led light

The usefull of led light bulbs

2008-08-07T20:52:00.000-07:00

Today's led light comes in difference colors not like before when it was first invented, led light comes in a few colors and the colors are red, yellow and green and this colors are make for traffic light and emergency light for people to had a clearly vision. Led light today's are used in many ways as for emergency such as ambulance and fire bridge, red colors are most used, yellow are used on the road for repairs and break down of vehicles while blue are most used by police cars.

Not to mentions about the colors even today led light comes in difference led light bulbs which the colors are more closer to day light and the white bright light are most used in houses at the front compounds and back of the house in case a break in. Fashion house and supermarket. Led light bulbs are most used by many places because its give off directional light which aim at the objects or products that you want it to be.

Design your shop with led light

2008-05-22T23:41:00.000-07:00

With complex and shopping mall shooting out every year led light is becoming a popular commodity in the interior design of every shop in the world today. Since led light is energy savers and energy efficient and also cheap in power and of its difference color light it allows designers to design the room to the colors to attracted the customers. Besides in decorating and designing their shops some people would decorated their or even design with led light in their rooms to the color of the painting of the walls to make the room more attractive.

Most led light in the house are used to lighting the place are cabinets in the hall and kitchen, most of the led light are place behind or top of the cabinets. Adding led lights at your hall cabinets where you place your television and home theater add more beauty to it. The modern houses today are build with a small garden and a waterfall where water runs down to the pools where fishes are breed. Most of this garden are installed with a few difference colors led light, when on at night its gives a colorful atmosphere.

Street with color led light during festival time

2008-03-25T02:58:00.000-07:00

When coming to festival seasons houses, shops, complex are decorated their places with colorful led lights. Today leds light comes in many colors to make the place very attractive to admire. It comes in led rope light in eight meters long. There are few colors for you choose and the price was quite cheaper.

Before led lights comes in three colors, red, yellow and green which are used in traffic lights. For ambulance and fire engine they used red as emergency. Yellows light are used on highways to alerts coming cars if the road under repairs or a vehicles break down. Nows led light comes in many color, red, orange, yellow, green, blue, purple,ample and white. With this muti color the street became alive during the festival time.

Todays leb light used in many ways

2007-12-12T01:31:00.000-08:00

Led light are very useful and is most used on the road such as traffic light, and emergency light to notifly vehicles far ahead if there is accident in front or road repairs. Even todays you can notice most heavy vehicles has a lots of leb light on their vehicles when travelling or parking at the high ways and this is one sign to notifly others vehicles.

Led light comes into the market in the early 1960 and is used in the traffic light. Todays you can notice leb light are used in many ways. For advertising, decoration and even displaying and comes in many colours not like before it is only red, yellow and green.

Led light are most in triffic light

2007-09-25T03:01:00.000-07:00

Led light are most used in many area such as on the road, shops, hotels and entertainment area. Todays leds light comes in many colours like red, yellow and green most used in traffic light and emergency area. Blues for police cars and red and yellow for ambulance and fire brigade. Even along the high ways or areas where road is under repairs a yellow led light was installed to alert the drivers.

Todays you can see many big company displaying led light sign at the front of their shops to attracted their custombers. The hair saloon which its standard sign, Hotels led light on thier logo names and most musical hall. Recently I saw a shop selling joss-stick displaying colours led lights in front of the shops.

The good used of led light

2007-07-27T20:59:00.000-07:00

Led light are very useful nowaydays and are being used for many function and purposes. Its is very good for emergency, especially for vehicle such as ambulance, fire engine and triffic police. During our car break down led light are very useful at this time of emergency when travelling along the highways where there is no light. Motorcars and motorcycles and all heavy vehicle have led light at the back of their vehicle for safer night time riding.

Infrared LED lights are often used for television. remote control CD players and DVD players and most of the led light colours are red and yellow. Digital camera are also install with the modern led light to take clear picture during dark time or night time. Led light are very common used for decoration your house or apartment during the new year and most used to decoration the road during aupious days.

led light very useful for emergency

2007-06-27T00:41:00.000-07:00

In 1960 led light has became available to the market of lighting today. During the old days lighting technology was mainly limited to incandescence and fluorescence.
Leds light consume less electricity and produce less of the parasitic by product heat

Initial LEDs light were of colour red, green and with yellow and orange. Led light are most used in traffic light. Today's there led light comes in many colours such as blue to produce a white SSL device. In 1993 a Japanese chemical industries company comes up with blue colours using gallium nitride and make possible to created white led light by combining the light of separate LEDs (red, green, and blue) or by placing a blue LED within a special package with an internal light. Led light are very useful for emergency where cars break down or a sign to show that the road under repairs.

Leds light are more efficient than conventional bulbs

2007-06-06T00:59:00.000-07:00

Led light is made up of photons, with the rise of semiconductors, Led bulbs become more popular. LEDs are specially constructed to release electrons. The plus point is that leds light do not contain any filament. LEDs are more efficient than conventional bulbs with filaments.

The efficiency of emergency LED lights is defined according to the relation between the light intensity emitted and the electrical current that produce this radiation. The color of LED lights is usually red, green, and yellow-orange that has been been standardized by the manufacturers. LEDs require less power; hence less battery is consumed than with conventional bulbs. The energy wasted is minimal with LEDs.

The useful of led light

2007-04-19T23:23:00.000-07:00

Led light bulbs are used in indoors or outdoos and are vastly used in modern electronic items, traffic lights, and digital clocks, camera etc. They are also used in commercial and industrial works where maintenance and replacement cost are more important factors than operative cost.

With the modern led light, the cost of led light are more cheaper and very useful and easily to storage. Most people who likes to travel with their cars to other state within their country to do sales or transports goods must carried with them a emergency led lights incase their vehicle break down. The led light can gives signal to the coming cars to avoil accident occur.

LED lights good during emergency

2007-03-13T23:09:00.000-07:00

LED lights are so commom used by most people of the world of its many good uses. The most commom user its gives signer during emergency times. LED emergency lights are portable devices thats show emergency light during blackouts, road repairs and even the break down of your cars.

LED emergency light was first developed in 1960 and are widely used in traffic light as the operation cause are much cheaper than the incandescent lights and use less energy also last longer then the incandescent lamps. The color of Led lights is usually red, green, and yellow-orange and are standardized manufacturers. The most important things is that it is very safe when in use.

LED Lighting as an Alternative Energy Source

2007-02-12T01:01:00.000-08:00

LED lights are usually, and most effectively, designed in colors as opposed to translucent lights. However, these pale to darkly colored lights are quite effective for many purposes. The wonderful idea of LED lighting is one to grasp onto when we reach out for alternative sources of light and energy. Some of the very first LED lights were designed for Christmas decorations, but it does not stop there. LED lights can prevent unfortunate home fires occurring due to the heat generated by burning light bulbs, but are not nearly as inexpensive as we would like just yet. However, research, design and technology have been updated and ways to improve the expenses of LED for more and more purposes are continuously being considered. I hope and predict that in the future the LED modifications we make will certainly make up for the cost in the long run. Because of the ability of LED lighting to last longer than virtually all other forms of regular lighting and because of the safety issues involved, the goal is that LED lighting will become more and more useful as time goes on.

Led Emergency Lights

2007-02-04T22:20:00.000-08:00

The efficiency of emergency LED lights is defined according to the relation between the light intensity emitted and the electrical current that produce this radiation. The color of LED lights is usually red, green, and yellow-orange those have been standardized by the manufacturers depending on the radiation frequency. However, in case of emergency LED lights, this radiation is not visible, which gives it the color of standard lights used in households.

The only drawback of emergency LED lights is that batteries used in these provide power for a limited duration and need to be recharged, which may not be possible if the power remains unavailable for more than a day. It is better to purchase an emergency LED light that can be connected externally to a car or truck battery.

Digital Camera

2007-01-16T00:06:00.000-08:00

Our digital camera LED Laser Etching Trick is super EASY to do and will create some truly creative photos. We’ve used it many times and each time people look at the photos with a bewildered look trying to figure out how the photo was created.

To the rational mind this type of photo tends to violate our sense of order. Cameras record objects, whether they are moving or stationary. Once we press the shutter our brains are fully prepared to see whatever we took the picture of, frozen in time. What our brains are NOT prepared for is to see a photo where the camera has frozen AND recorded the “track” of an object, which in this case is a simple LED light.

I have even had experienced digital camera owners look at an LED Laser Etching Trick and ask, “So you didn’t use video to do this?” When it comes to digital photos most people think in a linear manner and the LED Laser Etching Trick is cool because it forces our brains to think dimensionally.

Broadband White LED

2007-01-11T00:45:00.000-08:00

The OTLA-0130 broadband white LED light engine is intended for applications requiring the full, UV to Red spectrum. The OTLA-0130 integrates a white LED with additional monochromatic LED die to expand the unit’s spectral output. It also features a small lighting emitting source size of less than 2 mm in diameter, which allows it to be coupled to optical systems such as fiber-optics and focusing optics. In addition, each LED wavelength can be individually addressed for separate pulsing and intensity balancing. Instrumentation applications for the OTLA-0130 include flourescence, absorbance, transmittance, reflectance, and color metric measurements.

2006-12-11T00:08:00.000-08:00

A particularly bright future is predicted for LEDs that emit white light. In future, they are expected to be used in a wide range of applications, for example in street lamps, liquid-crystal displays, advertising boards, automotive headlights and building illumination. Their main advantages over incandescent bulbs and discharge lamps are that they consume less energy and have a longer service life. Lenses with free-form surfaces that have non-symmetrical geometries make particularly suitable optics for these LEDs. Unlike multi-component classic lens systems, only one of these lenses is required to focus the LED light with very low losses.

2006-11-30T21:30:00.000-08:00

Norfolk Power wants participants to know a LED light recall does not affect lights given out in their exchange program. Over the weekend, there was a manufacturers recall of "Greenlite" LED lights. The LED lights given out by the Norfolk Power seasonal light exchange are from Holiday Creations, and have no manufacturing issues.

OSRAM

2006-11-16T22:57:00.000-08:00

Parties interested in becoming LLFY affiliates can register directly through the platform or by contacting OSRAM Opto Semiconductors. Upon successful completion of the certification process, partners are included in the network and activated on the Web portal. Through partner events and workshops on optical, thermal and electronic solutions, partner companies have the opportunity to further enhance their expertise on LEDs and to exchange know-how with other network partners.

OSRAM Opto Semiconductors operates the website; however, business relationships occur directly between certified partners and customers. OSRAM Opto Semiconductors’ LLFY serves as a “contact” platform, not as a sales platform. Complete LED systems are offered through OSRAM’s LED Systems Division.

LED Light for you is one more step to help OSRAM Opto Semiconductors’ customers be successful in the general lighting arena.

2006-11-10T18:36:00.000-08:00

Imagine the next time you join a discussion about LED Light. When you start sharing the fascinating LED Light facts below, your friends will be absolutely amazed.

One, produced by Opto Technology, which makes optoelectronic and LED-related products for the biomedical and analytical-instrumentation industry, is a broadband white-LED light engine (the OTLA-0130). But, in fact, it is not just a white-light LED; it integrates a white LED with four narrowband LEDs emitting at 395, 470, 630, and 660 nm in a small package. The emitting source size is less than 2 mm in diameter, allowing the emitter to be coupled to optical systems including fiber optics and focusing optics. In addition, each LED can be individually addressed for separate pulsing and intensity balancing. Electrical termination is through an industry-standard edge connector or by soldering wires directly to the circuit board.

Most of this information comes straight from the LED Light pros. Careful reading to the end virtually guarantees that you'll know what they know.

Potential instrumentation applications include fluorescence, absorbance, transmittance, reflectance, and color-metric measurements. The emitter may be customized to fit specific applications--for example, by fitting additional LED wavelengths into the existing package.

As your knowledge about LED Light continues to grow, you will begin to see how LED Light fits into the overall scheme of things. Knowing how something relates to the rest of the world is important too.

2006-10-30T00:15:00.000-08:00

When most people think of LED Light, what comes to mind is usually basic information that's not particularly interesting or beneficial. But there's a lot more to LED Light than just the basics.

You can find lots of unusual things in bottles, ships and messages, so why not fill a bottle with LED lights? What a bright idea! This attractive bottle is a great talking point; it makes a nice table decoration or a festive night-light.

To make the LED light up bottle you will need... A clear glass bottle, a meter or so of tinsel, a loo roll or kitchen towel tube, glitter, PVA glue, and a set of 20 LED lights. You can get these ready made from with a battery compartment from the '99p Store' on your local high street. Tech confident people could make their own from individual components. DO NOT use mains fairy lights, this is a fire hazard!

I trust that what you've read so far has been informative. The following section should go a long way toward clearing up any uncertainty that may remain.

