PicoQuant has released the Taiko PDL M1 smart laser driver, which is able to monitor and control most laser head parameters such as optical output power or laser head temperature. It offers a wide range of repetition rates, burst patterns, continuous wave operation and external triggering. A local one button control scheme and a remote user interface are provided, and the two interfaces are synchronised and can be used simultaneously. The Taiko PDL M1 enables time-resolved applications to be carried out on time scales ranging from very short (fluorescence lifetime investigations) to very long (study of phosphorescence dynamics).