News For LED: December 2013

Tuesday, December 31, 2013

2013 A19 Technology in Review

While prognostication is rather fun, it's never as accurate as a good old retrospective.

Whether it's to laud or to pan, these are the coordinates of the earth's solar orbit where we do it. With that, let's take a look at a sampling of some of the more memorable A19 LED bulb innovations that were introduced in 2013.

Nanolight/Nanoleaf/Frankenbulb

Also a candidate for the All LEDs 2013 Whipping Boy of the Year Award, the Nanoleaf demonstrated that you can be Chinese and you can pull in almost $275K with cute videos and grandiose claims on a crowdfunding site whose rules did not allow campaigns from anywhere other than the USA and UK at the time. Funded in March, Nanowhatever's wall plug efficacy claims of 160 lumens per watt are still being debated by experts, and have yet to be verified by an accredited and independent testing lab as far as we know. Looking at the comments in their Kickstarter campaign, and despite the faceted design that blows out of the maximum diameter specified by ANSI standards, it appears most supporters are satisfied with the perks they've received, with the major complaints being that the light is "too white" and the deliveries are late, though by some crowdfunded projects' standards, three months is not horrible. It's unclear whether the shipped units meet UL or FCC requirements or how well these perform in enclosed, and in parabolic, fixtures. The 1200-lumen variant lists for $35 on Amazon -- at $29/kLumen, it's 66 percent higher in $/kLumen cost than the Infinia, and 130 percent more than the SlimStyle.

NliteN 2D-Light LED Disk

This was also a crowdfunded light bulb effort, with claims of being the first 60W LED replacement that was dimmable and under $10, as the only point source LED A19 in the market and as having the lowest cost using a patent-pending flat substrate that serves as a cooling means, component mount, and low-cost, automated assembly platform. The early September Indiegogo campaign has fizzled, raising only $3K, and was not a finalist in the Philips Innovation Challenge contest there (in which a plastic bag appears to have won the $60,000 first prize). A month later, Walmart announced a $10 dimmable bulb, with GE (Walmart's "partner") announcing the availability "in four months" of an $11 offering. The 2D-Light appears to be poised for a second incarnation in coming months, hopefully more than just a rendering this time, according to their Indiegogo campaign updates page.

Disclaimer: I have made contributions to the 2D-Light project and have a financial interest in it.

Philips SlimStyle

Philips has recently jumped into the fray with a $9.97 flat LED disk, announced a few weeks ago but available January 2, 2014, which, like the 2D-Light and unlike prior Philips A19 offerings, also doesn't have an aluminum heatsink. A teardown of the Philips SlimStyle clearly show the cooling is also being done with conductive traces on the disk itself, though the LEDs are arranged peripherally, rather than centrally on both sides of the disk, as with the 2D-Light. This one may wind up taking appreciable market share with its low cost if some of the possible shortcomings in its light pattern, in the disk plane, can be overlooked.

Switch Lighting Infinia

Introduced this past April at LightFair, Switch's Infinia bulb uses a liquid silicone oil for their patented "LQD" cooling scheme, likely helping out in UL creepage distances for circuit traces, perhaps even being exploited as a dielectric for ray shaping. It's no surprise, being full of liquid, that it has a curb weight of 6.2 oz. That makes it the "Ford Expedition" among the current crop of "Leaf" bulbs, weighing 2.82 times as much as the 2.2-oz SlimStyle. One has to question how well the Infinia will work in horizontal ceiling fixtures that have that flimsy sheet metal tab to hold the lamp socket horizontal. At $14, this light bulb also carries a 40 percent premium over the SlimStyle and Walmart's TCP Snocone offerings. Ron Lenk seems enamored of this one, nonetheless.

Cree LED Bulb

Like the Infinia, Cree's bulb's primary innovation is hidden from view. Introduced in March, the $12.97 bulb features Cree's LED Filament Tower Technology, which, DesigniningWithLEDs.com's teardown reveals is a stalk that mounts pairs of MPCB-affixed quad-LED packages onto a die-cast aluminum decagon about the vertical axis. Electrical connections to the stalk are made by clips. Cree, like Philips, has the advantage of a captive LED fab, so stacked margins do not come into play in costing out the BOM. The low price, coupled with decent optical characteristics, have made this LED bulb quite successful, though its days are likely numbered as the sub-$10 crowd moves into the market. Cree's strategic move into the California market with its TW series, featuring a neodymium-doped glass envelope to filter light to higher CRI, may keep the cash flowing for a little while longer.

Related posts

The Ugliest LED Light Bulb

Philips SlimStyle Looks Like a Winner

Market Leaders Emerge in 2014

Cree's $20 High-CRI California Bulb

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LEDinside: Global Demand for LED Bulb and Tube in 2014 is to Increase over 80%

December.31, 2013 - 17:08 — carina ying

Summary： Global market research firm TrendForce's Green Energy Division LEDinside said that, with the decrease in LED price and the gradual improvement in LED efficacy, the cost recovery period has been shortened remarkably, greatly improving the intention of commercial and public departments worldwide to replace lights, formally launching the global replacement tide with LED lamps, and retrofit lamp........