First wash out the bottle and remove all the labels. Use a nice smelling detergent to rid the bottle of any lingering odours from its previous contents. Leave the bottle to drain and dry out completely.

Take the LED lights and the Tinsel, use a small amount of selotape and stick the wire directly behind the last LED bulb (the bulb furthest away from the battery compartment) to the end of the strip of tinsel.

So now you know a little bit about LED Light. Even if you don't know everything, you've done something worthwhile: you've expanded your knowledge.

OSRAM produce LED light

2006-10-09T21:19:00.000-07:00

My sister work at OSRAM factory. This factory is produce a lot of bulb, LED light and many things. She have work there for nearly 1 year. She work at Sales Department.

LED light bulb

2006-10-04T00:44:00.000-07:00

This article explains a few things about LED Light, and if you're interested, then this is worth reading, because you can never tell what you don't know.

Light is made up of photons which are, in simple words, packages of energy. An excited electron releases photons. The color of the light depends on the wavelength, which in turn depends on the energy released by the electrons.

With Edison’s light bulb, mankind moved from candles to electric light. The electric bulbs ruled for nearly a hundred years. The general light bulb consists of a tungsten coiled filament, inert gas, the glass mount, electric contact and the housing which keeps all intact. With the electric current, the electrons in the atoms are raised to a higher energy level. When they fall back to their normal levels, the extra energy in the form of photons is released by the electrons .When heated with the electric current, the metal filament emits visible light. The inert gas prevents a combustion reaction.

With the rise of semiconductors, LED bulbs become more popular. According to the basic working principle of the diode, when the conduction band is made wide, the light emitted by diodes can be seen by human eyes. To create a large number of photons, LEDs are specially constructed to release electrons. Also, the plastic bulb in which the diode is placed helps concentrate the light in the desired direction. The sides of the bulb make most of the light from the diode bounce off and travel on through the rounded end of the bulb.

The information about LED Light presented here will do one of two things: either it will reinforce what you know about LED Light or it will teach you something new. Both are good outcomes.

The plus point is that LEDs do not contain any filament. LEDs are more efficient than conventional bulbs with filaments. The average life of an LED is up to 10,000 hours. They are more durable and more resistant to blows or shocks. LEDs require less power; hence less battery is consumed than with conventional bulbs. The energy wasted is minimal with LEDs.

The negative point is cost. As they are made with advanced semiconductor technology, the cost is more than for conventional bulbs. But again, long running capacity and durability give LEDs the upper hand.

If you've picked some pointers about LED Light that you can put into action, then by all means, do so. You won't really be able to gain any benefits from your new knowledge if you don't use it.

LED lights are miniscule sized bulbs

2006-09-27T23:12:00.000-07:00

So what is LED Light really all about? The following report includes some fascinating information about LED Light--info you can use, not just the old stuff they used to tell you.

LED lights are miniscule sized bulbs that are small enough to fit into electrical circuitry. They don't have a filament that is going to burn out, which is where they differ from your standard incandescent light bulb. The other difference is that they don't give off heat. What illuminates LED lights are internal electron movements. The life of LED lights is comparable to the life of transistors.

The basic part of the LED lights, the diode, is a semiconductor in its simplest form. A semiconductor is material that conducts electric current but with variations in strength. A semiconductor is usually composed of a conductor that acts as poorly as it does because of impure atoms of some other material that has become part of it. This addition of these impurities is referred to as doping.

Aluminum gallium arsenide is the most common material for LED conduction. If the material is pure no electrons are free to conduct an electric current. With doping, however, there are more atoms that unbalance the combination, making the material a better conductor.

Once you begin to move beyond basic background information, you begin to realize that there's more to LED Light than you may have first thought.

Solar dock lights collect solar energy during the day. They accomplish this by using small solar panels that are usually positioned on top of the dock light. The energy is then used to recharge a battery located inside the dock light (most of the time the battery is a standard NiCad rechargeable battery). The recharged battery then powers a LED light. These small lights are very bright, but take only a minimal amount of energy to run. Therefore, the energy collected during the daylight hours is enough to power the dock light through many hours at night. Some of the dock lights are able to automatically turn on when the sun goes down, which makes the safety of the lights even greater.

Some solar dock lights even come with the ability to change the color of the LED inside the lamp. This can be very helpful, as you can use different colors such as red and green to mark the left and right of your dock. You can also buy several of the dock lights in order to line a path down your dock in bright white light. These dock lights are also made to fit all standard docks and posts, so you can be sure that they will fit on your own dock.

It never hurts to be well-informed with the latest on LED Light. Compare what you've learned here to future articles so that you can stay alert to changes in the area of LED Light.

information about led light

2006-09-26T20:42:00.000-07:00

This article explains a few things about LED Light, and if you're interested, then this is worth reading, because you can never tell what you don't know.

Two important products have been joined together to make some great products. They are the LED light and the solar cell. By combining the two we now have solar powered illuminated house numbers. There are so many streets across the country, that have little or no street lighting. In rural areas there is often a group of mailboxes for several properties. These homes have no house numbers at all. Imagine the time lost trying to pinpoint the right house.

The beauty of a solar powered unit is it needs no maintenance. You just install it and forget about it. It can also be placed almost anywhere, on the house, a fence, a mailbox or even a tree. You’ll want to make sure that there are no obstructions like bushes that may block the view of the number from the road. Other than that these units can last for many years.

Once you begin to move beyond basic background information, you begin to realize that there's more to LED Light than you may have first thought.

If you visit almost any Fire, Police or Rescue website, a visible house number is mentioned high up on the list of what you should do. Some municipalities have even gone so far as to pass laws that state you must have a house number that is visible from the street. The size is usually numbers about 3” tall and either reflective or illuminated.

Although it’s not something we often give much thought to, a visible house number can quite literally, save your life.

Now that wasn't hard at all, was it? And you've earned a wealth of knowledge, just from taking some time to study an expert's word on LED Light.

all about led light

2006-09-22T18:46:00.000-07:00

The only way to keep up with the latest about LED Light is to constantly stay on the lookout for new information. If you read everything you find about LED Light, it won't take long for you to become an influential authority.

However, never let their size make you underestimate them. Super-bright and available in different colors, keychain flashlights can be very useful too.

Multitudes of companies exist which offer an amazing range of flashlights for us to choose. Photon Light, The Led Light, Family on Board’s Family Outside, Thomas Distributing, Quality Items Online, Cool Flashlights, Rayovac, The Sharper Image, Keychain Flashlights, Circuit City, Lighting for the Home, and B&H are some companies which provide keychain flashlights of excellent quality and service.

Bulbs form the core of all flashlights. An integral part of every lighting device, bulbs help in making our lives brighter and more secure. However, like all things, they need replacement too after a limited number of years. And to replace them with equally efficient bulbs, numerous companies provide different types of flashlight bulbs, suitable for different types and sizes of flashlights.

Hopefully the information presented so far has been applicable. You might also want to consider the following:

Companies dedicated to providing bulbs of highest order include All Spare Tools, Reflectalite, The Led Light, Everled, Ledtronics, Top Bulb, Rayovac, Led Corp, Radio Shack, Super Bright Leds, C.Crane, Happ, and DeWatt.

All types of bulbs can be sought for at Rayovac. ‘Heavy duty’ for everyday use; ‘specialty bulbs’ for AAA, 2AA, and more; ‘krypton bulbs’ for brighter light; and ‘LEDs’ for more efficiency and super-bright light can all be found at the aforementioned company.

That's the latest from the LED Light authorities. Once you're familiar with these ideas, you'll be ready to move to the next level.

What most people think of LED Light?

2006-09-21T01:50:00.000-07:00

When most people think of LED Light, what comes to mind is usually basic information that's not particularly interesting or beneficial. But there's a lot more to LED Light than just the basics.

Glow pops and other glow candies don't usually contain phosphorescent or chemoluminescent chemicals in themselves but they are usually attached to a glow stick type item. Glow pops for example are attached to the end of a thin glow stick. All you need to do is activate the glow stick to make your sucker glow.

Party favors for sports fans can include the light up golf ball. These are either powered by a replaceable glow stick or a mini LED light. The replaceable mini glow stick may be easier to purchase and use, especially since there's no need to worry about the battery.

Think about what you've read so far. Does it reinforce what you already know about LED Light? Or was there something completely new? What about the remaining paragraphs?

Aluminium gallium arsenide produces red or infrared LED lighting, while aluminium gallium phosphide gives off green lights. If aluminium gallium indium phosphide is introduced, the light is higher and the color is red-orange, orange, green or yellow. Gallium arsenide phosphide produce red, orange or yellow LED lighting, wile gallium phosphide delivers a red, yellow or green light. Indium gallium nitride creates LED lighting that is almost ultraviolet, bluish green or blue, while using silicon carbide as a semiconductor delivers only blue light. Diamond will assure you of an ultraviolet LED light.

Purple and pink LED lighting are recent color additions. They are made by placing one or more layers of phosphor over a blue LED chip. The first layer of an LED that is pink glows yellow, while the second layer glows either orange or red. Purple LED lighting is made with a blue LED and a glowing phosphor that is orange. Some pink LED lighting products have not proven to be reliable. It turns out that some have been pained with fluorescent nail polished or paint and these have worn off, or with pink dyes that fade shortly after purchase.

As your knowledge about LED Light continues to grow, you will begin to see how LED Light fits into the overall scheme of things. Knowing how something relates to the rest of the world is important too.

2006-09-19T20:28:00.000-07:00

The more you understand about any subject, the more interesting it becomes. As you read this article you'll find that the subject of LED Light is certainly no exception.

Although the application of CCTV security have not changed very much over the past years, the tools and equipment have significantly. Cameras became smaller, cheaper and better, but the major breakthrough happened in recording equipment.

Therefore many customers shopping for complete CCTV monitoring and recording systems are confused by such a verity of available products. Goal of this article is to guide buyers toward best possible and most economical type of CCTV equipment, based on intended implementation and requirements.

With changes in technology and the rise of the age of semiconductors, flashlights also shifted from conventional light bulbs towards the use of LEDs. LEDs are light-emitting diodes (LEDs). By using proper material, these diodes can create lights of various colors.

LEDs have a high efficiency in term of power, up to 40LM/W, and they consume less power than normal lightbulbs. An LED flashlight needs less batteries than conventional flashlights. There are also batteryless flashlights which consist of an LED, a copper coil, a magnet, a rectifier and a capacitor. With the rotating magnet, a current is generated which is then stored in the capacitor. When the flashlight is started, the current stored in the capacitor will light up the LED.

The more authentic information about LED Light you know, the more likely people are to consider you a LED Light expert. Read on for even more LED Light facts that you can share.

Most bullet cameras are weatherproof and sealed without the ability to use different lenses. Great advantage of bullet camera is the small size and integrated design, some bullet cameras will even have infrared LED future built-in. Infrared technology is simply LED light in infrared spectrum (not visible to human eye). This light will illuminate viewing area, making possible monitoring in complete darkness. This is great future, but it only works up to certain distance (usually between 10 and 50 ft. depending on model) Vary simple to install and estheticly designed, bullet cameras are great choice for residential and do-it-yourself installations where monitoring objects are within about 25ft from the camera location (with standard 3.6mm lens).

Light emitting diodes are more durable. They have a longer lifetime. The expected lifetime for LEDs is nearly 10,000 hours. Unlike conventional flashlights, there is no delicate filament. Hence, LED flashlights can be used for many years. They can easily be used in rough and tough situations like mining. The energy wasted in terms of heat is also less than that of conventional flashlights.

LED technology is also useful in innovative flashlight designs like the headlamp. With the headlamp mounted on the helmet, the hands are free for work. The miners, firefighters, police and army find them very useful, as these flashlights can easily take more blows than conventional flash light.

Hopefully the sections above have contributed to your understanding of LED Light. Share your new understanding about LED Light with others. They'll thank you for it.

pro and cons of led light

2006-09-18T01:10:00.000-07:00

Current info about LED Light is not always the easiest thing to locate. Fortunately, this report includes the latest LED Light info available.

No-battery flashlights usually have to be shaken for some seconds or minutes before they can emit any light for some more minutes, which enables the magnetic field within it to produce electricity and pass it on to the wire that passes through it. While some flashlights require very little shaking, others need a little more extra time to get charged.

Quality Items Online offers no-battery flashlights such as the Diamond Gen III, which emits light for twenty minutes after some seconds of shaking, and Diamond Gen IV, which emits light for around an hour. Such flashlights give long-lasting continuous light and are guaranteed for six years. Waterproof to a few dozen feet, they are an excellent choice among no-battery flashlights.

Coming with a full one-year guarantee are the products of Forever Flashlight. Available in waterproof and weatherproof versions, the no-battery flashlight provided by this company emits a ‘super-bright blue LED’ light that is said to be visible for over a mile. Think Geek is another company that provides flashlights of Forever Flashlight.

