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"The Spark Socket can do for the lights in your home what apps have done for smartphones, says Spark Socket founder Zach Supalla in a video on the project's Kickstarter page. \nSpark Socket is a small Wi-Fi device that screws onto any standard dimmable light bulb and lets you control the light from your smartphone. It fits between the light bulb and light fixture.\nSpark Socket offers a lot of uses for the average consumer \u2014 the ability to wake yourself up in the morning by programming your lights to turn on, or having your lights turn on and off when you're on vacation to make it look like you're home. You can also program your lights to dim depending on the weather. But where the product really shines is its usefulness for people who are hearing impaired. \n\n SEE ALSO: Apple Will Sell App-Enabled, Color-Changing Light Bulbs \nSupalla's father is hearing impaired and uses lights to communicate. For instance, a hearing impaired person might have a light in his home that flashes when the doorbell rings. Being able to have Wi-Fi-connected lights could be a real game changer for the deaf community. The Spark Socket could be used to make the lights flash when the person is receiving a text message or to alert them to something else that needs their attention. \n\nThe company, Spark Devices, is raising funds to bring the product to market using Kickstarter. So far, it has raised more than $75,000 of its $250,000 goal with 15 days remaining before the Kickstarter funding drive closes. The page indicates the socket will be shipped next summer in July 2013. \nSet up is simple: all you need is a Wi-Fi router and a few minutes to screw in the device and connect it to your iPhone or Android smartphone or home computer. You control the lights using the company's native mobile apps. And if the Internet goes down, light switches will still work. \n\n SEE ALSO: Smartphone-Controlled Light Bulb Raises $260,000 on Kickstarter  \nSpark Device's software platform for the Spark Socket is open, meaning the company welcomes developer's ideas on how to make the device even more useful to consumers. The company is also open to suggestions from consumers regarding other ways to use the device. \nThis isn't the first Wi-Fi connected light bulb \u2014 just the first to be developed with the hearing impaired in mind. Similar products have been launched in the past with a stronger focus on the entertainment and convenience aspect of such an invention. In September, an actual light bulb called LIFX had Wi-Fi built in and could be controlled through an iOS or Android app. The bulb was said to be able to last for 25 years. Another lightbulb called Insteon is already on the market. It costs $29.99 and can be operated remotely from your smartphone.  \nHow could Wi-Fi enabled lightbulbs make your life easier or more convenient? Tell us in the comments. \nThumbnail image courtesy iStockphoto, kyoshino\nGet Your Tickets to Mashable Media Summit\n\nThe Mashable Media Summit 2012 will explore the impact that technology is having on media, and how digital media is affecting our lives and changing the world. This one-day conference will bring together the brightest minds in media, including content creators, technology leaders, entrepreneurs, social media executives and journalists.\nDate: Friday, Nov. 30, 2012\u00A0Time: 9:30 a.m. - 5:30 p.m.\u00A0Location: The TimesCenter, 242 West 41st Street, New York, NY 10036Tickets: Purchase early bird tickets on Eventbrite.\nA Look Back at Last Year's Mashable Media Summit\n\u00A0\n\n\nMashable Media Summit 2011\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nMedia Summit 2011\nThe Mashable Media Summit on Nov. 4 at the Times Center in New York City attracted professionals in digital, tech, advertising, sales, marketing, mobile and publishing from all over the world.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nMedia Summit 2011\nWe had a packed house in attendance for this year's Media Summit.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nThe Future of Social Media\nPete Cashmore, founder and CEO of Mashable, speaks on the future of social media, its current landscape and what trends to expect for 2012.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nMedia Summit 2011\nThis year's Media Summit was located at the Times Center in New York City.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nSocial Media Grows Up: The Evolving Role of Social Media in News Organizations\nMashable's community manager Meghan Peters chats with Katie Rogers, social media manager at The Washington Post; Anthony De Rosa, social media editor at Reuters; and Drake Martinet, social media editor at AllThingsD.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nTeaching \u2013 and Learning From \u2013 The Old Grey Lady\nBrian Stelter, a media reporter and blogger at The New York Times speaks at the Media Summit.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nThe Filter Bubble: How to Fix Content Curation\nEli Pariser, author and chairman of the board at MoveOn.org, discusses how human editors and algorithms can work together to get users clicking on content that matters.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nWhat Facebook's New Features Mean For Journalism\nAdam Ostrow, executive editor and senior vice president of content, Mashable speaks with Vadim Lavrusik, journalist program manager of  Facebook, about how the social network's new features can help journalists.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n The Evolution of Sports Illustrated\nSports Illustrated Group editor, Terry McDonell, talks about the magazine's transition from print to digital with Mashable's Editor in Chief Lance Ulanoff.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nFrom Tactile to Mobile\nJosh Koppel, co-founder and chief creative officer of ScrollMotion, speaks on the reinvention of content experience and engagement.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nTV Makes You Smarter\nChristy Tanner, TV Guide's general manager and executive vice president, explains how technology is changing entertainment for better and for worse.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nTV Guide Audience\nA member of the audience asks TVGuide general manager and EVP Christy Tanner about technology's changes to the entertainment industry.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nWho Owns Your Identity?\nMashable Senior Vice President Robyn Peterson speaks with Andy Mitchell, strategic partner of development at Facebook about how much of our identity is shared to third-party sites. Also on stage is Patrick Harding, CTO of Ping Identity, and Tim Dierks, senior vice president of engineering at Huffington Post.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nWho Owns Your Identity?\nMashable Senior Vice President Robyn Peterson speaks with Andy Mitchell, strategic partner of development at Facebook; Patrick Harding, CTO of Ping Identity; and Tim Dierks, senior vice president of engineering at Huffington Post about how much of our identity is shared to third-party sites.