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Lumen Bluetooth smartbulb challenges Philips Hue to offer app-controlled home lighting
The smartbulb throne isn't exactly the most exciting one to occupy, but Philips Hue has its fair share of challengers, such as the freshly released Bluetooth-controlled Lumen. Similar to Hue, you can tweak not only the bulb's color, but also its intensity. In addition, several modes come baked into the light source, including one that programs the Lumen to flash whenever a call comes in, and another that syncs its effects with music. Unlike Philips' fancy bulbs, though, the device doesn't need a WiFi hub to work -- it connects directly to an iOS or Android device loaded with its companion app. What's more, its creators claim the product consumes only one-sixth of the energy a 40W bulb does despite emitting comparable light. If a Bluetooth-connected bulb intrigues you -- even though the idea itself isn't new -- you can now snatch the Lumen online or from various retailers for $70.
Philips Hue gets down with app-controlled BR30 recessed lights
Philips' latest connected lighting product is taking aim at your recessed fixtures. The new Hue bulb, named BR30 to match the existing standard, screws into sockets typically pre-installed in kitchens, hallways and living rooms. They focus output in a beam, compared to the original Hue bulbs, which yield omni-directional light. That detail is the primary differentiator here -- functionality is identical, as is the price tag of $59 per individual bulb or $199 for a three-pack that includes a Hue bridge. As with their siblings, including the LightStrips and Bloom, you can control the LED BR30s from a smartphone, computer or tablet, letting you assign any color and brightness to individual bulbs. They're rated for a 15,000-hour lifespan, and Philips reports energy savings of up to 80 percent over conventional bulbs. You can pick up the BR30 beginning today from Amazon or Apple retail stores, while European customers can now order a GU10 version, which is more common in track lighting. That latter flavor will ship stateside in December.
NVIDIA's G-Sync is a module for gaming monitors to alleviate screen tearing (update: video demo!)
NVIDIA head Jen-Hsun Huang revealed G-Sync this morning, a module for gaming monitors that helps alleviate screen tearing and skipping issues. A variety of display companies are already on board, including ASUS, BenQ, Philips and ViewSonic. Huang said the module kills stutter entirely, pushes down lag and kills tearing. The monitors with G-Sync look the same as a normal display, as the module is built into the rear (as seen above). We're told by NVIDIA's Ujesh Desai that the module won't make new monitors much more expensive, and the module works with GPUs that have Kepler architecture (so the GTX 660 and up). G-Sync monitors will be available starting in Q1 2014. "This eliminates the penalty for the drop in frame rate," Epic's Mark Rein said of the module. "The whole Rein family will be getting new monitors this year," he said with a laugh. A quick demo we were shown of a V-Sync'd monitor versus one with G-Sync did what NVIDIA promised: screen tearing was eliminated and lag was imperceptible. We'll have a video of NVIDIA's new G-Sync module coming up shortly -- stay tuned! Update: We've added a hands-on demo with G-Sync. It looked fantastic in person, but due to the limitations of our camera equipment, some of the improvements may not be apparent in our video. Find that demo just after the break.
Compact cassette turns 50, puts a tear in Soundwave's eye
Forget the MP3 player, or even the Walkman -- the real instigator of the portable audio revolution is the compact cassette, which just marked its 50th birthday. Philips formally launched the format on September 13th, 1963, bringing recorded sound to a truly portable (and more accessible) form factor. The technology didn't just kickstart the markets for media players, field recorders and boomboxes; it led to bootlegs, mixtapes and other ways to shake up the audio status quo. The cassette has largely disappeared outside of nostalgic reissues and transforming robot toys, but its effects are still visible after half a century of progress. [Image credit: Tony Unruh, Flickr]
Deezer music service expands as it launches on Philips and Panasonic Smart TVs
Deezer's currently competing with the likes of Spotify and Rdio to win over the streaming souls of the world, so it knows how important it is to be available in as many countries and on as many platforms as possible. Taking that into account, the music service announced it has inked a deal with Panasonic and Philips which will bring its web-based tunes to Smart TVs made by those companies, similarly to what it did with other manufacturers earlier this year. What's more, Deezer also (quietly) updated its app on LG and Samsung television sets with improvements to search, an easier way to manage the music library and an option to access your friends' playlists. Of course, this all only applies to places where Deezer is present -- in other words, folks here in the US of A need not to power on their Smart TV and look for the app. One day, perhaps.
