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Top ways smart tech can save Thanksgiving dinner

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Erin Lawrence
Erin Lawrence
Erin has over 20 years of experience as a journalist in the media and news industries, with time both on camera and behind…
Amazon might be bringing AI smarts to its Astro household robot
Amazon Astro following a person through a door.

Amazon Astro is one of the most intriguing products in the Amazon catalog -- and a new report indicates it might become even more enticing in the future. According to internal documents, Amazon will be bringing enhanced AI to Astro, allowing it to perform more useful tasks around your home.

The AI project has been dubbed Burnham, and it’s hoping to turn Astro into more than just a smart home gimmick. Once the project is officially rolled out, Amazon hopes to give Astro the ability to better remember what it’s encountered in its environment and suggest things you can do to improve your home’s safety.

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The smart home market might see big changes in 2023
Apple HomePod 2023 next to a TV.

The smart home market is arguably the strongest it’s ever been. Apple recently reintroduced the HomePod to rave reviews, Roborock is gearing up to launch its new lineup of powerful robot vacuums, and nearly half of U.S. households interact with a smart home gadget every month. That’s an impressive number, and it’s an increase from 2022 -- meaning the market is trending in the right direction, and folks seem to be buying into the dream of an interconnected household.

This incredible market saturation means it’ll take a long time for the smart home market to completely vanish -- and its death probably isn’t going to happen this year (or anytime soon). But the rest of 2023 will be an interesting year for the smart home industry, as Amazon and Google have run into financial issues with their smart home offerings, while Apple finally seems to be gaining momentum.
Money trouble at Amazon and Google

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Rachio debuts affordable, water-saving smart hose timer at CES 2023
The Rachio Smart Hose Timer installed on an outdoor spigot.

Installing a smart sprinkler in your yard is a great way to cut down on water waste and lower your utility bills -- but it’s also a pricey (and time-consuming) investment. Rachio is looking to change that, as the company debuted a $99 smart hose timer at CES 2023.

The gadget is surprisingly simple, yet offers impressive versatility. After attaching the smart valve to your existing outdoor spigot, you’ll be able to monitor your water usage, create watering schedules, and use the Rachio app to get detailed stats about how much water you’re saving. And since it connects to your network via Wi-Fi, you can schedule a watering or check its status regardless of where you are.

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