On the surface, these may look much like previous product the company has sold, namely the Nanoleaf Canvas. However, the ‘Blocks’ differ in some significant ways.

The first, and obvious difference is the fact that there are five ‘Blocks’ to choose from, with a basic ‘Square’, and ‘Textured’ square, a ‘Light Pegboard’, a ‘Shelf’, and a ‘Small Square’ that is essentially 25% the size of the standard Square. like the Canvas, and all of their other lighting products, these offer up to 16 million colours, and can connect to one another to form a sort of patchwork of lights.

In the case of the blocks, which we also saw with Nanoleaf’s ‘Shapes’, you can mix and match these different options to create something less uniform, and more organically shaped. With the Shelf option, you can place your favourite models, phone, mini speakers etc on them, with the limit for support set at 1.5kg in weight. The Pegboard option, which offers the hooks as a separate purchase, you have the option yo support up to 3kg in weight. The Textured Blocks appear to have a more three dimensional aspect to them, that should add an extra layer of interest to your lighting setup.

The one thing that may surprise many, is that the Blocks do not currently support Matter, and may never actually do so. In one sense, it won’t matter (no pun intended) to Apple Home users, but for Google, SmartThings, and Alexa users, who are trying to go all in on Matter, you’re going to have to return to a cloud-based option for getting these into your smart platforms. This is an odd choice, given that the company started off as one of the early adopters of both Matter and Thread, but are seemingly backing away from both to varying degrees of late; Their 4D TV light strip combo only offered a standard WiFi connection, as does their Nanoleaf Skylight. Add to this the company now releasing Matter over WiFi Essential Bulbs and Multicolour light strip, when Thread was fine, although it’s always good to have the choice I suppose. That all said, there is a possible silver lining…

Nanoleaf’s announcement of a wireless controller/button/switch took us by surprise, but only for the fact that previous announcements from the company regarding controllers seems to have come to nothing. Back in 2020 the company unveiled a very odd looking device as part of a yet to materialise ‘Learning Series’, which included technology dubbed U-IQ. Whatever the reason, Nanoleaf now have a new wireless remote – the Sense+ Smart Switch – that offers 5 buttons. In terms of size, it does appear to be similar to the Wemo Stage Scene Controller, but is designed in the first instance to work best with Nanoleaf’s own lighting products. The top and bottom buttons act as on and off switches, whilst the middle button acts as a dimmer. It also has two programmable buttons on either side of the aforementioned dimmer, which can be programmed in Apple Home to control non-Nanoleaf products. Two major plusses with Nanoleaf’s offering is that it also comes with both light and motion sensors, which both help to turn on the relevant Nanoleaf lighting in a room, as well as adjust according to how much light is in said room.

The other surprise is that whilst this switch will use Matter over Thread (currently via something called ‘Matter Early Access, which sounds distinctly beta…) it also offers connectivity via a new Nanoleaf protocol called ‘Litewave’ that allows the switch to connect directly to Nanoleaf products, which would be useful in a Nanoleaf home without Thread, but it does seem a little pointless otherwise. Still, if they’re offering this with Matter over Thread, it’s all good, especially at a reasonably inexpensive US$26.99 (plus shipping).

The post New Nanoleaf Products and Some Surprises… appeared first on Homekit News and Reviews.

First off the bat, whilst it’s Matter compatible, it does not use Thread. Instead, the company has opted for Matter over WiFi, which is sure to be a disappointment to many. What is does offer in exchange for this is the option to have multiple colours along the strip, which sits at 16.4ft/ 5m in length. Each metre houses 60 LEDs, which brings the total amount of LEDs to 300. It can be cuttable, but there’s no smaller option available, it seems. The strip has a cutting line every six LEDs.

The new strip also sports a brand new controller to reflect some of these additional features, like music mode, alongside power and brightness options.

Due to Matter support, it will of course work with Apple Home, and even though it can produce cool to warm whites, in addition to the standard 16 million colours, it won’t be able to use Adaptive Lighting, due to this feature being an Apple Home exclusive. It offers 550lm per metre, which is pretty decent as well.

Strangely enough, even though this new product was announced on their YouTube channel, there’s no sign of it on the US Nanoleaf store (as far as we’re aware at the time of writing), although it is listed on the company’s German site (thanks Yannic) for €69,99.

