Installing a solar roof in your home is a great way to reduce both your carbon footprint and your energy costs, but unfortunately, actually getting one on top of your house is usually a rather large undertaking. With traditional solar panels, you have to affix racks and other mounting hardware to your existing roof before you can attach the panels themselves. And if you opt for Tesla’s snazzy, modern Solar Roof tiles, you’ll have to dish out big bucks for a team of specialists to replace your existing roof shingles completely.
But soon there might be a third option. A new product has surfaced at CES 2022 that could make putting a solar roof on your house a whole lot easier.
GAF Energy — one of the largest roofing companies in the U.S. — recently pulled the curtain back on a new kind of shingle called the Timberline Solar that can be nailed to your existing roof for easy installation. They’re designed to function much like regular shingles, so rather than requiring a team of specialists for the install, any qualified roofer can simply attach them to your roof with a nail gun.
GAF claims this will cost about half as much as installing a Tesla solar roof. The company hasn’t released specific pricing details quite yet, but reports suggest that it’ll be comparable to the cost of an average non-solar roofing installation.
The only downside? GAF’s cheap and easy-to-install Timberline Solar shingles will also likely produce less energy than their competitors. The Timberline system reportedly has a 45W capacity, which is significantly below Tesla’s 71W shingles or an average 300W solar panel. As always, there are pros and cons.
Still, even with the power output tradeoffs, a cheaper solar roofing option could make solar power more accessible to homeowners who can’t otherwise afford it, and that’s an exciting prospect. GAF also insists that it’s well-equipped to get this technology out into the world quite quickly. As one of the largest roofing manufacturers in the world, the company believes it will be able to quickly bring its Timberline solar shingles to interested customers across the country.
It’s not clear how soon the company will start shipping and installing these solar shingles, but you can start the registration process on its website right now.
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.