This article was published on July 16, 2015

Ilumi steps up its lighting game with new bulbs and Kickstarter campaign


Ilumi steps up its lighting game with new bulbs and Kickstarter campaign

Ilumi isn’t new to the LED lighting scene, but they’re back on Kickstarter. This time, the team has a redesigned set of bulbs that work with a new app, and affordability may be the main pull.

For $29, you can grab a standard 60W Ilumi bulb via Kickstarter; the 85W floodlight will cost $35. Previously, Ilumi bulbs cost $89.98 and $99.98, respectively.

The pricing will put Ilumi in the conversation with Philips Hue, but the redesigned app may position it ahead of the pack. In addition to being able to customize which shade of light the bulb emits via a color wheel, you can also choose preset themes.

A “Whites” theme allows for a quick, automated change to a favored tone of white, while the “Wellness” setting replicates the sun’s daily cycle.

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“Suggestive” may be Ilumi’s most interesting setting; snap a picture of the room you’re setting up Ilumi bulbs in, and the app will suggest lighting options it feels will best suit the room. The app takes existing natural light and the color scheme of your room into account.

Ilumi is also neat because you don’t need a hub; each bulb has a bluetooth chip, and creates a mesh network that links to your phone. That helps with turning lights on or off as you walk near them, even from outside. Each bulb has a life expectancy of 20 years, too.

Ilumi [Kickstarter]

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