http://www.engadget.com/2008/12/11/ge-frees-cfl-lighting-from-the-tyranny-of-ugly/ Engadget Comments for GE frees CFL lighting from the tyranny of ugly http://www.engadget.com/media/feedlogo.gif http://www.engadget.com en-us Copyright 2012 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/http://www.engadget.com/2008/12/11/ge-frees-cfl-lighting-from-the-tyranny-of-ugly/http://www.engadget.com/2008/12/11/ge-frees-cfl-lighting-from-the-tyranny-of-ugly/Dec 11th 2008 10:35AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/12/11/ge-frees-cfl-lighting-from-the-tyranny-of-ugly/http://www.engadget.com/2008/12/11/ge-frees-cfl-lighting-from-the-tyranny-of-ugly/Dec 11th 2008 10:39AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/12/11/ge-frees-cfl-lighting-from-the-tyranny-of-ugly/http://www.engadget.com/2008/12/11/ge-frees-cfl-lighting-from-the-tyranny-of-ugly/
Marijuana growers swear by them.]]>Dec 11th 2008 10:44AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/12/11/ge-frees-cfl-lighting-from-the-tyranny-of-ugly/http://www.engadget.com/2008/12/11/ge-frees-cfl-lighting-from-the-tyranny-of-ugly/Dec 11th 2008 10:49AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/12/11/ge-frees-cfl-lighting-from-the-tyranny-of-ugly/http://www.engadget.com/2008/12/11/ge-frees-cfl-lighting-from-the-tyranny-of-ugly/
I will be hording regular light bulbs until LED's are available]]>Dec 11th 2008 10:55AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/12/11/ge-frees-cfl-lighting-from-the-tyranny-of-ugly/http://www.engadget.com/2008/12/11/ge-frees-cfl-lighting-from-the-tyranny-of-ugly/gotta admit...it does look kewl.]]>Dec 11th 2008 11:04AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/12/11/ge-frees-cfl-lighting-from-the-tyranny-of-ugly/http://www.engadget.com/2008/12/11/ge-frees-cfl-lighting-from-the-tyranny-of-ugly/
oh no, the tranny of ugly is taking all the lights!]]>Dec 11th 2008 11:06AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/12/11/ge-frees-cfl-lighting-from-the-tyranny-of-ugly/http://www.engadget.com/2008/12/11/ge-frees-cfl-lighting-from-the-tyranny-of-ugly/
There are different kinds of CFLs that provide different outputs. You may want to try one of the others. Some are more like daylight, some are more of a "blue" and some are just normal. Look around a bit.]]>Dec 11th 2008 11:17AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/12/11/ge-frees-cfl-lighting-from-the-tyranny-of-ugly/http://www.engadget.com/2008/12/11/ge-frees-cfl-lighting-from-the-tyranny-of-ugly/
Only problem with the CFLs is they take a minute or two to warm up full, but they hit 90% as soon as you flip the switch so I don't consider it really a negative -- just an interesting note.]]>Dec 11th 2008 11:28AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/12/11/ge-frees-cfl-lighting-from-the-tyranny-of-ugly/http://www.engadget.com/2008/12/11/ge-frees-cfl-lighting-from-the-tyranny-of-ugly/Dec 11th 2008 11:46AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/12/11/ge-frees-cfl-lighting-from-the-tyranny-of-ugly/http://www.engadget.com/2008/12/11/ge-frees-cfl-lighting-from-the-tyranny-of-ugly/Dec 11th 2008 12:38PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/12/11/ge-frees-cfl-lighting-from-the-tyranny-of-ugly/http://www.engadget.com/2008/12/11/ge-frees-cfl-lighting-from-the-tyranny-of-ugly/
http://www.popularmechanics.com/home_journal/home_improvement/4215199.html]]>Dec 11th 2008 1:05PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/12/11/ge-frees-cfl-lighting-from-the-tyranny-of-ugly/http://www.engadget.com/2008/12/11/ge-frees-cfl-lighting-from-the-tyranny-of-ugly/
For me personally, I can only live with 5000K 93 CRI T8 4' fluorescent tubes in an electronic ballast housing. The best color rendering, the closest temperature to daylight and the most efficient (even more than most LEDs). And when they're in an enclosure they blend in.

