Matthew Cassinelli and Mikah Sargent announce the sunsetting of Smart Tech Today and look back at the year's smart home trends.

• Amazon's Alexa Stalled With Users as Interest Faded, Documents Show
• Matthew's Airtable list of Smart Tech Today stories
• Matthew's Airtable list of Smart Tech Today's most-covered topics
• Ember Mug
• HomePod
• Eve Motion Sensor
• Awair
• Eve Door and Window Sensor
• Hue Motion Sensor
• Nanoleaf Canvas

Picks of the week

• Matthew: Focused 2022 Calendar
• Mikah: Beyerdynamic MMX 150

Hosts: Mikah Sargent and Matthew Cassinelli

Download or subscribe to this show at https://twit.tv/shows/smart-tech-today

Get episodes ad-free with Club TWiT at https://twit.tv/clubtwit

Show notes and links for this episode are available at: https://twit.tv/shows/smart-tech-today/episodes/109

Sponsors:

• betterhelp.com/stt
• UserWay.org/twit

The upcoming universal language for smart home devices, Matter, has revealed a TV spec that will theoretically allow for universal media casting. The Opal C1 webcam aims to be a DSLR camera packed into a webcam frame. Intel thinks it's going to be awhile before the Metaverse really kicks off due to technological constraints it feels its chips can help surpass.

• Matter could bring universal casting that actually works
• Smart home company Eve plans to use Matter to move beyond Apple's HomeKit
• Opal's C1 offers DSLR-rivaling video quality in a small form factor
• Dell's wireless webcam prototype uses magnets to stick to a screen
• Google Home update makes it easier to review Nest camera footage
• MGM Resorts is letting job seekers try out roles using virtual reality as it looks to reduce employee churn
• Intel Throws Cold Water on the Metaverse Happening Any Time Soon
• Meta adds sign language interpreters for Portal video calls
• LG's StanbyME is a wireless TV on wheels
• Alexa's latest celebrity voice is Santa Claus himself
• Enhanced Sleep Sensing in Nest Hub

Picks of the week

• Matthew: Grovemade Wool Felt Desk Pad
• Mikah: Eve Room (with Thread)

Hosts: Mikah Sargent and Matthew Cassinelli

Download or subscribe to this show at https://twit.tv/shows/smart-tech-today

Get episodes ad-free with Club TWiT at https://twit.tv/clubtwit

Show notes and links for this episode are available at: https://twit.tv/shows/smart-tech-today/episodes/108

Sponsors:

• UserWay.org/twit
• betterhelp.com/stt

Amazon's Alexa voice assistant is happy to announce package updates, but that's a bit of an issue around the holidays. Meta (Facebook) has opened up Horizon Worlds to adults in the U.S. and Canada. DARPA is funding research from a company that makes a device to charge a swarm of drones.

• Sonos plans to improve its mixed environmental track record
• How to keep Alexa from ruining your Christmas surprises
• Kobo's Elipsa and Sage e-readers are better for reading than writing
• Meta opens up access to its VR social platform Horizon Worlds
• DARPA Is Exploring Ways to Wirelessly Charge Drone Swarms
• Drop a Magnet on This Map and a Fake Window Provides Live Views From Around the World
• Razer's New MagSafe Cooling Fan Brings RGB to Your iPhone, Because Why Not
• A New Tesla Safety Concern: Drivers Can Play Video Games in Moving Cars
• The Popular Family Safety App Life360 Is Selling Precise Location Data on Its Tens of Millions of Users
• Apple and Hyatt begin rolling out hotel keys in Apple Wallet
• Kuo: Apple AR Headset to Feature Advanced Hand Gesture Controls and Object Detection

Picks of the week

• Dan: Lutron Aurora Smart Bulb Dimmer Switch
• Mikah: Anker 637 Magnetic Charging Station

Hosts: Mikah Sargent and Dan Moren

Download or subscribe to this show at https://twit.tv/shows/smart-tech-today

Get episodes ad-free with Club TWiT at https://twit.tv/clubtwit

Show notes and links for this episode are available at: https://twit.tv/shows/smart-tech-today/episodes/107

Sponsors:

• betterhelp.com/stt
• UserWay.org/twit

Google is rumored to be working on its first smartwatch that will reportedly debut in 2022. Some of Amazon's Alexa-enabled devices will be able to listen for the sound of running water or appliances beeping in order to alert you or trigger a routine. 7-Eleven partners with Nuro for autonomous vehicle deliveries.

