Skip to main content

Nanoleaf remote, music visualizer will turn your smart home into a fun home

You may know Nanoleaf as the company that wants to light up your life with some smart lighting panels, but the Toronto-based company is also hoping to help streamline your entire smart home experience. At CES 2018, Nanoleaf unveiled a new universal remote of sorts and more lighting products, all of which are aimed at transforming “your space not only into a smarter home, but one that is more playful, intuitive, and simple.”

The Nanoleaf Remote is a Bluetooth-enabled remote control that Nanoleaf claims will allow you to control just about every connected device in your portfolio. The 12-sided, Apple HomeKit-enabled remote is said to give users “full control of all HomeKit products,” allowing you to set a different scene with each face of the remote via the Nanoleaf app. That said, a 12-sided remote does sound like it could be somewhat confusing, and you’ll be hard-pressed to remember which scene you assigned to which face of the geometric object.

“Smart technology should cater to how people are using their products, making life easier and more enjoyable without being intrusive,” said Gimmy Chu, CEO of Nanoleaf. “TheNanoleaf Remote is designed to make the smart home smart again. We want to give people the option of controlling their smart home without always relying on their devices.Everyone is so glued to their phones these days, the Nanoleaf Remote offers the possibilityto just sit back and enjoy living smarter.”

nanoleaf remote
Image used with permission by copyright holder

The company also unveiled Nanoleaf Light Panels, a modular lighting system that syncs to music. These triangular LED panels are meant to play alongside the Nanoleaf Rhythm music visualizer, pairing light with sound. Each light panel is engineered to react to music in its own unique way, though you can also customize these visualizers using the Nanoleaf app by selecting various color and animation selections.

You might look into these smart home devices if you’re looking to throw the party of the year in 2018. An entire starter pack of the panels and visualizer will set you back $230. The remote has yet to be priced, but will launch in February 2018.

Editors' Recommendations

Lulu Chang
Former Digital Trends Contributor
Fascinated by the effects of technology on human interaction, Lulu believes that if her parents can use your new app…
The Smart Remote X delivers one-touch control of your smart home
this smart remote can control almost any device you point at smartremote2

Remember the days before smartphones, when television remotes were bulky devices that burned through batteries with a vengeance? Universal remotes were a lifesaver -- though huge, they worked with nearly any TV and made it easy to control your VCR, TV, and, later, your DVD player from one source. Now most devices are controlled from your smartphone, but it can feel like every device has a different app. Sevenhugs has introduced a modern-day equivalent to those old-school remotes in the Smart Remote U and the Smart Remote X.

Both models are an evolution of the smart remote Sevenhugs first released in 2018. The magic of the Smart Remote X lies in its contextual interface. Sevenhugs calls this its "Point Mode" feature. The remote is built around the idea that you can point it at any compatible smart home device and the interface will automatically show the proper controls for it. The Smart Remote X uses an indoor positioning system that allows it to know where each smart device in the room is located.

Read more
Roku (yes, Roku) make a home security camera, and it’s discounted today
The Roku Smart Home Indoor Camera on colored background.

Roku might not seem like the first brand you think of when it comes to security camera deals but you’ll be surprised how cheaply you can get a security camera at Walmart right now thanks to the discount going on. Currently, you can buy the Roku Smart Home Indoor Camera SE 2-pack for just $35 instead of $50 so you’re saving $15 while scoring some great cameras for less. Want to know more? Here’s everything we know.

Why you should buy the Roku Smart Home Indoor Camera SE 2-pack
Roku doesn’t feature in our look at the best home security cameras but don’t let that put you off. It has everything you could need from inexpensive indoor security cameras. Each camera enables you to see an entire area with 1080p HD picture in full colour. That includes at night, all via the Roku Smart Home app. It’s possible to set specific motion detection zones so you can cut down on false alerts while the camera can detect motion or sound with smart sensors even detecting body heat so you won’t see them be activated by something like a curtain moving in the wind.

Read more
Yale Assure Lock 2 Touch picks up new features with the Z-Wave Smart Module
Several Yale Assure Lock 2 Touch models on a yellow background.

The Yale Assure Lock 2 Touch launched last year, bringing a fingerprint sensor to one of our favorite smart locks. Now, Yale is making the keypad even more enticing by offering a Z-Wave Smart Module with your purchase, which gives you additional smart functions and added connectivity.

The Z-Wave Smart Module is a piece of hardware that slots into the Yale Assure Lock 2 Touch so it can communicate with devices outside the Yale ecosystem. When installed, the module lets the Assure Lock 2 Touch sync with Samsung SmartThings, Amazon Alexa, Hey Google, and Siri. You can also sync the lock with various smart lights and security systems that support Z-Wave.

Read more