The Bay Area gives gas water heaters one more year
Air regulators in the San Francisco Bay Area voted 16 to 1 to push back their gas water heater phaseout by a year. Starting in January 2028, most people there who replace a gas water heater will need a zero-emission model, which usually means a heat pump water heater. Nobody has to tear out a heater that still works, and there are exemptions for things like tight closets, small electrical service and small tanks. This is a California rule, not a Georgia one, but it shows where water heating is slowly heading.
The best time to think about your next water heater is before the old one quits. If your tank is getting up in years, have it checked so you can plan instead of scrambling. Gas connections are never DIY. I can take a look with a $79 diagnostic.
Source: Los Angeles Times (CalMatters)
Amazon is building another home robot
Amazon's rolling Astro robot only made it into a few thousand homes, but the company isn't done. CNBC found job postings for a new team working on a brand-new home robot meant to get around busy houses and help alongside family members. Amazon hasn't said what it will look like, what it will do or when it will ship.
Any robot or camera that moves around your house sees a lot. Before you bring one home, check what it records, where that video goes and how to switch the camera and microphone off.
Source: CNBC
Apple wants Siri to finish tasks, not just answer questions
According to Bloomberg's reporting, summed up by The Verge, Apple is pushing to make Siri act more like an assistant that gets things done. First up is better control of Apple's own apps, like cropping a photo or organizing browser tabs. Control of other apps, like ordering food or booking a table, is expected later. These are reported plans, not something you can use today.
As voice assistants get more power over your apps, keep a passcode on your phone and review which apps your assistant is allowed to use. That matters even more if your phone also runs your thermostat or door locks.
Source: The Verge
Sony delays its PlayStation speakers a week before launch
Sony's first PlayStation desktop speakers, the Pulse Elevate, were supposed to arrive on November 12. Sony says quality testing found a production issue, so the launch is on hold, and there's no new date yet.
If you pre-ordered, watch your email for updates and hang on to your order confirmation. And whenever you set up new electronics, plug them into a surge protector, not a worn-out power strip.
Source: The Verge
AI helpers still leave jobs half done
Researchers built a test out of real requests people made to AI coding tools. Even the best model fully finished only about one task in four. Most of the time it got a good chunk of the job done but left something unfinished. The lesson goes well beyond coding: these tools can save time, but a person still has to check the work.
The same goes for AI home-repair advice. Use it to understand a problem, then double-check anything that affects safety. Don't let a chatbot talk you into opening a gas line, a refrigerant line or your electrical panel.
Source: The Decoder
Safety reminder from me
Cold nights are when furnaces, water heaters and space heaters work hardest. If you smell gas, leave the house first and call your gas company from outside. Never open up gas lines, refrigerant lines or your electrical panel yourself. For anything electrical inside the panel, call a qualified electrician. For heating trouble, I can help with a $79 diagnostic or a $79 tune-up.