The post New Matter Multicolour LED Strip From Nanoleaf Announced appeared first on Homekit News and Reviews.

These new outdoor lights come at a time when LiFX have also announce their own offering, that makes use of their polychrome technology, which allows each bulb to display multiple colours. Nanoleaf’s own take does offer the full gamut of 6 million colours, but the colours are on a bulb by bulb basis.

These are compatible with Apple Home of course, as well as being Matter enabled, so you can use them on any platform as long as you also have a Matter Controller as part of your setup. These use 2.4GHz WiFi, so there’s no requirement for a Thread Border Router, which is something you need for the company’s Essentials lineup.

Each bulb is RGBW, meaning it’s capable of not only the full range of colours, but cool and warm whites too. They do not utilise Apple’s Adaptive Lighting technology, however, but considering outdoor lighting would typically only be used at night, there seems little need for this Apple exclusive feature. They also work with Razer Chroma, so if you happen to have an outdoor gaming setup, this may work for you. Due to them being designed for outdoor use, they do have IP ratings, with the controller set at IP67, and the lights at IP65.

The string lights come in two ‘Smarter’ pack options, the basic 15 metre kit, that comprises 1 set of string lights with 20 indivudual bulbs (US$129.99), or the 30 metre kit with 40 bulb (US$199.99), with each coming complete with controller and power supply. You can also purchase an extension pack consisting of the same 15 metre kit, minus the controller and power supply for US$99.99. One controller can support a maximum of 60 bulbs, which would equate to the 40 bulb smarter kit and the 20 bulb extension pack.

These new outdoor lights are available to order via the company’s website, but make use of the special 10% off code – OSL10 to save a little money.

The post Nanoleaf’s Outdoor String Lights Now Available appeared first on Homekit News and Reviews.

Continuing to expand on it’s Matter lineup, Nanoleaf is introducing three new colour-changing addressable smart lights to work with Matter. These include a Smart Multicolour Lightstrip (Indoor), Smart Multicolour Outdoor String Lights, and Smart Multicolour Permanent Outdoor Lights. These outdoor additions to the Essentials Matter line mark Nanoleaf’s first foray into outdoor lighting products. They bring dynamic gradients and warm ambiance to your home’s exterior spaces, illuminating patio areas, backyards, and gardens throughout the year.

Built with Nanoleaf’s exclusive technology, these new smart addressable lighting additions will integrate with all your other Nanoleaf products. The lights come with a new collection of preset lighting scenes and access to thousands of additional scenes via the Nanoleaf App.

The Nanoleaf Essentials Matter line allows for control via Matter, or directly with the Nanoleaf App through Wi-Fi or Bluetooth. Users also have the option to control their lights with voice commands or the easy-access manual controller, for times when they prefer to go without their device.

The new Nanoleaf Essential Matter devices are scheduled for release in Spring 2024.

First previewed at CES 2023 and winning eight ‘Best of CES’ awards for product design and innovation, Nanoleaf is finally ready to announce the official launch of Skylight. This introduces the world to the first-ever smart modular ceiling light panels with full design customisations. Skylight features a flush-mounted modular square design with diffused multi-point lighting, creating soft and natural lighting. You can adjust colours and scenes like ‘Gentle Rain’ or ‘Sun Shower’ to set the right ambience for morning-to-evening routines in the bedroom, or focus time in office spaces. With schedules, you can wake up to a gentle sunrise scene filled with soft oranges and pinks to help energise your mornings, and ease yourself to sleep under a glimmering star effect when winding down for the evening. Users can even control Skylight remotely for added security when away from home or set a schedule for automatic on/off at desired times.

Hard-wire one square and then add up to 100 additional squares across your ceiling, with the freedom to create your own designs using the modular setup. For the first time ever, users can extend their ceiling fixture into hard-to-reach spaces that were previously impossible to light up. Each square emits 1400 lumens of light with a lifespan of 25,000 hours. Built with Nanoleaf’s full suite of smart features, Skylight includes the Rhythm Music Visualiser, schedules, magic scenes, RGBW colour options, and more. Control Skylight with the Nanoleaf App via WiFi, your preferred smart home ecosystem, or your traditional light switch.

Nanoleaf Skylight is now available for pre-order at go.nanoleaf.me and retails for US$249.99 for the Smarter Kit (3PK) and US$69.99 for Expansion Packs (1PK). Products will ship late January 2024.

