BeOn's smart bulbs keep an ear out for trouble -- with or without power
With built-in Bluetooth, a battery backup and a microphone that listens for your doorbell or smoke alarm, these brainy bulbs are some of the smartest we've seen.
- 10 years product testing experience with the CNET Home team
BeOn Bulbs are some of the most interesting smart lights I've gotten my hands on. Each one features a yellow module that pops right into the center of the bulb; that module includes a battery backup that'll let the lights shine without power, a microphone that listens for your doorbell or smoke alarm and a Bluetooth radio lets you control each one using an app on your phone. Each bulb learns your usage patterns, too -- tell the system you're away for the evening, and the bulbs will automatically cycle on and off to make it look like you're home, no programming needed.
The rub is that these bulbs don't come cheap: they're $75 each, or $199 for a three-bulb starter pack (BeOn tells me it plans on launching in Australia and the UK in 2016. Pricing specifics aren't set yet, but that starter pack price comes out to £130/AU$275, converted roughly). That's an awful lot, given that you've got smart lighting options available for as little as $15 a bulb. Still, with so many features and functions, and with the unique modular approach, I think there's a chance they're worth it.
Hands on with BeOn
Each BeOn bulb uses a Bluetooth radio, so they'll work right out of the box, no hub necessary. Just pop the yellow module into place, screw the bulb in, and turn it on. From there, you'll sync it with the system's iOS app (an Android version is still in the works -- BeOn says it hopes to have it ready by the end of November).
Testing the system out in my home, I was able to get the bulbs synced with my phone in about a minute. From there, you can pick and choose which features to activate. I started by training my bulbs to listen for my doorbell. After ringing it a few times, they learned the sound of it -- I set them to turn on whenever they hear it, and it worked like a charm.
BeOn pitches this as a security measure, citing would-be burglars who ring the doorbell to make sure no one's home before breaking in. With BeOn bulbs, the lights would come on, tricking the burglar into thinking someone's home. You can even set a delay between lights, making for a more realistic effect. And, thanks to the battery housed within each bulb, the lights will come on even if things are switched off.
You can set the bulbs to listen for your smoke or carbon monoxide alarms, too. Like with the doorbell, you'll set the alarm off a few times to teach the bulbs what to listen for. Once you've done that, you'll be able to program the lights to come on automatically in the event of an emergency. And, thanks to the battery built into each module, you'll be able to use your BeOn bulbs for up to four hours if the power's ever out. Once it comes back on, the batteries will automatically recharge.
Another cool feature is that BeOn bulbs learn your usage patterns. Essentially, each bulb keeps a record of when you turn them on and off, and how long you leave them on for. If you're ever out for the evening, or away on vacation, you can activate "Security Lighting" mode -- with a single swipe, your bulbs will automatically cycle on and off exactly as you've used them before in order to simulate occupancy and, again, fool potential intruders into thinking that you're home.
Perhaps the most interesting thing about BeOn bulbs is that modular approach, with all of the extra tech crammed into that removable insert. That opens up the door to upgrade your lights simply by swapping that insert out for a new one. BeOn's team tells me they're exploring their options here, and mention potential inserts that would add in Z-Wave radios, integrated speakers and compatibility with Apple HomeKit.
As for the more basic specs, each BeOn bulb claims to put out 800 lumens of soft white light -- the same as you'll get from a 60-watt incandescent -- from a power draw of 10 watts. Like with most LEDs, the lifespan of each bulb is 25,000 hours -- over 20 years if you're using them for an average of 3 hours per day.
We'll soon be adding the BeOn Starter Pack to our connected setup at the CNET Smart Home, our living lab for testing out smart-home gadgets in a real world setting. You can expect a full review just as soon as we've sorted out the practical pros and cons.