Global market research firm TrendForce's Green Energy Division LEDinside said that, with the decrease in LED price and the gradual improvement in LED efficacy, the cost recovery period has been shortened remarkably, greatly improving the intention of commercial and public departments worldwide to replace lights, formally launching the global replacement tide with LED lamps, and retrofit lamps like bulb and tube are most welcomed by market. LEDinside estimates that th........

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LEDinside: Chinese LED Package Manufacturers on the Rise, Technology Remains Biggest Challenge

LEDinside: Global Demand for LED Bulb and Tube in 2014 is to Increase over 80%

December.31, 2013 - 17:08 — carina ying

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LEDinside: Chinese LED Package Manufacturers on the Rise, Technology Remains Biggest Challenge

Monday, December 30, 2013

Why LED Retrofits Are The 'Trojan Horse' Of The Internet of Things

Consider a smart LED lighting retrofit on a city street. Aside from the benefits that the municipal government could receive from lower electricity consumption and reduced maintenance expenses, that network could also support new revenue-generating services such as smart parking, by being able to sense which spots are open and sending that information to a mobile app in real time. Add some cameras, and your town can issue parking tickets more efficiently.

Get The Facts About Light Bulb Legislation

December.31, 2013 - 11:24 — LeahRae

Design Meets Function with LED Bike Lights

Radlicht has designed a unique way to keep bikers visible at night with an eye-catching LED light design. Based in Boston and Germany, the company had already exceeded their intended goal with 17 days left to go in their Kickstarter campaign.

The LED lights provide both safety and a unique touch to bicycles. (photo courtesy: Radlicht)

The LED lights come in a variety of colors and can stay lit for up to 10 hours once charged. The lights are completely water-proof and only weigh 3.5 ounces.

The LED lights are completely water-proof, as shown here while submerged in water. (photo courtesy: Radlicht)

The money from the campaign, which so far has reached US $20,000, will be used for mass production as the design is still only a prototype. The holding device for the battery is in the initial design phase.

To learn more, visit the Kickstarter page: Radlicht - First Functional Side Lighting Solution!

Rishang LED to Launch LED Lighting Products in Northern and Central Malaysia Market

BigBright Malaysia is the sole and exclusive supplier of Rishang LED products from China. Rishang LED is one of the top LED producers in the world where BigBright has been involved in the marketing, distribution and supplying of its lighting products for the Malaysian market.

Since the partnership of the two industry giants started, BigBright Malaysia has been offering a broad range of LED lighting products for all business segments in the Malaysian market. This has resulted in a strong and stable Rishang brand among Malaysian consumers who have come to know the benefits of LED components which are set to replace conventional lighting modules like incandescent and fluorescent lights.

BigBright LED Malaysia will continue to supply LED products which are currently being offered through its comprehensive product line while to further strengthen its brand presence in the market, BigBright will be bringing 2 additional products to the fray. This will be the LED tube and the LED bulb which have been noted and earmarked to take the industry by storm.

The LED tube will be a strong product in the lighting industry as it is expected to replace the current fluorescent tubes which have been used for decades. The main advantage for using LED fluorescent tubes is that they are fully compatible with current fluorescent tubes with very minimal modifications.

LED tubes are able to operate for longer hours, providing flicker-free and fast startup functions. Conventional lighting tubes need ballasts and starters which are not needed by LED tubes. Apart from better lighting, more even and constant brightness and better illumination, LED tubes have longer operational hours which could last up to 8 times longer. Furthermore, LED tubes are a lot more energy efficient which could save the space owner up to 50% in terms of utility bills.

Meanwhile, the new LED bulb in Malaysia which BigBright will launch for 2014 will be another product which will change the lighting industry tremendously. Similarly to LED tubes, LED bulbs come with the same set of benefits like energy efficiency and cost-effectiveness. In this context, it must be noted that LED bulbs are usually installed in smaller spaces and ideal for table lamps and others. However, LED bulbs do not require any modifications where they are compatible with most of the current fittings. Consumers can purchase the LED bulbs and use them straightaway and enjoy the flicker-free and constant lighting output from these bulbs.

Purchases from BigBright LED for the new LED bulbs and LED tubes will enjoy a 5-years warranty period policy. This means that the bulbs and tubes are guaranteed to provide the brightness that is required for at least 5 years. Any faulty components that are not derived from user’s negligence or modification will be given a one-to-one exchange with no questions asked.

The LED tubes and LED bulbs are ideal for use in locations and premises that require long periods of lighting like shopping malls, offices, corporate spaces as well as in private homes. They can be installed and used both indoor and outdoor fittings as the new products come with IP65 waterproof certification.

Apart from the 2 new products, BigBright LED offers other components that include LED modules for signage or signboard which are ideal for the front-door of businesses and retail outlets. All components and modules come with 5 years warranty, offering excellent brightness and captivating illumination which would be perfect for businesses. Another new product which is launched is the P4 LED display which comes with a 2-years manufacturer’s warranty with the same one-to-one exchange policy.

