This weekend was our open house. While prospective buyers were touring our house, wondering if it would be their next home, Domingo and I have been discussing our next home. His big non-negotiable is a big kitchen. My must have is good lightening. Our current apartment has no lightening in the washing machine/dryer nook. It sucks. And don’t get me started on the terrible orange light our Chandler gives off in the dining room. Yuck.

While discussing our dream home, Domingo and I started talking about home automation. I showed him Hue. Hue is “smart lightening” that allows you to change not only the color, but the brightness of each light from your phone or tablet. Soft blue hues that won’t reflect on the TV screen at night, colorless white light during photo time, warm yellows to wake up to in the morning – what’s not the love? You can set your lightening scheme to match your favorite sports team for the big game or to match your themed party. Check out their promo to see the use cases they came up with.

I figured Hue would be expensive, and something that would require an electrician. Well, I was half right. You need to buy a starter pack which costs $200 and has 2 to 3 light bulbs. Each additional light bulb runs about $60. To outfit your home could easily cost in the thousands, but the difficulty level is that of screwing in a light bulb – literally!

Hue also comes with an SDK. If you can think it, you can program it. I can’t see myself ever using Hue to let me know when my cookies or done, or that I should pack an umbrella, but I would love a motion sensored night light for the hallway. Clumsy me gave myself quite a bruise when I got up to check on Nicole in the middle of the night last week.

Domingo and I decided to take the plunge, and use our tax refund gift card money on the light strip starter packs. I plan to put one over our mantel. I figured if there’s any one spot I’d like a splash of color, that would be it.

I am ridiculously excited for Hue. I think I’m more eagerly awaiting it’s arrival than I did my last computer. Hopefully the price will come down before I get too addicted to customizable lightening.

Posted in Internet & Technology | Tags: Home Automation