Once you begin to move beyond basic background information, you begin to realize that there's more to LED Light than you may have first thought.

The main advantage of investing in a batteryless flashlight is of course saving on the cost of batteries. You won't ever run out of batteries and find yourself running to the store to get some batteries when you really need your flashlight. Also, batteryless flashlights use an LED (Light Emitting Diode) instead of a regular bulb. Those LEDs can almost last forever, so you won't be running out to get a bulb either. These flashlights normally come in nice, compact sizes and won't go out on you if exposed to a little bit of water. Some of the higher-end models can practically be drowned in water and still come out fine. Pretty neat, huh? Finally, they can prove to be really useful in times of emergencies, when you may not have the luxury of driving to the store to get batteries for your existing flashlight.

There are really only two big disadvantages that come with owning a batteryless flashlight. First, the LEDs utilized by these flashlights are not as bright as some of the high-powered flashlights that use batteries. Second, batteryless flashlights only give you a limited amount of time to work with, usually in the range of five to thirty minutes. So if you need to use your flashlight for long periods of time, you may be better off investing in a nice, high-powered flashlight that uses a different source of power (batteries).

That's the latest from the LED Light authorities. Once you're familiar with these ideas, you'll be ready to move to the next level.

Uses of LED Light

2006-09-14T21:30:00.000-07:00

Imagine the next time you join a discussion about LED Light. When you start sharing the fascinating LED Light facts below, your friends will be absolutely amazed.

Hard drive crashes can happen for many reasons, and usually the owner is not to blame. One reason your hard drive can crash is because of a hard ware problem. See your hard drive is a magnetic disc that spins and has an extended arm hovering over it, to access any area, and collect the data. If the motor overheats and stops spinning or the arm fails to function, then your hard drive will crash and not be accessible at all.

Another way for your hard drive to crash is from corrupt system files, registry files and viruses. Viruses come in many forms as spy ware, ad ware, in emails and many other places all over the web. I recommend a good virus protection program from McAfee or Norton to stop those viruses and prevent your hard drive from crashing.

Now let’s say your hard drive has crashed, how do you determine the problem and can it be fixed? Well determining whether the hard drive crash is mechanical of software related is actually pretty easy. The flashing light on front of your computer case, that blinks when the computer is busy, is a good tool to determine the problem. If you see the LED light flashing, but the computer will not boot up, then most likely it is a software related problem, which means an operating system glitch or a virus of some sort. Lucky for you this usually can be fixed and all of your files can be saved, but I recommend only letting a professional try and fix it since the average person might find it to difficult unless they have experience in formatting hard drives.

Hopefully the information presented so far has been applicable. You might also want to consider the following:

There are also lamps that contain two light-emitting diodes, so that a reversal in biasing will change the color, mostly from green to red and vice versa. Light emitting diodes are currently available in various colors like green, red, yellow, orange, white and blue. In general, light emitting diodes operate at 1.7 to 3.3 volts. This characteristic makes them completely compatible with solid state circuits. They have a response time of nanoseconds. They also offer good contrast ratio for the visibility. The power requirement is typically from 10- 150 mW. They have a lifetime of 10,000 working hours. Their semiconductor properties make them durable by adding a significant ruggedness factor.

LED provides detailed information on LED, LED Flashlights, LED Displays, LED Light Bulbs and more. LED is affiliated with LCD Monitors.

Those who only know one or two facts about LED Light can be confused by misleading information. The best way to help those who are misled is to gently correct them with the truths you're learning here.

Interior Design - Light Sets the Mood

2006-09-13T21:29:00.000-07:00

So you want to redecorate, you want to create a home with a personal touch, one that can always say "welcome", ease your worries, render you happy, chill you or calm you down.

You can do it: with the right light.

Stop skimming through fancy magazines. If you don't have the money and the skills to replicate those wonders, you'll end up with an interior that lacks your personal touch. Instead, use your imagination. Design the interior of your home according to your special wishes.

Let's say you like blue, but you already have some new white furniture and it makes no sense to replace it. Or maybe you just want to avoid the hassle of selling it (and get way below its value) and buying new. Whatever your reasons, you can still get the "blue" mood your desire through light: controllable light.

We are not talking dimmers. We are talking full color control options. We are talking LED lights and mood lights.

LEDs are no longer the kitschy, flashy annoying lights that were used a few years ago to catch our attention towards a new product. LEDs are no longer used solely for traffic lighting and automotive lighting. LEDs are now used in light therapy, mood lighting, accent lighting, landscape lighting, building illumination and so on. Because LEDs are economic, environmentally friendly (they do not pollute: there are no UV emissions, no IR emissions - unless built so - no noise emissions) energy saving and provide for flexibility of design, but, above all, LEDs are controllable! RGB (red, green, blue) LEDs, based on what engineers call "the three chip technology" are able to display over 16 million colors - more than human eyes can see. LEDs are wonderful and their light. beyond description!

The best part is that you can choose from thousands of LED products the one you can afford and still have exclusive, somehow unique illumination to astonish your guests and to create the right mood in your home.

For example, look for controllable LED cubes - not those you can use as ice cubes for your cocktails (yeah, that's possible too!), but those you can use to replace your coffee table. For example, NeoNeon offers LED mood light cubes you can use as chandeliers, while My-tronic offers LED cubes in different sizes, for several uses. While Traxon is the "real deal" when it comes to mood lights, they are still a little too expensive. Many other companies offer similar products for affordable prices. You just need to browse the web and order what best fits your design expectations: LED tubes, LED stripes, LED spots, LED wall panels or, why not. LED ropes (Think Christmas! - Think safe lighting!). Just remember to search for "controllable" LED light sources.

Why? Because you want to CONTROL light, to set the light color you want: blue to relax, red to create a romantic, appealing atmosphere, green to bathe a room in the color of hope, purple, violet or pink. You want to be able to dim the light or make it brighter. You can even create the rainbow with a controllable LED light source, or any other light effect! You want a light source for the years to come, one that can look different every day.

Michael Russell

Your Independent guide to Interior Design

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Michael_Russell

LED Light: Light Speakers hypnotizes with color range

2006-09-08T02:03:00.000-07:00

September 8th, 2006 by Edwin in Audio/Video Gadgets

Even if your desktop is equipped with a pair of high-end speakers, they still look pretty drab when compared side-by-side with these ice-cool Light Speakers that are guaranteed to set the tongues of anyone who lays eyes on them wagging, and for good reason. These speakers are equipped with optically enhanced LED light cones that are capable of displaying over 200 color combinations, ensuring you will never see the same performance twice. The advantage of using such technology ensures that the lighting results do not only look stunning at night, they are equally mesmerizing during the day.

The Light Speakers can be configured to display up to three unique lighting patterns, and you can choose from ‘Snake’, ‘Waterfall’ and ‘Random’. They are pretty much self-explanatory, and these lighting patterns do not just move in a preset speed, but it flashes and grooves to the beats emitted by the currently playing track. This means a faster tune from Ministry of Sound, for example, will elicit similar effects as seen in clubs while a romantic ballad by Elvis will result in a soothing, constant stream of light. Alternatively, you can also stick to a static color which proves to be considerably less funky but provides a calming effect instead.

These speakers pump out tunes at 5 watts of power each. Constructed from high-grade polycarbonate, each speaker is equipped with a control knob that enables you to select the color mode as well as the volume level. The speakers measure 11cm x 10cm x 10cm each. You can pick up a pair for $89.98 from IWantOneOfThose.com.

Source: Ubergizmo

LED Light: USA. Imtra introduces IML Sydney LED reading light fixture suitable for marine environment

2006-09-06T20:24:00.000-07:00

Wednesday, 06 September 2006
Product news:

Imtra, the leading importer and supplier of quality marine products, announced today the availability of the IML Sydney LED Reading Light Fixture. Incorporating the latest high-flux LED (PowerLED) technology, the new Sydney light rivals the brightness of incandescent bulbs using up to 60% less power. Combining rich illumination, low power consumption and the safety of a low-heat fixture, Sydney LED light fixtures are ideal for any marine environment.

Sydney light fixtures are comfortable to the touch and can be comfortably adjusted when lit. Unlike other lights available on the market, Sydney LEDs radiate very little heat and do not pose a fire threat when in contact with flammable materials. In addition, the fixtures provide a consistent soft warm-white glow without the points of light and harsh illumination associated with most LED lighting. With a small base and two-fastener design, the Imtra Sydney LED fixture is easy to install in a variety of locations. Each fixture’s large diameter swiveling head with 180-degree up and down movement allows users to adjust lights for maximum comfort. Designed for over-the-shoulder reading, Sydney LED light fixtures are ideal for bulkhead mounting on yachts, and are equally well suited for installation in recreational vehicles and other non-marine usage.

“When it comes to lighting, power consumption and radiated heat are the two biggest concerns for boaters,” said Eric Braitmayer, director of marketing, Imtra. “Our Sydney LED lights address both concerns without the aesthetic drawbacks usually associated with older LED technology.”

Sydney LED reading light fixtures are designed to operate in 10V to 30V DC environments, and draw a scant 325mA at 12VDC and 165mA at 24VDC of power. The operational temperature range is -40 degrees to +140 degrees Fahrenheit (-40 degrees to 60 degrees Celsius). The Sydney LED fixture is available in chrome and satin nickel finishes. In additon, the units provide reverse polarity electric protection and include a three-year warranty on the LED module, plus a one-year parts and finish warranty.

Last Updated ( Wednesday, 06 September 2006 )

LED Light: Streamlight Stylus is handy light

2006-09-04T21:40:00.000-07:00

September 3, 2006

Deer season is when I make the most use of a flashlight to walk into tree stands before dawn or come out after dark. For the past five years, I've been guided by a Streamlight Stylus light that's no bigger than a ballpoint pen yet can illuminate a room. In an era when people don't blink at spending $100 for a light, the Stylus is a real bargain, selling for about $12-$20 in outdoor stores and on the Internet, depending on the model. I've had the same one since 2002 mostly because, like a pen, it clips into an inside pocket of a hunting coat, where I'm less likely to lose it. The 1.1-ounce Stylus has an LED bulb that the manufacturer says will last 100,000 hours, which is probably about 1,000 times more than I'll get out of it. The manufacturer says it will run at least 60 hours on three AAAA batteries, which are available in places like Kmart and Rite Aid. I haven't tested the duration, but I'm only on my second set of batteries after five years. The body is made of tough aluminum, and there is a choice of LED light colors, including white and ultraviolet. I like green because it seems to make blood stand out better when tracking a deer.

Eric Sharp

2006-08-14T23:25:00.000-07:00

LED Light: The Cell Phone-Charging Hand-Crank Radio

This is a really neat gadget as it provides several helpful tools which could be perfect for any kind of emergency such as black-outs or storms. The Cell Phone-Charging Hand-Crank Radio is a completely hand-crank powered device which works as a radio, flash light, and a cell phone charger!

The radio can pick up AM/FM and weather bands so you can get the latest updates in the news. It can pick up 7 NOAA weather channels and can even receive VHF TV audio so you can get news from many different sources. It also has an ALERT function to receive National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration weather warnings.

You also don’t need to look around for a flashlight while you have this gadget with you as it has one built right in. The beam is a two-LED light which should give you all the power you need. There is also an emergency siren and flashing red LED light in case you need to help someone find you.

The neatest thing about it, however, is the fact that it can charge cell phones so a dead battery in the middle of a crisis won’t stop you from making a call. There are five different cell phone adapters to fit your phone, and the product page even lists compatible cell phones!

The internal NiMH battery can be powered solely by the hand crank so you don’t have to worry about batteries, however if you want to go the easy way it can also be powered by 3 AA batteries.

If you want to start being better prepared for an emergency of any kind, the Cell Phone-Charging Hand-Crank Radio could be just the thing you need. You can get one for just $49.95

from Hammacher.

2006-08-09T02:16:00.000-07:00

LED Light: EV Group Develops First Mask Aligner with LED Light Source

EV Group (EVG), a supplier of wafer-bonding and lithography equipment for the MEMS, nanotechnology and semiconductor markets, has announced the availability of the industry first LED (Light Emitting Diode) light source for mask aligner systems. This LED light source is now available for all EVG mask aligner systems and outperforms conventional UV light sources by offering reduced cost of ownership, reduced maintenance and superior exposure results.

Equipping mask aligners with a LED light source provides unique advantages in process safety and environmental issues. EHS (Environmental, Health and Safety) risks involved with use of high pressure mercury arc lamps are eliminated with the new LED technology. “Applying LED technology in our mask aligners, we can offer an advanced exposure source and support our high volume manufactures with low cost of ownership and reduced maintenance. The operation cost savings compared to conventional Hg lamp operated mask aligners are typically greater than 50% - both for HVM and R&D users.”, says Erich Thallner CEO and founder of EV Group.

