The light bulb goes digital
Posted by Michael V. Copeland, Senior Writer
January 26, 2010 8:30 AM


Companies for years have toyed with light-emitting diodes, which use the same technology as computer chips. Now LEDs are having their day in the sun.

The $100 billion global lighting industry is undergoing radical change: New office buildings and retail outlets are abandoning fluorescent lighting in favor of LEDs, or light-emitting diodes, those tiny, energy-efficient, long-lasting, and blindingly bright points of light. Giants such as GE (GE) and Philips are shifting production from incandescent bulbs to LEDs. Even the local Home Depot (HD) — which today probably stocks only a couple of LED lighting products — will soon carry a bouquet of LED bulbs, ultimately edging out fluorescents and halogen lamps. By the end of the decade, analysts predict, LEDs will be the dominant source for commercial and residential lighting.
LEDs, which are based on a technology similar to that of computer chips, have more in common in their design and manufacture with your laptop than with the incandescent bulb that Thomas Edison patented almost 130 years ago. As lighting goes digital, the industry is likely to encounter some of the same upheaval that took place when television, music, and other businesses shifted away from analog technologies.

To read the rest of the story at BrainStormTech

From Home and Garden Television
Want to create an eye-catching kitchen that adds value to your home, too? Let there be light, but not too much, according to kitchen-design and lighting experts.
Here are some dynamite tips from Frankie Cameron, national account manager for Bellacor Lighting based in Mendota Heights, Minn., and Mark Lambert, owner of DreamMaker Bath & Kitchen in Bellingham, Wash.
1. Start underneath
“The least-expensive, easiest layer to add is under-cabinet lighting,” says Cameron. She suggests low-voltage xenon bulbs in varying lengths to light counters or islands below shelves or cabinets, but recommends steering clear of small “puck” lights.
2. Versatile ceiling light
“If your ceiling mount fixture is outdated, replace it with a newer model that has a nice finish and gives off a nice light, but isn’t overly embellished,” says Cameron. “You want to make sure it will work with a contemporary or traditional décor.”
3. Pick out popular stuff
For mood-setting (or ambient) lights, Lambert says you can’t go wrong with two established trends: the pendant light and the track light.
“One of the more interesting brands of track lighting is Tech Lighting – a bit costly, but very cool stuff over an island or counter,” he says.
Glass pendant lights have also been holding their own in the kitchen market for some time, says Cameron, because they are fresh and pretty and work with different decors.
4. Decorate
A little decorative lighting is a nice touch in a kitchen and that, too, can be achieved with art-glass pendant lamps, Cameron says. “Many of the hand-blown fixtures can really add to the overall aesthetic in a kitchen.”
5. Suit someone else
Whether you’re choosing modest or lavish decorative lights, remember that you’re not looking for the style that most appeals to you but for the one that’s most likely to enhance the value of the kitchen.
6. Stick to one look
There are a lot of really nice, and really pretty, kitchen lights on the market, and potential buyers will probably expect to see some of them in the finest kitchens. That said, make sure any replacement lights you purchase match the current decor or are neutral enough to work with the wishes of the future homeowners.