Philips launches two new sets of Fidelio headphones
Philips and audio gear go together like peanut butter and soya and linseed bread (trust us), so it's with little surprise to see the company unveiling two new sets of headphones for IFA 2013. The Fidelio M1BT is a pair of Bluetooth noisyboxes that shroud 40mm Neodymium speakers inside a leather and aluminum body, with wireless controls on either can to change track and volume. If, however, you prefer something a little less fancy, then the company has launched the Fidelio L2. A subtle update on 2011's Fidelio L1, Philips promises that the tweaks offer a better audio experience for audiophiles. The M1BTs are available from today at a price of €250, while the Fidelio L2 will set you back €279 when it arrives later in the month. Follow all of our IFA 2013 coverage by heading to our event hub!
Philips' M1X-DJ portable DJ soundsystem hits IFA, we go eyes-on (video)
The pictures may not quite drive the point home, so let us just say that this thing is a beast. And frankly the idea carrying it around using the add-on strip is giving us lower-back pain just thinking of it. But heck, it probably weighs a good deal less that carrying around cart after cart of vinyl -- not to mention a couple of turntables and a whole PA system (not to mention all of those glow sticks). Philips' M1X-DJ is a cool take on the idea of the computer DJ. It's essentially a massive dock that connects to your iPad / iPhone via the lightning connector. On top, you'll find two DJ platters and a mixer. As we noted before, the M1X-DJ is hitting Europe in November, priced at €399. Click on through to the other side to check out a video of the wheels of plastic in action. Follow all of our IFA 2013 coverage by heading to our event hub!
Philips 9000 series 4K TVs eyes-on (Update: now with video)
We heard about that 65-inch, award-winning Philips 4K set a while back, and earlier today, we finally got to see the thing trotted out on stage in all of its ultra high-def glory. Turns out it's also got a bigger sibling, an 84-incher. We managed to get up close and personal with both of the sets on the floor, sitting side by side in Philips' booth. The bezels on the 9000s are reasonably thin, though not nearly as svelte as we've seen on the sort of sets that Samsung and Sony like to trot out. Same goes for the profile -- if you're really interested in the thinnest 4K sets on the market, you're going to want to look elsewhere -- not shocking, of course, as the company is positioning these as budget sets. Ultra high-definition for the people. The sets are available today in the UK and Russia, priced at €4,999 ($6,588)and and €14,999 ($19,768), respectively. You can get a bit of a closer look at them in the gallery below. Follow all of our IFA 2013 coverage by heading to our event hub!
Philips Cloud TV will stream 'hundreds' of internet channels to its latest Smart TVs
Philips has just launched Cloud TV at IFA 2013, a service that'll work on its latest Smart TVs including the hot-off-the-press Philips 9000 4K series. It'll bring streaming of "hundreds of local, national, international and special interest channels" to 2012 or newer Philips Smart TV models. An app will also be available for those sets to scan all that content, most of which will be free. The company also announced Cloud Explorer, which will let you store your personal photos, video and audio by signing in to Dropbox or creating a new account through Philips. Both are now available in most of Europe and Russia, so if you're pining for yet another cloud streaming or storage service, check the PR after the break. Follow all of our IFA 2013 coverage by heading to our event hub!
Philips intros 65- and 84-inch 4K TVs priced at €4,999 and €14,999
New 4K TVs from Philips? We can't say we didn't see 'em coming. Heck, Philips even won an award for one of them. The company was waiting for the main event here at IFA to make the thing officially official, however. Philips took to the stage today to show off two entries in its 9000 series -- 65- and 84-inch models. The company's promising an "attractive price point here" -- that means €4,999 ($6,588) for the smaller 65PFL9708 and €14,999 ($19,768) for the 84PFL9708. Both sets feature Ultra Pixel HD Engine technology for upscaling, given the still somewhat limited selection of 4K content. The 65 and 84 are both available now in the UK and Russia. Follow all of our IFA 2013 coverage by heading to our event hub!
