Devices such as smart speakers, wearable devices and smartphones have the potential to be powered by light sources within the home, researchers have found. Scientists found that one type of material developed for next-generation solar panels could be repurposed to harvest ambient light generated indoors by lightbulbs.

It’s not quite Harry Potter, but plenty of magic enthusiasts have fashioned their own wands and used them to control devices around the home. Look online and you can see hobbyists attempting to turn on the TV, control lights and other devices at home. This sparked an idea for Matthew Cortland and, during lockdown, he started a business – Wands & Wizard Exploratorium, in Soho, London.

Many homeowners are favoring smart home technology more because it can save them money with their insurance. The added layer of security you invest in can show insurance companies that you are prioritizing home safety. As a result, they may deem you as a candidate less prone to risk. This is why a majority of households today have at least one smart home device, if not multiple.

Samsung released a new device this week that floats somewhere between a smart TV, a computer monitor, and a smart display. The new Smart Monitor, which comes in 27-inch and 32-inch variants, runs on Samsung Tizen and includes a remote control with voice control and access to Amazon Alexa, Google Assistant, and Samsung Bixby voice assistants.

You can change your Google Assistant voice for your Google devices by selecting from as many as a dozen alternatives. You can select a different voice using the Google Home app on your iPhone or Android device by changing the assistant voice settings. Any voice you choose applies to every instance of Google on your account, including your phone and Google smart speakers.

Roku still doesn’t have HBO Max’s streaming app. Peacock streams free shows and movies but not on Amazon Fire TV. And T-Mobile just rolled out its own live-channel streaming service, TVision — but Roku users, again, are out of luck. These gaps in app support used to be rare on streaming devices. This year, they’ve cropped up with nearly every launch of a big, new streaming service. Why?

Smart speakers and voice assistants are perhaps most useful for controlling your smart home, but in that case, it’s all about instant actions. Now, Google Assistant is adding the ability to schedule commands, certainly a handy trick!