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Although you can plug a smart bulb into a ceiling-mounted light fixture with a wall switch, you’d have to keep the switch on for the smart features to work. Pro Tip: Smart bulbs are best suited for socket-powered table lamps or power sources that lack manual wall switches. The truth is, smart bulbs are a versatile piece of smart home tech, so having one in your smart home opens up a lot of possibilities. If they connect with other smart home products, you’d be able to create rules that trigger the lights to turn on based on certain instances, like your door opening or a security sensor being triggered. If you can access them with your phone, you’d be able to turn them on and off remotely, change the color of their lights (in the case of color-changing smart bulbs), or schedule their cycles. Some smart light bulbs can also have a hub that bridges its connection to your Wi-Fi router and other smart home products.įrom there, the functionality of smart bulbs branches out. This connection can be either through Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, or some other wireless technology like Zigbee or Z-Wave. The “smart” part, however, comes from their being connected to your smartphone or tablet. You screw them into the light socket, turn on your light switch, and voila! Let there be light. On the outside, smart light bulbs are just like regular light bulbs. In this guide, we’ll explain how smart lights work and how you can best utilize them to make your home smarter and more secure.
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From turning lights on and off automatically for convenience and energy savings to warding off intruders, there are lots of tasks you can automate with a simple smart bulb. Smart lights may be relatively simple compared to other pieces of smart home tech, but they bring loads of benefits. Ask any smart home enthusiast how they got into smart home tech, and there’s a good chance they’ll say “smart lights.” Smart lights, also known as smart bulbs or smart lighting solutions, are cost-effective and simple to set up and use, making them the perfect smart home starter.
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