TP-Link's New Smart Bulbs Don't Need Hub; Alexa Compatible

[Julio Urquidi]

TP-Link announced the availability of its new line of smart Wi-Fi bulbs which can be purchased from the company’s website, Amazon and Home Depot.

The new LED lightbulbs include the LB100, the LB110 and the LB120. These new models don’t require a hub or bridge and can be controlled directly using TP-Link’s Kasa app (iOS, Android), and include scheduling features, including setting a timer or countdown.

Also, the new smart bulbs are compatible with Amazon Alexa, adding voice capability to the mix.

Two of the bulbs, the 50W 600lm LB100 and the 60W 800lm LB110 share a dimmable light feature, while the third model, the 800lm 60W LB120, uses a tunable white light feature that operates in ranges from soft white (2700k) to daylight (6500k).

Available now, USD prices for the new LB100, LB110 and LB120 smart Wi-Fi LED bulbs are $19.99, $24.99 and $34.99, respectively.

 

[pete y testing]

interesting concept , i assume you have to leave the light switches turned on all the time for these to work , i do prefer where the switch is the controller but i can see cases where these will be an advantage

pity they dont do color as well

pete

 

[thiggins]

Yes, the light switch must always be on. Drives me nuts. Main reason I don't use any of these "smart" bulbs.

 

[sfx2000]

Yes, the light switch must always be on. Drives me nuts. Main reason I don't use any of these "smart" bulbs.

Was listening to a tech podcast - and one of the interesting things about smart bulbs in general (many, as @thiggins mentions above, need the old-school main switch to be left on) - when the power goes out at night, and restored, many of the generic smart bulbs will go full bright - which can be a be discomforting....

 

[pete y testing]

which is why i like the wemo way of doing things better , just simply change the light switch and use your existing lights , yes it means you need an electrician if not qualified but you can have say 8 switches changed out in an hour , so might cost $150 to have it done for you plus the switchs themselves work as normal as well as via wifi , issue is wemo is still a little expensive

 

[hmurchison]

These bulbs just don't stand out in any particular way. If I wasn't jazzed on my Hue bulbs the next brand would be Nanoleaf.

 

[sfx2000]

Hehe... SmartBulb's are the 2016 version of this...

 

[System Error Message]

the clapper is an early way to have remote power management of actually turning off devices. Even ubiquiti has something like it. What would be nice would be to have remote power management that is actually power efficient rather than adding wifi to every single device. Think of the power that can be saved if every device didnt need wifi and didnt need power all the time.