Belvedere Vodka Launches Silver Saber LED Bottle

Belvedere Vodka announces the launch of its first ever laser cut bottle with LED technology, the Belvedere Silver Saber. Just in time for New Year’s Eve festivities, the Silver Saber will feature a special lighting element that will completely illuminate the Belvedere bottle. It will be showcased during a New Years Eve party with musician Robin Thicke at the SLS Hotel South Beach and at selected top nightlife venues in NYC and LA with a nationwide rollout planned for key nightlife venues in 2014.

Belvedere Silver Saber bottle, the LEDs can be seen on the cap of the bottle. (LEDinside/ Belevedere)

Following the successful launch of the Belvedere Night Saber, the latest evolution is the Silver Saber, a unique addition to Belvedere’s award-winning collection of vodkas. The luminous Silver Saber Belvedere bottles will grab attention from all corners of a club, enhancing the visual experience of an ordinary night out. This innovative take on the typical bottle service ritual will be taking over Miami this New Year’s Eve at The SLS Hotel’s New Year’s Eve bash with Robin Thicke. A total showstopper, the Silver Saber will not only be an outstanding visual element in nightclub settings but the perfect party item to ring in the New Year like a true star.

The Silver Saber will be available in 1.75L bottles and in select markets this holiday season with the official launch in February 2014. The bottle is engineered to illuminate for over eight hours and is also waterproof so that it can be properly placed in an ice bucket. It will be available at major nightclubs and lounges that offer bottle service menus nationally.

December 4th, 2013 - Belvedere launches their "Silver Saber" bottle at Finale nightclub in New York City.

Throughout 2013 Belvedere Vodka was awarded 23 medals and trophies, including five gold medals for Belvedere Citrus, Belvedere Unfiltered and Belvedere Vodka plus an overall Master for Belvedere Unfiltered from the Vodka Masters. Currently, Belvedere Vodka is the most awarded vodka throughout the history of the Vodka Masters. Belvedere Vodka has also received two trophies from the International Spirits Challenge and seven gold medals from TheFiftyBest.com.

Evluma Releases 70W AreaMax LED Luminaire

Evluma is taking orders for the latest release in its expanding line of utility-grade LED area and security lights, the 70W AreaMax. With twice the LEDs and a higher lumen output than the existing 40W models, the 70W AreaMax is designed to replace up to 200W HID lights and delivers 94 lm/W. With this release, Evluma has also improved the internal maintenance and monitoring functions for the entire AreaMax product line.

70W AreaMax LED area and security lights. (LEDinside/ Evulma)

“The AreaMax delivers more than light; it maximizes energy savings with controls and minimizes maintenance costs with built-in Photocontrol Failsafe Mode (PCFM) and new FaultCast BLE (Bluetooth Low Energy) broadcasting,” said Keith Miller, President and CEO of Evluma. PCFM runs on a processor internal to every AreaMax monitoring the location-based dusk-to-dawn transitions unique to that fixture. Should the photocontrol ever fail, the AreaMax will take over based on the information it has collected. Customers are recommended to reuse their old photocontrol from previous installations. “The AreaMax is very gentle on the photocontrol and only uses it as a sensor. Some LED fixtures require expensive photocontrols because of the high in-rush current from LED drivers flowing through the photocontrol,” said Keith. The AreaMax is designed to work with the same inexpensive photocontrols used on the legacy HID lights. In the event of a lighting strike, a replaceable, in-line 20kvA surge protector makes repairs easy, protects the photocontrol and protects fixtures down the line.

Customers with ConnectLED can unlock the full potential of the AreaMax. As before, dimming schedules, permanent brightness settings, and commission/decommission can all be set remotely. New in 2014 all AreaMax have FaultCast BLE. Maintenance staff can remotely survey any AreaMax from the street. If there is a problem an AreaMax will transmit one of three possible fault conditions: decommissioned, sensor failure, or luminaire failure; all issues that are hard to determine during the daytime when the luminaire is typically ‘off.’

Even with the extra functionally the base cost of the AreaMax remains low, making it one of the most affordable area light options on the market. With less than 1% uplight on the popular dome lens configuration, a 0% (U0) option is also available when absolutely no uplight is preferred. In all configurations the AreaMax emits a diffuse, soft white light preferred over HPS and MV.

Sunday, December 29, 2013

TrendForce: Continual LED Bulb Price Drops in China Drove High Sales volume During Singles’ Day

Global 40W equiv. LED bulb ASP decreased 2.7 percent to US $15.4 (NT $462), with price decline most evident in the China region, according to market intelligence organization Trendforce’s LEDinside division’s latest LED bulb retail price findings for Nov. 2013. Global 60W equiv. LED bulb ASP slightly dipped 0.7 percent to US $21.5.

Short term year-end sale promotions will be a driving role towards increasing consumer acceptability and market share, said LEDinside. LED bulbs will become the representatives of the global LED replacement s in 2014. Compared with 2013, LEDinside estimates that 2014 global LED bulb volume of demand will increase 86%.

40W equiv. LED bulb price decline most evident in China

Global 40W equiv. LED bulb ASP dipped 2.7 percent in November this year to US $15.4, with price decline most evident in the China region.

• UK prices increased substantially 5.6 percent in November and existing product prices fluctuated. The increased price inflation was mainly due to lowered exchange rates. There were no new products introduced to the market.

