Amazon has officially launched Alexa+ across the United States, ending its early access phase and making the next-generation AI assistant available to all users.
The revamped assistant, built on an entirely new architecture powered by Amazon’s Nova and Anthropic’s Claude models, represents a fundamental shift from simple voice commands to complex, “agentic” interactions.
According to Daniel Rausch, Vice President of Alexa and Echo, users are already interacting with the new system twice as much as the legacy version. However, for most users, the most significant news is the price – see below.
Pricing and Tiers
Amazon is offering three distinct ways to access the new AI:
Alexa+ for Prime: Included at no additional cost for Prime members. This provides unlimited access across Echo devices, the mobile app, and the web (Alexa.com) for the entire household.
Alexa+ Subscription: Priced at $19.99 per month for non-Prime members. This standalone plan offers identical unlimited features but notably costs more than a standard monthly Prime membership.
Alexa+ Chat (Free): A limited, text-based experience for non-Prime users. Available only via the Alexa app and Alexa.com, this tier allows users to test the AI’s research and planning capabilities with usage caps.
What’s New?
Alexa+ moves beyond setting timers to act as a proactive digital agent. It can now navigate the web to complete multi-step tasks, such as booking restaurant reservations through OpenTable, scheduling home repairs via Thumbtack, or arranging rides through Uber.
The new model features “enhanced memory,” allowing it to remember context over several days. For example, users can email a school schedule to Alexa, and it will automatically populate the family calendar. It also recognizes personal preferences, such as dietary restrictions or favourite music genres, to provide more tailored recommendations.
Smart home integration has also seen a significant upgrade. Users can now create complex automation “Routines” using natural language rather than digging through app menus. For those with Ring cameras, the AI can even summarize “unusual patterns” detected around the property.
Prime members can begin the transition immediately by saying, “Alexa, upgrade to Alexa+.”
Amazon has launched Alexa+, its next-generation digital assistant, in Canada. The company unveiled the new assistant in February, and it has been making its way to more and more people since. Canada is the first region outside the US to get access Amazon’s upgraded Alexa. Like the version that rolled out in the US, users can communicate with Alexa+ in natural language. They can say “I’m cold,” for instance, and the assistant will turn up the heat in their home. If they say “It’s dark,” Alexa+ can switch on the lights for them.
In Amazon’s announcement, Allison Siperco, the Alexa manager for Canada, said the assistant understands Canadian culture and regional expressions. It can understand distinctly Canadian topics, such as the country’s hockey teams and musicians. In addition, the assistant links with services Canadians use. It can make restaurant reservations for them through OpenTable, connects them to CBC news and help them look for and buy items from their e-commerce platforms. Siperco said the assistant will also support Yelp, Uber Eats, Suno and TripAdvisor in the country “soon.”
Alexa+ is capable of adapting its tone to everyone in the household, suggesting different routines based on the user. It can suggest meditation, for example, to someone who’s had a long day at the office. And it can remember if someone has dietary restrictions when recommending restaurants. Alexa+ can also help users shop by finding items with the best pricing, by creating grocery lists for them while taking dietary restrictions into account, as well as by comparing features across products and summarizing reviews on Amazon Canada.
Amazon’s upgraded assistant is free during its Early Access phase, though those who are interested to try it out right now will have to purchase the new Echo Show 8, Echo Show 11, Echo Dot Max or Echo Studio. After Early Access, it will remain free for Prime subscribers, while everyone else will have to pay $28 CAD a month for it.
Smart LED light bulbs are one of the easiest ways to get into the IoT space. These smart lighting solutions let you control your home’s illumination from your phone and other connected devices, and in addition to that practicality, they also inject some fun into your space. Color-changing bulbs have a plethora of RGB options for you to customize the lighting mood for your next movie night, date night or game day, or you can opt for cozy warm white light when you need to unwind at the end of a long day.
It goes without saying that many of these smart LED light bulbs work with Amazon’s Alexa and the Google Assistant, so if you already have a smart home setup in the works, you can find one that fits into your chosen ecosystem. And arguably the best thing about these devices is that they can fit into any budget; affordable and advanced options have flooded the space over the past few years. We’ve tested out a bunch of smart lights over the years, and these are our current favorites.
Table of contents
Best smart lights for 2025
Philips Hue
Connectivity: Bluetooth or hub | White or color? Both | App features: Light schedules and automations, home and away modes, syncing with movies and music | Smart home compatibility: Alexa, Google Assistant, Siri/HomeKit | Expandability: Includes outdoor lighting
If you’ve done any research into smart lights, you’ve probably come across Philips Hue bulbs. The range is popular for a variety of reasons, and we agree they’re the best smart light bulbs you can get thanks to their wide compatibility, easy to use mobile app and their expandability. Particularly, if you know you want to outfit more than one room in your home with these IoT devices, Philips Hue is the way to go.
The first thing that’s important to know about Hue bulbs is that they are now Bluetooth enabled. That means you can buy a few to try out first, then easily expand your system with a hub when you want to add more lights to your home. Previously, the hub was required for any and all lights, but now it’s much easier to dip your toe into the range before fully taking the plunge.
Like all of the other smart lights we tested, you only need to screw in a Philips Hue bulb, turn on your light, and follow the instructions in the mobile app to start using it. Even if you only have the lights in one room to start, we still recommend grouping them into their own “room” in the Hue app so you can easily control the entire space’s environment at once.
Hue’s White + Color bulbs provide a range of warm to cool whites and millions of colors to experiment with in your smart home. Colors are rich and vibrant, and Philips’ pre-programmed scenes, such as Energize, Bright and Relax, let you quickly emulate your old “dumb” lights with different warmth levels of white light. You can pick from a number of color scenes in the app, too, but it’s also easy to create your own color temperature. So if you’ve always wanted to flood your office with a rainbow of vibrant colors while you’re live-streaming on Twitch, you can find the precise presets you want, save them and then turn them on with just a few taps in the app.
The Hue app is pretty easy to use, and the bulbs support voice commands from Amazon’s Alexa and the Google Assistant. That means you don’t even have to open the app to control your lights; you can simply use voice control and say “Alexa, turn off the bedroom lights” and only the lights in that designated room will extinguish. You’ll be able to add up to 10 bulbs to your system using Bluetooth alone – at which point you’ll have to add a Philips Hue hub into the mix to support up to 50 lights. The hub also enables things like HomeKit connectivity, light schedules and automations, home and away modes and syncing with movies and music.
Arguably the most useful of those features is automations, which lets you set on/off schedules for your lights, including automatically turning the lights off when you leave the house. It’s understandable why Philips would make these few features exclusive to those with Hue hubs – adding a hub into the mix makes the system more reliable, allowing you to do more with increasing numbers of connected lights, plus it will encourage many to invest in a hub and more Hue bulbs over time. We like Hue’s hub not only for its reliability, but also because it allows finer and more flexible control over your devices. So if you’re on vacation and want to turn on your living room lights to see what’s going on, you can do that.
Expandability goes beyond the number of lights you have in your smart home: It also includes multiple smart bulbs you can install outside, too. The Hue range has a ton of indoor and outdoor light bulbs to choose from, including recessed lights, outdoor pedestal and flood lights, light strips and more. It’s one of the few ranges available today that gives you a ton of options to make every bulb in and out of your home smart, which is important to consider if you know you want to go all in on the smart light front.
But that brings us to the biggest downside of Philips Hue, which is the price. Hue bulbs are on the expensive side, with a two-pack of White + Color Ambiance bulbs costing $100. If you’re looking for cheap bulbs to test out smart lighting, some of our other top picks below, like the Kasa smart light bulb, will be better choices since most of them have lower prices per bulb. However, if smart lighting is something you want to invest in going forward, we recommend going with one of Philips’ Hue starter kits: the White + Color Ambiance starter kit, including three bulbs, a hub and a smart button, comes in at $210, which is cheaper than if you were to buy all of those components separately.
Connectivity: Wi-Fi only | White or color? Both | App features: Group by room, pre-made scenes or presets (including “spooky” and strobe lights), scheduling | Smart home compatibility: Alexa, Google Assistant, Siri/HomeKit | Expandability: Not as many options as Philips Hue
Overall, LIFX’s color smart lights are similar to Hue’s White + Ambiance bulbs in that they’re easy to set up, they offer striking, saturated colors and work with three major platforms: Alexa, Google Assistant and HomeKit. But the main difference is the LIFX bulbs are Wi-Fi only, so you can’t connect them to a hub even if you wanted to, and some are slightly more expensive than Hue devices. The Color A19 bulb, which supports 1100 lumens, normally costs $50, but there’s an 800-lumen equivalent that’s a bit cheaper, coming in at $35 per bulb.
LIFX’s mobile app is also undoubtedly the slickest we tested. While that may not mean much to you, it’s worth mentioning because mobile apps are the way most people interact with their smart lights on a daily basis. The homepage features all of the room groups in your household, along with the names of the lights in each room. You can easily turn a whole room, or a specific light, on with just a tap, and do the same for all of the lights in your smart home.
LIFX lights support scheduling, so you can program lights to work for you so you rarely (if ever) have to control them manually, plus there are a plethora of scenes and effects to choose from. While all of the color lights we tried had pre-made scenes or presets ready to go in the app, Philips Hue and LIFX clearly had the most out of them all. Personally, I found LIFX’s scenes and additional effects to be a bit more fun and engaging than Hue’s. You can pick from scenes like “spooky” or “pastel” and use effects like “strobe” if you want to make your living room feel a bit more like a nightclub. While most people probably won’t use these niche scenes and effects on a regular basis, they’re great perks to have when you’re entertaining or just want to set the right vibe for your next movie night or game-streaming session.
LIFX has a number of products in its ecosystem, from standard A19 bulbs to lightstrips to candles. It has switches, too, so you can physically control your smart lights if you wish. But Philips Hue has all of those options too and more, including not just switches, but standalone floor lamps, outdoor spotlights, downlights, light bars and motion sensors. You’ll have more options with Hue if you want to convert all of your home’s lights to smart ones, and have multiple ways to control them, too.
Pros
Easy setup with convenient mobile app
Lovely color options
Works with Alexa, Google Assistant and Siri/HomeKit
Connectivity: Wi-Fi | White or color? Color | App features: Presets, lighting schedules, grouping by room, energy usage meter | Smart home compatibility: Alexa, Google Assistant | Expandability: Unlimited, but there’s no hub option
TP-Link’s Kasa brand is known for its solid yet affordable smart home devices and its smart lights are no different. We tested out the Wi-Fi-only multicolor smart light bulbs and found them easy to install and use, and they provide a bunch of features at an affordable price; a four-pack of multicolor bulbs will only set you back $40, making them the best budget bulbs you can get right now.
Besides having a simple installation process, Kasa’s multicolor smart lights stayed reliably connected the whole time we tested them and the companion mobile app is simple and clean. All of the main functions for each light live in that bulb’s dedicated page in the app, allowing you to change brightness, white levels, color, schedules and more without navigating through a bunch of different menus. Changing colors is nearly instantaneous, and the light changes as you drag your finger across the color wheel in the app. Editing the four presets you’re able to save takes only a few taps, as does grouping multiple bulbs into rooms and creating lighting schedules. For the latter, if you do set on/off schedules, the app will show you the next step in that schedule (i.e., off at 8:35pm) next to each individual light.
There’s also a handy “usage” section in each light’s page that shows you the bulb’s energy use over time, plus an estimate of how much energy you’re saving by using a smart light instead of a regular one. This is something that would be fun to observe over many weeks and months of using these bulbs, especially if conserving energy is one of the main reasons you invested in smart lights in the first place.
TP-Link claims you can connect “unlimited” smart devices to its mobile app, which technically means you can have as many Kasa smart lights in your home as you’d like. We only tested a few together, so we can’t say for sure how dozens of connected devices would affect app speed and light response time. These are Wi-Fi-only bulbs, which means connecting them to a Zigbee hub isn’t an option, so keep that in mind before deciding to invest in a house-full of these gadgets. It’s also worth noting that these lights aren’t compatible with Apple’s HomeKit, although you can control them using Alexa and Google Assistant commands.
Connectivity: Wi-Fi | White or color? Color | App features: Grouping, schedules and automations | Smart home compatibility: Alexa, Google Assistant | Expandability: Option to purchase a hub
Sengled’s Smart Light Bulbs deserve a shout because they’re essentially more affordable versions of the best bulbs mentioned here, just with a few compromises. Key among those is that their colors are less nuanced than most others we tested and the mobile app is less polished.
