Apple Turns to Interior Decoration
More expensive than most other light bulbs but less expensive than re-decorating or hiring an interior decorator, Apple’s new iBulb means color in a room can be varied at the touch of a … computer!?
Made for Apple by Philips of The Netherlands, the hue bulb can be screwed into any ordinary socket then controlled with Apple technology, be it iPad, iPhone or iWhatever and a little box plugged into the home’s broadband connection.
Following trials in New York, Berlin and Shanghai, the bulbs were found to be most frequently used remotely, perhaps as a way of deterring burglars when homeowners were on vacation — or mood-setting, according to how the app controller feels traveling home from a hard day at work.
The bulbs were described in The Daily Mail by Philips’ head of marketing and strategy, Jeroen de Waal, as “a game-changer in lighting — a completely new way to experience and interact with light.” Waxing lyrical, he went on to say, “Philips continues to redefine the possibilities of LED technology, and hue pushes the boundaries even more, not only in offering great light quality, but in how lighting can be digitised and integrated with our world to further simplify and enhance our lives.”
Explaining the processes, the Daily Mail says, “Each bulb contains 11 LEDs in three different colors, which Philips calls royal blue, red/orange and lime which combine to create up to 16 million colors.” In addition, the app “features expert LightRecipes the firm claims can improve people's lives, with four pre-programmed lighting settings based on Philips’ research around the biological effects that lighting has on the body. These scenarios adjust bulbs to the optimum shade and brightness of white light to help you relax, read, concentrate or energise.”
Michael Santo of examiner.com addresses the costs of components and technology. After purchasing a basic kit containing three bulbs and a wireless bridge ($199) that identifies and controls the bulbs, he surmises that the bridge can control a larger network as packs of four bulbs are also available ($59).
Although Mr Santo says, “Philips is offering up an open source platform to allow developers to create their own Hue-capable offerings,” he then wonders if selling exclusively through Apple means there won’t be an Android app or if “Philips' platform will allow developer to create anything besides iOS apps.”