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How to move a smart home

by admin June 4, 2025

Moving can be a huge headache. Throw in a bunch of connected gadgets that you need to factory reset or uninstall, and things get even more painful. Deciding what to do with your smart home when you move adds a whole other layer of complexity to an already difficult process.

Go through your entire place and decide what should stay and what should go

Do you take your smart lock or leave it? Should you uninstall your smart lighting system or leave it and provide a detailed manual for your buyer? Is it better to replace the Nest thermostat with a non-smart one or leave it and buy a newer version for your new home? What about sensors? Speakers? Smoke alarms? The list goes on.

You’ll need to go through your entire place and decide what should stay and what should go, all while considering your new home: where your old gadgets will fit in and where you might want to buy new ones.

In this guide, we’ll look at which devices make sense to take with you and what is probably easier to leave behind. I’ll also discuss what to do with each gadget: how to decommission it in your old place and recommission it in your new home — or how to reset it if you plan to leave it behind.

Take a smart home inventory

HomePass is an iOS / Mac app that can track all your smart home gadgets and also store details like setup codes and serial numbers. Image: HomePass

The first step is to figure out what you have so you can make sure you don’t accidentally leave that expensive smoke alarm behind and are prepared when it comes to reinstalling devices in your new home. Open the main app (or apps) you use to control your gadgets, and from there, create a list of everything you have installed in your home.

You can use a home inventory app or just a good old-fashioned spreadsheet. I recommend using a smart home backup app such as HomePass for HomeKit & Matter (iOS and Mac). This will list all your gadgets by room and store their HomeKit, Matter, and any other relevant codes you may need to set them up again in your new home. You can also attach images, files, and links to accessories, including manuals, which is useful for setting stuff up. I haven’t found an Android alternative, but a password manager such as 1Password could work in a similar way.

If you are taking a smart device like a thermostat or lock with you, swap it for a non-smart version before you show your home.

This is also a good time to collate passwords and usernames for any apps you use to manage devices, as well as gather instruction manuals, whether physical or downloaded as PDFs. Once you have a complete list, review it and decide what you plan to leave behind, what will come with you, and finally, the fun bit — what you’ll need to purchase for your new home.

Should it stay or should it go?

You’ll need to decide if you want to take devices like smart locks and video doorbells with you. If you take them, you’ll need to leave a working replacement. Photo: Jennifer Pattison Tuohy / The Verge

Most likely, the new owners won’t want your old smart home gear. They may not trust that you’ve fully reset a smart lock or don’t still have access to that video doorbell. But with the right steps, selling your home with its smart gear intact is possible. In some cases — particularly smart lighting and smart thermostats — you may find that your gadgets can increase your home’s value or can be used in negotiations.

In broad terms, it’s expected that fixtures of the home — anything wired or screwed in — should stay, and anything plugged in or battery-powered should go with you or be sold, donated, or recycled if you no longer want it. If you choose to take something with you that’s technically a fixture, such as those listed below, either put it in the inclusion / exclusion section of your listing so prospective buyers are aware or swap it for a non-smart version before you show your home.

Smart gear to leave when you sell your home

A general rule of thumb is that if something is installed in the walls or ceilings, it should stay. However, if you love your thermostat or have a suite of security cameras that you plan to use in your new home, factor in the time and cost it will require to remove them and — in the case of essential devices like thermostats and light switches — replace them. You should do this prior to showing your house.

Here’s what should probably stay:

Smart switches such as Lutron Caséta, Leviton, and TP-Link
Wired smart light fixtures (including outdoor lighting) such as Nanoleaf, Aqara ceiling lights, and Philips Hue outdoor lighting
Wired smart outlets such as those by Eve, Leviton, and TP-Link
Smart thermostats like Nest, Ecobee, and Honeywell Home
Blinds / window treatments (smart or not, these generally stay when you sell your home and may not fit in your new house)
Smart locks that are full replacement deadbolts, such as Yale Assure, Schlage Encode, and Level Lock. Many of these can be rekeyed like traditional locks.
Wired video doorbells such as the Ring Pro and Nest Wired
Smart sprinkler controllers like those from Rachio, Moen, or Orbit B-hyve
Smart security systems such as Ring, SimpliSafe, and Abode, especially if you have a lot of sensors and devices screwed into walls, windows, and doorframes
Security cameras fixed to the home, such as wired floodlight cameras
Smart smoke alarms, especially wired ones
Smart garage door controllers
Smart plumbing, such as a Moen kitchen faucet, a Kohler smart shower valve, or a Phyn smart water shut-off valve
Smart appliances, including the refrigerator, oven, dishwasher, and microwave (if it’s built-in)

Smart gear to take when you sell your home

Anything that’s plugged in and / or not permanently attached should leave the house with you.

Smart speakers from Sonos, Amazon, Nest, Apple, and others
Your Wi-Fi router and modem (which may need to be returned to your ISP if it was rented)
Smart hubs — unless it’s integral to something you’re leaving, like the Lutron hub for Caséta smart switches
Smart bulbs — take these with you unless you have a complete integrated setup with bulbs in the ceiling, light strips fixed to the walls, and motion sensors embedded in the home, which you may want to leave
Smart plugs
Smart sensors like motion, leak, and contact sensors that are not connected to a home security system that’s staying
Smart TV and / or streaming boxes like an Apple TV, Amazon Fire Stick, or Google Chromecast
Retrofit smart door locks that don’t replace the whole deadbolt, such as the August smart lock
Robot vacuums and mops
Smart washer and dryer — unlike kitchen appliances, these generally don’t stay with the house

How to transfer ownership of your smart home gadgets

If you’ve negotiated to leave any of your smart devices behind, make it clear in your sale that you are leaving them “as is.” You don’t want to be on the hook as a sysadmin for the new residents.

