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David Nield
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Article History:
- lightingJuly 4, 2019
How to set up your Philips Hue lights without a Bridge
Philips Hue has one of the most comprehensive and versatile ranges of smart lights out there, and usually you'd want the Philips Hue Bridge plugged into your router to control all of your installed bulbs. But what if you don't have or don't want to have a Hue Bridge? The good news is that you…
- smart homeJuly 1, 2019
The best smart home systems: Top ecosystems explained
Setting up your smart home is easier than ever, but choosing the right smart home system to unify your devices and get them talking together is a huge factor. If you're ready to get started with smart home tech, it's now easier than ever than ever to jump in – but before you start making…
- security camerasJune 14, 2019
Ring Spotlight Cam review
Setting up your own little home surveillance network is easier than it's ever been, with smart home security cameras from the likes of Arlo and Nest and many others packing in plenty of features for not much money at all. Stick your camera on a wall or a shelf, get the app up and running,…
- googleMay 30, 2019
How to set up Routines with Google Assistant and Google Home
Google Assistant is a smart digital helper, and getting smarter all the time, but it's when you start creating Routines that the magic really happens—they let you bunch together all kinds of smart home actions under one simple command. One obvious example is saying "goodnight" to your smart speaker and having all your lights go…
- lightingMay 14, 2019
How to make your Philips Hue lights flow in time to your music
Once you've got the basics of smart lighting sorted — putting your lights on a timer, turning them on and off with your phone, and so on — you'll want to get on to the cool stuff. And, on that note, we're here to show you how to get your Philips Hue lights blinking and…
- lightingMay 10, 2019
Philips Hue tips and tricks: 18 secrets for mastering your smart lights
Got yourself a fancy Philips Hue smart lighting system? Then you probably want to know how to get the most out of it, and that's where our definitive collection of tips and tricks comes in. From having your lights flash to report the weather, to controlling a Philips Hue system with your voice, educate yourself…
- lightingApril 26, 2019
How to reset your Philips Hue bulbs and Bridge
While the Philips Hue smart lights are some of the most reliable and most intuitive we've had the pleasure of using, there might well be occasions when you need to reset them. Maybe something in the smart home chain is playing up, maybe you want to sell your Hue kit on to someone else, or…
- lightingApril 21, 2019
How to connect Philips Hue to Google Home
No one really does smart lights quite like Philips Hue, and one of the reasons the Hue range is so popular is that it works with a host of other stuff – like the Google Home devices and platform. If you want to be able to control your Philips Hue lights through the Google Home…
- lightingApril 6, 2019
Hue Sync explained: How to sync Philips Hue to your movies and games
Some of the coolest tricks possible with your Philips Hue lights come courtesy of the official Hue Sync app from Philips itself: this Windows/macOS tool lets you sync your Philips Hue bulbs to your music, movies and games. It works by analysing what's on screen and adjusting your multicolour Hue bulbs accordingly — a great…
- lightingMarch 24, 2019
How to set up your Ikea Trådfri lights with a motion sensor
The Ikea Trådfri range of smart lights can be configured to work with motion sensors, so you can have someone's presence in the room trigger them instead of (or as well as) using light switches or the Trådfri app. Ikea actually sells a Trådfri sensor itself — you can use it to connect a Trådfri…