A speaker lamp has just become available for pre-order, and it seems like the ideal way to get into home automation without going totally overboard on apps, hubs, and other internet-connected gear.

We've seen plenty of major technology companies - such as Sony at CES 2015 - unveil this type of thing before: smart light bulbs that double as wireless speakers, though most of them rely on Bluetooth connectivity. But that doesn't make Twist any less amazing. It's a new LED light bulb that turns into a speaker using AirPlay.

It's a simple home automation product. There's no installation (other than "twisting" it into a light socket), and there's no hub. There's almost no set-up, basically. Twist is smart because it automatically adjusts lighting throughout your day. You won't even need to play with app settings to achieve dimmer lighting for bedtime-reading.

Twist, which claims to mimic the sun's patterns, delivers a bluish-white light in the morning and a warm glow in the evening. In order to dim light however, you'll need to get the Twist dimmer. It comes with the Single Room Set for $249 or the Lighting Pack for $129. Twist will last up to 15 years and consumes just 10 watts of power.

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twist combines a smart led lamp with an airplay controlled speaker image 2
Twist: https://www.hellotwist.com/twist-single-room-set

Pre-orders have just kicked off. Also, the $249 (converts to £158) bundle includes three bulbs, one of which is the LED speaker. It lets you stream music from any app on an Apple device via Apple's AirPlay technology. As long as you’re connected to a wireless network, you'll be able to play music through your smart lamp.

The final product should begin shipping in early 2016.