results. I also moved the Spotlight Cam much closer to my house (and the router) to see if that would have an effect, but while the video was fine, it wasn’t as crisp as I thought it would be.

The Spotlight Cam only shoots infrared video at night, which to be fair, was of generally good quality, but was lacking the detail you’d get from color night vision. Then again, you can also program the Spotlight Cam to turn on its lights when it detects movement, which illuminates the scene. In my testing, it was able to add color back to objects as far away as 15 feet.

AI descriptions are neat, but not perfect

If you’re willing to pay up, Ring’s AI does have some pretty neat tricks. For starters, it provides detailed descriptions of any movement it sees. For example, I would get notifications such as “a child riding a bike in the driveway”,“a squirrel hopping across the yard,” or “a raccoon walking across the grass.”

Sometimes, it would miscategorize things to hilarious effect. Once, for example, it thought my dog was a goat wandering around my patio, and misidentified my cat as a bobcat. He's big, but not that big.

And, you can also use natural language search to look for specific events. I could just type in “raccoon,” for instance, and every video of a trash panda would appear. What’s more, this isn’t limited to Ring’s newer cameras; it works across all its devices.

However, this feature doesn’t come cheap, as you’ll see in the next section.

What I didn’t

You need a subscription

Like all of Ring’s cameras, the Spotlight Cam requires a subscription if you want to use most of its features, including the most basic, saving video. Ring’s subscriptions start at $5 a month for a single camera, and $10/month for unlimited cameras at one location. With that, you get, among other things, 180 days of video history, which is the most generous among security camera companies. However, there are plenty of equally capable security cameras that don’t require a subscription to save video.

If you want all the fun AI features — such as being able to see descriptions like “child riding a bike in the yard” or “raccoon walking on the driveway” you’ll need to drop $20 per month on Ring’s premium plan. That’s a lot to ask.

To be fair, it’s the same amount that Google charges for its AI features on Nest cams, but there are plenty of other AI-enabled security cameras that charge less.

MicroUSB and Wi-Fi 4? In 2026?

Confoundingly, the batteries still use a micro USB connector, rather than the newer USB-C. This is a small annoyance, to be sure — you can easily recharge the batteries using the USB-C port on the camera itself, and Ring also ships a USB to microUSB cable with the device.

It's also a bit surprising that the Spotlight Cam is still using Wi-Fi 4, and can only operate on the slower 2.4GHz band. The 4K Spotlight Cam Pro uses Wi-Fi 6 and both the 2.4 and 5GHz bands.

How the Spotlight Cam (2nd gen) compares to Ring's outdoor cameras

With the launch of the Spotlight Cam (2nd gen), Ring now has 11 outdoor cameras from which you can choose — including some that have the same name — though I suspect the older models will be slowly discontinued.

Even I, as someone who reviews these things for a living, was a bit confused, so here’s a cheat sheet. I’ve included the list price, though you can often find the older models at a significant discount. To keep things simple, I’ve only listed the spotlight cameras.

Bottom line

There aren’t a lot of outdoor security cameras with spotlights as powerful as Ring’s; most other companies either have much smaller lights, or much bigger floodlight cameras. The Wyze Battery Cam Pro is one of the few exceptions. It too has a 2K camera and supports local storage, but has a smaller field of view, a less powerful spotlight, and only one battery compartment.

The Ring Spotlight Cam (2nd gen) is a clear upgrade over the previous model, in that it offers a higher resolution camera and a wider field of view. But it’s not a huge upgrade over the first-gen Spotlight Cam Pro, which has a 2K camera, dual-band Wi-Fi, 3D motion detection (the newer Spotlight Cam only has customizable motion detection), and two-way talk with audio+.

However, the newer camera has better low-light performance, brighter spotlights, and can use the higher-capacity quick-release battery, so you can go longer between recharges — unless you buy the solar panel.

Ring often offers discounts on both models, especially during holidays and other events. It’s only a matter of time before the 1st gen Spotlight Cam Pro is discontinued, so it might be worth seeing which is on sale for the lower price before you buy.

The Schlage Sense Pro uses Ultra Wide Band (UWB) technology to detect when you’re actually walking up to your door, and unlocks it automatically — no tapping, pin codes, or fingerprints needed. But is this the new best smart lock for iPhone owners? I tested it out for over two months on my door to find out.

Price and availability

The Schlage Sense Pro went on sale in June 2026, and costs $399. It comes in two finishes: Matte Black or Satin Nickel. The company sells the lock alone, or with a matching lever starting at $449.

Design

There’s nothing overly radical about the look of the Sense Pro. Both halves are rectangular boxes with rounded edges. The exterior portion of the lock measures 2.7 inches wide by 4 inches tall, and is about an inch thick — about the same dimensions as the Yale Assure 2. The Sense Pro only comes in black or silver, and only one design; Schlage’s other smart locks all come in a variety of trims.

The Sense Pro’s number pad sits on the top quarter of the front panel in two rows of five. While it’s easy to use, it feels odd that Schlage didn’t use the whole face to make the numbers even larger, similar to something like the Yale lock.

Inside, it’s also standard fare: A large rectangle with a throw to unlock the door, and a removable panel at the top for the batteries. I like that the batteries are housed in a separate, removable cartridge, which made them easy to install and replace.

Installation

Installing the lock was similar to other smart deadbolts. You have to remove both sides, as well as the bolt itself, and replace it with the one provided by Schlage. One minor difference is that you have to connect two, rather than one wire between the two halves of the lock.

You can connect the lock directly to your smart home system of choice — I used Apple Home — but you’ll also want to download the Schlage app and register the lock there as well, so you can get such things as firmware updates.

You can create access codes using either the Schlage app of the smart home app of your choice, but codes created in one app can’t be managed in the other. For example, I created a code in the Apple Home app, which was visible in the Schlage app, but I couldn’t delete or change it there. Conversely, the codes I created in the Schlage app did not appear in Apple Home.

In the Apple Home app, you can specify whether the Sense Pro should unlock itself if it senses you approaching from the left, right, or center.

