You can It also has an augmented reality (AR) feature, which lets you superimpose your design on your wall. You can add on with the expansion pack (S$109) that comes with 3 light bars and corresponding connectors and caps. The connectors have covers to hide the inner workings and theres an additional one which serves as a control panel with click buttons for power, brightness, scene selection and more. This means I have to attach the light bar to each connector and fix it in place with the connector cap. Similar to the Shapes and Elements, the Nanoleaf Lines has an integrated microphone that allows its lights to pulse along with a nearby music source. I havent tested these but a pack of three is priced at 12.99/US$14.99. I rarely change the pattern or even think about their presence. In the settings menu, you can adjust the auto-brightness, as well as settings like scene transitions which provides a black pulse to notify you that a transition has taken place. Theyre expensive, sure, and they lack the touch capabilities of the Elements and Shapes light panels, but the one-of-a-kind Nanoleaf Lines certainly excel at what they do. LED strips don't dance to music, or allow you to program them through a rich open source API. Job done, the Lines looks great on a wall. Its these ones that look better, adding interest to a room. Only small caveats hold it back from getting full marks. Explained: What is Thread and why does it matter for your smart home. Theres also a wide range of support for smart platforms including Google Assistant, Amazon Alexa, Razer Chroma, Thread, HomeKit, SmartThings and IFTTT, so theres a large scope of what you can do, from voice control to integration with other gadgets. You cant play games on it, but I wouldnt be surprised if thats something people do a few times with the compatible kits and then the novelty quickly wears off, unless youre buying them for a kids room. Press question mark to learn the rest of the keyboard shortcuts. I first reviewed the Nanoleaf Lines in October 2021 roughly six months ago. These lights are billed as ambient lighting and arent there to replace your standard smart lights. But sometimes, the scene is not downloaded to the device. That gives a huge amount of variety, and you can connect lights in thousands of different ways. If you want to buy additional lights, you can buy expansion packs of three lights. You could even use Nanoleafs Screen Mirror feature (which, again, also works with Nanoleafs Shapes and Elements light panels) to sync the Lines with a traditional TV, but only if youre streaming video to the TV from a laptop with the Nanoleaf desktop app installed. The tenth mounting connector in the Nanoleaf Lines box doubles as a controller with a captive cable. Installed above my MacBooks external 4K display, the easy-to-install Lines look sensational, and theyre easy to control and schedule using both the Nanoleaf app and Apples HomeKit platform. Nanoleaf has quickly become one of the key household names in smart lighting and its latest effort is perhaps the cleanest and simplest option yet. Definitely. We steer you to products you'll love and show you how to get the most out of them. Nanoleaf also plans to release Flex Connectors in the future that let you bend your design around corners or onto the ceiling. Once youve committed to your design thats it: if you later try to peel the connectors off the wall, they wont stick again. Once youre in, the app is fairly easy to use on the whole, at least for the basics. Another change to note is that the Nanoleaf Lines now work as a Thread Border Router. The Nanoleaf Lines share many of the features of the Nanoleaf Shapes and Elements lights. Note that they are designed for indoor use only. Thread is also one of the major standards of the Matter initiative, and any Thread border routers certified by Matter which Nanoleafs will be will also be able to control Thread devices from other brands. Everything comes in white. best smart lights charts to see what other controllable lighting you can get. A tenth mounting connector doubles as a controller, with its own snap-on cap equipped with clickable power and control buttons, as well as a captive cable that attaches to a slim power connector containing a Thread border router. If you want some inspiration, you can use the apps AR layout tool to visualise a design or use our best Nanoleaf designs guide. Note that the non-tile design means you cant play games on the Lines kit. I dont care what you waste your money on, so yeah, I say you should do every room in the house why not? Furthermore, the Lines come with a built-in Nanoleaf Rhythm module. The $200 Lines are backlit, dual-color zone LED light bars. If you ever do want to rearrange or remove the Lines, you can do so by pulling the mounting connectors straight out from the wall; doing so will leave behind the mounting plate. In six months of use, Ive only had two problems with the Lines, and both were the fault of a random power outage. Also slated for December are Flex Connectors that will let you bend your Lines designs around a corner, or even