That said, you’re still getting millions of colors out of Sengled’s smart lights and the app is easy to use. It also provides all of the features you’d want from a smart light bulb, including grouping, schedules and automations. The fact that the Sengled mobile app isn’t as slick as Hue’s or LIFX’s may actually work in its favor with newbies – the basic controls and labels will be very easy for smart home novices to understand.
The bulbs we tested were Wi-Fi-based, so they do not require a hub. However, Sengled has a bunch of other smart lights that work via Wi-Fi, Bluetooth or hub connectivity. A pack of four Wi-Fi color bulbs will set you back $30, while a set of six Zigbee hub-based lights costs only $100. Overall, Sengled’s devices are much more affordable than Hue’s, making them a good budget option regardless of whether you want to stick to Wi-Fi or invest in a smart home hub like Sengled’s own or a smart device like Amazon’s Echo with a built-in hub.
Connectivity: Wi-Fi | White or color? Color | App features: “Effects lab” with pre-made and customizable scenes | Smart home compatibility: Alexa, Google Assistant | Expandability: Works well with other products
Light strips can bring illumination to hard-to-reach places, or give a whole new vibe to your living room or office. The latest light strip from Govee, the Strip Light 2 Pro, gets super bright and supports a wide range of colors. It’s Wi-Fi-connected but requires no central hub, so even if you have other smart lights throughout your home, this one will fit in easily. One strip measures nearly 16.4 feet long and it’s divided into multiple segments that you can control individually from within the Govee app.
I was impressed by not only the color spectrum this light strip supports, but also how bright it is. This strip gets almost blinding, and I usually had it operating at just 75 percent of its full brightness. While you can’t control each individual light on the strip, you can customize all segments in the Govee app.
The sheer number of options and effects Govee provides is remarkable: the “effects lab” gives you pre-made basic colors, scenes that mimic sunrises, starry nights, different kinds of movies like thrillers and dramas, gaming genres and more. On top of that, you can make your own custom scenes (and choose to share them with others in Govee’s Explore page) as well as your favorite colors and hues that you can save for frequent use. The strip’s color is saturated and vibrant – combine that with the overall brightness and it was easily able to give my office an attractive, ambient glow when positioned around the periphery of my couch.
Aside from the higher price tag, my only other complaint about this light strip is actually Govee’s mobile app. It’s a bit chaotic and takes some getting used to, so it might not be the best choice for anyone that wants something basic. However, I was able to get the hang of all the controls, and then some, after about a half hour. And you can always default to using Alexa or Google Assistant voice commands to control your light strip if you prefer, or you can set automations in the app that can take care of all your most used controls.
Connectivity: Bluetooth, Hue Bridge | White or color? Both | App features: Up to three colors at once, “candle” and “fireplace” effects | Smart home compatibility: Alexa, Google Assistant, Siri/HomeKit | Expandability: Option to purchase a hub
Philips’ Signe table lamp is a slick way to add a wash of color into your living room, or a more controllable light source on your desk. The nearly two-foot tall lamp can be customized with up to three colors of light at once, plus it supports a full array of cool and warm hues as well. Shine it towards a wall to set the mood with colored lights during your game night, or use it to give yourself sufficient lighting during your next Zoom meeting – you can make it as fun or as practical as you need. It also supports effects like “candle” and “fireplace,” both of which produce moving light that emulates flickering flames. We also appreciate that the Signe lamp is a totally standalone device, like most of Philips’ new Hue bulbs: you don’t need a Hue bridge to use it. But if you have one, you’ll be able to do things like control the lamp when you’re away from home.
The Signe lamp is a splurge, though, coming in at over $200. It’s certainly worth it if you need just one powerful light source, but a more affordable alternative would be the Philips Hue Go portable table lamp. It too supports millions of colors and a full spectrum of warm and cool light, but it runs on a rechargeable battery and can be used wirelessly. Depending on the setting you choose, you’ll get up to 18 hours of continuous use, making it a good option if you want a controllable light that can go anywhere you need it without fuss.
The new Govee Floor Lamp Pro packs a lot of features into a svelte five-foot bar light. Not only can it glow in millions of colors and allows you to customize it by segment if you wish, but it also has a built-in Bluetooth speaker in its base. The speaker gets pretty loud, and the lights can dynamically change to match the rhythm and flow of the music it’s playing (and light can react to external audio as well, if you don’t want to use the speaker). And when you’re not having a total rager in your home office, you can program the floor lamp to your preferred temperature of white light. I was impressed by how bright the lamp was able to get (max 2,100 lumens) and I appreciate the physical remote control that comes with it, which made it easy to manually turn the thing on and off when I didn’t have my phone on me. Setup and installation was pretty easy, too, and even though the Govee mobile app is as chaotic as ever, most people will be able to familiarize themselves with it relatively quickly. The Floor Lamp Pro’s $220 price tag seems fair for the complete package, and it could be a good single-device solution for those who have a small space they want to revamp with multicolored lights.
LIFX’s Luna Smart Light is a quaint and compact smart lamp that can sit on a nightstand or desk, or be mounted on a wall almost like a sconce. With a max brightness of 1,000 lumens, it can really illuminate a space with white or colored light, or with any of the fun, prefab themes available in the LIFX app. I always default to using the LIFX app with the company’s products since it’s very easy to use, but the Luna lamp has onboard buttons to turn it on, off and adjust the brightness. If you plan on using this in your bedroom in particular, this could com in handy a lot when you just don’t want to pick up your phone to turn the light off.
In addition to themes, or premade color scenes for things like Valentine’s Day and Oktoberfest, there are lighting effects (“FX” in the app) you can employ to further set the mood. I like “clouds,” which mimics the look of a bright, sunny day with baby blue and white light, and “flame,” which turns the light a burnt orange color with movement and flickers to mimics a cozy fire. Not only are the colored light options vibrant and fun, but LIFX also makes it quite easy to customize themes and effects to your liking.
While we’ve recommended Nanoleaf’s Smarter Kits in guides in the past, they’re a bit more niche than other smart lights on this list. They’re best for adding flare to your living room or game-streaming setup as they come in different shapes like hexagons and triangles and can sync with music. In addition to different colors, light animations and schedules, Nanoleaf’s Smart Kits also support Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant voice commands.
What to look for in smart light bulbs
Connectivity (To hub or not to hub)
One of the biggest appeals of smart lighting solutions is being able to control them from your phone. Most of them are able to do so by connecting to it via Wi-Fi or Bluetooth, or via an external hub, which handles the connection for them. Bluetooth connectivity limits the range in which you’ll be able to control the light, so it’s only best for a limited number of bulbs and ones you don’t expect to control when you’re away.
Wi-Fi color-changing bulbs are easy to set up and can be cheaper overall since they don’t require a hub to connect them. However, having something like a central Zigbee hub can make your whole system more reliable since its connection is separate from your home’s network. For that reason, hub-based bulbs tend to be more expandable, so we mainly recommend those if you want to eventually have dozens of smart lights around your home.
White or color?
Most color-changing bulbs you’ll find today are “white and color” bulbs, meaning they can glow in vibrant RGB color-options like blues, pinks, greens and everything in between, as well as shine with different temperatures of white. But there are some white-only bulbs out there, and they are often a bit more affordable than their color counterparts. While we recommend springing for the white-and-color devices, if you’d prefer white only, make sure you’re getting a bulb that can span the color temperature spectrum (typically from about 2000 to 5000 Kelvin), offering you various levels of cool and warm white light.
App features
One of the perks of smart lighting solutions is the amount of control you have over them thanks to their various app-control capabilities. Most companion apps let you do things like set lighting schedules and timers, group individual lights into room designations and create your own custom light “scenes” with different RGB options. But we have seen other features that aren’t as ubiquitous like vacation mode for automatically turning lights on and off to enhance your home security, and sync with media, which changes the colors of lights depending on the music you’re listening to or the game you’re currently live-streaming.
Smart home compatibility
If you use a smart assistant like Amazon’s Alexa or the Google Assistant regularly, make sure the smart lights or smart switches work with your favorite. All of the bulbs we tested supported both Amazon’s and Google’s virtual assistants, allowing you to use voice commands to turn lights on and off, dim them with a virtual dimmer and more. The wildcard here is Siri and Apple’s HomeKit; while numerous smart bulbs have added HomeKit support, not all lights are compatible with Apple’s smart home system.
Expandability
We alluded to this above, but you’ll want to consider how many smart lights you eventually want in your home. Some brands and lighting systems are easier to expand than others, and we generally recommend going for hub-based bulbs if you plan on putting smart lights in every room in your home. If you’re only looking to deck out your home office or living room with some fancy color-changing bulbs, Wi-Fi options should serve you well. Thankfully, these are some of the most affordable smart home devices you can get, so even if you don’t have a clear answer to this question now, you can reconsider your options down the line if you do decide to outfit your home with multiple smart bulbs.
Smart light bulb FAQs
What’s the best smart light bulb for Alexa?
There is no best smart light bulb for Alexa. Amazon doesn’t make its own smart bulbs (like it does for smart plugs and thermostats), but rather there are dozens of smart lights made by third-parties that work with Alexa — including all of the ones we tested. Before picking the best smart light bulb for you, make sure to check the voice assistants that the contenders support. You’ll find that most smart light bulbs available today work with Amazon’s Alexa and the Google Assistant, and plenty of them also have support for Apple’s Siri and HomeKit.
Can you put a smart bulb in any lamp?
Smart light bulbs can go into most modern light fixtures — but just like regular bulbs, they need to be the right shape/size for the fixture. A standard A19 smart light bulb should work properly in most table, floor and other lamps. If you have a fixture that takes a specific type of bulb, look for smart bulbs that will fit properly.
Do smart light bulbs use electricity when off?
Smart light bulbs do use a negligible amount of electricity when their fixtures are turned off. This is due to the fact that the smart bulb needs to stay in constant contact with your home’s internet connection or Bluetooth in order to work properly. However, their energy-saving benefits usually outweigh the small amount of power they consume even while turned off.
It’s not technically Techtober yet since we’re one day shy, but we’ve already had a bunch of fall hardware events from some of the bigger companies in the tech space. Today, it was Amazon’s turn to step up to the plate.
Going into its event, the company teased new Echo speakers and Kindle news. Rumors suggested Amazon was ready to ditch its long-standing Android-based OS on Fire TVs in favor of the Linux-based Vega OS it’s already using on the Echo Show 5, Echo Hub units and Echo Spot.
Indeed, Echo, Kindle and Fire TV are all being featured at the event, along with Ring and Blink devices. Oh, and lots of Alexa+ updates, of course.
Amazon doesn’t usually livestream its product events and that remained the case here. However, we’ve got you covered with all the news and announcements with both our liveblog and this here rundown of everything Amazon announced at its fall hardware event:
Echo speakers
The Echo lineup was beyond overdue for a refresh — it’s been five years since the 4th-gen Echo arrived, while the most recent Echo Studio debuted a couple of years later. And, with Amazon looking to push Alexa+, it’s certainly time for some new models.
To that end, the $100 Echo Dot Max and $220 Echo Studio are up for pre-order and will ship on October 29. No sign of a new standard Echo this time!
The Echo Dot Max delivers almost three times the bass of the fifth-gen Echo Dot and sound that adapts to your space, Amazon claims. The company added that the updated design integrates the speaker directly into the device’s housing, freeing up extra space for more bass. In fact, the Echo Dot Max has two speakers: a “high-excursion woofer optimized for deep bass and a custom tweeter for crisp high notes.”
Amazon has shrunk down the Echo Studio to 60 percent of the size of the last version. Even so, it has a “powerful high-excursion woofer that delivers deep, immersive bass and three optimally placed full-range drivers to create immersive,” room-filling sound, according to the company. The latest model supports spatial audio and Dolby Atmos.
If you’re in the US and you snap up either of the new Echo speakers — or the latest Echo Show devices — Amazon says you’ll get early access to Alexa+. We’ve had a chance to try the speakers, so be sure to check out Engadget senior reporter Jeff Dunn’s first impressions.
Alexa Home Theater with Echo
Amazon is looking to take on the likes of Sonos with a home theater feature. You’ll be able to connect as many as five Echo Studio or Echo Dot Max devices to a compatible Fire TV stick for surround sound.
