We know what you’re thinking, how you wish the lamp in your home could not only illuminate a room, but also play music. Oh, what’s that? You’ve never wished for such a product? Well, add it to your list of dreams and then cross it off, as AwoX has introduced its new StriimLight (SL-B10) LED light bulb with a built-in Bluetooth speaker ($99).
The idea of a “light bulb speaker” sounds so silly that it might actually work. Here’s why: It’s a self-contained unit that’s powered by the lamp socket, so, unlike breakaway Bluetooth speaker boxes, there are no unsightly wires or equipment you have to place somewhere. You can stream music to it from your smartphone, tablet, or computer, as you would with any Bluetooth device. It works with most standard bulb sockets (E27), so you can add music to any room instantly by fitting one into a floor or overhead lamp. The bulb is a 40-watt incandescent equivalent, 110-240-volt LED, while the speaker is rated at 10 watts, 200Hz-20KHz. Included is a remote for turning the light on and off, and adjusting volume and mute.
The StriimLight bulb probably won’t blow you away in sound quality when compared to a larger speaker system, but it should do the trick for most users who want a simple, uncluttered way to add music to a room. We should note that if the bulb goes out, you’ll need to replace the whole thing, as it’s one self-contained unit, but AwoX says that the LED bulb is long lasting, so it’ll probably live on until the next wireless streaming technology comes into play. There is also a Mini version and one with Wi-Fi.