Tech Gadgets & Smart Devices
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How to Build a Matter Smart Home Without Buying Unnecessary Hubs
You likely already have some Connected Home devices you can use to create a Connected Home using Matter, with many being devices you already own (an iPhone bought within the last year or an older Echo device collecting dust). If you are looking for something new to purchase, the most specific thing you will need is actually something much more…
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Thread Border Router: What It Does and When You Need One
If you come across a smart lock or sensor which claims it requires an additional hub to function, do not assume that means an additional purchase; one example would be a hub that you currently have in your possession may fulfil that purpose. You simply must ensure that it is the same model as your smart lock or sensor has…
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Which Zigbee Hub Fits Your Existing Smart Home Gear?
To determine which Zigbee hub is your best option, consider three things: who is currently controlling your Zigbee devices, what can you not live without, and how much effort will resetting the devices to use the new hub take? Based on your answers to these questions, there are three choices: either keep using your vendor’s bridge (if applicable), move the…
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When a Z-Wave Hub Still Beats a Wi-Fi-Only Setup
If you are currently using a small number of smart home products that connect to your Wi-Fi for power and operation (like smart bulbs, plugs, and other devices), then you most likely do not require another separate smart home hub. Any time you want to use Z-Wave devices in your market or if you want to be able to control…
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Robot Vacuum for Carpet: What Actually Matters Beyond Suction
The suction number printed on the packaging doesn’t indicate how well the robot vacuum cleans carpeted surfaces. The way the brushes engage the carpet’s fibers, if the robot can drive over the carpet, and if the robot detects that it is on carpet are all things that suction ratings do not communicate. In one creator’s 2026 head-to-head, one manufacturer conducted…
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Can a Smart Thermostat Work Without a C-Wire?
Your heating system and not the thermostat will ultimately determine whether you will be able to use a Nest Learning Thermostat or a Sensi Smart Thermostat without needing a common wire (C wire). According to Google, their Power Sharing technology allows the Nest Learning Thermostat to be compatible with any heater despite whether or not your home has a C…
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Smart Plug Energy Monitoring: What It Actually Tells You
An energy monitoring smart plug provides you with two pieces of information: how much power is currently being consumed by the appliance connected to it and how much energy that appliance has consumed since being plugged into the smart plug. The app for the smart plug collects this information and creates a history of your use of that appliance, along…
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Security Cameras Without Wi-Fi: How Each Setup Works
While cameras can continue recording even if they do not have access to WiFi, recording is only half the battle. The more difficult challenge is retrieving the recorded footage — it all depends on which option you chose. To retrieve the footage, you need to connect five different items together. Each of these four components — Wi-Fi, internet service, mains…
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Security Camera Without Subscription: What You Keep and What You Lose
The definition of not having to pay for a subscription is a billing commitment and not an indication of a feature set. The notification for customers that the manufacturer will not bill the customer each month does not indicate to the consumer what features of the unit remain functional when not being billed. In some cameras there is very little…
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Video Doorbells Without a Subscription: Local Storage vs. Cloud Plans
How much video, if any, gets recorded with monthly subscription fees will depend on the manufacturer of the doorbell and can vary widely by manufacturer even more than the price would indicate. There are many doorbells that will record every clip onto a storage card in the doorbell itself, with no future monetary requirements after purchase and installation, while at…
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