The post Nanoleaf Introduce Outdoor Lighting, Multicolour Strips, and More appeared first on Homekit News and Reviews.

The new string lights are – as you would expect from Nanoleaf – Matter compatible, although perhaps surprisingly they don’t make use of Thread on this occasion, so these are Matter over WiFi lights. They’re still compatible with the four main platforms of course, and as they use WiFi, a Thread Border Router isn’t required. The specs also state these can be controlled via Bluetooth or standard WiFi if you prefer to use legacy connections to your smart home platform via the Nanoleaf app.

Whilst you may well end up using them indoors, they are in fact able to be used outdoors too, with an IP44 rating. Along with the now standard 16 million colours, you also get cool to warm whites, although as they use Matter for connectivity, you won’t be getting Adaptive Lighting functionality, which in all honesty isn’t something you’d really require of this kind of lighting.

The lights come in two set lengths of 10 metres each for a total of 20 metres/65 feet, with a grand total of 250 individual LEDs, which should be enough for modest use cases. The whole package is also UL-certified.

You can pre-order the new Holiday String Lights directly from Nanoleaf’s own store for US$119.99.

The post Preorders Start For Nanoleaf Matter String Lights appeared first on Homekit News and Reviews.

Nanoleaf 4D introduces the Screen Mirror & Lightstrip Kit, revolutionising how you engage with your favourite movies, TV shows, and video games. The Nanoleaf 4D Screen Mirror & Lightstrip Kit includes a Camera that captures real-time colours from your screen, synchronising them with the addressable gradient LED light strip installed behind it. The result is an immersive 4D effect that expands your content beyond the confines of your screen, enveloping your space with vibrant hues and dynamic gradients.

With four Mirror Modes to choose from, you can personalise your level of immersion, whether you prefer a subtle ambient glow for more relaxed visuals (1D) or a direct replication of your screen that plunges you into the heart of the action (4D). Users can even combine the Screen Mirror Modes with Rhythm Music Sync to simultaneously mirror the screen’s colours while reacting to soundtracks or in-game sound effects.

Leveraging Nanoleaf’s exclusive Sync+ Technology, you can extend screen mirroring to all Nanoleaf RGB lighting devices* in the room, creating an all-encompassing visual experience like never before. Connect over 50 Nanoleaf RGB devices at once, enabling you to transcend the confines of your screen and extend the entertainment onto your light panels, light bars, and more.

Nanoleaf 4D is engineered with Smart Remap Technology, allowing it to be cut to fit any size TV up to 85”. The 4D Camera offers versatile positioning options, enabling placement either on top or at the bottom of your screen. Nanoleaf never saves, stores, or records anything from the camera—it is solely used to capture the screen’s colours. Additionally, a magnetic privacy cover is included for added peace of mind.

Joining the highly popular Ultra Black Shapes line, the Ultra Black Shapes Hexagons boast a sleek 360º black finish complemented by all-black accessories, resulting in an ultramodern aesthetic coupled with vibrant RGB colour displays. Connect the Ultra Black Hexagons and Triangles together to push the boundaries of your creativity, accentuated by the high-contrast appeal of the all-black finish.

The Ultra Black Shapes Hexagons seamlessly integrate with Nanoleaf 4D through Sync+, extending screen mirroring throughout your space.

*Nanoleaf RGB devices include Shapes, Lines, Canvas, Light Panels, and Essentials.

Take command of Nanoleaf 4D and Ultra Black Hexagons using the Nanoleaf App, the convenient manual Controller, or voice commands through your smart assistant. Both 4D and Ultra Black Hexagons are compatible with all major smart home platforms, including Apple Home of course, as well as IFTTT and Razer Chroma. Furthermore, an OTA update is scheduled for later this year to make both products Matter-compatible.

The Nanoleaf 4D Screen Mirror & Lightstrip Kit is available for pre-order today at shop.nanoleaf.me and bestbuy.com. The Kit is offered in two Lightstrip lengths: 65” retailing for US$99.99 and 85” retailing for US$119.99. Shipping will commence in mid-July. Customers who pre-order before June 28th, 2023, 11:59 PM ET, will receive a bonus $20 Nanoleaf gift card. Additionally, 4D Bundles (included with Shapes and Lines) are currently discounted up to 25% off until July 8th, 2023.

