Nanoleaf, the company behind some of the best smart lights, has launched a new system of LED panels and storage that lets you show off your collections while keeping them organized.
The Nanoleaf Blocks system includes square LED panels in two sizes, which you can combine with textured square light panels, pegboards, and shelves to make a bespoke layout.
The Blocks panels are thicker and sturdier than Nanoleaf's earlier square panels, with seamless edge-to-edge illumination to create a smooth, even look without dark corners or hot spots. The pegboards are particularly interesting, giving you a place to store objects like keyboards and headphones that you want to use regularly, with light and animations shining through the holes behind them.
As with all Nanoleaf panels, you can use preset 'scenes' to set the mood with subtle or dramatic ambient lighting, and the Blocks system includes several new options. The new Minimalist scene uses white lights at different temperatures, Level Up (shown below) uses fresh blue shades, and Lo-Fi Dreams features soft pastel colors. There are thousands of other scenes to choose from in the Nanoleaf app too, or you can create your own.
Magic and mirrors
Nanoleaf Blocks can respond to sound via the Rhythm Music Visualizer, and you can use Screen Mirror to extend the content of your screen (much like a Philips Ambilight TV). There's also Magic Scenes, which lets you type in a word or phrase, and uses AI to generate lighting accordingly. For example, you might type 'Winter Wonderland' to generate something festive, or enter the name of the movie you're about to watch.
Nanoleaf Blocks are compatible with all the major smart home ecosystems (including Apple HomeKit, Google Home, and Amazon Alexa) so you can control them using voice commands or your smart home hub. You can also operate them using Nanoleaf's mobile and desktop apps, or with the physical controller built into the power cable.
