#proximity-pairing

#proximity-pairing

Matter is a connectivity protocol that determines which language your smart home devices speak, while Zigbee and Thread are wireless protocols that govern how your devices interact.

To improve outdoor Wi-Fi coverage, position the router centrally in the home and adjust its antennas. For mesh systems, relocate nodes closer to outdoor areas.

A router is the hub that sends internet traffic from the modem to every connected device. Even with a fast plan, an outdated or weak router can throttle home internet speed, causing buffering, lag, and slow loading times. This often shows up when multiple people stream, game, or join video calls at the same time.

For years, iPhone users were locked out of the Meshtastic + TAK combination entirely. ATAK runs on Android. The plugin architecture Apple uses doesn't allow external plugins the way Android does. iOS users were told to buy an Android device or sit this one out. That changed in February 2026.

The opportunity is to have more devices that are smart, adopting AI and [highlighting] the evolution of the original cloud AI with complementary support happening at the edge. We are able to grow the performance of platforms. Two things are converging: from one side, AI models are working with better performance [with a] reduced number of parameters, [and] at the edge, you can see more and more inference happening.

Long-range radio waves can pass through obstacles more easily, which makes them perfect for monitoring expansive factories or outdoor infrastructure. A recent report by Fabrity highlighted that these systems use very little power. This allows sensors to operate for 5 to 10 years on a single battery. Using such tech means you do not have to install expensive wiring across your entire site.

Covert recording is a lot about power. So, I was worried from the very beginning when Meta announced they were going to revive the Google Glass idea. That might be influenced by my study subject very well, but it might as well be influenced by every report and story I read on digital abuse and hate speech in the last twenty to thirty years.

Retail point-of-sale systems today offer a wide range of options for peripherals and hardware. Their technical specifications play a major role in selection, and big retailers often choose multiple vendors to reduce a single point of failure. This gives them an advantage to negotiate price or support as well. Technically, these peripherals also require updating with new models and may have new feature sets. This necessitates the redevelopment of point-of-sale applications, increasing development costs.

At a press briefing attended by at Google's Taipei office, Eric Kay, Android's Vice President of Engineering, confirmed that AirDrop interoperability will expand in 2026. "We spent a lot of time and energy to make sure that we could build something that was compatible not only with iPhone but iPads and MacBooks," he said. "Now that we've proven it out, we're working with our partners to expand it into the rest of the ecosystem, and you should see some exciting announcements coming very soon."

AI and ML are critical for enabling autonomous, self-optimizing Wi-Fi networks capable of managing dense deployments and real-time performance demands. AI/ML reduces operational costs, improves reliability and security and delivers a more consistent quality of experience. Proprietary approaches, inconsistent data quality, and closed interfaces slow innovation and increase integration costs. Interoperable frameworks - not algorithms - will be key to success. Interoperability must include data models, telemetry, APIs, and model lifecycle management.

We live in a time where privacy is something we actually have to work to enjoy. Achieving a level of privacy we once had takes work, and you need to start thinking beyond a single desktop, laptop, tablet, or phone -- all the way to your LAN. Before I scare you all off, understand that this starts on the desktop and extends to the LAN. By beefing up both your devices and your network, you'll achieve a level of privacy that you wouldn't otherwise have.

All smart homes are at risk of being hacked, but it's not a likely event. The type of bad actors that target smart homes and devices, such as security cameras, are opportunistic. They search randomly for easy targets -- they don't tend to choose a particular home to attack and then try to circumvent that specific system.

The new feature, called Digital Home Key, will live inside Samsung Wallet and is powered by the Aliro smart home standard. The new standard uses near-field communication (NFC) for its tap-to-unlock technology. It also supports ultra-wideband (UWB), giving users the ability to unlock their door as they approach and without pulling out their phone.

Originally developed by Nest (before the Google acquisition), Thread has existed since 2011. Devised as a power-efficient mesh networking technology for internet-of-things (IoT) products, Thread gathered pace after the 2014 formation of the Thread Group, which develops the technology and drives its adoption as an industry standard. Founding members like ARM, Samsung, Google, and Qualcomm have been joined by Apple, Amazon, and many other big companies over the years.

The NovaPods series includes three new set of earbuds. The NovaPods Clips is the most premium model in the series and is priced at INR 3,999. It features a clip-style design that sits around the pinna, allowing you to stay aware of your surroundings. The NovaPods Pro have a more traditional in-ear design and feature 40dB ANC and a six-mic design for INR 1,999.

Apple introduced MagSafe wireless charging in 2020 with the iPhone 12 series. In contrast to regular wireless charging, it uses magnets rather than relying on manual alignment between the charging coils or on gravity to keep the phone and charger together. It is a simple, cheap and effective solution. So why is it that smartphone makers have been so reluctant to adopt it, even years after the Qi standard officially added a Magnetic Charging Profile?

On one end of the tracker you'll find an integrated metal loop that can be attached to a keyring or clipped to a carabiner without the need for an extra case. The Xiaomi Tag is compatible with both Apple's Find My and Google's Find Hub tracking networks and mobile apps, but not at the same time.

But here's what I learned after spending an embarrassing amount of time researching this: WIRED points out that "Your router pumps out a Wi-Fi signal in all directions, so the best place for it is in the middle of your home." When I moved my router from the corner of my living room to a more central location, the difference was immediate.

I'm blown away that I can write data to a little chip and then access that using a phone or tablet. I've embedded NFC tags into all sorts of things, from documents to business cards to 3D-printed objects. And it's easy! What you'll need You need two things: NFC tags: These come in all sorts of shapes and sizes, from to to .

All of the appliances and systems are brand-new: the HVAC, the lighting, the entertainment. Touch screens of various shapes and sizes control this, that, and the other. Rows of programmable buttons sit where traditional light switches would normally be. The kitchen even has outlets designed to rise up from the countertop when you need them, and slide away when you don't.