Regular maintenance tasks such as replacement of UV lamps will be a thing of the past. Especially in high-volume production, every single cost factor is critical. Compared to UV light sources, the LED light source enables low power operation and therefore eliminates costs for Nitrogen cooling. The LED light source represents a breakthrough in lowest cost of ownership by offering a maintenance-free lifetime of more than 10 years under common-practice operation and production conditions. It proves again EVG’s position in being ahead of setting new industry standards for wafer processing.

Posted 12th July 2006

2006-08-08T00:24:00.000-07:00

LED Light: Beware of LED Bulb Replacement Products

As part of LED research I bought over $1,000 worth of LED light bulbs to see if any would meet my own personal needs. Most were too expensive and too dim for general use, but some worked reasonably well for house exterior and hallway lighting. No light bulb replacement products worked well for reading lights or other areas in need of bright light.

The three light bulbs that worked the best were the 60 LED Floodlight, the 72 LED Spotlight, and the LED light bulb, which may be used it for exterior home lighting. The spotlights and floodlights themselves are about $44 each and the light bulbs are around $30.

To give you an idea of the savings possible with these products, the spotlights pull 8 watts of power and the light bulb pulls 3 watts. All of these products use LEDs that are relatively old when compared to the bulbs that Cree, the leading U.S. LED manufacturer, announced earlier this year, so even greater savings may be possible with Cree and other newer products.

I did find one LED desk lamp for about $100 called the Mini-Z that both puts out enough light for reading and keeps that light, if you use it by your bed, away from your spouse's eyes. This kind of light might make a nice back-to-school gift or a marriage-saving gift for that late night reader. Of all of the products I tested this one was the most impressive and showcased the real lesson that may be learned from today's LED technology.

That lesson is that, generally, LEDs are best when the fixture is designed around them; as bulb replacements, right now, frankly, they kind of suck. For those in the midst of designing a house or commercial building the best vendor I found that might be helpful in this area, and which has a wide assortment of LED fixtures, is Color Kinetics. The fixtures aren't inexpensive but they work and are in common use for general lighting today.

2006-08-06T23:37:00.000-07:00

LED Light: Fiber-optic backlighting fits under switches, buttons, indicators

Control Engineering -- August 3, 2006

Strongsville, OH—Thin, flexible fiber-optic backlighting technology from Lumitex is now available in unusual geometries that were previously the domain of electroluminescent backlighting. Circles, semi-circles, holes, and other irregular shapes are possible using UniGlo patented fiber optics. Traditional membrane switches have been rectangular in shape, but some OEMs have been designing membrane switches with other, more unusual shapes to help differentiate their products in the marketplace.

UniGlo backlighting is said to provide brightness, uniformity, durability, and low power consumption. OEMs would like to create membrane switches with alternative shapes, such as ovals, rectangular with curved die cuts, or other custom shapes, which would improve switch identifiability.

The fiber-optic panels are positioned between the overlay and the circuit board/metal dome assembly, while a fiber-optic tail is routed around any obstacles to the LED, which is soldered into an appropriate space on the circuit board. Panels can backlight a large area with one LED light source (up to 4 x 6-in.) Because they are thin (0.013-in.), they don’t interfere with the tactile feel of the switch when the dome is depressed.

Brightness is as high as 75 Ft-L, and power consumption is low (2-4 V dc, 5-30 mA for a single-LED backlight). Fiber-optic panels have been tested to over 5 million actuations and provide backlight lifetimes up to 100,000 hours (depending on the LED light source used).

Cost ranges from $0.70 for a panel with a 0.40 x 4-in. viewing area and no LED in quantities of 100,000, to $4 for a panel with a 1.35 x 3.50-in. viewing area and one white LED in quantities of 5,000.

—Edited by Mark T. Hoske, Control Engineering editor in chief

© 2006, Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All Rights Reserved.

2006-08-03T21:36:00.000-07:00

LED light: Jabra's JX10 Bluetooth Headset Is Solid On All Fronts

The Bluetooth headset market has been flooded as of late with the new technology really beginning to take shape. It has become increasingly difficult for one company to take control and be recognized as the de facto Bluetooth headset of choice. One of the entries from Jabra, the JX10, hopes to do just that. With its sleek design, solid build, and superb quality, the JX10 has impressed more than ever imagined.

The JX10 supports Bluetooth version 1.2 and comes packaged with everything you would need to get it going. This includes charging via the USB cable supplied, or the AC adapter. It also comes with a desktop charging cable in the box, as well as a convenient and nicely made carrying case which stays closed to protect from dust and such while not in use.

In terms of features, this little headset has just about everything you could want. This includes supporting voice dial, call hold, call waiting, re-dial of the last known number, as well as the function to reject a call. All of these work flawlessly.

An LED light is used on the headset to indicate connectivity as well as battery life and charging status. The light comes in handy as it alerts you as to when it is fully charged, connected, etc. It is very easy to read, and is multicolored making it easy to understand.

The size of this headset is one of its highlights easily, it weights less than one-third of an ounce, or just 10 grams. It also measures less than one and a half inches in length. This is about 4 centimeters. The size, when placed on your ear, makes it feel like you are wearing virtually nothing. It is a small, light, and comfortable headset that feels great around your ear.

Other components found in the box is a carrying pouch, quick start guide, instruction manual, AC adapter and USB cable to charge the unit from a PC. Before using the JX10 you must charge it. The charging stand compliments the JX10 handsomely and is weighted to prevent it from sliding off your desk. This design again furthers the concept that one has purchased a quality piece of equipment.

On top of the Jabra JX10 are the volume buttons, along with the charger dock and the light indicator. On the left side is the Answer/End button. These buttons are easy to press, even when worn on the ear. The pairing button, however, is a tiny buried control on the back of the headset that requires a bit of fingernail to push. That said, once you can find the button, pairing is relatively easy.

We tested the Jabra JX10 with the LG VX8000 and the Motorola Razr, and we were able to pair the devices with the headset without a problem. Other phones and devices we tested also worked flawlessly making the JX10 compatible with just about any Bluetooth device you could want. Syncing was as simple as could be.

Phone calls sounded loud and clear, even in a busy settings. Callers had no problem hearing us. The range of the JX10 was impressive as well. Accidentally leaving the phone in the car, the JX10 held its connection through a car and gas station door, and even though clarity dropped, the caller was able to understand the conversation.

Besides letting you answer, end, and reject calls, the Jabra JX10 supports voice dialing, last-number redialing, call waiting, and putting a call on hold. The Jabra JX10 has a rated talk time of 6 hours and a standby time of eight days. Not bad for such a little device that weighs virtually nothing.

The JX10 headset is a great Bluetooth headset. With a retail price of $179.99, it is a tad expensive, but the quality of the product far exceeds most currently on the market as the comfort and quality far surpass other headsets available. If you are looking for a great, comfortable, sleek, and great-sounding headset, and don’t mind spending a decent amount of money, definitely give the JX10 more than a glance. It is a quality Bluetooth headset.

Design: 9.0 – Solid and small design, great quality in a small package and you won’t even know you are wearing it

Value: 7.5 – The price is a bit steep, but the quality makes up for it as it is well built and comes with everything you need in the box.

Performance: 9.0 – Clear and crisp sound as the caller won’t even know your using a headset most of the time.

Ease of Use: 9.0 – Syncing is simple and the buttons make it easy to use and perform its functions.

Overall: 8.9

For more information as well as to buy it you can get it on www.Jabra.com.

2006-07-31T00:55:00.000-07:00

led light: Traffic lights all new

City’s signals now cheaper, last longer, and they’re ‘pretty’

By Trevor Hughes
The Daily Times-Call

LONGMONT — The city’s traffic lights now have more in common with camping headlamps and bike lights than the bulbs in most people’s homes.

City workers earlier this year finished replacing each traffic light in Longmont with LED-based lights. The new lamps are a series of small lights, rather than a single large bulb. Depending on the manufacturer, they sometimes look very similar to the old bulbs.

But that’s where the similarity ends: The LED bulbs are cheaper to operate, last a lot longer than standard incandescent bulbs and are much brighter, said Debi Sadar, the city worker responsible for their installation and maintenance.

“And they’re pretty,” she added.

Sadar, the city’s senior traffic signal technician, was instrumental in persuading her bosses to begin investigating the LED-based lights in 2001.

LED — short for “light-emitting diode” — technology has become widely popular in the past few years. Automakers use them in brake lights, and they’ve become de rigeur in camping flashlights and headlamps.

LEDs work differently than regular bulbs, converting electricity more directly into light. Incandescent bulbs use electricity to heat a metal filament, which then gives off illumination.

The difference means LEDs are dramatically more efficient than incandescent bulbs. Sadar said a typical intersection using regular traffic lights consumes about $925 worth of electricity annually. An intersection equipped with LED lights uses just $110 worth of power.

Multiply those savings by the city’s 75 or so intersections, and the effect on the bottom line is substantial, in the neighborhood of $61,000 annually, Sadar said.

“I don’t think it was so hard once they realized the energy savings,” Sadar said of persuading her supervisors to adopt the technology.

The drawback is the initial cost of the lamps: about $60 for a red LED light, compared to about $3 for a replacement bulb, Sadar said. The LEDs have five-year warranties and usually last for 10 years. Normal bulbs often had to be replaced several times annually, especially during windy years.

The low power needs of the LEDs also opens up the possibility of connecting them to backup batteries at major intersections. The old incandescent bulbs used too much power to make battery backups reasonable, city traffic engineer Joe Olson said.

Olson and other city workers met last week to begin investigating the backup systems.

“Having the LEDs makes it more practical to do that because they don’t draw nearly as much energy,” Olson said.

Now, with all the intersections switched over, Sadar and colleague Derald Johnson keep an eye on lights that have lost some of their LEDs.

This week, they took about 10 minutes to replace a red light that had lost some of its LED pixels. The removed light still was under warranty, so Sadar planned to send it back to the manufacturer.

“They aren’t going out as often, and they’re a lot brighter,” she said.

Trevor Hughes can be reached at 303-684-5220, or by e-mail at thughes@times-call.com.

2006-07-25T22:12:00.000-07:00

led light: Bend police get new red-light tool

Posted: 12:09 PM, Jul. 25, 2006

By KTVZ.com news sources

In its efforts to keep the roads safe, the Oregon Department of Transportation reported this week it has installed tools on two traffic signals in Bend to help police officers safely stop motorists who run red lights.
The "Enforcer" has been installed at the intersections of Greenwood Avenue and Third Street, and Reed Market Road and Third Street.

The tool is a system on the back of an existing signal. When a traffic light turns red, a white LED light is illuminated on the rear side of the signal. This allows a police officer to position on the far side of an intersection and still be able to see when the light turns red. The officer can stop offenders without having to follow vehicles through the intersection, which is safer for the officer and the traveling public.

"Red light running is a form of aggressive driving," said Debbie Williams, ODOT Traffic Safety Coordinator. "The average time saved by running a red light is 25 seconds and is not worth the potential cost in human lives."

ODOT also awarded a $2,200 overtime enforcement grant to the Bend Police Department to use the tool.
Nationwide, motorists running red lights cost the public an estimated $7 billion per year in lost wages, medical bills and damages. From 2000 through 2004, more than 160 crashes reported in Bend involved a driver disregarding a traffic signal, according to information reported to the Department of Motor Vehicles. This resulted in one fatality and 120 people injured.

"Driving safely is a shared responsibility," said Williams. "The choices you make can mean a lifetime of loss, pain and suffering for yourself or someone else's family."

2006-07-23T21:14:00.000-07:00

led light: Gadget Brando 4in1 Key Ring LED Light Pen

Gadgeteer Hands On Review by Judie Hughes

July 21, 2006

If you have held off adding a small LED torch to your keyring, after reading today's review you may be glad that you waited. We all know the benefits of having an LED torch where it is always easily accessible, but the Gadget Brando 4in1 Key Ring LED Light Pen adds a few extra perks that may make owning one even more attractive.

Not only does this keyring light have a great price, it has a list of features that make it a great gift idea for those that are "hard to buy for". Let's take a look...

The shaft of the device is composed of metal, which immediately makes it feel better made than a plastic counterpart. Measuring a diminutive 2.6" long x 0.5" wide, the light is available in black, blue or red. There is a tiny and tight pen clip built into the end closest to the key-ring.

The shaft unscrews for battery insertion or removal; four AG10 disc batteries are included. The shaft unscrews for battery insertion or removal; four AG10 disc batteries are included. Right above the battery compartment is another section which when unscrewed reveals a black ballpoint pen. An incredibly short ballpoint reservoir is inside. It will probably be a pain to get refills, so I would suggest only using this little pen when necessary.

