Philips Expands iOS-Controlled 'Hue' Line with New Products

The Verge reports that Philips is adding new products to Hue, its line of iOS-controlled LED light bulbs. The new products include "LightStrips", which are two-meter pieces of LED-inclusive tape that can be used to go around and highlight certain fixtures in the home, and "Bloom", a portable lamp powered by an LED bulb.

hue_lightstrips

As with the original Hue, both products can be controlled with a free iOS app [Direct Link] to change features such as color and brightness, with an available output of 16 million possible colors. Both products also require the Philips Hue wireless bridge, which comes as a part of the Philips Hue starter pack. From Philips' German site [Google translation] on the company's original LightStrips:

In creating the right atmosphere at home sometimes the smallest changes can make a big difference. Philips offers lighting solutions that you can create great effects with subtle light effects and colors. See Philips Living Colors, candlelights and LightStrips playful and are easy to use. Elegant design combined with LED-based technology creates mood lighting with which you can create exactly the right atmosphere.

The Philips Hue LightStrips are priced at $89.95 and the Philips Hue Bloom is priced at $79.95. They join the Philips Hue Starter Pack that includes 3 LED bulbs and the Hue wireless bridge, a package which currently sells for $199.95. As with the original Hue, both products will initially be sold exclusively through the Apple Retail Store and Apple Online Store.

Top Rated Comments

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iThinkIt

79 months ago

holding out for lights that are more reasonably priced.. :D

Rating: 9 Votes

madsci954

79 months ago

I'm holding out for Hue Christmas Lights :)

Rating: 4 Votes

Shrink

79 months ago

And now your home can look like a low rider car...:cool:

;) :rolleyes:

Rating: 4 Votes

losthorse

79 months ago

-- removed by user --

Rating: 4 Votes

GoCubsGo

79 months ago

Outdoor lights would be really nice.

Rating: 2 Votes

GoCubsGo

79 months ago

And now your home can look like a low rider car...:cool:

;) :rolleyes:

I personally don't care for the colored lights all over my house. In fact, I'm not sure where I'd have colored lights at all. Perhaps on some shelves, but I'm a bit boring. I like the concept of Hue for sure but wonder if they could sell a less expensive bulb if it were only standard color ... and hopefully color corrected or daylight rated.

Rating: 2 Votes

Jack97

79 months ago

I think these are so cool! :p

Rating: 1 Votes

jfx94

79 months ago

I'm excited about this. I'm glad Phillips was successful enough with the Hue to do more products. Even though I don't use the color options too often (although they are really nice occasionally) it's great to have all the lights tied to my phone. I think I'll put the light strips around the ceiling in my 'home theater' room for mood lighting.

Rating: 1 Votes

nagromme

79 months ago

I'm holding out for Hue Christmas Lights :)

I think LightStrips might do the job! I wouldn't want to use the tape, though; hopefully those are little holes allowing you to tack/nail the strips in place removably, and just leave the tape backing on forever.

I think I might prefer the strip format to the regular Hue. I wonder how many strips you get for your $90? Just one would not be worth it.

What amazes me is that you can buy LED strip lights twice the length of the Philips for less than $10. Is being able to control the lights with your iDevice worth such a high premium?

Only if you find all the features of it useful (which I do) and/or fun (which I REALLY do).*

Otherwise, your money is best spent on whatever YOU need or want.

* The simple word "control" hides quite a lot of capability beyond what you may be thinking. Can those $10 strips change to the color of your choice by ANY method? Geofencing? Time-based security lighting? It's not just wireless and iOS on/off that you get for your money here. (Also, I don't think we know how many meters really come with the LightStrips. 2 meters per strip, but is it just one strip? The German site refers to a "Doppelpack" for 79€, so maybe 4 meters... but I'm not sure if that's the iOS/Hue/wireless version or something else with the LightStrip brand. If you do get 4 meters of Hue LightStrip for $90 vs. 4 meters of plain-old static LEDs for $20, the extra $70 sounds fine to me over the lifetime of the product.)

Rating: 1 Votes

Dorv

79 months ago

Now, if you drop a/c to a bulb and then turn it back on, it goes to full white.

I prefer it that way. If I just need the lights on quick, I can flip the switch off/on and be good.

Plus it allows for my buddy, if he comes to walk my dog, to be able to use the lights in a more "normal" manner.

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When you look at the longevity of the lights, they are a whole much better deal than you'd think.

Sorry, replied to the wrong post.

Rating: 1 Votes

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