With the Philips Hue app update yesterday that introduces support for the Hue Tap, retail available is nearly upon us.
The Tap extends control of your connecting lighting beyond the virtual and into the physical realm. As with everything Hue, the Tap light switch is downright pricey at $60. Yet it brings a subtle, sleek elegance as it meets a practical need with some nifty technology. And most impressive is the Taps nearly infinite battery life, rated at 50,000 taps, powered by your finger’s clicky kinetic energy. Beyond that, the small puck ships with four customizable buttons, which can be linked actions, scenes, and recipes… giving you, your spouse, child, or pet sitter a means of control without a smartphone or tablet app.
Each Hue Bridge is capable of supporting up to 32 of these, enough for every wall in the house. As for me, I’m on the fence if I’ll be picking up a single Tap up… I suppose it depends if I expand my Philips smart lighting collection once the less pricey all-white Lux bulbs hit.
Tap Specs:
Zigbee Green Power protocol, IEEE 802.15.4
Frequency band 2400–2483.5MHz
Range: 15 – 30m, depending on local circumstances
Weight: 90 grams
Size: 75mm diameter, 25mm height