up onto the ceiling. In fact, the best part about Lines is its support for multiple smart home platforms, including Apple HomeKit, Google Assistant, Amazon Alexa, Samsung SmartThings, and IFTTT. The Skins are $20 for a pack of nine, which will cover a standard Nanoleaf Lines kit. This doesn't affect our editorial independence. Theyre not technically as bright as other Nanoleaf products at 20 lumens, but I found them to offer plenty of brightness and often used them a long way off maximum. The fact that the Lines have continued to work flawlessly is a major win. TechHive helps you find your tech sweet spot. When you purchase through links in our articles, we may earn a small commission. Via the Nanoleaf app, you can toggle the lights on and off, adjust the brightness or even set brightness to adjust automatically to the ambient light. Heck, even Nanoleafs 120-sided Essentials A19 bulb dances to its own beat. The power connector, in turn, connects to a second cable that terminates in a chunky wall wart. Each starter kit comes with a Controller and Power Supply. It looks good. Rather than a solid wall of plastic, as you get with Shapes, the design you can build with Lines look good when the lights are turned off. Fathers Day Tech Gift Guide: 5 Practical Home Appliances for Dad. By submitting your email, you agree to our, Nanoleafs latest smart lights are more nightclub than ever, Sign up for the Then, measure the length and breadth of your design to see if it fits the space you want to install. Also (and as with Nanoleafs other smart lighting products), the Lines dont come cheap. However, I found the scenes I created to be underwhelming despite the amount of time spent working on it. As the Lines is installed above my monitor, it is fun to watch the lights change as I play Diablo III on my desktop PC. That concern is almost a nonissue, as theres rarely any reason to touch the bars once theyre installed. Thats pretty much every major smart home system right there, so youll have no problems automating these lights. Nanoleaf Lines is available for pre-order on October 14th from Nanoleafs website and Best Buy. Where do you plan to install the pole? Copyright Wareable Ltd. All rights reserved. The app comes with 19 lighting animations, or scenes, for you to choose from. This requires the Nanoleaf desktop app, but can also work with a TV using an HDMI connection. These do things like transition between predefined colours, while others can react to music. You just need to remove the adhesive peel behind each connector and stick your design to the wall or ceiling. With gaps that you can see through, these lights blend in better than the previous models. The majority of features around the Nanoleaf Lines are the same. You can link up to 18 Lines per power supply, and control them with the Nanoleaf app, an on-device remote, or voice control using a compatible voice assistant. The Lines also work with Nanoleafs music visualization technology to sync with songs in real-time. The backlit look is also a departure from the other shapes, which project light outwards, not back toward the wall. More money than sense, some people. Manual connection is available as a last resort, but I didnt need that even though it took a couple of attempts to get everything working with Wi-Fi networks etc. When youre happy with your design and know the lights work, you can attach them to a wall or ceiling. To enable this feature, you need to install Nanoleaf desktop app (available for Windows and macOS). Well, Nanoleaf Lines might be just the best set of smart lights for you. He also covers a range of topics including home entertainment, phones, laptops, tablets and more. Please also read our Privacy Notice and Terms of Use, which became effective December 20, 2019. While Nanoleaf tile kits shine light outwards, Lines has its lighting on the back so it shines against your wall. Nanoleaf is back with yet another form factor, although the smart light specialists latest launch Nanoleaf Lines is a bit different to what has come before. And oh, can you make sure the ATM exchanges bitcoin? (Nanoleaf Lines is compatible with Alexa and Google Assistant, too.) The Thread border router is, for now, intended only for connecting Nanoleafs Thread-enabled Essentials lights, including the Essentials A19 bulb and light strip, without the need of an Apple HomePod mini (which itself is a Thread border router). The lights havent dimmed or gone out, and thats with six hours or so of everyday use. The Nanoleaf Lines can fit together in 60 degree angle increments, so theres a vast array of shapes on offer and, for the first time ever, Nanoleaf is saying that you can put its lights on the ceiling. RATINGSFEATURES: 8/10DESIGN: 8/10PERFORMANCE: 8/10VALUE FOR MONEY: 7/10OVERALL: 8/10, Microsoft to buy Activision Blizzard for US$68.7 billion and what it means, Microsofts new 2-in-1 laptop Surface Pro 8 available on Feb 15; pre-orders starts today, 4 Wallet-Friendly Products To Spruce Up Your Home This National Day, PRISM+ Symphony Soundbar Review: Gets the Job Done. Nanoleaf says Lines have been designed