• New Google Maps Features Will Help You Navigate the Holiday Shopping Shitshow
• Healthcare providers in Google Search, Maps can now list which insurance they accept
• Google announces grab bag of new Android features for the end of 2021
• Google is making its first in-house smartwatch that could launch in 2022
• Google's 'Look to Speak' accessibility app now works in 17 more languages
• Spotify Pulls Plug on Car View Feature, Offers Users No Alternative
• Amazon Alexa can now respond to running water and bleeping appliances
• Twinkly smart holiday lights gain HomeKit support via new firmware update
• Honeywell Home's T9 smart thermostat gets HomeKit support, finally
• 7-Eleven and Nuro begin autonomous vehicle deliveries in California
• Uber's audio recording safety feature is coming to the US
• Microsoft Makes Breakthrough in the Quest to Use DNA as Data Storage
• Twenty percent of Xbox Cloud Gaming players only use touch controls
• Holiday IoT Ugly Sweater Workshop

Picks of the week

• Matthew: Mozy Stadium Blanket
• Mikah: Google Nest Hub (2nd gen)

Hosts: Mikah Sargent and Matthew Cassinelli

Download or subscribe to this show at https://twit.tv/shows/smart-tech-today

Get episodes ad-free with Club TWiT at https://twit.tv/clubtwit

Show notes and links for this episode are available at: https://twit.tv/shows/smart-tech-today/episodes/106

Sponsors:

• hover.com/twit
• betterhelp.com/stt
• UserWay.org/twit

Amazon has begun to roll out a new, smarter "Conversation Mode" to Echo Show 10 devices that helps Alexa take visual and audio cues from nearby users. The company has also introduced four new smart switches that work with Alexa. Instagram has a new bug-reporting feature called "Rage Shake" that lets you shake your phone to report a bug.

• Amazon starts rolling out Alexa's Conversation Mode on Echo Show 10
• Some Echo speakers can now detect people
• What should you eat? Thanks to this Amazon employee, Alexa can help
• Amazon has four new smart switches
• Zipline starts first commercial US drone deliveries with Walmart partnership in Arkansas
• Starbucks Has Launched a Cafe in NYC That Uses Amazon's Cashierless Payment System
• FCC votes to let people text '988' to reach the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline starting in July
• Instagram Has Announced a New Feature Called 'Rage Shake'
• Ring doorbells will be able to greet people with holiday cheer
• Upcoming smart home products wirelessly charge without cable or pad

Picks of the week

• Dan: Level Bolt
• Mikah: Google Pixel Buds A-Series

Hosts: Mikah Sargent and Dan Moren

Download or subscribe to this show at https://twit.tv/shows/smart-tech-today

Get episodes ad-free with Club TWiT at https://twit.tv/clubtwit

Show notes and links for this episode are available at: https://twit.tv/shows/smart-tech-today/episodes/105

Sponsor:

• UserWay.org/twit

Google releases an update for its Nest Hub that adds more sleep tracking metrics, Flo Ion reviews the new Lenovo Smart Clock, and Ikea makes some sound-dampening curtains to block out noise from your roommates and pets.

• Google's Nest Hub gets more sleep tracking features
• Author Clock' Tells Time Using Book Quotes That Mention the Time of Day
• Stack Overflow's Copy / Paste Keyboard Is No Joke
• I Love This Smart Alarm Clock
• Ikea Made Sound-Absorbing Curtains to Broker Peace Between Noisy Roommates
• The Playdate Handheld Console Is Delayed Until 2022
• Steam Deck Launch Delayed as Valve Succumbs to the Chip Crunch
• Qualcomm's Snapdragon Spaces try to make it easier to get apps ready for augmented reality
• Qualcomm's new AR 'Smart Viewer' lets you pin virtual screens to your walls
• Lenovo ThinkReality A3 based on Qualcomm's reference design
• Controller for HomeKit adds new maintenance features for HomeKit troubleshooting
• Review: Apple's polishing cloth is the new gold standard for device cleaning
• Netatmo announces HomeKit compatible CO detector
• Amazon launches a $70 air quality monitor for Alexa
• Tempo's New Smart Home Gym Is Actually Affordable
• Peloton Made a Camera That'll Guide You While You Lift Weights
• Fitbit's new feature might tell you not to go to the gym after all
• Withings reveals a new hybrid ScanWatch with medical tracking, 30-day battery
• All I want from my smartwatch is to give me a break

