Smart Home, Smart Live, Smart Solutions
With the new M5Paper Color ESP32S3 Dev Kit, M5Stack has introduced a new development board particularly suitable for DIY displays in the smart home. The device combines a color E-Ink display with an ESP32-S3 controller, integrated battery, Wi-Fi, and Bluetooth connectivity. The 4-inch Spectra 6 color display has a resolution of 600 × 400 pixels. As with classic E-Paper displays […]
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A new firmware update is available for IKEA's KLIPBPOK water leak sensor. Version 1.0.13 is currently being rolled out to users and is primarily intended to improve the stability of the new Matter-over-Thread devices. This update follows numerous community reports of connection and pairing problems with IKEA's new Matter devices. IKEA's Matter devices have recently been criticized […]
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Samsung SmartThings and Home Assistant will now officially work together. The new integration not only improves the stability of the connection between the two platforms, but also makes it easier to use a wide variety of smart home devices within a single system. Previously, connecting SmartThings to Home Assistant was possible, but it relied on a community integration using Personal Access Tokens (PATs). […]
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With Home Assistant 2026.5, the Open Home Foundation has released one of its most comprehensive updates in recent memory. This release not only brings numerous improvements to dashboards and automations, but also opens Home Assistant up more significantly to traditional wireless technology and older hardware generations for the first time. Existing devices will remain usable, while the user interface has been modernized and configuration simplified.
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Home Assistant version 2026.4 is a particularly comprehensive update, bringing both new features and fundamental improvements to existing Home Assistant systems. The focus is on better integration of older devices, significantly simplified automation creation, and a further improved user interface. With this update, Home Assistant continues its monthly release cycle […]
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The SwitchBot Plug Mini is a compact smart plug from Matter that integrates standard household appliances into a smart home system. Aimed primarily at beginners and budget-conscious users, the device even undercuts the price of the recently introduced IKEA GRILLPLATS smart plug. While the IKEA plug is currently available for around €8.99, the […]
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Integrating the Segway Navimow robotic lawnmower into Home Assistant was long only possible via workarounds. With Navimow app version 4.1.0, there is now an official solution for the first time. This guide will show you step-by-step how to set up your Navimow in Home Assistant, what prerequisites must be met, and which functions are currently available […]
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With the GRILLPLATS smart plug, IKEA is launching a new, particularly affordable Matter-compatible smart plug. It can be used not only within the IKEA ecosystem but also easily integrated into open systems like Home Assistant. In this article, we test how the integration with Home Assistant works and what features the smart plug offers. What is IKEA GRILLPLATS? […]
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Home Assistant has released its monthly update, version 2026.3. The new version brings several practical improvements for automations, energy monitoring, and voice control. Particularly interesting are a new feature for robot vacuums, an enhanced energy dashboard, and experimental wake word detection on Android smartphones. What is Home Assistant? Home Assistant is an open platform for smart home systems that allows users to […]
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The Shelly Plug M Gen3 is a smart Wi-Fi socket for indoor use that combines classic switching functions with modern technology. In addition to remote control of connected devices, the plug offers integrated power metering and Matter support for seamless integration into smart home systems such as Home Assistant. Installation and setup: Installing the Shelly Plug M Gen3 […]
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With the SONOFF Orb wall switches and wall sockets, Sonoff is launching a new generation of smart flush-mounted components on the European market. The series is designed for European Type E and Type F (Schuko) sockets and is permanently integrated into a standard flush-mounted box. Depending on the model, SONOFF uses either Matter over Wi-Fi or Zigbee, thus covering various smart home applications […]
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IKEA has released a new firmware update for its smart KLIPBPOK water leak sensor: Version 1.0.11 is now available via Home Assistant and can be updated directly from the dashboard. The water leak sensor is based on the open Matter standard, is small, easy to install, and has already proven popular with many users for monitoring critical areas such as under […]
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I'm a big fan of Home Assistant because hardly any other smart home system evolves so consistently and regularly. With each update, not only does the range of functions grow, but also its everyday usability. This was also the case in February: On February 4, 2026, Home Assistant 2026.2 was released – a release that focuses primarily on clarity, user-friendliness, and […]
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With the KLIPBPOK water leak sensor, IKEA expands its portfolio with a small but extremely useful safety device. The sensor detects leaking water early and uses the open Matter standard. This makes KLIPBPOK particularly suitable for users of open platforms like Home Assistant, but it is also compatible with common systems from Amazon, Apple, Google, Homey, and Samsung. […]
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The Home Assistant community regularly generates new ideas for controlling a smart home efficiently and elegantly. Besides classic dashboards on tablets or wall displays, an alternative approach is increasingly coming into focus: a dedicated display with an E-Ink screen. A project recently presented in the subreddit demonstrates how an e-paper display can serve as a stylish control element […]
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With the latest generation Echo Show 8, Amazon is focusing its smart speakers more on smart home use. The device no longer functions solely as an Alexa voice assistant with a screen, but instead integrates several key wireless standards into a single system. These include Zigbee, Matter, and Thread, which acts as a border router. This allows the Echo […]
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The FRITZ! Smart Energy 250 from AVM is a power sensor for digital electricity meters that reads consumption data directly and makes it available in the smart home. We are testing the integration of the sensor with Home Assistant to analyze the energy data and incorporate it into automations. What is the FRITZ! Smart Energy 250? The FRITZ! Smart Energy 250 is a battery-powered sensor, […]
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With the MYGGSPRAY motion sensor, IKEA is launching a compact, Matter-compatible motion sensor that can be used not only within the IKEA ecosystem but also in open systems like Home Assistant. This article explains how the sensor works, what requirements it needs, and how to integrate it with Home Assistant. Brief product overview: IKEA MYGGSPRAY The […]
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Home Assistant 2026.1 kicks off the new year with an update, delivering a compact yet targeted minor release. The focus is clearly on an optimized user experience, more intuitive automations, and improved settings organization. While the update is somewhat smaller due to the holidays, it includes several features designed to simplify everyday life in the smart home.
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With the KAJPLATS LED bulb (E27), IKEA expands its portfolio with a decorative light source for the smart home. The bulb is ideal for users who want to flexibly automate their lighting and seamlessly integrate it into modern systems such as Home Assistant, Aqara, Amazon Alexa, Google Home, and Apple HomeKit. Brief introduction: IKEA KAJPLATS LED bulb […]
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