Feed aggregator

On Saturday, a federal appeals court blocked the Trump administration from deploying federalized National Guard troops in Illinois.

(Image credit: Nam Y. Huh)

It sounds as though the upcoming foldable may actually be available to buy outside of South Korea and China.

If you're struggling with mess and unevenly-cooked food from your air fryer, we're here to help.

Bring your horror movie night to life with these 3 4K Blu-rays that will really put the scare into your home theater system.

She may be a genius, but is Iris in over her head? Here's how to watch The Iris Affair online wherever in the world you are and potentially for FREE.

Here's how to watch Rumble from anywhere abroad, including Brazil, and learn how to access streams with a VPN.

We'll show you all the ways to watch this decisive contest from anywhere in the world as Denmark host Greece on Sunday.

Cover your windows your way with these smart motorized shades.

There's no need to wait until November – Dell's early holiday sale is already offering Black Friday-level deals on our favorite laptops.

WEFFORT Smart Shades: one-minute review

WEFFORT offers a ton of different smart shade options, including roller, cellular, zebra, roman, sheer, outdoor, woven wood, drapes, and more. Within each category, you’ll find a variety of neutral colorways and differing degrees of light filtration/blocking. I ordered the 60% light-filtering Lattice Series Roman Shades in white for two identical windows in the same room.

You can choose to charge your blinds via a wall charger or a solar charger; I got one of each. You also choose your home’s ecosystem; I chose Apple’s HomeKit but it also works with Google, Amazon Alexa, Samsung, and several others. You can also get a remote control – either one-channel, five-channel, or 15-channel.

Installation initially went relatively smoothly, though the included screws are low quality and the threads will strip if you’re not careful. The major hiccup, however, was that one of the strings wasn’t wrapped around the motor correctly, so the blind would not lower all the way on one side. After some back-and-forth with customer service, who provided detailed instructions and videos, I was able to get it working properly.

Once that was done, the blinds worked like a dream. I set up an automation, so the blinds open each day at sunrise and close each day at sunset. I also utilized the remote control and Siri voice activation. They work exactly as expected.

(Image credit: Karen Freeman / Future)WEFFORT Smart Shades: price and availability

• Starts relatively inexpensive
• Order directly from site or Amazon
• Gets fairly pricey with customizations

You can order WEFFORT Smart Shades from WEFFORT's website or from Amazon in the US. You'll be able to see all of your options more easily if you order directly from WEFFORT, though you might find some sale prices though Amazon.

The shades start at $119.99 USD (about £90 / AU$180). I ordered two shades for two pretty large identical windows. I selected the 60% light-filtering Lattice Series Roman Shades in white with a battery motor (as opposed to hard-wired) and measured for an outside mount. I added a five-channel remote control, solar charging panel, and chose the HomeKit Motor over Thread. All told, my total was $1,013.94 (about £750 / AU$540) for two shades.

• Value score: 4/5

WEFFORT Smart Shades: design

• Had some hiccups with installation
• Shades look fine, if not luxurious
• Smooth and quiet operation

You'll need a drill and the know-how to use it in order to install the blinds. Note that the included screws are not up to the quality of the rest of the kit; if you're not careful, you can strip them pretty easily. But the trickiest part was that one of the strings that control the blinds got out of place, which meant that one of the shades would not lower all the way. Eventually, with help from WEFFORT's customer service, I was able to fix the string and get the shades working correctly.

(Image credit: Karen Freeman / Future)

You can order the shades with whatever sort of smart home ecosystem you like, whether you prefer Apple HomeKit, Samsung, Google, Amazon Alexa, Homey, Hubitat, or something else. However, for this kind of customization, you'll want to order from WEFFORT directly. Custom orders on Amazon can be a bit tricky.

I set mine up with Apple's HomeKit, there was no need to download any other app to get this done. In addition to controlling the shades via HomeKit and Siri, they can also be controlled via remote control.

(Image credit: Karen Freeman / Future)

I ordered 60% light-filtering shades, and that's what I got. The light filters through pleasantly, but the harshest rays of summer middays are blocked when I want.

As for the aesthetics, well, these don't look or feel like super expensive shades. The fabric of the shades is more like plastic than anything. The string that raises and lowers the shades is very thin. The valance is functional-looking, not anything special. It all looks fine though; I don't need shades to look fancy, I need them to work. And they do work. Operation is smooth, quiet, and flawless.

• Design score: 4/5

WEFFORT Smart Shades: performance

• Set up with Apple, Amazon, Samsung, Google, and more
• Control with your phone, your voice, or remote control
• They just work

When you place your order, be sure to choose your motor type carefully. The Standard Motor uses just the remote control. The Zigbee motor works with Amazon Alexa, Samsung SmartThings, Home Assistant, Hubitat and other Zigbee 3.0 Hubs. The Z-Wave motor can be used with Samsung SmartThings, Home Assistant, and Hubitat. The Matter motor works with Apple HomeKit, Amazon Alexa, Samsung, and Google. The HomeKit motor just works with the Apple ecosystem.

