Lighting company Nanoleaf today announced the launch of new Essentials lights that are aimed at replacing some of the standard bulbs that are installed in ceilings, plus it is introducing a new series of products in partnership with Umbra.
The Essentials Matter GU10 and the Essentials Matter Recessed Downlight are compatible with smart home platforms that support Matter, which includes HomeKit. The lights can be added to a HomeKit setup as long as a Matter hub like the HomePod mini is available. The Essentials lights are also Thread enabled and will integrate with other Thread products for improved connectivity.
Nanoleaf's Recessed Downlights are four inches in size and can replace standard downlights that you may have in your home, while the GU10 bulbs can replace light fixtures that use that bulb style. Like all Nanoleaf Essential lights, the Downlights and GU10 bulbs support 16 million colors as well as a range of different white temperatures.
The lights can be controlled through the Nanoleaf app or through the Home app when added to HomeKit, and can be activated through automations to have lights turn on at specific times or work in tandem with other smart home devices. Multiple bulbs can be grouped together so you can change the lighting in entire rooms at one time.
Nanoleaf today also announced that it is partnering with Umbra on two new Smart Lamps that are compatible with Matter. The Cono Portable Lamp and the Cup Lamp have unique designs created by Umbra with lighting technology supplied by Nanoleaf. The Cono and Cup Lamps work like other Nanoleaf lights, supporting millions of colors and working with scenes, automations, and more.
The Cono Portable Lamp has a built-in battery that lasts for up to five hours so it can be taken from room to room, while the Cup Lamp is a desktop lamp with a USB charging port and a cup base that is able to hold desk accessories.
Three of the GU10 bulbs can be preordered for $50, while the downlights are priced at $35 each. The Cono Portable Lamp is available for preorder now and is priced at $95, and the $130 Cup Lamp will be available in early 2024.
Apple is not expected to release a standard iPhone 18 model this year, according to a growing number of reports that suggest the company is planning a significant change to its long-standing annual iPhone launch cycle.
Despite the immense success of the iPhone 17 in 2025, the iPhone 18 is not expected to arrive until the spring of 2027, leaving the iPhone 17 in the lineup as the latest...
Language learning app Duolingo has apparently been using the iPhone's Live Activity feature to display ads on the Lock Screen and the Dynamic Island, which violates Apple's design guidelines.
According to multiple reports on Reddit, the Duolingo app has been displaying an ad for a "Super offer," which is Duolingo's paid subscription option.
Apple's guidelines for Live Activity state that...
The company behind the BlackBerry-like Clicks Keyboard accessory for the iPhone today unveiled a new Android 16 smartphone called the Clicks Communicator.
The purpose-built device is designed to be used as a second phone alongside your iPhone, with the intended focus being communication over content consumption. It runs a custom Android launcher that offers a curated selection of messaging...
Apple plans to introduce a 12.9-inch MacBook in spring 2026, according to TrendForce.
In a press release this week, the Taiwanese research firm said this MacBook will be aimed at the entry-level to mid-range market, with "competitive pricing."
TrendForce did not share any further details about this MacBook, but the information that it shared lines up with several rumors about a more...
Apple today announced a number of updates to Apple Fitness+ and activity with the Apple Watch.
The key announcements include:
New Year limited-edition award: Users can win the award by closing all three Activity Rings for seven days in a row in January.
"Quit Quitting" Strava challenge: Available in Strava throughout January, users who log 12 workouts anytime in the month will win an ...
Apple is planning to release a low-cost MacBook in 2026, which will apparently compete with more affordable Chromebooks and Windows PCs. Apple's most affordable Mac right now is the $999 MacBook Air, and the upcoming low-cost MacBook is expected to be cheaper. Here's what we know about the low-cost MacBook so far.
Size
Rumors suggest the low-cost MacBook will have a display that's around 13 ...
Wednesday December 31, 2025 9:59 am PST by Juli Clover
Apple hasn't updated the Mac Pro since 2023, and according to recent rumors, there's no update coming in the near future. In fact, Apple might be finished with the Mac Pro.
Bloomberg recently said that the Mac Pro is "on the back burner" and has been "largely written off" by Apple. Apple apparently views the more compact Mac Studio as the ideal high-end pro-level desktop, and it has almost...
Some of their stuff looks good but I haven’t heard good things regarding longevity. Perhaps owners could chime in?
i have five non-matter essential bulbs, and one matter bulb that was a replacement for a non-matter bulb that went bad.
The Nanoleaf non-matter essential A19 bulbs have been pretty solid. The matter enabled bulb is a giant pain in my $#%! It requires a reset at least every other week, sometimes multiple times in a row. Now, it’s possible this is brought on by my HomeKit hub changing from a new ATV to one of the many HomePod minis in the house.
We have lots of Philips Hue lights, Lutron Caseta Switches (fan and light), a meeros garage door opener, and wemo thread switches… this one Nanoleaf matter bulb is the least reliable by far. Side note, Hue and Lutron are certainly expensive, but they have proven 100% reliable for many years now.
I really want Nanoleaf to do better, because we need more competition in this market segment to bring down prices. Until then, I can’t recommend their essentials line. I can’t speak to their shape lighting.
And what countless people forget is the quality of the light, besides the longevity, the quality of the light, the smooth gradients when dimming, the step differences in shades and colour, the easy of use and integration. Still, nothing even gets close.
Some of their stuff looks good but I haven’t heard good things regarding longevity. Perhaps owners could chime in?
I’ve owned a number of different nanoleaf products over the past decade and they have almost all failed. I would avoid them. Hue and twinkly have been much better for me personally.