Performance and battery life

It’s like magic. With my iPhone in hand (or pocket), I simply walked towards my front door and the Sense Pro unlocked itself when I came within a foot or so. The lock was also smart enough not to unlock if I was merely loitering around the front.

The Sense Pro’s keypad was also responsive, I also liked that, after entering a code, I didn’t need to then press another button for the door to unlock.

While the Sense Pro should last up to six months on a charge, I found its batteries had drained to 51% after just a couple of weeks of use. I then switched my Apple Home hub from an Apple TV that I have in my attic office to an Apple HomePod mini, which was just one room away from the lock, but the battery continued to drain at a precipitous rate.

As it turns out, I had the lock connected to both Apple Home (via Thread) and to the Schlage app (via Wi-Fi), which the company says is not recommended — when you’re setting up the lock, you should pick one or the other. However, if you go the Schlage app route, you can then connect it to your Apple Home system within Schlage’s app.

After resetting the lock and having it connect solely through Thread, the battery drain was much less, and in line with what the company would expect.

The company also recommends against using Lithium and rechargeable batteries, so stick with alkalines. Should you ignore the warnings and the lock runs out of power, there’s a USB-C port on the underside of the exterior part of the lock; plug in a portable charger to give the lock some temporary juice to get it to unlock.

Smart home compatibility

The Schlage Sense Pro is Matter-compatible, so it can be connected to Apple Home, Alexa, and Google Home. Additionally, it will also work with AirBnB and Ring.

At the moment, the UWB-door-unlocking feature only works with iPhones. However, the Schlage Sense Pro is Aliro compatible and, once certified, is expected to support Aliro digital keys in Samsung Wallet and Google Wallet later this year, according to the company.

That means that if you own a Samsung or Google device enabled with UWB, you’ll be able to use hands-free unlock; if you have an NFC-enabled device, you’ll be able to use tap to unlock. However, a specific timeframe for the rollout of these features has not been announced.

Verdict

As the Aliro standard — which will let you use any smartphone to unlock a door just by walking up to it — becomes more common in the coming years, I suspect we’ll see more locks with the same capabilities as the Schlage Sense Pro.

However, even now, the Sense Pro has some competition in the form of the Aqara U400, which also lets you unlock your door via UWB and an iPhone. This Matter-compatible lock worked well in our testing and, in addition to a keypad, it has a fingerprint reader, giving you an extra option to unlock the door — all for $100 less than the Sense Pro.

But humanoid robots aren't the only robots at risk. It turns out the ban spreads much further than you might think. Far enough to spell trouble for the kind of 'bots you may be using in your own home.

Delve a little deeper into the FCC's definition, and you're looking at a much larger coverage of robots that fall under the term "advanced robotic devices".

If they're "capable of locomotion, obstacle avoidance, navigation, or movement on the ground" then they're targeted under the new ban. Sounds a lot like robotic lawnmowers, the best robot vacuums or even your friendly neighborhood delivery robot, right? Exactly.

No more Roombas?

Now, it's worth delving into exactly what this means for home and delivery robots that fall under the FCC's definition.

Importantly, any existing robots previously authorised to be sold in the U.S. are safe. Equally, any robots that have already been imported from outside of the U.S., are currently being sold, or have been approved are also safe.

But any new "advanced robotic devices" being imported, which essentially means any robots being manufactured outside of the U.S., are banned.

This includes robots where "the combined weight of the device and, if applicable, ground station or docking station is over 4.4 lbs", as well as any with "software running either locally or remotely, including firmware and AI or machine-learning model weights" and "a sensor capable of perceiving its environment" or "a component that is capable of providing network connectivity (wired or wireless, including Bluetooth/Wi-Fi, cellular, or satellite)".

Why? Well, as the FCC has said, they consider these robots to pose a national security risk, stating: "foreign-produced advanced robotic devices could be weaponized to directly harm U.S. national security and U.S. persons".

But what's really interesting is what it's demanding companies do instead.

Safety concerns?

A lot of companies like Roomba, Ecovacs, Dreame, Roborock and more source manufacturing from China. Moving forward, they'll need to acquire waivers to continue to manufacture and sell these advanced robotic devices in the US. But, The Verge revealed the FCC doesn't want to ask any questions about actual security.

Instead, the site reports: "The FCC only wants to know where they're designed and made and assembled and tested and influenced, and get a specific commitment to start manufacturing them in the U.S. instead."

So, for now, existing robots in the U.S. are safe. You won't have to hand over your much-loved robot vacuum to security. But it's a huge deal for the companies making them. Any new models will need a waiver to be manufactured elsewhere, and if they can't get the waiver, then they won't be getting sold in the U.S.

If you were on the fence about picking up one of the best robot vacuums or a robotic lawnmower, you might want to act sooner rather than later.

CTA responds

The Consumer Technology Association, the organization behind CES, also issued a measured response on X in a series of posts.

"At CES 2026, robotics took center stage. Innovation in this space is accelerating fast, and the U.S. must lead the world in developing and deploying these technologies."

"CTA supports efforts to protect our national security and strengthen technology supply chains. But those policies should be targeted, transparent and focused on genuine security risks, not unnecessary costs or supply chain disruption."

"The global race in robotics is on. CTA looks forward to working with the Administration to ensure America leads the world in robotics and the next generation of emerging technologies."

"We encourage continued engagement between industry and government to ensure policies advance trusted supply chains while preserving innovation, competition and consumer access to new technologies."

Companies respond

We reached out to a number of companies following the FCC's announcement. Here's what they had to say.

Anker Innovations

"We are aware of the FCC’s recent update. Based on our current understanding, the new rule does not affect the continued availability, use or support of products we currently sell in the United States. Those products remain available and will continue to receive updates and customer support.

"Like others across the industry, we are seeking further clarity on how the rule will be applied to future products, and we will keep our customers informed. We remain committed to complying with all regulatory requirements in every market where we operate."