The company says that, with the Alexa Home Theater feature, Alexa will take care of everything after you plug in your speakers. That includes tuning them for your space automatically. Amazon will sell the Echo speakers in Alexa Home Theater bundles too.
Echo Show
2025 Echo Show smart displays
(Amazon)
Quelle surprise, Amazon has refreshed the Echo Show smart displays. As with the rest of its new products, Amazon built the Echo Show 8 and Echo Show 11 with Alexa+ in mind.
They boast new front-facing stereo speakers and upgraded microphones, all the better to bolster the chats you might have with Alexa+. The new units have improved cameras with 13MP lenses. Alexa will be able to recognize you when you approach the device and display personalized information. It might show you, for instance, an AI-powered summary of footage from your Ring devices. The Echo Show smart home hub supports devices in the Zigbee, Matter and Thread ecosystems too.
As for the display, both of the new Echo Show units have a negative liquid crystal screen designed to maximize viewing angles. Amazon also said there are new color-coded calendars to help everyone in the family to stay on top of their schedules. Alexa will keep an eye out for scheduling conflicts. Such a clever cookie.
The new Echo Show 8 costs $180, while the Echo Show 11 will run you $220. Pre-orders for the latest Echo Show models open today. They’ll ship on November 12.
The new Echo Show 8 costs $180, while the Echo Show 11 will run you $220. Pre-orders for the latest Echo Show models open today. They’ll ship on November 12. Be sure to check out Engadget senior writer Sam Rutherford’s initial impressions of the latest models.
Kindle Scribe Colorsoft
Kindle Scribe Colorsoft
(Amazon)
The Kindle Scribe 2 and Kindle Colorsoft appear to have been smushed together, as there’s now a full color version of Amazon’s writing tablet (which has some other upgrades). The company is using its custom display tech for the Kindle Scribe Colorsoft, which has a color filter and “light guide” with nitride LEDs. The idea, according to Amazon, is to boost color without washing out details.
The company says it developed a new rendering engine for the Kindle Colorsoft too. It claims this helps make sure writing on the device feels fluid, natural and fast. Moreover, the Kindle Scribe Colorsoft is said to run for several weeks on a single charge.
You’ll be able to choose from 10 pen colors for writing, drawing and annotation. There are five highlighter colors as well.
The Kindle Scribe Colorsoft will be available in the US later this year, starting at $630. It’s coming to the UK and Germany in early 2026.
We’ve been able to try out the Kindle Scribe Colorsoft. You can check out Engadget managing editor Cherlynn Low’s initial hands-on impressions.
Refreshed Kindle Scribe
Amazon is refreshing the regular Kindle Scribe too. It has a larger, 11-inch display to match the proportions of a sheet of paper. It’s 5.44mm (0.2 inches) thin and weighs 400g. Amazon also says it’s 40 percent faster than the previous model when it comes to page turns and writing.
The standard 2025 Kindle Scribe shares a bunch of features with the Colorsoft model. Both boast a front light system with miniature LEDs, a texture-molded glass that’s designed to improve friction for writing and revamped display tech that’s said to make it feel like you’re writing directly on the page.
The latest devices have a quad-core chip and more memory than previous models. That helps to power new AI-driven features. You’ll be able to get an AI-generated summary of information that you search for across your notes and the option to ask follow-up questions. Starting in early 2026, you’ll be able to send notes and other docs from your Kindle Scribe to Alexa+, and have a conversation with the chatbot about them.
There’s support for Google Drive and Microsoft OneDrive, so you can pull in documents from there to mark them up. There’s an option to export annotated PDFs, as well as to export notes as converted text or an embedded image to OneNote.
The home screen has a new Quick Notes function to help users start jotting down their thoughts faster. You’ll have swift access to recently opened or added books and documents from there too.
Meanwhile, there’s a new pen that attaches to your Kindle Scribe. This refreshed Kindle Scribe will go on sale in the US by the end of the year, and it starts at $500. A version without a front light will be $430. Again, these models will be available in the US and Germany in early 2026.
Fire TV
The image Amazon sent out as part of its event invite included the corner of a television, hinting that Fire TV would get some time in the spotlight during today’s event. And, yup, that turned out to be the case.
There’s a new 4K streaming stick called the Fire TV Stick 4K Select ($40). Amazon says it supports HDR10+ and your favorite streaming services. Support for Alexa+, Luna and Xbox Cloud Gaming is on the way too. As with the other Fire TV devices Amazon announced today, pre-orders are open and the Fire TV Stick 4K Select will ship next month.
If you’d rather have the Fire TV ecosystem baked into your television, Amazon’s got you covered there. The latest Omni QLED Series models have displays that are 60 percent brighter than previous versions, Amazon says. The TVs adjust their display colors automatically depending on the ambient lighting and can turn on by themselves when they detect your presence. The TV can also display your photos or artwork and switch off when you exit the room. The Omni QLED Series TV come in 50-inch, 55-inch, 65-inch and 75-inch variants and start at $480.
The Omnisense feature is available on the latest 2-Series Fire TV models too. These budget-friendly 4K options are said to be 30 percent faster than their predecessors. A Dialogue Boost feature will be present on all the latest Fire TV models. You can snap up a 2-Series Fire TV in either a 32-inch or 40-inch variant, starting at just $160.
Janko Roettgers of LowPass reported last week that Amazon was set to bring its Vega operating system to Fire TV by the end of this year. Whaddya know? The company confirmed that it’s bringing Vega to Fire TVs and streaming devices, including the 4K Select. So, it’ll debut in October on at least one device. Amazon didn’t say when it would roll out the OS more broadly, but helpfully noted that Vega is “responsive and highly efficient.”
Blink
2025 Blink camera lineup
(Amazon)
No, you didn’t miss it: there are new Blink devices as well. All of them can capture 2K video, and pre-orders for all three go live today.
Amazon says the $90 Blink Outdoor 2K+ has a 4x zoom, two-way talk with noise cancellation, enhanced low-light performance and, for Blink Plus subscribers, smart notifications when people and vehicles are detected.
The $50 Blink Mini 2K+ is primarily designed for indoor use, but you can place it outside thanks to a weather-resistant power adapter. Otherwise, it has the same features as the Blink Outdoor 2K+.
Blink had an entirely new device to show off as well. The Blink Arc looks quite odd, almost like a pair of goggles. It houses two Blink Mini 2K+ cameras and combines the footage into “a single, seamlessly stitched feed.” If you have a Blink Plus subscription, you’ll have access to a 180-degree view. The Blink Arc can also be used outside with the weather-resistant power adapter. It costs $100, and the mount is an extra $20.
Ring
Retinal Vision is a concept that Ring has built its latest devices (for what it’s worth, the name reminds me I’m probably due for an eye exam). The idea is to use AI to optimize image quality. It taps into back-side illumination sensors to deliver superior low-light performance, Amazon says.
A function called Retinal Tuning samples your Ring camera’s video quality several times per day for up to two weeks in a attempt to improve it. Large-aperture lenses in the new devices will help with all of that.
To that end, Amazon has announced a Wired Doorbell Plus with 2K visuals for $180 and the Indoor Plus Cam 2K for $60. There are 4K models too: Outdoor Cam Pro 4K ($200), Spotlight Cam Pro 4K ($250), Wired Doorbell Pro 4K ($250) and Floodlight Cam Pro 4K ($280). Pre-orders for all of them open today.
Of course, there are Alexa+ features for the new cameras. Alexa+ Greetings is a function that will enable the AI to make “informed decisions about how to greet certain visitors.” Amazon will roll this out for the new cameras in December.
Familiar Faces, meanwhile, is a facial recognition feature. It identifies known faces, so Ring will be able to notify you when they’re at your door (or if someone unfamiliar is there). That’s coming in December too.
There’s another new feature called Search Party, which Amazon says is about helping people find lost dogs. When a neighbor reports a missing pooch in the Ring app, a Search Party commences on nearby Ring cameras. These will keep a look out and notify camera owners if they spot what may be the missing dog. The camera owner will then see a photo of the pet alongside relevant camera footage, and can then choose whether to alert the dog’s owner. Search Party will roll out in November.
Alexa+ and other AI features
Zero prizes for anyone who guessed that Amazon was going to talk up Alexa+ features. That one was a gimme. All of the devices Amazon just announced will support Alexa+ out of the box.
AI features for books are coming to the Kindle Scribe devices and other compatible Kindles in early 2026. The Kindle iOS app will be the first to gain access later this year. Amazon says the Story So Far option will catch you up on everything you’ve read in a book to that point without any spoilers — which could be handy if you’re returning to a digital tome after a break. With the Ask this Book option, you’ll be able to highlight any text, ask questions about it and get “spoiler-free answers.” Amazon says thousands of Kindle books will support these features.
On Fire TV devices, Alexa+ will be able to find scenes in movies using natural language prompts. You’ll be able to ask the assistant to find a scene where a certain thing happens and it will try to find that for you. This feature is coming soon.
You’ll be able to ask the voice assistant to find a show like one you watched a couple of nights earlier, a family-friendly movie or something that features your favorite performer. This isn’t limited to Prime Video as Alexa+ can tap into a variety of streaming services, including Netflix and HBO Max.
You can ask the assistant questions about what you’re watching too, such as details about an actor (handy if you recognize them from another show or movie but you’re not sure what) and behind-the-scenes info. This works for live sports as well, so you can find out stats and other nuggets about what you’re watching on Prime Video, Sling TV, DirecTV and Fubo.
On the new Echo Show devices, there’s an Alexa+ shopping widget. From here, you’ll be able to keep tabs on your Amazon, Whole Foods and Amazon Fresh deliveries; access detailed info on products; and re-order items with a voice command or a tap.
Amazon claims Alexa+ can help you figure out what gift to get someone based on responses to questions it asks you. The assistant will offer personalized recommendations from Amazon.
Alexa+ is going to hook into all manner of devices and services. Through the Alexa+ Store (which will be available soon), you’ll be able to access services from the likes of TaskRabbit, Fandango, Priceline, Uber, Lyft, Thumbtack, GrubHub and Yahoo Sports. You can manage your various Amazon subscriptions via Alexa+ too.
In addition, Alexa+ is coming to speakers, TVs and in-car systems from other brands. Those include Bose, Sonos, LG, Samsung and BMW.
As things stand, Alexa+ is currently free with Prime. Non-Prime members can use it for $20 per month — but you may as well pay $15 per month or $139 per year for Prime if you really, really want access to Alexa+.
Smart remote
Amazon had another product to unveil today, but this one wasn’t highlighted during the event. The company has revealed a $20 smart remote for Echo devices. Pre-orders are open and it’ll ship on October 30.
You can use the Alexa app or Alexa+ to customize the Smart Dimmer Switch and Remote. There are four buttons to which you can map individual actions (like making a change to your smart lights) and multi-stage routines. Amazon might also suggest routines for you to set up based on your habits. As well as using this device as a traditional remote, you can attach it to wall, which might be the way to go if you’re going to use it primarily for managing your lights.
Over on the Show models, they now have a 13-megapixel camera for richer details on your video calls, with improved audio quality as well. Amazon says more and more companies are integrating with Alexa+, touting an Oura partnership that lets you ask Alexa about last night’s sleep with data collected from your Oura ring. More integrations are on the way, including the ability to buy movie tickets with Fandango.
All of these Echo devices are available for preorder today.
Alexa+ Is Still in Early Access
Alexa+ was announced back in February and began rolling out in early access by March. Not much is changing about this. Amazon says Alexa+ is now rolling out in the US “during an early access period” and in waves over the coming months. It’ll prioritize Echo Show 8, 10, 15, and 21 device owners in this period, and you can sign up for early access here. The fastest way to access it is to buy one of the new Echo devices announced today.
Alexa+ is an upgrade over the standard Alexa you’re familiar with. Powered by a large language model, it allows you to be more conversational with the assistant. Alexa+ is much faster at answering more topical and contextual questions, correctly answering things like “What’s that popular Soda Pop song?” You can read more here about our experience using it for a week.
Alexa+ is free for Amazon Prime subscribers, but costs $20 a month for everyone else. Amazon says Alexa+ is being integrated into other devices from Sonos, Bose, Samsung, LG, and BMW.
