You can now control your TV with the speaker's IR blaster
Xiaomi launched its first Mi Smart Speaker nearly two years ago. The Google Assistant-powered speaker was well received in the subcontinental region and rivaled the likes of products such as the Amazon Echo Dot 3rd Gen series. This month is Xiaomi India's eighth anniversary, and timed perfectly with the occasion, a new smart speaker is launching in the region: the Xiaomi Smart Speaker IR Control. It's here to give some of the best speakers in the market some severe competition.
Cough up the dough or start sending customers refunds, Google
The ongoing lawsuit between Google and Sonos probably isn’t in the forefront of anyone's mind right now, but after recently digging into a change YouTube made for the worse on its Chromecast app, I can’t really stop thinking about it. Did you know that if you have a Pixel phone and need to reset a Chromecast or connect it to a new Wi-Fi network, you’re basically screwed? One of the most popular streaming dongles in the world, noted for its simplicity and ease of use, now offers an inconsistent and degraded experience, adding to the other deficiencies Google itself announced for its Nest and Home speakers when it comes to volume adjustments and groups, taking away features and functionality customers paid for.
No longer will you be stuck with Amazon Music for your streaming needs
Amazon's Echo devices are the most popular home assistant devices on the market, thanks to the company's wide range of options and years of experience. In addition to controlling your lights and other smart devices, music playback is one of the primary uses for smart speakers and displays. By default, Echo devices use Amazon Music, but what if you prefer Spotify, Apple Music, or Tidal? Thankfully you can change the default music service.
Have some smart home fun on the cheap
Prime Day 2022 is rapidly drawing to a close, but you've still got a few hours to score some quality deals. If you're after the thrill of a bargain but don't want to spend much, you're in luck: TP-Link's already affordable line of Kasa smart home accessories are even cheaper than usual today. Right now, you can get four smart plugs for just $23, which shakes out to less than $6 apiece.
One of the best smart displays gets even better during Prime Day
I've been a fan of smart home tech for a while now. In the mid-2010s, my small apartment was already equipped with a first-generation Google Home and a half dozen smart lights, donning the colorful arrays found in so many mid-20-year-olds' homes. Since then, my collection has evolved substantially, adding Echo Dots, Ring cameras, Google Home Minis, Google TV, and smart light strips. However, the collection felt a bit more complete, when I was fortunate enough to add and review the Echo Show 10, which is currently only $180 thanks to Amazon Prime Day.
The August Smart Lock works with your existing deadbolt, and it's down to $150
Smart locks can be some of the most useful smart home gadgets, but they're also annoying to install. If you have a non-standard door, it can be impossible to replace your existing lock with a smart one, but that's why the August Smart Lock is our editor's choice pick. This device fits over top of your existing deadbolt, giving you all the same functionality as an all-in-one solution. It's usually just as expensive as other smart locks, but the price has been slashed for Prime Day to just $149.99, an $80 discount.
Track your weight, body composition and activity at an all-new low price
The Withings Body+ has been out for a while now, but it remains one of the best smart scale options out there. The most common criticism of them in the past has been their relatively high asking price, but take advantage of this Amazon Prime Day deal, and you’ll be able to pick one up for practically nothing. Considering what you get with these scales, it's pretty much a steal.
Plus a bunch of deals on other Blink cameras
Ring might be a popular choice for home security, but it's not the only camera company owned by Amazon. Just a few months before acquiring the leader in video doorbells, Amazon purchased Blink, another popular choice for security cameras both indoors and out. If you've had your eyes on boosting the safety in and around your home, all sorts of Blink products are on sale for Prime Day — including its three-camera Outdoor kit.
Amazon's entry-level smart speaker delivers
Amazon effectively kicked off the smart speaker market with the launch of the original Amazon Echo in 2015. The product line has gone through several evolutions and expansions since then, but for many customers, the Echo Dot has been a key entry point into the ecosystem thanks to a budget-friendly price and support for the full range of Amazon’s services. Now in its fourth generation, it adopts the new look of the larger Echo while retaining all of the qualities that made the original Dot popular.