However, as a courtesy and to ease a buyer’s possible fears, I recommend setting up a dedicated email address for your home and transferring those devices to that email address. (This will mean factory resetting them or transferring / sharing ownership to the email.)

When the sale closes, hand over the email address and password to the new owner. Then, go in and remove yourself from any device and delete them from your app (or delete the app if you don’t have any other devices from that company). Do this before you leave, as some devices will not allow you to perform a factory reset unless you are on the same network.

Before factory resetting or transferring a device, remove any smart home integrations, such as those with Apple Home, Amazon Alexa, or IFTTT.

The new owner can use the email address to transfer device ownership to themselves and set up new accounts and passwords, all without bothering you.

Using a service like Gmail allows you to also create a Google Drive folder with PDFs of all the manuals and a Google Doc that lists the devices, their brands, model names, and any other pertinent details the new owner may need.

As mentioned, you must either factory reset or transfer every device you leave in the house. However, consider how you treat each device carefully to ensure you don’t “break” the home. If you factory reset a thermostat, it may no longer function properly, which could cause damage to the home in extreme temperatures. The same goes for a smart sprinkler system — you don’t want to be on the hook for a new lawn.

If you plan to take your smart thermostat with you, install a replacement and ensure it’s working correctly to prevent any damage to the HVAC system. Photo: Jennifer Pattison Tuohy / The Verge

To ensure critical systems stay functional for the new owner, check with the device manufacturer for steps on how to factory reset and / or transfer ownership. Additionally, security devices like cameras, security systems, and smart locks often require special steps, which are designed to make sure no one can take over your account without your permission. If you factory reset them without following those steps, you could leave the new owner with a dead gadget.

If you are leaving security cameras behind, remember to remove or wipe any storage systems, such as microSD cards or cloud backup, and cancel any subscriptions.

All this is why the house email address makes a lot of sense. The new owner can still control and use the devices while they get settled, and then they can easily factory reset them themselves and transfer permissions to their own email, giving them more confidence that they’ve been fully erased.

How to factory reset smart home gear

Some devices have special transfer and / or factory reset tips, which are important to follow. Here are links to some of the more popular devices:

How to pack up your smart home gear

For devices you are taking with you, be as methodical as possible about packing them up. As you uninstall devices, place them in their original packaging or containers, such as a Ziplock bag, to keep all components together, including screws, stands, remotes, and other accessories. Label the bag’s contents with the device’s name, room, and location. This will make it much easier to set everything back up in your new home.

Do not factory reset these devices. Just unplug them and pack them away; remove any batteries if you still have some time before the move. Then, when you move into your new home, set up your Wi-Fi with the same SSID and password that you used previously, power everything back up, and you should see your devices back on the network and in your smart home app as if nothing has changed.

Of course, a move is also a great time to start your smart home from scratch. But that’s a whole other post!

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June 4, 2025 0 comments

Game Updates

Balatro creator reveals a little taste of home hidden in one of the game’s many cards

by admin June 4, 2025

Balatro dev Localthunk has revealed a lovely little reference hidden inside one of the game’s many cards, one that calls back to his home town of Regina, Saskatchewan.

Posting this tidbit of Balatro lore on Twitter, Localthunk offered some development context for the ‘Ride the Bus’ card to their followers, as well as a side-by-side of the card art and its real life inspiration.

“Pointless Balatro lore: When I started Balatro dev I was living in my hometown of Regina, Saskatchewan,” he wrote. “I had a bus stop outside my apartment (similar to the one in this image) and I based the art of ‘Ride the Bus’ on that bus stop!”

If you don’t know what Balatro is, check this trailer out!Watch on YouTube

Who doesn’t love a bit of local love hidden inside video games. My mind immediately goes to Driver on the PS1, in which the developers hid a secret recreation of Newcastle in the UK. It remains true that the place in which a game is made can often seep inside the work of the creatives living there. A nice thought, especially for those from Regina. Let’s go Pats!

Pointless Balatro lore: When I started Balatro dev I was living in my hometown of Regina, Saskatchewan. I had a bus stop outside my apartment (similar to the one in this image) and I based the art of ‘Ride the Bus’ on that bus stop! pic.twitter.com/4bzVkdbzhs

— localthunk (@LocalThunk) June 3, 2025

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Balatro has proven exceptionally popular since its release back in February last year. As of January 2025, it has surpassed 5m copies sold, and was estimated to have generated $4.4m two months after release on mobile alone.

It’s also proven itself to be an awards magnet, taking home multiple awards at the Game Developers Choice awards including Game of the Year, Best Design, Best Debut, and Innovation Award. Mr. Thunk even played the game at the conference while remaining totally anonymous.

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June 4, 2025 0 comments

Product Reviews

The Sonos Era 300 is 20 percent off in this home speaker sale

by admin May 31, 2025

A number of Sonos speakers are on sale right now at Sonos direct and Amazon. This includes the well-regarded Era 300 smart speaker, which is on sale for $359. This particular model is one of Sonos’ newest, and it has rarely gone on sale in the past.

We enjoyed the Era 300 enough to give it a score of 80 in our review. It has excellent sound quality and offers a premium experience that far surpasses other products in the company’s lineup, even the Era 100. This is also true when compared to rival speakers like Apple’s HomePod.

Sonos

It’s simple to set up and offers the company’s proprietary Trueplay tuning system. This feature optimizes the sound of the speaker to the unique acoustics of a room by leveraging an internal microphone. It measures how sound reflects off surfaces and adjusts the EQ to match. It’s pretty nifty.

