CE Pro February 2023 - 19

URC Solutions Gain Nest
Certifi cation for Integration
URC, A GLOBAL DEVELOPER of smart residential and commercial
automation systems, has announced that its solutions
are certifi ed for Google Nest integration.
URC points out that Google Nest thermostats can now
integrate into URC's Total Control control and automation
platform for a seamless user experience to support today's
smart home experience for homeowners.
" This next generation of voice enabled, climate control
integration with Google Nest ensures that our dealers can
easily install complete smart home systems with premium climate
control and monitoring
quality across hardware and
sources, " states Lars Granoe,
vice president of product
development, URC.
URC says its touchscreens
and remote controls are now
Users can use touchscreens
to monitor and
adjust Nest thermostats
within URC's Total Control
interface.
a portal that allows users to
monitor and adjust Google
Nest thermostats within
URC's Total Control automation
environment. With
professional installation URC
boasts the Total Control platform can launch customized
scenes where multiple activities occur, like adjusting the
indoor climate, locking the door, arming the security system,
activating exterior lighting, and playing a preferred audio cue.
Integrators can now create customized smart home systems
with homeowner benefi ts that include:
Unifi ed, Seamless Operation: Google Nest device operation
within the Total Control system minimizes the number of
control devices, like touchscreen interfaces and remotes.
Create Robust Scenes: With professional programming,
users can launch scenes in Total Control to create their ideal
environment. Examples include the creation of scenes, like
" Good Morning " and " Goodnight, " that adjust climate, lighting,
shades and drapes, and arm security devices.
Voice/Hands-Free Control: URC's voice enabled devices
allow two-way communication and control with simple
homeowner operation across URC user interfaces devices.
Remote Access and Control: The URC Total Control app
allows user access to Total Control, including the ability to
monitor and adjust Google Nest devices from anywhere.
Users can make easy adjustment of alerts and notifi cations
according to preferred schedules.
Lower Energy Costs: Integration off ers users the ability
to reduce heating and cooling costs with monitoring and
automating climate settings.
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Google Devices
Updated to
Support Matter
GOOGLE HOME, Nest and Android smart devices
have been updated to support the Matter standard,
with some even acting as Thread border routers, according
to an announcement released in December by
the company. Google also stated that more members
of the Connectivity Standards Alliance (CTA) - the
brains behind Matter - would be making their updates
soon.
That means that the Google Home Speaker, Google
Home Mini, Nest Mini, Nest Audio, Nest Hub (1st and
2nd gen), Nest Hub Max and the new Nest WiFi Pro, are
all capable of acting as Matter Hubs. That then opens
the gateway to the rest of the home, allowing a plethora
of Matter-enabled devices to be controlled all through
Google's interface.
After launching earlier this year to much anticipation,
it seems the vision of Matter is fi nally starting to take
shape. Originally started in 2019, the goal of the project
has been to cut down on fragmentation within the
smart home space with intent to launch back in 2021. It
was only this past October when the standard and its
certifi cation program were made available publicly.
Google has also updated Fast Pair to support Matter,
noting professionals will have the ability to pair Matter-enabled
devices to the home network " as quickly as
you can pair a set of headphones. "
Once the devices are connected, it becomes even
easier to link Matter devices with apps and other smart
home ecosystems, according to Google. Additionally,
the company notes it has updated the Nest Wi Pro, the
Nest Hub Max and the Nest Hub (2nd gen) to function
as Thread border routers. This allows users to connect
Thread-supported products as well, allowing them to
onboard any number of devices, such as smart locks or
environmental sensors, to the home network.
In related news, Samsung has also announced it is
working on updates alongside Google to make both
Google Home and SmartThings compatible with one
another through admin protocols. Once available,
SmartThings devices will be able to act as control hubs
for Google Home products and vice versa, making it
that much easier to incorporate the diff erent brands
in a single space.
Amazon, another founder of the alliance, stated that
17 of its popular Echo devices were set to be upgraded
to the standard in December 2022.
February 2023 CE Pro | 19
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CE Pro February 2023

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