Also, to dumb haters: fluorescent tubes are available in more versions than the cheapo ones installed in your office. The better ones don't make everything look green.]]>Dec 11th 2008 2:04PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/12/11/ge-frees-cfl-lighting-from-the-tyranny-of-ugly/http://www.engadget.com/2008/12/11/ge-frees-cfl-lighting-from-the-tyranny-of-ugly/Dec 11th 2008 4:55PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/12/11/ge-frees-cfl-lighting-from-the-tyranny-of-ugly/http://www.engadget.com/2008/12/11/ge-frees-cfl-lighting-from-the-tyranny-of-ugly/
;)]]>Dec 11th 2008 8:27PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/12/11/ge-frees-cfl-lighting-from-the-tyranny-of-ugly/http://www.engadget.com/2008/12/11/ge-frees-cfl-lighting-from-the-tyranny-of-ugly/
Until full-spectrum LED lighting is cheap and done right, it's halogen for me... much more light per watt, and several times the life of conventional incandescents.]]>Dec 12th 2008 10:35PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/12/11/ge-frees-cfl-lighting-from-the-tyranny-of-ugly/http://www.engadget.com/2008/12/11/ge-frees-cfl-lighting-from-the-tyranny-of-ugly/Dec 11th 2008 10:37AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/12/11/ge-frees-cfl-lighting-from-the-tyranny-of-ugly/http://www.engadget.com/2008/12/11/ge-frees-cfl-lighting-from-the-tyranny-of-ugly/Dec 11th 2008 10:40AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/12/11/ge-frees-cfl-lighting-from-the-tyranny-of-ugly/http://www.engadget.com/2008/12/11/ge-frees-cfl-lighting-from-the-tyranny-of-ugly/
I gotta learn to type quicker, or at least how to more efficiently procrastinate this "job" thing.]]>Dec 11th 2008 11:05AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/12/11/ge-frees-cfl-lighting-from-the-tyranny-of-ugly/http://www.engadget.com/2008/12/11/ge-frees-cfl-lighting-from-the-tyranny-of-ugly/Dec 11th 2008 12:08PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/12/11/ge-frees-cfl-lighting-from-the-tyranny-of-ugly/http://www.engadget.com/2008/12/11/ge-frees-cfl-lighting-from-the-tyranny-of-ugly/Dec 11th 2008 10:38AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/12/11/ge-frees-cfl-lighting-from-the-tyranny-of-ugly/http://www.engadget.com/2008/12/11/ge-frees-cfl-lighting-from-the-tyranny-of-ugly/Dec 11th 2008 10:42AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/12/11/ge-frees-cfl-lighting-from-the-tyranny-of-ugly/http://www.engadget.com/2008/12/11/ge-frees-cfl-lighting-from-the-tyranny-of-ugly/http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/50060609]]>Dec 11th 2008 10:42AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/12/11/ge-frees-cfl-lighting-from-the-tyranny-of-ugly/http://www.engadget.com/2008/12/11/ge-frees-cfl-lighting-from-the-tyranny-of-ugly/Dec 11th 2008 11:03AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/12/11/ge-frees-cfl-lighting-from-the-tyranny-of-ugly/http://www.engadget.com/2008/12/11/ge-frees-cfl-lighting-from-the-tyranny-of-ugly/Of course, compared to the huuuge old GE CFLs it's a big step forward.]]>Dec 11th 2008 12:25PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/12/11/ge-frees-cfl-lighting-from-the-tyranny-of-ugly/http://www.engadget.com/2008/12/11/ge-frees-cfl-lighting-from-the-tyranny-of-ugly/Dec 11th 2008 8:32PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/12/11/ge-frees-cfl-lighting-from-the-tyranny-of-ugly/http://www.engadget.com/2008/12/11/ge-frees-cfl-lighting-from-the-tyranny-of-ugly/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Walt_Disney_Imagineering

