Smart technology is on the rise, and while many people continue to resist the changes that come with it – on both the micro and macro levels – many more are eager to ride the wave that is a new age of techno-wizardry.
Smart technology is wide and varied, and its influence is ever-present, felt in even the tiniest of our everyday interactions. It provides a sense of cognitive awareness to objects that were previously dull and lifeless, singular in function, and solitary in purpose. Clocks told the time; fridges stored food.
Now, thanks to the leaps and bounds that computer science has taken, even these simple machines are capable of so much more. The improvements to our quality of life in the past decade or so have been astronomical, and it is abundantly clear that technology will only get smarter in the future.
Plenty of people have already climbed on board the technological rocket towards the future, implementing various bits of smart technology into their daily routines and environments. The average household presents a boundless wealth of opportunities for smart technology to be integrated, from artificially intelligent fridges, and all the way to the subject of today’s article: smart bulbs.
What Are Smart Bulbs?
Smart bulbs represent the shift happening in the average household from simple products (binary) to more advanced forms of technology, even on the small scale. In terms of primary functionality, smart bulbs are virtually identical to the standard light bulbs that every home up until this point has utilized: they provide light when it gets dark.
However, smart lights also feature a wide variety of supplementary functions that serve to improve your quality of life by a large margin. They are fully-programmable, meaning that they can be ordered to dim or brighten under certain conditions. They work well in tandem with other forms of smart technology around the household, and many smart bulb products are designed to be utilized with other smart appliances in mind.
Common smart bulb features include several brightness options, voice controls, and autonomous functionality under certain conditions. Of course, there are many more benefits to equipping your household with smart bulbs, and we will address those in due course.
If your curiosity is piqued and you are interested in hitting the switch on your old light bulbs, there are a few adjustments that you will first need to make, along with several other considerations.
How Do Smart Bulbs Work?
Rather than relying on traditional mechanisms such as switches to operate, smart bulbs are controlled through any mobile device such as smartphones and tablets, or home automation hubs (or a combination of these). They rely on wireless communication such as Bluetooth or WiFi to function, and some smart bulbs require a special gateway in order to be used (such as the Philips Hue Bridge which is necessary to access any and all Philips smart products).
However, most smart bulbs are designed to be perfectly compatible with whichever home automation product you may already have, such as the Apple Home Kit, and can be controlled via Bluetooth or WiFi, depending on which option is more convenient for your needs. This allows them to work well with any smart home devices you may already have installed and integrated.
As smart technology as a whole is becoming more commonplace and finding more use in households across the world, many people have defaulted to using home automation hubs such as the aforementioned Apple Home Kit, or Amazon Alexa and Google Home, all of which provide the means of accessing every smart appliance in your home from one small device or screen. Google Home in particular is very versatile and works well with Google Assistant, which can be accessed from pretty much any smartphone that is not an iPhone.
When properly integrated into a smart home system, smart bulbs can work in tandem with other products to great effect. For example, the lights may switch on when someone rings your doorbell at night.
Additionally, when connected to your wireless network, every appliance in your home can be accessed while you are away, meaning that you can switch off the lights no matter where you are, even if you forget to do so on your way out.
Things to Keep in Mind When Buying a Smart Bulb
The efficacy and the broadness of functionality of your smart bulb will vary depending on which form of wireless communication you plan on utilizing. If you use Bluetooth, you will not be able to access any of your smart appliances – including your smart bulbs – once you leave the house. The level of integration of these appliances will also be significantly lower.
As such, WiFi is a definite improvement over Bluetooth, allowing for communication with your smart appliances even while you are away. There is a caveat here, however. The overall quality of communication, meaning the speed and accuracy, between devices will be affected by your bandwidth. Multiple WiFi-connected devices will take up more bandwidth, which results in their response time being much slower than expected.
Additionally, in the event of a blackout or power surge, your WiFi connection will inevitably be cut off, preventing you from accessing any of your smart appliances until the power is restored. Because of this, we recommend that you do not toss out your old lightbulbs. If you have a generator, you will most likely be able to restore power to your household, but your WiFi connection will still be lost.
Do Smart Bulbs Require a Special Fixture in Order to Function?
Despite their many functions and features, smart light bulbs are very similar in construction and appearance to standard light bulbs, and as such, can be installed in any existing light bulb fixture, such as table lamps. This means that each and every one of the regular bulbs in your house can be replaced with a smart bulb, providing a new layer of autonomy and functionality to your entire household, not just select rooms with special fixtures. You will still be able to use your existing light switches for your smart bulb as well.
Of course, in order to access all of the features smart light bulbs have to offer, such as changing color temperature or voice commands, you will have to set them up according to your preferred form of wireless communication. Some WiFi-compatible smart bulbs can be connected directly to your router, while others may require a bridge or hub, such as the Philips Hue which is a great entry smart bulb. Depending on which brand of smart bulb you purchase, you may be required to download a corresponding mobile application to access all of your smart home’s features.
Bluetooth-compatible smart bulbs typically do not require a hub whatsoever, but their features are considerably more limited, along with their overall ease of use and accessibility.
How Long Do Smart Bulbs Last?
All smart bulbs make use of LEDs as opposed to incandescence, meaning they typically last much longer than your average light bulb. LEDs are also much more energy-efficient, meaning that you will also save on electricity – and in turn, money – in the long run.
Are Smart Bulbs Worth the Money?
Being a form of smart technology, you would be forgiven for believing that smart bulbs are expensive and excessive, and only marginally more convenient. However, they are cheaper than you think.
Some smart bulbs sell for as little as $18 per fixture, and they can be bought in bulk for only $200. Because of their longevity and energy efficiency, this makes them a worthwhile investment if you have the money to spare, and their wide range of functions and features speak for themselves.
Some brands provide beginner smart lighting kits which include a number of bulbs, switches, and a smart home hub to connect them all, which are typically sold at a reduced price. Before you buy too many of them, first consider how many you truly need, along with the functions that you would like them to perform.
Where Can Smart Bulbs Be Used?
As mentioned, smart bulbs come in a variety of shapes and sizes, all of which have been developed to fit one of your average light fixtures or another. This means that you can use them anywhere a light fixture is, whether it is inside or outside, providing incredible versatility for any household, particularly when used in tandem with other smart home devices.
Smart Bulb Features to Get You Excited
- Smart bulbs can be dimmed or brightened without the need to install a dimmer switch, thanks to their wireless capabilities.
- Smart bulbs can be accessed and controlled from anywhere, provided that they have been connected to your home’s WiFi.
- Special color-changing bulbs can be programmed to change their hues at specified times or under certain conditions.
- Smart bulbs are energy-efficient, meaning you save money in the long run.
- Lastly, some smart bulbs are able to play music through small built-in speakers, though they are more expensive than regular smart bulbs, and still require a smart speaker to be installed.
Conclusion
While smart lights do not represent a cultural and technological revolution in and of themselves, smart technology is only going to become more prominent as time goes on.
Smart bulbs can be a great way to start getting your household connected and up to speed with the latest in technology thanks to their relatively low cost and wide variety of functions. They can be installed easily, and require very little in the way of micromanagement.
They may not be absolutely necessary, but if you have some money to spare and nothing to buy, smart bulbs are an excellent investment for the future that will kickstart your smart technology journey.
