TL;DRThread is introducing its Thread Tools app for viewing the status of your home’s smart device network.The open source app is now in beta testing on both Android and iOS.We also learn about new Thread Direct connectivity and a liaison agreement with the Broadband Forum.If you’ve ever tried setting up a full home of smart devices over Wi-Fi, you already just how messy that can get — and fast. When you’re connecting every smart lightbulb to your router, you’re quickly going to find yourself drowning in devices — and good luck being able to successfully diagnose any connectivity issues. That’s just one of many reasons why you might want to use Thread’s wireless mesh technology, instead. And this week, the Thread Group is sharing a few of the ways that using Thread is about to get even better.For starters, we get a little update on the whole Thread ecosystem, and right now there are over 240 member companies, producing over 1,100 Thread-certified products. With both those numbers on the rise, if you haven’t yet tried using Thread when setting up a new smart home device, it’s more and more likely you might get that chance with the next product you bring home.