• German ASP for November dropped 10.3 percent and existing products prices steadily decrease. No new products were introduced this month

. • Japan 40W equiv ASP dipped 1.6 percent and existing product prices fluctuated slightly triggered by increasing exchange rates.

• US ASP increased 0.6 percent and existing product prices experienced slight fluctuations. There were no new products introduced this month.

• Korean November ASP had a slight decrease of 0.4 percent and a portion of existing product prices dropped while some remained stable.

• China 40W equiv. price in November dropped dramatically 20.6 percent mainly due to a portion of products entering a promotional period.

• Taiwan November ASP rose slightly by 0.3 percent. Prices for some existing products receded temporarily from the market, while the remaining products maintained a stable price.

Global 60W equiv. LED bulb price decline slightly

Global November 60W equiv. LED bulb ASP decreased slightly 0.7 percent to US $ 21.5.

• 60W equiv. LED bulb ASP dropped 5.2 percent to US $20.5 in Japan in November. Existing product prices fluctuated triggered by rising exchange rates that lead to price decline.

• In Korea, 60W equiv. LED bulb prices rose 0.4 percent, while prices for existing products remained flat due to decreased exchange rates causing a price hike.

• UK 60W equiv. LED bulbs ASP for November increased 5.2 percent and existing product prices fluctuated. New products introduced this month had higher prices.

• German 60W equiv. LED bulbs ASP underwent an incremental increase of 1.2 percent. Existing product prices fluctuated and no new products were introduced to the market.

• US 60W equiv. LED bulbs increased 2.5 percent. Some existing high priced products regressed from the market, while others experienced price fluctuations.

• In China, price in November dropped dramatically by 8.6 percent. Some existing products entered into a promotional period where prices dropped, while price for remaining products remained stable. No new products were introduced to the market.

• Taiwan November ASP slightly dipped 0.5 percent and existing product prices was stable mainly due to increase in exchange rates leading to price drops.

LED bulb plunging price to push high sales volume in upcoming annual sales season

November global bulb prices continued to drop steadily, observed LEDinside. Large product promotions for Singles’ Day (Double 11) in China have lead to evident price drops. LED lamp sales volume has also increased substantially. Prices have dropped dramatically for 40W equiv. and 60W equiv. LED bulb products. Osram 8W LED bulb retail price for instance with 470lm dropped from US$20 to US$ 8 in November. SunSun Lighting 9.5W LED bulbs with luminous flux of 810lm decreased from US$ 14 to US$ 7.

Short term year-end sales promotions might have certain effects on increasing consumer acceptability and market share, said LEDinside. Thanksgiving and Christmas sales are also anticipated to be effective towards LED bulb promotions in the US and European markets. LED bulbs will become the representatives of the global LED replacement wave in 2014. LEDinside estimates that global LED bulb demand volume will grow 86 percent in 2014 in comparison to 2013.

Many consumers in the dark about rising lighting standards

The most commonly used household light bulbs are set to be phased out in just a few days, but a majority of consumers are unaware of the impending changes, according to the 2013 Osram Sylvania Socket Survey. Conducted at the end of every year since 2008, the Socket Survey polls hundreds of consumers from around the country to help track their opinions on the rapidly changing lighting landscape. This year, Sylvania reports that just 4 in 10 consumers are aware that beginning on January 1st, a sharp rise in efficiency standards will effectively render standard 40- and 60-watt incandescent bulbs obsolete. In accordance with those rising standards, those bulbs will no longer be manufactured or sold in the United States.

Philips Lighting Times Square Ball Trivia

New Year’s Eve in Times Square has become a worldwide phenomenon with hundreds of thousands of people gathering in Times Square and happily waiting in the cold for hours for the famed street party and legendary Ball-lowering ceremony.

On December 17th the 7 feet tall numerals were unveiled and marked the 14th consecutive year that Philips will be lighting what is arguably the most famous globe in the world. For the first time this year, the “1″ and “4″ will be illuminated in ever-changing colors using 207 of the revolutionary and programmable hue bulbs from Philips.

Maybe you’ve been there in person on New Year’s Eve for the most celebrated countdown or perhaps like billions of others all over the world, you have seen it happen on television. Honestly though how much do you really know about this event?

Here is a little Times Square Ball trivia: 10 fun questions to brighten your New Year’s Eve

1) What year did the first New Year’s Eve festivities in Times Square take place?

A) 1885

B) 1900

C) 1904

D) 1915

The first ever celebration of New Year’s Eve in Times Square took place 109 years ago on Dec 31 1904. The party was organized to commemorate the official opening of the new headquarters of the New York Times. The area known back then as Longacre Square was renamed Times Square in honor of the famous publication.

2) When did the first Times Square Ball drop happen?

A) 1900

B) 1907

C) 1924

D) 1950

“The first Times Square Ball was lowered from the tower flagpole precisely at midnight on December 31 1907, to signal the end of 1907 and the beginning of 1908.”

3) How many people attended the first ever Times Square Ball Ceremony?

A) 50,000 people

B) 200,000 people

C) 500,000 people

D) 1 million people

Considered a big success, “the joyful sound of cheering, rattles and noisemakers from the over 200,000 attendees could be heard thirty miles north along the Hudson River.”

