Are we getting too APPy
We have all been able to use VPN’s to control our heating or firing up the BBQ from 1000s of miles away and we haven’t left the sofa to change the channel for years. We reach for the remote.
Many a smart home has a hub to control lights music if you like mood changers ?
How about smart light bulbs? I don’t mean remote light systems with dimmers etc. GE ( General Electric ) has revealed a brand-new LED light bulb that can connect to the Web shortly after you've twisted it into an available socket. Dubbed the Link, the $15 ( £9 ) light bulb will be controllable by a companion appn for iOS and Android — "Wink."
If that sounds familiar, previously the company offered a Wink Hub, this will be the same app used to control other appliances, thanks to a collaboration between GE and New York-based startup Quirky, which also helped produce the Link light bulb (and partnered with GE on a smart A/C, too).
The Link won't need a Wink Hub to work; you'll be able to flip it on and off using the Wink app, this my well be a benefit for those who want a little more control over their home setup while they're away from home. It can be controlled from work or for those of us who want a bit more security when they're away from their homes, while on vacation you can wander up the beach after a day in the sun ( I the south of France ) and turn your house lights on at home in England. Or more likely for those who are otherwise too lazy to get up and hit the lights while on the sofa.
Thomas Edison built and offered the first commercially viable light bulb, and today we have moved to LED ( light emitting diode ) In the States The Link will go on sale starting this autumn, but GE is opening pre-orders for the bulb on Monday via Home Depot. It appears buyers will initially be limited to one Link per purchase, but we are note sure if this is because you need a separate App for each bulb or if you will be turning the neighbours lights on and off.
The three bulbs in the "Link" brand are as follows: A standard 60-watt replacement LED bulb running at a 2700K color temperature (soft white), a floodlight LED also running a 2700K colour temperature, and an indoor/outdoor spotlight LED running at a 3000K colour temperature.
As for resellers and dealers watch this space.
