Nanoleaf today announced the upcoming launch of the Nanoleaf Smart Holiday String Lights, which are able to integrate with Matter-compatible smart home platforms like HomeKit.
The two 10-meter light strands include 250 addressable LEDs that can be set to 16 million colors and multiple shades of white that range from 2700 to 6500K. With IP44 water resistance, the 250 lumen lights are able to be used indoors or outdoors.
Lights can be controlled with the Nanoleaf app, with the Home app, or with Siri voice commands. With the Nanoleaf app, there are customizable color palettes and light animations, plus an option to sync with music that's playing. There are nine preset scenes such as Holiday Magic and Crackling Fireplace.
Because Nanoleaf's lights are Matter-enabled, a Matter-compatible smart home hub like the HomePod mini or recent Apple TV 4K is required to use them with HomeKit. The lights can be controlled via Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and Matter over Wi-Fi, plus there are physical controls available in case a smart device is not around when you want to change the color or turn the lights off.
Thursday February 5, 2026 12:54 pm PST by Joe Rossignol
Apple turns 50 this year, and its CEO Tim Cook has promised to celebrate the milestone. The big day falls on April 1, 2026.
"I've been unusually reflective lately about Apple because we have been working on what do we do to mark this moment," Cook told employees today, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. "When you really stop and pause and think about the last 50 years, it makes your heart ...
Thursday February 5, 2026 12:22 pm PST by Joe Rossignol
Apple plans to announce the iPhone 17e on Thursday, February 19, according to Macwelt, the German equivalent of Macworld.
The report, citing industry sources, is available in English on Macworld.
Apple announced the iPhone 16e on Wednesday, February 19 last year, so the iPhone 17e would be unveiled exactly one year later if this rumor is accurate. It is quite uncommon for Apple to unveil...
Friday February 6, 2026 3:06 pm PST by Juli Clover
In the iOS 26.4 update that's coming this spring, Apple will introduce a new version of Siri that's going to overhaul how we interact with the personal assistant and what it's able to do.
The iOS 26.4 version of Siri won't work like ChatGPT or Claude, but it will rely on large language models (LLMs) and has been updated from the ground up.
Upgraded Architecture
The next-generation...
Tuesday February 3, 2026 7:47 am PST by Joe Rossignol
While the iOS 26.3 Release Candidate is now available ahead of a public release, the first iOS 26.4 beta is likely still at least a week away. Following beta testing, iOS 26.4 will likely be released to the general public in March or April.
Below, we have recapped known or rumored iOS 26.3 and iOS 26.4 features so far.
iOS 26.3
iPhone to Android Transfer Tool
iOS 26.3 makes it easier...
The iPhone 18 Pro Max will feature a bigger battery for continued best-in-class battery life, according to a known Weibo leaker.
Citing supply chain information, the Weibo user known as "Digital Chat Station" said that the iPhone 18 Pro Max will have a battery capacity of 5,100 to 5,200 mAh. Combined with the efficiency improvements of the A20 Pro chip, made with TSMC's 2nm process, the...
I'm pretty sure that my wife would skin me alive if I bought 3-4 of these to replace our $1 incandescent bulbs that we bought on sale after Christmas! I mean, I'm an Apple fan, so I'm no stranger to paying a premium, but this is a bit beyond the pale for me. And I get that the cost of development, production and promotion has to be covered with a profit, so I'm not dissing on Nanoleaf at all. Just beyond what I can personally justify. I hope they do well as they look great, though I do have to wonder about the look of the black strings on a green tree. For Christmas tree light I would definitely prefer green, though maybe they are trying to make these stand out against all the cheap string lights on the market.
