Your smart lock now works with your smart speaker — your Apple smart speaker, that is. August announced that its third-generation Buy Now and second-generation Buy Now are now compatible with the Apple HomePod, which means that your extremely expensive audio device is now also something of a smart home controller. Upon its launch, HomePod users were quick to laud the sound quality of the speaker itself, but just as quick to lament the lack of real functionality beyond playing music. August’s new integration may begin to change that.
“HomePod offers another great way to control your lock with your voice,” August noted in a release. Of course, the connected lock company has long offered compatibility with other smart home hubs on the market — you’ve been able to control August locks via Alexa since 2016, and earlier in March, August unveiled deeper integrations with Google Assistant as well.
That said, thanks to HomePod’s advanced six-microphone array and advanced echo cancellation system, Siri may be better equipped to hear your commands than Alexa or Assistant, which makes controlling your door from afar that much easier.
Using this new integration seems to be quite straightforward. August lock owners can use Siri on their iPhone or Apple Watch to tell the HomePod, “Siri, lock my front door.” Alternatively, folks can include the Smart Lock as part of a good night scene, which means that with a single command, they will be able to prepare their homes for the evening. We should point out that while the HomePod can now lock your door and provide you with the lock’s status (who hasn’t forgotten whether or not they actually secured their entryway?), you can’t ask Siri on the HomePod to actually unlock your Smart Lock Pro or Smart Lock. Sure, that is likely much less important, but it’s still a functionality that we will need to look out for in the months to come.
Previously, controlling your devices from afar meant you had to have either an Apple TV or an iPad. But now, the HomePod serves as a ready conduit between your HomeKit-compatible devices and your iPhone or Apple Watch.
Outdoor security cameras are not always practical if you live in an apartment or rental. Drilling into an exterior wall may be off-limits, while pointing a regular indoor camera through a window can create another problem once reflections start showing up after dark.
Baseus is trying to solve both issues with the new PrimeSentinel W1, a $69.99 security camera designed specifically to monitor the outdoors through glass. It mounts directly to a window without drilling and uses a 4K Starlight sensor with an F1.0 aperture for full-color monitoring during the day and at night.
This post is brought to you in paid partnership with Best Buy.
Technology evolves every day, transforming how we live and work. Our devices are becoming more than tools we use. They are increasingly capable companions that help streamline day-to-day routines and spark creative ideas. If you have been waiting for the right moment to upgrade your tech setup, the Discover Samsung Shopping Event offers an opportunity to explore what connected, AI-powered living can look like.
With AI progressing so fast, it's only a matter of time before we start getting AI companions like the ones we used to see in movies like R2-D2, Wall-E, or Baymax. Now, Singapore-based OKA Technology has unveiled Mori, a cute little AI companion that looks less like a conventional home robot and more like someone turned the Pokémon Foongus into a table lamp.
Mori isn't meant to clean your house or control your smart home, but to serve as what OKA calls a "Nature Companion." It uses subtle movements, warm lighting, nature-inspired sounds, and small reactions to make its presence around the house feel calming rather than distracting. Mori can sit quietly while you read, sway along to music, welcome you when you enter a room, or encourage you to slow down for a moment without requiring a screen or a conversation.