It would be nice if they found cheaper LED lighting solutions for me though. CFL lights create too much of a strain on your eyes. That's not to say I haven't already made the switch so that I can afford a few more video games though.]]>Dec 11th 2008 10:39AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/12/11/ge-frees-cfl-lighting-from-the-tyranny-of-ugly/http://www.engadget.com/2008/12/11/ge-frees-cfl-lighting-from-the-tyranny-of-ugly/Dec 11th 2008 10:40AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/12/11/ge-frees-cfl-lighting-from-the-tyranny-of-ugly/http://www.engadget.com/2008/12/11/ge-frees-cfl-lighting-from-the-tyranny-of-ugly/Dec 11th 2008 10:55AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/12/11/ge-frees-cfl-lighting-from-the-tyranny-of-ugly/http://www.engadget.com/2008/12/11/ge-frees-cfl-lighting-from-the-tyranny-of-ugly/
Granted, they don't say what wattage this one is.]]>Dec 11th 2008 2:48PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/12/11/ge-frees-cfl-lighting-from-the-tyranny-of-ugly/http://www.engadget.com/2008/12/11/ge-frees-cfl-lighting-from-the-tyranny-of-ugly/
that's like trying to paper bag a chick, but using a ziplock...totally ineffective]]>Dec 11th 2008 10:40AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/12/11/ge-frees-cfl-lighting-from-the-tyranny-of-ugly/http://www.engadget.com/2008/12/11/ge-frees-cfl-lighting-from-the-tyranny-of-ugly/Dec 11th 2008 10:43AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/12/11/ge-frees-cfl-lighting-from-the-tyranny-of-ugly/http://www.engadget.com/2008/12/11/ge-frees-cfl-lighting-from-the-tyranny-of-ugly/Dec 11th 2008 10:46AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/12/11/ge-frees-cfl-lighting-from-the-tyranny-of-ugly/http://www.engadget.com/2008/12/11/ge-frees-cfl-lighting-from-the-tyranny-of-ugly/http://img.diytrade.com/cdimg/396151/3134647/0/1167657740/12V_DC_Fluorescent_lamp_CFL_lamp.jpg they get rid of that tumor at the bottom. ]]>Dec 11th 2008 10:52AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/12/11/ge-frees-cfl-lighting-from-the-tyranny-of-ugly/http://www.engadget.com/2008/12/11/ge-frees-cfl-lighting-from-the-tyranny-of-ugly/
Well, unless the color blue looks better on her?]]>Dec 11th 2008 12:16PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/12/11/ge-frees-cfl-lighting-from-the-tyranny-of-ugly/http://www.engadget.com/2008/12/11/ge-frees-cfl-lighting-from-the-tyranny-of-ugly/Dec 11th 2008 3:44PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/12/11/ge-frees-cfl-lighting-from-the-tyranny-of-ugly/http://www.engadget.com/2008/12/11/ge-frees-cfl-lighting-from-the-tyranny-of-ugly/Dec 11th 2008 4:32PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/12/11/ge-frees-cfl-lighting-from-the-tyranny-of-ugly/http://www.engadget.com/2008/12/11/ge-frees-cfl-lighting-from-the-tyranny-of-ugly/Dec 11th 2008 10:41AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/12/11/ge-frees-cfl-lighting-from-the-tyranny-of-ugly/http://www.engadget.com/2008/12/11/ge-frees-cfl-lighting-from-the-tyranny-of-ugly/
The point of this is that it is the same form factor as a traditional bulb. They have had enclosed cf tubes for a long time but the balast is enclosed in plastic casing outside of the bulb.

I actually like the twisted cf tubes better than normal bulbs although I do welcome the reduction of the ballast size.]]>Dec 11th 2008 10:47AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/12/11/ge-frees-cfl-lighting-from-the-tyranny-of-ugly/http://www.engadget.com/2008/12/11/ge-frees-cfl-lighting-from-the-tyranny-of-ugly/Dec 11th 2008 1:27PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/12/11/ge-frees-cfl-lighting-from-the-tyranny-of-ugly/http://www.engadget.com/2008/12/11/ge-frees-cfl-lighting-from-the-tyranny-of-ugly/Dec 11th 2008 10:41AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/12/11/ge-frees-cfl-lighting-from-the-tyranny-of-ugly/http://www.engadget.com/2008/12/11/ge-frees-cfl-lighting-from-the-tyranny-of-ugly/
LED for general lighting is simply not ready for primetime. 5-8 years away.

