Home tech has come a huge way in the past few years. What used to be science fiction is now science fact. You can get gadgets to control your central heating, record television programmes while away from home… even water the plants.
We have a home security set up whereby we can see, hear and record what’s going on inside the house from wherever else we happen to be via a mobile phone app. It sends us an alert if the front or back doors are opened.
What we’d like to add to our ‘smart home’ is the ability to turn lights on & off on timer or remotely. A great feature if we’re coming home late or forget to turn lights off when we go out. Smart lightbulbs have now made it possible to do this. They are controlled by wi-fi and smartphone or tablet app. They can still be fairly expensive to buy, but prices continue to fall as more & more brands begin to produce them.
The Crenova (#1) works via Bluetooth, allows you to dim and change the colour of the light and even doubles as a speaker. Just link up to four bulbs to your smartphone or tablet and stream your music library. I can see this working great in the bathroom, enhancing a relaxing bubble bath.
The mid-range WeMo is a straight swap for the basic ‘lo-tech’ bulb in that it only emits white light. You can control up to 50 bulbs (which cost around £25 each) via the plug link and an app for your smartphone or tablet.
At the other end of the price range, the Philips Hue. The Hue, as its name suggests controls the colour as well as the intensity of the light created. This package comes with 3 smart lightbulbs, but it still works out at three times the price of Crenova. However, you can add up to 50 bulbs… (which cost around £15 each) your entire house, inside & out!
The bulbs may be expensive, but they last a lot longer than traditional bulbs. I couldn’t find any information about how long the Crenova lasts. The Hue ‘shines’ for 25,000 hours (about 3 years). The WeMo bulb claims to have a life expectancy of 23 years – not bad!