Dreame

"We are currently reviewing and assessing the details of the recent announcement," a spokesperson said. "Dreame has always been committed to strict compliance with all local laws and regulatory requirements in every market where we operate globally."

iRobot (makers of Roomba)

"We are aware of the FCC's recent action and are working with them to better understand its implementation and potential impact. We remain committed to serving our customers and will share updates as more information becomes available."

Segway Navimow

"We are aware of the FCC’s announcement regarding restrictions to advanced robotic devices. There is no immediate impact to existing Navimow customers, as all Navimow models currently sold in the US have already received FCC equipment authorization. The ban does not affect the sales, service, or continued use of existing products. We are closely monitoring policy developments and evaluating compliance pathways for future products, including the Department of Defense's "Conditional Approval" process."

SharkNinja

“Our Shark robot vacuums currently sold in the U.S. will continue to be available for sale, use and support," a SharkNinja spokesperson said. "Regarding future models, we are evaluating our best options, but as a U.S.-based company we believe we are well positioned to navigate the process to continue to launch new models at competitive prices as we always have. We are closely monitoring developments and evaluating next steps as more information becomes available. We remain committed to serving our consumers and keeping them informed.”

What do you think of the ban? Let us know in the comments.

More from Tom's Guide

• Here’s the one robot vacuum I wish was coming to the US (and what to buy instead)
• The 4 best cheap robot vacuums you can buy in 2026
• I’m a robot vacuum expert, and after seeing this vacuum that can climb over obstacles, it’s the only feature I care about

The new model is part of the third generation of Arlo Essential cameras, and offers pan/tilt functionality, a 2K resolution, AI descriptions, and more, at a pretty reasonable price. Is Arlo successfully taking on the budget players, or should you stick with something else?

Arlo Essential Pan Tilt Indoor Camera 2K Review: Price and availability

The regular price for the Arlo Essential Pan Tilt Indoor 2K camera is $49, but it's frequently on sale. For example, at the time of this writing, it was discounted to $34.99 at Arlo.com. The camera can be widely found at most online retailers.

Arlo Essential Pan Tilt Indoor Camera 2K Review: Design and installation

The Arlo Essential Pan Tilt Indoor Camera doesn’t break any boundaries when it comes to design, but it still looks nice enough. Like most of Arlo’s lineup, it has a white matte plastic body, with a black face. It’s not the most premium-looking camera, and it doesn’t feel as durable as Arlo’s higher-end models, but it still looks and feels perfectly fine.

Its design is kind of split into two parts. There’s a base, which can rotate around as needed for panning. Above that, there’s a bracket holding the camera itself in place – and on the bracket, the camera can tilt up or down. On the back of the base of the camera can be found a USB-C port, which is how the camera is powered. There’s no battery in the camera – you’ll have to keep it plugged in at all times.

The Arlo Essential Pan Tilt Indoor Camera is designed to be easy to set up. You can place it on a table or another surface, but it also comes with a bracket to mount the camera to a ceiling. I opted to simply place the camera on a flat surface.

Once you’ve positioned the camera how you want, all you have to do is plug it in and it should turn on. Then, download the app and sign in to your account or create a new one. When you go to add the camera, it should detect it automatically and allow you to connect it to your Wi-Fi network. The setup process took around five minutes, including installing a firmware update that was available.

Arlo Essential Pan Tilt Indoor Camera 2K Review: Image and audio performance

Generally speaking, footage captured by the camera looks quite good. For starters, it’s decently crisp and detailed. The 2K resolution genuinely helps. I have tested plenty of 1080p cameras and could notice the difference between this camera and those models.

The wide field-of-view, which sits in at 130 degrees, allows the camera to capture most of a room. Theoretically, it can capture most of a backyard when pointed out of a window, however it’s not really built for this purpose (the company makes the Arlo Essential Pan Tilt Outdoor camera for that), and the infrared lights will reflect on the glass in low-light environments, making for footage that doesn’t really show anything beyond the window itself.

The camera has subject-tracking, and it seemed to work well during testing. Decent subject-tracking is one of the biggest advantages to cameras with pan/tilt functionality, as it means that you’ll still be able to track suspicious activity even when a subject would otherwise be out of view.

One of the trade-offs you get by buying this camera over some of the others is the lack of HDR, which can have an impact depending on how you use the camera. For example, it struggled to capture both darker indoor environments and brighter scenes through the window on a bright day, at the same time.

Another trade-off is the lack of a spotlight. This means that you’re stuck with infrared-based night recording, rather than color night footage of any kind. I did find that night footage was reasonably crisp, but without a spotlight to illuminate a scene you will miss out on some details that could be important. That said, depending on the power of a spotlight, infrared is often better at capturing far-away details.

The camera supports two-way audio, and it worked pretty well. Arlo says that the camera has “noise-canceling 2-way audio,” which supposedly lets it detect and play audio more cleanly. In a two-way audio setup, I was able to hear someone in front of the camera, through my phone, quite well, and while I did have to ask them to speak up, the camera’s microphones and audio processing made for a sightly better audio experience than the Wyze Cam Pan v4 that I tested at the same time.

That said, the speaker built into the camera wasn’t as good, and made my voice sound tinier. That’s not a huge deal though – my voice was still easy to hear through the camera’s speaker.

Overall, the Arlo Essential Pan Tilt Indoor Camera 2K offers crisp and detailed video. Only one problem – the Wyze Cam Pan v4 exists, and it costs only $10 extra. I happened to be reviewing the two at the same time, and found that while there are areas in which Arlo does slightly better, like in picking up audio and having a wider lens, the Wyze Cam Pan v4 generally captured far better footage, both in resolution (it’s a 4K camera), and in color accuracy. That’s not to mention the fact that the Wyze camera has a spotlight for color night recording.

Arlo Essential Pan Tilt Indoor Camera 2K Review: App and smart home support

The Arlo app is generally well-designed and easy to use, and if you use multiple Arlo cameras, you’ll be able to manage them all easily. The app is split up into five different tabs. The main screen is the Dashboard tab, which shows thumbnails for all of your Arlo cameras and lets you arm and disarm your security system as a whole (or at least all the Arlo products in your system).