Everyone who gets their electricity from coal burning plants should use CFL sources without concern... There is a net reduction in mercury released, just by the fact that coal plants release mercury, anyway.

Overall, ESL could prove to be a much better lighting source for residential applications, anyway: www.vu1.com]]>Dec 11th 2008 10:54AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/12/11/ge-frees-cfl-lighting-from-the-tyranny-of-ugly/http://www.engadget.com/2008/12/11/ge-frees-cfl-lighting-from-the-tyranny-of-ugly/
The cost has a lot to do with economies of scale. Once they are mass produced like CFLs are now, they will decline dramatically in price.

As for the mercury I would rather not have it from the bulbs or the energy plants.

Pragmatically, you are right, CFLs are the way to go now. I have been using them exclusively for more than a year now. Yes, they are cheaper and realistic today.

My main point was related to GE's new bulb. That too is for a bulb for a later day. I would rather see these companies invest their efforts into producing a cheaper LED bulb and CFLs that will be obsolete (IMO) in only a matter of years. Wasted resources if you ask me.]]>Dec 11th 2008 11:35AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/12/11/ge-frees-cfl-lighting-from-the-tyranny-of-ugly/http://www.engadget.com/2008/12/11/ge-frees-cfl-lighting-from-the-tyranny-of-ugly/
There are many problems with LED that really haven't been solved yet. The biggest is heat -- And the fact that the LED drivers are VERY sensitive to that heat. It is NOT cheap to try and solve this.

To give you an idea, there is one company that has effectively solved it: LLF, which was purchased by Cree late least year (For $107 Million... Not bad for a company that did under $3 million in sales, but that just goes to show you how difficult the R+D problems are with LED). http://www.creells.com/lr6.htm -- Check out the product. It's HUGE, expensive (around $125 each), and puts out the light equiveland of a 60 watt flood... Not enough light for most people spending $125 per bulb.

There are a whole bunch of knock-offs coming to market right now, but they all didn't go through what it takes to solve the issues... And early reports are REALLY bad -- Most of my reps won't sell the knock-offs, because they fail so much.

The other thing about LED is the directionality of the light -- It's a VERY narrow beam. This makes it hard to work with, especially for general lighting (And why LED flashlights make so much sense). By the time you diffuse the narrow beam, you've lost a lot of efficiency.

For years, LED has made sense for signals, accent, signage, and color lighting. For general, white lighting, it's still a ways off... More than 2-3 years.

]]>Dec 11th 2008 11:57AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/12/11/ge-frees-cfl-lighting-from-the-tyranny-of-ugly/http://www.engadget.com/2008/12/11/ge-frees-cfl-lighting-from-the-tyranny-of-ugly/Dec 11th 2008 1:15PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/12/11/ge-frees-cfl-lighting-from-the-tyranny-of-ugly/http://www.engadget.com/2008/12/11/ge-frees-cfl-lighting-from-the-tyranny-of-ugly/merc-merc-mercury's in retrograde]]>Dec 11th 2008 3:15PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/12/11/ge-frees-cfl-lighting-from-the-tyranny-of-ugly/http://www.engadget.com/2008/12/11/ge-frees-cfl-lighting-from-the-tyranny-of-ugly/But seriously, you could just make new homes have high-voltage light sockets or something that'll take HID bulbs.]]>Dec 12th 2008 3:46AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/12/11/ge-frees-cfl-lighting-from-the-tyranny-of-ugly/http://www.engadget.com/2008/12/11/ge-frees-cfl-lighting-from-the-tyranny-of-ugly/
]]>Dec 11th 2008 10:41AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/12/11/ge-frees-cfl-lighting-from-the-tyranny-of-ugly/http://www.engadget.com/2008/12/11/ge-frees-cfl-lighting-from-the-tyranny-of-ugly/Dec 11th 2008 10:42AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/12/11/ge-frees-cfl-lighting-from-the-tyranny-of-ugly/http://www.engadget.com/2008/12/11/ge-frees-cfl-lighting-from-the-tyranny-of-ugly/
Incandescent bulbs can. I don't know if LED's can.

]]>Dec 11th 2008 10:48AM