Explainer

Can Using Matter Devices Save Energy and Help the Environment?

One of the key aspects of the Matter smart home platform is its energy monitoring features, extended in Matter 1.4. With careful management and configuration, there is the potential for a smart home to not only save you some physical energy, but to also reduce on domestic energy use. So do Matter devices contribute to energy efficiency and environmental sustainability?

Christian Cawley Wednesday, December 4, 2024

Review

GE Cync Matter Indoor Smart Plug Review: In Cync With Matter

Although its price may give off cheap Wi-Fi accessory vibes, GE's Cync indoor plug is one of the best Matter-compatible smart plugs you can buy today. Read on to find out why.

Christopher Close Tuesday, December 3, 2024

How To

How to Control Your Matter Smart Home From Your Samsung SmartThings TV

One of the most popular television brands, Samsung, has stealithy been adding Matter into households for the past few years. Via the SmartThings smart home panel on Samsung TVs, you can add and remove Matter-compatible and other smart home gear. Better still, Samsung SmartThings is easy to set up on your TV, too.

Christian Cawley Friday, November 29, 2024

Explainer

Why Are There So Few Matter over Thread Accessories?

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?

James Bruce Thursday, November 28, 2024

News

New Firmware Updates Make Mill Wi-Fi Panels the First Matter-Compatible Smart Heaters

Matter gets its first smart heaters and a new smart plug just in time for winter.

Christopher Close Wednesday, November 27, 2024

Explainer

Can Matter be Integrated into Garage Door Openers?

The smart home is gradually moving out of the house and into other parts of your property. Exterior lighting was the first step, then gardens. But what about your garage? Can Matter work with your garage door?

Christian Cawley Wednesday, November 27, 2024

Review

Inovelli White Series Smart Dimmer Review: The Ultimate Matter Light Switch?

With a robust feature set that goes beyond simple lighting controls, solid build quality, and excellent performance and reliability, is the Inovelli White Series Smart Dimmer the ultimate Matter-compatible light switch? Read on to find out.

Christopher Close Tuesday, November 26, 2024

Explainer

The 5 Funniest Smart Home YouTube Videos

The promise of a slick, functional smart home is tantalizingly within reach, and failure is frustrating. But just sometimes, it’s a good idea to sit back, take a more holistic view of the situation, and let yourself have a bit of a chuckle. After all, we managed okay before the smart home came along. With this in mind, here are five funny smart home videos guaranteed to lighten the mood.

Christian Cawley Friday, November 22, 2024

News

Amazon Debuts 21-Inch Echo Show: A Game-Changer for Matter, Thread, and Zigbee Smart Homes

Amazon has taken smart home displays to a new level with the announcement of the Echo Show 21, featuring a massive 21-inch screen - the largest yet for the Echo lineup. Beyond its size, this flagship device integrates cutting-edge smart home technology, including Matter Controller, Thread Border Router, and Zigbee hub capabilities, making it a compelling option for connected homes.

David Drager Friday, November 22, 2024

Explainer

The Best Matter-Compatible Candelabra Light Bulbs

If you are on a quest to make all of your home's lighting smart, you've likely experienced the pain of trying to track down candelabra-style bulbs. To help make the process quicker and easier, we've rounded up all of the best available candelabra options so you can spend more time enjoying your smart home and less time searching.

Christopher Close Thursday, November 21, 2024

News

The Best Matter Black Friday Deals: Aqara, Govee, SwitchBot and More!

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.

James Bruce Thursday, November 21, 2024

Explainer

The Best Matter-Compatible Flood Light Bulbs

While standard-sized smart light bulbs may be great for lamps, they aren't quite the perfect fit for recessed and outdoor lighting fixtures. For these, you'll need larger flood light bulbs for a seamless look and Matter smart home convenience.

Christopher Close Wednesday, November 20, 2024

News

Aqara Adds Matter-Compatible Smoke Detector and Valve Controller to the Smart Home

Aqara has been spoiling smart home users with its increasingly common inclusion of Matter compatibility over the past few months. Two new products, previously announced but unavailable until now, underline the company’s commitment to Matter.

Christian Cawley Tuesday, November 19, 2024

Industry News

Leadership Insights Provides a Look at How Matter Is Developing

The CEOs of the Connectivity Standards Alliance and the Wi-Fi Alliance recently put their heads together to discuss the impact of both bodies on the development of the smart home. It’s an interesting chat, but what are the takeaways that Matter from this discussion?

Christian Cawley Friday, November 15, 2024

Explainer

The Matter Wishlist: 5 Devices We Need in Our Smart Home

Matter is expanding its reach across the smart home space, but we've spotted a few common household items that could really do with some improved smart integration.

Christian Cawley Thursday, November 14, 2024

Review

arre Temperature Sensor Review: New Name, Same Sensor

While arre may be unfamiliar to most, the company has been on the Matter scene for quite some time—albeit under the TUO name. A recent re-branding of the company hasn't changed much when it comes to hardware, as it continues to offer Matter-over-Thread essentials like smart buttons, and the device we'll be looking at today, the arre Temperature Sensor.

Christopher Close Wednesday, November 13, 2024

Explainer

The Best Matter-Compatible Smart Fans

With their ability to circulate the air and provide comfort on-demand, fans are an excellent way to beat the heat without firing up the AC. However, fans are only effective if you actually remember to turn them on, so why not let Matter take care of it for you?

Christopher Close Tuesday, November 12, 2024

Explainer

Why Doesn't Matter Work With the Ring Doorbell, and Will it Ever?

The Matter smart home standard promises interoperability, compatibility, and an easier experience with your smart tech. But one area where there is still work to be done is with doorbells, particularly Amazon’s smart Ring doorbell. Does Matter work with Ring? If not, why doesn’t it? And will you ever be able to use a Ring doorbell on your Matter smart home?

Christian Cawley Monday, November 11, 2024

News

Matter 1.4 Is Here, But What Does It Add to Your Smart Home?

Sticking to its Spring/Fall release cycle, the Connectivity Standards Alliance has today announced Matter 1.4. This brings a collection of overall improvements, including new features, revised functionality on existing features, and support for new device types.

David Drager Thursday, November 7, 2024

Explainer

The Best Matter-Compatible Smart Curtain Openers

We've explored how Matter-compatible window blinds offer an excellent mix of style and convenience with tons of materials, patterns, and colors to choose from previously. Now, it's time to turn to another window-covering option: curtain openers. In this guide, we'll cover the basics of Matter-compatible smart curtains openers, and how they integrate into your smart home.

Christopher Close Tuesday, November 5, 2024