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Panasonic's new EVERLED light bulbs to light up your life for 19 years
Long-lasting light bulb technology is nothing new -- people have been trying to up the lifespan these bad boys for some time. Long-lived light bulbs are generally uber-expensive, too, but we like to keep our eyes on such things. Panasonic's just unveiled the EVERLED, a line of bulbs set to be launched in Japan at the end of October. Lighter and more efficient than other LEDs on the market, these babies use 85 lumens per watt for a 40W bulb. Though the bulbs are not going to be cheap -- about $40 -- the company claims they'll have a lifespan of 19 years, bringing the overall costs down considerably. Still, we'd have to see them last that long to believe it. [Via Inhabitat]
Sleek Audio adds phosphorescent glow to wireless CT6 Aura earbuds
Even those with everything probably wish their high-end earbuds had a bit more personality, and if you're reclined in your Victorian-era sofa in a robe befitting one Chuck Bass nodding in agreement, we'd encourage you to have a gander at Sleek Audio's latest. Essentially, these are the same Kleer-enabled CT6 'buds that the affluent among us have grown to love, but with an obvious twist. Thanks to the inclusion of phosphorescent particles within the shell and top plate, the $374.99 CT6 Aura can actually glow in a variety of colors, giving DJs around the globe one more reason to ditch the cans and go small. Currently, the CT6 Aura can be ordered in green, blue, orange, yellow and white, with pricing set at $25 more than the standard CT6. Gnarly, right?%Gallery-73140%
Bluetooth-enabled Modula therapy lamp changes color via cellphone
Details are exceedingly light (almost dangerously light, in fact), but the Modula color therapy lamp is simply too soothing to overlook. The three-ringed lamp is built with a slew of multi-color lights (LEDs, we're guessing), all wired up to be controlled via Bluetooth. The video demonstration shows a Sony Ericsson W880i doing the dirty work, but there's no indication of how exactly end users are supposed to accomplish the color changing once it arrives. Those in the camp of "buy now, ask questions later" can get their pre-order in through the read link, but considering that only an EU-friendly 230V version is currently available, those on this side of the pond will need to invest in some serious converters to make it all compatible. The pain? Just €199 ($281) for hours upon hours of endless entertainment.
Don't let retailer's lights distract you from buying the right HDTV
In case you hadn't already learned your lesson and started checking behind the displays while HDTV shopping, the HD Guru points out another element of the in-store experience that throws off buyers (and likely contributes to the LCD vs. plasma choices we find so infuriating): lighting. In case you don't recall from your last trek to a big box superstore, the lighting is quite often stuck on blinding making it nearly impossible to discern any difference in picture quality between televisions, specifically in terms of contrast and black levels (the pictures above are of the same value priced display, at left, under normal home lighting, at right, how it looks under some store lighting setups.) Tested with an illuminance meter, all the stores (except Best Buy's Magnolia showrooms) averaged well above home ambient lighting levels, with Wal-Mart and Costco measuring the highest at 411.66 and 742.77 lux. Still, there's tips on how to get a good idea of a TV's black levels even under those circumstances, plus some choice words left over for the incredible (and useless) dynamic contrast ratio numbers every manufacturer trots out these days, so go ahead and get educated.
Study says LEDs are about as efficient as compact fluorescents, all things considered
As we've seen with the slight resurgence of new and improved incandescent light bulbs, the amount of energy used to actually light up the bulb isn't necessarily the whole measure of energy efficiency. There's also the small matter of producing the bulb, shipping it around the world, and eventually disposing of it. With that in mind, the Siemens Corporate Technology Centre for Eco Innovations conducted a study that compared regular compact fluorescents to LED lamps -- using one 25,000-hour LED lamp as a constant, compared to 2.5 10,000-hour compact fluorescents (and 25 1,000-hour incandescents). While it's still holding back on some of the finer details, the group did apparently find that LEDs are no more or no less energy efficient than compact fluorescents when the entire lifecycle of the bulb is taken into account, although it is quick to point out that LEDs should eventually win out as they become more efficient to produce.
