Smart bulb connoisseur LIFX announced today two new additions to its impressive lineup of lighting solutions, with one of the new bulbs touting a feature users won’t have the capacity to recognize with their bare eyes. Dubbed the LIFX+, this innovative new bulb functions just like any other light bulb on the planet in that it’s capable of providing a dark room with light — but its ability to emit infrared light puts it in a class of its own. While infrared is not visible to the human eye, it does help security cameras accurately “see” at night, providing an otherwise lit field of view in absolute darkness.
It’s worth pointing out that the list of security cameras which utilize infrared to capture footage at night isn’t necessarily comprehensive but there still remains an overwhelming number of devices which do. Because of this, LIFX’s latest release should likely be a particularly popular product among security camera users following its release. As any security camera owner could attest, these devices do emit some infrared light on their own but having a bulb capable of completely filling a room with such light is priceless.
What makes the LIFX bulbs even more appealing deals with its integration into an array of smart home systems. Be it offerings from Nest or Canary, LIFX’s compatibility with smart homes puts it on a par with some of its competition (hello, Philips) while the infrared technology allows it to stand alone. As of now, LIFX currently offers pre-orders of the bulb at a price of just $80, though the brand does allow potential buyers the opportunity to pre-order multiples at a discount — two bulbs for $140, four for $260, etc.
In addition to the new infrared-emitting bulb, LIFX also announced the impending release of the LIFX Z. A glorified light strip, the LIFX Z measures just over 6.5 feet long and gives owners the option to program each of its eight different zones to shine different colors. Retailing for $90 — when it releases in November, though pre-orders are available now — the LIFX Z figures to be popularly used as bias lighting, to illuminate cupboards, or to provide a classy backlight for televisions.
Few things ruin a quiet evening faster than a robot vacuum roaring through the living room. Most of us end up pausing the cleaning run, which defeats the whole purpose of owning one. Matic thinks it has the answer with its new Serene robot vacuum, and the big selling point is how little noise it makes.
The Matic Serene runs at 52 decibels even when cleaning at full power. To put that in perspective, Matic compares it to the hum of your refrigerator. It is available now for $1,695, which is $200 more than the original Matic’s current price.
Outdoor security cameras are not always practical if you live in an apartment or rental. Drilling into an exterior wall may be off-limits, while pointing a regular indoor camera through a window can create another problem once reflections start showing up after dark.
Baseus is trying to solve both issues with the new PrimeSentinel W1, a $69.99 security camera designed specifically to monitor the outdoors through glass. It mounts directly to a window without drilling and uses a 4K Starlight sensor with an F1.0 aperture for full-color monitoring during the day and at night.
This post is brought to you in paid partnership with Best Buy.
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