4) How much did the first Times Square Ball weigh?

A) 100 pounds

B) 300 pounds

C) 500 pounds

D) 700 pounds

The first Ball made of iron and wood, weighed 700 pounds.

5) How many lights were installed in the first Times Square Ball?

A) 100 lights

B) 250 lights

C) 500 lights

D) 1000 lights

If you said A you are right. In 1907 the first Time Square Ball was covered with 100 light bulbs.

“In 1920, a 400 pound iron Ball replaced the iron and wood Ball.

In 1955, a 150 pound aluminum Ball with 180 light bulbs replaced the iron Ball.

In 1995, the aluminum Ball was upgraded with aluminum skin, rhinestones, and computer controls.

In 1999, the crystal New Year’s Eve Ball was created and lit by Philips to welcome the new millennium.”

6) What year did LED technology replace the light bulbs in the Times Square Ball?

A) 2007

B) 2009

C) 2011

D) 2012

“To mark the 100th Anniversary of the New Year’s Eve Ball in 2007, modern LED technology replaced the light bulbs of the past. In 2008, the permanent Big Ball was unveiled atop One Times Square where it sparkles above Times Square throughout the year.”

7) How much will the 2014 TS Ball weigh?

A) 99 pounds

B) Over 5,000 pounds

C) Over 11,000 pounds

D) Almost 17,000 pounds

“The Ball is a geodesic sphere, 12 feet in diameter, and weighs 11,875 pounds. For Times Square 2014, all 2,688 of the Waterford Crystal triangles introduce the new design Gift of Imagination – featuring a series of intricate wedge cuts that appear to be endless mirrored reflections of each other inspiring our imagination with a kaleidoscope of colorful patterns on the Ball.”

8 ) How many LED modules are attached to the aluminum frame of the Ball?

A) 333 LED modules

B) 528 LED modules

C) 672 LED modules

D) 980 LED modules

The 2,688 Waterford Crystal triangles are bolted to 672 LED modules which are attached to the aluminum frame of the Ball.

9) How many LEDs are required to illuminate this year’s Times Square Ball?

A) Over 11,000 LEDs

B) Over 24,000 LEDs

C) Over 32,000 LEDs

D) Over 53,000 LEDs

“The Ball is illuminated by 32,256 Philips Luxeon Rebel LEDs (light emitting diodes). Each LED module contains 48 Philips Luxeon Rebel LEDs – 12 red, 12 blue, 12 green, and 12 white for a total of 8,064 of each color.”'

10) The Ball can create how many vibrant colors?

A) 2 million

B) 7 million

C) 10 million

D) 16 million

“In order to produce a spectacular kaleidoscope effect atop One Times Square, the Ball is capable of creating a palette of more than 16 million vibrant colors and billions of patterns.”

Congratulations! You are now an expert on the New Year’s Eve Times Square Ball Ceremony. Come December 31st share your knowledge and shine on.

Wishing you all the best for 2014. Have fun and be safe!

Larson Electronics Releases Military MilSpec Compliant LED Light

Larson Electronics has released a new equipment light designed to withstand extreme operating conditions while providing powerful and reliable high output illumination. The 1830L LED light features a robust design and high output Seoul Z Power LEDs to provide a lighting solution ideal for military, law enforcement and marine applications.

The Larson Electronics 1830L LED light gives operators in demanding applications a highly durable and powerful lighting solution capable of meeting the challenges of the most extreme operating conditions. Featuring Seoul Z Power LEDs, a tough cast aluminum housing, and stainless steel mounting hardware, this LED equipment light can withstand extreme operation, weather, and temperatures other lights can’t while maintaining powerful output. This LED light produces 5,400 lumens of light output and can throw a beam 675 feet in length in spotlight configuration or produce a beam 270 foot long by 240 foot wide when ordered in floodlight configuration. This light is compact in size, making it ideal for mounting to heavy equipment, armored vehicles, trucks, transports, and just about any vehicle requiring an added source of reliable illumination. This fixture is IP68 rated waterproof to three meters of submersion, can withstand temperatures of -40 degrees Celsius to 80 degrees Celsius, sealed against ingress of dust, dirt and humidity, and is tough enough to have gained compliance with MilSpec EMI certification requirements. The intense beam produced by this light combined with its high output and high efficiency makes it an ideal choice for military lighting and law enforcement applications as well as marine and industrial operations.

“This light can run on any voltage ranging from 9 to 48 volts and provides a rugged lighting solution,” said Robert Bresnahan with Magnalight.com. “It is ideal for use in professional and military applications as well as marine and commercial environments.”

Larson Electronics carries an extensive line of LED spotlights, LED hunting lights, colored LED lights, portable work lights and industrial grade LED area lights. You can view Larson Electronics’ entire line of lighting by visiting them on the web at www.Magnalight.com. You can also call 1-800-369-6671 to learn more or call 1-214-616-6180 for international inquires.

How Storefront Signs Can Increase Your Business

Luxury stores and fashion boutiques in popular shopping districts pride themselves with excellent storefront sign. Their goal is simple: get people to notice their brand, and effectively convince them to make a purchase.

