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  Matter over Thread is the combination of the Matter smart‑home standard (the “language” devices use) running on top of the Thread wireless mesh protocol (the “network” they use to talk to each other). Together, they are designed to make smart devices more interoperable, responsive, energy‑efficient, and reliable than today’s Wi‑Fi or proprietary‑hub systems. What [...]

  Home adoption of smart devices is widespread but shallow, and AI is the lowest priority feature for buyers. A Vivint study finds people want reliability, simplicity, and security more than “intelligence.” About 85% of U.S. homeowners own at least one smart home device, such as smart TVs, speakers, doorbells, outdoor cameras, or thermostats, but [...]

  Cities are shifting from scattered AI pilots to “decision-ready intelligence” that reliably shapes public decisions, withstands scrutiny, and builds trust. The real gap is not between data and algorithms, but between insights and the ability of governments to act on them confidently and accountably. Many municipalities have already run impressive AI experiments, such as [...]

  The EU Cyber Resilience Act (CRA) will indirectly but materially raise the security bar for IoT products sold in North America, because global manufacturers will tend to converge on CRA‑compliant designs and lifecycle practices rather than maintain separate security baselines for different regions. Why CRA matters outside Europe The CRA applies to any “product [...]

  Smart-home technology is becoming a tougher proposition for consumers because manufacturers increasingly disable or degrade products remotely, when they no longer see them as financially viable, even if the hardware still works. This undermines trust in connected devices, since buyers risk losing key “smart” features—or entire services—after purchase, due to business decisions beyond their [...]

  A recent article in SmartCitiesWorld.net argues that smart streetlighting should be valued not just for illumination but as a strategic digital platform that can drive safety, sustainability, operational savings across many municipal departments, as well as new revenue for cities. Streetlighting is one of the most pervasive, upgrade-ready assets that cities own, capable of [...]

  Lego’s new Smart Play platform introduces a sensor‑equipped “Smart Brick” that adds lights, sound, and interactivity to traditional sets, exciting some adult fans while worrying others about higher prices and creeping “tech-ification” of play.Lego introduced the Smart Brick at CES, earlier this month. The Smart Brick is the size of a classic 2×4 Lego [...]

  Lightapalooza 2026 is coming up next month in the Austin metro area, and there’s an interesting session that will focus on residential specification standards and cross-discipline collaboration. Integrators & Specifiers: Bridging the Residential Lighting Gap (AIA/IDCEC CEU Available) This session examines how the residential market is evolving as spec-grade manufacturers, integrators, and lighting designers begin [...]

  Flament LED lamps have been around a long time, as have smart, color-changing lamps. What’s new is the combination……smart, color-changing filament lamps! Here are two good examples: SATCO|NUVO’s STARFISH® SMART Color Changing Lamps SATCO|NUVO’s STARFISH® SMART technology color changing lamps feature an eye-catching RGBTW decorative ribbon filament that is showcased through the clear glass [...]