Jennifer Pattison Tuohy

Senior Reviewer, Smart Home

Ring is making a smart smoke alarm

Jennifer Pattison TuohyJan 6, 2025

Apple, Google, and Samsung will accept Matter certification of smart home products

Jennifer Pattison TuohyJan 6, 2025

This adorable smart camera watches wildlife, not lowlifes.

Instead of spotting package thieves or prowlers, the Petal is a teeny tiny camera designed to watch nature for you.

Not only does it keep an eye on the birds, bees, and butterflies in your garden, but it can help you communicate with them using (what else) an AI chatbot.

Petal is slated to launch on Kickstarter this spring as part of a new brand called Wonder.

<em>This 4K, 12 MP camera will watch over wildlife in your yard and tell you all about it.</em>

<em>A solar panel and battery in the “stem” can keep it charged.</em>

<em>Modular Wonder Blocks are habitats with bug and bee “hotels” and butterfly feeders to encourage wildlife to come to the camera.</em>

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This 4K, 12 MP camera will watch over wildlife in your yard and tell you all about it.

Photo by Jennifer Pattison Tuohy / The Verge

SwitchBot is bringing a Rosie the Robot wannabe to CES

Jennifer Pattison TuohyJan 6, 2025

Lutron’s new smart shades cost under $400.

The rock-solid smart home lighting system is getting some (slightly more) affordable shades to go with it. The Caséta smart shade line is a redesigned version of Lutron’s Serena shades, offering fewer options at lower prices.

Any shade up to 48 inches wide by 80 inches high costs $399 each, a bargain compared to Serena shades, which start at $500. Caséta shades are available now.