The other tabs include the Feed (which shows footage in chronological order), an Emergency tab (for getting in touch with emergency services and activating sirens), a Devices tab (to manage your devices), and a Routines tab (to set up automations).

From the Dashboard and Devices tabs, you can tap on a camera to access a live feed of what the camera sees and tweak its settings. This is where you can do things like enter two-way audio mode and control the pan/tilt settings of the camera.

Controlling the positioning of the camera is relatively easy, and you can set a “home” point, which is where the camera will return to after it either automatically tracks a subject, or you manually move its position. You can also set additional positions, which will allow you to set the camera’s position easily without having to manually move the camera.

AI features

Some of the smart features included in the subscription worked well too. You’ll get what are now common features, like person detection, animal detection, package detection, and so on. Obviously, you’re unlikely to use a camera like this for package detection, but the camera did a pretty good job at telling me that a person was detected instead of just that “motion” was detected.

The object-recognition tech goes a step further too – using generative AI to provide a short text summary of what was captured alongside events. I was pleasantly surprised with how well this worked. Here’s an example of the kinds of summaries it produced:

“A person is holding a camera and walking towards the camera. The person is wearing a blue shirt. The scene is a backyard with a wooden fence, a lawn, and some patio furniture. There are also some toys on a table in the foreground, including a pineapple-shaped container and a purple bottle.”

For reference, in the clip recorded I was carrying my camera in my backyard as I was taking photos of a speaker for a review. The other details were almost entirely correct – with the only incorrect detail being that the pineapple “container” (a small kids bubble machine) and purple bottle were actually on a Traeger smoker, instead of a table – but there was no way for the camera to possibly know this, as the smoker was directly in front of the window the camera was pointed out of, and only the top of it, with its cover on, was visible.

And, after all, objects were placed on top of it as if it were a table. When I moved the camera to the driveway instead of the backyard, the camera even identified my car make and model correctly in some descriptions.

The Arlo Essential Pan Tilt Indoor Camera 2K works with Alexa, Google Home, IFTTT, and Samsung SmartThings. The main smart home ecosystem it doesn’t support is HomeKit – so if you’re looking for a HomeKit camera, you’ll need to keep looking.

Arlo Essential Pan Tilt Indoor Camera 2K Review: Video storage and subscriptions

The Arlo Essential Pan Tilt Indoor Camera 2K doesn’t have local recording, and unfortunately, it doesn’t work with any of Arlo’s base stations or hubs, so you can’t record locally at all. Instead, you’ll need to subscribe to one of Arlo’s cloud storage plans, called Arlo Secure.

Arlo Secure gets you a 60-day video history, but it also offers other features. Notably, you can’t access features like the person recognition, or the audio recognition features, without it. If you go for the highest-tier subscription, you’ll also get 24/7 emergency response and professional monitoring.

Here’s a rundown of pricing for Arlo Secure. Arlo Secure Plus costs $9.99 per month or $95.88 per year for one camera, or $19.99 per month or $215.88 per year for unlimited cameras. Arlo Secure Premium (which includes professional monitoring) costs $29.99 per month or $299.88 per year, and supports unlimited cameras. There’s no single-camera Arlo Secure Premium option.

Arlo Essential Pan Tilt Indoor Camera 2K Review: Verdict

The Arlo Essential Pan Tilt Indoor Camera 2K is an excellent pan/tilt camera, with a solid app, at a great price. It represents a continuation by Arlo to offer affordable alternatives to its higher-end models – and if you’re in the Arlo ecosystem already, then it’s easily worth considering for those who want an indoor pan/tilt camera. That’s especially true for those who have an Arlo Secure subscription.

But if you’re not already in the ecosystem, then another option might be better for your needs. The Wyze Cam Pan v4 in particular is a better option than the Arlo model, at least when it comes to the basics. It costs only $10 extra, has a 4K camera instead of a 2K one, has similar AI-powered object recognition and tracking features, and even has a microSD card slot for local recording.

The higher resolution genuinely makes a difference, and in general, you’ll get more detailed and accurate images from the Wyze model. The only thing to consider is the fact that while the Wyze model has AI-generated descriptions, they’re locked behind Wyze’s most expensive subscription, which costs $19.99 per month, while Arlo offers it in its Plus plan for $9.99 per month.

Similarly, the Eufy Cam S350 is another pan-and-tilt camera that delivers 4K video, local storage, and even better, gives you AI summaries for free.

Ultimately, if you already have Arlo cameras, then the Essential Pan Tilt Indoor Camera 2K is a good complement to your system. Otherwise, it's worth looking elsewhere.

The company has both an indoor and an outdoor version of this camera; in this review, I'm taking the outdoor-compatible model for a spin. While the two share most features, the outdoor model is, of course, designed to be mounted and used in a variety of weather conditions, but still at a very reasonable price. It also faces tough competition from the likes of Wyze and other budget models. Is it worth buying over the others?

Arlo Essential Pan Tilt outdoor camera review: Price and availability

The Arlo Essential Pan Tilt camera came out in 2025, costs $59.99 — but can often be found for much less — and comes with an outdoor power adapter. It’s only available in white, and is can be purchased at Amazon, Arlo, and other online retailers.

Arlo Essential Pan Tilt outdoor camera review: Design and setup

The design of the Arlo Essential Pan Tilt is perfectly fine but not necessarily all that premium. It's noticeably lighter and less durable-feeling than Arlo's higher-end models, though it thankfully doesn’t stray into feeling cheap. The overall aesthetic follows typical Arlo design language, with a white body and black face that should blend reasonably well with most home exteriors. The weather-resistant build handles outdoor conditions without issue.

The camera was easy to set up, too. The package includes mounting hardware, and installation involves screwing the base plate to your desired location, then mounting the camera to that base plate.There's no battery option, so the camera has to be plugged in to work, and you’ll need to place it within reach of a power outlet. Arlo includes a long 16-foot power cable in the box.

The entire physical installation took under 10 minutes. The software setup through the Arlo Secure app was equally simple, with clear instructions for connecting to Wi-Fi and positioning the camera.

