It’s been a year since my last big smart home update, and in this video I walk you through what I actually changed, what I kept, and what I’m still testing in 2024. I’ve bounced between Alexa and Google (with Siri hanging out on the side), but the big theme this year is simplifying automations where they were getting a little too “clever.” I’ll show you the stuff that’s working reliably day-to-day—like my go-to Schlage Encode lock and Ecobee thermostat setup—and the places where I intentionally removed automations because they were triggering when they didn’t need to. I also get into a few upgrades I’m genuinely excited about: a new Reolink doorbell that finally works with an existing mechanical/digital chime (no extra plug-in chime), smart shades additions (including SmartWings in the guest room), and a new Echo Hub that I hardwired with Power over Ethernet for a clean install. On the audio/voice side, I’ve added more Sonos (Era 300s are wild for bass) and brought in Josh.ai for privacy-focused, natural language control across rooms. And yes—there’s a “big reveal” outside: my Dreame A1 robot mower. It’s helpful, but I’m still not convinced robot mowers are a must-have for most people yet.