Update: The article has been amended to clarify the setup process.
Home automation company Zuli announced that its Presence technology and Smartplugs now support Philips Hue bulbs. Via the Zuli iOS app, users can control Hue lighting from inside the home, dim the lights, and schedule on/off times intelligently.
Users will be able to “group Philips Hue lights in a room to easily control the ambiance of an entire space, view the energy consumption, and set a seven-day schedule for all Philips Hue lights,” Zuli says in a related statement, “Users will also be able to set Philips Hue lights to turn on as soon as they walk into the room. When Zuli Presence senses that no one is in the room (via the Smartplugs), it automatically can shut off all unused lights to save energy.”
At Zuli’s headquarters in San Francisco, CEO Taylor Umphreys gave us a quick demo of how it all works. It’s ridiculously simple to set up (Umphreys says it can be done is as little as 30 seconds; in our test, it took a few minutes longer, but you’ll be up and running in about five minutes) and is straightforward to use. Once the Hue lights are integrated with the app (unlike other smartplugs, the beauty of Zuli’s is that they don’t require a central hub, but with Hue lights, the plugs and the app need to communicate with a Hue Bridge), it’s as simple as walking into an unlit room, and once the Smartplugs detect Umphreys iPhone, the overhead lights turned on. When we moved to a couch, a lamp plugged into a Smartplug lit up. The idea is that the smart home should learn to react to you (hence the name, Presence), and you shouldn’t need to tell it to work. Umphreys says that this, as well as its focus on simplicity, is what makes Zuli different from other platforms.
Zuli’s Presence technology uses a setup of three or more Zuli Smartplugs to form a Bluetooth low energy mesh network in a room, instead of motion sensors. Communicating with the Zuli app installed on an iPhone (Android coming soon), it detects the presence of people in order to automatically turn on or off connected devices. With the Hue bulbs, it can even adjust the intensity of the light to create the right ambiance for when you walk in. However, because the plugs use a direct connection with smartphones, instead of communicating with a hub, you can’t control them remotely; Zuli supports the “Works with Nest” platform, so that could change in the future.
Zuli also collects data on energy consumption at all times of the day, so you can better manage usage of your lights, heating and air (Zuli supports the Nest thermostat), and devices and appliances plugged into the Smartplugs, especially during times when nobody is home. (Read more about Zuli here.)
Using Hue with Zuli doesn’t require a Smartplug, but as mentioned, it does need to communicate with the Hue Bridge, which costs around $60. If you want to want to use Hue with Zuli Presence, however, you will need the plugs, which costs $160 for a pack of three; Additional plugs cost $60 each. Umphreys says more devices will be integrated in the near future.
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.
Technology evolves every day, transforming how we live and work. Our devices are becoming more than tools we use. They are increasingly capable companions that help streamline day-to-day routines and spark creative ideas. If you have been waiting for the right moment to upgrade your tech setup, the Discover Samsung Shopping Event offers an opportunity to explore what connected, AI-powered living can look like.
With AI progressing so fast, it's only a matter of time before we start getting AI companions like the ones we used to see in movies like R2-D2, Wall-E, or Baymax. Now, Singapore-based OKA Technology has unveiled Mori, a cute little AI companion that looks less like a conventional home robot and more like someone turned the Pokémon Foongus into a table lamp.
Mori isn't meant to clean your house or control your smart home, but to serve as what OKA calls a "Nature Companion." It uses subtle movements, warm lighting, nature-inspired sounds, and small reactions to make its presence around the house feel calming rather than distracting. Mori can sit quietly while you read, sway along to music, welcome you when you enter a room, or encourage you to slow down for a moment without requiring a screen or a conversation.