Nanoleaf Ultra Black Hexagons are available for pre-order at shop.nanoleaf.me. The 9PK Smarter Kit is priced at US$219.99, while the 3PK Expansion Packs are available for US$69.99. Shipping is scheduled to begin in late July.

The post Nanoleaf Announce 4D TV Lighting Kit, All-Black Hexagon Shapes appeared first on Homekit News and Reviews.

Matter Beta Rollout For Aqara M2 Begins

Onvis Prepare for March Release of Thread Motion Sensor

Aqara Unveil Four New Products For the Chinese Market

Aqara FP2 Presales Launch in China With March Release

Zemismart List First Matter Devices For Purchase

Multi Feature Smart Outlet With Matter Launching Soon

Updated TP-Link/Kasa Matter Smart Plug Surfaces

ZemiSmart Releases First Thread/Matter Curtain Motor

Meross Releases its First Contact Sensor

Aqara Video Doorbell G4 Now Available in Amazon Stores

Nanoleaf Essentials with Matter Preorders Start

Ezviz Move Towards Matter and HomeKit Integration

Ikea Dirigera Update Adds HomeKit Support for Air Quality Sensor

Aqara Video Doorbell G4 Receives Fixes Via Update

REVIEWS

Aqara Ceiling Lamp L1-350 (review)

Aqara Smart Video Doorbell G4 (review)

YOUTUBE

Aqara Smart Ceiling Light L1-350

Yeelight Cube Smart Lamp with Matter

Aqara Smart Video Doorbell G4

The post HomeKit New Roundup (Feb/Mar 2023) appeared first on Homekit News and Reviews.

The tiles themselves are actually no different to the tiles available elsewhere other than the admittedly beautifully designed cherry blossom graphics added to each of the nine tiles in the pack. It would seem that the Nanoleaf app also comes with specific themes to go with the limited edition tiles to enhance the graphics.

The tiles are still capable of the full range of 16 million colours, but as you can see from the images above, pastel themes seem to work best. The Cherry Blossom Starter pack is available exclusively on Apple’s Japanese website, priced at ¥31,800, incl. tax.

TED LASSO SEASON 3 & MLS ON APPLE TV

Speaking of ‘themes’, with the recent addition of MLS (Major League Soccer) to Apple TV, and with the upcoming third season of the very popular TV series Ted Lasso, now might be a good time to look into getting some Nanoleaf tiles to represent your favourite soccer team’s colours, or just show some love to AFC Richmond, the fictional team of the series. Due to Nanoleaf’s plethora of colour themes available via the company’s own app, you can simply type in the name of your favourite team (Los Angeles Galaxy, New York City FC etc) and a theme will come up to represent the teams’ strip. Besides Nanoeaf Hexagons and Shapes, these themes can also be applied to Nanoleaf Essentials Strips and Bulbs, as well as their more recent ‘Lines’, so there are a lot of ways to show your support!

Thanks to Youichi Kusakabe for the find.

The post Nanoleaf Release Limited Edition Cherry Blossom Hexagons appeared first on Homekit News and Reviews.

According to Nanoleaf, the sale will end on Monday February 13th, to coincide with Super Bowl, with discounts on their Elements line, and Shapes Triangles and Mini Triangles smarter sets. The Nanoleaf Elements are great for nice ambient rooms to chill out to – especially if the team you support loses – whilst the colourful Shapes options will also allow you to celebrate a win with your favourite team’s colours. This is possible via the company’s own Nanoleaf app, which offers colour themes based on a variety of scenarios, including – you guessed it – the Super Bowl!

Nanoleaf’s light panels are compatible with Amazon Alexa, Google Home, and of course Apple HomeKit. If you’re not familiar with them, the Shapes come in three…shapes – triangles, mini triangles, and hexagons, which can be mounted to a wall to provide lighting with up to 16 million colours. Each tile can even be used as a smart button in HomeKit. The Nanoleaf elements, on the other hand, do warm to cool whites, with a special wood-like finish, for a more relaxing ambient look and feel.

Currently, the Nanoleaf Elements Smarter Kit is on sale for 20%/US$50 off (down from US$249.99 to US$199.99), whilst the Shapes Mini Triangles Smarter set is on sale for 17%/US$20 off (down from US$119.99 to US$99.99), and the Shapes Triangles Smarter set is on sale for 11%/US$39.98 off (down from US$339.97 to US$299.99).

