Paul Lamkin

1 week ago | the-ambient.com | Paul Lamkin

World’s first consumer MPPT-powered solar spotlight boasts 14-hour lighting, RGB effects, and smart home controls... even in cloudy weather Outdoor solar lighting usually comes with a tradeoff… when the clouds roll in, your lights go dim. But Linkind, which is part of the AiDot smart home ecosystem, is aiming to change that with its new SL5C Smart Solar Spotlight, which the Korean company tells us is the first consumer-grade outdoor light to use Maximum Power Point Tracking (MPPT).

1 week ago | the-ambient.com | Paul Lamkin

Nanoleaf’s latest smart light, the Pegboard Desk Dock, has just gone live, offering a surprisingly practical way to declutter your space while adding some eye candy to your desk setup. I actually saw a prototype of the Desk Dock back in January at CES 2025 alongside the existing wall-focused Blocks Light Pegboard, where it obviously takes its inspiration from.

1 week ago | the-ambient.com | Paul Lamkin

The Blink Outdoor 4, first launched in the US at the end of 2023, is finally crossing the pond and will go on sale in the UK from today. The Blink Outdoor 4, like its predecessor, offers you two years’ worth of life from a pair of AA batteries. That lifespan of the new £69.99 smart security camera comes with the caveat of only very light motion detection but, even in busy spots in your house, a yearly change of AAs isn’t going to break the bank.

1 week ago | forbes.com | Paul Lamkin

After years of demos - it was actually shown off over 5 years ago at CES 2020 - Samsung’s bright yellow, BB8-esque, home robot is finally going on sale. The Korean company confirmed that Ballie will roll into homes in the US and Korea this summer, with a juicy AI upgrade courtesy of Google Gemini. Pre-registration is already live on Samsung’s website, so it looks as if, finally, Samsung is serious about turning this longtime prototype into a product you can actually buy.

1 week ago | the-ambient.com | Paul Lamkin

Eve Systems, which for years was a HomeKit-only affair, has announced that the Eve Energy smart plug now supports Matter’s new energy reporting features. What’s more, the German brand is updating its Android app, which launched at the end of last year, with full energy monitoring. And, because good things come in threes, there’s also the news that the Energy smart plug is now officially ‘Works With Home Assistant’ certified.