TP-Link has launched a new Smart In-Wall Outlet under its Tapo brand, bundling Matter support and a feature that lets users monitor the energy usage of connected devices. The Tapo P210M includes overcharge protection, meaning when connected devices are fully charged, the outlet switches off. The 15A/1800W outlet also features Power Protection, which automatically turns off devices when the power exceeds a user-specified threshold. The aforementioned energy monitoring is accessed via the Tapo app, providing tracking of the outlet's energy use through stats and charts. Users can save money on their bills by scheduling devices to turn off during periods of inactivity. Note that this dual-socket model also has manual on/off buttons for each outlet. The all-important Matter support over…

The new Meross Matter Smart Home Thermostat works with a variety of heating/cooling systems and smart-home platforms. (via Cult of Mac - Apple news, rumors, reviews and how-tos)

Smart home company Meross today announced the launch of the Meross Matter Smart Home Thermostat, which can connect to a HomeKit setup using the Matter protocol. At $70 for a limited time, the device is an affordable ‌HomeKit‌ thermostat option. The Smart Thermostat features a minimalist design with a white glass panel that has LEDs that show the temperature and other settings. It requires a C wire for power, and Meross says that it should work with 95 percent of heating and cooling systems in North America, including single and multi-stage furnaces, boilers, air conditioners, heat pumps, and fan coil units. Because the thermostat integrates with ‌HomeKit‌, temperature can be controlled through Siri voice commands, in the Apple Home app,…

Get the latest on the upcoming HomePod with a display, a new smart home device with a focus on home automation. (via Cult of Mac - Apple news, rumors, reviews and how-tos)

Learn about Apple's plans to integrate robot vacuum cleaners with the Home app, and find out when this feature will be available. (via Cult of Mac - Apple news, rumors, reviews and how-tos)

Apple has quietly tweaked its Home app webpage to indicate that its upcoming robot vacuum control feature will now arrive in early 2025 rather than later this year, as previously advertised. When support is added, Apple device users will be able to start a robot vacuum via HomeKit automations and scenes, or ask Siri to clean a specific room. Apple says the Home app will support the "core functionality" of robot vacuum cleaners, such as vacuuming, mopping, power control, cleaning mode, and charge status. Apple said at WWDC in June that the iOS 18 feature would arrive later in 2024 – presumably with iOS 18.2, due this month – but that's apparently no longer the case. Apple tweaked a footnote…