Picks of the week

• Matthew: AirPods Beanies
• Mikah: Lovebox

Hosts: Mikah Sargent and Matthew Cassinelli

Download or subscribe to this show at https://twit.tv/shows/smart-tech-today

Get episodes ad-free with Club TWiT at https://twit.tv/clubtwit

Show notes and links for this episode are available at: https://twit.tv/shows/smart-tech-today/episodes/104

Sponsors:

• Command Line Heroes - STT
• UserWay.org/twit

Facebook's AI research team is improving upon technologies that let robots "feel," GM's Cruise embarks on its first completely driverless ride in San Francisco, and GE releases a "Turkey Mode" software update for its smart cooking appliances.

• Microsoft's Mesh for Teams brings mixed reality to work
• Facebook is enabling a new generation of touchy-feely robots
• Miso Robotics made its Flippy kitchen robot faster and even more autonomous
• University of Adelaide built a robot spider to scan Australia's Naracoorte Caves
• Leak suggests a Sonos Voice Assistant launch is imminent
• Cruise launches driverless robotaxi service in San Francisco
• Apple Wants iPhones to Detect Car Crashes, Auto-Dial 911
• Cooperative Perception' Could Help Autonomous Vehicles See Pedestrians Around Corners
• Arlo's latest LTE camera is cheaper and captures 1080p footage
• Traeger now ships full barbecue meals for you to cook on its smart grills
• Gobble, gobble: GE Appliances wants you to trust its smart oven to cook the perfect turkey

Picks of the week

• Jason: Google One users in 4 countries can get a free 2nd-gen Nest Hub by upgrading to 2TB annual plan
• Mikah: LED Strip Light Connector Kit

Hosts: Mikah Sargent and Jason Howell

Download or subscribe to this show at https://twit.tv/shows/smart-tech-today

Get episodes ad-free with Club TWiT at https://twit.tv/clubtwit

Show notes and links for this episode are available at: https://twit.tv/shows/smart-tech-today/episodes/103

Sponsor:

• UserWay.org/twit

Delving into the Facebook Connect event and the announcement of Facebook's new name, detailing Wyze's new smart home products, and more.

• Facebook just revealed its new name: Meta
• Meta (Facebook) is retiring the Oculus brand
• Facebook says it doesn't want to own the metaverse, just jumpstart it
• Facebook teases 'Project Cambria' high-end VR / AR headset
• Active Pack accessories prepare your Oculus Quest 2 for sweaty VR workouts
• Facebook is adding a mixed reality platform to Oculus Quest
• Slack and Dropbox are coming to Oculus Quest
• Wyze announces several new products in honor of its 4th birthday
• Tesla's Sentry Mode now offers drivers a live view of their car
• Mercedes-Benz cars are getting Dolby Atmos in 2022
• Mercedes' electric delivery van concept cleans the surrounding air
• Get Your Own Ghostbusters Proton Pack
• Canon's PowerShot PX Looks Like a Security Camera but Captures Precious Moments Instead of Crooks
• Raspberry Pi packs more power into its $15 Zero 2 W board
• McDonald's will sell McD Tech Labs to IBM
• Android 12 is so last week: Meet Android 12L, now in developer preview

Picks of the week

• Matthew: Ember mug
• Mikah: The Spice House spices, blends, and extracts

Hosts: Mikah Sargent and Matthew Cassinelli

Download or subscribe to this show at https://twit.tv/shows/smart-tech-today

Get episodes ad-free with Club TWiT at https://twit.tv/clubtwit

Show notes and links for this episode are available at: https://twit.tv/shows/smart-tech-today/episodes/102

Sponsor:

• UserWay.org/twit