How long since - - Hue Bulb connection fun...

[scottrods]

I recently bought some more Hue light bulbs (all of mine are white bulbs only) to increase my smart home lighting and this time around, the bulbs only needed discovery with my Echo system. Before, the echo always asked me to press the button on the Hue bridge every time I wanted to discover anything at all... now Alexa just says it is discovering new dives and this could take up to 20 seconds. No more remminder to press the Hue bridge button...when did this change take place? I love it... but am curious when did we gain less drama with the hue products... they now just discover on the iPhone and the echo... (Hue app)

Also, for those of you who use Computer as well as Smart phone and echo to control hue bulbs, I downloaded and installed a Hue App (unofficial for sure) called Colors For Hue V 1.2.6 I can sit and compute and surf and turn lights on/off everywhere with ease from the drop down they offer up in their app. easy and out of site until needed too.

Thought I'd share my thoughts and ask for input... Let-r-rip and discuss if anyone has something to add.

[asianrocker]

Well, maybe just maybe, it's because of that new echo with built in hub. But ok this honestly makes me want to buy a hue light and test if it will work on my hubless echo.  I really hope the alexa app is enough to make it work.

[malliekm]

Why would anyone buy a light bulb (or switch or outlet) that requires a hub when those products are available with no hub needed?  I know nothing about hubs and hardly anything about smart devices.  I have TP-Link outlets that don't' need a hub.  They work just find with Alexa and GH.

[renegade600]

Why would anyone buy a light bulb (or switch or outlet) that requires a hub when those products are available with no hub needed?  I know nothing about hubs and hardly anything about smart devices.  I have TP-Link outlets that don't' need a hub.  They work just find with Alexa and GH.

at the time I got the wink hub, it was cheaper to get the hub and a bunch of bulbs than to purchase wifi bulbs.  It was only cheaper to get wifi bulbs if you only needed to get a couple.  besides, there are more options today than there were over 18 months ago. 

also when I got the wink hub, I already had tcp connected bulbs.  I had those long before the echo was released.  I needed the wink hub when the echo was released for those bulbs to work with alexa.   Also hue was around long before tp-link devices or even alexa was available.  you had to use the hue hub for them to be used remotely.   

You really cannot judge or based your comments on what you see now or what is available now.  Technology advances quick these days.  So setups that seems to be antiquated now, were not so less than two years ago when Alexa was originally released.   And when Alexa was originally released, it was barebones compare to what it does now. 

IMO, hubs are a thing of the past as new technology is built to bypass them.   they had their use when they were needed to access the devices remotely and are still needed since you cannot turn some devices on/off without them but in a few years they will pass on just like floppies

[asianrocker]

Why would anyone buy a light bulb (or switch or outlet) that requires a hub when those products are available with no hub needed?  I know nothing about hubs and hardly anything about smart devices.  I have TP-Link outlets that don't' need a hub.  They work just find with Alexa and GH.

Yes I know of bulbs that doesn't need a hub. But with this new echo with hub. I want to test some thing if what I understand what I read about this zigbee mesh network hoopla that they put in the new echo.

I hope it is like WiFi which I think it is being compared to. In general you need a router to connect to WiFi. But, why can you connect to any public WiFi without a router in tow.

This is why I want to buy a hue bulbs to test my theory on the new echo with hub. I obviously will test it with my hubless echo. And I really hope I am right.