(Image credit: Future)

I found the shades easy to set up with Apple's HomeKit without having to download any other apps. Once set up, you can tell Siri to open and close your blinds, or use the app to choose the exact percentage open you want them.

You can set up Scenes and Automations to have the blinds open and close when or under what circumstances you prefer. I like my blinds to open at sunrise and close at sunset; once I set that Automation I can forget about it and the blinds do just that.

(Image credit: Karen Freeman / Future)

As I mentioned earlier, I did have an issue with a twisted string at first. I'm not sure if the shades came that way or if that happened during installation. With the string twisted, the blinds would not fully lower. I did speak with customer service via email; they sent me instructions and videos until I was able to fix the issue. Since then, everything has worked flawlessly.

• Performance score: 4.5/5

Should you buy the WEFFORT Smart Shades?WEFFORT Smart Shades score card

Attribute

Notes

Score

Value

They start out fairly cheap but get pricey with custom options

4/5

Design

More functional than fancy

4/5

Performance

Get through setup and these shades perform like a dream

4.5/5

Buy it if

You like many options for control

You can choose from a variety of motors so you can use just about any brand of smart home digital assistant. Or you can go old school and just use a remote control.

You want differing kinds of window coverings

WEFFORT offers a variety of smart shades, blinds, and drapes in various colors and light-filtering levels.

You want to set it and forget it

Set up Automations and Scenes so the blinds open and close at the time or in the specific situation you choose and you'll never have to think about them again.View Deal

Don't buy it if

You're looking for a bargain

You can get some basic shades pretty inexpensively, but once you go up in size and add upgrades, the price climbs quickly.

You want a no-brainer setup

You'll need to be handy with a drill and have a little techy know-how. I initially had a twisted string that didn't allow full closure, but worked through it.

You need easy removal

These do get drilled into the wall, so they may not be ideal for renters.View Deal

WEFFORT Smart Shades: also consider

Want some other, similar options to check out? Here are a couple of TechRadar favorites to consider.

SmartWings Smart Blinds

These are fairly similar to WEFFORT blinds, but maybe you'll see some different options you like more here. Read our SmartWings Smart Blinds review to find out.View Deal

GrayWind Smart Blinds

GrayWind and WEFFORT are sister companies, and I found them to be fairly similar. Again, you may find some different options here, so it could be worth checking out. Here's our GrayWind Smart Blinds review.View Deal

SwitchBot Blind Tilt

This renter-friendly, budget-friendly option attaches to your existing blinds and doesn't even require a drill. Read our SwitchBot Blind Tilt review to learn more.View Deal

How I tested the WEFFORT Smart Shades

I installed the WEFFORT Smart Shades on two different windows in my dining room and tested them over two weeks. I opened and closed them a variety of ways, including using the remote control, the HomeKit App on my iPhone, and voice commands to Siri. I also set up an Automation to open the shades at sunrise and close them at sunset.

For more details, see how we test, review, and rate products at TechRadar.

First reviewed October 2025

Image 1 of 8

(Image credit: Karen Freeman / Future)Image 2 of 8

(Image credit: Karen Freeman / Future)Image 3 of 8

(Image credit: Karen Freeman / Future)Image 4 of 8

(Image credit: Karen Freeman / Future)Image 5 of 8

(Image credit: Karen Freeman / Future)Image 6 of 8

(Image credit: Karen Freeman / Future)Image 7 of 8

(Image credit: Karen Freeman / Future)Image 8 of 8

(Image credit: Karen Freeman / Future)

A mass shooting at a crowded bar on an idyllic South Carolina island has left four people dead and at least 20 injured, officials say.

The quickest and easiest way to get caffeine into your groggy system.

Verizon's current deal on the iPhone 17 Pro not only gets you a free iPhone 17 Pro with a trade, but also six months of Apple One and the option to bundle in a free iPad.

The days are getting cool, but there is still time to enjoy the backyard space you love.

With the rising cost of handsets, I wanted to see what could be gained by going against the hype and opting for a refurbished phone instead.

Looking for Quordle clues? We can help. Plus get the answers to Quordle today and past solutions.

Looking for NYT Connections answers and hints? Here's all you need to know to solve today's game, plus my commentary on the puzzles.

Looking for NYT Strands answers and hints? Here's all you need to know to solve today's game, including the spangram.

Here's how to watch Scotland vs Belarus, including free options with the Tartan Army hoping for another strong performance at Hampden Park.

A listing for Sora 2 for Android has appeared on the Google Play Store, but you can't download it yet.