Tag Archives: PhilipsHue

Philips Hue susceptible to hack, vulnerable to blackouts (video)

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Oh, Philips. Why'd you have to make it so easy for ne'er-do-wells to go full Aiden Pearce on Hue smart light users? A recent study by researcher Nitesh Dhanjani reveals that Hue's control portal -- known as the bridge -- uses a shoddy authentication system when communicating with smartphones and computers. That system uses the bridge's MAC address, which is easy to detect. As such it's also easy to hack the device and cause a blackout.

In Dhanjani's demo video below, he introduces malware into the bridge through a compromised website. This lets him find the right MAC address and take control, turning the lights off again and again, ad infinitum, regardless of the switch's status. Sure, there's no immediate threat of widescale blackouts -- smart lighting has yet to be adopted en masse, after all -- but this is a security issue companies need to address, especially since lighting plays such a critical safety role.

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Via: Ars Technica, The Register

Source: Nitesh Dhanjani

Philips grows Hue smartphone-controlled lighting lineup with $80 LivingColors Bloom, $90 LightStrips

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Philips grows Hue smartphonecontrolled lighting lineup with $80 LivingColors Bloom, $90 LightStrips

There's no shortage of home automation solutions on the market, but none can touch the cool factor of Philips' Hue. The Android and iOS-controlled lighting solution consists of a base station that controls up to 50 different lights, including the company's existing LED Connected Bulb, and two new additions, designed to let you add light without a standard lamp socket. The first product, LivingColors Bloom, is a compact fixture that you can position on the floor, on a shelf or anywhere in a room. It sits on the ground and bounces your pick of 16 million colors off any surface.

LightStrips, on the other hand, is a better fit for more permanent (and subtle) installations. The 6.6-foot LED strip can be cut to size, and includes an adhesive backing, so it can be easily mounted under a counter, bed or inside cabinets. Both offerings support the full Hue color spectrum, and are compatible with existing apps and macros, including the IFTTT integration that debuted in May. Hue Bloom is set to retail for $80, while LightStrips will run you 90 bucks. Expect both products in Apple Stores this Thursday.

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Philips hue: the ‘world’s smartest’ LED lightbulb that saves you time during Red Alerts

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Philips hue the worlds smartest LED lightbulb that saves you time during Red Alerts video

Historically, altering the lighting color of a room required draping a gossamer-thin cloth over a lamp or buying a new bulb from the store. Philips has sought to solve that most taxing of first-world problems with the hue, a smartphone-controlled LED bulb that can cycle through shades at your whim. As well as block colors, you can use photos to create palette and can control the units even when away from home. It'll be an Apple Store exclusive from October 30th, with individual units setting you back $59 (£49, €59) and three-bulb introduction pack with a wireless bridge for $199 (£179, €199). If that seems a little steep, just console yourself in the knowledge that it's a thousand times more useful than other lighting devices we've seen this year.

Continue reading Philips hue: the 'world's smartest' LED lightbulb that saves you time during Red Alerts

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Philips hue: the 'world's smartest' LED lightbulb that saves you time during Red Alerts originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 29 Oct 2012 10:36:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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