Oni (www.oni.io) is an interesting company, which is developing an app for Windows Phone for those of us who happen to have Philips Hue bulbs installed throughout the home. The rather expensive lighting equipment supports a variety of colours and is wireless enabled, making it easy to control the output using an iOS device.
We were pleased to see a solution for Windows Phone be made available to help expand functionality and use beyond the Apple ecosystem. Now we've learned that Oni has released an update for its Light Control app. So what's new in version 1.2? NFC support and new languages (German is highlighted) to name but a few.
The NFC functionality acts as one would expect, simply touch a sticker or other NFC capable media and you can then alter the lights. This is best illustrated in the following video. All that's required are NFC stickers, a capable Windows Phone an imagination.
As we noted before, this setup is only really available for those who have some spare cash to blow, and who enjoy altering the mood within their home without using primitive light switches. As noted above, other new additions in the latest release includes support for the Germany dialect, the ability to pin "moods" and "light states" to the home screen, as well as more convenient ways to add new bulbs. Other minor improvements and fixes have also been applied.
To celebrate the release of this version, Oni is giving away one of the Philips Hue Starter Packs, worth $200. The package includes three bulbs and a bridge to get one started in setting up a home disco. You can enter via Facebook or using your own email address, but do note that it's locked to US and Canada residents only. Be sure to check out the terms and conditions.
You can pick up some Philips Hue LED bulbs in the Starter Pack from the Apple Store for $200 (if the above competition isn't up your street), as well as downloading Oni: Light Control for $3.99 from the Windows Phone Store (free trial is available - app is Windows Phone 8 only).