As for connectivity, it can pair with another Era 300 speaker for a true stereo experience. It also includes a Bluetooth receiver and line-in options. Of course, the speaker integrates with just about every streaming music service. The built-in mic also allows for voice assistant control, but only with Siri and Alexa. Google Assistant is left out of the party.

This speaker goes all-in on spatial audio, and the results are mixed. Sometimes it’s sublime and sometimes it’s kind of eh. This is more of a dig on the technology itself. It has serious potential but is still experiencing growing pains. The only real downside of this speaker is the exorbitant asking price, which has been slightly alleviated by this sale.

As previously mentioned, other Sonos products are available at a discount. This includes the Sonos Beam Gen 2 soundbar, which is 26 percent off at $369. These deals are available via Sonos itself. There’s also an ongoing sale on portable speakers.

Follow @EngadgetDeals on X for the latest tech deals and buying advice.

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May 31, 2025 0 comments

Nova Development Virtual Architect Professional Home Design 12 during our review

Product Reviews

Nova Development Virtual Architect Professional Home Design 12 review

by admin May 29, 2025

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We spend hours testing every product or service we review, so you can be sure you’re buying the best. Find out more about how we test.

Nova Development produces an impressive array of design and productivity software, including a range of 3D home design tools, the top of the line version being “Virtual Architect Professional Home Design 12”.

Having reviewed all the best interior design software, I wanted to see how the latest version compares to the rest. So let’s take a look at it.

Virtual Architect Professional Home Design 12: Pricing & plans

Purchase the software online, as you’d expect these days, with a price that’s to be expected for the number of available features, but we were very disappointed to learn that no trial version was available

Nova Development Virtual Architect Professional Home Design 12 at Nova Development for $124.99

This software is PC-only, compatible with Windows 8, 10 and 11. It requires a 64-bit OS, a minimum of 2GHz processor, 4GB of RAM and 30GB of storage, and it can be yours for $125.

Virtual Architect Professional Home Design 12: Interface

Designing your project is easy (Image credit: Nova Development)

The interface feels somewhat antiquated, but its organization is pretty much perfect, allowing you to select the tool you need with ease

The interface feels dated, but the way the information is organised is very clean and easy to understand. The icons at the bottom of the window are used to control your environment.

This is where you get to choose which view to work in (2D or 3D), add cameras to your 3D environment, choose which level of your building to work in, along with general controls when moving objects on your canvas, such as restricting movements to right angles, and making sure objects don’t collide with each other.

You’ll find a series of tabs at the top, which is where all your design tools are stored, organised by clear categories. Further up is the traditional menu bar which contains links to those aforementioned tools, giving you multiple ways to access the same functions, which is something we greatly appreciate: the software allows you to work how you prefer, rather than forcing you to adapt to a developer’s idea of working.

To the right, is the Inspector panel, which changes its content based on the currently selected tool. It’s very clear and simple, although we found the information there to be quite small compared to the other sections.

We also found having to navigate through tiny folders inside a tiny inspector got a little frustrating at times. Thankfully there’s a search field at the top, if you know what you’re looking for.

Virtual Architect Professional Home Design 12: Building

The 3D interface allows you to manipulate and alter your design (Image credit: Nova Development)

Considering the complexity of designing a building, using this software is remarkably simple as the developers have clearly gone out of their way to make the creation process as easy as they could manage it

Designing walls and rooms is very easy: select the wall tool, click on your canvas, click somewhere else, and one wall has been added between those two clicks. There’s even a function (selected by default) to ensure those walls stay straight, and go off from others at a 90 degree angle.

You can add walls by using your mouse or trackpad, or by typing the value you’re after. By default the measurements will be shown in antiquated feet and inches, but you can alter that to the much more precise metric system from the ‘Settings’ section.

There’s a lot of little touches we greatly appreciated, like the software being intelligent enough to know when the latest wall you’re adding will enclose a room, or when you reposition an existing wall, any other wall connected to it will also be resized as you do so, saving you tons of time when redesigning and fine tuning your project.

Adding doors and windows is just a matter of choosing the one you’re after from the Inspector panel, and dragging it until you’re happy with its position. These objects know they’re supposed to be embedded into a wall and will snap to one in your project as you decide where to put it, even if your cursor veers off a little.

Adding a ceiling can be done in a single click if you just want to cover the entire level in one go, but you’ve also got the option of being much more precise, choosing different types of ceilings for each room, say, or even creating partial ceilings. The flexibility and ease of use is impressive. Same goes for when it’s time to add a roof.

You’ll likely primarily be working in the 2D environment, but you can also switch to 3D, and not just to appreciate your design in three dimensions: unlike some competing products, you also have design control in that environment as well, and we had a lot of fun with that.

Virtual Architect Professional Home Design 12: Wizards

A few ‘wizards’ are available to speed up the creation process even more (Image credit: Nova Development)

If you need another helping hand, conjure up a wizard to speed up some common design necessities, such as a kitchen, bathroom or deck

Despite all the features created to facilitate the building of complex projects, sometimes you may need things to be speeded up somewhat. That’s where wizards come in. This software has a handful of them, to create the bare bones structure of a house, a kitchen, bathroom, a house’s foundations, or even a deck or shed.

The wizard won’t do it all for you, of course, but through a series of simple choices, you can apply a template to your project, and then customize it further after it’s been inserted.

For instance, the Kitchen Wizard will ask you for the basic shape you’re after (L-Shape, Galley, or U-Shape), its orientation, the generic placement of most units, and the style you’re after. After that, you add it to your plan, resize it to suit, and its job is done. You’re then free to take individual items, such as the sink or fridge, and move it around until you’re happy with its position.

It’s a great way to get the basics done in a few seconds, giving you more time to fine tune and personalize your creation.

