Topic
Which devices talk to each other, and which only claim to.
A Ring doorbell has no route into Google Home, and neither company says so outright. What Alexa gives you instead, what Matter 1.5 changed in November 2025, which doorbells do work with Google Home, and why a Nest Wifi router is a separate question.
Every smart device promises to work with everything. The useful question is narrower: does this device work with the platform you already have, and how much of it?
We check compatibility on both sides, in the documentation of the device and in the documentation of the platform, for Amazon Alexa, Google Home, Apple Home, Samsung SmartThings, Home Assistant and Matter. Partial support gets named as partial.
The same category covers the automations that make a house easier to run: routines for the start and end of the day, presence-based rules, and how to build them without locking the house to one vendor.
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Related topics
Smart plugs, standby power, air quality, and heating: what the readings mean, and what they do not.
When a device goes offline, stops charging, will not pair, or blinks at you.
Cameras, doorbells, locks, and sensors: what they record, how far they see, and what to check before you buy.
Desk lamps, bias lighting, bulbs, and daylight: brightness, color, and what changes when you automate them.
Desks, monitor arms, chairs, and docks: height range, load, and whether the setup actually fits.