The Kindle Scribe Colorsoft
The Kindle Scribe is a relatively new entry in Amazon’s e-reader ecosystem, but now it’s already in its third generation. And for the third iteration, there are three new 11-inch Kindle Scribe models: Kindle Scribe ($430), Kindle Scribe With Frontlight ($550), and Kindle Scribe Colorsoft ($630). These devices are 5.4 mm thick, which is thinner than the new iPhone Air. They weigh 400 grams and are made from precision-milled aluminum. Panay says they’re 40 percent faster, though he wasn’t specific about what he was comparing them to. When you write, you should experience a reduced latency of under 12 milliseconds.
Beating Google to the announcement of new smart home devices by a day, Amazon today unveiled a family of new Ring doorbell cameras with “Retinal Vision”—all powered by its more intelligent and conversational Alexa+, of course. Amazon also announced new Bli
If you haven’t been paying attention to camera-equipped home doorbells and smart cameras that infused with AI and computer vision, new Ring cameras can send AI summary notifications that describe what’s happening in footage. No more parsing through hours and hours of footage to find a specific clip.
New products announced at Amazon’s event include the $180 Wired Doobell Plus 2K, $60 Indoor Cam Plus 2K, $200 Outdoor Cam Pro 4K, $250 Spotlight Cma Pro 4K, $$250 Wired Doorbell Pro 4K, and $280 Floodlight Cam Pro 4K. Yeah, that’s a lot of cameras.
Ring founder Jamie Siminoff, who rejoined Amazon earlier this year, said with “Retinal Vision,” Ring doorbell cameras will be able to see better in low light and come with 10x enhanced zoom. A feature called “Retinal Tuning” allows Ring’s new smart cameras to record even better video with color night vision.
“Ring reimagined what the doorbell could be, but it’s now redefining what home security should be,” said Amazon hardware chief Panos Panay.
On the Blink home security camera front, there’s the new $50 Blink Mini 2K+ and $90 Blink Outdoor 2K+. The cameras have 2K-resolution video, 4x zoom, color night vision, and improved audio capture with noise cancellation. Amazon says the batteries in the Blink cameras “last years.”
Then, there’s the $100 Blink Arc, a security system with two cameras that cover two high-res video feeds to create a 180-degree panoramic view. “No more blind spots,” Amazon claims.
Turning your house into a smart home is easier — and more useful — than ever. From automating your lights and climate to securing your front door, smart home tech has come a long way in making everyday life more convenient, energy-efficient and secure. Whether you’re just getting started or looking to upgrade your setup, there are plenty of gadgets that work seamlessly together to make your home feel a little more futuristic.
The best smart home gadgets can help you control everything from your light switch to your smart thermostat with a tap on your smartphone or a quick voice control command. Whether you’re setting routines with a motion sensor, managing entry with a smart lock, or keeping an eye on things with a full security system, modern home automation puts you in charge — often with options for remote control when you’re away.
Table of contents
Best smart home gadgets for 2025: Smart speakers
Photo by Nathan Ingraham / Engadget
Our recommendation for the best smart speaker is the Sonos Era 100. It’s compact enough to fit in most areas in your home, but more importantly, it delivers excellent audio quality that’s superior to a lot of other smart speakers out there. When tuned properly to the acoustics of your room — which requires the iPhone app — the sound is fantastic, with punchy bass and clear highs. Unfortunately, the Android app doesn’t have TruePlay tuning (Sonos has not said whether it’s in the works), but the speakers should still sound admirable. It’s also compatible with a slew of streaming services to play music, including major ones like Spotify and Pandora.
The main benefit that a Sonos speaker brings over the competition is that it’s a gateway to a multi-room audio setup that you can build out over time. It’s also convenient if you plan on building a home theater setup later on, as the Era 100 integrates well with Sonos soundbars.
For those with tighter budgets, there are a handful of smart speakers around $100. We recommend picking up one of the three latest smart speakers from either Google, Amazon or Apple. Out of the three, we think the Echo has the best audio quality. Our colleague Nate Ingraham said its bass is impressive and the mid-range frequencies are pretty powerful. You can also pair two together to get even better stereo sound.
That said, the Nest Audio and HomePod mini are no slouches either. The HomePod mini sounds balanced, while the Nest Audio has pretty good bass tones. Again, it all comes down to which assistant you prefer.
The best Alexa-powered smart display is the Echo Show 8. The Echo Show 5 is a little too small, while the Echo Show 10 and its rotating screen take up too much space. The Echo Show 8, on the other hand, is perfectly sized for a living room and most other rooms in the house. Like other Alexa-powered smart displays, it supports plenty of video streaming services including Amazon Prime, Hulu and Netflix and it comes with a couple of built-in browsers that you can use to surf the web on its touchscreen. Unfortunately, it doesn’t support YouTube, which is a pretty notable omission considering how ubiquitous the service is. As a workaround, you can access it via the aforementioned browsers, but the experience isn’t as smooth as if it were a native app.
You can use the Show 8 to make video calls with any phone or tablet with the Alexa app. Alternatively, it supports Skype, Zoom and Amazon’s own Chime service. Like the Nest Hub Max, the Show 8 also has an optional face-tracking feature that follows your movements around the room during a call.
Our favorite Google-powered smart display is the second-generation Nest Hub. It has a 7-inch screen, which makes it just big enough to fit in most rooms in the house. The size also makes it work well as a digital photo frame. You can set it up to pull in pictures of friends and family from your Google Photos library, and there’s a smart algorithm that automatically uses the best shots while avoiding the blurry ones. As you might expect, you can also use the display to watch YouTube, Netflix and other streaming services.
Plus, a smart display without a camera is great if you want to place it in more intimate places like the bedroom, where you might be more protective of your privacy. If you place it by your bedside, the Nest Hub also has a sensor that can track your sleep patterns, if you opt in.
If you prefer a display with a camera, we recommend splurging on the higher-end Nest Hub Max. Its built-in camera can be used for video calls with Google Duo, Google Meet and Zoom. This smart gadget also has an optional face-tracking feature that lets the camera follow you around during calls. One benefit of the camera is that it gives you the option for Face Match, a feature that automatically recognizes individual members of the house and then displays the information that’s pertinent only to them, like calendar alerts.
Additionally, the camera adds a unique gestures feature that lets you play and pause media simply by holding up your hand to the screen, which is convenient if you need to stop the music without having to shout across the room. The Google Nest Hub Max also has better audio quality than the Hub thanks to its larger speakers.
One of the easiest ways to introduce smart home technology into your home is to swap out your existing light bulbs with smart ones. Smart light bulbs let you control your lighting remotely, either via an app (via Wi-Fi or Bluetooth) or with your voice. They add automation and scheduling to the mix, so you can have them turn on and off at certain times of the day. Some also let you adjust the smart bulb’s brightness and color temperature, or even let you create a custom light scene.
Our favorite smart lighting products come from Philips Hue, and the White and Color Ambiance LED Smart Button Starter Kit is a particularly good entry point as it includes three Philips Hue White and Color Ambiance 60W LED smart bulbs; a Hue hub that lets you control up to 50 lights; and a Smart Button if you want to have the option of turning off the lights without having your phone around.
This kit offers lots of versatility in lighting styles; you can change not just the brightness of the smart light bulb but also the color temperature and experiment with all different shades of the rainbow, decking out your room in whatever light scene you desire. If that seems a little too daring, Philips offers alternatives: The Hue White Ambiance Starter Kit lacks the color option, while the Hue White Starter Kit won’t let you adjust the color temperature.
The main reason we prefer Philips Hue bulbs is that they’re widely supported across smart home ecosystems. Not only can you find them pretty much anywhere, but they’ll work with Google, Amazon and Apple’s HomeKit. Since all the bulbs connect to the Hue hub via the Zigbee protocol (and not your home’s WiFi), it tends to be more reliable and it won’t slow down your home internet connection either.
TP-Link makes a bunch of affordable IoT gadgets and we liked the Kasa Smart WiFi light bulbs enough to name them our favorite budget devices in our smart lights guide. They’re easy to install and remain reliably connected, plus their companion mobile app is clean and easy to use. These are full-color smart bulbs and we like how changing up the color of your lights is as easy as dragging your finger around a color wheel in the app. Of course, you can stick with different temperatures of white light too, adjusting from warm to cool as needed.
You can also set schedules, allowing your lights to turn on and off at specific times throughout the day, and the app’s “usage” section shows you each bulb’s energy use over time, plus an estimate of how much energy you’re saving by using a smart light instead of a regular one. Ultimately, we like how much value these bulbs pack into an attractive price tag — a four-pack typically costs $40, but you can sometimes find it on sale for as low as $30.
Best smart home gadgets for 2025: Security cameras
Blink
Blink’s latest wireless security cameras may be named “outdoor,” but they’re some of the best to use as home security for both the interior and exterior of your home. These battery-powered cameras run on two AA cells, so you can place them anywhere you want, and they have a battery life of around two years before the cells need replacing. Blink Outdoor 4 home security cameras are weather resistant and support night vision, motion detection and two-way audio. You can store clips in the cloud via the Blink Subscription Plan or you can also save events locally to a Sync Module 2 via a USB flash drive (sold separately). Unfortunately, Blink works with Alexa only, which could be a non-starter for some.
If you want a camera specifically for your front door, a doorbell camera makes more sense than a standalone option. We like the latest Arlo Video Doorbell 2K, which is compatible with Google Assistant and Amazon’s Alexa. It delivers high-quality 2K footage along with a 180-degree view so you can see a person from head to toe and it can ring your phone with a video call whenever someone rings the bell. There’s also two-way audio so you can talk to whoever’s at the door.
A highlight of this doorbell is that it comes with a 30-day trial to Arlo’s Secure subscription service, which includes a motion detection feature that can tell the difference between a person, package, vehicle or animal. Senior Editor Devindra Hardawar said that he really appreciated the package alerts when he tested out a previous version of the doorbell; it did a good job of telling him whenever UPS dropped off a box. It’s such a useful feature, in fact, that we recommend keeping the service beyond the trial period.
In addition to the improved 2K video resolution, the latest Arlo Video Doorbell includes an integrated siren, enhanced night vision, an IP65-rated design and the ability to install it wired or wirelessly. There’s also an HD version that’s a bit cheaper (the 2K model typically goes for $130, but you can snag the HD version for only $80) if you want to save some money upfront.
This model is an updated version of the Roomba 694, a previous favorite budget robot vacuum. Not much has changed here aside from a few design tweaks that result in a simplified silhouette and a larger battery. Otherwise, you’re still getting an excellent, entry-level robot vacuum that has powerful suction for the price, smart navigation for more efficient cleaning and app connectivity. iRobot’s app is really easy to use for luddites and the tech savvy alike. And just in case you don’t have access to the app — maybe you left your phone in another room, for example — this Roomba has a couple of on-device buttons for quick controls.
One of the reasons this model cleans so well is that it has a three-stage system that tells it to suck up dirt while also navigating around obstacles. When it encounters an especially filthy area, it focuses in on it, making sure it’s clean before moving on. You can also manually instruct it to clean a specific spot in case you need it. And if you prefer to talk to your robot vacuum cleaner, this Wi-Fi-connected Roomba works well with both Alexa.
The Roomba Combo j9+ has everything we want in a combination robotic vacuum and mop. It offers incredibly powerful suction, deep floor scrubbing and a slew of smarts to avoid obstacles (including cat and dog poop!). It’s a better vacuum than its predecessor, the Roomba Combo j7+, and it also features a new Clean Base that can automatically refill its liquid tank. More than any Roomba before it, the Combo j9+ can make your floors sparkly clean with very little intervention on your part.
While it’s expensive, the Roomba Combo j9+ certainly beats paying for a professional cleaning service. It’s one of the best robotic vacuums and mops for pet owners, especially for its ability to avoid pet waste. In fact, if the j9+ ends up making a poopy mess due to cat or dog droppings, iRobot will send you a replacement unit for free. (That offer only works for the first year, and it only applies to solid waste from cats and dogs, but it’s still a helpful guarantee for pet owners afraid of the havoc that a robo-vac might wreak.)