Virtual Architect Professional Home Design 12: Indoor and Outdoor Decoration

Landscaping, and creating decks, is all part and parcel of the software (Image credit: Nova Development)

The software has a large catalog of objects you can use to furnish your design, and comes with powerful tools to shape the landscape

Adding furniture, both indoor or outdoor, is as easy as selecting a door or window: choose the right category, then scroll down the list in the Inspector until you find the item you’re after.

We were unable to find a way to customize the available objects though (just like we couldn’t resize a chosen door or window), but there are so many options available you’re bound to find the one that matches your needs.

And speaking of outdoor, this software goes beyond your house, and grants you the ability to design the outside, complete with altering the terrain, creating hills, retaining walls, the works, and of course, has a slew of plants and vegetation you can use to bring your design to life.

As you’d expect for a program with such versatility, its minimum specs should be seen as that: minimum, and likely not even worth trying to match. As long as your computer swims in RAM and has a powerful processor, it should easily handle the software.

Should I buy Virtual Architect Professional Home Design 12?

Image 1 of 2

Alter the terrain to your heart’s desire(Image credit: Nova Development )The furniture inventory is vast(Image credit: Nova Development )

Buy it if…

You’re on a PC, and you’re looking for a powerful, versatile, yet easy to use software package to design a project in 2D and 3D.

Don’t buy it if…

You don’t need something with so many options, your PC isn’t powerful enough, and the lack of trial software really puts you off.

For more home design tools, we’ve reviewed the best landscape design software and the best architecture software.

Nova Development Virtual Architect Professional Home Design 12: Price Comparison

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May 29, 2025 0 comments

Crypto Trends

How to mine Bitcoin at home in 2025: A realistic guide

by admin May 28, 2025

Key takeaways

Lottery mining is cheap and fun, but don’t count on hitting a block.
Solo ASIC mining gives you complete control, but it’s a long-odds game.
Pool mining is the most practical way to earn steady payouts at home.
Cloud mining saves you the hassle but usually isn’t worth the cost.

Bitcoin is rapidly gaining legitimacy, and you couldn’t be blamed for wanting to peek behind the curtain to see how it’s made.

Throughout 2024 and into 2025, you’ve seen a whirlwind of institutional investment from companies like Strategy, which continues to aggressively accumulate Bitcoin (BTC), and Metaplanet, Japan’s listed company that recently adopted BTC as a treasury reserve asset.

Moreover, on the regulatory front, the return of a US President Donald Trump administration signals a friendlier stance toward crypto, with talk of rolling back SEC overreach and possibly supporting US-based mining.

Across the Atlantic, the MiCA (Markets in Crypto-Assets) regulation has gone into effect in the EU, offering clearer guidelines and reducing regulatory uncertainty for retail investors and miners alike.

Then there’s the price. Bitcoin finally broke the long-anticipated $100,000 resistance level in early 2025, following a post-halving supply shock and increased ETF-driven demand. As institutions pour in and supply tightens, more individuals are re-evaluating how to get involved.

Whatever your motivation, one thing’s certain: You want to mine from the comfort of your home.

This article will explain four realistic ways to mine Bitcoin at home in 2025, what gear you’ll need, how much it might cost, and what kind of returns you can expect.

Did you know? Bitcoin mining has developed into a sizable industry, with revenues growing by over 6,700% from 2021 to 2025.

Option 1: Lottery mining – Low power, high risk, rare rewards

If you’re working with a limited budget but still want to try Bitcoin mining, lottery mining offers an interesting — if highly unpredictable — way.

In July 2024, a solo miner using just three TH/s of hash power — roughly what you’d get from two small USB devices — successfully mined an entire Bitcoin block. The reward was 3.192 BTC, worth over $200,000 at the time. Statistically, that kind of result should take thousands of years. But with some luck and help from the Solo CKPool platform, it actually happened.

These wins are extremely rare, but they do happen. And that’s what keeps some people interested.

Most lottery miners use small, low-power devices like the Bitaxe HEX, an open-source miner built with actual Antminer chips. It runs at around three TH/s, costs about $600 and pairs easily with a Raspberry Pi. Another popular option is the GekkoScience R909, a USB miner running at 1.5 TH/s and a favorite among hobbyists.

These devices aren’t built for steady income. They’re closer to digital slot machines, but ones that still contribute to securing the Bitcoin network.

So why do people do it?

Three main reasons:

Running an independent node supports the health and resilience of the Bitcoin network.
It’s a good way to get familiar with how mining works.
A single successful block can be worth a lot, and it’s all yours if it happens.

For most, it’s not about making money. It’s about the challenge and the curiosity, like building a custom PC or restoring a vintage radio. And yes, it also looks great plugged in on a shelf, blinking quietly under a glowing Bitcoin lamp.

Next up: ASICs, the heavy-duty hardware of serious miners.

Did you know? Solo CKPool is designed for independent miners who want to submit their shares directly to the Bitcoin network. Unlike traditional mining pools, if you’re successful here, the entire reward goes to you (minus a small pool fee). There’s no revenue sharing, no splitting blocks.

Option 2: ASIC mining – Solo mining with real hardware

If lottery mining is like buying a single ticket and hoping for a lucky break, solo mining with an ASIC is showing up with a small stack. Your chances improve, but it’s still a long shot.

ASICs — application-specific integrated circuits — are purpose-built for Bitcoin mining. In 2025, high-end models like the Antminer S21 Hydro deliver impressive performances, reaching around 400 terahashes per second with improved energy efficiency over previous generations.

Let’s look at the numbers.

