Review: Philips Hue Smart Lighting System

Philips Hue turns the lightbulb completely on its head and manages to bring such a vast range of possibility in terms of lighting homes, offices, commercial spaces and any place that's in need of smart illumination.

By Gadjo Cardenas Sevilla

One of the most impressive implementations of smart appliances or IoT (Internet of Things) has been by Philips, whose Hue line of smart lightbulbs, bridges, and switches, has all but revolutionized one of the oldest and most immutable devices and made it into a connected and smart appliance.

Lightbulbs are the oldest electrical devices. They're also the dumbest. You buy the lightbulb in the wattage you need, screw it into the socket and let it work until it dies, and then gets replaced. The cycle is endless.

If you want coloured lightbulbs, you buy them in the colours you need. Each lightbulb is one colour, forever. Not anymore. Read on.

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Google Home will be able to make calls to US and Canada

Google Home has speakers, it has a microphone and it is connected to the Internet and has all your gMail info. Soon, it will be able to take all of these capabilities and put them to good use by taking calls. You will soon be able to make voice calls to anyone in the US or Canada. It's not clear if this is a regional feature or if Canadian Google Home devices will be able to use the feature. 

Source: Google

Apple amping up activities and events at retail locations with Today at Apple

Apple is launching  the “Today at Apple” initiative that is is the collection of new, free programs launching in all 495 Apple stores on topics from photo and video to music, coding, art and design and more. The hands-on sessions will be led by highly-trained team members, and in select cities world-class artists, photographers and musicians, teaching sessions from basics and how-to lessons to professional-level programs.

- The new programs and sessions focus on the features of Apple products customers love most, across all skill levels and ages, and begin on May 17.

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Philips Hue adds new bulbs and fixtures to its smart-bulb catalog

Philips Hue fans rejoice! The company that made lightbulbs smart and connected devices is giving even more choice in terms of fixtures inluding hanging lights and two standalone table lamps.

The three new lamps: Wellner and Wellness table lamps, and the Being Flushmount, are part of the White Ambience range.The hanging lights need to be professionally installed.

These lights offer 50,000 different levels of white light to choose from. Rather than just being a dimmable lamp, Philips says you can change the temperature of the white light to suit different moods. Canadian availability and pricing to follow.