Empty ink cartridges repurposed as glorious lamps
We all know that those ink cartridge refills never really function perfectly as advertised, so rather than paying too much to have a lackluster printing experience, boxlightbox has decided to repurpose his empty Epson boxes into prepossessing lighting instruments. The simple (albeit masterly) lamps maintain the iconic presence of an ink cartridge while still fitting into the overall feel of an art deco home. At $350, the sensational Ink-Cartridge Chandelier shown above certainly isn't the cheapest of fixtures, but for those who spend entirely too much time at Kinko's, it's totally worth the investment. Hit the read link for more ways to spend money that you don't have -- or, you know, to just get a few ideas for scratching that DIY itch. [Thanks, David]
LEDSAUR Tyrannosaurus Rex desk lamp makes chewing through paperwork less monotonous
We'll be straight with you: it was pretty much love at first sight for us and dinosaur bones, and while we've always harbored a secret desire to someday acquire a real T-Rex fossil for our private collection, the LEDSAUR is probably our best shot at anything even close to that. Besides taking on that famous shape we love, this carnivorous piece of lighting is pretty stylish, with each of its vertebrae represented with an LED. The lamp is made of stainless steel, it's bendable, and it comes with a remote control. It's sadly only available in Japan for the time being, and runs between $115 and $270. [Via CrunchGear]
UC-Light project puts LEDs to work in communication networks
Yeah, mad scientists have been trying to get the public at large to pay attention to visible light communications for years now, but the gurus over at the University of California, Riverside think that the project they're involved in holds a special kind of promise. The Center for Ubiquitous Communication by Light (UC-Light) will be funded with $3.5 million from the Multicampus Research Program and Initiatives (MRPI) competition within the University of California system, and at its core, it's hoping to unearth a magical method for linking up all sorts of electronics (HDTVs, PDAs, information kiosks, PCs, etc.) via light. You know, so your refrigerator can tell your smartphone what groceries are needed during the next supermarket stop, and that massive billboard on I-95 can beam more information that you don't want right onto your handset. If all goes to plan (and California's budget problem solves itself), the work will begin in early 2010 and last five years, after which we fully anticipate "very low-cost communication and navigation systems [to be built] on existing lighting infrastructure." And fowl in every pot. And unicorns in every garage.[Thanks, Michael]
Eternaleds debuts world's first liquid-cooled LED light bulb
We know you probably wouldn't answer "What's the perfect companion to a liquid-cooled PC?" with "a liquid-cooled light bulb," but amazingly enough, that's a viable answer starting today. Eternaleds is stepping up big with planet's first liquid-cooled LED bulb, the HydraLux-4, which will arrive in warm white and daylight white and should save you bundles on your energy bill over the next score. The company asserts that these bulbs produce "360 degree lighting" and can emit the same amount of illumination as a 25W incandescent with just 4W of energy. Each bulb is rated for 35,000 hours of use, and considering that a single one costs only $1.75 per year to run (at eight hours per day), we suppose the stiff $34.99 sticker is somewhat warranted.
