Meet Hue: Personal Wireless Lighting

Would you like to use your smartphone as a remote control for your lighting?  You can with hue, the smart light bulb system from Phillips.

hue by Phillips  Starter pack $199. available at Apple stores

This system is so simple to install.  Just plug the "bridge" into your router.  Then screw in a light bulb.  Download the hue app and you are all set.  It took no angst and less than  3 minutes to install and be ready to use hue.  Name each bulb (master bedroom, living room 1, living room 2 etc) and then you can control each bulb separately or individually.  You can select degree of brightness, color of light and set timers.  

So what can hue do?

How about a gradual wake up to a slowly brightening light rather than a jarring alarm clock?

Hue can do that.

Want your lights to be on when you get home from work?

No problem.

For security when you are away, have light go on in different room at various times.  You can do that with your iphone while relaxing on the beach.

Choose a setting for a task and select the degree of brightness.  

Would you like to recreate a light or hue from a photo?

Just move the numbered bulb over the color you would like to recreate and 

voilà, there it is.

A more concrete example...

a green color light.

The bridge included in the starter kit can control up to 50 hue bulbs.  Each bulb uses 80% less energy than a traditional bulb.  

I really was drawn to the hue system for the security factor of being able to vary light in different rooms in the house while I am away.  I am enjoying controlling task lighting.  It is easy to create romantic, flattering.  I've only had the system for about 24 hours but it is fun and easy and there is no end to the lighting moods to create.