Ikea's Smart Home Reset Goes Back to Basics Ikea's new 21-product series of bulbs, sensors, and remotes is dirt cheap, idiot-proof, Matter-ready, and designed to work with everything. But it's still years from the promised house of the future. That's what you might be thinking if you've been following smart-home tech for the past decade or, indeed, building out your own fortress of missed connections. The first Nest thermostat launched in 2011, Philips Hue in 2012, the Amazon Echo in 2014. But for anyone who has spent long nights scrolling through IoT troubleshooting forums since then, here's the latest: It's finally time for a do-over.

Vintage-style LED smart bulbs have been a thing for a while, but I haven't seen one quite like this new one from Savant's GE Lighting division. The all-new Cync Clear Full Color Direct Connect A19 Smart Bulb--now there's a mouthful--features a spiral LED filament in a clear glass globe. The Edison-style smart bulb can be programmed to glow from a palette of millions of colors as well as a variety of white color temperatures (from a warm candlelight-like 2,000 Kelvin to an energizingly cool 7,000K). You'll want to install the Cync Clear Full Direct Connect in a clear luminaire that will show off its spiral LED filament. The new bulb connects directly to your Wi-Fi network, and it supports Matter, rendering it compatible with Amazon Alexa, Apple Home, Google Assistant, and Samsung SmartThings.

Looking to skip the hassle of wall-mounting a security camera in your backyard and wiring it for power? If you have an available outdoor light socket, this new Wyze cam and smart bulb combo can be screwed right into it. Available now, the Wyze Blub Cam ( 49.98) is pretty much what it says: a smart bulb with an integrated security camera. Screw-in security cameras are plentiful on Amazon, but they typically come from no-name brands and (generally speaking) offer only iffy quality. But we're starting to see light socket-compatible cams from more reputable companies, including a recent 2K model from Lorex, and now we have Wyze's entry in the market.

If you're looking for something with more elegance and sophistication, however, you should replace the switches in your walls. Besides, the most common drawback of relying on smart bulbs with conventional switches is that someone inevitably turns the switch off. Your expensive smart bulb is now a dumb bulb that can't be controlled with voice commands or be included in any lighting automations you've set up. Don't worry, it's an easy DIY project. Be aware, however, that most–but certainly not all–smart controls depend on the presence of a neutral wire in the box.

Smart LED light bulbs are one of the easiest ways to get into the IoT space. These smart lighting solutions let you control your home's illumination from your phone and other connected devices, and in addition to that practicality, they also inject some fun into your space. Color-changing bulbs have a plethora of RGB options for you to customize the lighting mood for your next movie night, date night or game day, or you can opt for cozy warm white light when you need to unwind at the end of a long day. It goes without saying that many of these smart LED light bulbs work with Amazon's Alexa and the Google Assistant, so if you already have a smart home setup in the works, you can find one that fits into your chosen ecosystem. And arguably the best thing about these devices is that they can fit into any budget; affordable and advanced options have flooded the space over the past few years. We've tested out a bunch of smart lights over the years, and these are our current favorites. If you've done any research into smart lights, you've probably come across Philips Hue bulbs.

Ready to turn your house into a smart home? Replacing your dumb bulbs with smart ones is perhaps the easiest way to start. Many smart bulbs can be screwed into existing light sockets, and they can be controlled remotely, put on schedules, change colors, and more. If you're feeling more ambitious, you can venture into smart string lights, light strips, wall and ceiling fixtures, smart lamps, and even smart lighting for the yard or other outdoor areas. Our guide to the best smart lighting can help you navigate the thicket of options, from the various smart light manufacturers (like Philips Hue, LIFX, Nanoleaf, and Wyze) to the connectivity standards (Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, Zigbee, and Matter). We'll also let you know which voice assistants (like Alexa, Apple's Siri, and Google Assistant) work with which lights. TechHive's editors and contributors have been testing smart bulbs and lighting products practically since the category was invented. We continuously test the latest smart lights, accessories, and the apps that control them.

Right now, you can grab an Amazon Echo Show 5 bundle for just 46.98, which amounts to the Echo Show 5 at 50 percent off along with a near-free 60W A19 smart bulb that's controllable via the Echo Show. The beauty of the Echo Show 5 is that it's a fairly inexpensive way to bring a smart screen assistant into your home. With a 5-inch display that shows everything from the current time and date to your active Spotify playlist to the results to your voice queries and even your smart doorbell's live video feed, the Echo Show serves perfectly anywhere in your home. You can ask Alexa to control the light bulb that comes with it, play music, read out recipes, turn off your compatible smart TV, and more. If you dive in deeper, you can even create custom Alexa routines so when you say something like "Alexa, good night," it responds by turning off the lights and the TV for you.

Amazon Prime Day is officially over -- but there are still a few legacy deals hanging on. We had previously pulled together this list of worthy under- 25 deals, and we've just updated it to reflect these affordable bargains that are still available as of Thursday morning. As a reminder (and for the uninitiated): Engadget treats tech deals with the same care as we would "regular" tech news. When we scour the web for deals, we're looking not only for the best prices possible, but also the best products as well. Our goal with our deals coverage, especially surrounding events like Amazon Prime Day, is to surface only the best deals we can find on the gadgets we've tested and rated highly, or that we've used and know to be worth your money.

Don't fret if you missed out on day one of Amazon Prime Day -- there are still tons of deals to be had during the final day today. Prime Day deals have discounted plenty of our favorites this year, including a bunch of affordable tech that's now even cheaper thanks to the shopping event. We've sifted through all of the junk to find all of the tech deals under 25 that are actually worth your money. As a reminder (and for the uninitiated): Engadget treats tech deals with the same care as we would "regular" tech news. When we scour the web for deals, we're looking not only for the best prices possible, but also the best products as well.

The small devices and handy accessories are the unsung heroes of the tech world. They power our tablets and laptops, lend extra storage to our cameras and handhelds, and even bring a little entertainment in the form of smaller speakers and streaming devices. Now that Amazon's Prime Day is in full swing we've rounded up the best Prime Day deals under 50 on the smaller tech we love. As with all Engadget tech deals coverage, we only highlight discounts on gear we've tested or have otherwise used and know to be worthy of your money. We cross-checked our guides and reviews with the Prime Day deals Amazon has put forth to come up with what you see here. The Anker Nano power bank in black is on sale for Prime Day for 16.13. That's a 15 percent discount and a good deal for one of the best power banks we tested. We like the foldable USB-C connector which means you don't have to remember a separate cable and the amount of charge it delivers for such a small package. Plus it's compact enough you can use it while it refills your phone.