Philips announces iOS-friendly M1X-DJ system, puts decks on your dock
Philips, more known for its TVs and home appliances isn't entirely new to the DJ game, but it's certainly not the first brand that trips off the tongue when talking all things spin. Still, it's IFA, and Philips is having a product releasing spree, which includes a renewed venture into this space with the M1X-DJ system. Essentially, the M1X-Dj is an iPad and iPhone dock (via lightning connection) with DJ platters and a mini mixer built-in. It's compatible with Algoriddim's ubiquitous Djay app, and supports Bluetooth streaming also. The speakers pumps out your mixes at 80 watts, and can run on regular D-size batteries should you want to take the fun outside. There appears to be a shoulder strap, too, perhaps making this the accordion for the iOS generation? We'll find out in November when it comes out, costing 399 euros. Follow all of our IFA 2013 coverage by heading to our event hub!
Spotify's new Connect feature seems as good an excuse as any to throw a party
This is a sort of hardware / software announcement for Spotify, a hardware partnership with a number of big names in audio like Philips, Pioneer, Bang & Olufsen, Denon, Marantz and Yamaha that allows you to keep the party going on those Spotify playlists. Start playing one on your handset, click play on a compatible speaker system, and it will keep streaming on the speaker without interruption -- even when you take a call or leave the vicinity of your WiFi network. The audio system will actually start streaming music directly from the cloud. That means you can, say, turn on an iPad in another room and let your party guests skip songs -- though, granted, that might not be the greatest idea, depending on who you invite. Specific devices have yet to be named, though compatible systems will be branded with a Spotify Connect logo, so you'll know what you're getting yourself into. Those should be arriving in a late-October / early-November timeframe. Spotify will be holding up its end of the bargain by rolling out a software update for iOS ahead of those launches. Android and other operating systems will be receiving it at a later date.
OS X menu bar app released to control Hue lighting
Earlier this year, Philips released its Hue connected lighting system, which consists of Wi-Fi-enabled LED lightbulbs users can control via an iOS app. The lights have proved insanely popular among both techies and ordinary consumers. Last March, Philips released an official SDK for the lights. Now, a developer has made an app called Hue Menu that allows customers to control their Hue lights from any Mac. The app is a simple menu bar drop-down utility that allows users to adjust their Hue lights via several ways. For instance, you can use OS X's Color Picker to set each bulbs hue, create presets for certain lights, turn lights on and off and adjust brightness. You can even set the lights to randomly change color patterns. Hue Menu is US$2.99 in the Mac App Store.
Philips wins award for as yet unannounced 65-inch 4K TV
How do we know that Philips will unveil a 65-inch 4K television at IFA on September 5th? Because that same, unannounced device has just won the European Ultra HD TV of 2013-14 award. The self-congratulatory press release mentions that the Ambilight XL-packing hardware will be offered at a "significantly lower" price point than current UHD sets, which generally retail for upwards of $7,000 for this sort of screen size. There's no word on how much cheaper this new unit will be, but we're hoping that Philips has updated its (slightly clunky) smart TV interface to complement the eye-watering resolution.
Philips Hue susceptible to hack, vulnerable to blackouts (update)
Oh, Philips. Why'd you have to make it so easy for ne'er-do-wells to go full Aiden Pearce on Hue smart light users? A recent study by researcher Nitesh Dhanjani reveals that Hue's control portal -- known as the bridge -- uses a shoddy authentication system when communicating with smartphones and computers. That system uses the bridge's MAC address, which is easy to detect. As such it's also easy to hack the device and cause a blackout. In Dhanjani's demo video below, he introduces malware into the bridge through a compromised website. This lets him find the right MAC address and take control, turning the lights off again and again, ad infinitum, regardless of the switch's status. Sure, there's no immediate threat of widescale blackouts -- smart lighting has yet to be adopted en masse, after all -- but this is a security issue companies need to address, especially since lighting plays such a critical safety role.
Daily Roundup: LG G2 hands-on, Sony's RX100 Mark II, Oculus Rift's new CTO, and more!
You might say the day is never really done in consumer technology news. Your workday, however, hopefully draws to a close at some point. This is the Daily Roundup on Engadget, a quick peek back at the top headlines for the past 24 hours -- all handpicked by the editors here at the site. Click on through the break, and enjoy.
