Don’t want a smart speaker listening to you at home? This AI-powered ‘pebble’ won’t turn on its mic until it’s picked up
Just check it’ll work with your devices first
When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.Here’s how it works.
If you like the idea of using a smart speaker to control devices like your thermostat, lights, and switches but aren’t enthusiastic about the idea of a device constantly listening in your home, smart home company Aqara may have a solution.
Rather than passively waiting for you to speak a wake phrase (like ‘HeyGoogle’ or ‘Alexa’), Aqara’s button-like device with a microphone will not begin recording until you pick it up.
Smart speakers don’t work by constantly recording everything in your home. Instead, they use software that spots the distinctive acoustic patterns of their wake phrase and ignore everything else. However, not everyone feels comfortable with having a hot microphone in their room.
The AI-enabled Voice Mate H1 gets around that problem by requiring a physical interaction. That does mean you can’t use it hands-free, which is one of the main appeals of smart speakers, but it should help ease the privacy worries that continue to surround even thebest smart speakersand put many people off trying one.
Although the wireless puck-style design is unusual, it makes the device simpler to operate than a button and allows you to easily carry it between rooms throughout the day.
Compatibility check
The Voice Mate H1 works with Aqara’s voice assistant, Copilot, which launched earlier this year. The button requires theAqara Hub-M3to work, and according toThe Verge, voice commands are cleared from the hub once they’re completed.
Of course, all of this is only useful if the Voice Mate H1 works with the rest of your smart home tech. The Hub-M3 supports Aqara’s own Matter-compatible Zigbee devices and works as a Matter bridge, but according to the company, it’s currently only compatible with third-party sensors (presence, light, and contact), light bulbs, switches, thermostats, and plugs for the time being.
Get the best Black Friday deals direct to your inbox, plus news, reviews, and more.
Sign up to be the first to know about unmissable Black Friday deals on top tech, plus get all your favorite TechRadar content.
The Voice Mate H1 should work just fine if you stick with Aqara’s own range of devices. However, if you want to mix and match your smart home tech, you’ll need to make sure they’re all compatible with the Hub-M3 first. Cautious homeowners will also want to checkAqara’s full privacy policyto see what information the company collects and how it’s used.
You might also like
Cat is TechRadar’s Homes Editor specializing in kitchen appliances and smart home technology. She’s been a tech journalist for 15 years, and is here to help you choose the right devices for your home and do more with them. When not working she’s a keen home baker, and makes a pretty mean macaron.
Ignore the Nintendo Alarmo hype, I recommend this Echo Spot Prime Day deal instead
You can now get an Echo Pop themed to your favorite NFL team
Another reason to avoid edge-lit 4K TVs: they may fail faster than others, according to this report
