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Matter

All articles tagged with #matter

tech10 days ago•53 min saved

Google Home Speaker nails the hardware; Gemini for Home still a work in progress

The Google Home Speaker delivers strong, stylish hardware with good sound for its size and features like Matter/Thread control, stereo pairing, and compatibility with a Google TV Streamer, though some features are paywalled and the power cable isn’t removable. Gemini for Home adds impressive conversational ability but remains slow and unreliable for routine smart‑home tasks, with memory issues and subscription gates, leaving it as a great speaker waiting for Gemini to catch up (Alexa Plus remains the more reliable smart‑home option today).

via The Verge|

#gemini-for-home #google #matter

tech12 days ago•20 min saved

Flipper Busy Bar primes focus with desk-ready LED productivity display

Flipper Devices’ Busy Bar—a desk-friendly “productivity multitool” from the team behind Flipper Zero—uses a 72×16 LED display to show focus status, countdowns, and a Pomodoro timer, can mute notifications, and trigger Matter-based smart-home automations. It can be wall-mounted or placed on a monitor to signal to coworkers when you’re focused; it also offers an open API for third-party apps and companion apps for iOS, Android, macOS, and watchOS (Windows app later). The Busy Bar goes on sale July 14; the first 3,000 units are discounted to $199 (regularly $249), and those on the Busy Bar waitlist can buy for $179.

via The Verge|

#busy-bar #flipper-devices #gadgets

technology14 days ago•55 min saved

Matter nears its universal-smart-home promise at Unify, but parity remains a hurdle

At the CSA’s Unify conference, Matter shows progress toward a simple, interoperable smart home with version 1.6 and Joint Fabric, but parity across ecosystems remains incomplete. Major players—Apple, Google, Samsung—and partners like Ikea are invested for the long term, though consumer confusion and rollout hiccups persist as the industry works toward universal adoption.

via The Verge|

#csa #interoperability #matter

tech24 days ago•28 min saved

Google’s Gemini-powered Home Speaker returns, shipping next week

Google is shipping its first new smart speaker in six years, the Google Home Speaker built for Gemini for Home, with preorders starting June 17 and shipping June 25. Hardware is unchanged from the $99 model, available in porcelain, hazel, jade, and berry (the last two US-exclusive). It offers 360-degree sound, stereo pairing, and spatial audio when used with a Google TV Streamer, and acts as a Matter controller and Thread border router (Thread 1.3 at launch). Gemini for Home aims for a more natural conversation, with six months of Google Home Premium included.

via The Verge|

#gemini-for-home #google #google-home-speaker

technology25 days ago•2 min saved

Schlage Sense Pro Unveils Hands-Free UWB Lock With Thread and Aliro

Schlage will launch the Sense Pro UWB-enabled smart lock on June 29 in the US for $399, offering hands-free unlocking via supported iPhone/Apple Watch using UWB Converge, and it supports Matter over Thread with compatible Apple hubs. It also works with Aliro for UWB hands-free unlocking (with NFC tap-to-unlock) and plans to add Aliro digital keys in Samsung Wallet and Google Wallet later this year. The device includes built-in Wi‑Fi, remote control via the Schlage Home or Apple Home apps, up to six months of battery life, a USB‑C port for temporary power, and a low‑battery indicator; currently Aqara U400 is the only other UWB hands-free option.

via The Verge|

#aliro #matter #smart-home

technology1 month ago•11 min saved

Yale’s Matter Lock: A Budget-Friendly Starter for Google Home Smart Homes

Yale’s new Matter-enabled smart lock ($150) targets smart-security newcomers with a simple install, a straightforward keypad, auto-lock, vacation mode, and passcode options, and works smoothly with Google Home (while also supporting other Matter platforms). It’s a solid starter for Google fans, though the optional door sensor can be finicky and the inner cover feels flimsy, and it lacks fingerprint or NFC features.

via CNET|

#google-home #home-security #matter

technology2 months ago•2 min saved

Govee’s portable lamp goes on first-time sale at Amazon

Govee has put its portable Table Lamp Classic on sale for the first time at Amazon for $63.99 ($16 off), a cheaper yet brighter alternative to Philips Hue Go with a 4,800mAh battery lasting up to 30 hours with color lighting (about 5 hours in bright white), up to 500 lumens, 2700K–6500K color temps, music-sync and mood presets, app-based lighting prompts, and Matter support—though it lacks the Hue Go’s IP54 weather resistance.

via The Verge|

#amazon-deal #govee #matter

gadgets2 months ago•16 min saved

Govee Unveils Floor Lamps with Color-Accurate LEDs and Matter Smart Home Support

Govee announces three new Matter-compatible floor lamps—Floor Lamp 3 ($170), Floor Lamp 3 Lite ($130), and Lantern Floor Lamp ($130)—promising more color-accurate output with its LuminBlend+ tech and no color banding. Floor Lamp 3 offers 1,000K–10,000K white light, up to 2,100 lumens, and 144 RGB LEDs plus 144 white LEDs with a color-lit base, while the Lantern Floor Lamp stands 60 inches tall and outputs about 1,400 lumens in a mushroom-style enclosure. All three support Matter for basic control, with richer effects via the Govee app; they’re available now on Amazon or Govee’s site.

