Christian Cawley

Industry News

A Look at the New Matter Smart Home Products Announced at IFA Berlin 2024

IFA Berlin 2024 showcased a wealth of new tech, much of which you can expect to see in shops over the coming months. Along with the usual audio gear, mobile phones, and laptops, IFA Berlin 2024 was the launchpad for a collection of new smart home technology, much of which has been built with support for Matter.

Thursday, September 12, 2024

How To

How to Use the IKEA Dirigera with Matter

IKEA has joined the Matter revolution, adding support for the new smart home standard to its Dirigera hub. But how do you set up the Dirigera to work with Matter? We lay out all you need to know to get it operating without a hitch.

Wednesday, September 11, 2024

News

New Aqara Smart Home Products with Matter Announced at IFA 2024

Smart home tech producer Aqara has made a collection of product reveals at IFA 2024, with a heavy element of Matter compatibility. These new products include new wall dimmers, bulbs, and a garage door controller. In addition, Aqara’s Thread support is extending, which should help to solidify its commitment to Matter as the smart home platform evolves.

Tuesday, September 10, 2024

News

Tado X Range Launches in UK, But What About the USA?

Back in May 2024, German smart home company Tado announced a new range of smart home energy devices, Tado X – and the news from IFA 2024 is that they’re being released in the UK in time for winter. But how exactly will connecting a Matter-enabled smart home energy management system save money? And when will Tado X be available to US smart home owners?

Monday, September 9, 2024

News

The LG ThinQ ON AI Brings “Affectionate Intelligence” into Matter Home Hubs

The unveiling of the LG ThinQ ON AI home hub has been teased by the South Korean electronics manufacturer ahead of the IFA 2024 tech show in Berlin, Germany. LG’s exposure to Matter has been limited to date, with just a handful of webOS-loaded smart TVs capable of acting as hubs via the ThinQ mobile app. However, the ThinQ ON AI home hub might change this.

Friday, August 30, 2024

Explainer

What is Samsung SmartThings?

A collection of big name companies are members of the Connectivity Standards Alliance, the group that publishes the Matter smart home standard. Among them are Google, Apple, Amazon, IKEA… and Samsung SmartThings. You’ve heard of Samsung, but what on earth is SmartThings? And how can it help to encourage the use of Matter as a smart home technology?

Thursday, August 22, 2024

Explainer

10 useful things you can do with a Matter smart plug

While it may seem that Matter smart plugs are just like any other, they are not. With a Matter smart switch, the possibilities of remotely controlling and scheduling the activity of devices is enhanced. These 10 examples of useful ways to use a Matter smart plug illustrate this.

Tuesday, August 20, 2024

How To

How to Set up a Matter Smart Plug

One of the best ways to get started with smart home tech is to employ a smart plug. These internet-connected devices have a simple task – to switch on and off, thereby powering up or powering off any connected device. And just as smart plugs have been the ideal intro to smart home tech in the past, they’re also perfect to help you get to grips with Matter.

Friday, August 16, 2024

Explainer

What are the major differences between Matter 1.3 and 1.2?

Matter aims to bring improved interoperability and security into the smart home space. One way this is achieved is through a rigid release schedule. The Matter 1.3 specification was released in Spring 2024. It introduced a number of significant improvements, but what are the key differences between Matter 1.2 and 1.3?

Friday, August 2, 2024

Explainer

Can a Kitchen Fridge Be Connected to Matter?

Boasting temperature control, inventory management, and even diet control, the smart fridge can only be enhanced by the emergence of Matter. The new smart home standard is slowly spreading into the kitchen, with connected devices included in Matter 1.3. But can current smart fridges connect to Matter?

Thursday, July 25, 2024

Explainer

What do Matter smart switches do?

On the face of things, Matter-compatible smart switches just do what other smart home light switches do. But there is more to switching lights off and on remotely using Matter.

Thursday, July 18, 2024

Explainer

The Best Matter-Compatible Kitchen Equipment

If you’re building your Matter smart home, one of the key areas that you’ve probably identified is the kitchen. But is Matter-compatible kitchenware available? As of mid-2024, the list of compatible hardware is short, but the kitchen is a key opportunity for Matter.

Monday, July 15, 2024

Explainer

Can Matter Work With Your Smart Television?

Smart homes technology has been surprisingly slow to build integrations with TVs. Aside from support for smart assistants, there is little to shout about. It’s hardly smart, is it? But with increased support for Matter, that might be about to change.

Monday, July 1, 2024

Review

IKEA DIRIGERA Review: A Matter Bridge

IKEA has spent the last decade flogging its TRADFRI gateway. But IKEA is a member of the Connectivity Standards Alliance, and Matter is the CSA’s pet project. Then Matter 1.3 happened, and suddenly IKEA’s new smart home looked a lot more interesting. Could the DIRIGERA bridge Matter in your home?

Monday, June 24, 2024

News

New Home Assistant Update Includes Matter 1.3 and AI Automation

A collection of new features have been unveiled in Home Assistant 2024.6, which boasts various improvements and the inclusion of Matter 1.3. The Spring 2024 revision of Matter adds various smart home interoperability enhancements, which are now supported in the new Home Assistant release.

Friday, June 14, 2024

Thread

Why Your MacBook Has a Hidden Thread Radio

FCC reports of current and upcoming Apple devices reveal that many of them have a hidden feature. But why do new iPhones and MacBooks have a Thread radio?

Tuesday, June 11, 2024

Explainer

How to Tell Which Version of Matter You’re Using

Knowing which version of Matter your hardware is running can help you to choose the right devices. It will also determine which features your smart home kit can control via a smart hub app, and which ones are restricted to the device’s native app. But there is a problem. You can’t definitively find out which version of Matter you’re using.

Monday, June 10, 2024

Explainer

How Smart Home Devices Will Change With The Matter Standard

The chances are, your smart home isn’t as smart as you would like it to be.  Incompatibility, a lack of interoperability, and perhaps a simple tiff between brands and ecosystems are taking their toll. Multiple apps, dependence on specific hubs, and a collision of ecosystems in an attempt to make things simply work.

Tuesday, May 28, 2024

Explainer

Matter vs Z-Wave: What's the Difference?

Arguably the biggest problem with smart homes is the lack of compatibility between devices and hubs. Even where compatibility is used as a selling point, problems can occur down the line. Two possible solutions are the Matter protocol and the Z-Wave mesh networking system. But both are slightly different.

Monday, May 27, 2024

News

Tado Does Matter: New X Range Heats Up Smart Homes

German smart heating manufacturer Tado has launched Tado X, a collection of Matter-compatible devices in the European Union. Aiming to make smart heating more accessible, the Tado X devices are Matter and Thread compatible.

Wednesday, May 22, 2024