The removed cap can be screwed onto the opposite end to extend the ballpoint for more comfortable writing. I think it is a little generous to call the pen "4-in-1", as evidently the pen clip is included in its features. I think it would be safer to say 3in1 - you have a keyring, a pen & a three LED torch. In any case, if you have been fumbling around in the dark, this may be the keyring you've been waiting for!

2006-07-18T01:58:00.000-07:00

LED Light: EV Group Develops First Mask Aligner with LED Light Source

EV Group Develops First Mask Aligner with LED Light Source

EV Group (EVG), a supplier of wafer-bonding and lithography equipment for the MEMS, nanotechnology and semiconductor markets, has announced the availability of the industry first LED (Light Emitting Diode) light source for mask aligner systems. This LED light source is now available for all EVG mask aligner systems and outperforms conventional UV light sources by offering reduced cost of ownership, reduced maintenance and superior exposure results.

Equipping mask aligners with a LED light source provides unique advantages in process safety and environmental issues. EHS (Environmental, Health and Safety) risks involved with use of high pressure mercury arc lamps are eliminated with the new LED technology. “Applying LED technology in our mask aligners, we can offer an advanced exposure source and support our high volume manufactures with low cost of ownership and reduced maintenance. The operation cost savings compared to conventional Hg lamp operated mask aligners are typically greater than 50% - both for HVM and R&D users.”, says Erich Thallner CEO and founder of EV Group.

Regular maintenance tasks such as replacement of UV lamps will be a thing of the past. Especially in high-volume production, every single cost factor is critical. Compared to UV light sources, the LED light source enables low power operation and therefore eliminates costs for Nitrogen cooling. The LED light source represents a breakthrough in lowest cost of ownership by offering a maintenance-free lifetime of more than 10 years under common-practice operation and production conditions. It proves again EVG’s position in being ahead of setting new industry standards for wafer processing.

http://www.evgroup.com

Posted 12th July 2006

2006-07-11T02:34:00.000-07:00

LED light: New Products: Efficient, long-life LED lighting

High density packaging, compact yet light-weight

Cambridge UK & San Jose, CA USA -- In constant pursuit of the optimal lighting and lens conditions, Moritex is now offering a new kind of LED lighting.

Moritex's 'MG Wave' LED lighting includes a range of unique technical features. Specified colours of Light Emitting Diodes (LEDs) are arranged in a high density package to provide long-life, compact, light-weight and efficient lighting for image processing and inspection applications.

MG-Wave LED lighting provides longer stable images than other forms of lighting. Unlike other forms of lighting there is no deterioration caused by repeatedly switching the light on and off.
Operating across a narrow bandwidth MG-Wave makes it easy to acquire the contrast critical for image processing. Incorporating small light source elements enables MG-Wave to deliver lighting dimensions optimised to application. Incorporated in the LED light the MG-Wave constant current detection system reads the signal to control the rated current that is adjusted to the number of LEDs in every lighting module. Consequently MG-Wave has the flexibility to offer its industry leading performance for any type of lighting configuration.

The MG-Wave range includes high powered spot, direct ring, low angle ring, shadowless, edge backlit, array backlit, coaxial, bar, linear, oblique, dome and parallel lighting LED's as well as power sources and a wide variety of LED lighting accessories.

Benefiting from nearly 30 years experience and expertise in the creation, manipulation and control of light Moritex has designed this well-illustrated technical catalogue to assist customers in combining the correct MG-Wave LED light source, light guides and lenses to achieve exceptional image capture with high resolution and contrast.
A technical brochure may be downloaded from http://www.moritex.com/cgi-bin/getdocument.pl?document=156.pdf. For further information on MG-Wave LED Lighting please contact Moritex at email sales@moritex.com or by telephone on ã1223-301148 (Europe) or 408-363-2100 (North America).

European HQ

Moritex Europe Ltd.
14, Signet Court
Swanns Road
Cambridge CB5 8LA UK

tel. ã1223-301148
email sales@moritex.com
web www.moritex.com

North American HQ

Moritex USA Inc.
San Jose, CA 95119, USA

Tel: +1 408 363 2100
email ksebley@moritexusa.com

2006-07-07T01:34:00.000-07:00

LED Light: Sprint Nextel and Motorola Break New Ground in Rugged Phone Market with the i580 by Motorola

Press Release posted by Michelle Ruhfass on Thursday July 06, 2006.

New Motorola ruggedized walkie-talkie phone for the Nextel National Network meets military specifications for blowing rain and features an embedded camera and Bluetooth(R)wireless technology

RESTON, Va. and PLANTATION, Fla. — 07/06/2006--Continuing to lead the industry in the area of rugged phones, Sprint Nextel (NYSE: S) and Motorola (NYSE:MOT) today announced availability of the Motorola i580. Answering the call for a ruggedized, stylish and fully equipped handset, the i580 is the only iDEN rugged phone in the industry to feature an embedded camera and the first with a clam form factor to include Bluetooth wireless technology. The i580 is also the first rugged iDEN clam phone designed to meet military specification 810 F for rain resistance, as well as for dust, shock and vibration. The phone's durable design and easy-grip rubber exterior can withstand even the toughest day on the job or the most demanding outdoor activities for those who enjoy an active lifestyle.

"Sprint Nextel recognizes that business customers in industries like construction, transportation and field services often experience harsh weather conditions or the need for documenting proof of work," said Danny Bowman, vice president of product marketing for Sprint. "With first-in-its-class features like an embedded camera, Bluetooth wireless technology and military-level rain resistance, the i580 is the total package for extending the workplace."

"At Motorola, we constantly strive to deliver products that are as remarkable as their users -- whose lives are fast paced and demanding -- and the Motorola i580 is designed to live with them, through tough weather conditions or less than optimal treatment," said Peter Aloumanis, general manager, U.S. Markets Division, Motorola's iDEN(R) Mobile Devices.

The Motorola i580 provides Sprint's unmatched Nextel Walkie-Talkie capabilities, allowing for instant one-on-one, group and off-network communication with the touch of a button. The most complete ruggedized phone yet, the i580 contains notable features such as:

1.3 megapixel digital camera with video record functionality - the i580 is the first ruggedized iDEN clam style handset to offer an integrated 1.3 megapixel digital camera, producing high-quality images, a self-timer, up to 4X digital zoom and an LED light that can light up an image in a range up to 2 feet in low light conditions.
Removable micro SD card slot - Store images, MP3 files, and video to removable micro SD memory cards. 64MB card included.
Bluetooth(R)wireless technology
GPS support - Get step-by-step driving directions, trip planning and more when you add GPS-based applications like TeleNav, MapQuest FindMe and Trimble Outdoors.
Large, internal color display
Support for advanced walkie-talkie capabilities including Direct Send(TM) contacts and pictures.
Messaging services - send or receive multimedia and/or text and voice messages.
Front ported audio support - equipped with dual, frontal speakers

The i580 is available nationwide at Sprint and Nextel Stores, Sprint business sales channels and online at www.sprint.com $279.99, after all available discounts and promotions. To view or download an image of the Motorola i580, please visit http://www.motorola.com/mediacenter/graphics/list/0,,4287,00.html.

About Sprint Nextel
Sprint Nextel offers a comprehensive range of communications services bringing mobility to consumer, business and government customers. Sprint Nextel is widely recognized for developing, engineering and deploying innovative technologies, including two robust wireless networks offering industry leading mobile data services; instant national and international walkie-talkie capabilities; and an award-winning and global Tier 1 Internet backbone. For more information, visit www.sprint.com.

About Motorola
Motorola is known around the world for innovation and leadership in wireless and broadband communications. Inspired by our vision of Seamless Mobility, the people of Motorola are committed to helping you get and stay connected simply and seamlessly to the people, information, and entertainment that you want and need. We do this by designing and delivering "must have" products, "must do" experiences and powerful networks -- along with a full complement of support services. A Fortune 100 company with global presence and impact, Motorola had sales of US $36.8 billion in 2005. For more information about our company, our people and our innovations, please visit www.motorola.com.

2006-07-03T01:59:00.000-07:00

LED Light: Emergency LED light

Utah Nature has a how to on making a LED emergency light - "This LED array uses 15 LEDs housed in a 1 inch PVC connector. Each LED has its own 100 ohm resistor to limit the current and reduce the voltage. The LEDs have a 20 degree light dispersion resulting in a beam much like a regular flashlight. Using 4 D size batteries, this assembly produces usable light for over 24 hours. This array is ideal for lighting dark work areas such as work under the car."

2006-06-30T01:57:00.000-07:00

LED Light: Sealed Tube LED Lighting Strips Mountable in Many Versatile Applications

TORRANCE, CA — June 29th, 2006 — LEDtronics® announces TBL3xx Series Sealed Tube LED Light Strips that offers great illumination in many versatile applications. The TBL3xx series tube LED comes in a water clear lens. It provides great looking illumination on applications such as RVs, buses, trains, task lighting, under cabinets, concealed lighting, edge lighting, cubicles, marine recreation applications, retail store displays, and more. The construction of a sturdy UV-resistant polycarbonate housing over the LED tube provides increased protection and shielding against many environmental effects allowing you to place these light tubes in locations where typical lights would be more vulnerable to the elements. Furthermore, TBL3xx series tubes come in a variety 6”, 12”, 24”, and 48” lengths to fit in many different locations, tight enclosures and spaces.

These clear LED Tube Lights come in 6000K Pure White and 3000K Warm White colors all operating at 12V. Both whites use .96 Watts for the 6” model, 2.16 Watts for 12”, 3.84 Watts for 24”, and 7.68 Watts for 48” lengths. Pure white 6000K LEDs give off 52 Lumens at 6” lengths, 116 Lumens at 12”, 206 Lumens at 24”, and 413 Lumens at 48” sizes. Warm white 3000K LEDs radiate 40 Lumens for 6”, 89 Lumens at 12”, 158 Lumens at 24”, and 317 Lumens at 48” length sizes.

Along with each LED Tube Strip, is a mounting clip (MTG-CLIP-STP-001) that snaps onto the back of the tube. Two clips are provided per foot of tubing. Each clip has a location for a self tapping screw that allows you to mount the LED tubing in many possible locations.

Solid-state design renders LEDs impervious to shock, vibration, frequent switching, and environmental extremes. With an average life span of 100,000-plus hours (11 years), LED lamps operate more than 20 times longer than the equivalent incandescent lamp! Savings from reduced maintenance costs and downtime quickly return the capital investment expenditure! LED lamps produce almost no heat and require 80% - 90% less operating power than equivalent incandescents, making them as friendly to the environment as they are to the operating budget.

Founded in 1983, LEDtronicsâ leads where others only follow when it comes to designing, manufacturing and packaging state-of-the-art LEDs to meet the world’s constantly changing lighting needs. Our inventive product line encompasses an array of direct incandescent lamp replacement Based LEDs, low-cost snap-in and relampable Panel Mount LEDs, high intensity sunlight-visible Discrete LEDs, PCB LEDs circuit board status indicators, surface mount diodes SMT LEDs, full-spectrum rainbow RGB LEDs and Infra-Red (IR) LEDs.

http://www.ledtronics.com

2006-06-27T23:07:00.000-07:00

led light: Lamina Powers CentraL.E.D. with Ultra Bright LED Light Engine

Lamina Ceramics has announced the availability of LED light engine-powered CentraL.E.D., recently introduced by Central Tools. Based on Lamina's BL-2000 LED light engine, the CentraL.E.D. is a brightest, compact repair lights to enter the market. Developed for automotive repair technicians, CentraL.E.D. spec'd Lamina light engines because of their ultra bright light output and small footprint. The light's 42 LEDs are focused by a high-tech, precision optic which concentrates the light to produce a 40-degree beam angle. This allows an 18-inch "perfect circle" of very bright, evenly distributed light to be produced at two feet.

The BL-2000 light engine used in CentraL.E.D. is Lamina's LED light engines, delivering 108 lumens of brilliant white light. The BL-2000 is available in 5500°K white, 4300°K white, red, amber, green, blue, and RGB – with recently introduced optics and heat sinks. The high light output from CentraL.E.D.'s small footprint make this product's screw-on light head assembly suitable for a wide range of OEM architectural, automotive, task lighting and general illumination applications.

Company: Lamina Ceramics
Product ID: 06FE038

2006-06-22T23:21:00.000-07:00

led light: LEDs provide light sources for pocket-sized front projectors

Why try to view images on a tiny handheld screen when you could project the content onto your bedroom ceiling? DLP-based pocket-sized front projectors containing LED light sources are making this possible.

Compact front-projection devices, which can take images from a phone handset, gaming console or digital camera and project them onto a wall, screen or even a ceiling, now constitute a small but exciting market for LED light sources.

The devices, commonly known as "pocket" projectors, typically weigh less than 1 pound and can be operated from a DC battery supply. However, the size and weight of the battery are such that consumers will need fairly large pockets to carry the whole system, and fairly deep pockets to afford price tags in the EUR 700-1000 bracket.

