Dave Zatz 
Last week, Roku boldly entered the Smart Home space with an initial product offering “developed in partnership with Wyze.” And, boy, do the business considerations and implications fascinate me. We’ll never have a full accounting of the relationship (although I’m quite looking forward to Roku’s quarterly securities call), so I’ll just go ahead and assume both … Read more
By way of Reddit, Walmart, a pair of shipping manifests (1, 2), and some noodling around we learn that Roku is imminently expanding beyond streaming media and into the smart home… with more than a half dozen white-labeled Wyze products, a seemingly confirmed ‘Roku Smart Home’ Channel, and likely a new dedicated mobile app. Thus … Read more
In the best “bang for the buck” category, we’ve got a few solid streaming deals ahead of everyone’s second favorite shopping holiday. Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K Max – $35 A good buy at full price, the Max is a great value at 36% off and will see years of updates given its a power. … Read more
By way of TechHive and the TiVo Community, we learn that Charter Communications has alerted Spectrum cable customers to replace TiVo ahead of obsolescence: As we continue to upgrade our networks and technology, CableCARDs will not be compatible with future service upgrades for some time. We have other options for you to consider that will … Read more
By way of Canadian Tire (!?) and reddit, we learn ecobee has two new models in the pipeline — its first since being acquired by a generator company last year. The new ‘ecobee Premium Smart Thermostat‘ looks to replace the existing flagship model. As such, microphones and both Siri or Alexa voice assistants remain onboard … Read more
Freshly infused with cash, Wyze continues to crank away on new products . And, next up for the Amazon Basics of gadgetry (and occasional iHealth reseller) is the Wyze Air Purifier. Unlike some of their other recent home products, the upcoming Wyze purifier will indeed be “smart” with WiFi connectivity and app control. Like my … Read more
The unannounced Wyze Cam Outdoor v2 has arrived at Home Depots across the country. Indeed, most stores across my region appear to have inventory (SKU 1007492425)…and I walked away with a brand-spanking-new smartcam. What’s new and notable is Wyze has, once again, repurposed their somewhat amazing ‘Starlight’ sensor found in the Wyze Cam v3 that … Read more
Like many this season, I’ve received a Starbucks gift card. Three to be exact. And instead of bothering with the Starbucks website, I figured there must be some way to add the balance to my existing virtual card/account via the Starbucks iPhone or Android app. Indeed there is… But the trick is that you must … Read more