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HomeTech.fm

Episode 584 - First, They Came for the Robot Vacuums

Aug 7, 2026 · 1 hr 30 min · 13 segments

On this week's show: the FCC’s robot ban turns out to include future robot vacuums and mowers, which may make the next robovac harder to buy without making it much safer; Roku decides budget streamers…

On this week's show: the FCC’s robot ban turns out to include future robot vacuums and mowers, which may make the next robovac harder to buy without making it much safer; Roku decides budget streamers are a premium experience now; Apple’s smart home hub and Siri refresh are reportedly getting closer; Sonos is teasing some kind of AI move for September; UniFi adds a Thread border router and beefs up Protect; plus new gear from Zooz, Aqara, Xiaomi, Homey, SmartThings, and Home Assistant, a pick of the week, project updates, and so much more! - HomeTech Headlines - The US is banning foreign robots - The US government just banned Roombas - Robot vacuums are included in US robot ban - The ban on robot vacuums won’t make them safer. But it may make your next one worse - The US Just Banned New Chinese Robot Vacuums and Mowers: Canada Could Be Next | iPhone in Canada - Roku raises streaming stick prices by up to 60 percent - Zooz 800 Series Z-Wave Long Range Motion Dimmer ZEN12 800LR - Xiaomi’s smart washing machines are finally going global - Sonos Is Reportedly Planning Something Big for AI in September - Apple’s long-awaited smart home Siri AI refresh is achingly close to reality - Apple Could Start New Smart Home Push as Early as October - Ubiquiti’s new SuperLink Gateway HA brings professional Thread hardware to UniFi - UniFi Gets Its Own Thread Border Router - Introducing UniFi Protect 7.2 - Homey is a rare smart home platform that is Matter 1.5 certified - SmartThings quietly brings Matter 1.6 to beta hub firmware - Finally: Aqara launches dual-protocol Matter and Thread smart plugs in the UK and EU - Home Assistant 2026.8 beta adds Matter doorbell events and simpler setup - FireAvert joins Works with Home Assistant - Building the device database together: Public preview now live – Open Home Foundation - GitHub - GuiPoM/ha-sentinel: HA Sentinel — proactive health monitoring for Home Assistant integrations and apps - ESPHome Starter Kit - Maslow4 Large Format CNC

On this week's show: the FCC’s robot ban turns out to include future robot vacuums and mowers, which may make the next robovac harder to buy without making it much safer; Roku decides budget streamers…

Spotify Apple Podcasts YouTube Website

Speakers: Seth JohnsonHostGavin CampbellHostTJ HuddlestonHost

Top entities: Apple×25 Sonos×26 Roku, Inc.×8 Homey×5 Z-Wave×9

Show signals: SuitabilitySafeBiasNot politicalAudience≈1.4M followers

Robot Vacuum Bans and Roku Price Hikes1:29 – 9:53

Gavin CampbellHost

1:29

Let's do it.

Gavin CampbellHost

1:29

Let's do it.

Seth JohnsonHost

1:31

Yeah, we leave a week, we come back, no more vacuums.

Gavin CampbellHost

1:34

Yeah, what is happening? This is ridiculous.

Gavin CampbellHost

1:38

The story just

Seth JohnsonHost

1:39

escalated because I have like the first one from Gavin from The Verge, right? Gavin posted this in there because it says the U.S.

Seth JohnsonHost

1:45

is banning foreign robots.

Seth JohnsonHost

1:47

And it has a picture of like a humanoid robot on it.

T

TJ HuddlestonHost

1:50

And that one, you're like, that makes sense.

T

TJ HuddlestonHost

1:51

You know what I mean? Like you see that, you're like, you know, Chinese robots that are like people size running around, not allowed anymore.

T

TJ HuddlestonHost

1:57

I'm fine with that.

T

TJ HuddlestonHost

1:58

Totally makes sense.

T

TJ HuddlestonHost

1:59

Yeah.

Seth JohnsonHost

1:59

I'm all right.

Seth JohnsonHost

2:00

They could just turn on us one day.

Seth JohnsonHost

2:01

Like, hi, robot.

Seth JohnsonHost

2:02

I watched that movie.

Seth JohnsonHost

2:03

What if you're paranoid and they're all made in one place and they slip a chip in there and then

T

TJ HuddlestonHost

2:08

they all turn on you? Bill Gates takes control of it.

T

TJ HuddlestonHost

2:10

I mean, we don't want this.

Seth JohnsonHost

2:12

No.

T

TJ HuddlestonHost

2:12

Well, never mind.

T

TJ HuddlestonHost

2:13

That's fine.

T

TJ HuddlestonHost

2:13

Those ones are fine.

