World’s first 100 watt equivalent LED replacement bulb

World’s first 100 watt equivalent LED replacement bulb

Switch Lighting's 100 watt-equivalent LED bulb

Currently the brightest options for those looking to ditch their incandescent light bulbs in favor of the longer life and more energy efficient LED variety are those equivalent to 60 watt incandescent bulbs, such as the GeoBulb II. Things got a little brighter last month when California-based Switch Lighting announced its 75 watt-equivalent LED bulb and now the company has gone one better with the announcement of what it claims is the world's first 100 watt-equivalent LED bulb.

To solve the problem of LEDs projecting light in only one direction, Switch has mounted outward-facing LEDs on metal fingers. But the real key to the brighter bulb is the company's "City of Light" technology that allows for maximum brightness with fewer LEDs by creating a self-cooling environment inside the bulb. To draw heat away from the LEDs, the bulb dome is filled with a nontoxic liquid that flows out towards the surface of the bulb as it warms. The heat then dissipates evenly over the surface of the bulb and the liquid is then drawn back in to repeat the process.

Switch Lighting says all its LED bulbs offer incandescent quality light and the 100 watt-equivalent LED bulb is no exception. The bulbs are also dimmable and can be mounted in any direction. Additionally, in accordance with the Cradle to Cradle principals, all parts of the bulb can be reused, recycled or reclaimed.

Switch Lighting's Chief Strategy Officer, Brett Sharenow says the company's 100 watt-equivalent A19 bulb produces 1700 lumens in neutral white, which is the same white color as halogen track lighting. Switch Lightbulbs will be available later this year and the company says it will also offer a warm white version of the 100W equivalent bulb in mid- to late-2012.

While no concrete pricing has been announced, Switch Lighting says its LED bulbs will cost much less than existing LED bulbs. A figure of US$20 to $25 for the company's 15.5 watt, 75 watt equivalent bulb is being bandied about, which would see the bulb paying for itself in about a year and is much lower than other LED replacement bulbs currently available.

UPDATE: Switch's 100W e LED bulb consumes 16W with an efficacy of 100 Lumens/Watt. Switch says it has an average lifetime of 20,000 hours and is dimmable from 20 to 100 percent.

LG's Optimus Black Android smartphone

LG's Optimus Black Android smartphone

LG has announced a European debut for its Optimus Black smartphone featuring a 700-nit NOVA display and useful energy-saving screen optimization

Following previews at CES 2011 and the Mobile World Congress, and boasting pre-orders from 56 network carriers in 50 different countries, LG is set to debut its Optimus Black smartphone in Europe. Slimmer (just) than an iPhone 4, the Optimus Black features a 4-inch capacitive touchscreen 1GHz processor, front and rear facing cameras and runs on Android 2.2.

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LG says its world first "NOVA" 700-nit IPS LCD delivers better outdoor visibility, more natural colors and true blacks and whites. By comparison, the iPhone 4 is 500 nits and the Samsung Galaxy S – with its AMOLED screen – is 300 nits. but the 800 x 480 resolution of the Optimus Black is trumped by the iPhone 4's 960 x 640 display. There's also a built-in environment sensor which automatically adjusts power consumption when indoors.

At 4.8 x 2.51 x 0.23 - 0.36-inch (122 x 64 x 6 - 9.2mm), it's just a tad slimmer than the iPhone 4 but around 20 percent lighter at 3.84 ounces (109 g). The Optimus Black is powered by a 1GHz OMAP 3630 processor from Texas Instruments, has 2GB onboard memory with expansion via microSD and runs on Android 2.2 – with an upgrade to Gingerbread (v2.3) in the works. Gesture control allows users to take calls, activate the camera or start music playing by lifting, shaking or tapping the phone.

The smartphone has built-in 802.11b/g/n connectivity and Wi-Fi Direct technology, which allows wireless file transfer direct to compatible devices. The 2 megapixel camera at the front is joined by a 5 megapixel autofocus snapper at the rear and back covers will be available sporting artwork by Keith Harring.

LG says that after its initial launch in Europe later this month, the Optimus Black will head stateside, and that white and pink versions are to be introduced in June.

LG Optimus Black key specs:
• 4-inch NOVA Display (700 nits1 brightness)
• Dimensions:122 x 64 x 9.2mm
• Weight: 109g
• 1GHz processor (Texas Instruments OMAP3)
• Wi-Fi Direct™
• 5MP Rear Camera / 2MP Front Facing Camera
• Gesture UI powered by Gyro-sensor
• 2GB Internal Memory and Micro SD up to 32GB
• 1,500 mAh Battery

Thin-film flexible 'Paperphone' created

Researchers have created a thin film flexible smartphone, known as the Paperphone (Photos: Queen's University)

Researchers from the Human Media Lab at Canada's Queen's University have created a fully-functioning floppy E-Ink smartphone, which they also refer to as a paper computer. Like its thicker, rigid-bodied counterparts, the Paperphone can do things like making and receiving calls, storing e-books, and playing music. Unlike them, however, it conforms to the shape of its user's pocket or purse, and can even be operated through bending actions.

"This computer looks, feels and operates like a small sheet of interactive paper," said its creator, Roel Vertegaal, who is also the director of the Human Media Lab. "You interact with it by bending it into a cell phone, flipping the corner to turn pages, or writing on it with a pen."

The device has a 9.5-cm (3.74-inch) thin film flexible E-Ink display, underneath which is a flexible printed circuit incorporating resistive bend sensors. Those sensors allow it to be programmed to recognize different types of bending gestures, which will subsequently result in it doing things such as navigating menus, making calls, selecting songs, or any other function. A built-in Wacom tablet also allows users to draw on its screen – making it even more paper-like.

When not actually being operated, the Paperphone consumes no electricity. Vertegaal's team have also created a similar device, the Snaplet, which can be worn like a wristband. It operates as a watch when in a convex state, becomes a PDA when flat, and can be used as a phone when turned concave.

The technology is the result of a collaboration between Queen's University andArizona State University, and will be officially presented on May 10th at the CHI 2011conference in Vancouver.

"This is the future," said Vertegaal. "Everything is going to look and feel like this within five years."

By Ben Coxworth