Cree, WeMo team up to expand connected lighting opportunities
Under the agreement, the first WeMo-compatible Cree bulb will be the Connected Cree LED Bulb, with the potential to expand to other offerings in the future.
"Building a robust, whole home lighting ecosystem for WeMo is one of the ways we stay true to our goal of being the most approachable entry point to the smart home," said Sunny Choi, vice president of corporate development for WeMo. "Combining Cree’s prevalence and leadership in the LED space with WeMo functionality brings a new level of choice and customization for consumers looking to take advantage of smart lighting’s benefits."
The Connected Cree LED Bulb will connect to the WeMo ecosystem through the WeMo Link, a ZigBee-to-Wi-Fi bridge that connects any WeMo-enabled LED bulb to the home wireless network and the WeMo app. The bulb will be controllable from anywhere using a smart device and the WeMo app.
Through the app, the Connected Cree Bulb will also work with other WeMo products, including the WeMo Light Switch, WeMo Insight Switch, WeMo Maker, WeMo Smart LED bulbs, and NetCam HD+. Integrating fully with the WeMo ecosystem will allow Cree customers to easily create a fully integrated smart home customized to their needs and schedule. For example, the NetCam HD+ can act as a motion sensor to automatically turn on the bulbs as soon as motion is triggered by opening the door or just walking into the room.
Using the WeMo app and Cree bulbs, users can create a variety of rules and actions that make home life easier and more comfortable:
- Eliminate worry over lights being left on by setting automatic sunrise/sunset timers
- make things safer by never coming home to a dark house
- trick would-be burglars by creating vacation rules to have lights go on and off at different times while away
- and keep cozy under the covers by turning the lights off from bed.
Other options include individual or group bulb control, brightness control, and a sleep fader that gradually fades the lights to darkness.
"Our Connected Cree LED Bulb is designed to deliver the best lighting experience along with multi-platform connectivity and a simple user experience," said Betty Noonan, Cree chief marketing officer. "Adding WeMo compatibility represents our commitment to making the Connected Cree LED bulb the most compatible bulb on the market to provide even more options for customers without compromise, all at an affordable price."
Fully dimmable and controllable through the WeMo app, the Connected Cree LED Bulb is a 60-watt replacement bulb delivering 815 lumens and a soft white, 2700K color temperature for $14.97. The Connected Cree LED Bulb is also backed by a three-year warranty, consumes 81 percent less energy and has a rated lifetime of 25,000 hours.
Availability
The Connected Cree Bulb is available now online. WeMo compatibility will be introduced in the summer of 2015.
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