After launching at the end of September, Queensgate Night Market has been cancelled because of what Hutt South MP Chris Bishop says is bureaucracy gone mad. Read...

The state of emergency was lifted for Southland and Clutha last Friday. Read...

A heavy rain watch is forecast to kick in for the lower South Island on Sunday evening. Read...

PowerNet says 3900 customers are without power in Southland and 1700 in South Otago. Read...

Extreme winds have wreaked havoc across the lower South Island, where some face a week without power. Read...

The wind whipping across the lower North and South Islands on Thursday has been described by many as the worst they have ever seen. Read...

Orange strong wind and heavy rain warnings are in place for much of the South Island and the eastern and lower North Island. Read...

The strong winds are also hitting the South Island, causing damage and delays, after earlier battering the lower North Island. Read...

At a glanceExpert`s Rating Pros Beginner-friendly setup (when its GPS works correctly) Traction Mode mapping is a great innovation Impressive obstacle avoidance Cons Very low maximum cutting height (for U.S. grasses) Persistent GPS issues Unrealistic advertised LoRa communication range (LoRa depends on line-of-sight) Our Verdict Price When Reviewed This value will show the geolocated pricing text for product undefined Best Pricing Today Best Prices Today: UBHome M10 Retailer Price $1,299 View Deal Price comparison from over 24,000 stores worldwide Product Price Price comparison from Backmarket Best Prices Today: Check today’s prices We’ve seen our share of robot mowers from large companies and well-capitalized startups, but very few crowd-funded ones. UBHome is an exception, raising HK $1.6 million (~$200,000 USD) this spring to bring its M10 robot lawn mower to market. The UBHome M10 features artificial intelligence combined with RTK (real-time kinetics) positioning, which reminds me of the Segway X3 series mowers, albeit with a different price tag and maximum yard size. The M10 costs just $1,499, which makes it one of the lower-priced robot mowers we’ve tested. The M10 uses a reference station and a LoRa (Long Range) gateway to determine position and communicate with the mower. In theory, no mower should have any problems maintaining a connection anywhere in my yard, but its unusual shape and plethora of obstructions make it a good test location. Mapping my entire yard with the UBHome M10 was so user friendly I was able to do it for the first time in many reviews. Installation and setup My yard quickly looked well-manicured thanks to the UBHome M10’s attention to detail. It spent extra time on the faster-growing portions.Ed Oswald/Foundry Getting the UBHome M10 set up wasn’t easy, not because the hardware was difficult to deal with or that the robot’s mapping controls were deficient—in fact, I loved the latter and will discuss them in more detail later—but because the M10 had persistent issues acquiring GPS signals. This occurred even in areas where the robot has a clear view of the sky. The M10 is super-reliant on GPS positioning, requiring 20 satellites just to install. That is a very high number of satellites to expect—I was maxing out at 15 to 17 at my location in Pennsylvania, which initially meant I couldn’t move forward with the review. I encountered a similar issue with a Yarbo mower, an issue that has plagued that platform for years: a refusal to connect to GPS satellites that are reliably in view. A view of the sky from the UBHome M10’s reference station, looking due south and tilted approximately 120 degrees. As you can see, apart from the horizon and a portion of the southwestern sky, there is a reasonably clear view at this location.Ed Oswald/Foundry The good news? Yarbo’s problems came down to a software issue, and I highly suspect the same thing is happening here. I eventually found another five or so satellites (although this part of the install was done a day later) and was therefore able to map my yard using the M10’s excellent in-app controls. Unlike many other mowers I’ve tested, the UBHome M10 doesn’t lurch with the slightest tap of its in-app controls. In areas where I wasn’t experiencing issues with GPS connectivity, I was able to map the terrain relatively quickly. It also has a slightly bizarre yet novel mapping method it calls Traction Mode, which involves looping a rope around the front grille of the M10 and pulling it behind you to create a map. If you struggle with remote control operation, this might be an attractive alternative (and it really works). UBHome deserves credit for thinking out of the box here. Mapping was so user friendly that I was able to use it to map my entire property for the first time in many reviews. I was also curious to see how well the LoRa technology could handle the more distant parts of our yard. UBHome says LoRa support endows its mower with a communication range of 576,000 square yards (138,000 square meters), a claim I was rightly skeptical of. What the company’s marketing materials don’t point out is that LoRa networks are heavily dependent on line of sight. So, that range might be achievable if you’re mowing a pasture, but having buildings in the picture quickly changes things. The UBHome app has a great user interface, and the ultra-precise positioning can tell you exactly where your mower has been. The barebones scheduling options, on the other hand, need a makeover.Ed Oswald/Foundry UBHome’s infrastructure consists of a gateway, an antenna, and a base station, which isn’t all that beginner friendly, but the company’s instructional materials clearly show all the steps you need to get started. While the production value of its video won’t earn an Emmy, it makes it abundantly clear what you need to do. UBHome’s app will also walk you through the process with helpful text directions. Using the UBHome M10 The UBHome M10 is a daytime-only mower due to the absence of LiDAR navigation or any headlamps. I assume most people reading this review aren’t likely to mow their lawns in the middle of the night, like I do, so I don’t