That night, as Alex watched a movie, he didn't have to get up once. When he got sleepy, he simply murmured, "Hey Google, goodnight." The lights faded to a dim ember and then, total darkness. He was living in the future, and it was exactly as bright—or as dim—as he wanted it to be. a bedroom setup?

Instantly, the room transformed. The harsh white glare died away, replaced by a deep, pulsing amber and a soft violet glow. The Google Nest Hub displayed a matching digital clock face.

Alex sank into his sofa. "Hey Google," he whispered, feeling a bit silly. "Turn the lights to Savannah Sunset."

: He opened the Philips Hue app, which instantly "found" the bulbs. He named them "Couch Left" and "Reading Nook."

: He twisted the smart bulbs into his old lamps. For a second, they were just regular lights, but Alex knew they were capable of 16 million colors.

: Alex plugged the Hue Bridge into his router. It glowed with three blue lights—the "all systems go" signal.