Photo from flickr.com

First time visitors and pedestrians often judge a store depending on the way perceive the storefront of an establishment. This way, they can easily distinguish one business from another and create a quick judgment on which store can offer the solution to their desires and needs.

More established brands in the industry invested a big part of their budget in creating an impressive storefront. Some of them even use sophisticated electronic message board and LED open sign to enhance their space. Small businesses, especially those on the start-up stage, can exponentially benefit in having an exciting exterior sign.

Building a Brand through Storefront Sign

One key in using a storefront sign to promote your business is by using a specific color that represents your brand. Coming up with your own font style or symbols can create a look that can quickly be associated with your product. If you already have your logo, make sure to incorporate it in your business signage and in other promotional materials like fliers, packaging and promotional posters.

photo credits: humblesignsco.com

Catchy Storefront as a Key to Increasing Clients

Storefront sign is an important key in making your business stand out against numerous competitors. Clear, big and well lit signage can help in making your store more visible and easier to locate. Installing an electronic business sign such as programmable LED sign or illuminated open sign may cause people to stop and take notice of your brand.

If you also have a significant online presence and are using it to drive more people in your physical store, it is important to make your business easier to find by car or on foot.

Some clients who are looking for a specific establishment, tends to be frustrated when they fail to locate a store easily. On the other hand, a store that clearly states their brand name and other important information on their store exterior can be viewed as more trustworthy and reliable.

Storefront as Your Personal Advertising Space

Sometimes paying for an advertising space in a newspaper or magazine can be a little expensive for small businesses. Online ads and local billboards do not cater to a specific market that you want to engage. If you want a venue for advertisement that doesn't cost too much, your storefront can be used in this purpose.

Enlist a local graphic designer or someone in your store, to create posters and promotional images to further your products and services. Make sure to keep your designs in line your brand to make it more effective in delivering your messages to the customers.

Thursday, December 26, 2013

PSNH downplays city savings of converting to LED street lights

Public Service of New Hampshire is downplaying the savings that Manchester might realize by converting to efficient LED (light-emitting diode) street lights. The state Public Utilities Commission earlier this month granted the city the right to intervene in PSNH's petition to establish a new rate for the LED lights as part of its street lighting service for government entities. The commission was prepared to rule on the petition by the end of this month until city officials rushed to Concord to intervene. The PSNH request, which was posted as a legal notice in this newspaper in late October, will likely be of interest to several communities that have eyed LED lights.

Wednesday, December 25, 2013

IEEE Selects Seoul Semiconductor as the World’s Top Patent Power Company for Two Years in a Row

Seoul Semiconductor has announced on 23rd of December that the company has been recognized for its intellectual clout in semiconductor manufacturing. According to the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE), among the companies which manufacture LED components only, Seoul Semiconductor was the only one to be selected in the 2013 Semiconductor Manufacturing Patent Power Ranking. Seoul Semiconductor was also selected in the same category in 2012.

The patent power scorecards by IEEE for each industrial section are based on the evaluation of the patent portfolios of more than 5000 leading commercial enterprises, academic institutions, nonprofit organizations, and government agencies worldwide. It takes into account not only the size of the organizations patent portfolios but also the quality of their patents with regards to the growth index, impact of the patents, originality, and general applicability of the patents.

Seoul Semiconductor has more than 20 years of experience in semiconductor manufacturing and invests more than 15% of its annual revenue to LED research and development. On an average Seoul Semiconductor applies for more than 600 patents every year. Currently, the company holds more than 11,000 LED patents, including patents in core LED technologies such as Acrich, Acrich MJT, nPola, TV Direct Backlight Technology, UV, and many more. Seoul Semiconductor's extensive patent portfolio in LED technology includes epitaxial growth, fabrication, packaging, and system application of LED technology.

Dr. Nam Ki-Bum, head director of the R&D center said "Seoul Semiconductor has focused on developing its proprietary technologies in LED lighting for the past twenty three years.” He added “As Seoul Semiconductor continues to innovate and introduce new and exciting products for the LED industry it also respects the intellectual property rights of other companies."

2013 IEEE Semiconductor Manufacturing Patent Power Ranking: Top 20

1: Digital Optics (US)

2: Samsung Electronics (KR)

3: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory (JP)

4: SanDisk (US)

5: Foxconn (CN)

6: Intel (US)

7: Tessera Technologies (US)

8: Micron Technology (US)

9: Broadcom (US)

10: Marvell Technology (Bermuda)

11: Nanosolar (US)

12: SunPower (US)

13: Rambus (US)

14: Seoul Semiconductor (KR)

15: Intermolecular (US)

16: Texas Instruments (US)

17: STATS ChipPac (Singapore)

18: OEwaves (US)

19: Tilera (US)

20: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing (TW)

Market Leaders Emerge in 2014

2014 is the year in which market leaders will emerge in the LED light bulb business. All the big players know that A19 light bulbs are the big play here.

While niche markets in lighting can have hundreds of millions of units, A19s are billions of units. So the winner here is going to have the clout eventually to take over the niches.

