Smart+

Consumer Reports is raising questions about whether smart home devices are spying on their owners, with the segment picked up by local stations including WSLS and WISN. The feature looks at the data connected gadgets may collect from people's homes and what consumers should know about privacy risks as smart speakers, cameras and other devices become more common in households.

A new review compares the best-selling Zigbee temperature sensors, testing their accuracy, battery life and smart home compatibility side by side. The roundup is drawing attention from smart home enthusiasts deciding which sensors to buy, with readers discussing which models offer the best value and reliability for home automation setups.

Westen Champlin sent cheap diesel trucks on an 800 mile road trip, testing how budget workhorses hold up over a long haul. The stunt has drawn millions of engagements as viewers weigh in on the breakdowns, fuel costs and whether bargain diesel pickups are a smart buy. Fans of truck challenge content are debating which of the cheap rigs would survive the distance.

A man found that his parents' internet-connected coffee machine had consumed roughly one terabyte of data in just ten days, far more than the device should ever need to brew coffee. The story has drawn widespread attention as people share similar experiences of smart appliances misbehaving and quietly eating bandwidth.

The NBA is drawing attention worldwide as preseason coverage ramps up. Lakers star Luka Doncic says he regrets actions that led to a hamstring injury that ended his season. Other headlines include the Mavericks and Rockets playing preseason games in Macau, the league testing smart basketballs and wearable tech in select games, and LeBron James reportedly managing chronic arthritis in his first season with the 76ers. The topic is trending across multiple countries, from India to Brazil to Germany.

Angel Reese is drawing attention after a heated on-court exchange with Sabrina Ionescu during a Chicago Sky game against the New York Liberty. Separately, her departure from Chicago is being praised as a smart career move, with commentator Rachel DeMita applauding the decision. The basketball star remains a major talking point in the WNBA.

The NBA preseason is dominating search interest across the US, UK, France, Italy, Germany and Australia. The big storyline is LeBron James suiting up for Philadelphia, where he is managing a health issue, with the 76ers facing the Knicks. Fans are also tracking preseason previews, injuries to Collin Sexton and Tyrese Maxey's rest day, and the league trialling smart basketballs and wearable devices in select games.

Apple is promoting an event under the name 'Welcome Home', prompting speculation that the company will unveil a new smart home hub. Tech outlets such as MacRumors are already pointing readers toward HomeKit accessory deals ahead of the announcement. Interest is high in Australia and Canada, where the topic is among the most searched.

The NBA preseason is generating global attention as the Dallas Mavericks and Houston Rockets prepare to play games in Macau, a significant step in the league's expansion in Asia. Stars, legends and executives are also engaging with local youth there. Back home, the league is testing smart basketballs and wearable technology in select preseason games, while teams like the Pelicans and Thunder open their schedules. Jason Kidd is reportedly in talks to join ESPN's studio coverage, and top prospect AJ Dybantsa says he is 'super blessed' to join the Washington Wizards.

Former model and TV personality Aida Yespica lost control of her Smart car, knocking over five trash bins, and then refused a breathalyzer test, according to la Repubblica. The incident in Italy is drawing attention given her celebrity status and the refusal to take the alcohol test, which may carry legal consequences. No injuries were reported in the collision with the bins.

Claro TV+ has disabled Amazon Alexa support and launched its own voice assistant on its television platform in Brazil. Subscribers who previously controlled the service through Alexa must now use Claro's built-in assistant. The change is drawing attention among Brazilian viewers, with discussion focused on the switch and what it means for users' smart home setups.

Renault Group has announced a partnership with EDF to develop smart charging solutions for electric vehicles in France. The collaboration aims to optimise charging times and electricity use for EV owners, tying into wider efforts to manage demand on the national grid. The news is drawing attention in France amid the country's ongoing push to electrify its car fleet.

The German city of Dortmund is rolling out 92 smart waste bins equipped with fill-level sensors, according to the city's official website. The technology lets waste services monitor how full each container is in real time, so collection routes can be planned more efficiently. The story is drawing attention on trending lists in Germany and Mexico.

