Almost a month ago, iOS 17 was launched and Apple finally allows interactive widgets on the home screen. In a nutshell, this means that actions can now be performed in widgets without having to open the corresponding app. This is exactly why Philips Hue removed widgets from the iPhone and iPad a few years ago and has not yet presented a new solution.
In a little more than three weeks it will be time for Halloween. And what is still a relatively small affair here in Germany is celebrated in the USA, for example. Of course, you can provide the right lighting with Philips Hue. The Halloween scenes launched last year are now available again in the Philips Hue app.
I greet you one last time from Greece, which is quite windy today, before I return home tomorrow. One child is asleep, the other is at the mini-club – enough time for a little article for you. Today I would like to take a first look at Hue Log, a new Mac app by developer Stefan Pettersson.
About two years ago, Philips Hue introduced a new API. API stands for Application Programming Interface and is an interface through which apps can send commands to the Hue Bridge to perform certain actions. In development, however, there are still major restrictions, as Stefan Göhler, the developer of iConnectHue, told me in conversation.
I actually didn't think it would be such a big deal: Philips Hue wants to make registration with an account for the in-house system mandatory. I have always used Philips Hue with an account, but many of you actually don't want to. In a small survey, more than 60 percent of the participating readers said they would prefer to use the Hue system without an account.
Late last year, Philips Hue introduced the Natural Light feature. A 24-hour scene that adjusts colour temperature throughout the day, always providing the optimal white light for your well-being: Cool, activating white tones in the morning and relaxing warm white in the evening. In the last few months, the smart scene has already received several updates, including the ability to switch between time periods faster or slower if desired.
After the Philips Hue Secure contact sensors were already launched in mid-September, you can now also order the smart surveillance cameras from Philips Hue. For the launch, there are three different variants of the Hue Secure camera – each in white and black. I would like to give you a brief overview of the different models and the optionally available accessories.
I'm ready for the weekend and ready for my holiday. Starting Monday, I'm disappearing to Greece for a few days. But I will still keep at least half an eye on Philips Hue in the meantime, among other things the launch of the Hue Secure cameras is coming up. And I have already prepared a few articles for you for the coming week.
Back in February 2023, I published an article with the headline “Philips Hue soon only usable with an account? Today another news follows, where I unfortunately have to leave out the question mark in the headline. As Philips Hue has now confirmed, the use of the system will soon only be possible with an account.
Voice control and apps are a great thing, but sometimes you want to control your lamps and the many other smart homes directly on the wall. Classic switches offer few options, more options are available with the new Echo Hub. Echo Hub is an Alexa-enabled smart home control panel with an 8-inch touchscreen and a customisable smart home dashboard.
Fabian