Fluorescents may have been all the rage for the past couple years, but they are about to be upstaged in the hierarchy of light bulbs. Researchers are Cambridge University have developed a low cost light emitting diode (LED) bulb that is brighter, cheaper, and lasts longer than both fluorescent and incandescent bulbs.

While LED’s have been around for a while and are common in flashlights and even some automobiles, there hasn’t been a cost effective solution to replace traditional building lighting with LED’s. The big change that allowed for a more cost effective solution was the use of more common, less expensive silicon wafers to grow the LED’s. The traditional method uses sapphire wafers which would have driven bulb cost to over $28. This new design will last over 60 years and cost only $2.85 to produce.

Today, lighting in homes and offices throughout Britain accounts for 20% of the country’s energy usage. Replacing all those bulbs with the new LED’s would reduce lighting usage to only 5%. A similar drop would be seen in the U.S. as well, per the latest estimates from the Department of Energy.

A few other benefits of Britain’s breakthrough include no use of the hazardous chemical mercury, instant-on with zero flickering (which can trigger seizures in some people), and are about the size of a penny. We are probably used to expecting breakthroughs like this to take a long time to make it to market, but a manufacturer in Britain is already working on prototypes and the first bulbs could be for sale within two years.

Source: Daily Mail UK

via DailyTech

This guest post was written by T.J. Aaron from LaptopLogic.com – the best place to read about latest notebooks and go through new notebook cases.

Here is a nice little two for one gadget (Three if you count the convenience factor).  The Scosche reviveLITE Night Light Wall Charger will charge your iPod, iPhone or iPod Touch without the mess of cords, while giving you a useful night light for the midnight walks.  It’s small form factor looks great, has clean lines and would work great for travel trips.  Available in black or white and includes a frosted white light for either.

Scosche Home Docking Wall Charger for iPod/iPhone with Night Light (Black)

Around the house, on the job, or on vacation, this 3-in-1 tripod provides flexibility of use as three individual flashlights or combined for full power as a hands-free Stanley Tripod Flashlight. The patented hands-free tripod and its 120-degree rotating head design make the Tripod 3-in-1 LED Flashlight ideal for emergency lighting around the house or for better visibility on the job.

Features

• Hands free tripod design (patented)
• Separates into 3 independent flashlights
• Combines into one performance flashlight
• Each independent flashlight generates 20 lumens of bright light *Based on average test values
• Three, 120 degree multi-directional rotating heads
• Weather resistant, Shatter resistant lens
• Uses three ½ Watt high brightness LEDs
• Glowing ring shows flashlight is ON/OFF
• ON/OFF switch turns all flashlights ON/OFF
• One-touch tripod release button

3-in-1 Tripod LED Flashlight

• Built in flip up loop, makes it easy to position
• Operates up to 125 hours using three AA bateries (included)
• Two bright, long-lasting LEDs
• Reflector slides up to project light forward for path lighting
• Push-button on/off control

At $9.99 you can’t go wrong ! Coleman MicroPacker Compact Battery Lantern

Hanging Harry just got a very important accessory.  The Noose Lamp lets Harry clearly see his demise till the very end.  A morbid appearance sheds light to rooms that has guests pondering your intentions.  A great piece to add to the Halloween collection!

Hanging Harry

Petites Productions (via OhGizmo)

What a way to relax and relieve stresss to an amazing starry night view in the comfort of your own home with this pro-series planetarium. Watch as a crystal-clear, rotating field of 10,000 stars is projected on your ceiling or wall. with random streaking meteors

• Random streaking meteors
• Futuristic sphere design with motorized rotation of star fields
• Two interchangeable hi-res image disks for different starfield views
• Adjustable projection angles which display up to 10,000 stars on walls and ceiling
• Includes dual power options – battery pack and AC adapter

Planetarium Projector

The maker of this lighting contraption takes the LivingColors range one step further and, in addition to adjusting the lighting to match consumers’ mood, it enables them to choose a design that matches their personal interior style. The additional touch of a black outer envelope offers beauty and elegance. LivingColors Black brings 16 million colors to your fingertips, and with its unique intuitive remote control you can easily adjust the light and color intensity to light up a wall or corner of the room. Create the color of your dreams and bathe your home in a different color, every day!

Via [pocket-lint]

Looking for some magic lighting right out of a Harry Potter movie? The Fly Candle Fly appears to levitate in mid air as you wine and dine your guests. Ingo Maurer is the product designer of the this unique candle holder.  The candle is made from white special wax, is 300 mm long 32mm and comes attached with 1.15 metre candle wire and 3 metre suspension wire. It burns for approx. 20 hours, includes a drip catcher and self-extinguishes.

Fly Candle Fly (via ProductDose)