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The best smart LED light bulbs
By Grant Clauser This post was done in partnership with Wirecutter. When readers choose to buy Wirecutter's independently chosen editorial picks, it may earn affiliate commissions that support its work. Read the full article here. We considered more than 20 smart-light-bulb systems and then spent eight weeks testing 10 contenders, confounding a family of four by constantly changing how their lights worked. After all that, we determined that the Philips Hue White and Color Ambiance A19 is the best all-around smart LED bulb. Hue lets you change your lighting color easily and does everything other smart light bulbs do, and it's also part of a larger product and app ecosystem, allowing for more flexibility and creativity than any other smart bulb we tested. Plus, it's compatible with the widest variety of smart-home systems, including Apple's HomeKit, Samsung's SmartThings hub, Amazon's Alexa, and Google Home. It's not the cheapest bulb we tested, but its reliable performance and wide compatibility make it a solid choice for any smart-home enthusiast or newbie.
Hive adds smart lightbulbs to its connected home lineup
British Gas' connected home brand Hive expanded beyond smart thermostats to plugs and motion sensors earlier this year. As was always the plan, the product range has grown a little bigger today with the launch of Hive Active Lights. These smart bulbs are controlled via the existing Hive app for iOS, Android and Windows Phone, and since they talk directly to your router through the Hive Hub, can be fiddled with anywhere you have an internet connection. In addition to on/off and dimming commands, you can also create schedules if, say, you want your lights to come on at night while you're away on your summer hols.
ICYMI: Smartest lights yet, robots on the farm and more
#fivemin-widget-blogsmith-image-433187{display:none;} .cke_show_borders #fivemin-widget-blogsmith-image-433187, #postcontentcontainer #fivemin-widget-blogsmith-image-433187{width:570px;display:block;}try{document.getElementById("fivemin-widget-blogsmith-image-433187").style.display="none";}catch(e){}Today on In Case You Missed It: BeOn Home has made smart lightbulbs that recognize noises like a doorbell or fire alarm and turn on accordingly. A robot designed to check fertilizer levels and smash weeds should help the average family farmer one day. And the US Army is checking its soldier's brain waves to understand what part of an image captures their attention.
Lightfreq is like the lovechild of Jambox and Hue
Since the death of the incandescent bulb we've seen light-emitting oddities of all kinds pop up, but for the most part, they've been rather, well, silent. LightFreq is aiming to change that, however, with a smart lightbulb that has a built-in speaker and customizable color output. The speaker connects to an app on your phone via Bluetooth 4.0 and WiFi, as does the light itself, allowing you to beam your music from room to room and even have your tunes and lights follow you, automatically turning them off after you pass by and illuminating the next before entering. The LightFreq also acts as an intercom system, wherein you can broadcast voice messages from your device to an individual unit in another room or all bulbs at once. The features don't stop there, as you can even set individual colors for specific push notifications and alerts on your phone; a flashing red-to-blue pulse when your police-officer dad calls, for instance.