The Bitcoin network currently runs at around 500 exahashes per second. With one S21 Hydro, you’d control roughly 0.00008% of the total hashrate. That gives you odds of about one in 8.6 billion of finding a block on any given day. It’s still extremely unlikely, but it’s far better than what you’d get with low-power USB miners.

To meaningfully improve your chances, you’d need to scale up.

Running 20 ASICs could put you past eight petahashes per second, enough, in theory, to find a block about once a year. But that setup requires significant capital, proper ventilation or immersion cooling and a reliable energy supply. Even then, outcomes are unpredictable. The Bitcoin network might find several blocks in an hour or none at all.

Still, some miners go this route. The appeal is simple: If you do find a block on your own, you keep the entire reward, currently over three BTC, plus transaction fees. There is no need to split the payout with anyone else.

But for most people, even those with top-tier ASICs, solo mining remains a high-risk approach with uncertain rewards.

Did you know? The cost of the latest mining equipment has significantly decreased, with prices around $16 per terahash in 2025, compared to $80 per terahash in 2022, enhancing mining efficiency.

That’s why many home miners eventually turn to a more consistent and scalable model:

Joining a mining pool.

Option 3: Pool mining – Strength in numbers

If solo mining is a long shot, pool mining is the practical alternative. It’s how most home miners approach Bitcoin mining in 2025 – and with good reason.

By joining a mining pool, you combine your hashrate with thousands of other participants. When the pool successfully mines a block, the reward is split based on each miner’s contribution. You’re no longer chasing a rare solo win, but earning smaller, steady payouts. It’s more predictable, less risky and not so dependent on luck.

For example, if you’re running an Antminer S21 Hydro at 400 TH/s, that hash power earns you a proportional share of the pool’s rewards. You’ll likely see consistent daily income tied directly to your contribution.

The largest pools today — Foundry USA, Antpool, ViaBTC, F2Pool — handle thousands of blocks every month. Many offer FPPS (Full Pay Per Share) models, where you’re paid for every valid share you submit, regardless of whether a block is found that day.

Others use PPLNS (Pay Per Last N Shares), which only pays out when a block is discovered, but can result in slightly higher returns over time. The choice depends on how much payout fluctuation you’re comfortable with.

Setting things up is straightforward:

Create an account with your chosen pool.
Point your ASIC miner to the pool’s server.
Add your Bitcoin payout address.
Monitor your stats from the pool’s web dashboard.

The returns won’t be massive, but they’ll be consistent, and for many miners, that’s exactly the goal.

But what if you want to skip the hardware, the setup and the electricity costs altogether? What if you want exposure to mining without running a machine?

That’s where cloud mining comes in.

Option 4: Cloud mining – Mining without the machines

Cloud mining lets you rent hash power from a remote provider, who runs the hardware on your behalf. You don’t have to manage equipment, deal with heat or noise, or worry about electricity costs. You simply buy a contract, and if all goes well, you will receive a portion of the mining rewards.

On paper, it sounds straightforward. You select a provider, choose how much hash power you want to rent, and pay either upfront or through a subscription. The provider takes care of the infrastructure, including maintenance and cooling. In return, you earn a share of the Bitcoin mined, proportional to your rented power.

But there are trade-offs – and risks.

Cloud mining has gained a mixed reputation. Over the years, the space has been flooded with questionable operators, unrealistic return promises and outright scams. Many contracts turn out to be unprofitable once you factor in service fees, maintenance costs and the increasing difficulty of mining. You’re effectively trusting a third party to operate machines you’ll never see.

That said, there are a few reputable providers. Platforms like NiceHash, BitDeer and ECOS have remained active in the space and offer flexible, transparent options. Some let you choose specific coins or pools. Still, even with these more established names, margins tend to be very thin, especially during bear markets or when global hashrates spike.

Cloud mining may be worth considering if:

You have limited access to cheap electricity or space for equipment.
You’re looking for a low-effort way to get exposure to mining.
You view it more as a speculative bet than a reliable income stream.

However, if your goal is consistent returns or hands-on experience, then running your own gear or just buying and holding Bitcoin is likely a better use of resources.

The bottom line

There’s no single right way to mine Bitcoin at home in 2025. It comes down to what you’re after. Lottery mining is fun and cheap, but the odds are long. Going solo with an ASIC gives you full control and full risk. Mining pools are the go-to for steady, reliable payouts. Cloud mining offers convenience but not much certainty.

If you’re in it for the learning, the experience, or to slowly stack sats over time, there’s a setup that’ll fit. Just know what you’re getting into and why you’re doing it.

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May 28, 2025 0 comments

Product Reviews

Home Depot Promo Codes & Coupons: 50% Off

by admin May 28, 2025

Home Depot goes hard. The company pretty much invented the hardware superstore when it began in 1978, just by being so big. They inflated the neighborhood tool shop into a whole city of lumber, hammers, caulk, power saws, and big rolls of wire. I would know I’m in a Home Depot blindfolded, because of a distinct quality to the air—crisp and particulate, smelling like wood dust and paint and the oiled metal of power tools. The Home Depot smell is buried deep in my childhood, filed somewhere between “building a deck” and “first day of spring.” Anyway, the Home Depot website is just as big. And while it doesn’t smell like sawdust, it’s easier to find stuff. And as it turns out, the hardware giant also goes hard on discounts, slashing grills and garden and outdoor power tools by up to 50 percent for Memorial Day, not to mention smokers like the new Traieger Woodridge (8/10, WIRED Recommends) also sold at Home Depot. Our roundup of Home Depot promo codes, new customer coupons, free shipping, and Pro rewards discounts, can drop prices by as much as 60% when you buy online.

