Philips has created a smartphone-controlled LED bulb called Hue that can cycle through colours as fast as users can drag a finger across a photo.

A smartphone/ tablet app allows users to use photos to create a colour palette, save personal light settings, and even control the bulbs when away from home.

A programmable timer can also be used to wake, or sleep, to light. A starter pack includes three bulbs that simply screw into existing lamps, and a bridge that plugs into a home Wi-Fi router.

The upgradeable Hue (Philips is opening up the hue app to the developer community) will be an Apple Store exclusive from October 30th.