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SMART HOME SMARTEN UP YOUR LIGHTING LIFE continued BE A PANEL FAN! Smart lighting specialists Govee have created their Govee Glide Hexa

TECH FEATURE

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GETTING FESTIV E

Make your festive time bigger and brighter than ever this year, with several smart lighting options available to get right into the spirit of the season. Here are just two great examples – and check out the section down the page on Philips Hue for another top option.

Light Panels to make any wall a more exciting proposition. Choose your layout, connect it up, and enjoy smart control of your setup, complete with individual control over each and evert RGBIC LED. You can add to your masterpiece via extra two-panel packs.

Twinkly Strings LED RGBW lights Featuring 250, 400, or 600 combination RGB colour and warm white bulbs, your imagination is the limit here. Dive into the Twinkly app and create your own amazing light shows, with every single LED individually programmable – or import a picture and have the app work out something incredible to match. Twinkly Festoon RGB Lights Those clever folk at Twinkly strike again, with this more traditional looking set of 20 festoon lights. While it may look old school, it delivers all the Twinkly bells and whistles, with full programmability via their easy-to-use app – or you can select a fun preset. Plus, with an IP44 rating, it’s perfect for setting up outdoors.

IT CAN ALL START WITH A SINGLE BULB…

A great way to dip your toe into the pool of smart lighting options available is with a single bulb. We started our journey with a single Wi-Fi compatible bulb in our lounge room lamp. We then connected its app to our Google Home app and after a quick set-up could control everything by voice – “Hey Google, turn on the lamp”, “Hey Google, change the lamp to red.” Not that we did that last one much.

HUE, LIGHT UP MY LIFE! When it comes to a one-stop spot for smart lighting, Philips Hue certainly has a lot to offer, from a comprehensive range of replacement bulbs to lighting solutions for absolutely every room in the house – even products tailored for the bathroom. There’s also a range of Hue products designed to withstand the elements outdoors – why limit the fun to indoors?!

The heart of really getting the most out of your Hue products is the Hue Wireless Bridge. Available on its own, or in a handy starter kit that also features three bulbs, it’s an inconspicuous white box that you connect to both a power outlet and your internet

router. The Bridge opens up a wider range of functionalities for your Hue products, such as automations and customisations, depending upon the product. Once connected you can add up to 50 Philips Hue products to your setup and have the Bridge act as their central

brain via a handy, easy to navigate app. It’s all fully compatible with Google Assistant, Alexa, and Apple HomeKit, too. Here are just two of many examples of what Hue can do for you…

Philips Hue Bulbs Available in plain white or glorious colour options, and in E27 (screw) and B22 (bayonet cap) fittings, Philips Hue bulbs are rated for up to 25,000 hours, feature Bluetooth connectivity for easy app control, and emit light to an equivalent of a 75W old school globe – without consuming nearly as much power. Look out for the handy starter kits to get up and running.

Philips Hue Festavia Smart String Lights Make your tree burst to colourful life, string colour across your room or garden, or just make anywhere festive. These weatherproof, fully smart lights offer an array of programming abilities, with each of the 250 lights (500 on the 40-metre string) being individually controllable, all via the handy Hue app. Plus, rather than being just seasonal, remember you can add beautiful lighting to your home all year round.

32 NOVEMBER 2023

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