in

Another smart door is coming to Home Depot, but it’s surprisingly affordable

Home Depot/ZDNET

A smart door sounds like a sight to behold, and it is. Just last year, Home Depot made headlines for featuring the Masonite M-PWR, a $5,000 smart door with lights, sensors, a smart lock, and a smart doorbell built-in. The M-PWR was discontinued less than a year later, but Home Depot just announced an alternative is hitting store shelves next week, and it’s cheaper than you might expect. 

The new Feather Rivers smart glass door is powered by Hubspace, Home Depot’s smart home automation system that works with over 150 affordable smart home devices at the store. The door is available in full lite for $999, half lite at $899, and craftsman style at $799 — a far cry from $5,000.

Also: I found the best AirTags for Android users, and they’re very accurate

The glass insert is the fiberglass door’s smartest feature. It can change from an opaque finish to clear glass with the tap of a button on the door or your phone’s Hubspace app. This approach is perfect for a door that lets in light during the day but that you’d prefer to have shaded at night for privacy.

Customers can set up this smart River Feathers door to be in a clear state for a certain amount of time each day and then revert to opaque when the time ends. Alternatively, users can make the glass clear to see something or someone outside and have it automatically become opaque a minute later. 

Also: I tested a smart lock with facial recognition and it’s spoiled every other security device for me

The door can connect to your phone via Bluetooth and Wi-Fi and works seamlessly with other Hubspace smart home devices, like the Defiant Hubspace fingerprint smart deadbolt<!–>.

The Feather Rivers fiberglass smart door comes with two batteries and a charger, so you’ll always have your door ready to work even when the power goes out. It also has a USB-C plug on the hinge side of the door that you can leave plugged in for convenience. 

The door’s default state is the frosted glass finish, which means it only consumes the batteries in its clear state. According to Nick Millette, head of product development for Home Depot, each battery can last up to five days in the clear state but can last up to two months with typical use.

Also: One of the best smart thermostats I’ve tested is not made by Ecobee or Amazon

The River Feathers smart glass door powered by Hubspace will be available on Sept. 30. Each door is made of fiberglass and is primed and ready to paint. Home Depot offers installation services for an added cost.

Permanent Outdoor Lights by Hubspace

Home Depot also announced new permanent outdoor lights coming to stores in mid-October, just in time for the holidays. These string lights can be screwed under your home’s eaves and stay up year-round; no need to take them down and put them back up each year. 

Millette explained that Home Depot partnered with Nanoleaf to create these lights, developing bright string lights that maintain brightness over time. The lights change colors but also feature cool white and warm white LEDs, which are perfect for year-round use.

Also: Got ghosts? Ring might pay you $100,000 for spooky video captured on your doorbell

You can customize and choose which lights are on and off and light up just the LEDs over the gables for a more refined look outside of the holiday season.

These lights will be available in 50 feet for $99, with extension kits for $29.

Vissani smart chest freezer

–>
Vissani/ZDNET

This new Vissani 8.8 cubic feet smart chest freezer, originally announced at the beginning of the year, is launching on Sept. 26 for $299. It has all the features you’d expect in a quality deep freezer, like a counterbalance lid and garage-ready construction, with added smart components that make it stand out.

Also: 5 handy Alexa routines I depend on every day – and how to build your own

The $299 chest freezer connects with the Hubspace app to notify your phone if the freezer goes offline, is acting abnormally, or if a high temperature is detected. You can also use the app to set the mode, choosing from fridge or freezer mode.

Defiant 5-pc smart alarm kit

<!–> Defiant 5-pc smart alarm kit
Defiant/ZDNET

This smart home alarm kit is powered by Hubspace and includes a keypad, motion, entry sensors, and a 24-hour backup battery. You can add extra sensors to expand your security system without requiring a professional installer. 

Also: New Roku Ultra is faster with better Wi-Fi – how it compares with Google TV Streamer

The entry sensors can alert when a door is opened and feature a small, thin design that fits seamlessly on the door frame. Each one also has a button to temporarily turn off the chime, like when you open the door at night and don’t want to wake anyone at home. 

The five-piece Defiant smart home alarm kit–>

is available for $99. 


Source: Robotics - zdnet.com

Meta takes some big AI swings at Meta Connect 2024

You can buy 11 Meta Quest 3S headsets for the price of one Apple Vision Pro