with Matter in mind and will work with the new standard via a software update next year. As you can see above, I went for a more structurally-sound design that enables to more easily preview it before installation. The Skins are great, but the Flex Connectors will open up the options for designs in a huge way. A Guide to Wireless Headphones You Never Knew You Needed, Enjoy Two Screens in One with the LG DualUp Ergo Monitor, Ultrawide 165Hz gaming monitors is the NOW. Each strip is 11in in length, including the connections at either end. Nanoleaf provides 19 pre-set dynamic RGBW lighting scenes (meaning they shift colors) in the app, or you can create your own to add ambiance to a home theater or enhance your favorite chill-out space. The Ambient is reader-powered. Unlike the likes of Nanoleaf Shapes or Elements, the new Lines, er, line dont actually light up themselves; they are smart backlit LED light bars that project light onto the wall on which they are mounted. Eventually, Nanoleaf says any Thread-enabled device will connect to a Thread network using a Nanoleaf border router. BestBuy. The Nanoleaf Lines are Wi-Fi powered and theres also good news on the smart home front as, like the Nanoleaf Shapes and Elements Controllers, the Nanoleaf Lines setup also acts as a Thread border router, providing a gateway for your Thread smart home devices like the Nanoleaf Essentials bulb - to the internet. If I have to think about it on a routine basis, it stops offering the same level of convenience. Available at the end of November for $200 (pre-orders have already begun), the Nanoleaf Lines Smarter Kit contains nine light lines, each of which is roughly 11 inches long, 0.78 inches wide, and about a third of an inch deep. You can create your own design and mount it on your wall or ceiling for accented lighting. We use cookies and other tracking technologies to improve your browsing experience on our site, show personalized content and targeted ads, analyze site traffic, and understand where our audiences come from. The Lines only work with 2.4GHz Wi-Fi networks. You can then either unscrew the plate (if you screwed in into the wall) or (if you used the peel-and-stick method) you can pull straight down on the exposed portion of the pull tape. Tech Advisor's Reviews Editor, Chris has been reviewing all kinds of tech for over 10 years and specialises in audio. Next came hexagons, and now, say hello to lines. There are also Skins at 14.99/US$19.99 for a pack of nine as well as Flex Connectors for going around corners or onto the ceiling at 12.99/US$14.99 for a three-pack. I tried the process myself with a spare mounting connector and managed to remove it without leaving any tape behind, or without pulling any paint off the wall. This is because you need to visualise where you want to place the Lines. Nanoleaf recommends you to lay out the connectors and light bars on a table in the design you want. In the US you can buy from the Subtle differences on paper, perhaps, but in the flesh, the Lines range looks better and your design even looks good when its turned off. When the power went out (thanks, Georgia storms), the Lines became unsynced from my smart home system. DESIGNThe Lines is rather ingenious in its implementation. The individual light lines each have two zones, which can display different colors simultaneously. (Read this article to learn more about Thread, and how its integrated in Nanoleaf products.). You can attach up to six light lines into each mounting connector, and when youre done connecting, you secure the lines with a connector cap. And the Lines work without a hitch on both platforms. Also - does anyone know of a way to sync multiple groups of Lines that each have their own controller but arent physically connected? So, it will match colour with whatever is displayed on your monitor. If you click through using links on the site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Like I said before, these arent lights for utility. These are essentially plastic covers to easily change the look of the kit. To hide the joins, each connector gets a Connector Cap, plus theres a special Controller cap that gives you physical controls for when you dont want to whip your phone out. You can also set use Siri or Google Assistant to power up the Lines. For party lovers, the music visualizer feature uses the Lines built-in microphone to change colors in step with the beat of the music that youre playing. Tech Advisor helps you find your tech sweet spot. With the first light line installed, I began attaching more light lines, adding more mounting connectors as I went. However, before sticking it on the wall, it is probably prudent to plug in the power cable, pair it with the app and make sure everything is working fine. When turned off, the Lines look somewhat meh(as Ive already said); to rectify that issue, Nanoleaf is planning snap-on Skins covers for the line lights themselves, which will be available in December in both black and pink. Backlit, they connect at 60-degree angles to create geometric designs of your choosing, and with dual-color