Philips expands iOS-controlled Hue line
Still love it when the lights in your house flash a rainbow of colors every time you're mentioned in a tweet? According to The Verge, Philips has announced two new additions to the Hue line of internet-controlled lighting; the US$89.95 LightStrips and the $79.95 Bloom. LightStrips are flexible, sticky-backed two-meter lengths of small LEDs made for accent lighting and things like frames. The Bloom (seen below, from the German Philips website) is a portable lamp that can be used to highlight an entire wall with its 120-lumen LED bulb. Both lights require the Philips Hue wireless bridge, which is part of the $199.95 starter kit available at Apple Stores and other retail locations. That kit includes the bridge and three controllable LED bulbs. All of the Hue lighting products are energy-efficient and can be controlled through the Hue app or IFTTT recipes to display any of more than 16 million colors in a number of intensity levels. A source for The Verge explained that the new lights are supposed to appear in Apple Stores and on Apple's online store soon, although the publication was not able to get a response from either Apple or Philips.
Lightscaping at home with Philips' Hue LightStrips and Bloom (hands-on video)
Earlier today, Philips announced two new add-ons for its app-controlled Hue system: LivingColors Bloom, a standalone portable fixture, and LightStrips, a 6.6-foot LED tape that you can affix to any surface using the included adhesive back. Both products are fully compatible with the existing Hue system, including the base station and three-bulb kit that launched at Apple Stores last year. Knowing that part of the solution's appeal is its quick and easy setup, we decided to build out a five-light rig at home using three standard bulbs, one Bloom and one LightStrips set. It took less than an hour to get up and running, including swapping out bulbs, running power to LightStrips and setting up the base station and app. In order to take full advantage of available "scenes" (lighting color macros based on uploaded images), you'll want to install all of your bulbs in one room or open space. You can very easily control the color and brightness of each unit using the Android or iOS app, however, so if you prefer to go that route, there's no reason you can't install Hue all over your house, as long as you don't go beyond the 50 maximum units each base station can support. For now, most of the available scenes support one through three fixtures, not the five you'll end up with if you have one complete kit, a Bloom and LightStrips in your home, so we avoided using scenes for the time being. If you're using app version 1.1 on iOS, you can take advantage of IFTTT integration, too, letting you set up a virtually endless number of macros. Even with five Hue fixtures in a small space, the room was a bit too dark -- this solution works best for accent lighting, so unless you're prepared to use 20 bulbs in a room, you'll probably want to mix in traditional fixtures, too. Still, Hue serves its purpose well, and we definitely see the appeal despite the $200 you'll spend on the base kit, $80 for the bloom and $90 for the LightStrips. See our installation in action in the hands-on video after the break.%Gallery-195485%
Philips grows Hue smartphone-controlled lighting lineup with $80 LivingColors Bloom, $90 LightStrips
There's no shortage of home automation solutions on the market, but none can touch the cool factor of Philips' Hue. The Android and iOS-controlled lighting solution consists of a base station that controls up to 50 different lights, including the company's existing LED Connected Bulb, and two new additions, designed to let you add light without a standard lamp socket. The first product, LivingColors Bloom, is a compact fixture that you can position on the floor, on a shelf or anywhere in a room. It sits on the ground and bounces your pick of 16 million colors off any surface. LightStrips, on the other hand, is a better fit for more permanent (and subtle) installations. The 6.6-foot LED strip can be cut to size, and includes an adhesive backing, so it can be easily mounted under a counter, bed or inside cabinets. Both offerings support the full Hue color spectrum, and are compatible with existing apps and macros, including the IFTTT integration that debuted in May. Hue Bloom is set to retail for $80, while LightStrips will run you 90 bucks. Expect both products in Apple Stores this Thursday.
Ingenious Dutch research center boasts one patent created 'every 20 minutes'
The city responsible for the first solar-powered family car and a building shaped like a UFO is no stranger to creativity. Eindhoven, Netherlands was recently named "most inventive city" by Forbes magazine, probably thanks to the High Tech Campus (HTC) research and development center located there. The HTC is the result of the Dutch government's initiative to bolster high-tech innovation in the region after rounds of layoffs from companies like Philips. Scads of tech firms are holed up within HTC's walls including IBM, Intel and Accenture, with a focus on open cooperation and sharing of ideas and resources. Apparently, this has paid off in spades. According to the HTC's website, the campus is responsible for roughly 50 percent of the Netherlands' almost 10,000 patents each year. Yowza. [Photo credit: Wikimedia Commons]
