* General Electric’s Sol lamp will launch this September
* It’s available for pre-order now with a 20% discount
* It does everything Alexa does, plus it functions as a light
General Electric is taking pre-orders for its new Alexa-enabled “Sol” lamp. Originally announced last December, GE’s Sol will retail for $200. Sales will officially start on Amazon and CbyGE this September; however, those who pre-order will get a 20 percent discount, bringing the cost down to an easy $160.
The Sol is essentially an Amazon Echo Dot, equipped with two glowing rings of light. You can dim or brighten the light by voice command, and you can switch between soft yellow-white and bluish-white daylight tones.
Sol can also perform all 10,000 of Alexa’s skills, like streaming music, creating task lists, playing podcasts, setting alarms, playing audiobooks and proving updates on news, traffic and weather. Another cool feature is that the light will mimic the hands of a clock when you ask for the time.
Also coming soon from GE this summer, C by GE smart bulbs that will be compatible with not only Alexa, but also Apple HomeKit. Adding HomeKit to the mix means you will be able to control the bulbs with other HomeKit devices in Apple’s Home app for iOS.
Now that Alexa capability is available on non-Amazon devices, expect to see more smart app-enabled everyday items from the likes of General Electric and other small appliance and home goods manufacturers.