These smart speakers offer premium sound coupled with the advanced functionality of Amazon's Alexa
Amazon's Alexa is one of the most popular smart voice assistants. It works on many devices but truly shines when integrated into a fantastic smart speaker. Whether you want to quickly check the weather, play your favorite song, set a timer, or call a friend, Alexa can do it. You can also use your Alexa-enabled speaker to control any other smart devices connected to the same Wi-Fi network.
Alexa finds a home on your wall
Amazon makes Echo Show smart displays in a bunch of different form factors. Opposite the itty-bitty Echo Show 5 on the screen-size spectrum sits the Echo Show 15, a giant, 15.6-inch Alexa display styled like a framed picture and designed to be hung on the wall. It's spendy at an MSRP of $250, but if you can stomach the price tag, you're getting one of the most unique and versatile smart displays out there.
Smartify your lights for under $80 right now
Smart lights are one of the most noticeable upgrades you can make to your home, and the undisputed king of smart lights is the Philips Hue lineup. Similar bundles of Phillips' Hue lights have consistently made the top of our best smart light lists and rank highly on our lists of all smart home devices.
Upgrade your smart home for cheap this Prime Day
Prime Day is the perfect event for those looking to start or upgrade their smart home setup. Not only are Amazon's own smart home devices experiencing hefty discounts, plenty of other brands are offering significant price reductions on everything from smart lights to plugs to cameras and beyond.
Hate the airport slightly less with this discounted luggage tracker
For someone who regularly misplaces their belongings, a Bluetooth tracker like the Samsung Galaxy SmartTag would be an appropriate choice for retrieving lost items. This tracker is a relatively unknown and under-appreciated product in the smart tech space. Although this low-cost item locator is generally a steal at only $30 on Amazon, it can now be collected for only $18 a piece thanks to the company's Prime Day sale, making it an absolute must-buy.
Add a new friend to your smart home for just $20 right now
Are you looking to start up your smart home or need some assistance controlling your smart home tech? Alexa is here to help in the form of its 4th generation model smart home speaker, the Amazon Echo Dot. The Echo Dot is one of the most popular smart home speakers, capable of streaming music from Spotify playlists (as well as all your favorite music apps) and managing your other smart home devices, all while offering human-like conversations with the smart assistant Alexa to break the awkward silence in your home. For only $20, you can welcome Alexa into your home today by picking up a 4th gen Amazon Echo Dot, which is 60% off the original price tag, but it can only be snagged during Prime Day!
The Nest Audio is down to 60 bucks
We're in the thick of yet another Prime Day, and deals abound. Amazon isn't the only company in on the fun, though: a lot of brands are offering their own discounts, separately from the big sale. For example, Google's Nest Audio, which isn't available on Amazon at all, is down to $60 today — and if you're into the Google Assistant ecosystem, you should absolutely pick one up.
Hefty savings are also available for the Nest Audio, Mini, and Chromecast with Google TV
Amazon Prime Day is a great time to pick up a new smart display or smart speaker, with everything so heavily discounted. However, Google doesn't directly sell its Nest lineup of smart speakers and displays on Amazon. Apparently the big G doesn't want that to be a reason for you to go ahead and buy a competing product, so it's hosting a sale of its own on the Google Store, where it has heavily discounted Nest-branded smart speakers and displays.
You can grab these GE CYNC smart bulbs at their lowest price ever
One of the best smart light bulbs out there that supports Google Assistant is on sale for this year's Amazon Prime Day. We're talking about the GE CYNC Smart Light Bulb for A19 fixtures, coming in with a maximum brightness equivalent to a 60W incandescent light. You can grab a two-pack of the bulb for just a few cents more than $18. Given that the usual listing price is $24, that's a cool 23% discount that could sweeten this deal to help you finally smartify your lighting.
An unmissable price for one of our favorite pieces of security tech
From noise-canceling earbuds to robot vacuum cleaners, few tech firms offer as much bang for the buck as Wyze. Arguably the most impressive example of their value-for-money gear is the feature-packed Wyze Cam v3 security camera — and it’s now up for grabs for an even cheaper price on Amazon Prime Day.
Subscription costs and a lack of purpose keep Ring's portable camera from shining
Ring might be best known for its Video Doorbell lineup, but the company has also expanded into all sorts of other security cameras. For as low as $60, you can throw up security cameras around your house, capturing any movement both inside and out. You’ll have to pay a little more if running a power cable is a no-go.