All pocket projectors currently on the market use LED light sources, and are based on digital light processing (DLP) technology developed by Texas Instruments. Consumer electronics giants such as Samsung, Mitsubishi and Toshiba, along with several other suppliers, already offer pocket projection systems

Copyright © IOP Publishing Ltd and Cabot Media Ltd 2004–2006. All rights reserved.

2006-06-20T01:29:00.000-07:00

LED Light: Snowboarding At Night

Nighttime snowboarding is another aspect of snowboarding that is unlike any other that you may have tried so far. Many people find snowboarding at night to be very relaxing, exciting and offer a new perspective on hills that they are constantly riding.

On of the most important aspects of nighttime snowboarding is being very familiar with the run you are about to ride. Ideally you should know your path so well that you can visualize each corner, the time it takes to get from one turn to the next and what obstacles are where on the trail when you close your eyes. This familiarity will help to offset your lack of vision.

Regardless of how well you know the run you are about to attempt, you will be in for a surprise the first time you try it at night. In the dark everything looks different and feels different. You may not have realized how much you're relied on visual cues for when and where to turn slow down or speed up. You will not longer be able to see the stump that marks the start of the moguls or other trail details and shadows will make things seem to appear or disappear.

When it comes to night riding you have three options to improve your sight. You can use your eyes and no light, ride a mildly lighted trail or use a headlamp to light your way. You will have to try each option to determine which method is best suited for you.

Regardless of which method you wish to use, you must work to improve your night vision. The first step is to allow your eyes to adjust to the dark. Your eyes will under go a chemical change to allow you to see better in the dark and this process takes time, usually about 30 minutes. During this time it is best to sit and wait for it to happen. While waiting, and afterwards, be very careful not to look at any man made light source. Doing so will kill your night vision and you will have to wait another 30 minutes to get it back. If you find you must look at a light, close and cover one eye so that it doesn't loose its night vision ability.

Something that most people do not realize is that their daytime activities also effect their nighttime vision. Studies conducted on pilots show that exposure to bright sunlight, especially for 10 days or more, can reduce your nighttime vision, range and clarity by 50 percent. You may wish to wear gray full spectrum sunglasses on the day or the days leading up to the night that you wish to snowboard in order to maximize your night vision.

The other option available is to use a headlamp of some kind. The first choice most people think of is a bright white light. While this does allow you to see the colors of your surroundings, it isn't the best choice for nighttime viewing. The second option that most people think of is a red bulb. This too isn't a good idea as red is the first spectrum of light to become invisible at night. The range of a red light at night is very limited and thus you will not be able to see the details that you need to see.

Perhaps the best choice for a light is a yellow-green LED light. Often you can insert a suitable LED into the socket of the regular bulb on your headlamp. Yellow-green makes a very good choice for nighttime riding as it will illuminate your surroundings and allow you to see the most detail possible.

However a blue-green LED also has its advantages. While a yellow-green light helps activate the cones in your retina to see details, a blue-green light is fairly dim and works with the rods in your retina. The rods are the parts of your eyes responsible for allowing you to see at night. If you are in a fully dark area then blue-green is a better choice since it does not hinder your night vision ability.

Nighttime snowboarding is a very fun and interesting experience that should not be missed. You will find that you will discover all kinds of things about your favorite runs and yourself while doing so. Make a point of trying it the next time you find yourself becoming bored with your favorite hill.

About The Author

Jakob Jelling is the founder of http://www.snowboardinghelp.com. Please visit his website to discover the world of snowboarding!

Copyright Jakob Jelling - http://www.snowboardinghelp.com

2006-06-12T23:38:00.000-07:00

led light: Unique Party Favors

A party favor is given by a host to their guest to thank them for attending their event. When a hosts gives their guests unique party favors, the guests know how truly appreciated their presence was at the party. Guests attending a party will usuall...

by Mrs.

A party favor is given by a host to their guest to thank them for attending their event. When a hosts gives their guests unique party favors, the guests know how truly appreciated their presence was at the party. Guests attending a party will usually bring a hostess gift or something the host can use or serve at their party. The party hostess usually gives the guests a party favor, thus making it a unique href="http://4favors.com"> party favor is a reminder of how the event was special.
There are several options available when choosing unique href="http://partysupplieshut.com/party-favors"> party favors. One of the best ways to make your party favors unique is to make them personalized. A href="http://personalizedpartyfavor.com"> personalized party favor shows your guests that you really wanted them to have a gift that you put a lot of thought into so that they would always remember the event. Another way to give very unique party favors, is to give gift baskets. Gift baskets can be a personalized gift to receive because they can be filled with a combination of any thing to suit your guest's personality.
If you are having a costume party, fun favors that can be worn are a great way to give your guests fun they can take home. Costumes themselves as favors are a unique way for guests to bring the fun of your party home with them. Even mix and match costume parts like feather boas, hats or masks are all fun gifts to give to your guests as party favors. For an evening party, a great unique party favor can be glow sticks. Glow sticks and LED light ups are fun as party favors. These are fun for your guests to play with at your party and they create a festive atmosphere. Nothing is more exciting than a dark room full of neon glow sticks and blinking lights. Excellent pool party favors can be inflatables. These are great because your guests can use their favors during the party in the pool and at home.

Whatever favors you choose for your guests will be appreciated as long as you put some thought into them. The point of a party is to have fun. So have fun when looking for the perfect unique party favors for your party. Picking the perfect unique party favor will not only bring joy to your guests but also to yourself. Everyone wants the party favors they choose to be a success.

About the Author

Mrs. Party... Gail Leino is the internet's leading authority on giving the best possible href="http://partysupplieshut.com">party, using proper etiquette and manners while also teaching organizational skills and fun facts.

Copyright Mrs. - http://4favors.com

2006-06-12T23:36:00.000-07:00

led light: Why Are There So Many Different Light Bulbs?

There are many different types of light bulbs. Each has its own uses and requirements. Some can save you some extra money because they are energy efficient. There are also many different brands. You ...

by Mike Yeager

There are many different types of light bulbs. Each has its own uses and requirements. Some can save you some extra money because they are energy efficient. There are also many different brands. You can also often find discount light bulbs to save some money. Learning the differences will help you choose what is right for you.

If you are looking for something that is brighter and produces a more powerful light, halogen light bulbs are the way to go. Fluorescent light bulbs do not burn as hot as others and are more energy efficient. These last much longer then halogen. Full spectrum light bulbs are just regular light bulbs that produce white light. They are not the most energy efficient on the market. LED light bulbs are the small indicator lights often found on remote controls and other sensor operated electronics.

While each type of light bulb has its uses, they are often made by several manufactures. Many of them are well known brands. Some include GE Light Bulbs, Phillips Light Bulbs, and Sylvania Light Bulbs. You can often find discount light bulbs as well in many discount department stores. You can find most of these light bulbs in any department store.

Whenever you need to purchase a light bulb, check the product you are currently using or the manufactures guide to make sure you purchase the correct one. Many have different watts or powers and buying ones that are too powerful can burn your appliance out or not work properly. Some bulbs get very hot, therefore cannot be used with plastics or fabrics that could melt or catch fire. Also, handle these bulbs carefully as they can cause serious burns.

Research the light bulbs you will be using before using them. Know their safety standards. Also know what to expect from them energy wise. Many can cause high expenses if used wrong. Doing these simple things can keep you and your loved ones safe.

About The Author

Mike Yeager

Publisher

http://www.a1-lighting-4u.com/

mjy610@hotmail.com

2006-06-08T00:57:00.000-07:00

led light: Add A Room To Your Home With A Patio Awning

Do you need a patio awning for your lovely patio off of your backyard that only gets half the use it could because of rain or far too bright sun? Installing a patio awning to shade and protect it can be almost as good as adding a room to your home!

by Garry John

Do you need a patio awning for your lovely patio off of your backyard that only gets half the use it could because of rain or far too bright sun? Installing a patio awning to shade and protect it can be almost as good as adding a room to your home!

When choosing a patio awning, you'll need to consider a number of things – the area that needs to be covered, the structure on which the awning will be installed (usually your house), the weather conditions in your area, the cost and the aesthetics. There are many types and styles of patio awning available to suit your needs – once you're certain what your needs are.

The most often stated reasons for installing a patio awning are:

- Protection from Weather

A patio awning provides shade from the sun and cover from rain, to extend the usability of your patio and make it more comfortable at all times of the day.

- Protection of Your Investment

Patio furniture and wood floors or patio carpets are a substantial financial investment. A patio awning helps protect that investment from the damaging UV rays of the sun. In addition, if your patio has full glass sliding doors, the patio awning will also help protect the carpets and furnishings inside your home from those same harmful rays.

- Energy Efficiency

Besides shading the patio itself, installing a patio awning can reduce the heat of your home's interior by as much as 70%, which can be a major savings in electricity if you're paying for air conditioning.

- Low construction costs

Patio awnings – even fancy retractable ones with built-in lighting and heating – cost far less than adding a full room to your home, but in many cases, the effect is almost the same – expanded living and entertainment space.

- Aesthetics

Patio awnings come in an almost limitless array of colors and designs. A well-made patio awning can add beauty to your home while providing shade and comfort for you.

What type of patio awning is best? That depends on your patio, where you live, and how you use your patio. Some of the most popular styles and their best setting are listed below.

- Fixed Patio Awning

Fixed awnings are not usually recommended as patio awnings. They're designed to withstand extremes of weather conditions, and cannot be rolled back. If you're planning a patio area that you'll sometimes want to expose to full sun, a retractable awning is a far better choice.

- Retractable Patio Awning

Retractable patio awnings are designed to be retracted during extremes of weather to prevent damage to the awning. They can be retracted via a hand crank or a motorized pulley, and some of the latest styles even feature automatic wind and rain sensors to close the awning whether or not you're there to push a button. You can choose patio awnings that retract completely into a compact ‘cassette' frame, that have installed led lighting or heating, as well as patio awnings that are specially constructed for windy areas or for full tilt-angle control to adjust your shade precisely.

A consultation with a professional dealer and patio awning installer will give you the best idea of what sort of patio awning will suit your needs best.

Garry John has contributed to several home improvement sites including http://www.uk-awnings.org.uk with details of patio awnings

Copyright Garry John - http://www.uk-awnings.org.uk/

2006-06-08T00:53:00.000-07:00

led light: Binocular Trends and Technology

There have been some incredible developments in optical technology in recent years. One of the most interesting new products comes from a company called Torrey Pines Logic. It has been developed in partnership with the United States Navy, and it is currently being field tested for use in Iraq and beyond. It is called LightSpeed, and it just might revolutionize battlefield communications ...

by Bill MacArthur

There have been some incredible developments in optical technology in recent years. One of the most interesting new products comes from a company called Torrey Pines Logic. It has been developed in partnership with the United States Navy, and it is currently being field tested for use in Iraq and beyond. It is called LightSpeed, and it just might revolutionize battlefield communications.

The new device, developed with funding from the Office of Naval Research, is a short-range communications tool that will allow soldiers to talk on a secure channel up to two miles away, simply by looking at one another. It uses infrared to transmit audio and video data, and connects to a standard pair of binoculars. It employs the use of optical lenses to amplify the audio and video signals.

Soldiers in the field can connect headphones and a microphone to the binoculars to speak to one another, so long as they are both using the same device. The great thing about LightSpeed is that it is considerably more secure than traditional lasers or radio. Furthermore, it is extremely low power. This is important because it is less susceptible to being picked up and monitored by the other side. While it is intended for short range, line-of-sight communications, it has proven to be highly versatile in the field.

One application that has showed incredible promise is during vessel boarding search and seizure. The device can be used to transmit biometric data of passengers back to the ship. It is also ideal as a secondary communications device during radio blackouts. LightSpeed is also being tested for use in communications between submarines and aircraft, explosive ordinance disposal, and unmanned aerial vehicle landings.

Although the technology behind the LED LightSpeed device has been around for some time, it was not until 2003 that it first came to the attention of the US Navy. It was discovered at a tradeshow by a Navy Commander, and submitted to the Office of Naval Research's Tech Solutions department. ONR's Tech Solutions is a program that allows Sailors and Marines to suggest potential solutions to technology challenges. LightSpeed received research and development funding from the ONR in 2004, and current field testing shows incredible promise.

Bill MacArthur is ex-military special operations and is currently working as a consultant for a private security firm in the United States. He loves the great outdoors, and spends his free time at his cottage retreat. Every so often, he writes an article for http://www.thebinocularsite.com – an excellent online resource for information about Binoculars, Night Vision, Rangefinders and more.