The post Nanoleaf Discounts in Lead-up to Super Bowl appeared first on Homekit News and Reviews.

Nanoleaf 4D – TV Screen Mirror Camera and Lighstrips Smarter Kit
Nanoleaf 4D brings your entertainment experience beyond the screen. The 4D TV Smarter Kit comes with a Screen Mirror Camera and Matter-compatible Smart Addressable Lightstrip, using new Sync+ technology to transform movies and games into a truly immersive journey. With four Screen Mirror modes to choose from and up to 50 addressable zones on the Lightstrip (10 zones per 1M, Lightstrip length up to 5M), users can customise their entertainment area. The camera can be set up on top or at the bottom of the TV, whilst the Lightstrip features an easy install with snap-on brackets and included adhesives. Nanoleaf’s new Sync+ technology not only enables Screen Mirror with your TV but synchronises your entire suite of Nanoleaf lighting products together. Sync+ also enables dynamic lighting Scenes to play across your Nanoleaf lighting setup, synchronizing colours and animations so a single Scene like ‘Aurora Borealis’ and ‘Vibrant Sunrise’ play continuously across the room. Nanoleaf 4D TV Smarter Kit is launching Q2 2023 and will be available in two length options suitable for TV sizes 55”-65” and 65”-85”.

Sense+ Controls and ‘Nala’ Automation Learning Assistant
Nanoleaf’s Sense+ Controls line offers the world’s first-ever hands-free smart lighting experience. Matter-enabled and running on Thread, the Sense+ Controls line includes the hardwired Smart Light Switch, Wireless Smart Light Switch and Nala Learning Bridge. All three products have built-in motion and ambient lighting sensors to personalize your home’s lighting, automated to your daily routines and personal schedules. The Nala Learning Bridge also acts as a Thread Border Router and works as a colour-changing night light with a soft glow in the evenings.

The Sense+ products work together with Nanoleaf’s new intelligent Automation Learning Assistant—named Nala—to ‘learn’ your preferences from your everyday usage and routines. Nala is a powerful first-of-its-kind learning assistant creating personalised automations that deliver lighting exactly when, how, and where you want it. Enjoy predictive actions like turning your lights on/off, seamless brightness and colour adjustments, Scene selection based on your preferences, and more. Over time, users will be able to have a truly intelligent and hands-free experience. Nala’s automated learning technology is enabled via the Nala Learning Bridge; existing Nanoleaf Thread Border Routers* will also be upgradeable to work as a Nala Bridge.

In essence, with Sense+ Controls and Nala technology, your lights can finally ‘think’, so you don’t have to. Sense+ Controls is the winner of this year’s CES Innovation Awards, and is launching Q3 2023.

Nanoleaf Skylight – Smart Modular Flush Mount Ceiling Fixture
The Nanoleaf Skylight will be the first of its kind modular ceiling fixture that works with Matter, offering users complete control over their ceiling light’s design arrangement and area of coverage. Like Nanoleaf’s modular wall light panels products,  Skylight uses square modular RGBW LED panels that can be arranged to create a variety of different designs.

Working via Wifi, Skylight provides functional white light for everyday use and the standard 16 million colours for ambient lighting, with smart features to adjust brightness, colours, colour temperatures, and set Schedules. Skylight comes with all of the usual smart features that Nanoleaf currently offer, including the Rhythm Music Visualizer, Screen Mirror, dynamic lighting Scenes and Group Scenes. The modular ceiling fixture also acts as a Thread Border Router and comes with built-in Sense+ sensors to enable motion and ambient light sensing to enable more lighting automation capabilities in your home. Nanoleaf Skylight is launching Q3 2023.

Essentials Bulbs & Light Strips – First Thread Over Matter Lighting
The new Matter-certified Essentials Bulbs (A19, BR30, GU10 and a Recessed Downlight) and Lightstrip are launching in Q1. Additionally, Nanoleaf’s full line of modular light panels and light bars (Shapes, Elements, Canvas and Lines) will also be Matter upgradeable later this year, offering an easy software update to provide the most seamless way to set up your most personalized smarter home of the future.

*Nanoleaf Thread Border Routers include Shapes, Elements, Lines and the upcoming Nala Learning Bridge

The post New Matter Nanoleaf Lighting Kits Sync to Your TV appeared first on Homekit News and Reviews.