It's a new unit that tracks all the devices - from a Roku media streaming box and Nest thermostat to the Wemo or Hue. 'I don't think anybody would say a slow cooker is an integral part of the smart home, but when you think about it, the sky's the limit,' says Ohad Zeira, a Belkin product manager.įinally, for those who have too many connected devices in the home, and too many apps to operate them, comes Revolv. Just plug it into an outlet and then plug in a lamp or other small appliance to turn it off or on with the app. No need to involve a router with the Wemo device. It's available now via Amazon and will be sold in Best Buy stores in 2014. Lifx was first introduced on Kickstarter in 2012, where it raised more than $2 million. Download the app, and turn the LED lights on and off and change colors. Buy bulbs separately, without having to connect to a router. Turn lights on and off, dim them and change colors as well, via the Hue app. A starter kit with three LED bulbs and a base station that connects to a router sells for $199. Download the app and you can turn lights on from anywhere. Connected by TCP Wireless is a $149 kit that comes with three LED bulbs and a hub that connects to your home router. You can be in bed, reach for the smartphone and turn off every light in the house.' 'The amount of things you can do with a connected bulb that you can't with a standard bulb is just awesome. 'It's the features,' Lifx CEO Phil Bosua says. (It does get more expensive if you add multiple Wemo switches around the house.) Download the app and you can turn products on and off. Plug the Wemo switch into an AC outlet, and add a lamp or another device. And if you want to join the party but spend a lot less, the Belkin Wemo system is the simplest and most affordable at just $49. That is the concept behind 'connected' light systems from Philips with its $199 Hue, which changes colors, and Connected by TCP's $149 system, which just turns them on and off.īoth work by connecting to a home Wi-Fi router.Ī new company, Lifx, offers a pricey $89 LED bulb that turns on and off and changes colors, but it doesn't need to be connected to a router. With a smartphone app, you can turn lights on and off and even change their colors from bright white to any hue of the rainbow. LOS ANGELES - So who really needs light switches anyway? Watch Video: Connected home | Lighting can make things smarter

Download lifx switch