via Gizmodo|

#color-accuracy #floor-lamp #gadgets

tech2 months ago•62 min saved

Homebridge 2.0 adds Matter bridge, expanding Apple Home across ecosystems

Homebridge 2.0 officially launches with initial groundwork for Matter support, enabling it to act as a Matter bridge in addition to a HomeKit bridge. This lets Matter devices appear in Apple Home and be bridged to other Matter platforms like Google Home, Amazon Alexa, Samsung SmartThings, and Home Assistant, broadening support for devices (including robot vacuums) and plugins. Not all plug-ins will be updated at launch, but the goal is a single platform that covers both HomeKit and Matter.

via The Verge|

#apple #homebridge #homekit

technology2 months ago•17 min saved

Samsung extends SmartThings to IKEA’s Matter devices for smoother home control

Samsung is expanding its SmartThings platform to support IKEA’s Matter-over-Thread devices, promising seamless plug‑and‑play integration and richer automation in the SmartThings app, though real-world success depends on Matter’s reliability, as IKEA’s devices have struggled to connect in some setups.

via Engadget|

#ikea #matter #samsung

technology2 months ago•11 min saved

Samsung SmartThings Bridges IKEA Matter Devices for a Simpler Multi-brand Smart Home

Samsung SmartThings now supports IKEA’s 25 Matter-enabled devices via Thread, enabling direct connection to the SmartThings hub and broader compatibility with Samsung appliances and third-party products. The integration includes devices like bulbs, plugs, sensors, and a scroll wheel remote, and adds features such as Sleep environment insights and Family Care. Built on Matter and Thread 1.4, the update aims to simplify setup and expand the smart‑home ecosystem across brands, with availability varying by market.

via samsung.com|

#ikea #matter #smart-home

tech2 months ago•44 min saved

Ikea and Samsung pledge flawless Matter pairing in SmartThings

Samsung says its SmartThings platform now delivers glitch-free, native-like support for Ikea’s Matter devices with upgraded integrations and a dedicated app experience, potentially fixing ghosting and other quirks—though the need for platform-specific tweaks shows Matter hasn’t fully eliminated vendor work for a reliable smart-home setup.

via The Verge|

#ikea #matter #samsung

tech2 months ago•38 min saved

Gemini and Matter bring smart-search and home-control to Walmart’s Onn 4K Pro

The Verge reports that Walmart has listed an updated 2026 version of its Onn 4K Pro streaming box, adding Google Gemini voice search and Matter-over-Thread for smart-home control. The device, priced at around $59.88, carries 3GB of RAM, 32GB of storage, 4K/Dolby Vision/Dolby Atmos, and Wi‑Fi 6 with Ethernet, matching or modestly exceeding the spec of competitors while keeping the remote look-alike design; the listing appears before an official announcement and follows Walmart’s recent CSA/Matter affiliation.

via The Verge|

#google-gemini #matter #onn-4k-pro

technology3 months ago•16 min saved

Aqara W200 Thermostat Hub Brings HomeKit and Adaptive Energy Control to North America

Aqara today released the Thermostat Hub W200, its first North American thermostat, a Matter-enabled device that also acts as a presence sensor and hub for Thread/Zigbee devices. It supports Apple’s Adaptive Temperature and Clean Energy Guidance via HomeKit (with a Matter hub like a HomePod or Apple TV), and offers flexible control through the Aqara app and HomeKit. The W200 works with heat pumps, furnaces, and other systems and includes mmWave occupancy sensing, but it has a 20°F minimum compressor setting that can limit cold-climate use and some confusing HVAC wording in the app. Priced at $160 (with a $30 C-wire adapter sold separately), it’s a strong HomeKit alternative to Ecobee for Apple-centric energy-saving automation, though setup nuances and base-plate fit are considerations for DIY installs.

via MacRumors|

#adaptive-temperature #aqara #homekit

technology3 months ago•2 min saved

Govee's Outdoor Chromatic String Lights Let Each Bulb Glow in its Own Color

Govee launches Outdoor Chromatic String Lights that let you customize color per bulb with gradients and animated effects, available in 32‑foot (10 bulbs) for $169.99 and 65‑foot (20 bulbs) for $299.99. Each bulb includes 55 RGB LEDs plus 54 white LEDs, is IP67 weather-rated with a dual-layer shell, and can be controlled via the Govee Home app with 12 music-reactive modes. The strings are Matter-compatible and integrate with Amazon and Google smart-home setups.

via The Verge|

#govee #matter #outdoor-lighting