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No product is perfect - and neither is this one. But it is certainly a worthy contender in this race for smart home devices. Before we delve into details, lets mention the elephant in the room - No its not as good as the Philips Hue 10W light. That being said - I feel that once you get it all setup, you can probably buy 2 of these at the price of one hue light bulb.
I have it setup on my living room lamp since its the first smart light - and i wanted it nearby to test it out.
Update on 09-May:
Bought a second one of these for 799. After purchasing I realised that though its the same 7w LED, the first one was made in China while the new one is made in Pune. Interestingly, the one which is made in Chine is somewhat Brighter in comparision to the new one (see photos). Also the Chinese model has a few more options on the App - not sure why.
Setup process:
Once again, to make it clear - its not the easiest thing to do - unless you are techie or a gadget geek. For instance, my parents can never manage the setup on their own.
Irrespective of what the manual says, the steps are sequential and kind of logical.
1. Download & install the Syska Smart Home app
2. Register (using mobile no). Note that mobile number will be verified using a sms code
3. Now the tricky part. You need to put the light into pairing mode. Which means switch on/off the light a few time before it starts blinking rapidly
4. Now add a new device on the syska app. it will detect the bulb and it will stop blinking once added. You will be prompted for the wifi password since the bulb needs to connect to the router/network.
5. Now goto amazon alexa app and goto skills. download the syska smart home skill
6. Link the skill with your syska account and you are all good to go
Note: ensure you are using a 2.4ghz wifi router and not hooking up to a 5ghz one. The light is not compatible with that. Ensure your phone & bulb are both on the same wifi network (in case you have more than one router at home).
The setup process can be simplified but it is what it is right now.
What i liked:
Once you get it all setup, the Syska app lets you do a host of things with the light. For instance, i have programmed it to switch off & switch back on at a certain time during weekdays. The scheduler can also let you have more schedules added. That said - it only limits it to power on or off. It does not let you set it to dim down or go brighter, change colors etc with each scheduled task. For example, I would like to dim it down at night and turn it off later. But at the moment i can only program it to switch off.
This is a bit disappointing. But again, its a software - and the capability can be added with a simple update.
There are a host of scene modes to choose from. All are handy. Such as read, party, chill etc
Color options: all possible colors to choose from. Can add a very interesting ambiance to your home.
Brightness: the bulb can go from 1% to 100% brightness which you can choose from. Its very nice to have. I dont have to worry about using multiple bulbs.
Works with Alexa:
Yes it does. And once you have the skill enabled, you can use simple commands such as: 'alexa, turn bedroom light on / off', 'alexa, bedroom light to 10%' or 'alexa, turn bedroom light to blue or gold' etc
Its fun and seems like a good party trick at times to impress people. But its handy everytime i get home, all i need to do is ask alexa to turn it on. No more hunting for switches in the dark.
What i did not like:
1. Needs to be a bit more configurable / smarter. Like i said - i should be able to program it to dim down or increase brightness or change color with a scheduled task instead of having to do it manually.
2. Price - needs to be a bit more affordable. I mean buying one was expensive, imagine having one in each room!
3. Needs to be a bit more brighter. Don't get me wrong, 7W is plenty bright but for a bedside lamp. Not for a main light in the room. 10W or more would be better.
4. Should work with IFTT
What is desirable/good to have:
1. Have it work with the weather app to change colors accordingly
2. Have it sync with amazon music to create a sync ambiance while playing music
3. Work with firetv stick - to dim down based on time of day when watching a movie
I do like this product even with its list of shortcomings. This is a new concept for us Indians & it will need time to scale up. For now - if you want to be an early adoptor of tech and try out a smart home intergated product - this might be a good way. Specially if you own a Echo.
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