Ikea now has a smart LED strip

Ikea

Ikea’s first smart RGB LED light strip, the Ormanäs, is now available in the Netherlands for €29.99 (about $CA44). The four-meter (13-foot) strip works with the Dirigera smart hub, a Zigbee device that connects to various smart home platforms. The Ormanäs is dimmable and can be cut to length, but it can display only one color at a time. It can be controlled by the Ikea Home app, the Styrbar remote, or voice assistants like Apple HomeKit, Google Home, and Amazon Alexa. Ikea plans to add Matter support to the Dirigera hub, which should make cross-platform setup better in the future.

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IKEA offers virtual interior design services in the US

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If you aren't quite sure how to decorate a space with the IKEA furniture you've been eyeing, the company has started offering a new interior design service. Unfortunately, it's currently only available in the US. The offering costs as low as USD 99/around CAD 133 per room (or USD 299/~CAD 403 for a business setting). This will allow IKEA designers to take the reigns over designing a room.

The consultations will be done digitally over three video calls and come after booking an appointment and taking an online survey "wish list" to help the designers fulfill your needs. They will then build you a mood board, map out your space in 3D, and work with you on furnishing, lighting choices, and materials. They will select everything you need, so you just pay for it. You can assemble the furniture yourself or collaborate with IKEA's TaskRabbit service to take the plans and build them out for you.

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IKEA launches a new affordable shower-ready Bluetooth speaker

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If you want an affordable Bluetooth speaker for the show, IKEA offers a new VAPPEBY portable speaker. It doesn't appear on IKEA Canada's website yet, but it retails for USD 15 (around CAD 20). This silicone-coated speaker is just a three-inch square that's two inches thick. It comes with a lanyard-style cord, so it's easy to carry around or hang in the shower. You can get it in yellow, black or red. It can work as a stereo pair if you buy a couple of these speakers. And most importantly, it's IP67 rated for water and dust resistance.

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IKEA launches a smart air quality sensor for your homes

Photo: IKEA

If you want to check if your cleaning or cooking habits have been making you sick, IKEA made a new smart indoor air quality sensor. The Vindstyrka gauges particulate matter levels (smaller than 2.5 micrometres), humidity, temperature, and the load of gaseous pollutants. 

You can use it on its own or connect it with IKEA's Dirigera smart home hub. You can check air quality through the app and have the monitor control other devices. IKEA plans to release the Vindstyrka in all its markets starting in April. But we don't have pricing for now.

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