Vela (pronounced veh-la) is a Bluetooth-enabled LED lamp from the small but spunky crew at Michigan-based twisthink. Is it just a light? Yeah, but it’s about as versatile a lantern as one could hope for. When fully charged it promises 16 hours of luminescence at full intensity, and many more hours if it’s dimmed. You can change the colors it emits at any time or set it to change on a timer; you can make the light dance like a candle; heck, you can even blow your phone to turn it off. So basically it’s four times as entertaining as Ryan Reynolds in Green Lantern.
Category: Lighting
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PLUGAWAY: Smart Prongs For Your Lights
Yet another option now exists for people who are looking to simplify, or let’s face it, more appropriately, cool-ify their home lighting. Plugaway’s Wi-Fi connected plugs and LED lightbulbs let you use your Android or iOS device to remotely dim your lights, turn them on or off, and do the same for your appliances too. Plugaway also can keep tabs on your electricity consumption, put your appliances on a schedule, and send you notifications. The Plugaway system consists of smart plugs ($30) and smart LEDs (about $90), no expensive bridges necessary.