Arlo Essential Pan Tilt outdoor camera review: Video and audio quality

The Arlo Essential Pan Tilt camera is able to capture video at a 2K resolution, and it has a 130-degree field of view, which is wide enough to see a good amount of even a wide backyard, with the right positioning — plus, of course, it can pan for a full 360-degree view, though not all at once.

For night vision, the camera includes a spotlight for color video in darkness. The spotlight isn't particularly powerful and mainly illuminates the immediate area, but it's fine for identifying people and objects nearby. For far-away subjects, you’ll want to rely more on infrared night vision.

The lack of HDR causes some issues with mixed lighting conditions. In my setup, the camera faced direct sunlight in the afternoon, which could blow out portions of the image. This wasn't a major issue for me since my house blocked the sun as it got lower in the afternoon, but if that wasn't the case, it would have made it difficult to see activity in those areas. The same problem appeared in low light situations — if part of the scene was brightly illuminated by the spotlight at night while other areas remained dark, subjects could appear as dark shadows, lacking detail.

Motion detection performance was fine but not great. The camera started recording immediately when I walked away from just out of view. However, when testing from the opposite direction, I was halfway across my backyard walking toward the camera before recording kicked in and the spotlight turned on. This delay could mean missing the beginning of important events.

Two-way audio worked reasonably well. I could hear others clearly through my phone, though I sometimes had to ask them to speak up for better clarity. The microphones performed slightly better than those on the Wyze Cam Pan v4, picking up voices decently well. However, the speaker quality was worse — my voice sounded tiny and compressed, though it was still understandable enough for basic communication.

Overall video quality was good for the price point, though the Wyze Cam Pan v4 delivered better video with higher resolution, better color reproduction, and a more powerful spotlight.

Arlo Essential Pan Tilt outdoor camera review: App and smart home support

The camera is controlled using the Arlo Secure app, which feels polished, clean, and mostly easy to navigate. The pan and tilt controls are intuitive to use, and it was easy to set a "home" position along with other preset positions for quick repositioning.

As you would expect in 2025, the camera supports a range of AI-based features. For example, there’s a generative AI summary feature for those with paid plans, and they were detailed and accurate, like most competitors. This is perhaps one of the best AI features for security camera so far, and it can definitely help cut down on how many clips you actually look at, versus just read the description for.

The camera also supports "Custom Detection," which uses AI to detect user-defined events. I tested this by setting up detection for "toys left on the grass" that might interfere with my robotic lawn mower. Setup involved taking snapshots of what I wanted to detect versus what I didn't want detected, along with writing a short description. While the feature worked, it triggered incorrectly fairly often, though usually because something else was on the grass rather than complete false positives. It's largely designed for things like leaving a garage door open or a gate open.

Everything else about the app is pretty straightforward. You can set motion detection zones, spotlight settings, and so on. AI-powered alerts for people, animals, and packages require an Arlo Secure subscription -- and without it, you'll only receive generic motion notifications.

The camera can work with Alexa or Google Home, but it doesn't support HomeKit. Within Google Home and Alexa, you'll be able to see feeds from your cameras alongside your other devices, but you'll still need the Arlo app for things like setting the camera up and tweaking settings.

Arlo Essential Pan Tilt outdoor camera review: Storage and subscription plans

The Arlo Essential Pan Tilt doesn't have any form of local storage — there's no microSD card slot, and it can't use Arlo's SmartHub devices for local recording. This means cloud storage via an Arlo Secure subscription is mandatory for any video history beyond live viewing. A subscription is also required to unlock advanced features like smart object recognition, cloud video history, and person detection.

The subscription pricing isn't bad, but it's also not incredible. Arlo Secure Plus costs $9.99 per month for one camera or $19.99 per month for unlimited cameras, dropping to $7.99 and $17.99 respectively when billed annually. The Premium tier runs $29.99 monthly for unlimited cameras, or $24.99 when billed annually. You'll get AI features and cloud storage with the Plus tier, and you only really need to upgrade to Premium if you want things like professional monitoring.

Arlo Essential Pan Tilt outdoor camera review: Verdict

The Arlo Essential Pan Tilt delivers excellent coverage with its pan-tilt functionality and sharp 2K video at a very solid $59.99 price point. The camera does a good job at monitoring large areas that would typically require multiple cameras, and the motion tracking works quite well. It's not perfect — there's no local storage and you'll really have to get a subscription to get the most out of it. But, that's often expected these days anyway.

Or it is for the most part. The biggest competitor right now comes in the form of the Wyze Cam Pan v4, which offers a better video quality, a spotlight, local recording, and AI features, for the same price. For those new to home security, the Wyze Cam Pan v4 is a better option overall — but if you're in the Arlo ecosystem and want something to add to your setup, you're still getting a great product with the Arlo Essential Pan-Tilt.

This is especially the case when they are exposed to extreme temperatures for long periods of time. While many assume it’s just our door/security cameras affected, you’d be mistaken.

According to a tech expert, many of our common smart home gadgets are prone to overheating in the summer.

From smart hubs, plugs, and indoor cameras, these can all affect their overall performance, and you might even notice things are running significantly slower or not at all!

Luckily, there are a few simple things we can do to minimize the risk of overheating and get the most out of our smart home gadgets this summer.

1. Keep smart devices out of direct sunlight

If any of your devices are placed near windows, be sure to move them out of direct sunlight.

“Devices placed near windows or in direct sunlight are most at risk, as glass can intensify heat significantly indoors,” advises Michael Fernandes, tech expert at Tapo.

“Similarly, hubs and plugs positioned in warm spots, like near radiators or in the kitchen, can struggle in the summer months even without direct sun.”

In addition, use window treatments such as blinds/curtains during peak sunlight to reduce excessive heat and maintain a cooler space.

2. Make sure you have adequate ventilation

Another top tip is to avoid tucking your tech into cramped or small spaces — without proper airflow, heat builds up quickly as it has nowhere to ventilate and spread.

What’s more, this will likely cause your smart device to overheat quickly and start to malfunction.