Get 10% Off With Today’s Home Depot Promo Codes and Summer Offers

Home Depot coupons and deals tend to ramp up in Summer, when people start refreshing their house and backyard, with deals of up to 50 percent on patio furniture, bath, mattresses and area rugs for Spring Decor Days. If you register for Home Depot’s Style and Decor newsletter, you get a special code for 10 percent off on furniture and home accents. Or if you sign up for the Home Depot coupon newsletter, you get an immediate $5 off the next in-store purchase of $50 or more.

Score 60% Off During the Home Depot Memorial Sale 2025

Memorial Day is the official start of grill season, and retailers tend to celebrate this with big discounts on grills and smokers and Home Depot promo codes for an extra 10% off your order total. While the holiday weekend may be over, Home Depot’s Memorial sale offers extend through June 5, with steals like 30% off furniture and tools, 35% off washer and dryers, 40% off tools, and over 20% off storage pieces. Check out WIRED’s recommendations in our guide to the Best Grills to Up Your Cookout Game. Power tools and hand tools are also discounted, as are garden flowers. Nervous about planting? WIRED has some advice for first time gardeners.

Up to 40% and Free Shipping With Home Depot Deal of the Day Coupons

If you’re tired of looking at the evidence you’ve nested all winter, Home Depot coupons of the moment include a whopper deal of 40 percent off area rugs, plus more deals on kitchen and other furniture. Check out the deals of the moment here. Deals include smart home items WIRED has covered extensively, like Nest learning thermostats (9/10, WIRED Recommends). Need advice on setting up a smart home? WIRED has your back.

Home Depot Appliances Sale: Save up to $1,600

If you’re thinking a lot bigger, like refrigerator or dishwasher big, Home Depot is touting its biggest sale of the year for Maytag appliances, with up to $1,600 off appliances. (Save even more money by making your home energy-efficient.) Other appliances are also discounted, at up to 35 percent off.

Save 20% With Home Depot Pro Xtra Discounts

Home Depot also offers a loyalty program called Pro Xtra for frequent flyers, whether you’re a contractor or just undergoing a serious remodel this year. This means exclusive prices, discounts on bulk buys, a rewards point system. Painting the house? The program also nets you 10 to 20 percent off paint. Pro Xtra offers multiple tiers, from basic membership to Elite and VIP.

Get 10% Off With the Home Depot Military Discount

Home Depot has long maintained a program offering discounts to active service members, veterans, and their spouses, offering 10 percent off all eligible purchases. You’ll need to register to verify your military status through SheerID, and from then on you can just scan your virtual ID or enter your phone number at checkout, same way you do at the grocery store. Note that military discounts are limited to $400 each calendar year, and this resets each year. Some commodity products are excluded, including lumber, wire, and building materials. Appliances are also out in the cold, but military families may still find special deals or tax-free shopping through Home Depot’s Military Exchange Program.

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May 28, 2025 0 comments

Game Updates

After parting ways with EA, WRC gets new home and six-year deal to “reboot” rally series

by admin May 27, 2025

A month after EA announced it was ending its partnership with the World Rally Championship, and “pausing development” on all future rally games, publisher Nacon has revealed it’ll be the new home of official WRC titles starting 2027, in an agreement initially spanning six years.

EA inherited the World Rally Championship license as part of its acquisition of UK racing game specialist Codemasters in 2021, and its first WRC title – EA Sports WRC – released two years later in 2023. Last month, however, the publisher revealed it had “reached the end of the road working on WRC”, leaving the future of rally gaming somewhat uncertain given it also confirmed it was laying off staff and “pausing development plans on future rally titles”.

But less than a month later, a fresh World Rally Championship deal has been struck with a new company, Nacon – the publisher behind the likes of RoboCop: Rogue City and last year’s disappointing Test Drive Unlimited Solar Crown. It’s perhaps not a huge surprise, given Nacon (formerly Bigben Interactive) previously held the WRC license between 2013 and 2022, and released nine titles in that time, culminating in WRC Generations.

EA’s first – and only – WRC effort launched in 2023..Watch on YouTube

As detailed in today’s announcement, Nacon’s new agreement “covers the development and publishing of the official WRC games and eSports competitions, granting [the company] exclusive rights for PC and consoles for six seasons, from 2027 through 2032.”

Nacon adds it’s now set to begin development of an “all-new WRC game series, aiming to deliver an immersive experience that faithfully reflects the reality of the championship and meets the expectations of both rally enthusiasts and new players”. These titles will mark a “complete reboot of the franchise”, and will include the likes of official rallies, vehicles, teams, drivers, and sponsors.

“After a comprehensive evaluation, we are delighted to have reached an agreement with Nacon,” World Rally Championship chief marketing officer Arne Dirks said in a statement accompanying today’s new. “[Its] vision for the franchise stands out, and their expertise in delivering great rally games is unquestioned. We look forward to breaking new ground together in this collaboration, to truly turn the WRC games into epic adventures and offer gaming experiences beyond rally as we know it today.”

The most recent game to release under the WRC license was the Codemasters-developed EA Sports WRC, which launched in 2023. Eurogamer called it a “joyous and rugged display of rally racing, with exquisite handling, lightly flecked by technical issues”, in our four star review.

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May 27, 2025 0 comments

Product Reviews

BeLight Software Live Home 3D review

by admin May 27, 2025

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Do a little search online and you’ll find a plethora of 3D home design software. BeLight Software’s Live Home 3D aims to provide a solution no matter which platform you’re on: the company has apps for your Mac or Windows computer, iOS or Android phones and tablets, and even the Apple Vision Pro.

For the purposes of this review, we’ll be looking at the desktop versions to see how this popular tool measures up to the best interior design software we’ve tested.

