Philips Hue system light your home smartly with Philips Hue light your home smartly with Philips Hue If you can afford the start-up costs, you won't find a more compatible and easier-to-use smart lighting system on the market. . Read More has its own app, but why settle for the default option when there are so many great options out there? These 8 apps give you great options for using your lights to create some really cool effects, from pairing your movie to syncing music.
Whether you're throwing a dance party or enjoying chill music with friends, Ambify will sync your Hue lights to your music, creating a cool light show that works well with your tunes, no matter what you're listening to. Combining a music player, iTunes library access, playlists and AirPlay streaming What is AirPlay and how to use it in Mac OS X Mountain Lion? What is AirPlay and how to use it in Mac OS X Mountain Lion? Imagine you want to play your favorite album on spotify. Naturally, you'll be connecting your computer to a better sound station. But what if you are lying in bed or sitting on the couch? Ideally,… Read More, Ambify serves as an all-in-one DJ setup on your phone.
There's also an Ambify app for OS X, which adds even more power to your audio experience as it can capture all system audio and can be controlled by an Apple remote.
Download :Ambify for iOS ($2.99)
Hue Disco is a great alternative to Ambify if you have an Android phone (although it's also available on iOS). The main difference between Ambify and it is that Hue Disco listens to an external sound source through the microphone, so you can play music from any device and let your phone control the lights.
Like Ambify, it syncs your lights to your music, but it can also be used as a mood lamp. Holi Smart Mood Holi Lamp Review and Giveaway. mood lamp? disco ball? Read More so if you're hearing something that's driving your lights a little crazy, you can dim the sensor a bit. Or if you want to get things crazy, go strobe.
Download :Hue Disk for iOS ($2.99)
Download :Hue Disk for Android ($2.99)
Add a lighting system to change the ambient light in your room to match the movie you're watching Build your own dynamic ambient lighting for a media center Build your own dynamic ambient lighting for a media center If you watch a lot of movies on your PC or media center, I'm sure you've faced the lighting dilemma; Do you completely turn off all the lights? Do you keep them in full blast? Either... Read More By placing the lights in the right places around the room (they're best when they illuminate the walls well), the colors on your screen will reflect back into the room, making you feel even closer to the events on screen.
Having a Huge Ultra HD or 4K TV Should You Buy a 4K/Ultra HD TV? Should You Buy a 4K/Ultra HD TV? About a decade ago, manufacturers began selling what is now widely known as an HDTV. But now HD is old news, so the industry has decided to push another new technology; Ultra HD, aka... Read More
Download :Huey for Android (Free) [No Longer Available]
Have you ever wished you could have your party somewhere warmer? Or somewhere colder? How about in a forest? With OnSwitch, you can create atmospheres based on different locations through your tone lights. The Albuquerque Effect , for example, uses the colors of the New Mexico desert; The Autumn Leaves effect gives you warm oranges, reds, and yellows; You can even get in the Christmas spirit with a crackling log effect.
OnSwitch has been releasing new themes on holidays lately, so you can expect them to keep releasing new themes in the future. Even if they don't have your preferred destination available yet, it could be here soon! OnSwitch also works with LIFX, one of the alternatives to Hue. Philips Hue alternatives that are really worth it. Philips Hue alternatives that are really worth it. The Philips Hue system is leading the charge when it comes to smart lighting, but there are some worthwhile alternatives out there. We have chosen three that offer the same basic feature set and hackability. Read More
Download :OnSwitch for iOS (free)
The Hue app and others let you set your lights on a cycle through themes or images, but Scintillator gives you full control over all aspects of the cycles. It takes a little while to set up, so you don't want to do it during a party, but if you set up a cool down cycle before everyone arrives, you can really show off what your lights can do.
With animations, colors, and the ability to mix Hue and LIFX, Scintillator gives you all the power you could want over your smart lighting system.
Download :Scintillator for iOS ($2.99)
The Hue app and most of the others on this list can be quite fiddly to use. While non-Philips apps tend to have better reviews, it can still take a few taps to set up your lights the way you want. Not so with Magma Hue. With an extremely simple interface, all you have to do is touch a color and adjust a slider for brightness. That's it.
You don't want to mess around with switches and dials on your phone when people are done, or when you just want to relax. Magma Hue takes all the effort out of managing your Hue bulbs.
Download :Magma Hue for iOS (Free) [No Longer Available]
Sure, tapping your phone to adjust your lights is pretty cool, but what if you could talk and have your lights respond? With Hue Remote, you can. It offers a simple and aesthetically pleasing interface, and you can use it for voice control of your lights.
It won't let you do as many complicated things as the other apps on the list, but voice control of your lights definitely feels futuristic.
Download :Hue Remote for iOS ($2.99) [No Longer Available]
Most of the above apps require some compromise, but Lightbow is the most feature-rich smart lamp app you could ask for. Controls Hue, LIFX, and WeMo bulbs; includes presets, animations, and triggers; and allows you to easily make changes to single or groups of bulbs.
Effect transitions, multi-step animation loops, one-touch activation, and the ability to organize everything into collections make Lightbow the complete controller for your smart light bulb system, even if you've mixed up several different light bulb systems. It'll even control your WeMo outlets 3 Ways The Belkin WeMo Can "Smarten" Your Regular Household Lamps 3 Ways The Belkin WeMo Can "Smarten" Your Regular Household Lamps We took the time to look at the possibilities of turning your regular household lamps into Smart Lamps . Read more.
Download :Lightbow for iOS ($4.99)
The Hue system is great for illuminating lights Light up your home with smart lamps:here are your options Light up your home with smart lamps:here are your options What exactly is a smart lamp and what's out there? Read More These 8 apps will give you all the power you need to control your lights the way you want and add some serious vibe to your home, no matter what you've got planned:a party, movie night, or just a quiet night in. /P>
Have you used any of these apps? What's your favorite way to control your Hue lights? Share your thoughts below!
