Greenovations: Philips Lighting – Hue Connected Bulbs

While the use of smartphones and computing tablets continue to permeate our society, more and more products are incorporating wireless controls via apps available for smartphones and tablets into their design.

Here at The Green Register, we have highlighted such products as the Nest Learning Thermostat that come equipped with the capacity for being controlled by means of a smartphone or tablet app while other products like deadbolts, security systems, and lighting fixtures have incorporated the same into their design.

Recently, we have been alerted to the possibility of up-and-coming lighting companies looking to raise the capital necessary to mass produce a light bulb with WiFi-connection capability and multilevel wireless controls via smartphone and tablet apps, but today’s Greenovation proves that this product is currently available from Philips Lighting.

Coined “the world’s smartest LED bulb,” the 600 lumen Philips Lighting Hue Connected Bulbs use 80% less power than traditional incandescent bulbs while providing the equivalent light of a 500 watt bulb and offer all shades of white light plus a variety of colors.

According to Philips Lighting, users can utilize a smartphone or tablet app to remotely control a wide variety of the following settings for their Hue Connected Bulbs so as to personalize them to their desired appearance:

• “Save your favorite light scenes for each room or time of day and recall them in an instant”

• “Use any photo on your [smartphone or tablet] as a color palette to paint your room with light and bring your memories back to life”

• “Tune white light from warm candlelight to vibrant, cool white light”

• “Create ambience or complement your décor with the colors of the rainbow”

• “Control and monitor your lights remotely when not at home for security and peace of mind”

• “Set timers to help manage your daily routine”

• “Let light wake you up refreshed or help your loved ones fall asleep”

• “Bulbs are upgradeable and future-proof, as more features can be downloaded in the future”

Our favorite feature of the Hue Connected Bulbs is the “LightRecipes” options, which are four pre-programmed settings that automatically adjust bulbs to the optimum shade and brightness of white light to help users relax, read, concentrate, or energize based on Philips’ research regarding lighting’s biological effects on the body.

The bulbs are only available through Apple either in their online store or through their retail locations.  The Hue Connected Bulbs starter pack costs $199, which includes three 600 lumen bulbs and a Hue Bridge to connect the bulbs to a home network. Each Hue Connected Bulbs starter pack can be expanded to handle 50 individual bulbs with each additional bulb priced at $59.

We’ve already contacted our local Apple retail store to check on availability.

To learn more about today’s Greenovation, visit Store.Apple.com.

by Rob Stanfield – The Green Register