You might note that I said "market leaders in LED light bulbs" -- not "market leaders in light bulbs." In 2014, LED light bulbs are going to remain a tiny fraction of the light bulb market, not visible on a pie chart. That won't change until 2015. If ever.

Three categories

Up until now, there have been dozens -- hundreds, if you include Chinese companies -- of competitors in the LED light bulb market. We can separate them roughly into three categories:

Wretchedly bad bulbs -- those which don't produce the light their label says, fail within a couple of months, and look stupid;

Really bad bulbs -- those which have poor light color, quality, and directionality, claim a three-year warranty with no data to back it up, and look stupid; and

Bad bulbs -- those which have passable light but don't dim very well, cost too much, and look stupid.

Passable

In 2014, we're going to start seeing a new category:

Passable bulbs -- those which have the right amount of light of a reasonable (but still not good) color, reasonable omni-directionality, enough testing to ensure a three-year lifetime, passable (but not good) dimming, and -- physically look stupid.

Not all manufacturers are going to have them. The market is going to start segregating into those that have them, and everyone else who is still stuck in categories A though C.

These few nascent market leaders are going to have volumes in the tens of millions in 2014. That's still not enough to show up on the pie chart, but it's enough that they can start showing a profit if they're selling at positive margin. If they're selling below cost, they can politely go out of business, or at least get out of the business.

Market leaders

Here are my guesses for the market leaders by the end of 2014. (The year-ago market report from Groom Energy and Greentech Media, "Enterprise LED Lighting 2012," agrees that my first four choices here were the market leaders in 2012.)

Philips. They have shown consistent willingness to do whatever it takes to be in this market, have just introduced a bulb that looks to be in category D, and have deep enough pockets to lose tens of millions of dollars without going out of business.

GE. They're still going to be stuck back in category C all of 2014, but are part of the deep-pockets crowd.

Cree. They also have a bulb in category D, and they have the (temporary) advantage of not having to pay margin to an LED manufacturer. Their bulb is still ugly. I don't know what their margin is like, but they can probably survive losing tens of millions of dollars -- for a while.

LSG. They currently have significant shelf presence, both under their own name and private labeled. They're in Category C (and their bulbs look most especially stupid). They probably have enough cash to last through 2014 -- but if they don't do some radical cost reduction, they'll be gone in 2015.

Finally, as a long shot I pick:

Switch Light. They have a bulb (the Infinia) that has the right light, an OK price, a lifetime warranty, and is approaching good looks. I think they're close to being in a new Category E: bulbs that are ready for primetime. They don't have any volume yet, and can't afford to lose money -- but just maybe, if they do everything right, they'll be one of the market leaders going in to 2015.

Disclaimer: I was one of the founders of Switch, and have a financial interest in it.

[Note: neither the author, All LED Lighting, nor UBM is offering investment advice, and none take any responsibility for what readers may do with information presented in this or any blog. -- Ed.]

GE’s Futuristic Santa Space Sleigh

Like with many things in life, you can never ride the same Santa sleigh twice. Every holiday season the elves roaming labs and corridors at GE Global Research (GRC) trick out Santa’s ride with their latest technology. The need for their skills has never been more urgent than this December, with the planet’s human population above 7 billion and rocketing higher. How Santa pleaded with the elves to make him fly faster, smoother and increase his range!

They delivered, as so did Mr. Claus (as you may have noticed). The elves scoured lab shelves for the latest blueprints, designs, and technology, and repurposed space age ceramics developed for the Shuttle to help Santa fly faster. They added super thin cooling jets to an advanced jet engine to improve aerodynamics, and hooked the sleigh to a new air traffic management technology that applies the principles of the Industrial Internet to reindeer traffic control, hay consumption, speed, and flight path planning. They also rolled out new 3-D printers and made brand new aerodynamic sleigh blades. The tireless elves even plugged in a new sodium battery and applied advanced fabrics, too. The list just goes on.

Judging by scattered clues, the mission was a success. On Tuesday morning, GRC director Mark Little found an unsigned message under the GRC Christmas tree, right next to a half-full glass of milk and some cookie crumbles. “I am looking forward to flying into outer space,” it said. Somebody signed as Rudolph added in clumsy handwriting underneath: “We welcome the new feature that lets Santa toggle between a jet engine and electric powered flight. Covering the entire globe can be pretty exhausting and having the opportunity to rest along our journey will help us remain in peak condition.”

Tuesday, December 24, 2013

Texas Instrument’s 12 Nights of Christmas

Texas Instruments presents engineers with 12 handy engineer design tips this Christmas. Their Facebook profile offers some insights into designing power systems, wireless power charging, IC, and other designs. TI staff also gets creative with a humorous blog entry that investigates Santa’s sleigh technology.

Texas Instruments (TI)'s version of 12 Days of Christmas. (LEDinside/TI)

Monday, December 23, 2013

Best US Markets for Energy-Efficient Bulbs

Home Depot has mashed up US census data with sales records for light bulb purchases nationwide, to find the strongest markets per-capita for LED and CFL bulbs.

The company claims to be the world's largest seller of light bulbs of all types. Unfortunately from the point of view of this forum, HD's data scientists did not break out LED and CFL sales separately. They looked at sales for October 2012 to October 2013 in cities over 100,000 population in the US (taken from 2010 census data). They then spotlighted the 10 highest per-capita regions, and the next 40 after that.