Copyright Bill MacArthur - http://www.thebinocularsite.com/

2006-06-06T06:00:00.000-07:00

Led Light: StarLux is looking good

6th June 2006 09:22:53 AM

IFYOU are tired of unwanted hair and frustrated with the time, effort and pain of waxing, Facial Attraction Laser and Skin Clinics now offer the Starlux SIPL, the latest in Super Intense Pulsed Light technology.

It is one of only a few hair removal treatments to be approved by the US Food and Drug Administration, and is clinically proven to provide permanent hair reduction and skin rejuvenation results.

For some, excess hair growth due to medical, hormonal or genetic conditions can have a major negative impact on their lives. SIPL can treat all skin types, with incredible results. Best of all, it’s virtually painless due to patented cooling technology.

Photo rejuvenation and LED light therapy can help treat acne, rosacea, exposed capillaries, pigmentation, freckles, fine lines, open pores, etc.

In addition, the StarLux™ is a very effective method of rejuvenating skin by stimulating the photo receptors and cells in bodies to in turn produce more collagen and elastin.

This dramatically improves skin tone and texture, making skin look more youthful. Go one step further and enhance and maintain the effects using a follow up treatment of LED light therapy, which targets certain cells and bio-molecules within the skin to provide a skin “lift”.

Facial Attraction has experienced and accredited clinicians – including the Victorian state trainer for laser/IPL systems – on hand to assist with all procedures.

With more than 13,000 procedures, and 14 locations throughout Melbourne, you can be assured your skin will be in safe hands.

Facial Attraction has a special offer. The first 50 callers will receive free LED light therapy (valued at $70) when booking an SIPL treatment. Call on 1300 735 234 for further details.

2006-06-06T05:58:00.000-07:00

Led light: Smarthome Releases Annual Gadget Guide for Father's Day

Fingerprint Door Lock Tops This Year's Hot List

IRVINE, Calif., June 5 /PRNewswire/ -- SmartLabs Inc., the world's leading provider of home automation products via its Smarthome catalog and website, announces its annual "Hot List" of gadgets for Father's Day. Topping this year's list of hot products is the 5161 Fingerprint Recognition Deadbolt for the ultimate in security for $349.99 available at Smarthome.com.

Additional safety and security products ranking high in this year's Father's Day Hot List include the 19380 Public Alert Weather Station, a variety of keypad door locks and wireless outdoor surveillance PIR cameras including the 75451R Day/Night Wireless Color Camera for $249.99.

Hot products for the home office include desk accessories like the 95644 Levitating Golf Ball, 46141 IceLight LED Light that offers brightness while saving energy and the ultra-modern 1961 Pin Clock with hundreds of individual pins that extend when required for each number of the time. The 77832 Wireless Scan Converter for $139.99 lets dad view computer files and enjoy music and video on his big screen TV.

For the BBQ and outdoor kitchen, Smarthome recommends the 3216 Smart BBQ Fork for $9.99 so dad can barbecue like a pro. In order to see that steak as the sun goes down, there is the 32150 LED Grill Light for $44.99. Finally, the 9171 Portable Blender for $49.99 enables dad to relax with a frothy, cold, blended drink in the backyard.

For more Father's Day gift ideas including the 91713 12-Volt Cooling Car Summer Seat for $59.99 and the 91307 Motorized Tie Rack for $39.99 to organize all of dad's ties, call 800-762-7846 or visit http://www.smarthome.com/.

Website: http://www.smarthome.com/

2006-05-30T02:03:00.000-07:00

led light: Des Moines roll call

JOEANNE BOECKMANN
REGISTER COLUMNIST

May 15, 2006

From beauty shops to gas pumps, metro area pops

Des Moines seems to continue its quest to offer what some larger metropolitan areas in other states offer. This week I've included news about a spa that offers LED lights — light-emitting diodes — light therapy, something I've been told has been promoted by Oprah Winfrey on her TV show. It's supposed to be good for the skin.

Then there are the new sand volleyball courts preparing to open on Douglas Avenue. Now's the time to gather your friends to form a team.

Read on for more.

***
Refine Studios is a new spa at 6429 University Ave. in Windsor Heights that is having a grand opening from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday. There will be offers worth 20 percent off any service of $100 or more.

Refine Studios offers electrolysis, permanent makeup, massage, needle dermabrasion and photo light rejuvenation or LED light therapy.

Photo light therapy stimulates and regenerates skin cells and promotes healing of conditions such as rosacea, acne, wrinkles and broken capillaries, said spa owner Michelle Heintz.

Heintz is a native Iowan whose specialty is permanent makeup. She attended Iowa School of Beauty, was a makeup artist for the cosmetic company Shiseido, and represented a skin care line for Donna Karan while living in Colorado.

Also at the spa are Sunny Gilmartin, who was owner of the New You electrolysis clinic in Clive, and massage therapist Kenny Nulph.

Heintz said the spa is in a house with a homey feel, thanks to a fireplace and lofted, open wood-beamed ceilings.

What's unusual about Refine Studios is that eight or fewer people can reserve the spa for a party. Participants can put on robes and slippers and receive various spa services, and arrange for or bring in beverages and hors d'oeuvres.

Heintz said at least three weeks notice is required for that.

Clients schedule their own appointments online at least two days in advance at www.refinestudios.com, or call 577-0553 to book within 48 hours. Heintz is still fine-tuning the Web site, so clients may want to call this week.

***
Volley's Volleyball and Grill, the sand courts being constructed next to Plaza Lanes Bowling Alley at 2701 Douglas Ave., will be ready for their debut June 5, when the first league teams begin play.

The Money Shot, a fundraiser for Big Brothers/Big Sisters organization, is also planned for June 10 and 11.

Registration is being accepted for league play for coed, men's and women's teams of four and six players and men's and women's doubles, said Randy Thompson, the owner of the Plaza Lanes and Trophy's Sports Bar & Grill, who is building the sand volleyball courts.

Leagues play lasts 12 weeks. Nine-week sessions for youths in middle school and high school are also forming.

The entry fee for the Money Shot fundraiser is $75 for coed, men's and women's teams of six, and $40 for doubles. Cash prizes will be awarded and first place wins a keg party.

The courts will be lighted, and they will have a sound system. They also will be surrounded by a tropical environment, Thompson said.

Call 255-1111.

***
Hair on Hubbell is a newer salon at 4351 Hubbell Ave. The salon's stylists are Cathy Murray-Wilson and Lisa Mackin. Both previously worked a combined five years at another east-side salon before opening Hair on Hubbell.

They offer full service for hair - including color and perms - and waxing.

The salon is next to Scott's TV & Appliances.

Call 262-2070.

***
Dahl's Food Mart on Aurora Avenue and Merle Hay Road is putting an outbuilding on its lot, one reader noted. He thought it looked like a gas station might be going in there.

He's right.

Dahl's Fuel will begin flowing in August at that location. It will also be a convenience store and carwash.

The company said it also plans to add gasoline at several other locations, where space permits.

***
It appears that Boem's Eurocakes at 3811 Douglas Ave. is closed.

The shop was open only a few months. Before that, Granny's Frozen Custard was at that site.

***
Money Mailer of Des Moines, the direct mail marketing company for small businesses and professionals, is now owned by Bill Downing. He bought the Money Mailer franchises for the east and west sides of the metro area from two franchisees who brought the California-based company here in 2005.

The address is 7551 Aspen Drive in West Des Moines. Call 779-2455.

***
Plans to reopen the pizzeria in Locust Mall Food Court have been delayed. Basil's Pizzeria was sold and will reopen under a new name. No indication of when that will be.

***
Noah's Ark Restaurant, 2400 Ingersoll Ave., which was shut down after a fire there Feb. 18, expects to reopen next week. Owner Jim Lacona originally said he was hoping to reopen this week.

2006-05-25T02:28:00.000-07:00

led light: SAMSUNG LED Light Sourced DLP Rear Projection HDTV Is The World's First

Improved Longevity and Increased Color Reproduction Among 56” Model Features

/noticias.info/ New York, NY - Samsung's LED light sourced DLP rear projection HDTV-the first ever introduced to the world-offers consumers a host of benefits, including significantly improved longevity, increased color gamut reproduction, quicker turn-on time and greater environmental friendliness.
The HL-S5679W operates longer and quieter than previously designed light engine based rear projection TV sets. This model also replaces the current UHP bulb with a high-powered LED light source, called PhlatLight™ that has a single chip DLP® light engine, which doesn't require a color wheel and provides improved longevity. Red, green and blue high-powered LEDs sequentially fire to produce smooth, stable color. The LED light engine also ensures a longer lamp life (20,000 hours without brightness degradation) and a shorter turn-on time (seven seconds). The engine is also mercury-free making it more environmentally friendly.

"The LED Light Sourced DLP RPTV once again demonstrates Samsung's commitment to advancing the boundaries of technology innovation and design excellence," said Dan Schinasi, Senior Marketing Manager for Projection TV for Samsung Electronics America. "With improvements in lamp life, picture stability, turn-on time and now a mercury-free engine, the HL-S5679W launches a new era for DLP HDTVs."

The LED light sourced DLP RPTV provides natural color, with an improved color gamut versus traditional CRT televisions. Featuring true high definition 1920 x 1080p resolution and Samsung's Cinema Smooth™ light engine with Texas Instruments™ DLP technology, the HL-S5679W delivers breathtaking on-screen clarity and vividness. Two 1080p HDMI inputs, which are compatible with the latest 1080p source content, provide plug and play connectivity for digital devices, while the Cable Card feature allows the TV to be used without a cable box. And the black glossy finish and integrated ATSC and NTSC tuner ensure that the HL-S5679W will be an elegant addition to any living room. The HL-S5679W is shipping in September at a $4,199 MSRP.

About Samsung Electronics America, Inc.
Headquartered in Ridgefield Park, NJ, Samsung Electronics America, Inc. (SEA), a wholly owned subsidiary of Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd., markets a broad range of award-winning, advanced digital consumer electronics, information systems and home appliance products. The SEA organization oversees the North American operations of Samsung including Samsung Telecommunications America, LP, Samsung Electronics Canada, Inc. and Samsung Electronics Mexico, Inc. Please visit www.samsung.com for more information.

About Samsung Electronics
Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. is a global leader in semiconductor, telecommunication, digital media and digital convergence technologies with 2005 parent company sales of US$56.7 billion and net income of US$7.5 billion. Employing approximately 128,000 people in over 90 offices in 51 countries, the company consists of five main business units: Digital Appliance Business, Digital Media Business, LCD Business, Semiconductor Business and Telecommunication Network Business. Recognized as one of the fastest growing global brands, Samsung Electronics is a leading producer of digital TVs, memory chips, mobile phones, and TFT-LCDs. For more information, please visit www.samsung.com

2006-05-25T02:26:00.000-07:00

led light: Osram launches "LED Light for you" website

A new website from Osram GmbH provides information on LEDs in general lighting and allow users to find potential partners.

Lighting manufacturer Osram has launched an Internet platform "LED Light for you" providing a starting point and tips for the use of LEDs in general lighting.

Osram says that the aim of the platform is to highlight the options presented by LED technology in lighting applications, and to help potential customers find suitable partners for their own solutions.

LEDs are powerful light sources that will soon be a regular feature in general lighting. The "LED Light for you" platform provides extensive know-how in matters relating to the use of LED in this area.

The platform is open to all and presents specialists with all the components required to develop LED solutions, including thermal protectors, optical systems and electronics.

Users will also find competent partners with experience in the use of LED for general lighting purposes. Links provide access to appropriate websites containing basic information on products and solutions.

Intelligent search functions will help users find suitable partners for planned customer-specific applications or for system solutions. Certified partners with special competence are indicated by an appropriate reference.

Osram says that this know-how is made available to help specialists take advantage of the full range of benefits provided by LEDs as a high-grade illumination source, and to open up new application areas.

2006-05-19T01:59:00.000-07:00

led light: Avago Technologies introduces 254lpi optical encoders

Press release; Rodney Chan, DigiTimes.com [Thursday 18 May 2006]

Avago Technologies today announced a reflective incremental optical encoder, the AEDR-8400, offered in a surface-mount package with dimensions 3×3.28×1.262mm (L×W×H).

The Avago AEDR-8400 encoder, which supports a resolution of 254 lines per inch (LPI), can be used for consumer, office, industrial and automotive interior applications ranging from scanners, printers, miniature cameras, and seat-adjustment and rear-view-mirror controls in automobiles.

The AEDR-8400 provides two-channel quadrature output, a count frequency up to 15KHz and an operating temperature range of -20 to +85°C. The AEDR-8400 operates from a single 2.8V (nominal) supply, drawing 12mA (including 6mA LED current), typically.

Its lead-free packaging complies with the European Union’s directive for Restriction of Hazardous Substances (RoHS), due to take effect on July 1, the company said.

The Avago AEDR-8400 reflective encoder consists of an LED light source, a special photodetector IC with integrated electronics, and integrated optics. They can be used with a reflective code wheel to sense rotary position and velocity, or with a linear code strip to sense linear position and velocity.