Live Home 3D: Pricing & plans

A limited free version, a 30-day money back guarantee for the other tiers, with clear information about what’s included in each, and no need to hand over your payment details or email address to check the software out

Live Home 3D comes in three versions. One is free and two must be paid for. The free one has severe limitations: you can only design building with up to two stories, for instance, you can’t create custom materials, nor can you edit the terrain outside of your building; your renders and video walkthrough will be watermarked, and limited to 720p for videos, and 2048×1536 for stills.

Live Home 3D: Interface

Live Home 3D’s interface is simple and well-designed, with icons at the top and sidebars on either side (Image credit: BeLight Software)

A single interface, with icons at the top and sidebars on each side, Live Home 3D also comes with a wealth of templates and canvases of different sizes should you prefer to start working from scratch

Live Home 3D sports a very simple and elegant interface. You have a row of tools at the top, a sidebar on the left, where you get to choose items and materials, as well as seeing a list of objects you’ve added to each floor, and an Inspector to the right, allowing you to access all of a selected object’s parameters.

In many ways, the software looks deceptively simple. You can easily start designing a building in seconds, adding walls, doors, windows, and furniture with ease, but the number of values you can alter is huge, all located in the Inspector section, giving you full control over the look of your creation, should you wish to be meticulously precise.

When creating a new document, you’re given a few options in terms of scale: do you wish to build a single room, an apartment, or a house? Either would work to start with, but this just sets the basic size of the canvas you’ll be working on. You’ll also find a wealth of sample designs for you to explore and get inspired by, be they single rooms, houses, apartments or cottages. All these templates are free, save for the ‘Additional Houses’ which offer more ‘exotic’ designs (who lives in a pineapple house, I ask you), and are available via a separate purchase.

Live Home 3D: Tools

Moving walls is as easy as clicking and dragging, and all adjoining walls are automatically resized to accommodate the new position (Image credit: BeLight Software)

The tools are excellent and extremely easy to use, along with a wealth of parameters you’re free to use or ignore

We’ve explored many 3D home design packages, from simple free ones, to the best architecture software for professionals. Each has their strengths and weaknesses, but it really feels to us that Live Home 3D has combined the best of most of these.

Erecting walls is incredibly easy. Not only is it a simple click and drag to add one, you can also just click on a wall and then drag it to alter its position. Any adjoining wall will be altered as you do this, saving you a lot of time. Even better, if you add a new wall close enough to an existing one, Live Home 3D is clever enough to understand you want those two walls to join, and does this for you automatically.

Doors and windows snap to walls automatically as you drag them near one, and this also works with angled walls. It’s like you’ve got an intelligent assistant just waiting to help make your design work so effortless. Of course, just like walls, you can resize doors and windows by selecting them and dragging their edges inwards or outwards. More precise alterations can be done via the Inspector panel on the right.

Just above the Inspector are the view modes. By default you’ll be working on a top-down 2D view, but you can opt for a 3D view instead, or split your workspace into two to see both at the same time. We really liked that you can alter and manipulate your design in any view, although 2D is where you will be doing most of your work, as that’s where all options are available.

Live Home 3D: Objects

Live Home 3D has a ton of objects you can add to your projects, from doors to sofas, and everything in between (Image credit: BeLight Software)

Live Home 3D has hundreds of materials you can use to decorate your home and customize its furnishings

Live home 3D offers a wealth of objects you can add to your projects, all located in the left sidebar, and broken down by categories – although there’s also a handy search function, to make finding what you’re after so much easier.

When you’ve found what you’re looking for, just drag it onto your project. You have resize and rotate handles around the item, so you can position it exactly where you need it. You’ll find a ‘Glue by’ option in the Inspector, which is preset for each item (although you can change that should you wish).

This tells the software where to drop the object. A sofa, for instance, needs to be on the floor, whereas a ceiling light will automatically attach to the ceiling.

If you can’t find the object you’re looking for you have the ability of importing your own files, or get additional ones from the Trimble 3D Warehouse (you’ll have to create a free account there in order to do so).

Adding objects is one thing, but you need the ability to customize them as well, and Live Home 3D definitely has your back there. The left sidebar stores hundreds of different materials, also organised by category, which you can add to any object, wall, or floor, or anything that’s selectable, really. And you’re not limited to using these materials in ‘traditional’ ways. Want a sofa made of grass on a leather floor? Go for it.

Live Home 3D: Renders

You can create an unlimited number of renders, with a choice of two render engines (Image credit: BeLight Software)

Two render engines to create an unlimited number of images for you at various resolutions. Works well, as long as the ‘Radeon ProRender’ doesn’t crash on you like it did us

One thing we quite liked is, although your renders are watermarked for the Free version, and the size is limited to 2048×1536 for Free and Standard, you can create as many images as you please.

That watermark, it’s fair to mention, is massive and right in the middle of the image – there’s no getting away from the fact this was generated by the free version of Live Home 3D. You also have two render engines to choose from, ‘Radeon ProRender’ and ‘Cycles’.

However, the Radeon option crashed on us every time we tried using the former through our computer’s Radeon GPU. Bypassing the GPU and working solely with the CPU worked without a hitch. We found ‘Radeon ProRender’ took longer to render, but produced finer detail.

Should I buy Live Home 3D?

Image 1 of 2

Although you work in 2D by default, you can also switch to 3D and make alterations from there(Image credit: BeLight Software)Customize objects, walls, and everything else, by changing its material covering(Image credit: BeLight Software)

Buy it if…

You need a simple to use 3D home design software with a myriad of options at your fingertips, should you need them, and a wealth of customisable objects you can add to your projects.

Don’t buy it if…

You’re not into home design, don’t like having so many optional options, and would rather have an interface you can wrestle with.