Incandescent bulbs making a comeback, GE still launching new LED lights
On the eve of Christmas 2007, quite a few obituaries for incandescent light bulbs were penned. News was slow, time was short and Congress had just outlined a new energy plan that would essentially force these energy-wasting bulbs out by 2012. Now, however, legions of scientists are racing the clock to develop new incandescents that will still meet the upcoming guidelines, with a Deposition Sciences technology paving the way for a post-2012 model from Philips. Without drowning you in technobabble, let's just say that said tech has seen 50 percent efficiency gains in the lab, which is more than enough to please even the most outspoken tree hugger in Washington. In related news, GE has issued two more LED light bulbs: the 7-watt Energy Smart LED PAR20 and 10-watt LED PAR30. Both of 'em are aimed more at commercial customers than at actual homes, but you'll be hard pressed to find a better option for lighting up your makeshift basketball court.Read - Incandescent bulbs stage comebackRead - GE Energy Smart bulbs
Sharp's remote controlled LED light-bulbs generate seven-shades of smart
While you're replacing your household incandescent light-bulbs with LEDs in a bid to save energy and possibly cash (over the 40,000-hour lifespan) you might want to consider these remote-controlled lamps from Sharp. The DL-L60AV gives you on/off and dimming functions as well as the ability to adjust the light in seven shades of white to warm up or cool down the glow. Best of all, they screw into a standard E26 socket for a one-to-one exchange with your existing ocean warmers. The features of the remote control are still unclear (lighting zone support, range of operation, etc.) but it appears to work with multiple-lamps in parallel which is a nice touch. However, we'd like to see Sharp integrate a Z-Wave or ZigBee chipset so we could link these directly (without special wall-switches) into a tricked-out home automation and power managment system. The DL-series start at ¥3880 (about $40) for simple LED lights before hitting ¥7980 (about $82) for the fully-equipped DL-L60AV and begin shipping July 15th in Japan.
Ultra-powerful laser could make incandescent light bulbs more efficient
Look, LED light bulbs are fanciful, great for Ma Earth and a fine addition to any home, barber shop or underground fight club. But let's be honest -- even the guy that bikes through blizzards to get to work and wears garb that he grew in his basement isn't apt to shell out $120 a pop to have what's likely the most efficient light bulb American dollars can buy. Enter Chunlei Guo from the University of Rochester, who has helped discover a process which could morph a traditional incandescent light bulb into a beacon of burning light without using nearly as much energy as before. In fact, his usage of the femtosecond laser pulse -- which creates a "unique array of nano- and micro-scale structures on the surface of a regular tungsten filament" -- could enable a bulb to increase output efficiency in order to emit 100-watts worth of light while sucking down less than 60-watts of power. Per usual, there's no telling when this new hotness is likely to hit the commercial realm, but one's thing for sure: we bet GE's paying attention.[Via Physorg]
First Philips Lumiblade OLED lights arrive
Philips has always pushed OLED lighting concepts, and it looks like the company's Lumiblade products will be the first to start shipping. The folks at OLED-Info got to play with some pre-production samples, and while they're definitely cool and impossibly slim, there are some notable drawbacks: the rectangular panel has some unfortunate "speckles," and overall they're just not very bright on their own, so you'll need quite a few for an actual lamp. Still, we've no doubt OLED lighting will soon be everywhere, so hit read link for a quick glimpse of the future.
LG world's thinnest LCD is only 0.23 inches thick
Looks like we've got a new record holder for world's thinnest LCD, as LG pegs its new 42- and 47-inch models at only 5.9mm thick. Apparently lacking an iPhone for the accepted measurement of thinness, this model was reduced to holding up a coin for an example of LG's edge LED lit prowess. Though you may prefer local dimming LEDs, DisplayBlog is hopeful we'll see a combo of the two lighting schemes bringing thinness and high picture quality next year. Meanwhile, compare these to JVC's magnetically mounted former champ, measuring a now-widebody 7mm thick, but at only 5kg, still holding a weight edge over these two at 6.1 and 7.3kg, respectively. LG promises 120Hz refresh technology and 80% of the NTSC color gamut, up from 72% on standard models, on these, but we'll wait for them to go from the demo stand to the store shelf before revisiting the question of whether thinner and more energy efficient is actually better.[Via DisplayBlog]
Nanocrystal breakthrough promises more versatile lasers, world peace
For the longest while, scientists have been flummoxed by the incessant coruscating emitted by individual molecules; no matter their methods, they could never quite seem to overcome a troubling optical quirk known sensibly as "blinking." Thanks to a brilliant crew at the University of Rochester, however, we now understand the basic physics behind the phenomenon, and together with a team from Eastman Kodak, a nanocrystal has been created that can constantly emit light. In theory, the discovery could lead to "dramatically less expensive and more versatile lasers, brighter LED lighting, and biological markers that track how a drug interacts with a cell at a level never before possible." Indeed, one could envision that future displays could be crafted by painting a grid of differently sized nanocrystals onto a flat surface, making even OLED TVs look chubby in comparison. Now, if only we had a good feeling that such a device was destined for a CES in our lifetime...
