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You have countless options when buying smart home devices, so choosing one can be challenging. A standout feature to look for is Matter. If a smart device has Matter support, you're signing up a simpler, unified smart home experience.

The Matter standard enables smart home tech from different brands to work together. It operates over Wi-Fi, Ethernet, or its own wireless "Thread" protocol to transmit data between proprietary smart home devices that normally wouldn't be able to communicate. Your Amazon Alexa device can talk to your TP-Link Tapo light switch, your Roborock vacuum is compatible with your Google Nest Thermostat, etcetera. Matter tech makes the dream of a fully connected smart home possible without having to buy into a single company's proprietary ecosystem. Or, that's the goal.…