Philips
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Philips' smart deadbolt will unlock a door by looking at your palm
Philips teased its first-ever smart deadbolt that works using a touch-free palm reading system at CES 2024.
Philips Hue lights are getting brightness balancing and better motion sensor automations
Philips Hue is introducing some new features that make it easier to match brightness levels on different lights and fine-tune motion sensor automation.
Philips' new 'Ultra Efficient' LED bulbs use 40 percent less energy
Philips' new Ultra Efficient LED bulbs use 40 percent less power than regular models — and can last roughly 50 years.
What happens when smart bulbs meet dumb software?
Over the holiday period, I tried to update my Philips Hue bridge, and that's a far harder process than it needs to be.
Apple's latest AirPods drop to $140, plus the rest of the week's best tech deals
This week's best tech deals include the latest AirPods for $140, Amazon's Kindle for $55 and $230 off iRobot's Roomba j7+ robot vacuum.
The best tech deals still live from Cyber Monday
The best tech deals from Cyber Monday that are still available include Apple AirPods for $150, the Chromecast with Google TV for $40 and hundreds off Sony headphones.
The top tech deals in Best Buy's early Black Friday sale
Here's a list of the best tech deals in Best Buy's first early Black Friday sale of 2021.
This week's best deals: $30 off Apple's 10.2-inch iPad and more
This week's best tech deals include $30 off Apple's 10.2-inch iPad, $120 off Solo Stove's Bonfire and a sale on a bunch of Nintendo Switch games.
The inventor of the cassette tape has died
Lou Ottens, the former Philips engineer who gave the world its first compact cassette tape, has passed away.
The best smart lights for your bedroom
Here's a list of the best smart lights to help you get better sleep, as chosen by Engadget editors.
Philips Hue module turns any light switch into a smart switch
A new Philips Hue add-on turns your existing light switches into smart ones that keep your lights available even if someone flicks the switch off.
Philips' new smart toothbrush adapts to your brushing style
It doesn't need a mode select button, it just knows what you need.
Each LED in the new Philips Hue lightstrip can match different colors on your TV
The Philips Hue Play gradient lightstrip can sync with on-screen media for an immersive experience. The 55-inch lightstrip costs $199.99, the 65-inch lightstrip is $219.99 and the 75-inch lightstrip is $239.99.
Philips Hue’s latest smart bulb is blindingly bright
Philips Hue reveals its brightest smart bulb yet and updates to the Lighstrip and Bloom table lamp.
Philips Hue leaks show new versatility for Lightstrip Plus and Bloom
The Lightstrip Plus will now offer more versatility.
Dell’s cheap Philips Hue starter pack deal is even better with $50 credit
Philips Hue has become the go-to for smart home lighting. The LED light bulbs can transition between 16 million colors to compliment your home, set the mood or enhance your sleep. Those who haven't turned their home into a technicolor dreamland may want to check out Dell's latest deal on a Hue starter kit. It comes with three white- and color-capable bulbs, the Gen 3 Hue Bridge and a dimmer (which doesn't come with most bundles). The kit is $120 -- $35 less than Amazon's listing -- and comes with a $50 gift card so you can stock up on more Hue accessories like bulbs, light strips and motion sensors -- or Dell's computer products. If purchased separately, the items would cost $235, so this is a great deal even before Dell's discount and gift card.
US will investigate Fitbit and Garmin following Philips complaints
The new year isn't getting off to a great start for some wearable device makers. The US International Trade Commission has agreed to investigate Fitbit, Garmin, distributor Ingram Micro and two Chinese manufacturers (Inventec and Maintek) over Philips' patent violation claims. Allegedly, the Fitbit and Garmin devices are infringing on technology such as activity tracking, alarm reporting and motion sensing. Philips maintained that it had been negotiating with the companies for three years before talks fell apart and forced its hand.
Philips is adding voice control to its Hue light and TV sync box
We cheered when Signify launched the Philips Hue Play HDMI Sync Box last September. At last, a dead-simple way to sync the company's smart lights with whatever is playing on your TV! The hardware wasn't perfect, though. It didn't have baked-in voice control, for instance, or any formal compatibility with Alexa, Siri, or the Google Assistant. For a $230 box -- and one released in 2019 -- it felt like a massive and inexcusable omission. Signify has recognized its mistake, though, and is working on a software update that will add support for all three assistants later this spring. Once it goes live, you'll be able to use your voice to turn the Sync Box on and off, change various Hue light settings and switch between HDMI devices. If you need a refresher, the svelte black slab has five HDMI slots -- one for your TV, and four for your favorite media players, game consoles and streaming boxes. The Sync Box analyzes the incoming image and then chooses the most appropriate colors and brightness settings for your smart bulbs. You can also fine-tune the experience with three different sync modes (video, music and games), a brightness slider and four intensity options (subtle, moderate, high and extreme) inside the Hue Sync app. The effect will vary, of course, depending on the number and type of Hue bulbs that you have set up. Some TV-attached lightstrips, for instance, might be more dramatic than a couple of bulbs placed behind your sofa. Don't care for voice control? No problem. Today, Signify announced that you'll soon be able to use infrared-based TV remotes to control the Sync Box. That includes basic commands -- turning the contraption on and off, and switching between different HDMI inputs -- and more complicated button inputs, provided you "teach" the Sync Box what each of them means through the Hue Sync app. Signify hopes this will make it easier to use the box everyday as part of a more complicated home theater setup.
When to use a smart bulb, switch or plug
By Rachel Cericola This post was done in partnership with Wirecutter. When readers choose to buy Wirecutter's independently chosen editorial picks, Wirecutter and Engadget may earn affiliate commission. Read the full blog seeing the light: when to use a smart bulb, switch, or plug. I'm not sure if it's because I've captured a lot of critters on home security cameras or seen one too many horror movies, but entering a dark house terrifies me. Although my husband would be perfectly happy to solve this problem by leaving the lights on all day and night, it's completely unnecessary: Smart lighting exists for precisely this purpose. Setting up your home with smart lights can solve a lot of problems. However, because there are several types of devices you can pick from—bulbs, light switches, and add-on plugs—it can be hard to know where to start. Why and when do you pick one of those devices over another? All smart lighting devices allow you to control them from your smartphone, and you can set them up to work like old-fashioned lighting timers, but they can do much more. You can control whole groups of lights at once, set them to go on and off based on local sunset times, and configure them to respond to other smart devices, such as motion sensors or security cameras. But each type of device has a superpower (and also a weakness, just like Superman). Let's look at what devices work best for three different scenarios.
The media streamers and soundbars to buy this holiday season
There are lots of reasons to consider gifting home entertainment products. Whether you're searching for the perfect gift for that one friend that's always glued to their TV, or you're selflessly trying to bring your mom's living room setup up to speed before you visit for the holidays, we have a heap of suggestions for presents big and small. From $30 streaming sticks to $400 soundbars, we've got your back.