“When a device overheats, you might notice reduced performance like running slower, disconnecting from Wi-Fi, or restarting unexpectedly,” adds Fernandes. “As well as affecting performance, heat can also accelerate battery degradation and can shorten their overall lifespan.”

For more top tips, be sure to check out these 6 easy ways to create a smart home.

3. Always switch off and unplug when not in use

While it’s quite common for us to leave our electronic devices on Standby, you should always switch them off and unplug during a heatwave.

Not only will this prevent overheating, but it can also preserve battery life as it puts less strain on the device.

“Smart home devices are built to handle a reasonable range of temperatures, but a little extra care during a heatwave, like keeping devices shaded and in well-ventilated spaces, can help reduce the risk of performance issues and support their long-term reliability,” adds Fernandez.

“We also recommend checking the specified operating-temperature range for your particular device.”

So if you want to ensure your smart gadgets are on top form during the summer heatwave, follow these 3 expert steps right now.

More from Tom's Guide

• 7 smart home gadgets under $50 that will make your life easier
• The best smart plugs in 2025
• The best smart lights

I'm Pete, Senior Reviews Editor here at Tom's Guide, and I head up our reviews coverage on site. My team of dedicated reviews writers alone have lab tested and reviewed hundreds of products already this year, with the wider Tom's Guide editorial team having testing dozens more. If you've not had your finger precisely on the pulse of the latest tech this year, well, I don't blame you — it's hard to keep tabs on everything. That's why we exist.

To help, I've gathered the Tom's Guide team's favorite products from 2026 so far. Obviously, I can't fit everything into a single article, so I asked our subject experts across the site to give me their top picks, too. I've also curated the top five highest scorers, which stand above the rest. Every product on here has been tested by us, hands-on, as part of a full, extensive review.

Read on to see the tech Tom's Guide loved in the first half of 2026.

Tom's Guide's Top 5

Every product on this list has scored at least four stars, earning our TG Recommended or Editor's Choice badges. But there are five products on this list that scored our full five stars after testing. These are the best of the best so far this year. To save you some time, here are the links to our reviews.

• DJI Osmo Pocket 4 review ★★★★★
• 007 First Light review ★★★★★
• KitchenAid Artisan Plus review ★★★★★
• Gozney Dome XL Gen 2 review ★★★★★
• Samsung S95H OLED review ★★★★★

Keep reading to see the rest of our top tested picks for 2026.

AI

Rokid Glasses

After 5,000 miles in the Rokids, we were seriously impressed
Score: ★★★★☆

The best smart glasses without a display are cool and all, but their features are usually rather limited to just asking questions about what you see. The Rokid Glasses proved to me that adding a screen turns that superpower into an ambient computing platform — offering features only when you need them and disappearing into the background in some stylish specs.

With that display, you get real-time conversation translation with text subtitles so you’re not having to try to listen to your smart glasses talk over the person in front of you. And the multi-modality unlocked by asking a question and just getting answers you can see makes them much more subtle. Not to say they’re perfect — the camera quality for snapping pictures suffers in low light and some features are very China-specific (like Alipay). But arm these with Google Gemini in setup, and they’re a genuinely helpful companion on your face for a decent price.

Jason England, Managing Editor, Core Tech
Read Jason's full Rokid Glasses review

Cameras & drones

GoPro Mission 1 Pro

GoPro's return to form in the action camera game
Score: ★★★★½

After years essentially re-releasing the same Hero cameras with minor tweaks, GoPro has finally pushed itself. The Mission 1 Pro is pricey, but it’s the first GoPro I’ve been excited about in a while. It seriously impressed me with its powerful and versatile video credentials in testing, namely open gate 8K and a wealth of shooting features that make it ideal for its target market: professionals. Thanks to revised processor architecture and a shiny new battery, I managed to extract unparalleled battery life and thermals versus other action cameras in my standardized battery tests. GoPro is back!

Pete Wolinski, Senior Reviews & Cameras Editor
Read Pete’s full GoPro Mission 1 Pro review

DJI Osmo Pocket 4

The best all-around tool for content creation
Score: ★★★★★

I awarded the DJI Osmo Pocket 4 our full five stars in my review, and that’s because I literally couldn’t find anything wrong with it. Aside from the fact that it’s not available in America (yet?) due to tariffs and DJI’s ongoing feud with the U.S. government. The Osmo Pocket 4 improved on its predecessor in every single way that mattered: video, stabilization, storage, thermals, battery life, and more. If you’re after a single tool for professional-looking content creation, I really can’t think of anything better to recommend.

Pete Wolinski, Senior Reviews & Cameras Editor
Read Pete’s full DJI Osmo Pocket 4 review

DJI Avata 360

Although a little late to the 360 party, DJI absolutely smashed it
Score: ★★★★½

The DJI Avata 360 does exactly what you want a drone to do: make flying fun. It stakes its claim as the best 360° drone around (granted, there are only two at the time of writing, but still!) and its twin lenses capture every single angle in 8K at 60fps. 120MP hi-res stills, user-friendly editing software, and exceptional build quality make it the drone to buy today. It also undercuts its main competitor, the Antigravity A1, and with dual ways to fly (FPV and with a standard controller), the Avata 360 is versatile and oh-so-powerful. Every day I still think about it — and as someone who’s tested many, many quadcopters, that’s saying a lot.

Nikita Achanta, Senior Reviews Writer
Read Nikita’s full DJI Avata 360 review

Computing & gaming

MacBook Neo

Our favorite budget laptop, literally ever
Score: ★★★★½

Value for money in laptops has become a bit of a running joke this year (thanks, RAMageddon). But of all the companies building notebooks, I didn’t anticipate it would be Apple to deliver the goods and give you an honest-to-god well-priced system. Yes, there’s been a $100 increase recently, but even with that, the premium aluminum build quality, great display, tactile keyboard and zippy performance of that A18 Pro makes for a great system for the day-to-day essentials.

I must admit, to see Apple actually having fun with colors in its MacBooks is a refreshing change from the blacks and silvers of its more expensive lineage. All of this comes together into a laptop that has terrified the budget Windows laptop market, and the best ultra portable we’ve tested this year.

