Pocket-lint daily - Why the smart home Matters, YouTube shows, and more

Good morning! By Stuart Miles | Thursday January 20 2022 Good morning! - If you're enjoying the email, why not get a friend to sign up too, so they can also be in the know? Get them to [sign up here.]( Matter will remove smart home pain points, says Connectivity Standards Alliance Connectivity Standards Alliance What's happened? It's getting [harder]( for our connected devices to talk to each other as the battle between Alexa, Google Assistant, Siri, and other siloed experiences continue. Why does it matter? "We're looking to get different ecosystems to work together - trying to get these light bulbs to work with those light bulbs, for example - and... the faster you can do that, the better because that's an actual real pain point [for consumers]," said the CEO of the Connectivity Standards Alliance (CSA), Tobin Richardson, in an interview with myself for this week's [Pocket-lint Podcast](. What's my take? The smart home has been sold on the idea that you can plug in any smart device and it just works. But, as we're all finding out, the reality is different. Unless you pick a system and stick with it, device choices are limited. That's where the CSA comes in. It's working to ensure that going forward everything connects to each other as promised, rather than being siloed. While it's still early days for its new interoperability standard, Matter, there's a lot of promise - especially given that the likes of Apple, Google, and Amazon have all signed up. So, imagine if you will a not-too-distant future where your smart plug will talk to your lights and both will be instantly controlled via your voice no "matter" the brand or platform. Let's hope that's not just a dream for much longer. - [What is Matter and why is it important for your smart home?]( YouTube will stop producing the majority of its original content Unsplash What's happened? YouTube's chief business officer, Robert Kynci, has [announced]( that YouTube will cease making the majority of its YouTube Originals content. Why does it matter? The statement says: "With rapid growth comes new opportunities and now our investments can make a greater impact on even more creators when applied towards other initiatives, like our Creator Shorts Fund, Black Voices Fund, and Live Shopping programming to name a few." What's my take? Turns out when you've got some YouTubers spending millions on production you don't need to bother yourself. So, rather than compete with what's out there, the video streaming service is letting content creators do what they do best. Go figure. A MESSAGE FROM SPONSOR Save loads on the excellent yeedi vac robot vacuum with this deal Yeedi Right now, you can use code YEEDIVAC3 on [Amazon.com]( to get a great $90 discount on a yeedi vac robot vacuum cleaner. [Find out why you should.]( Rainbow Six Extraction review: Taking things slowly Ubisoft What's happened? Reinventing a franchise takes some work, but Rainbow Six is already a far cry (ahem) from the days of Vegas and Black Arrow, mostly thanks to the superb success of slow-burner Siege. That game's quick kills and slow pace has now spawned another twist on the format in the form of Extraction, a three-player co-op shooter that tasks players with taking down not terrorists, not criminals, but aliens. Our quick verdict Extraction doesn't really reinvent the wheel but it's a fun twist on Siege's familiar gunplay and offers some nice tactical co-op action for those who want teamwork without human opponents. [Read our review.]( In Case You Missed it Will [Call of Duty]( become an Xbox exclusive and should PS5 owners be worried? --- Lego's new [Globe]( set lets you build the world. --- Amazon's Fire TV Stick 4K has [a 40% saving at the moment]( coming in at just $29.99. That was $49.99, where you'll save $20 on this media streamer with access to HBO Max, Hulu, Netflix and more. From The Gear Loop Credit The best hiking socks: We pull up the best options for summer, winter and year-round walking. [Read more.]( And finally... Credit This amazing artist uses tiny figures to create brilliant mini worlds. [Check them out.]( Have you checked out our weekly podcast that comes out every Friday? It's packed with news, interviews, and top things to get. You can subscribe to the Pocket-lint Podcast via [iTunes]( and [Spotify]( or access it on the web via [Acast](. This week, we get the low down on the OnePlus 10 Pro, review the Amazon Echo Show 15, and talk to the president and CEO of the Connectivity Standards Alliance about the smart home. [Listen to the new episode today.]( Thanks for reading , if you're enjoying the email, why not get a friend to sign up too, so they can also be in the know? 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