see this as a negative. What’s most important is the cut, and even with all the installation difficulty, the UBHome redeemed itself in that regard. The M10 has a very low maximum cutting height of just 2.36 inches (6cm). That might be too low for the types of grass commonly found in American lawns. I generally keep our grass at 2.5 inches or higher, as anything lower tends to expose brown patches. I’ve noticed this quirk in many mowers that initially launched overseas. The M10’s front wheels move freely, so its rear wheels try to compensate, causing the mower to “waddle” slightly on open straightaways.Ed Oswald/Foundry It’s also because the U.S. itself is an aberration: The grasses that make up most of our lawns are a result of homesick American colonists favoring European grass species—and importing their seeds—instead of planting native North American grasses. The M10 does have a high-grass mode for when you need to cut grass that is significantly above the mower’s maximum cutting height, but UBHome warns that this setting could impair the mower’s obstacle avoidance. That said, I saw no substantial effects, even when the mower got close to the slope in my yard. That slope has been proven to be the Achilles’ Heel of so many rear-wheel drive mowers I’ve tested here. The mower has three mowing methods, the last of which is optional. The first is your traditional mow, where the mower takes long passes to cover as much ground as possible. In oddly shaped or narrow areas, you can use “spot mowing,” where the mower moves in a manner that covers spots close to the edge of the mowing area or where it may have missed. Finally, the optional “perimeter mowing” rides the edge of the mowing area to provide that finished look. You can monitor all of this in the app in real time. LoRa helps to ensure that the app’s positioning is exact, and it also results in a significantly longer mowing time than most robot mowers, but the results are worth it. There are two situations where you’ll encounter trouble with the M10: Roughly 2 to 3 hours before sundown, and in low-light conditions. To avoid this, I recommend mowing in the late morning or early afternoon.Ed Oswald/Foundry I experienced issues with sun blindness being misinterpreted as an obstruction when the sun was low in the sky. This is typical of robot mowers that aren’t equipped with LiDAR navigation. To get around the problem, program the mower to cut any portions of the lawn that will have the mower moving directly into the sun at least three hours before sunset. Mowing the easiest part of my yard went so well that I decided to tackle the more problematic areas next. I tempered my expectations given the amount of trouble I’ve had with other rear-wheel drive (RWD) mowers. Things went well, for the most part. I set the M10 to its slowest setting while cutting narrow strips of grass, which kept it on the median rather than in the street, where so many other mowers have ended up (the mower did fall off the curb while running at its standard speed). On slopes, the M10 seemed to correct the drift of its front wheels to either side much faster than any other RWD mower I’ve tested. The M10, however, lost its connection to the Reference Station about 300 feet through my detached garage. This wasn’t entirely surprising, given LoRa’s dependence on line-of-sight communication; in fact, it performed better than most of its competitors in this area. That said, it didn’t come anywhere close to the 138,000 square meters of communication range that’s advertised. The mower also had difficulty staying within its assigned boundaries while it was in that section, confusing a small strip down the alley as an edge, likely due to connectivity issues. Using the UBHome app UBHome’s app has an excellent user interface; it’s well-organized and clean, and I appreciate how the most critical actions are assigned to buttons at the bottom of the screen, so I can use the app with one hand. The scheduling portion of the app, on the other hand, is too barebones; it shows scheduled mow days and times, but not the areas to be mowed. The UBHome M10 is an AI+RTK mower that uses a trio of cameras and seven sensors to navigate your yard and avoid obstacles.Ed Oswald/Foundry A log show displays all recent actions and alerts, and there’s a remote control feature if you feel like driving the mower yourself. I experienced sporadic connectivity problems from time to time, which were usually remedied by restarting the app. While you can set mowing direction within the app, there doesn’t appear to be any type of automatic adjustment for each successive mow. That said, it might not be necessary, as the M10 will switch between modes based on the height of the grass and if it spots areas where grass is growing faster than others. Should you buy a UBHome M10 robot mower? With a price tag of less than $1,500, the UBHome M10 punches above its weight. Its dependence on GPS for navigation, however, comes with risks. The mower’s sporadic inability to find satellites in areas where it had a clear view of the sky is disappointing. Apart from that, the mower is surprisingly flawless and fun to use. I initially thought such out-of-the-box ideas as Traction Mode were silly, but when I used them, I discovered they’re an innovative way to speed up the most irritating part of robot mower setup. The Ml10 delivers outstanding cut quality, and its obstacle avoidance works well even in high-grass mode. This rear-wheel drive mower’s ability to successfully mow my lawn without falling down its slope is also notable. And for the most part, it stayed within its assigned boundaries, something many other mowers have failed to do, especially on my yard’s median strips. If you’re in the market for a robot lawn mower, most of your yard has a clear view of the sky, and you have a limited budget, the UBHome M10 is an option to consder. I do hope UBHome solves this machine’s GPS issues with a firmware update, because that’s holding back an otherwise excellent robot lawn mower. This review is part of TechHive’s in-depth coverage of the best robot lawn mowers. Read...

