Today Philips announced Hue — “the world’s smartest web-enabled LED home lighting system.” The new LED lighting system is available exclusively from Apple, both online and in stores, starting on October 30, 2012, and requires an iOS or Android app and a home Wi-Fi router. It can handle up to 50 light bulbs, each of which output 600 lumens and use about 8.5 watts of energy.
I’ve seen innovation in the smart LED space from the likes of Google and Insteon, but San Francisco-based LIFX Labs aims to reinvent the light bulb with a new, successfully-funded Kickstarter project called LIFX. The LED bulb is WiFi-enabled, energy-efficient, multi-colored, and controllable from an iPhone or Android. It will be available as Edison-type, bayonet cap, or downlight with everything necessary to work at home or in a business with a pledge from $69 on Kickstarter.
Although the new, four-inch CR4-575L is available at Home Depot, the updated, six-inch CR6 is not at this time. So, as Doug pointed out in our comments, it may be worthwhile to post a comparison of the existing CR6-575L with the updated CR6-800L. Before doing that, note the new CR4-575L has similar specs to the existing CR6-575L with the main difference being one is made for a 4″ housing and the other is for a 6″ housing. Here’s a head-to-head of the popular six-inch CR6 downlights.
I was walking the aisles of Home Depot when I happened upon a screaming deal for the L Prize winning LED light bulb by Philips. This is the bulb, you may recall, that caused a national fuss over the reported price tag of $60. Turns out you can get the same bulb just five months later for the more reasonable price tag of $40 at Home Depot right now.
In July 2012, Cree announced brighter LED downlights in the CR Series. The CR4-575L fits a 4″ housing and delivers 575 lumens, 90 CRI, 2700 Kelvin, dimming up to 5%, and 50,000 hours while only using 9.5 watts of energy. The CR6-800L fits a 6″ housing and delivers 800 lumens, 90 CRI, 2700 Kelvin, dimming up to 5%, and 50,000 hours while only using 12 watts of energy. Both are Energy Star qualified and they’re available in either the Edison or GU24-type bases. The CR4 sells for about $53, and the CR6 sells for about $55 (both at EarthLED).
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