The Roomba Combo j9+ features home mapping and can accurately map your home far faster than any previous Roomba, and you can also use the iRobot app to specify room borders. You can also create cleaning routines and label objects to help it clean exactly where you’d like. The j9+ works with smart assistants from Amazon and Google as well, so you can just shout out cleaning requests to your smart speaker. While it’s not a completely magical cleaning robot – you’ll still need to clear up your floors to help it run well – it’s certainly the closest we’ve seen yet to the ideal robotic vacuum and mop for whole-home deep cleaning. — Devindra Hardawar, Senior Reporter
Smart plugs are the easiest way to add a bit of connectivity to your home without spending a ton of money. Connect your regular non-smart lamp and voila, it’s internet connected and you didn’t have to spend a fortune. The best one we’ve tried is from TP-Link: the Kasa Smart Plug Mini. Out of all of the smart plugs we tested, this one was the only plug that provided a truly seamless experience from the jump. It was easy to set up, thanks in part to the Kasa mobile app’s clean and intuitive UI, and it supports all of the features you’d expect from a smart plug: timers, schedules, vacation mode and custom scenes. The updated version of the Smart Plug Mini supports HomeKit in addition to Google Home, Amazon Alexa and Samsung SmartThings, so it should fit into any existing smart home ecosystem you have.
TP-Link’s Deco XE75 Wi-Fi 6 router system strikes a good balance of user-friendliness and power. The three-pack contains a trio of unassuming white columns that provide up to 7,200 square feet of Wi-Fi 6 coverage, which should make it enough (and possibly even overkill) for most homes. The system offers try-band speed with a dedicated Wi-Fi 6 band that you can use as either a dedicated backhaul or a network for you to directly connect your Wi-Fi 6 devices. In our testing, we found the setup to be painless and the connection to be stable and reliable. On top of that, the tree-pack is adequately priced, especially compared to some overpriced and overpowered competitors out there.
How to pick the right voice assistant before you buy smart gadgets
While plenty of the best smart home devices are platform agnostic, there are some — smart speakers and smart displays in particular — that require you to choose your voice control assistant. Currently, that means deciding if you’ll use the Google Assistant or Amazon’s Alexa on a regular basis (I’ll address Siri in a moment.)
They’re both compatible with various smart home tech products from light switches and bulbs to robot vacuums, but there are certain devices that work best with either Google or Amazon. Nest products, for example, are more compatible and have more functionality with Google-powered speakers and displays. They can still work with Amazon devices, but certain features might be disabled. The same holds true with Amazon products: They work better if they’re in the same ecosystem.
Amazon Alexa
So how do you choose between Alexa and Google Assistant? It really depends on your personal preferences. Do you listen to Audible, watch Prime Video and tend to do a lot of shopping on Amazon? Then you might lean toward an Alexa-powered home automation setup. Alexa supports a wide range of devices — including smart locks, smart thermostats and motion sensors — and many of its speakers and displays include remote control functionality for lights, plugs and other smart gear.
Google Assistant
If you want a voice assistant that’s great at answering questions, Google Assistant tends to be better than Alexa. Amazon’s helper, on the other hand, currently supports more smart home products. The company’s smart speakers and displays also support the Zigbee smart home protocol, and some devices even have built-in smart home hubs. Both Google and Amazon devices can sync with your calendar, though Google’s tend to work better with Google services. Plus, if you already have an Android smartphone, you might be more comfortable with Google Assistant anyway.
Siri
But what about Siri? Apple’s assistant supports voice control as well, but it doesn’t have as many compatible devices as Google or Amazon. The HomePod mini and the full-sized HomePod are the only Siri-compatible speakers on the market at the moment, too. That said, it’s not too hard to find Apple HomeKit-compatible gear as more third-party companies add support for it, but you currently have a smaller pool of devices to choose from.
More invites to Amazon’s upgraded digital assistant, Alexa+, powered by generative AI, have been steadily rolling out. The service, first announced in February, now reaches over a million users, Amazon confirmed to TechCrunch on Monday. However, Alexa+ is not yet publicly available.
Instead, Amazon has been working through its waitlist, sending out invites to those customers who originally signed up to test the service when it became available. Over the past several weeks, many people have shared on social media that they’ve received an invite to try Alexa+, whose service offers more natural and personalized interactions, smart home integration, and expanded capabilities thanks to AI.
Alexa+ is available for free during Early Access and will later be free for Prime customers. Non-Prime users will be able to use the service for $19.99 per month after it publicly launches.
Amazon earlier this year noted that invites to try out the new system would roll out in waves in the months ahead. As of May 2025, Amazon CEO Andy Jassy said that Alexa+ had so far reached over 100,000 users, representing only a tiny fraction of the 600 million Alexa devices that had been sold. That number has grown significantly in the weeks since.
Image Credits:Amazon
Alexa+ represents a serious attempt by Amazon to create a generative AI experience for consumers that it can eventually monetize.
Though Amazon created a market for smart home-connected, voice-based assistants through its Alexa-powered Echo devices, it wasn’t able to turn that traction into a revenue-generating business. Meanwhile, Alexa lost its shine in more recent years as generative AI services, like ChatGPT, took off. Compared with modern-day AI, Alexa began to feel clunky, constrained, and underpowered.
Alexa+ aims to bring the digital assistant new capabilities. The service allows users to chat with the digital assistant using more natural language, where you can phrase requests your own way. For instance, you could tell Alexa, “It’s too cold in here,” to have Alexa adjust your smart thermostat. You’ll also more easily be able to create routines, search across your Ring camera footage, interrupt or pivot the conversation with the assistant, and more.
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The experience is more personalized, too, as it saves your preferences and remembers what you like, from favorite songs to recipes and beyond.
Image Credits:Amazon
With its generative AI component, Alexa can do things like summarize long emails you share with the service, create unique bedtime stories, generate quizzes from study guides, make travel itineraries, provide summaries of your smart home activity, and answer other questions, similar to how an AI chatbot might respond.
Plus, the assistant will be able to help you take certain actions — like buying concert tickets, booking a dinner reservation, and notifying you when something you’ve been watching goes on sale, among other things. Initial partners on this feature include OpenTable, Ticketmaster, Uber Eats, Tripadvisor, Grubhub, Yelp, Priceline, Viator, Thumbtack, Atom, Fodor’s, and others.
While in early access, Alexa+ will initially be available on Echo Show 8, 10, 15, or 21 devices in the U.S. Over time, it will expand to more Echo customers, Fire TV users, and Fire tablet users.
It’s worth pointing out that Alexa+ is not currently fully launched, but it’s getting close. Amazon says nearly 90% of the features it previously announced have since shipped.
If you’re wondering what happened to Amazon’s new and improved version of its Alexa voice assistant, you’re not alone. reports that the new Alexa is still stuck in its developmental phase and Amazon has cut off access to its beta phase including its new “Let’s Chat” phase. As a result, a planned late 2024 launch has been pushed back to next year.
The problem seems to be with its large language models (LLMs). The new Alexa is designed to from users but it’s also more likely to fail doing some of the most basic things the old version could do quite easily like create a timer or operate smart lights, according to a follow up report from .
Amazon originally planned to unveil its new version of Alexa AI in October but now the timeline has been extended into next year. (As you might have noticed, October has come and gone.) The original timeline planned to premiere the next evolutionary step in Alexa’s advancement on October 17 but Amazon decided to pivot and used the date to show off its new line of Kindle ereaders. Then in August, news surfaced that the new Alexa would be powered by and come with a monthly subscription fee.
As ChatGPT began to rise in popularity in the summer of 2023, Amazon CEO Andy Jassy wanted to see if Alexa could compete if it had an AI upgrade. Jassy reportedly started peppering Alexa with sports questions “like an ESPN reporter at a playoff press conference” and its answers were “nowhere near perfect.” It even made up a recent game score for Jassy.
Despite this, Alexa passed the good enough stage and Jassy and his fellow executives felt their engineers could build a beta version by the early part of 2024. Unfortunately, Amazon wasn’t able to meet its deadline.
Even with the new deadline, the new Alexa still has a long way to go to fix its problems. Some employees told Bloomberg that the problem outside of Alexa’s innerworkings is with Amazon’s overstuffed management and a lack of “a compelling vision for an AI-powered Alexa.” .
August will always be one of the busiest months of the year for us. And the same goes for K-Pop groups! When we say everybody was in the studio this month, we mean everybody. But we’ll let you be the judge of that in our newest K-POP HOTSPOT!
We have SO many August K-Pop comebacks to cover, so let’s go over everything you may have missed!
THIS MONTH’S NEWS
You thought we would bombard you with music already, didn’t you? Before we get into the best part of the roundup though let us tell you some other exciting news! Do you miss BTS as much as we do? Then fear not Jungkook’s solo documentary JUNG KOOK: I AM STILL is hitting theatres on September 18th worldwide and you can find more ticket info right here. We are so excited to spend more time with our favorite maknae!
Speaking of fun things to watch did you know EPEX just released their new and fun YouTube reality series The EPEX3? If you need some laughter and sunshine don’t be shy and follow this link. We are ready to binge this one at the beach with a cool drink to be honest.
Well, we are almost done but we just wanted to let you know some news about our favorite boys from Omega X! Musically it has been a more quiet when it comes to the group but that doesn’t mean they aren’t booked and busy! Jaehan has put out an amazing OST, Yechan is booked and busy in not just one drama (Your Honor) but also a movie (Mad Dance Office) and our boy Hangyeom has been thriving with his fellow Jazz For You cast members during fan meetings. We are obsessed with seeing these boys thrive in their different career paths and can’t wait for more group activities either.
With that being said let’s get into the music now shall we?
RED VELVET
We’re kicking off our August hotspot with a special single we’ll always hold in our hearts! Red Velvet celebrate their 10th anniversary (yes, 10th!) with ‘Sweet Dreams.’ Their special video compiles behind-the-scenes clips of Red Velvet recording the track, along with a collage of music video shots. It’s crazy to see just how far they’ve come in the last 10 years, and we’re emotional knowing we got to grow up with them.
Next up, we’re highlighting ONF‘s instrumental album, Infuse! While there aren’t any new songs in this comeback, we also wanted to celebrate their seventh anniversary with them. This 51-minute-long album features 15 instrumental versions of all their hits from 2017 to now. Our favorites are ‘Your Song,’ ‘Fly Me To The Moon,’ and ‘New World!’ It’s truly a masterpiece, and we hope to see this with more groups when they do compilations or best-of albums!
If your summer playlist did not have JEON SOMI‘s ‘Ice Cream,’ was it even a summer playlist? “I’m like ice cream, Ah yeah, Ah yeah” has been ringing in our heads all month. Randomly singing and dancing? That was definitely us. Many of us have been melting over the summer from the heat, but this song cooled us down with its addictive tunes and lyrics.
Any time we get a release from our favorite INFINITE, be it group, unit, or solo, we’re there to hype it up. Member L dropped a solo album, one we’ve been needing for a while. Really, ‘What’s Not To Love’ about this release? The sweet, distinctive vocals carry us on a musical trip, from fun to emotional, and we are going along. If you ask us about our current favorite B-side pick, we’ll tell you it’s ‘Blue Summer.’ Maybe it’s because it matches the season with its fun atmosphere. Still, we definitely recommend you take a listen to the whole 24/7 tracklist.
DOYOUNG of NCT really knows how to set off our nostalgia because his new single ’17’ made us feel all the feels. DOYOUNG sings about the simpler times when we were 17 years old, and they really were so good. We’re also in love with the instrumental version, and it’s a song we can play sitting outside and basking in the sun. If you need a feel-good song to clear all your troubles, ’17’ is it!
UNIS has just released their first-ever comeback since their debut in March! Their new single, Curious, features three songs we added to our playlists on the first listen. The title track, ‘Curious,’ is a pop rock banger about getting out of your comfort zone to be the best version of yourself. The electric guitar instrumentals are so satisfying. And the two B-side tracks are just as incredible, from the empowering ‘Datin’ Myself’ to the catchy ‘Poppin!’
Another new K-Pop single we’ve been replaying nonstop is MIRAE‘s Son Dong Pyo’s ‘Wave (2024)’ and his remake of the 2001 track. Truly the perfect song to bid summer goodbye, ‘Wave’ is an addictive track that sounds refreshing with Dong Pyo’s vocals and beautiful instrumentals. Plus, the music video visuals are everything! He killed all the high notes, and we can’t wait to hear more songs from him.
LIGHTSUM is back again, and we have our eyes on them. The girls keep visiting our playlists with new songs, and, of course, we have already added ‘POSE!’ as well. Warning: This song is so fun; it will get you falling for them, and their sound will be even better if you haven’t already. Hear us out: new karaoke fave, perhaps? It is the perfect choice to sing and jump along with your besties.