At a glanceExpert`s Rating Pros Works without Wi-Fi or wired power Affordable data plans starting at $5/month Solar-backed rechargeable battery 360-degree pan/tilt plus zoom for wide coverage Cons Limited live session views Photo-first design won’t suit everyone Live view sessions take several seconds to activate Night vision clarity is basic Our Verdict A practical, affordable option for keeping tabs on remote property, so long as you’re comfortable with its photo-first approach to home security. Price When Reviewed This value will show the geolocated pricing text for product undefined Best Pricing Today Best Prices Today: Tactacam Defend 360 Retailer Price Check Price comparison from over 24,000 stores worldwide Product Price Price comparison from Backmarket Best Prices Today: Check today’s prices Keeping an eye on vacation and other remote properties has always been a challenge. They often sit outside the reach of both Wi-Fi coverage and electrical power, leaving them uncovered by traditional security cameras. Tactacam, best known for its hunting and action cameras, is stepping into that gap with the Defend 360. It’s a solar-powered, LTE-connected camera built to operate where standard systems can’t, offering broad coverage and remote access in a single, self-contained unit. At $199.99, plus an mandatory subscription for connectivity, it aims to bring off-grid security within reach of everyday users. Design and features The dome-style Defend 360 is built for the outdoors. Its housing is weather-resistant, with an IP65 rating indicating it’s dustproof and protected against water projected in jets from any direction. (You can read more about IP codes at the preceding link.) Power comes from a combination of a 10,000mAh rechargeable battery and an integrated solar panel that keeps it perpetually charged to eliminate the hassle of extension cords or periodic battery swaps. The Tactacam Defend 360 connects to the internet via an LTE connection, which makes it well-suited to remote locations where Wi-Fi isn’t available. The camera’s core features are all geared toward use at a remote location. You get a full 360-degree pan-tilt-zoom to cover wide areas, 1080p video resolution with 4K photo capture, and motion alerts to flag activity. The camera connects to the internet via its LTE radio and automatically locks onto the strongest available carrier. A SIM is pre-installed, so you don’t have to deal with activation headaches or track down a card–and carrier–yourself. The Defend 360 includes a solar panel you can attach directly to the camera or next to it. Michael Ansaldo/Foundry Because the Defend 360 relies on LTE rather than Wi-Fi, you’ll need a data plan to transmit photos and live video between the camera and your phone. Tactacam manages these plans directly through its app and web portal, so you don’t need to set up service with a carrier yourself. Service plans are tiered. The Starter Plan begins at $5 per month ($55/year) and includes 250 photo notifications and three live viewing sessions per month, with 60 days of storage in the cloud. The Pro Plan costs $13 per month ($120/year) and unlocks unlimited photo notifications and five live viewing sessions per month. The Premium Plan runs $19 per month ($175/year) and adds expanded compatibility across cameras. There’s also a $9-per-month Plus add-on that enables unlimited remote downloads and on-demand access with a full year of cloud storage across all cameras on the account. Setup and performance The camera works with both Tactacam’s Defend app and its Reveal app, giving you flexibility if you already own Tactacam gear. This was my first time using a Tacatacam camera so I went with the Defend app. The first thing you must do is create an account and select a subscription plan through the camera system’s web portal. Next, you’ll log into the mobile app using that same account info to begin the pairing process. During this app-guided setup, the camera connects to whichever carrier offers the strongest signal in the area. The camera’s power switch and charging port are protected from the elements behind a rubber tab. Michael Ansaldo/Foundry To install the camera, you need to attach the mounting bracket to a wall or post with the