zones, the Lines ($199.99) can add a visual feast to any wall or ceiling. Who cares that LED strips (made by the same company, no less) would cost but a fraction of these and very likely easier to link together? Theres also SmartThings support, plus Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant support for voice control. As I do not have such a big table, I end up creating the design on the floor instead. Smarter Kits (9 Lines) are $199.99, and Expansion Packs (3 Lines) are $79.99. Plus, as with its current lighting panels, Nanoleafs Lines can act as a Thread border router to connect its Essentials line of bulbs and light strips to your network without a third-party hub. Nanoleaf recently released Lines Skins snap-on covers that change the colors of the system. Think of these then, as a work of art, only youre not limited to a set of colors and can change scenes when you want. Plus, they work in a different way, shining light towards the wall to create a more subtle glow. Black and pink skins to customize the look of the front of the Lines, and flex connectors to bed around corners are coming later this year. Since that time, Ive used them almost every day. These easily snap into the hexagonal connectors with minimal hassle. Sony 1000XM4 vs 1000XM5: Time to Upgrade Headphones? Are Echo Frames worth the $99, or are they just a gimmick? Thread is a key technology in the Matter smart home standard, which aims to unite smart home devices and platforms and allow for more interoperability. newsletter. But my vote is you use the Lines for a cooler design and just throw up a gradient lightstrip for your current effect. If youre looking for a snazzy, unique way to decorate your bedroom, office, or game room, the Nanoleaf Lines give you flexibility to choose your own design and color palette. When you purchase through links in our articles, we may earn a small commission. Via Apple Home, you can change the colour and brightness of the light, and choose from your scenes. official store or the likes of U can make something simular to this way cheaper with lightstrips. A PCWorld contributor since 2014, Ben joined TechHive in 2019, where he covers smart speakers, soundbars, and other smart and home-theater devices. If you are using Razer products, you can even sync the Lines to Razer Chroma for thematic unity of all your devices. Theres a special connector for the power supply that must be used. Don't like tiles? Very. There can be some lag when making adjustments such as brightness but nothing too annoying. Theyre quite expensive considering these lights are ambient light only but a great way to liven up a dull wall. Nanoleafs light scenes manage to look snazzy and, well, awesome, without ever veering into tacky town, which is quite the feat. Easier to install than previous Nanoleaf lights, the Nanoleaf Lines also look better when turned off, plus you get optional Skins to decorate the lights with. One of these is Screen Mirror which, if you put the lights near your desktop, will mimic whats on the display much like Ambilight does on a Philips TV although it doesnt work quite as well as Ambilight. Because each connector is hexagonal in shape, you can practically attach the light bar in any way you want. If you dont like the defaults, you can make your own light scenes, choosing your color palette, and whether the effect should be static or dynamic. Still, there are plenty of possible combinations, and an expansion kit with three more strips and accompanying connectors is available if you need them. The completed Lines installation felt reassuringly sturdy, in part because the lines themselves are so light; indeed, even using the peel-and-stick tape, I didnt (and still dont) worry that the Lines would fall off the wall. Coming soon are flexible connectors. Ive been testing Nanoleaf Lines for about a week, and theyve been a blast to use. Unlike Nanoleafs previous smart lighting product, the Elements light panels, the Lines arent understated or subtle. To learn more or opt-out, read our Cookie Policy. As such, it is not as glaring. Its also worth noting that Flex Connectors will allow you to set up the Lines kit around corners, meaning you could put some of your lights on the ceiling, for example. The new Nanoleaf Lines are ultra-lightweight, color-changing lights in a bar shape. The free accompanying Nanoleaf app (Android and iOS) has a Layout Assistant that offers design ideas. Govee strips are really nice. Nanoleaf Lines offer an affordable alternative to tiles, and for many, will be more stylish. Get a Govee RGBIC strip off amazon. I really like this and Im sure a lot of people who havent been won over by the other Nanoleaf options may find this is more to their taste. The app looks about the same, and if there are more patterns, Im not aware of them there were already so many to begin with that it would be hard to keep track. Elements. Once installed on the wall, everything is smooth sailing. It works by having multiple light bars attached to hexagonal connectors in a 60-degree angle. If you dont like the style of the Lines kit, then Nanoleaf