Okay, we are absolutely jaw-dropped, mind-blown with BamBam‘s ‘LAST PARADE.’ That’s it; that’s our review. Just kidding, but really, are words enough to describe this banger? BamBam is tapping into a new, unexpected concept, and we’re eating it up. Our new location: 𝘉𝘈𝘔𝘌𝘚𝘐𝘚. Favorite side stops: ‘Mi Último Deseo’ and ‘Ball Like That’ having that tight grip on us.
In case you didn’t know, we at THP have been fans of CATCH THE YOUNG since their debut! They’re back with their first single album, Dream It, and it’s been on repeat for weeks. The two tracks, ‘Dream It’ and ‘Wanna Be With You,’ make us feel like we can handle anything life throws at us. From the electric guitar and bass to drums, everyone gets a solo in ‘Dream It.’ And it’s so healing. Catch The Young slayed this comeback, and what more can we say?
ICYMI, WayV has made their Japanese debut this month with The Highest, a six-track mini-album with no skips in sight! They’re proving even more that they sound good in any language. Honestly, we respect the hustle. WayV showed us a more edgy side with ‘Go Higher’ and ‘Tempo.’ But the vibey ‘Deep Ocean’ and anime soundtrack-esque ‘Bandage’ stole our hearts at first listen. Any day is a good day with The Highest playing in the background!
Mother is back to save the summer! Queen HYOLYN is back with an iconic summer single called ‘Wait.’ We’ve been obsessing over the groovy island vibes of this track. The choreography is killer, but we already knew Hyolyn would eat it up. What’s even more iconic about this song is that Hyolyn filmed it in the Philippines, which has officially moved up our bucket list! Have y’all seen the visuals?!
Next on our August K-Pop hotspot is fromis_9‘s third single album, Supersonic! If you’ve been sleeping on them, then this is your chance to stan! The title track, ‘Supersonic,’ is one of our favorite summer songs by far. Catch us singing the chorus at random times throughout the day. ‘Beat The Heat’ and ‘Take A Chance’ are such high-quality B-side tracks, too! These girls have really come into their own sound with this comeback, and we didn’t skip a single song.
Did someone say collab of the summer? Because HUI and Kwon Eunbi‘s new song, ‘Easy Dance,’ is here to steal the show! We weren’t expecting such an iconic pairing, but their voices make so much sense together. As the title suggests, it’s an incredibly easy song for us to dance to and vibe along with. Their Waterbomb performance is one for the record books, and we can only imagine how hyped it would’ve been to see this song live!
While we’re on the topic of iconic, KARD has returned after more than a year since their last comeback! Only weeks after celebrating their seventh anniversary, KARD starts a new era with their seventh mini-album, Where To Now? (Part.1 : Yellow Light). We’re SO here for it! ‘Tell My Momma’ as their title track is a brilliant move, and it’s a refreshing and romantic song about falling in love with someone so quickly and wanting to tell your mom about them. Our favorite B-sides are ‘Waste My Time’ and ‘SHIMMY SHIMMY,’ but the whole EP is worth a listen. Or 1092923838 listens. It’s up to you.
LUN8 also whipped up some good tunes for us this August with 𝘈𝘞𝘈𝘒𝘌𝘕𝘐𝘕𝘎. You know we love the boys in this house. How would we skip on ushering you to check out their new album and the title track ‘WHIP.’ You need one listen to be hooked, test it out, and tell us if we’re right. Listening to the title makes us take a step back and feel free from our daily worries. And if a title isn’t enough and you don’t know where to start with the B-sides, we highly recommend you check out ‘DELULU.’
We love it when K-POP meets Latin Pop, and we’ve been truly blessed with ‘New Woman!’ K-POP queen Lisa and Latin Pop princess Rosalía truly soundtracked the end of our summer with this iconic collab. Intertwining electropop and EDM topped with metallic sounds, the song is super captivating. Rosalía’s verse truly brings in that twist that keeps us on our toes, yet it just works. We love it!
Our talented flowers, MIMIIROSE, dropped new music, and if you haven’t checked it out yet, here’s the nudge you need. We live for the vocals in that chorus of ‘The flowers swayed.’ A refreshing song about the worries we all experience at one point in life and the uplifting, encouraging message that everything will be alright because no flower blooms without being swayed a little bit. So, if you need that push to keep going and not give up, this is the release for you.
We’re getting fed all of August with these K-Pop comebacks! SF9‘s 14th mini-album, Fantasy, blew our every expectation out of the water. The title track, ‘Don’t Worry, Be Happy,’ has taken over our brains with its addictive chorus and positive message. Don’t miss out on their B-side tracks, like ‘Just’ and ‘Melodrama.’ We really can’t stop listening to this EP.
The ultimate weekend anthem: DRIPPIN‘s ‘Weekend.’ We feel energized listening to this release. It’s giving us the bright, contagious DRIPPIN vibe and is perfect for that downtime we get after a busy week. Or even to prepare us for it. This comeback may be a single album of only three songs, but it has our hearts locked. We’re grooving to ‘Fly High’ any chance we get and are particularly obsessed with ‘TIME.’
Can you smell this too? Yeah, that’s ‘Sexy In The Air’ You read that right; no other than our favorite boy, Taemin, graced us with his groovy and recognizable music this past month. We knew from the moment Eternal was announced that this one would be one for the books. Taemin proved yet again how he knows what suits him best, and even under a new company, he kept his signature sound. Songs you should check out from the album are definitely ‘Deja Vu’ and ‘Horizon!’
August is for the girl groups! We said what we said. ILY:1 delivers another stellar comeback with their third mini-album, illang:Firework! These girls are so underrated, and we’d love nothing more than to put everyone we know onto ILY:1. ‘illang (Firework)’ is a summer bop at its core, and their vocals never disappoint. ‘Ocean View’ and ‘I MY ME MINE’ are our favorite B-side tracks, and we’re blessed to get the instrumental versions for all four new songs.
Y’all don’t know Gyeongree’s new single album, Eternal Bloom, like we do. We’ve been waiting for 9MUSES’ Gyeongree to comeback for years, and she’s finally here! ‘Cherry’ is everything we’ve been missing in K-Pop, and it’s such a sweet and infectious song. The music video is absolutely adorable (and relatable). Gyeongree’s dreamy vocals also shine through in the B-side’ Butterflies,’ and we could listen to Eternal Bloom all day.
YOUNG POSSE has proven time after time just how they’re bringing the fun and silliness back to K-Pop! With a GTA-inspired concept for their third mini-album, ATE THAT, we get four new songs that all hooked us during our first listen. The title track, ‘ATE THAT,’ and its music video had us crying laughing. And yes, they definitely ‘ATE THAT.’ We want to be in the room where they come up with ideas because everything is genius. YOUNG POSSE absolutely slayed their B-sides, but we expected nothing less from these girls.
Moonbyul has blessed us with another comeback after a successful FULL album in February and a concert tour this year! But we aren’t complaining! Starlit of Twinkle : Repackage has three brand new songs and the English version of ‘TOUCHIN&MOVIN.’ Her title track, ‘Is This Love?’ is a cute song about her “friend’s friend” who may be in love with a guy. And this song is not about Moonbyul, as she’s already made that clear. (*wink wink*) She’s such a meme, and we love her for it.
Next on our K-Pop Hotspot is Ryu Sujeong‘s new English single, ‘White Dress!’ We can never get tired of Sujeong’s angelic voice; it’s just so soothing. In the music video for ‘White Dress,’ we see her strutting around the city in a wedding dress, shadowboxing, and playing guitar in the park. We now fully believe she’s an angel, and we’re expeditiously adding ‘White Dress’ to our wedding playlist.
This next K-Pop comeback may be a little different from what you’re used to hearing, but we love it! Super Junior’s Sungmin is back with a solo release: a trot song called ‘YO.YO.YO.’ And we definitely enjoyed it more than we expected. Sungmin’s voice is so well-suited for trot, and we were brought back to the early 2000s with this song! He contrasts the upbeat title track with the beautiful ballad, ‘Brilliant Days,’ and we’re beyond obsessed.
VIXX‘s Ken, you never fail to bring us to tears with your voice. His gift mini-album, Consolation & Love, hits us right in the feels. The title track, ‘너에게,’ shows us why Ken is the reigning king of ballads. He hits high notes so effortlessly, and we’re truly honored that we can keep listening to his music. The simple music video for ‘너에게’ showcasing his live vocals speaks for itself. Ken even gave us a music video for his B-side, ‘Love Day,’ which was much more than we could ask of him.
How is ‘Rains in Heaven’ NCT DREAM‘s first English single? Because we need more of these heartfelt songs! This healing track is a huge comfort to us, and we’re officially making it the highlight of our summer soundtrack. As long as the sun’s still out, we’ll play this song on our drives to nowhere with all the windows down. And we’re so jealous of everyone who’ll get to hear this song live on their tour.
A Jun.K solo single wasn’t on our 2024 bingo, but we are here for it! ‘Paint This Love’ is a groovy R&B track about how love can ease your past troubles and create something beautiful from something painful. Jun.K sings as if our hearts and souls are canvases. His song is literally a work of art, and we’re so excited to hear his voice again. Now we’re off to find more metaphors for how at home ‘Paint This Love’ makes us feel.
Just over a year after their last comeback, OH MY GIRL, AKA our summer queens, are back with their 10th mini-album, Dreamy Resonance! First off, the album art is absolutely magical. And second, the title track, ‘Classified,’ is exactly the type of dreamy fairy concept we’ve been missing. But the best part of this EP is the subunit B-sides. These duets are as lovely as can be, and we can’t pick our favorites even if we want to!
Guess who’s finally made their official solo debut? The one and only Jaehyun of NCT with his new album, J! And if his pre-release songs ‘Dandelions’ and ‘Roses’ were any indication, they’d tell us how high-quality and versatile this album is from start to finish. The music video for his title track, ‘Smoke,’ looks like it came straight from a movie. It warms our hearts to see Jaehyun going all out for this release, especially since it’s been such a long time.
Our August hotspot has been a month for so many single albums, and we can’t stop listening! NOWADAYS has just released their second single, NOWHERE, and it’s banger after banger. The title track, ‘Why Not?’ is an upbeat dance track about how having a massive crush on someone feels. The music video has the best kind of energy, and we’re impressed by their charisma.
Everyone say, “Thank you, Woosung” for making us cry! His new single, ‘Day That I Died,’ is a hauntingly beautiful song about losing the most important person in your life. And all you can do is replay the last moments you two had together. We want to know how Woosung captures so much raw emotion in his vocals. He sings with his soul, and we’ll keep this song in our heartbreak playlist forever.
Our solo queen CHUNG HA is back with a brand new single! Who else is as hyped as us? ‘Algorithm’ reminds us so much of her ‘Roller Coaster’ era, IYKYK. The iconic cameos in the music video are everything, from Uhm Junghwa to Gabee! The chorus and choreography are too addictive. We need every club around us to blast this song immediately, and we’ll be throwing our own dance party with ‘Algorithm’ on repeat!
DOHANSE shows us a new color of his music in his second solo EP, BLUESSOM. We already knew how versatile he is as an artist, but this mini-album only cements it. His signature punk rock sound still shines through. And the double title tracks, ‘Blue Night’ and ‘Milky Way,’ contrast each other incredibly. ‘Blue Night’ feels like a breezy summer night, while ‘Milky Way’ belongs in a morning motivation playlist.
Our 2024 is now complete with Bang Yedam‘s comeback! He’s back with his second mini-album, GOOD ViBES, and we’ve already broken our replay button for this release. Not only did he write lyrics for all six songs, but he also contributed to composing and arranging each B-side track. His rapping in ‘We Good’ had our jaws on the floor because how can one man be so talented at everything? There’s nothing but good vibes in the EP!
It feels like the summer isn’t over with WEi’s ‘LOVE2YOU.’ This lovely single, filled with refreshing tunes and a music video with cool summery vibes, is the perfect end for the hot August days. But while it has a rather bright vibe, the song is about the feeling of missing someone special. The intense longing delivered by the boys makes this our new favorite single, no doubt. Just like summer, despite it sometimes being a bit too much with its scorching hot days, we will surely miss it once it’s gone. While it may not be the same feeling, ‘LOVE2YOU’ will give us some sentimental emotions over the warm season, as well.
