Anyone who is interested in technical gadgets and has an Instagram account may have already become acquainted with GLORB. The unique lamp with a futuristic design can regularly be seen on the social media platform.
It also attracted our attention, because we love attractive and smart lighting in our home. I contacted the makers and we were sent an early access copy to review and test the product. You can read our first findings in this product review.
GLORB: Smart lighting
Do you like unique and smart lighting? Then you would do well to view this product review. The GLORB is a great example of innovative smart lighting that combines a unique design with a versatile app. The GLORB can best be seen as a disco ball with triangles that can emit light separately. The user determines the colors, patterns and effects himself.
Kickstarter project and bootstrapped startup
GLORB was developed by a Swedish bootstrapped start-up company that launched their smart lamp on Kickstarter last April. This is, in their own words, a group of nerdy creative friends consisting of artists, designers, engineers and programmers.
The campaign, as previously mentioned, was launched in April 2024 and the first copies are almost ready to be shipped to customers. This allows them to keep their promises and a bright future awaits them.
Design and construction
The GLORB has a unique geodesic spherical design with 80 triangular LED panels that can individually display a color and effect. With a diameter of 250 mm it is about the size of a football. The GLORB can be used as a table lamp or hung from the ceiling. When purchasing, you will receive a ‘dock’ that you can use to place the lamp or attach to the ceiling to hide the connection.
The design really appeals to us. The GLORB offers a unique combination of artistic design and smart technology, making it suitable for various applications.
The GLORB is made from a mix of plant-based polymers and recyclable plastic, with a focus on sustainability.
Installation
You can hang the smart lamp from the ceiling, but there is a catch. The lamp is equipped with a USB-C cable with a separate adapter. You have two options: make a socket or something similar in the ceiling instead of a ‘lamp connection’ or a USB-C transformer places. We opted for a power socket. Then you have to hide the adapter and cable in the included dock/ceiling ornament. In our Instagram Reel you can view the installation.
Do you use the GLORB as a table lamp? Then the installation is ready in no time. You plug the USB-C cable into the adapter and socket and place the lamp in a desired location on the Dock.
Lighting options
- Adjustable lighting: The 80 LED panels can be individually adjusted for dynamic lighting effects with, among other things, a compatible app
- Animations: The GLORB offers 360° animations and pulsating light patterns.
- Brightness: The lamp produces approximately 700 lumens.
- Audio response: The built-in microphone uses advanced algorithms to visualize music on the smart lamp
- Synchronization: If you have multiple GLORB lights, they can be synchronized for spectacular light shows.
- Water resistant: The GLORB is water resistant, making it suitable for outdoor use, but I wouldn’t use it outside permanently.
Smart functions
Of course, the GLORB is only interesting if it is smart, and it certainly is. Using the SNRGY app you can provide the sphere with different colors, animations and effects. You can connect the lamp to your WiFi network or access it directly via Bluetooth.
The application is kept simple with direct access to the lamp and various standard effects, colors and animations. Of course you can adjust the brightness and colors, but also the speed of the effects.
You can synchronize multiple GLORB lamps via the application, so that all lamps show the same effect and colors. And with the timer function you can automatically switch off the lamp after a certain time and automatically switch the lamp on or off at fixed times based on schedules.
The application will be further expanded in the near future with more effects, new options and surprises. You can also update the smart lighting to the latest firmware update via the application.
Power supply and portability
The GLORB operates on 5 Volts via a USB-C connection and is compatible with power banks. A standard 10 Ah power bank can supply power for approximately 12 hours. This means you can also use the smart lamp outside on the table or take it with you to the campsite.
As we indicated above during the installation, this choice of USB-C with adapter is less convenient if you want to use the GLORB as a hanging lamp. You will then have to install a socket or adapter in the ceiling. You can also use it as a table lamp, then it is no problem.
WLED integration
GLORB lighting uses WLED. This is an open source software project designed to control LED strips via an ESP8266 or ESP32 microcontroller. It offers a user-friendly interface that allows users to easily set different lighting effects and colors without the need for in-depth programming knowledge. WLED supports a wide range of LED chipsets and has the advantage of being easily integrated with smart home systems for advanced automation and control.
Smart Home integration
The lighting is compatible with various smart home systems such as Alexa, Homey and Home Assistant. You can also connect the lamp to your existing Philips Hue system, but then the operation is limited to one color, on and off.
Whether the GLORB will receive support for Google Home, Apple HomeKit and Matter in the future is still unclear, because the company is dependent on WLED support here. Do you connect the GLORB to Homey? Then you can already use the lamp on all these platforms, including Apple’s Home app.
GLORB in practice
We have had GLORB’s smart lighting in the living room for several weeks now and we are very satisfied with the futuristic design and smart functions. The installation required some attention, but after that you don’t have to worry about it anymore.
Because the smart bulb uses WLED, we were able to immediately connect it to our Homey Pro and provide it with smart automations. This automatically adjusts the effect, brightness and colors to the time of day. More effects are also possible, but the accompanying SNRGY app contains effects that are specially tailored to the GLORB.
Even though it is a new product and the software was still in beta, the connection was always stable and we could easily operate and manage the lamp. This is probably due to the use of WLED, an industry standard. If you are looking for a unique lamp, the GLORB is highly recommended!
In the video below you can see an example of the lighting effects and the GLORB in action. Due to the use of LED and smartphone camera, the panels appear to have a bright light source in the middle, but that is because of the camera. The panels have an even color and brightness.
Buy GLORB
The GLORB is currently available for pre-order, with expected shipping at the end of 2024. The recommended retail price is € 219 per piece, if you buy a bundle of multiple sets, the lamp will be cheaper per piece. At the time of writing, the GLORB is on sale and you can purchase it for €159. In addition, as an appletips visitor you will receive visitors Additional 10% discount with the discount code: appletips.