included hardware. The camera twists into the bracket and locks in place, and the antenna screws onto its side. The solar panel can be mounted directly to the camera or separately on a nearby surface for better sun exposure. Tactacam recommends aiming the panel south at a 30–40 degree angle for optimal exposure. Once the panel is connected with its short cable, the system is ready to run on renewable power. The Tactacam Defend 360 works a little differently than the Wi-Fi cameras most people are familiar with. Instead of streaming video for every motion event, it primarily delivers still photos when it detects activity. This approach uses far less data and battery, which is important in remote areas with sketchy coverage. You can request higher-resolution stills or start a live view session in 1080p resolution when you need a closer look, but those count against your monthly plan unless you’ve paid for the unlimited Plus add-on. The camera can also send low-resolution check-in pictures at regular intervals, giving you both a status update and a snapshot of what it sees without burning through data. This monitoring approach is reflected in the app design, On the home screen, you see the most recent still photo (or a check-in image) rather than a live feed. If you want real-time video, you tap into a live view session, which activates on demand. Each time you do, the system needs several seconds to “wake up” the camera, establish the LTE link, and start the feed. The app shows this step-by-step—waking up, getting ready, connecting—before the video appears. Once live, you can pan and tilt with on-screen arrows, zoom in, snap stills, or toggle audio. You’ll also find real-time camera status info here, including battery level, available storage, and signal strength. There are also options for modifying video length, motion detection sensitivity and scheduling, and check-in frequency. The Defend app displays the latest captured event or check-in photo while live video is on demand and limited to a certain number of live view sessions as determined by your service plan. Michael Ansaldo/Foundry Video isn’t the Defend 360’s primary focus—it’s there as a supplement when you need eyes on something in real time. The 1080p stream, which is standard for cellular cameras, is clear enough to confirm whether it’s a deer in the yard or a truck pulling into the drive, and the 360-degree pan/tilt gives you broad coverage that fixed cameras can’t match. You won’t get cinematic detail, and night vision is the usual grainy, black-and-white infrared, but both are adequate for spot checks. If you’re running more than one Defend 360—or mixing it with other Tactacam models—the app has a handy site-management feature. It lets you group cameras by location, so you can monitor a cabin, farm, or job site at a glance. Each site shows the latest check-in photos and status for every camera tied to it, making it easier to keep track of multiple units without jumping between screens. Should you buy the Tactacam Defend 360 Cellular Security Camera? At $199.99, plus a $5/month starter plan, the Defend 360 sits in the same price bracket as other cellular cameras like the Arlo Go 2 and eufy 4G LTE Cam S330. The difference comes after purchase: Tactacam’s service plans start lower and are managed entirely in its own app, while competitors typically tack on steeper monthly fees and tie you to a particular carrier. That likely makes the Defend 360 cheaper to operate over time, especially if you’re running multiple units. Where you’ll feel the trade-offs is in how it works. The Defend 360 leans on event-triggered still photos and check-ins, with live video available only when you request it. That design keeps data and power use low, which is exactly what you need in places Wi-Fi cameras can’t go. On the flipside, it can leave you feeling restricted if you’re used to continuous video streaming. If your priority is simple, dependable coverage for a cabin, farm, or job site, the Defend 360 makes a lot of sense. If you expect the kind of seamless video experience you’d get from a Wi-Fi camera, you’ll be frustrated by its limitations. This review is part of TechHive’s in-depth coverage of the best home security cameras. Read...