also offers Lines Skins in matt black or matt pink for 14.99/US$19.99. See our ethics statement. That figure means you can use them for five hours a day for around 14 years. While the monochromatic, wood-look Elements were designed to blend in to your dining room decor, the colorful, eye-catching Lines are practically begging to go with your RGB-equipped gaming rig, where they can jazz up your Twitch stream and even mirror the colors on your screen. Remember to start with the connector, which doubles as the physical controller, first before branching out the design. Nanoleaf Lines are available now at via go.nanoleaf.me, priced at $199.99 for a starter kit of 9 Lines or $299.99 if you want 15 Lines. The Nanoleaf app is available for iOS, Android, Windows and Mac but youre best off using a mobile device to start with as you get the choice of scanning a QR code or tapping the NFC chip to pair. We have different ideas, 5 reasons I still use the Echo Show 15 everyday, How smart tech can improve your 4th of July BBQ, With Tesla bleeding money, Elon Musk initiates hardcore spending review, Best wireless router deals for August 2022, Intel could give us Wi-Fi 7 devices long before Apple gets around to it, Best wireless keyboard deals for August 2022, Best Adobe Photoshop deals for August 2022. This looks good, but i would probably go with a big setup on one wall. These Skins fit right over the top of the light bars, although you will need to remove the existing hexagonal covers for the connectors and snap the new one into place. By default, youll see a range of basic and more advanced scenes to choose from. As I mentioned earlier, the Nanoleaf Lines arent touch sensitive as the Shapes and Elements are. I have added the Lines in both Apple Home as well as Google Home. The Layout Assistant makes it easy to try various designs on for size, and you can see how the Nanoleaf Lines will look on your wall with help from an AR-enabled viewfinder. VERDICTApart from its hefty price tag and tedious preparation, the Nanoleaf Lines is an excellent and intuitive set of ambient accented lighting that will add plenty of charm and coolness to your living space. The Lines can also change colors to match a PC or Mac display, with help from the Nanoleaf desktop app. Once I decided on my own pattern, I began the installation process with one light line with mounting connectors attached at either end. Of course, you can also create your own scenes using the apps Scene Creator feature. You need one connector at each end of a light bar, and up to six lights can be plugged into one connector. The biggest change comes in the form of new hardware. Its odd that this is breaking new ground for you. And you can download thousands more from the apps Discover tab. SPECSPRICE: S$339 (Smarter Kit), available in Lazada and ShopeeCOMPATIBILITY: Apple HomeKit, Google Assistant, Amazon Alexa, Samsung SmartThings, Razer Chroma and IFTTTCOLOUR: Over 16 millions coloursBRIGHTNESS: 20 lumens (each lighting bar)WEIGHT: Lines (39g); Connector (15g). Finally, I snapped the connector caps onto each mounting connector, plugged in the power supply (which is chunky enough to block a neighboring power outlet), and the light lines came to life. I had to go into the Alexa app and reassign them to the loft, a process that took all of 15 seconds to do. If youre worried about longevity, the Lines kit is rated for a total of 25,000 hours of usage and comes with a two-year warranty. Nanoleaf marks 10th anniversary with ultra-black Shapes panels, Philips Hue unwraps portable Go table lamp, revamped Tap switch, The best bias lighting for TVs and monitors: Boost contrast and ease eyestrain. If youre not feeling creative, a shuffle button creates random arrangements of the light lines. Before you start installing Nanoleaf Lines on your wall, you should settle on a design. These may be the smartest smart lights around. Of course, you can do the same thing with your voice via Siri. That said, its one of the more affordable options for decorative lighting, and it certainly holds up to continued use. Its not quite on a par with the RBIC tech built into the likes of the Govee Lyra Floor Lamp but, with 16 million colors on offer, and Nanoleafs pedigree when it comes to smart lighting scene presets, its still a super setup that can easily give a dull wall or space a new lease of life. To remove a mounting connector, you pull it straight out from the wall, leaving the mounting plate (pictured) behind. But you can only attach up to 6 light bars to each connector. For example, you can choose from a variety of dynamic lighting scenes, ranging from Cozy Blaze and Fiesta to Starry Sky and Tuscany Sunset. You can also create your own static or dynamic lighting scenes, or download more from the Nanoleaf user community. FOR+ Create your own design with its modular lighting bars+ Beautiful lighting effects+ Easy pairing and setting up+ Reacts to music playing+ Works with plenty of smart home platforms like Apple HomeKit, Google Home and etc, AGAINST Expensive Tedious preparation before set up Nanoleaf app can do better.