T

TJ HuddlestonHost

2:14

Those

AppleCompanyTechnology company
99%25 mentions
SonosEntity
98%26 mentions
Roku, Inc.CompanyStreaming television company
96%8 mentions
HomeyProduct ModelProduct line
95%5 mentions
Z-WaveSoftware ApplicationSoftware industry
94%9 mentions
XiaomiCompanyConsumer electronics company
92%9 mentions
Artificial intelligenceEntityProfessional field
91%23 mentions
GermanyCountryCountry in Europe
89%3 mentions
Channel MasterCompanyCompany
88%6 mentions
United StatesCountryCountry in North America
86%17 mentions
MatterEntity
85%7 mentions
EuropeContinentContinent
84%4 mentions
Apple HomeKitEntitySoftware
82%6 mentions
CanadaCountryCountry in North America
81%6 mentions
RoombaProduct ModelVacuum cleaner
79%7 mentions
GodEntitySupreme being
78%4 mentions
ChinaCountryCountry in East Asia
76%7 mentions
Robotic vacuum cleanerEntity
75%1 mention
SmartThingsCompanyHome automation company
74%5 mentions
SiriSoftware Application
72%5 mentions
CommerceEntity
71%1 mention
HomeLink Wireless Control SystemEntity
69%1 mention
TeslaCompanyAutomotive company
68%4 mentions
UbiquitiCompanyNetworking company
66%6 mentions
Bill GatesPersonAmerican businessman and philanthropist
65%1 mention
Federal Communications CommissionGovernment OrganizationGovernment agency
64%1 mention
Maslow CNCEntity
62%1 mention
BluetoothEntity
61%3 mentions
Bloomberg TelevisionEntityTelevision channel
59%1 mention
Wi-FiEntity
58%6 mentions
United KingdomCountryCountry in Europe
56%5 mentions
Apple TVProduct ModelDigital media player
55%1 mention
European UnionAdministrative AreaSupranational political union
54%4 mentions
Smart home hubEntity
52%2 mentions
PatreonCompanyCompany
51%1 mention
SarasotaCityCity in Florida
49%2 mentions
Lawn mowerEntity
48%1 mention
ONVIFOrganizationNon-profit
46%2 mentions
ZigbeeEntity
45%2 mentions
RG-6Entity
44%2 mentions
iPhoneProduct ModelSmartphone
42%1 mention
GitHubCompanyCompany
41%1 mention
The VergeSoftware ApplicationWebsite
39%1 mention
FloridaAdministrative AreaUS state
38%2 mentions
HomePodProduct ModelWireless speaker
36%1 mention
Josh.aiCompanyHome automation company
35%1 mention
TexasAdministrative AreaUS state
34%3 mentions
Home AssistantSoftware ApplicationSoftware
32%1 mention
SonosCompanyCompany
31%1 mention
Samsung ElectronicsCompanyConsumer electronics company
29%1 mention

Consumer ElectronicsTechnology > Robotics > Regulations
Market TrendsTechnology > Robotics > Regulations > Consumer Electronics
Consumer ElectronicsTechnology > Smart Home Devices > Automation
Market TrendsTechnology > Smart Home Devices > Automation > Consumer Electronics
Consumer ElectronicsGovernment > Regulations > Technology
Market TrendsGovernment > Regulations > Technology > Consumer Electronics
Smart Home DevicesSociety > Technology > Consumer Behavior
Market TrendsSociety > Technology > Consumer Behavior > Smart Home Devices
Market TrendsTechnology > Artificial Intelligence > Consumer Electronics > Smart Home Devices
RegulationsGovernment
Society
AutomationTechnology > Smart Home Devices
Smart Home DevicesTechnology > Artificial Intelligence > Consumer Electronics
Consumer BehaviorSociety > Technology
TechnologySociety
TechnologyGovernment > Regulations
Consumer ElectronicsTechnology > Artificial Intelligence
Smart Home DevicesTechnology
Technology
Government
Artificial IntelligenceTechnology
RoboticsTechnology
RegulationsTechnology > Robotics

Robot Vacuum Bans and Roku Price Hikes1:29 – 9:53

Gavin CampbellHost

1:29

Let's do it.

Gavin CampbellHost

1:29

Let's do it.

Seth JohnsonHost

1:31

Yeah, we leave a week, we come back, no more vacuums.

Gavin CampbellHost

1:34

Yeah, what is happening? This is ridiculous.

Gavin CampbellHost

1:38

The story just

Seth JohnsonHost

1:39

escalated because I have like the first one from Gavin from The Verge, right? Gavin posted this in there because it says the U.S.

Seth JohnsonHost

1:45

is banning foreign robots.

Seth JohnsonHost

1:47

And it has a picture of like a humanoid robot on it.

T

TJ HuddlestonHost

1:50

And that one, you're like, that makes sense.

T

TJ HuddlestonHost

1:51

You know what I mean? Like you see that, you're like, you know, Chinese robots that are like people size running around, not allowed anymore.

T

TJ HuddlestonHost

1:57

I'm fine with that.

T

TJ HuddlestonHost

1:58

Totally makes sense.

T

TJ HuddlestonHost

1:59

Yeah.

Seth JohnsonHost

1:59

I'm all right.

Seth JohnsonHost

2:00

They could just turn on us one day.

Seth JohnsonHost

2:01

Like, hi, robot.

Seth JohnsonHost

2:02

I watched that movie.

Seth JohnsonHost

2:03

What if you're paranoid and they're all made in one place and they slip a chip in there and then

T

TJ HuddlestonHost

2:08

they all turn on you? Bill Gates takes control of it.

T

TJ HuddlestonHost

2:10

I mean, we don't want this.

Seth JohnsonHost

2:12

No.

T

TJ HuddlestonHost

2:12

Well, never mind.

T

TJ HuddlestonHost

2:13

That's fine.

T

TJ HuddlestonHost

2:13

Those ones are fine.

T

TJ HuddlestonHost

2:14

Those

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