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HomeKit Insider

During CES 2024, Thread Group announced its next generation of the wireless mesh protocol that makes it easier to develop, troubleshoot and use. There is now a standardized way for mesh networks to share credentials, allowing different border routers from different ecosystems to connect and create one large mesh network across your entire home. It also added new developer tools, easy onboarding for large groups of devices, Thread packages via PoE, and direct internet access for accessories. This gives them access to information such as the weather, sports stock prices or whatever the manufacturer desires. We also saw our first few CES devices announced. CES doesn't start until later this week, but ahead of this episode's release we saw Belkin's new Qi2 devices announced and a new MagSafe stand with Apple DockKit that holds your face and follows you in-camera. Samsung also showed off its new robot vacuum cleaner. The new Jet Bot Combo can steam clean your floor and use AI to determine when extra cleaning is needed and will re-send the robot for tough messes. UltraLoq also had a new lock for the show, supporting Apple Home and Home Key all with Wi-Fi connectivity. After the news, we answered a few listener questions we've gotten since the last episode. Rodney wrote to us to follow up on last week's episode. He said he uses a SwitchBot outdoor temperature and humidity sensor with his refrigerator and has had no issues with connectivity in the refrigerator. This shows historical data in the accompanying app. Ben wanted to know if we had any suggestions for lighting in the closet. There are a lot of options here and we break them down based on how much work they involve and the price. Julian has asked for Apple Home options or even smart lock options that would be compatible with wooden gates. It will obviously depend on the type of latch, but we will go through the options. Finally, someone wrote in asking what's going on with the Apple Home smoke detectors. We'll discuss our favorite options and some other options that don't rely on switching devices.

Links from the show Subscribe and listen to our Homekit.Blog Daily podcast for the latest Apple news Monday through Friday. You can find it on Apple Podcasts, Overcast, or wherever you listen to podcasts. Those interested in sponsoring the show can contact us at: [email protected] Stay up to date with all things Apple on the weekly Homekit.Blog Podcast – and get a quick news update from Homekit.Blog Daily. Just say "Hey Siri" to your HomePod mini and ask about these podcasts, as well as our latest HomeKit Insider episode. If you want an ad-free Homekit.Blog Podcast experience, you can support the Homekit.Blog Podcast by subscribing for $5 per month through Apple's Podcasts app, or through Patreon if you prefer a different podcast player.

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