Jason England, Managing Editor, Core Tech
Read our full MacBook Neo review

Asus Zenbook Duo (2026)

Dual OLED panels = chef's kiss
Score: ★★★★½

Yes, this is a dual-screen OLED beauty of a premium laptop; Asus has really paid attention to the design and ergonomics of a system like this. But the real superpower is what lies inside that shell. Intel Core Ultra Series 3 (codenamed Panther Lake) has been a truly generational moment for Team Blue in its Windows laptops, and it comes down to huge updates to both the performance and power efficiency.

Those new CPU cores and efficiency architecture they’re built onto gives this a gargantuan battery life that would make a MacBook blush, while the superpowered GPU (alongside XeSS 3) gives this some serious gaming laptop chops too. Usually, you had to be considerate of just what you wanted to do with your Windows laptop and decide on the strengths and compromises around that. With anything that sports an X9 chip like this, though, that’s no longer a compromise you have to make.

Jason England, Managing Editor, Core Tech
Read Jason's full Asus Zenbook Duo (2026) review

MSI Claw 8 EX AI+

A true next-gen gaming handheld
Score: ★★★★☆

The MSI Claw 8 EX AI+ delivers the performance jump I’ve been waiting years for. With Intel’s new Arc G3 Extreme chip, games are pulling a 20 to 30+ FPS advantage over AMD Z2 Extreme handhelds. Battery life gets a big boost too. I could hit the same performance as the Z2 Extreme at half the power consumption. Combine that with its major redesign bringing more Xbox-like controls, better haptics, and its large 8-inch 16:10 display, and you’re getting, in my opinion, one of the best handheld gaming consoles of 2026.

Paul Antill, Video Producer
Read our full MSI Claw 8 EX AI+ review

007 First Light

Forget GoldenEye: this is the best Bond game ever
Score: ★★★★★

Gamers are being treated to a licensed games renaissance right now. The days of cheap cash-ins launched to coincide with a new blockbuster movie are over. But even in this golden era for video games based on popular media franchises, 007 First Light surpasses expectations.

Forget GoldenEye, First Light is the best James Bond game ever. With its ludicrously cinematic gameplay, compelling narrative that focuses on a younger Bond (played by Patrick Gibson), and deep commitment to authenticity, 007 First Light is easily the best thing to come out of this long-running spy series in 20 years, movies included. There’s a reason it was only the second video game I’ve given the full five stars. Whether you’re a longtime Bond fan or a newcomer, 007 First Light is quite simply unmissable.

Rory Mellon, Senior Entertainment Editor
Read Rory's full 007 First Light review

Epomaker Glyph

Nikita's dream keyboard
Score: ★★★★½

I’ve tested close to 100 keyboards in my time as a reviews writer, and it isn’t often that I get to proclaim, “I’ve found my dream keyboard.” Ever since I tested the Epomaker Glyph, it hasn’t left my desk, and it’s my daily driver when I’m at the office. Typewriter-like aesthetics, a return lever that acts as an Enter or Backspace key, beautiful RGB lighting, a creamy sound profile, and a typing experience that’s nothing short of stunning — all of these characteristics come together to deliver what’s probably the best mechanical keyboard I’ve used for typing. I’m a speed demon when I’m bashing out 109 words per minute of this thing.

Nikita Achanta, Senior Reviews Writer
Read Nikita’s full Epomaker Glyph review

(A note from Nikita's editor, Pete: "I can confirm, the Glyph genuinely hasn't left her desk!")

MSI MPG 341CQR QD-OLED X36

Pro performance for under $1,000
Score: ★★★★½

It’s no secret that MSI knows how to make a great gaming monitor, and its MPG 341CQR QD-OLED X36 is one of the most beautiful displays I’ve ever tested. Blistering 360Hz refresh rate and 0.03ms response time for buttery smooth gameplay? Check. Ridiculously accurate colors and wide color coverage? Yep. AI sleep and wake features that are actually useful and not just a gimmick? Oh yeah. And all of this is packed into a sleek design with plenty of ports. Not much to complain about here, really.

Nikita Achanta, Senior Reviews Writer
Read Nikita’s full MSI MPG 341CQR QD-OLED X36 review

Viture Beast AR glasses

Beast by name, beast by nature
Score: ★★★★½

I’ve traveled the world testing all of this year’s biggest AR glasses releases, and Viture Beast stands head and shoulders above the pack as the best I’ve used this year (so far). There’s three reasons why: picture quality, comfort and features. Viture’s color science and fidelity really shines in those micro-OLED displays with a massive 58-degree field of view. There’s a little edge fringing on the sides, but given the massive vision field, it’s unlikely you’ll notice it. And this is packed into a nice-feeling pair of glasses with a soft-touch coating that sits gently on your ears with optimal weight balance. Cap it all off with plenty of customization built in, plus the SpaceWalker app for multi-monitor home office setups, and the Beast are…well…pretty beastly for work and play.

Jason England, Managing Editor, Core Tech
Read Jason's full Viture Beast review

Fitness

Fitbit Air

The best Whoop alternative, and subscription-free
Score: ★★★★☆

The Fitbit Air is my fitness tracker of the year so far. Discreet and distraction-free (no screen), this is a fitness tracker that's easy to use, lightweight, and oh-so-comfortable. Just $99 and subscription-free for core features, it offers a week of battery life and covers all the holistic metrics you'd expect from a modern device, like heart health, sleep quality, daily movement, and workouts. For most people, this is the best screen-free fitness tracker you can buy, and the new Google Health companion app makes viewing all your health data a dream.

Jane McGuire, Managing Editor, Fitness
Read our full Fitbit Air review

Salomon XT-6

Hike, shop or relax in comfort and style
Score: ★★★★½

The Salomon XT-6 shoes have become a staple in my closet. Whether I’m heading to the store or hitting up a challenging trail on the weekend, I know I’ll be supported. I wore these hiking sneakers on a city break, where I clocked over 93,000 steps and didn’t have a single complaint. Not only that, the multidirectional lugs kept me stable on even the trickiest terrain, as I hiked in mud, over rocks, and through water.