Philips' OLED wall makes its video debut
We already caught sight of some of Philips' new OLED lighting concepts, but when it comes to something like a massive OLED wall there's really no substitute for a proper video, and Philips itself has now kindly provided one for all to enjoy. As you can see for yourself after the break, the wall reacts directly to folks passing by, which turns out to be a surefire to get folks dancing and more generally make fools of themselves -- all in the name of progress, of course. If that's not enough OLED for one day, you can also check out a slightly less entertaining video of Philips' OLED chandelier concept, which is a tad less interactive but considerably more likely to turn into an actual product.
Philips shows off Lumiblade OLED lighting concepts
As promised, Philips has now taken the wraps off its first few Lumiblade OLED lighting concepts which, judging from Philips' boasting, could well change your life and ours. Now on display at the Euroluce International Lighting Fair in Milan, the concepts are divided into consumer and professional groups, the former of which includes ceiling-mounted products like the one pictured above, as well as some slightly more straightforward desk lamps like the one pictured after the break. What's more, each lighting device also boasts at least some degree of interactivity, including the ability to recognize hand gestures or, in the case of the professional lighting fixtures, react to passers-by. Interestingly, however, none of the products are actually full-on OLED lamps, with each also supplemented by some LUXEON Power LEDs to provide some more usable lighting.
Transparent OLED rearview mirror both dazzles and distracts
Although we've been hearing about transparent OLEDs for years now, mum's been the word on an actual product. So far the focus has been on Germany, but it looks like some interesting things have been going down in Korea as well. Researchers at ETRI (the flexible OLED folks) have apparently applied for 51 patents both nationally and internationally for the tech, including one for a transparent oxide resistor that helps increase the aperture ratio of AMOLEDs. And while all this is going down, NeoView KOLON has unveiled a new prototype rearview mirror that utilizes a transparent OLED display for -- well, displaying things. Just be sure to keep your eyes on the road, eh?Read - "Korean Researchers Develop Transparent Transistors OLED Displays"Read - "Neoview Kolon transparent OLED prototype"
Resin replaces ITO in latest flexible OLED prototype
Make no mistake, wrapping your mind around the build of an OLED panel is mighty tough to do. Without getting you mired in technobabble, let's just say that indium tin oxide (ITO) has generally been a mainstay in every single OLED that was produced commercially. Now, a team of researchers from AGFA-Gevaert, IMEC, Holst Centre and Philips have prototyped a 12- x 12-centimeter flexible OLED lighting panel that swaps out the ITO for highly-conductive transparent resin electrodes. You see, it's been difficult for OLED builders to secure enough electrical conductivity of ITO in a low-temperature process, and this new methodology is perfectly suited for the coating method (which makes it ripe for printing). The resin itself is being dubbed Orgacon, and tests have shown it to have a 6x improvement over ITO in terms of electrical conductivity. Beyond that, the crews are keeping the secrets safe from the poachers of the world, but here's hoping this amounts to more than just jovial celebration in a far off laboratory.[Via OLED-Display]
GeoBulb LED light bulb uses just eight watts, rings up at $120
Ah, progress. Right around two years ago, we spotted a LED-filled light bulb that used "just" nine watts and cost a staggering $65. Now, we've got yet another option that sucks down even less power and costs nearly twice as much. C. Crane Company has been working on its so-called GeoBulb for a solid three years now, but at long last the device is shipping to affluent homeowners and headstrong Earth lovers. The bulb can provide as much light as a traditional 60W incandescent with just 7.5W, and it features a 30,000 hour (10 years) lifespan with typical usage. Now, the hard part: choosing between cool, soft and warm white.[Via Times-Standard]