AleXa continues her journey through 2000s pop-punk nostalgia with her latest single, ‘Joy Of Missing Out,’ and this time, she’s preaching to introverts. In this edgy-sounding song, AleXa sings about the preference of skipping out on big events and busy crowds and why having a party for one is more fun. And honestly? It’s a complete mood!
Yves is back with a new digital single only a few months after her solo debut! ‘Tik Tok’ is a chill, lowkey song about taking your time. The music video looks like a travel vlog, and we love seeing Yves having fun and enjoying her time as a tourist. (Yves travel channel next?) Yves’ voice is so comforting, and we already can’t wait for her next comeback!
There is no better way to end our August hotspot than this. We couldn’t believe we got a FIESTAR reunion and comeback in 2024! We’re getting emotional listening to the 2024 version of their hit ‘You’re Pitiful.’ It hits even harder knowing the lengths Cao Lu went through to buy the copyrights of this song so they could remake it in time for their 12th anniversary. ‘You’re Pitiful’ is truly a timeless song!
August K-Pop comebacks never fail to amaze us! And we sure had a stacked month for this K-POP HOTSPOT!
What was your favorite August comeback? Which ones are you most excited about for next month? Let us know in the comments below, or tweet us @TheHoneyPOP!
The ideal smart home seamlessly anticipates your needs and instantly responds to commands. You shouldn’t have to open a specific app for each appliance or remember the precise voice command and voice assistant combination that starts the latest episode of your favorite podcast on the nearest speaker. Competing smart home standards make operating your devices needlessly complicated. It’s just not very … well, smart.
Tech giants try to straddle standards by offering their voice assistants as a controlling layer on top, but Alexa can’t talk to Google Assistant or Siri or control Google or Apple devices, and vice versa. (And so far, no single ecosystem has created all the best devices.) But these interoperability woes may soon be remedied. Formerly called Project CHIP (Connected Home over IP), the open source interoperability standard known as Matter arrived in 2022. With some of the biggest tech names, like Amazon, Apple, and Google, on board, seamless integration may finally be within reach.
Updated May 2024: Added news of the Matter 1.3 specification release, progress with the major players, a section on what you can do with Matter, and more details on potential functions.
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Table of Contents
What Is Matter?
Matter enables different devices and ecosystems to play nicely. Device manufacturers must comply with the Matter standard to ensure their devices are compatible with smart home and voice services such as Amazon’s Alexa, Apple’s Siri, Google’s Assistant, and others. For folks building a smart home, Matter theoretically lets you buy any device and use the voice assistant or platform you prefer to control it. (Yes, you can use different voice assistants to talk to the same product.)
For example, you can buy a Matter-supported smart bulb and set it up with Apple HomeKit, Google Assistant, or Amazon Alexa—without having to worry about compatibility. Right now, some devices already support multiple platforms (like Alexa or Google Assistant), but Matter will expand that platform support and make setting up your new devices faster and easier.
The first protocol runs on Wi-Fi and Thread network layers and uses Bluetooth Low Energy for device setup. While it supports various platforms, you must choose the voice assistants and apps you want to use—there is no central Matter app or assistant. Because Matter works on your local network, you can expect your smart home devices to be more responsive to you, and they should continue to work even when your internet goes down.
What Makes Matter Different?
The Connectivity Standards Alliance (or CSA, formerly the Zigbee Alliance) maintains the Matter standard. What sets it apart is the breadth of its membership (more than 550 tech companies), the willingness to adopt and merge disparate technologies, and the fact that it is an open source project. Interested companies can use the software development kit (SDK) royalty-free to incorporate their devices into the Matter ecosystem. This is much simpler than certifying devices individually with each smart home platform.
Growing out of the Zigbee Alliance gives Matter a firm foundation. Bringing the main smart home platforms (Amazon Alexa, Apple HomeKit, Google Home, and Samsung SmartThings) to the same table is an achievement. It is optimistic to imagine a seamless adoption of Matter across the board, but it has enjoyed a rush of enthusiasm with many smart home brands jumping aboard, including August, Schlage, and Yale in smart locks; Belkin, Cync, GE Lighting, Sengled, Signify (Philips Hue), and Nanoleaf in smart lighting; and others like Arlo, Comcast, Eve, TP-Link, and LG.
When Did Matter Arrive?
Matter has been in the works for years. The first release of Project CHIP was due in late 2020, but it was delayed to the following year, rebranded as Matter, and then touted for a summer release. After another delay, the Matter 1.0 specification and certification program opened in 2022. The SDK, tools, and test cases were made available, and eight authorized test labs opened for product certification.
The first wave of Matter-supported smart home gadgets went on sale in the fall of 2022, and we have seen a steady trickle since then. The first update to the specification, Matter 1.1, arrived in May 2023 and consisted largely of bug fixes. Announced in October 2023, Matter 1.2 added support for nine new device types, including refrigerators, robot vacuums, and air purifiers, alongside improvements to existing categories.
The Matter 1.3 specification was published in May 2024, adding energy management, EV charging, and water management alongside support for new devices, including ovens, cooktops, and laundry dryers. It also brought improvements to Matter Casting, so on top of being able to cast from your phone to your TV, other smart devices—like your robot vacuum—can send messages to your TV to warn you if they’re stuck, for example.
As we’re currently seeing with AI, when a new technology becomes buzzy, companies will do almost anything to cram that tech into their products. Trends fade, however, and corporate priorities shift—resulting in bricked gadgets and buyer’s remorse.
That’s what’s happening to some who bought Oral-B toothbrushes with Amazon Alexa built in. Oral-B released the Guide for $230 in August 2020 but bricked the ability to set up or reconfigure Alexa on the product this February. As of this writing, the Guide is still available through a third-party Amazon seller.
The Guide toothbrush’s charging base was able to connect to the internet and work like an Alexa speaker that you could speak to and from which Alexa could respond. Owners could “ask to play music, hear the news, check weather, control smart home devices, and even order more brush heads by saying ‘Alexa, order Oral-B brush head replacements,’” per Procter & Gamble’s 2020 announcement.
Oral-B also bragged at the time that, in partnering with Alexa, the Guide ushered in “the truly connected bathroom.”
Oral-B Discontinued App for Setting Up Alexa
On February 15, Oral-B bricked the Guide’s ability to set up Alexa by discontinuing the Oral-B Connect app required to complete the process. Guide owners can still use the Oral-B App for other features; however, the ability to use the charging base like an Alexa smart speaker—a big draw in the product’s announcement and advertising—is seriously limited.
The device should still work with Alexa if users set it up before Oral-B shuttered Connect, but setting up a new Wi-Fi connection or reestablishing a lost one doesn’t work without Connect.
That’s a problem for Patrick Hubley, who learned that Oral-B discontinued Connect when his base inadvertently disconnected from the Wi-Fi and he tried using Connect to fix it. He told Ars Technica that when he tries using the Alexa wake word now, the speaker says, “I’m having trouble connecting to the internet. For help, go to your device’s companion app.”
Hubley attempted but failed to get a refund or replacement brush through Oral-B’s support avenues. He says he will no longer buy Oral-B or Alexa products.
I only purchased this toothbrush from Amazon because that was the only way to get the water-resistant Alexa speaker that I wanted for the bathroom … I’m ready to be done with Alexa and Oral-B both.
Connect no longer works on devices on which it’s already installed. A few users have also stated on Amazon that they can no longer set Guide up to use Alexa. However, the Guide is still available on Amazon as of this writing, with images of its box saying “Alexa built-in” and the product’s title reading “Alexa Built-In” and “Amazon Dash Replenishment Enabled.” The listing is from a third-party seller, but since Oral-B released the Guide exclusively through Amazon, shoppers could easily not realize that Alexa setup is borked.
I reached out to Amazon about this, and spokesperson Connor Rice told me:
The Oral-B Guide still has Alexa built-in and customers can keep using the Alexa experience on devices that were set up through the Oral-B Connect app. The Oral-B Guide is currently sold by an independent seller on Amazon.com. Please contact Oral-B for any further questions about their app.
Oral-B’s Response
Oral-B discontinued the Guide about two years ago and now only has one mobile app, called Oral-B. If a toothbrush brand is going to have any apps at all, one seems like the maximum reasonable number. It’s unclear why Alexa capabilities weren’t integrated into the still-standing Oral-B app.
When I reached out to Procter & Gamble, a company spokesperson said:
A smart display might be for you if you want the convenience of a smart assistant with the bonus of having something to look at. When you put Google Assistant or Amazon Alexa into a smart speaker with a tablet-size screen, you get a fun way to see the weather or album art, watch TV shows, follow video recipes, and even make video calls. We’ve tested most of the major displays and listed our favorites below.
Updated June 2024: We’ve added a new section on smart displays to skip.
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With a wireless subwoofer, room-filling virtual surround sound, and Amazon’s Alexa onboard, the Yamaha YAS-209 is the best smart soundbar you can buy right now. It’s compatible with Spotify Connect and has both Bluetooth and Wi-Fi connections, which makes it a great speaker for all-around listening in your living room.
Smart displays are great in a few different parts of the home, like the kitchen or an entryway, but might go mostly unused. The Google Pixel Tablet (7/10, WIRED Recommends) fixes that by marrying a tablet and a smart display into one handy device. The 11-inch tablet sits on the included Docking Station to turn it into a smart display, appearing almost identical to the Google Nest Hub Max, and you simply pop it off the display to turn it back into a tablet. (There may be a slight learning curve to properly disengaging it from the magnet base.)
Popping it onto the dock activates the tablet’s Hub Mode, and you can customize the display to either show your Google Photos or select one of the fun clock designs. You can easily control smart home devices by tapping the Google Home icon on the lock screen, which will pull up an overlay of your favorite smart home devices to let you control them and and check camera feeds on doorbells and Wi-Fi cameras. This feature is only available while docked, so your camera feeds are safe from strangers if you take the tablet out and about with you.
The Pixel Tablet is now our current favorite smart display for a number of other reasons. The dock’s built-in speakers have robust sound with surprisingly decent bass, so you can jam while you’re in the kitchen or the living room. There’s also multiuser support that lets you add up to eight accounts, each of which can have custom apps, layouts, and wallpapers all protected by fingerprint, so the whole family can use this device without infringing on one another.
If you don’t want to splurge on getting both a tablet and a smart display, the Nest Hub Max (8/10, WIRED Recommends) is still a great option with similar features, a large screen, and pretty impressive speakers considering the slim profile.
Connects to Google Assistant.
Best Alexa Smart Display
The Echo Show 8 (3rd Gen) keeps everything we liked about the previous model, but adds the features we like on Amazon’s pricier Echo Show displays. For the new kicks, the third-gen Show 8 gains a smart home hub that works with Zigbee, Matter, and Thread devices, and it has spatial audio capabilities (though not all music services can take advantage of this feature). It also gains widgets, which allow you to put little Post-It-sized shortcuts on your screen to things like your favorite smart home devices, calendar, or even a little digital sticky note. On the Echo Show 8 these don’t always show up, as they’re part of the display’s content rotation, but they’re fun and handy when they do.
Besides that, the Show 8 still has great sound and a perfect-size screen for seeing the weather and reading recipes without hogging too much counter or tablespace. It’s easy to control your music and smart home devices, watch videos, and get content like sports scores and weather alerts right on the screen. The 13-MP camera lets you take video calls and doubles as a security camera, or as a way to video call your family within the house.
In the days since the release of Taylor Swift’s surprise double album, “The Tortured Poets Department,” fans and critics alike have attempted to interpret and decode the masterful, metaphorical lyricism on the singer’s 31 new songs. Now, Swift is offering a direct glimpse into her mind and songwriting process through a new Amazon Alexa feature.
On Monday, Amazon launched an album experience featuring Swift’s commentary on the inspiration behind some of the “TTPD” tracks. The feature can be accessed through the Amazon Music app, or by saying to an Alexa device, “Alexa, I’m a member of the Tortured Poets Department.”
Topics for Swift’s commentary include the first single from the album, “Fortnight” with Post Malone, along with “Clara Bow,” “Florida!!!” with Florence + the Machine, “Who’s Afraid of Little Old Me?” and “My Boy Only Breaks His Favorite Toys.”