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nLike A Virgin\nTor Myhren, Grey president and chief creative officer, talked about the ultimate user experience, and how different it is today from when he was a teen. Here he is at age 14. \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nLike A Virgin \nTor Myhren, Grey president and chief creative officer, talked about the ultimate user experience, and how different it is today from when he was a teen.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n The Problem of Prediction\nTony Haile, CEO of Chartbeat, discusses how real time data changes what you should be doing. \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nMashable's Big Announcement\nAt Mashable Media Summit, we announced the Mashable Publisher Platform, a new editorially curated syndication experience that brings content from select publishers to our site.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nThe Importance of Being Awesome\nFaris Yakob, chief innovation officer of MDC Partners\u2019 kbs+p and founding partner of Spies &amp; Assassins, covers from art and copy to arduinos and code, and how important it is to be awesome.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nAT&amp;T Brings 4G to NYC\nLarry Solomon, AT&amp;T's senior vice president of corporate communications, announced that 4G LTE will be coming to New York City.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nAT&amp;T\nSpecial thanks to our presenting sponsor, AT&amp;T. \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nOne on One\nBloomberg TV anchor Emily Chang talks tech with Foursquare's General Manager Evan Cohen.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nThe New Model of Content and Commerce\nLauren Indvik, marketing and media associate editor at Mashable, is joined by a panel including Alexis Maybank, founder and chief marketing officer of Gilt Groupe\u2028; Maureen Mullen, research and advisory lead of L2; and David Granger, editor in chief of Esquire.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nThe New Model of Content and Commerce\nLauren Indvik, marketing and media associate editor at Mashable, is joined by a panel including Alexis Maybank, Founder and chief marketing officer of Gilt Groupe\u2028; Maureen Mullen, research and advisory lead of L2; and David Granger, editor in chief of Esquire.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nThe Future of Social TV\nMashable's entertainment editor Christina Warren talks with a panel including Alex Iskold, GetGlue founder and CEO; Jesse Redniss, vice president of digital, USA Networks; and Tom Thai, vice president of marketing and business development at Bluefin Labs, about the future of social media in its relationship with television.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nThe Future of Social TV\nMashable's entertainment editor Christina Warren talks with a panel including Alex Iskold, GetGlue founder and CEO; Jesse Redniss, vice president of digital, USA Networks; and Tom Thai, vice president of marketing and business development at Bluefin Labs, about the future of social media in its relationship with television.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nThe Future of Social TV\nMashable's entertainment editor Christina Warren talks with a panel including Alex Iskold, GetGlue founder and CEO; Jesse Redniss, vice president of digital, USA Networks; and Tom Thai, vice president of marketing and business development at Bluefin Labs, about the future of social media in its relationship with television.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nBreaking Down Content Barriers\nMichael Lazerow, founder and CEO of Buddy Media talks about the rules of content that need to be changed for social media.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nSponsors for the Mashable Media Summit 2011\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nGetting Ready for the Post-Conference Reception\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nMedia Summit 2011 Reception \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nMedia Summit 2011 Reception \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nMedia Summit 2011 Reception \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nMedia Summit 2011 Reception \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nMedia Summit 2011 Reception \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nMedia Summit 2011 Reception \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nMedia Summit 2011 Reception \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nMedia Summit 2011 Reception \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nMedia Summit 2011 Reception \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nMedia Summit 2011 Reception \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nMedia Summit 2011 Reception \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nMedia Summit 2011 Reception \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nMedia Summit 2011 Reception \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nMedia Summit 2011 Reception \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nMedia Summit 2011 Reception \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nMedia Summit 2011 Reception \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nMedia Summit 2011 Reception \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nMedia Summit 2011 Reception \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nMedia Summit 2011 Reception \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nMedia Summit 2011 Reception \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nMedia Summit 2011 Reception \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nMedia Summit 2011 Reception \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nMedia Summit 2011 Reception \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nMedia Summit 2011 Reception \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nMedia Summit 2011 Reception \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nMedia Summit 2011 Reception \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nMedia Summit 2011 Reception \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nMedia Summit 2011 Reception \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nMedia Summit 2011 Reception \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nMedia Summit 2011 Reception \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nMedia Summit 2011 Reception \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nMedia Summit 2011 Reception \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nMedia Summit 2011 Reception \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nSupporting Sponsor\nSponsorship Opportunities\nA limited number of sponsor opportunities are available for the Mashable Media Summit. This is an excellent opportunity to get in front of Mashable\u2019s passionate and influential audience. Contact sponsorships@mashable.com for opportunities.\u00A0\n"^^<http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema#string>
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