Ugreen's New Home Hub Keeps Smart Home Data Private, No Fees

Ugreen, known for chargers and network storage drives, has entered the smart home market with a bold promise: run everything locally, keep your data private, and ditch monthly fees. Its new HomeAgent hub combines a security camera recorder, a file storage system (NAS, or network-attached storage), and an AI assistant you talk to by voice. The assistant, called Uliya, can answer questions like "where is my pet?" or "show me what happened last night," and control smart lights, blinds, and other devices.

Because all video is processed and stored on the hub itself, you don't pay ongoing cloud subscriptions like Ring or Nest require. Ugreen says this approach addresses two big smart home worries: privacy (your data doesn't go to a remote server) and recurring costs. During a hands-on demo at the IFA tech show, the hub successfully controlled Nanoleaf lights and smart blinds using voice commands, acting as a central brain for devices from different brands through the Matter standard.

There are three hub models. The base HomeAgent HA100 starts at $899 early-bird pricing, the HA100 Pro is $2,999, and the top-end MasterAgent MA100—powered by Nvidia's powerful Jetson Thor processor—costs a staggering $9,999. After the Kickstarter campaign in October, Ugreen says prices will roughly double. The system also works with Ugreen's own security cameras and a smart speaker, but the list of compatible third-party gadgets is still small—mainly lights, switches, sensors, and curtains.

The catch? Local AI is still maturing, and this is expensive compared to simpler smart speakers. Also, you need to be comfortable setting up your own system. But if you want your home to feel intelligent without sharing your everyday life with a cloud company, this is one of the most ambitious attempts yet.