LED Bulb Maker Launches Indiegogo Campaign for Second-Gen Device With Battery Backup

Crowdfunded LED bulb maker SmartCharge set a goal of $50,000 in an Indiegogo campaign to fund a redesign of its SmartCharge LED bulb for mass distribution, founder Shaliendra Suman told us Friday. In round two, the company addressed battery issues and expanded the use case, allowing multiple bulbs to be controlled by a single switch, Suman said. The company also warmed up color temperature of the bulb to 2700 Kelvin and doubled the lumens, following customer feedback asking for warmer light and brighter output, Suman said. SmartWatch bulbs can operate for four hours after a power outage, and the backup battery can be put in recharge mode without the bulb being lit, he said. Initial manufacturer suggested retail price of the bulb was $35, though we found it Friday for $29 at Smarthome.com. The company is targeting a new $25 MSRP, with plans to drop it to $20. Next up in the lab is smart home integration, said Suman, who's talking to Lowe’s and others about building in ZigBee or Wi-Fi capability. Adding connectivity will require an additional round of funding, Suman said.