A great thing about the Lightify Flex RGBW lighting is that it works with some Personal Assistants, including Amazon’s Alexa. I’m a believer that voice control is the key to having 10s of millions – no, hundreds of millions of people, invest in making their home smart or smarter. My wife and I are routinely changing light settings, adjusting the smart thermostat, turning on devices plugged into smart outlets we can voice control, and other things, every day. Apps will almost always allow you more control than you can do with a personal assistant, but the large majority of things in our house are controlled either on schedules, or by voice, rather than reaching for our smartphones.
I’ve used Amazon’s Alexa with my multiple Echos and Echo Dots scattered around our smart home, to control the Lightify Flex lights in groups or individually.
It was just December (2016) that Lightify announced its first smart bulb that is Apple HomeKit Siri capable, but that is a stand alone color bulb that doesn’t use a hub.
As of this time – March 2017 – using the Lightify Flex RGBWs with the Lightify Gateway, won’t get you Siri capabilities.
But, Belkin’s WeMo has a “3rd party solution” called SiriKit, if you want to make the plunge. Ultimately though, Apple is very iffy about allowing non-HomeKit certified products to be work in their eco-system, so at some point SiriKit could end up blocked. When I see the Belkin WeMo marketing folks at shows, I ask them about HomeKit Siri, but if they know something, they aren’t at liberty to share with the press.
I am encouraged that the Osram Sylvania folks have brought out their first Siri compatible light.
Considering that Lightify uses a hub (theirs is their Gateway) for the Flex RGBWs and their Gardenspot RGBs, I choose to believe that ultimately there will be a new Gateway with the extra security, etc. that meets, and supports HomeKit and allows Siri to work. I don’t think any Apple fanboy (a derogatory term, I’m told, but then I am one), will have much of a issue replacing an older Gateway, if that’s all it takes is an investment of thirty dollars, give or take, ($29 seems to be the street price for the current Gateway). I certainly will upgrade to that theoretical Gateway, if it hits the market. No guarantees, of course, but that Sylvania is bringing out other Apple HomeKit Siri compatible products is a good sign.
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Art's been reviewing high tech products and editing their reviews for 15 years. He launched his first website presenting solutions.com (sold in 2003) in early 1995 when there were only a few thousand .coms. He launched ProjectorReviews.com in 2000, and started planning Smarterhomeautomation.com back in 2011.
Art's goal is to provide in-depth reviews on the latest and hottest products that fit into the Smart Home, aka Home Automation, as well as insightful articles to educate people into what's available, what makes the most sense, and where the market is going, so people can better plan, and implement their goals for energy efficient, convenient, and downright "cool" capabilities.
Ancient history: Born in Allentown PA, Graduated 1972. Sold and managed stereo stores (and did a little surfing) in the early, mid-70's before getting into computers and more AV. Managed the first computers store in Pa, starting in 1979 (not the first manager). Moved to selling computers to major accounts. Then moved west to SF area, for a four year stint with Epson starting in 1982, then left for one of the early large venture backed start-ups in the Silicon Valley - Presentation Technologies. Left there to start up Presenting Solutions, which became the first projector focused reseller on the internet (Jan 1995). Married Lori in 1990, and have been enjoying our daughter Lisa, since 1992! Presently living, and working in San Clemente, CA.