As a Swiftie, I had to give the feature a try … for investigative journalism purposes, of course! So, I said the magic words to my Alexa, which played a beat of ominous music before informing me, “You’re in.” Before I could revel in what felt like my initiation into an exclusive club, Swift’s voice filled the airwaves:
“Hi, I’m Taylor, taking you behind the scenes of my new album in a unique listening experience called track-by-track, only on Amazon Music,” she said.
From there, Swift launched into the following explanation of “Fortnight.”
“‘Fortnight’ is a song that exhibits a lot of the common themes that run throughout this album. One of which being fatalism — longing, pining away, lost dreams. I think that it’s a very fatalistic album in that there are lots of very dramatic lines about life or death. ‘I love you, it’s ruining my life.’ These are very hyperbolic, dramatic things to say. It’s that kind of album.”
Doing my due diligence as a Swiftie, I filmed my initial interaction with Swift-via-Alexa and posted it to TikTok to share the news of the Alexa feature with other fans.
Based on the comments on the video, some people didn’t have as much luck utilizing the feature. Many claimed their Alexa misheard them, with multiple users saying their device thought they were asking to listen to “Eclectic Donut.”
Technological difficulties aside, this new feature gives fans a rare intimate look into the songwriting process of Swift, while also leaving the album largely open for Swifties to interpret and relate to things that have happened in their own lives.
For her explanation of the song “Clara Bow,” Swift discusses how the entertainment industry teaches women to see themselves “like you could be the new replacement for this woman who’s done something great before you.” “Florida!!!” is an ode to Swift watching “Dateline” and seeing how some criminals try to reinvent themselves in the Sunshine State, while “My Boy Only Breaks His Favorite Toys” is about being with people who “devalue us in their mind.”
As for “Who’s Afraid of Little Old Me?” Swift was inspired by “bitter” feelings about how society treats artists.
“What do we do to our writers, and our artists, and our creatives? We put them through hell,” she says. “We watch what they create, then we judge it. We love to watch artists in pain, often to the point where I think sometimes as a society we provoke that pain and we just watch what happens.”
Listeners can also learn more about the meaning behind key words on the album by saying to their Alexa, “Alexa, give me a ‘Tortured Poets Department’ word.” Plus, a special “TTPD” introduction by Swift will play when users tell their devices, “Alexa, play the latest album by Taylor Swift.”
Since the release of “TTPD” on Friday, Swift has been smashing records. “TTPD” became the first album to exceed 200 million streams in a single day, according to Variety. With the new release, the Berks County native became the most streamed artist in a single day in Spotify history, breaking her own record from when “1989 (Taylor’s Version)” dropped in October. Amazon and Apple also said that Swift’s album broke records across their respective streaming platforms, according to CNN.
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K-Pop singer AleXa looks to break the mold of what a K-pop star is as she kicked off her US tour at the Music Hall of Williamsburg Friday, telling amNewYork Metro it hasn’t been an easy journey.
Twenty-seven-year-old Alexaudra Schneiderman—stage name AleXa—has been through a whirlwind journey over the past several years, overcoming racial and gender barriers in both the American and Korean music industry and has become, what fans cite as, an inspiration to women around the globe.
“It’s been a wild journey full of ups and downs. Being a K-Pop artist is a demanding job, but I could not be more grateful for the position I am in and for the experiences I have had the last couple of years,” AleXa told amNew York Metro.
“As time has gone by, I’ve been able to start writing and creating my own music. I’m grateful that some of my songs have made it out of the vault and been shared with my fans. I can only work harder and hope for more of my personal songs to come into the light,” AleXa added.
Born in Tulsa, Oklahoma to a South Korean mother and Russian American father, AleXa has been participating in singing competitions since 2016, winning Rising Legends—a Korean audition program to earn a spot at Soompi, JYP Entertainment and Cube Entertainment—and even signing with ZB Label in 2018. In 2022, she won NBC’s American Song Contest. With all of her training and experience, AleXa has continuously fought hard to break stereotypical tropes proving that a 4’11 Asian woman can be strong, independent, and a rockstar on the American and Korean stage.
AleXa on stage.Photo by Amanda Moses
“I’m definitely not the first of my kind, but I’m definitely the first to have accomplished all that I have, with such a loving and kind-hearted fan base by my side. Straight from debut, I wanted to empower women with my music and concept; women can be strong, badass, and tough. Even someone as small as me (4’11” lol). I want to constantly remain a strong female figure within the KPOP & now western pop industry,” AleXa said.
After six years since signing with ZB Label before her debut in October 2019, the K-Pop soloist says she is not holding back as she rocks the United States with her tour “Sick of You,” hosted by Studio Pav.
AleXa is pulling out all the stops, going through her musical repertoire from her debut track “Bomb,” two unreleased songs “Okay” and “Distraction” as well as her latest single, “Sick,” which focuses on taking off rose-tinted glasses to see the truth behind relationships. The concert maintained a theme of unraveling the mystery of love and brought forward the importance of loving oneself.
“I believe its lyrics [for “Sick”] cover a universal story that’s been felt and experienced by many; someone makes you “sick” because of how perfect they seem in your mind. Through the music video, however, I interpreted the lyrics differently; in the MV we see AleXa fighting with, and eventually killing, her boyfriend/lover (whatever he was, I’m not even sure myself, haha-) and I, personally, see this as AleXa killing off the idolized rose-tinted image she had of this man. It’s a visual metaphor, rather than just a graphic music video,” AleXa said.
Starting in Williamsburg, AleXa’s concert was an intimate setting between herself and fans where they were able to participate in a Meet and Greet, one-on-one Polaroid photos, and even offered love advice.
The K-Pop solists fans, affectionately known as A.I Troopers, describe AleXa as being an inspiration to them because of her perfect imperfections. With a quirky demeanor and ability to get an entire audience throwing their heads backs with laughter, AleXa made sure her audience felt seen and heard. Her relatability and strength are just a few quat that made Christina Pollio, 28, travel from Philadelphia for an opportunity to see AleXa live.
AleXaPhoto by Amanda Moses
“She doesn’t necessarily stick to one genre. Yes, she does K-Pop but it’s not standard K-Pop, a lot of girl groups when they do come out it’s very bubble gum cute, and when AleXa came out she said ‘I’m not doing that. I am strong and I am going to show you what I am. I appreciate that. She’s really honest,” Pollio said.
New Jersey native, Jorelle Rea, 25, calls AleXa a role model and believes she is the prime example of someone who should be spotlighted for Women’s History Month.
“AleXa is a super inspiring. She has always been constantly working and doing something and it’s really motivating,” Rea said. “I’m really excited to see from where she started to where is going forward.”
“AleXa is an inspiration and empowering. With how she has developed her image, it makes me reflect who am I and think about her as a person and who am I as a person. So, she is a good role model,” Rea added.
While fans say they see AleXa as a role model, for her there is only one woman that fits that esteemed title: her mother.
“My mother, first and foremost. She has faced hardships and adversity her whole life; she is someone I respect and love wholeheartedly,” AleXa said.
The next stop on AleXa’s tour is Atlanta on April 2.
Amazon’s family of Alexa-enabled devices is vast. From the spherical Echo to the swiveling Echo Show 10, you can get Alexa into your home in many ways. These devices can answer your questions, help you order essentials, set timers, play all sorts of audio content, and even function as the control hub for your growing smart home. These are our favorite Echo- and Alexa-compatible speakers for every home and budget.
Updated February 2024: We’ve added the Echo Show 8 (3rd Gen) as our new smart display pick. We’ve also added advice for controlling content shown on your Echo Show device.
Special offer for Gear readers: Get a1-year subscription toWIREDfor $5 ($25 off). This includes unlimited access to WIRED.com and our print magazine (if you’d like). Subscriptions help fund the work we do every day.
There are officially two weeks left until Christmas Day…and with Hanukkah underway already, you may be scrambling for that last-minute perfect gift. It’s not always easy, especially when you’re shopping for the chronically online person whose always buying themselves a “little treat”, you often wonder: “What do I get the person who has it all?”
I know my friends have this issue when shopping for me because I am not shy about treating myself. Being a material girl in a material world also means that I know the perfect gift for everyone in your life. If you’re waiting for your next paycheck to do some final holiday shopping this year, and are in need of some brilliant inspo- you’ve come to the right place.
Here are our picks for our 2023 holiday gift guide!
Listen in on Santa’s workshop, track letters to Santa, countdown to Christmas with a daily song, plus much more – all via Amazon Alexa
Press Release –
Dec 6, 2022
SEATTLE, December 6, 2022 (Newswire.com)
– Award-winning audio production company ‘Reel2Media’ has today released its latest Amazon Alexa Skill ‘North Pole Plus’ designed to bring joy to girls and boys (and even their parents) this festive season.
Last Christmas, ‘North Pole Live’ allowed users to listen in on Santa’s workshop, bringing the magic of Christmas direct to living rooms across North America. Now, its creators are taking things to another level with ‘North Pole Plus’ – a bundle of six Santa-themed Amazon Alexa skills that capture the magic of Christmas in one festive interactive audio package.
From tracking letters to Santa to singing down the sleeps ’til Christmas or listening to the radio station of choice for Santa and his elves, North Pole Plus provides parents with FREE content to entertain and occupy their children throughout December, providing experiences that will enhance a family’s overall Christmas experience.
The heart of North Pole Plus and the station of choice for Santa and his elves. Ho Ho Radio broadcasts live from the North Pole, delivering news, weather, Christmas music, and even ‘commercials.’
Even kids’ letters to Santa have gone hi-tech. Letters can now be tracked every step of the way with the help of Santa’s mailroom workers.
North Pole Plus has been created by award-winning audio production company Reel2Media. Talking about the decision to expand their original North Pole Live offering into ‘North Pole Plus,’ Reel2Media Co-Founder Anthony Gay said: “When we were creating ‘North Pole Live’ last year, we immediately recognized and were excited by the creative opportunities for expansion. It was very much something we knew we wanted to explore this year, and the success of ‘North Pole Live’ only confirmed to us that this was something we should pursue. We couldn’t be happier with the end result. North Pole Plus combines tradition and nostalgia with cutting-edge interactivity and true theatre of the mind that will leave children and adults alike feeling warm and fuzzy this festive season. We hope that it will become part of many pre-Christmas routines, helping build excitement and anticipation as the big day draws closer.”
North Pole Plus is completely FREE to use and now available from the Alexa Skills store, or just say “Alexa, open North Pole Plus” to get started. Merry Christmas!
ABOUT REEL2MEDIA
Reel2Media is a new audio content company from the team behind ReelWorld – a global leader in audio branding with over 25 years of experience working with the world’s biggest radio stations on their imaging and jingles. ReelWorld provides station sound for thousands of radio stations around the world, including Z100 New York, BBC Radio 1, KIIS LA, and Heart UK.
Reel2Media was formed in 2019 with the purpose of helping brands engage audiences using the power of sound.
Combining rich storytelling, music, and high production values with the latest audio and smart speaker technology, Reel2Media creates innovative and interactive audio experiences, podcasts and sonic branding, delivering content that adds value. Content people want to listen to. Content that connects brands with their audiences.
The Xbox Series S is one of my favorite purchases. It’s the little machine that could, a less powerful version of a next-gen console, that somehow is able to run everything anyway. Today you can get one for under $200, the cheapest it’s ever been—even cheaper than last week’s cheapest ever. You know, if you don’t mind being part of the evils of corporate America.
I know this reads like one of those posts where Kotaku gets a giant wad of cash for every purchase, but honestly, I’m writing this up because it’s so damned cheap. The catch is you need to buy it through Amazon, and Amazon is awful.
So, you know, having $40 on your Amazon account is the same as having $40 in your bank account that you’d have spent on Amazon anyway. In fact, the next $40-worth of stuff you buy from Amazon will feel like it’s free! It doesn’t matter that you put the money there yourself, it’ll still feel like a free thing when you order, and the checkout says it’s covered. We’re so stupid.
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However, you do end up getting a really awesome console, while giving Microsoft, that already sells it at a loss, far less money. Sure, you’ll end up spending a fortune more on expanded storage for it, because the S comes with a ludicrous 364GB free on its puny SSD. And yeah, you’re going to pay a monthly tithe to Game Pass for there to be any point in owning it. And then you’ll need that second controller…
Capitalism is evil! But we still want games consoles, and this is the cheapest way you’re going to get a brand new one. Now, who wants to give me a job in advertorial?