Again unfortunately, that is the granularity of the data that HD released; the company did not provide an ordered list of the region most inclined to buy energy-efficient light bulbs, at lease that I have been able to find.

The map below shows the top 10 markets (red and orange) and the next 40 (yellow). Here is a much larger version of the map.

The top 10 cities are, in alphabetical order, Atlanta; Boston; Hartford, Conn.; Miami/Ft. Lauderdale/West Palm Beach, Fla.; Orlando, Fla; Pittsburgh; Sacramento, Calif.; San Francisco; Seattle; and Washington, D.C.

Rebates

Cities missing from the list that we might expect to be present include New York, Los Angeles, and Chicago (New York isn't even in the top 50). Some of the cities that made the top-50 list are also somewhat puzzling: Louisville, Ken.; Waco, Texas; Reno, Nev.? The availability of energy-company rebates may explain the oddities. Twenty-seven of the top 50 markets have rebates available for buying CFLs, LEDs, or both. Eight of the top 10 have rebates.

The map also shows the five largest markets by volume, not per capita. These are (again in alpha order): Chicago, Los Angeles, Miami, New Jersey, and Washington, D.C.

Politically speaking

Energy rebates have a political dimension. They represent governments attempting to steer a market, and not everyone thinks that is a good idea. The frequent emphasis in energy-company promotions on reducing greenhouse gases can also act as a political wedge, splitting off those on the right of the spectrum who don't acknowledge the existence of human-caused global warming. In general a sensitivity to energy conservation is more closely associated with the progressive end of the spectrum (but not exclusively so).

Might the regions and states where rebates are offered be influenced by the country's red-blue divide?

I find it interesting to compare the map above with one giving an indication of regional political sentiment -- such as this one, which shows the county-by-county breakdown of the 2012 presidential vote, but coded from red to blue (with intermediate shades of purple) by the closeness of the vote in each county. Click here for a larger version. (This map comes out of the work of Mark Newman, a physics professor at the University of Michigan with an interest in cartography.)

The large void in the middle of the country on Home Depot's per-capita map does seem to correspond to some of the redder areas of the country, and most of the top 10 are blue cities.

A better look at the political question would be provided by comparing the above with a map of energy-company rebates. I haven't been able to find such a thing. Let us know in the comments if you locate one.

— Keith Dawson , Editor-in-Chief, All LED Lighting

New Vishay Intertechnology LED Family Handles Drive Currents to 70 mA

A new family of LEDs in a PLCC-2 package that can handle higher drive currents and thus produce improved luminous intensity is the newest product from the Optoelectronics group of Vishay Intertechnology, Inc. (NYSE: VSH). The new VLM.334.. series LEDs, an advanced modification of Vishay's VLM.31.. series LEDs, can incorporate larger chips and are thus capable of withstanding drive currents up to 70 mA.

The AEC-Q101-qualified VLM.334.. LEDs are offered in super red, red, amber, and yellow to serve a wide range of applications, including traffic signals and signs, interior and exterior lighting, automotive dashboard illumination, indicators and controls for audio and video equipment, LCD switches and symbols, illuminated advertising, and many other uses.

Utilizing the latest advanced AllnGaP technology, the VLM.334.. series devices provide exceptional brightness with a typical luminous intensity of 3760 mcd and maximum luminous intensity of 6052 at 70 mA while delivering improved thermal performance compared to previous-generation LEDs. At 300 K/W, junction-to-ambient thermal resistance is 25 % lower than the former VLM.333 product.

VLM.334.. series LEDs are available in 8 mm tape. RoHS-compliant, halogen-free, and Vishay Green, the devices are compatible with IR-reflow soldering processes and preconditioned according to JEDEC Level 2a.

Piggotts Sets London Aglow with LEDs this Christmas

Christmas lighting specialist Piggotts has been chosen by Covent Garden Limited to create the Christmas illuminations across the market square and surrounding streets.

Christmas lighting specialist Piggotts LED decorations for Covent Garden market square in London, UK this Christmas. (LEDinside/Piggots)

The idea behind the project is to create a gateway into the market place, encouraging footfall and to boost the local economy.

Using a combination of six-meter wide light curtains, snow fall tubes and red baubles, the Piggotts team created a continuous stream of white LED light hanging between the streets leading toward Covent Garden market.

Piggotts engineers worked through the night on 24 October to ensure the display was ready for the switch-on event scheduled for Wednesday 6 November.

Covent Garden Limited has also extended its contract with Piggott’s by three years.

Meanwhile, the engineers are working on 29 installations for the Regent Street lights which are this year based on an animated film.

All of the crossings in the project are decorated with branches, which are dressed with a cracker LED light garland with more than 750,000 bulbs.

"We have once again been contracted to provide some of the world’s most stunning Christmas light displays,” said Lee Harvey, Managing Director of Piggotts. "As well as Regent Street and Covent Garden, other areas include Bond Street, South Molton Street and Connaught Street. We are also providing schemes as far north as Doncaster and Rotherham through to Swansea and Brighton."