This week’s Smart Living roundup features new connected appliances slated for 2015, a home automation line that plans to get certification for interoperability use, a responsive light bulb and a new home automation system that’s sleek and stylish.

Oort smartphone app (see details below)

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GE’s new line of connected home appliances

General Electric Co. announced at this year’s Consumer Electronics Show that it will be launching a new line of gas ranges, refrigerators and washers-dryers that are connected to the Internet. These devices can be controlled using an app on a mobile device, allowing the consumer to remotely pre-heat the oven while on the way home or start the dryer so you can come home to a fresh batch of laundry. The new line of connected appliances are slated to come out this year.

“We’re very excited about this,” said Mike Beyerle, product manager of Connected-Home Products at GE. “You’re going to see vast change over time.”

Icontrol teams with Lowe’s Iris

Icontrol Networks, Inc., a company that offers home automation and smart security solutions, announced that it will begin to certify Lowe’s Companies Inc.’s Iris line of home automation products for interoperability with its own offerings. Since the launch of the Icontrol certification program in 2013, over 100 devices and applications have been approved for interoperability with its system, which includes Nest smart thermostats, Philips Hue bulbs, LG Smart Bulbs, the Logitech Harmony Remote and others.

“By offering consumers access to these items through the convenience and ease of Lowe’s stores nationwide,” said Icontrol CEO Bob Hagerty, “together we’re making the vision of the smart home a reality.”

Alba presents the first responsive light bulb

Stack Labs Inc. introduced Alba, described as the first responsive light bulb, at CES 2015. What makes Alba different from other smart light bulbs is that it adjusts to your daily activities. It syncs with your alarm and gently wakes you up, delivers the perfect level of brightness to keep you productive all day while keeping the brightness at a comfortable level, turns off when no one’s at home, gradually dims to help you get ready for sleep and emits a gentle glow to light your way through the night. The bulb can be pre-ordered for $150 for a starter kit with two bulbs and a hub.

Make your home smarter with Oort

Oort Inc. featured its smart home automation system at CES 2015. It features the Oort SmartHub, SmartFinder, SmartLED, SmartSocket, Development Kit and Family & Belongings Safety Kit. These devices will help households automate and remotely control smart appliances and ordinary appliances plugged into the SmartSocket.

The SmartHub acts like a brain that connects all these smart devices so it can easily be controlled using a mobile app or the Oort web service on your computer. The Oort Smarthome Starter Kit, which includes a SmartHub, SmartLED and SmartSocket, costs $395.90.