Been a long time coming, but Luma’s finally ready to start shipping units to eager early adopters of the hardware startup’s home WiFi system. The routers, which have been up for pre-order since last year, offer what the company calls “surround WiFi,” a mesh network that promises to get rid of wireless dead spots, while increasing speeds and security throughout the home.
Customers who pre-order their units will start to receive them soon, and the rest of us can order one now through Luma’s site and Amazon at $149 apiece or $399 for a three-pack (which the company, naturally, recommends). Today’s announcement also includes a partnership with Best Buy, which makes Luma’s device available now through the big retailer’s site today, with in-store availability hitting next month.
In spite of only just announcing retail availability, Luma’s been keeping pretty busy. Right around CES this year, the company announced that it had picked up Nodal Industries, in a bid to help increase its product’s security. In April, Luma picked $12.5 million in Series A funding, in a round led by Accel Partners and Amazon.
It’s no surprise, then, that the device will also be getting increased Echo compatibility, including the ability for Amazon’s smart assistant to “pause the internet.” That functionality will arrive as an over-the-air update in the fall.
