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The Matter-over-Thread support is probably one of the best features that the Aqara U200 smart lock advertises. A Matter integration makes the U200 interoperable with many smart home automation systems, including Apple HomeKit, Amazon Alexa, Google Home, Samsung SmartThings, and IFTTT. This type of connectivity protocol ensures the lock stays connected regardless of your internet connection, and leveraging the Thread protocol delivers a reliable, low-operation smart home solution.Also: 5 things I learned while building…

The Control Center on iOS and iPadOS offers a convenient way to access various settings with just a tap, whether your device is in use or locked. However, this feature may pose a security risk by allowing unauthorised access to certain functions. If you're concerned about privacy and security, you can disable Control Center access on your iPhone or iPad lock screen. Here's how:Step-by-Step Guide to Turn Off Control Center Access on iPhone and iPad Lock ScreenLaunch Settings: Open the Settings app on your iPhone or…

Google Maps continues to evolve, introducing innovative features to enhance the navigation experience for users worldwide. Among its latest additions is the "Glanceable directions" feature, designed to provide users with turn-by-turn directions and real-time ETA directly on their lock screen.Google Maps Glanceable Directions: What is it?Introduced in February, Glanceable directions offer users convenient access to essential navigation information without the need to unlock their phones. This feature displays real-time…

After announcing that it was bringing glanceable directions to its Maps app more than a year ago, Google has finally started to make good on its promise. The feature, which is starting to roll out to people with seemingly no geographic restrictions, allows people to see their travel directions on the iPhone's Lock Screen for the first time.Google announced its Maps glanceable directions feature back in February of 2023 and then things went suspiciously quiet. There was no sign of the feature in the Google Maps app on…

You can’t really go too far when it comes to phone security, considering everything of importance we put on these compact devices—from bank account apps to our most intimate conversations—and while lock screen protections can keep most people out, they’re not always enough. Apple Unveils Its iPhone 15 and Apple Watch Series 9Adding an extra layer of protection on top of certain apps can guard your most sensitive data, whether from a thief who’s managed to unlock your phone or a niece or nephew who’s borrowed your handset…

Apple has today announced Sports, a new iPhone app offering real-time stats for a number of major leagues. Once installed, users can set their favorite team and get a trove of data on their lock screen in the live activities box when the team is playing. Available free from today in the US, Canada and the UK, the app presently supports Basketball, Hockey and Soccer Football. The company added that other sports, including Baseball and American Football will debut for their upcoming seasons.There are plenty of reasons you…

In the version of Android, you’re able to assign lock screen shortcuts. Swiping on your shortcuts will allow you to quickly open an app right from the lock screen. Well, it appears that Android will allow you to assign a note-taking app shortcut to the lock screen. Also, it appears that Google Keep may be an early option. It seems pretty odd that Android is taking so long to flesh out its lock screen shortcuts. Back before One UI, Samsung’s TouchWiz allowed users to set multiple apps as shortcuts on the lock screen. The…

Credit: Pixabay/CC0 Public Domain Trace metals are nutrient elements, like zinc, that animals and plants need in small amounts to function properly. Animals generally get trace metals in their diets or through environmental exposures, while plants take their trace minerals up from soil. If we get too little, we may experience a deficiency, but the opposite can also be true: Too much of a trace metal can be toxic.…

Building a smart home is a complicated affair. Some devices need to be hooked up directly to your existing HomeKit hubs, and then some need an extra hub to connect to those hubs. Some devices from the same manufacturer even need different hubs for different products to work and rely on different connection methods to hook it all up. It’s easy to see how complicated it can all get.Nuki, the smart lock manufacturer, just streamlined the process of getting one of its devices connected to your HomeKit setup — and it’s all…

Anything connected is a hacker target, and you better believe that includes all the Internet of Things gadgets in your home.We’re giving away a $1,000 laptop! Enter to win right now here. Good luck!A quick word of wisdom before we go any further: You probably don’t think about your router much. But the single password locking it down might be the only safeguard between you and someone up to no good.While it’s on your mind, give your router a stronger password. And if you can’t update your router, get a new one. Let’s…