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The latest runaway Kickstarter success is the LIFX, "a WiFi enabled, multi-color, energy efficient LED light bulb that you control with your [smartphone]. Developed by San-Francisco-based inventor Phil Bosua and his support team, the LIFX is an iPod-like invention in that it combines several existing technologies into a novel and useful device that seems easy to use; apparently it's plug-and-play (though the demo video admittedly doesn't show how the initial set-up interface is handled).
I'm not sure how often I'd use the color-change feature, though bar owners are sure to love it. The nightlight/timer feature shown in the video looks pretty cool though, and I wonder if you can use it in reverse, slowly ramping your lights up in the mornings to wake you up.
If you think the LIFX looks amazing, you're not alone: The project easily smashed its $100,000 goal and is now up to $994,729 with 56 days left to pledge. At $69 a pop the bulbs aren't cheap, but they're meant to last for 25 years, and discounts are conferred for buying in bulk.
Comments
Finally... this ridiculous project makes it way to Core77.
First... This is not a new concept. This guy is being credited with reinventing the light bulb.. Yet this concept and product has been around for over a year.
NXP - greenchip. Their video is oddly familiar to the video by lifx.
second...They dont have a real working prototype.. They show about 2 seconds of footage showing a lightbulb wired up and a laptop... All the images are just illustrations.
Do they even realize that the large heat sinks are going to effect the wifi?
I think this entire project has lawsuit and scam written all over it.
Well, after the comment above, mine seems trivial, but I wanted to mention, that yes, the do say you can have the bulb slowly turn on in the morning to wake you.
I presented this same idea back in 2011 and again at the IDSA conference in Detroit.
http://cargocollective.com/larryparkerdesign/Soluna
So it's something like this http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0085OS2RQ but with wifi and an app for remote control.
A Reuters blog entry to go with Mitch's comment:
http://blogs.reuters.com/felix-salmon/2012/09/18/kickstarter-vaporware-of-the-day-lifx-edition/
Or just a bulb version of the existing Philips LivingColors? - http://www.philips.co.uk/c/choose-your-luminaire/livingcolors-clear-6914360pu/prd/
I was do excited by this project but after reading the comments above... I think I might pass now. I'm surprised website and companies have supported this project by advertising it while knowing the history of the bulb? Strange.
Larry,
Thats a really well done presentation.
did you get a lot of feedback from IDSA?