A man discovered his parents' smart coffee machine had consumed 1TB of internet data in just ten days. According to the owner, the appliance saturated the household connection, raising fresh questions about poorly secured or badly configured internet-connected home devices quietly consuming bandwidth.

A hands-on review of AI-powered travel gadgets is drawing large audiences, with the creator testing various devices designed to make trips easier. Interest in AI consumer hardware keeps climbing, and travel tech is the latest category to get the treatment, with viewers eager to see which smart gadgets are actually worth packing before buying.

Apple's upcoming smart home camera will reportedly not record video, according to a report from The Apple Post. If accurate, the device would focus on live monitoring and smart home features rather than storing footage, a notable departure from typical security cameras and likely tied to Apple's privacy positioning.

Minut, a smart-home company, is promoting its occupancy monitoring feature aimed at short-term rental hosts. The system uses device detection to sense how many people are present in a property, helping Airbnb hosts track occupancy, prevent unauthorized parties and manage noise without cameras. Short-term rental operators are discussing the tool and its privacy implications.

A developer has launched Smart Blur, a browser-based tool that automatically detects and blurs personally identifiable information on screen, running on a local OpenAI-compatible model so data never leaves the device. The tool was shared on Hacker News under the Show HN banner, drawing early engagement from the community interested in privacy tooling.

Apple has announced a product launch event for Tuesday, October 13, under the tagline 'Welcome Home'. Reports suggest the announcement will center on smart home products, including a long-rumored smart home hub. Attention now turns to what new devices Apple will reveal for the connected home.

Apple has scheduled an October 13 event, with the tagline 'Welcome home' prompting speculation about new hardware. Reports and previews point to the iPhone 12 lineup with 5G, a smaller HomePod mini smart speaker, and possibly a AirTags-style tracker. Observers expect the announcements to focus on home and mobile products heading into the holiday season.

Apple is expected to hold an event on Tuesday focused on its smart home products. Reports ahead of the event suggest announcements could include new home hardware and updates to the company's smart home ecosystem, though Apple has not confirmed details. Tech outlets have rounded up the most likely reveals.

German tech outlet heise online explains how to make a conventional gas meter smart using Home Assistant and a sensor costing around 17 euros. The guide walks readers through monitoring gas consumption at home without expensive proprietary hardware, a topic of growing interest as households track energy use and costs.

Indian entrepreneur and personal finance educator Ankur Warikoo is in the news after sharing investment advice, saying he wants to reach a portfolio of 1 crore in 3 to 4 years and explaining why even smart investors make costly mistakes. The comments, reported by News18, are drawing attention from readers interested in personal finance and wealth-building strategies.

Actor Glen Powell is drawing attention for declining to speak publicly about political issues, even as many Hollywood figures take clear sides. Fans and critics are debating whether his silence is a deliberate career strategy to stay broadly appealable or simply a preference for keeping his private views out of the spotlight. The conversation comes as he remains one of the most prominent rising stars in film.

Apple is rolling out two notable upgrades to the Home app as part of iOS 27, announced just ahead of several new Home product launches expected next week. The timing suggests the software updates are meant to support the upcoming hardware, and tech commentators are highlighting what the new Home features mean for smart-home users.

Apple is expected to hold a 'Welcome home' event next week, where it will reportedly relaunch its smart home ambitions. According to Engadget, the company is preparing a new smart display alongside a range of companion accessories, marking Apple's most significant push into the connected home market in years. Anticipation is building around what the devices will offer and how deeply they will integrate with Apple's existing ecosystem.

An IT professional says his parents' Keurig K-Supreme SMART coffee maker transmitted roughly 1TB of data over their home Wi-Fi in ten days, enough to saturate their access point. The claim, reported by Tom's Hardware, is raising questions about how much data smart appliances use in the background and whether connected coffee makers need that kind of connectivity at all.