Why Is Philips Hue So Expensive? Are They Worth It?

YouTube thumbnail showing me sleeping with my Hue bulbs and accessories

This morning I ordered some Philips Hue bulbs (four White Ambiance E14s, a size sometimes called ‘decorative candles’) and a starter kit including the hub/bridge. To be honest, I was almost annoyed at myself for ordering them because I’ve been wary about smart lights for years. Why? Well, I remember having a conversation with someone … Read more

Newsletter (21st Nov 22): Amazon Broke Music… But At Least Smart Home Deals Have Landed!

Video thumbnail showing me doing air quotes with the text Amazon Upgraded Prime Music

(This newsletter was originally sent to subscribers on 21st November 2022) Amazon just destroyed music… but at least Black Friday is almost here! Today’s newsletter looks at the latest smart home news, our recent videos & blog posts, and more. At the start of the month, Amazon announced that they had “upgraded” Prime Music – … Read more

LPT: Philips Hue Lightstrips Are WIDER Than Normal – New Video

YouTube thumbnail showing me holding a Philips Hue Lightstrip box with the text Philips Hue Lightstrips Are Wider Than Average

This short video explains that Philips Hue’s indoor Lightstrips are wider than normal, meaning that they do NOT fit inside standard diffuser channels: This is frustrating if you have just purchased loads of diffuser channels. Hue’s Lightstrips are around 14mm (⅗”) in width, because they are 6-pin. Many other LED light strips are 8-9mm in … Read more

How To Fix Hue and Alexa “Please Try Again Later” Errors

Alexa and Hue error saying they can't be linked at this time

Philips Hue is one of the most popular smart lighting systems in homes worldwide. People who use Hue lights often use them with Amazon’s AI assistant, Alexa, one of the most popular smart home hubs. Normally, these two work together seamlessly. However, there are times when this isn’t the case. Either during setup or at … Read more

Is Philips Discontinuing Hue? (Should You Still Buy Philips Hue?)

The box for a second gen Philips Hue GU10 white and color ambiance smart light bulb

The rumor mills are always buzzing about one thing or another. Anything from celebrity gossip, to when the world will end. Unfortunately, the smart home sector doesn’t escape the rumor mills. First was the notion that Samsung SmartThings was being fazed out. Now the buzz is – is Philips discontinuing Hue? Philips Hue is practically … Read more

Philips Hue Motion Sensor Battery Guide: All You Need To Know

My Philips Hue motion sensor in its box

The Philips Hue Motion sensor is a really useful tool because it’ll quickly turn on your lights when it detects someone approaching. However if the battery has any issues, your motion sensor may not work as expected. So I wanted to write this guide to talk through everything you need to know about this useful … Read more

Hue Smart Button: Battery Draining Quickly (How To Replace Or Fix)

A Philips Hue Smart Button with a green or orange LED light flashing

The Hue Smart Button is a unique little device that adds a lot of utility in a very small package. However, it has a lot of bad press when it comes to its battery life. The Hue Smart Button has a few flaws that cause it to drain batteries in a matter of days. You … Read more