[The Register] IFTTT lights

[The_Unbeliever]

IFTTT stands for IF This Then That...

Now read on :

Review The Philips Hue lightbulbs are the Internet of Things made real: multicoloured light bulbs with network connectivity and cloud control, with only the outrageous price preventing world domination.

The bulbs come beautifully packaged in a three-light starter pack, along with a controlling hub. The bulbs fit into a standard screw socket and connect wirelessly to the Ethernet-connected hub – and even each other.

A smartphone app (for Android and iOS) gets you up and running within a few minutes, but it’s the documented programming interfaces and social network interconnection that may justify the £179.95 price tag.

Support for Android is pretty good, but it’s the integration with If This Then That (IFTTT) that enables one to lock the lighting into one's social networking presences: IFTTT allows you to do stuff such as "if I'm tagged in a photo then blink lights to let me know".

Unpacking and fitting the bulbs really couldn't be easier - they are slightly larger than a standard R80 but should fit within most shades. There's no bayonet fitting as yet; there's no technical reason why not, given that the specialist nature of these uberbulbs means buyers are probably willing to change their sockets if necessary.

More reading at The Register : http://www.theregister.co.uk/2013/06/04/philips_hue_review/

So.... who's up for ordering a kit and letting us know how cool it is?

 

[warwickw]

fzzzt they're expensive. I could though see a justification for getting these for our monitoring centre, change to red if something critical has happened.

 

[sajunky]

This is a hight-tec from A to Z. What about a stuff we can get in shops? I mean typical LEB bulbs what we are being offered by mass marketers. Ellies is offering FLEDE27 bulbs with battery backup and remote control (I bought it on special R70 in Makro, normally +-R100). Product is using poor quality LEDs, not bright and light spectrum not adjusted to human needs. What is more important, charging system is so bad, that when light switch is on (with the power supplied), the battery is not on standby, but continuously discharged. After half hour of use, light is very dim. Lets say light is on for few hours and then Escom cuts power. Battery is already half empty, and there is no constant current regulator for driving LEDs. This product is not for continunous use, only for emergency.

Similiar product - Klenex LED bulb (R200?), the same comments, just little better quality LEDs, but charging system presents the same problem, to lesser degree, as battery is lead-acid, it keeps voltage level slightly better.


Klenex

 

[The_Unbeliever]

fzzzt they're expensive. I could though see a justification for getting these for our monitoring centre, change to red if something critical has happened.

Now that's a very interesting idea...