James spent seven years in Japan, where he brought technology into the classroom as a teacher and worked part-time as a data centre engineer. Formerly the CTO and Reviews Editor of MakeUseOf, he has also contributed to publications like TrustedReviews, WindowsReport, and MacObserver. With a BSc in Artificial Intelligence, James combines his technical expertise with a passion for writing, programming, and tech reviews. Now based in Cornwall, he enjoys the slower pace of rural life, building LEGO, playing board games, and diving into VR.
Brighter, smarter, and now with Matter support — the Govee Outdoor Flood Lights 2 bring bold, dynamic lighting to your garden.
The Aqara Camera Hub G5 Pro isn’t just a superb security camera with plenty of AI smarts—it’s a full-fledged Matter-compatible smart home hub squeezed into an outdoor-ready package.
Amazon’s Alexa has long been the best of a bad bunch when it comes to smart voice assistants, but in a world where ChatGPT-style AI is redefining what’s possible, it feels outdated. That’s about to change with Alexa+, a new AI-powered upgrade that promises natural conversations, memory, and actual intelligence.
Matter.js is a JavaScript implementation of the Matter smart home protocol, letting you create, simulate, and control devices using simple code. In this guide, I’ll show you how to build a virtual PC suspend switch to remotely put your computer to sleep.
Want some of that Govee magic, but short on space? The Mini Panels offer a Tetris-like retro pixel wall display, with all your favorite Govee features: Matter-compatible, dynamic music and DIY scenes, plus full DreamView syncing.
Zigbee smart bulbs could soon gain presence sensing capabilities thanks to new firmware that analyzes wireless signals. This "Ambient Sensing" tech, developed by Ivani, uses existing bulbs to detect motion, offering a potential upgrade for millions of existing devices.
You don't need fancy smart buttons to regain control of your smart home. Control all your devices by simply holding your iPhone to some 10-cent NFC stickers.
Thread was supposed to be the brilliant new low-powered communications standard for the Matter smart home. So why are most devices still using Wi-Fi?
Smart home upgrades can be pricey, but Black Friday and Cyber Monday bring unbeatable deals! Score up to a third off top-rated Matter-compatible devices from leading brands—perfect for starting or expanding your setup.
It's easy to think the modern smart home must be full of AI—from lights that turn on automatically to voice assistants that know everything! But is it really AI?
Transform your holiday display with Govee’s stunning Matter-compatible icicle lights—whether it’s festive rainbows or sleek year-round lighting, these smart lights are a bright, bold upgrade for any outdoor setup.
The Govee Christmas String Lights 2 offer smart, customizable holiday lighting with Matter support, dynamic scene mapping, and a host of festive features to brighten up any display.
The P200 Pro offers manual air purifier controls and exposes the air quality sensor data to your Matter network.
SmartWings is the leading manufacturer of customized blinds and shades with built-in automated motors. While you'll find retrofit options elsewhere, SmartWings offers a huge range of styles anyone can install. Today, I put them to the test.
While Nanoleaf offers some Matter-compatible lighting fixtures, their most exciting products still don't support Matter. Why is that? In a word: scenes.
In theory, Matter smart home devices should work fine without the internet—the specification says so. But theory and reality don't always match up.
The Aqara FP1E is a slimmed-down version of the FP2, but you lose the ability to detect in different zones—and you'll need a Zigbee hub to bridge this into Matter. But if you just a basic but reliable presence sensor, it's great.
Taking a swipe at the Apple TV 4K, the new Google TV Streamer is an all-in-one powerful streamer and Matter smart home hub, with Thread border routing and home control app.
QR codes are a key part of the Matter protocol, designed to make the process of commissioning a Matter device into your home easy. But what even is a QR code, and how does Matter use them? Let's take a deep dive, in today's technical explainer.
Govee has released a series of EVA Unit 01 themed modular gaming light fixtures. But they didn't just put some purple scenes into the app; they went all in with an industry-first fixture printing and design that must be seen to be believed.
