Episode 587 - CEDIA 2026, Hacked Cameras, and the $80 Echo Dot

On this week's show: CEDIA’s first-timer list hints at where custom integration is heading next, Sonos teases a new soundbar, Control4 gets new Google Home and Google TV integrations, Wyze builds privacy right into a $40 indoor cam, Amazon raises prices on Echo, Fire TV, and Kindle gear while also handing some Fire TV users Alexa Plus for free, a pick of the week, project updates, and so much more!
• Are These First-Time CEDIA Expo Exhibitors the Next Big Thing in Custom Integration? (cepro.com/news/are-these-first-time-cedia-expo…)
• Sonos Teases New Soundbar Ahead of September Hardware Reveal | iPhone in Canada (iphoneincanada.ca/2026/08/17/sonos-teases-new-…)
• Chowmainsoft Introduces Google Home and Google TV Integrations for Control4 (cepro.com/news/chowmainsoft-introduces-google-…)
• HomeTech Headlines• Recessed Entry Sensor - Ubiquiti Store (store.ui.com/us/en/products/usl-entry-r)
• Mova’s latest robot vacuum solves the kitchen stool problem (theverge.com/tech/981874/mova-v70-ultra-robot-…)
• Wi-Fi 8 is the first wireless upgrade in years that isn’t chasing speed, and home networks need it (xda-developers.com/wi-fi-8-first-wireless-upgr…)
• The lens in Wyze’s new $40 indoor camera retracts for privacy (theverge.com/tech/961785/wyze-indoor-cam-pan-t…)
• Hackers Compromised 14,500+ Dahua Devices Using Credential Attacks, Auth Bypasses, and P2P (thehackernews.com/2026/08/hackers-compromised-…)
• FCC officially decides gigabit speeds are too good for you (theverge.com/policy/982863/fcc-kills-gigabit-g…)
• Amazon just hiked the prices for Echo, Fire TV, and Kindle products by up to 60 percent (theverge.com/tech/983598/amazon-price-increase…)
• Fire TV users are getting an Alexa Plus update – for free (the-ambient.com/news/fire-tv-users-are-getting…)
• Aqara expands H1 Matter lighting lineup with new downlights and spotlights (matteralpha.com/news/aqara-expands-h1-matter-l…)
• From the homeautomation community on Reddit: I reverse engineered the Litter Robot 4 to control it 100% locally via Home Assistant. Custom firmware and install guide in description! (reddit.com/r/homeautomation/comments/1vt85cp/i…)

• From the homeautomation community on Reddit: I reverse-engineered local Ecobee control and put it on PyPI (no cloud, no dev key, no Home Assistant) (reddit.com/r/homeautomation/comments/1vx7vmo/i…)
• From the homeassistant community on Reddit: Samsung Family Hub Reborn: Turning a Fridge Touchscreen into a Home Assistant Dashboard 🏠🥳 (reddit.com/r/homeassistant/comments/1vwzsrt/sa…)
• Video: I Finally Sorted Out My Box of Mystery USB Cables (youtube.com/watch?v=SyexqtQBpDI)
• Treedix USB Cable Tester 2.4" Screen for eMarker PD3.0/3.1 Resistor (amzn.to/4gI0KWO)
• Korg nanoKONTROL2 Slim-Line USB Control Surface, Black (amzn.to/4x3YWgV)
• Photon | Bring your agents to iMessage, WhatsApp, Telegram, Slack, and beyond (photon.codes)
• Hot Dog Stand – The Game (hometech.fm/fun/21-switch-game)