How many energy-savvy people does it take to change a light bulb? Well, that’s not really going to be such a big issue when you only have to change it every 20 years.
The new iLumi smartbulb’s staying power is only one of its cool features. It can also be programmed to display lots of different colors, and you can use your smartphone to make it dim, change colors, or turn off. (You can tell it’s super high-tech because the product name begins with a lowercase i. Damn you, Steve Jobs.) The bulbs have a 100-foot range and can be programmed to turn on and off as needed as you move around the house, or even sync up to music.
The downside: The bulbs cost $59 each. Naturally the investment pays off quickly and naturally the manufacturers have anticipated anxiety about this by breaking down the numbers: They can cut your energy bill by about $340 a year. Also, they can make blueberry pancakes! Isn’t that amazing?
