Thousands are people swarm to Las Vegas every January for the Consumer Electronics Show (CES). It's the place where you can check out the newest hottest trends and get a glimpse into the future of technology. While brands like Samsung and Sony are showing off their latest HDTVs and speakers, you'll also find a growing selection of LED bulbs. Over the course of 2014 light bulbs made the transition from being an appliance to a gadget. With the introduction of connected LED bulbs, they are taking on the role of doing more than just providing light. You can use apps to change the color of your bulbs, dim them or even turn them off. As new functionality is being thought of, companies are using CES as a platform to introduce these ideas and gauge interest.
Here's a rundown of some of the lighting related product news:
Qualcomm working to create reference design for wifi lighting - Qualcomm is partnering with LIFX, a startup focused on lighting, to create a model for how others can create connected light bulbs. As more and more gadgets make their way into our home, the goal is find a way to connect all aspects so it's fitting that lighting would also be included. The goal is to help other brands create bulbs that are able to connect directly to someone's wifi network instead of having to connect to a hub.
Misfit launches $50 jack of all trades smart light bulb - Later this year you'll be able to buy the Misfit Bolt which is positioning itself to be the Swiss army knives of connect LED bulbs. You can use an app to change the color of the bulb or turn it on or off similar to other bulbs. In addition, you can also use the Bolt to be set to turn on when you wake up.
Incipio unveils Smart Light Bulb Adapter - While the possibilities are endless, there are some people that don't want to go out and buy new light bulbs but still want to be able to control them wirelessly. Using Incipio's app you're able to set several lights to turn on and off with a few taps. With a price tag of $25, there may not be a big market for this product especially as other connect bulbs come down in price.
Sengled bring speakers and cameras to smart LED bulbs - Some brands are using software to add functionality to connected LED bulbs while Sengled decided to use hardware. Their line of Pulse, Pulse Solo, Boost, and Snap smart light bulbs enable you to use your light bulb as a speaker, wifi extender, or camera.
Do any of these sound like cool ideas? Let us know in the comments. Also, be sure to subscribe to our RSS feed so you don’t miss our new posts or you can follow us on Facebook or Twitter.