For more pro-grade design tools, we reviewed the best landscape design software.

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May 27, 2025 0 comments

Gaming Gear

What Is Matter? We Explain the Smart Home Standard (2025)

by admin May 26, 2025

The ideal smart home seamlessly anticipates your needs and instantly responds to commands. You shouldn’t have to open a specific app for each appliance or remember the precise voice command and voice assistant combination that starts the latest episode of your favorite podcast on the nearest speaker. Competing smart home standards make operating your devices needlessly complicated. It’s just not very … well, smart.

Tech giants try to straddle standards by offering their voice assistants as a controlling layer on top, but Alexa can’t talk to Google Assistant or Siri or control Google or Apple devices, and vice versa. (And so far, no single ecosystem has created all the best devices.) But these interoperability woes may soon be remedied. Formerly called Project CHIP (Connected Home over IP), the open source interoperability standard known as Matter arrived in 2022. With some of the biggest tech names, like Amazon, Apple, and Google, on board, seamless integration may finally be within reach.

Updated May 2025: We’ve added the Matter 1.4 and 1.4.1 specifications for enhanced multi-admin, energy management, and easier setup, and updated general progress for the standard.

Table of Contents

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What Is Matter?

Matter enables different devices and ecosystems to play nicely. Device manufacturers must comply with the Matter standard to ensure their devices are compatible with smart home and voice services such as Amazon’s Alexa, Apple’s Siri, Google’s Assistant, and others. For folks building a smart home, Matter theoretically lets you buy any device and use the voice assistant or platform you prefer to control it. (Yes, you can use different voice assistants to talk to the same product.)

For example, you can buy a Matter-supported smart bulb and set it up with Apple HomeKit, Google Assistant, or Amazon Alexa—without having to worry about compatibility. Right now, some devices already support multiple platforms (like Alexa or Google Assistant), but Matter will expand that platform support and make setting up your new devices faster and easier.

The first protocol runs on Wi-Fi and Thread network layers and uses Bluetooth Low Energy for device setup. While it supports various platforms, you must choose the voice assistants and apps you want to use—there is no central Matter app or assistant. Because Matter works on your local network, you can expect your smart home devices to be more responsive to you, and they should continue to work even when your internet goes down.

What Makes Matter Different?

The Connectivity Standards Alliance (or CSA, formerly the Zigbee Alliance) maintains the Matter standard. What sets it apart is the breadth of its membership (more than 550 tech companies), the willingness to adopt and merge disparate technologies, and the fact that it is an open source project. Interested companies can use the software development kit (SDK) royalty-free to incorporate their devices into the Matter ecosystem. This is much simpler than certifying devices individually with each smart home platform.

Growing out of the Zigbee Alliance gives Matter a firm foundation. Bringing the main smart home platforms (Amazon Alexa, Apple HomeKit, Google Home, and Samsung SmartThings) to the same table is an achievement. It is optimistic to imagine a seamless adoption of Matter across the board, but it has enjoyed a rush of enthusiasm with many smart home brands jumping aboard, including August, Schlage, and Yale in smart locks; Belkin, Cync, GE Lighting, Sengled, Signify (Philips Hue), and Nanoleaf in smart lighting; and others like Arlo, Comcast, Eve, TP-Link, and LG.

When Did Matter Arrive?

Matter has been in the works for years. The first release of Project CHIP was due in late 2020, but it was delayed to the following year, rebranded as Matter, and then touted for a summer release. After another delay, the Matter 1.0 specification and certification program opened in 2022. The SDK, tools, and test cases were made available, and eight authorized test labs opened for product certification.

The first wave of Matter-supported smart home gadgets went on sale in the fall of 2022, and we have seen a steady trickle since then. The first update to the specification, Matter 1.1, arrived in May 2023 and consisted largely of bug fixes. Announced in October 2023, Matter 1.2 added support for nine new device types, including refrigerators, robot vacuums, and air purifiers, alongside improvements to existing categories.

The Matter 1.3 specification was published in May 2024, adding energy management, EV charging, and water management alongside support for new devices, including ovens, cooktops, and laundry dryers. It also brought improvements to Matter Casting, so on top of being able to cast from your phone to your TV, other smart devices, like your robot vacuum, can send messages to your TV to warn you if they’re stuck, for example.

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May 26, 2025 0 comments

Product Reviews

Apple’s smart home hub could reportedly make its debut later this year

by admin May 26, 2025

Apple’s long-awaited smart home hub could be available as soon as the end of this year, according to the latest report from Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman. Rumors surrounding Apple’s smart home hub began circulating as early as 2022, when the product was first reportedly greenlit. However, the road to its release has been rocky since the product was expected to heavily rely on Apple Intelligence. Gurman previously reported in March that Apple had delayed the announcement of its smart home hub thanks to issues with upgrading Siri.

Gurman has since updated his expected timeline for Apple’s upcoming product, claiming that a lower-end version will release “by the end of this year at the earliest.” Gurman also revealed that a more advanced version that can “move around a person’s desk on the end of a robotic arm” should release a year or two after the basic model’s launch and is a “major priority at Apple.” To meet this release window, Apple will reportedly abandon some of the “bolder features” with the robotic arm model. Gurman added that those features could be pushed back to later models instead.

Apple has said very little about its smart home hub, but rumors detail a design that draws from both the HomePod and iPad. It’s rumored to have a seven-inch display, a new operating system called homeOS, and a dashboard that resembles the iPhone’s StandBy mode. Apple will have to compete with existing smart home hubs like Amazon’s Echo lineup and Google’s Nest Hub, but it’s rumored that the starting price for the robotic arm version could start at $1,000.

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May 26, 2025 0 comments