IDom Goodbye lightswitch, hello to a smartphone

IMAGINE controlling your home lighting from the comfort of your couch, switching them to red for a thriller movie or ramping up the brightness to aid concentration.

Wi-fi lighting has been around a few years but new technology is allowing streamlined automated lighting systems at a price affordable for homeowners.

Companies all over the world are scrambling to get on board as consumers embrace more gadgets in the home and more convenient solutions for temperature and lighting control.

In New Zealand, there are a few options if you want to take your home into the 21st century.

PHILIPS HUE 2.0.

This is second generation Hue, due to be released in New Zealand next year. The system uses LED lightbulbs with chips planted in them to communicate over wi-fi to your smartphone. A bridge, connected to your wi-fi router, means lighting can be controlled using an app on your phone or via voice control through Siri, the digital assistant on iPhones. Homeowners can preset lighting options and customise different rooms or parts of the home: ‘‘Siri, turn my living room lights to movie setting’’. A portable wireless LED light can be taken outside. The best part of Hue 2.0 is you don’t need an electrician to set it up. Bulbs fit into existing (screw-only) sockets and the bridge just plugs into your router. Apps like Eve integrate your wi-fienabled heatpump as well. A Hue 2.0 starter kit, including three bulbs and a bridge, could cost about $319.95 and LED bulbs lasting 15,000 hours (15 years) $89.95. Specific prices for the New Zealand market will be released next year.

BELKIN WEMO LIGHTING

The Belkin system is similar to Hue in that LED bulbs fit into existing sockets (screw or bayonet) and are controlled using a smartphone. The WeMo Link is the bridge between your wi-fi and your lightbulbs, and is plugged in somewhere central in the house. You can turn lights on and off and dim them remotely. You could go one step further and swap your regular electrical socket for a wired-in WeMo one, which means anything plugged into that socket can be turned on and off remotely – like heaters or fans. WeMo starter packs, with two bulbs and a link costs $199.95, and additional bulbs are $69.95. The system is already available in New Zealand.

WIFI LIGHTS

Kiwi company Wifi Lights are offering a slightly cheaper system available in New Zealand. This product line works in a similar way to Hue, but doesn’t require a wi-fi router. Bulbs, for bayonet and screw fitting, cost about $70 each and can be controlled directly using a special remote. If you want to use your smartphone, you can purchase a bridge for $55 and programme an app. The bulbs cost between $29 and $85 depending on the type.