On top of their technical ability, the XT-6s are a fashion statement, worn all over New York by fashion-forward celebs; these shoes have earned a coveted spot in my daily rotation — although you’ll find me cleaning the mud off them after each adventure.

Ashley Thieme, Staff Writer
Read Ashley’s full Salomon XT-6 review

Homes

Dyson V16 Piston Animal Cordless

A powerful cordless Dyson that's perfect for pet owners
Score: ★★★★☆

I’ve tested my fair share of Dyson vacuum cleaners in my time, but I must say that the V16 combines all of my favorite features in one cleaner. First, its upgraded ‘Fluffy Cones’ head is designed to be used on both carpets and hard flooring without the need to swap over attachments. This is a great time-saver, and lets me quickly zip around my home without pausing. Perhaps my favorite feature is the dust-detecting green light which reveals those hidden dustballs lurking underneath furniture and in corners. Plus, it’s lightweight and easy to store, which is why it’s now my go-to for daily maintenance, and why I awarded our Editor’s Choice badge.

Cynthia Lawrence, Homes Editor
Read Cynthia’s full Dyson V16 Piston Animal Cordless review

KitchenAid Artisan Plus

The latest version of KitchenAid's legendary mixer, and the best one yet
Score: ★★★★★

I got to test KitchenAid’s newest stand mixer, the Artisan Plus, and it’s even better than I imagined. I’d been happily using KitchenAid’s Artisan stand mixer as my go-to appliance for a good few years, and I really didn’t see how it could be improved, but it has. It may only seem like a few tweaks, but they have made a big difference. From the sliding speed control that just glides, to the in-bowl light, which illuminates the mix — and let's not forget the double-edge flex beater that cleans the bowl as it sweeps past— I loved it so much during testing that I gave it a 5-star rating.

Camilla Sharman, Staff Writer
Read Camilla’s full KitchenAid Artisan Plus review

Gozney Dome XL (Gen 2)

The undisputed king of pizza ovens
Score: ★★★★★

If you’re a dedicated — and I mean dedicated — at-home pizza maker, the Gozney Dome XL (Gen 2) is the closest you’ll come to actually building a pizza oven from scratch. It can run on either gas, wood, or charcoal, has dual temperature probes, and is big enough to fit a 16-inch pie with room to spare. I loved its easy-to-ready displays, and the design of the oven is just gorgeous, too. Yes, it’s huge and it’s expensive (I’ve made equally good pizzas in much cheaper ovens), but this is the oven that’ll signal you’re the real pizzaiolo in your neighborhood.

Mike Prospero, U.S. Editor-in-chief
Read Mike’s full Gozney Dome XL (Gen 2) review

Fellow Espresso Series 1

Beginners or pros, coffee snobs or otherwise — this one is for everyone
Score: ★★★★½

When Fellow designed the Espresso Series 1, it looked at the other espresso machines out there and thought, “I’m going to do something different.” And different the Espresso Series 1 is. When I tested this machine, I loved that it provided coffee-snob-approved features while still being usable for complete beginners. On top of having a litany of customization options on the machine itself, I loved having the app, which walked me through how to make every type of coffee ever invented. You may think this is too ambitious, but for me, the Espresso Series 1 hits all its marks and comes out victorious.

Erin Bashford, Senior Reviews Writer
Read Erin’s full Fellow Espresso Series 1 review

Phones

Apple iPhone 17

A surprisingly solid update over the previous generation
Score: ★★★★½

Apple launched more new phones than in any previous year, but the iPhone 17 remains my favorite for several reasons. One thing that makes it stand out is that it finally got a long-overdue upgrade to a 120Hz refresh rate, making its screen look even more fluid than before in testing. On top of that, I really love how it didn’t get a price hike and still managed to get double the starting storage.

John Velasco, Senior Phones Editor
Read John's full iPhone 17 review

Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra

The phone that'll get better over time
Score: ★★★★½

When it comes to Android phones, nothing caught my eye more than the Galaxy S26 Ultra. Samsung’s flagship received all the iterative updates it deserved, but one particular new feature stood out most: the Privacy Display. It works like magic, making the screen look dark when someone tries to peek at it from the side. You can even customize it to block out specific parts of the display — like when you’re messaging someone. This exclusive feature is what sets it apart from everything else.

John Velasco, Senior Phones Editor
Read our full Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra review

Sleep

Saatva Zenhaven Mattress

What you should be sleeping on in 2026
Score: ★★★★½

The Saatva Zenhaven latex mattress blew our socks off during testing, thanks to its naturally cooling and supportive sleep feel for eco-conscious shoppers. Handcrafted in the US from (mostly) organic materials, the Zenhaven boasts a flippable design with a different tension on each side: Luxury Plush and Gentle Firm. We appreciated how one side boasted more cushioning for side sleepers, while the unyielding feel of the firmer side best-suited back and stomach sleepers. At $3,549 at full MSRP it’s a splurge, but cheaper during Saatva mattress sales. However, it’s worth noting that latex mattresses can last up to 20 years, so we think it’s worth the investment.

Nicola Appleton, Sleep Editor
Read our full Saatva Zenhaven Mattress review

Fitnexa SomniPods 3

If you struggle sleeping, these earbuds are for you
Score: ★★★★☆

The Fitnexa SomniPods 3 are compact sleep earbuds that helped me sleep better in even the most disruptive environments (like my neighbor's son playing basketball at unsociable hours). Fitted with built-in white noise, excellent active noise cancelation, plus sleep tracking features, they’re an easy recommendation for any troubled sleepers. But the real stand-out feature for me is the Fitnexa app. Here, your own AI coach waits for you, ready to provide personalized advice based on your sleep tracking data, activity logs and food diaries. The info isn’t quite on par with a qualified sleep professional but thanks to the wealth of data to draw from, it was pretty spot on in testing, helping take the SomniPods from sleep earbud to all-round sleep enhancer.

Ruth Jones, Senior Sleep Writer
Read Ruth's full Fitnexa SomniPods 3 review