The devices provide two-channel digital outputs in quadrature, which provides both count and direction information. They are insensitive to axial play and maintain performance and accuracy over a wide variation in the gap between sensor and code wheel or strip.

“The AEDR-8400, 254LPI is just the first resolution option in a series of miniature reflective optical encoders under development at Avago Technologies,” said Chong Khin Mien, vice president and general manager of Avago’s Motion Control Products Division. “Avago’s continuous innovation in developing the industry’s smallest form factor encoders with the widest range of resolutions helps us meet our customers’ changing needs for various applications and shortens their time to market.”

2006-05-19T01:55:00.000-07:00

led light: LEDtronics - Highly versatile white LED light strips

Published Apr 20 2006

A versatile new range of white 5mm LED light strips, that may be used stand alone or connected to one another, has been introduced by LEDtronics.

The STP50XC Super White Inter-Connectable Series strips make it easy to configure lighting solutions for channel, reverse-channel letters, signs, displays, under-the-counter, cove lighting, desk, workbench, and architectural applications. Available in lengths of 6-inches, 12-inches and 24-inches, the light strips feature the company's 5mm Dome LEDs in 7000K and 3000K.

The STP506 is 6-inches in length and uses 1.08W. The 7000K versions provide 54 lumens, 202 Foot-Candles (fc), with viewing angles of 15 degrees, while the 3000K models provide 32 lumens, 70fc, with viewing angles of 20 degrees. The STP512 is a 12-inch model that uses 2.52W. The 7000K emit 472fc and provide 126 lumens with viewing angles of 15 degrees, while the 3000K emit 164fc and provide 76 lumens at viewing angles of 20 degrees. The STP524 is a 24-inch model that uses 5.4W. The 7000K emit 1012fc and provide 270 lumens with viewing angles of 15 degrees. The 3000K units emit 351fc and 162 lumens at a 20 degree viewing angles.

2006-05-19T01:54:00.000-07:00

led light: Zylight Announces Wireless Control for Z50 LED Light

CHELMSFORD, Mass.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--April 20, 2006--Zylight (www.zylight.com), the leader in intelligent LED lighting for the film and video production industry, is proud to announce ZyLink(TM) technology inside every new Z50 LED light. ZyLink(TM) allows lighting professionals to wirelessly link together multiple Z50's to create large, soft sources of calibrated tungsten light, daylight, or any color of the rainbow. Z50's that are linked together act in concert as if they were one unified LED source, with adjustments made on one light changing all lights in the group. "Used individually or in an array, with the Z50 your lighting kit has never been more compact, yet fully capable of handling any lighting task," says Charlie Collias, Director of Sales for Zylight. "Tungsten, daylight, color, on a stand or your camera, with ZyLink(TM) your Z50 kit will give you any output you need, as large as you need it."

The Z50 Intelligent LED Light can instantly change from fully calibrated 5600K to 3200K white light with the push of a button. When switched to creative color mode, the Z50 can output any color of the rainbow including pastels, eliminating the need for gels. Designed under license from Color Kinetics (NASDAQ: CLRK), a leading innovator of LED lighting systems and technologies, the Z50 produces a soft, wide output with no hotspots. The Z50, with its patent-pending ZyLink(TM) technology, will debut April 24th at the NAB show in Las Vegas. For more information, please contact info@zylight.com. NAB Booth #C9410

About Zylight

Zylight LLC is a leading manufacturer of LED lighting instruments for the film and video production industry. Its easy-to-use intelligent lighting system is based on state-of-the-art LED technologies, producing fully calibrated bright white light, as well as any color forever eliminating gels. Zylight was formed in October 2004 to bring new levels of efficiency, flexibility, and creativity to the realm of film and video lighting. The company is headquartered in Chelmsford, Massachusetts. www.zylight.com.

About Color Kinetics

Color Kinetics Incorporated (NASDAQ: CLRK) transforms environments through new, dynamic uses of light. Its award-winning intelligent solid-state lighting systems and technologies apply the benefits of LEDs as a highly efficient, long lasting, environmentally friendly, and inherently digital source of illumination - reinventing light itself as a highly controllable medium. Color Kinetics also enables widespread adoption of intelligent solid-state lighting through OEM and licensing partnerships in diverse markets. The company is headquartered in Boston, MA with offices in the UK, China, and Japan.www.colorkinetics.com.

2006-05-18T00:57:00.000-07:00

led light: Lamina Ceramics Introduces New Ultra-Bright LED Light Engines

Frankfurt am Main, April 25, 2006 — Lamina Ceramics, manufacturer of award-winning solid-state light sources, are debuting now at the Light+Building International Trade Fair for Architecture and Technology in Frankfurt am Main, Germany, with a new line of ultra-bright LED light engines including a record-setting warm white model designed to replace halogen and tungsten filament competitors and a powerful "daylight white" model designed to replace fluorescent. Up to twice as bright but with the identical footprint of the company's award-winning BL-4000 line — smaller than a U.S. Nickel — the new Atlas line also features an RGB LED light engine generating any of 16,000,000 blendable colors, including white.

The new Atlas Warm White is the first in a long-sought new generation of ultra-bright LED light sources with warm color temperatures. Producing more than 100 lumens, Atlas' enhanced red and orange color spectrum provides light output similar to a 10-watt halogen bulb but uses little more than half the power and lasts 3-4 times as long.

"Until now, high power white-light output by LEDs has largely been confined to color temperatures above 5,000 K — cool light similar to fluorescent lamps," noted David McConaghy, Lamina’s vice president of sales. "As lighting designers know, cool white light, while perfect for many application such as office lighting, is generally not welcome for illumination the more intimate interior spaces of home and leisure — most people prefer a warmer light for reading, desk illumination and dinning. Perhaps that’s also because many fabrics, furnishings, textiles, woods — and yes, people — simply do not look very appealing under cool white light".

2006-05-18T00:49:00.000-07:00

Led light: NanoDynamics Broadens Nanotech Toolkit With Nine Plasma Synthesis Patents From Rutgers University

NanoDynamics Broadens Nanotech Toolkit With Nine Plasma Synthesis Patents From Rutgers University
NanoBusiness 2006
NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--May 17, 2006--
Versatile Low Energy Plasma Spray Process Cuts Energy Expenditures More than 50 Percent, Enables Ceramics for Combat Armor and Fluorescent Materials for LED Lighting

NanoDynamics, Inc. announced today at NanoBusiness 2006, the NanoBusiness Alliance Conference, that it has licensed nine issued and pending patents from Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, covering an innovative low-energy route to plasma-based synthesis as well as products enabled by the versatile technique. An innovative variation on the widely used materials processing technique for producing coatings and structural parts, the new plasma process reduces energy consumption by more than 50 percent. A leading nanomaterials and nanotechnology manufacturing company, NanoDynamics plans to commercialize the technique and assess resulting material characteristics for a variety of commercial products including durable, wear-resistant parts, high-efficiency LED lighting and tougher ceramics for lightweight combat armor.

"Nanotechnology in its most fundamental form is the manufacture and manipulation of materials at the atomic scale. From precipitation techniques to vapor deposition, it is the process and tools for engineering at that level that form the critical platform for developing new materials and products. This enabling plasma synthesis technique broadens NanoDynamics' proprietary toolkit for delivering commercial-grade products from basic nanomaterials to unique nanostructures that have significance on the performance of high value products much further up the supply chain," said Keith Blakely, CEO of NanoDynamics.

With the widest range of applications of any thermal spray technique, plasma spraying is a broadly applicable tool for producing a dense coating of a variety of materials including metals, ceramics, polymers and composites. The spraying method involves melting powdered materials in a jet of plasma gas heated to temperatures greater than 5,000 degrees C. The plasma gas propels the molten powder toward the substrate where the material cools to form a dense, strong deposit layer. Much of the energy expended in the conventional plasma spray process is spent inefficiently heating the plasma gas to those extreme temperatures. In contrast, NanoDynamics' newly licensed technique reduces wasted energy by concentrating heat on the material itself rather than the plasma gas carrier. In addition to making plasma spray processes more efficient for conventional uses, the low-energy technique allows for novel material combinations which result in entirely new uses for the coating process.

"A low-energy plasma spray technique is key to the commercial viability of nanostructured ceramics," said Bernard Kear, Ph.D., professor and director of Rutgers' Center for Nanomaterials Research. "This process represents a significant advancement in plasma spray science."

The market for coatings is growing at an annual rate of about 4.8 percent, according to the market analyst firm Freedonia Group, and will reach more $4.8 billion in US sales by 2009. In the ceramic coatings market, a $1.1 billion market it itself, according to BCC Research, plasma spray coatings account for more than 62 percent of the market. In 2004, this represented about $690 million in US sales, but is expected to reach more than $1 billion by 2009.

In order to address these markets, NanoDynamics intends to employ the plasma spray method to expand its product offerings in a variety of areas, including improved soldier survivability. With today's average soldier carrying up to 140 pounds of material with insufficient ballistic protection, reducing that load while improving protection represents a significant need. Already well into development on a solid oxide fuel cell that provides light-weight, portable power, NanoDynamics will employ the plasma technique to synthesize proprietary ceramics for use in developing lighter, tougher combat armor.

NanoDynamics also plans to use the Rutgers technology to prepare florescent nanomaterials for high-efficiency LED (light-emitting diode) lighting. With characteristic durability, low heat and long-life, LEDs are a promising replacement for older lighting technologies such as fluorescent and incandescent. LEDs are expected to increasingly shift from niche applications into the approximately $12 billion general illumination market within the next five years. However, the materials used today to make the white LEDs needed for homes and offices emit an excess of ultra-violet light, which results in a lower-efficiency light output and degrades the lights' plastic housing over time. By employing the new technique to incorporate florescent nanomaterials in inorganic materials, NanoDynamics can produce a commercially viable lighting package technology that increases light output and LED life.

About NanoDynamics

NanoDynamics is a diversified technology and manufacturing company utilizing nanoscale engineering to address some of the world's biggest challenges. With nano-enabled solutions in the fields of energy, water processing, life sciences, electronics, advanced materials and consumer products, NanoDynamics is committed to delivering the power of nanotechnology to the global marketplace. For more information, visit the company's website at www.nanodynamics.com.

2006-05-18T00:46:00.001-07:00

led light: Osram launches "LED Light for you" website

A new website from Osram GmbH provides information on LEDs in general lighting and allow users to find potential partners.

In conjunction with the Light+Building show beginning April 23 in Frankurt, Germany, lighting manufacturer Osram is to launch an Internet platform " LED Light for you" providing a starting point and tips for the use of LEDs in general lighting.

LED Light for you
Osram says that the aim of the platform is to highlight the options presented by LED technology in lighting applications, and to help potential customers find suitable partners for their own solutions.

LEDs are powerful light sources that will soon be a regular feature in general lighting. The "LED Light for you" platform provides extensive know-how in matters relating to the use of LED in this area.

The platform is open to all and presents specialists with all the components required to develop LED solutions, including thermal protectors, optical systems and electronics.

Users will also find competent partners with experience in the use of LED for general lighting purposes. Links provide access to appropriate websites containing basic information on products and solutions.

Intelligent search functions will help users find suitable partners for planned customer-specific applications or for system solutions. Certified partners with special competence are indicated by an appropriate reference.

Osram says that this know-how is made available to help specialists take advantage of the full range of benefits provided by LEDs as a high-grade illumination source, and to open up new application areas.

Osram GmbH will be present at Stand B50 in Hall 2.0 at Light+Building 2006.

2006-05-17T00:40:00.000-07:00

led light: Debt Problems - How to Face Your Families And Friends

One of the most important things that you can do to help yourself when you are in a financial crisis is to keep a positive attitude.

Whether you are in debts because of your poor money management skills, family member health problems or unexpected job lose. You need to keep your head high and face everybody.

Don't hide at home, shun meeting your friends and change your mobile or house phone number just to avoid your friends and families. Understand that getting down on yourself is not going to help things. It can't help clear your debts, furthermore you risk losing your life.

A person's self esteem preside over the way he presents himself to the world. If you can keep a good outlook of yourself, others will be able to see it in similar fashion.

Feeling sorry for yourself and not daring to face your debt problems will only make matter worse and usually led to families and friends shunning you for fear that you will not borrow money from them - even if you do not intend to.

Maintaining positive and not hiding from your debt problems is vital to help you get out of your debts. Having the courage to admit that you are in debt and that you are in the mist of finding solution to the problems will prove to people that you are both positive and responsible. Family and friends will look at you with admiration and respect rather than pity and will see you in a different light.

To tide over your financial crisis, understand that everyone face one obstacles or another in life. It is not embarrassing to be caught up in debts. Some more, it might not even be your fault. Use this chance instead to learn your lesson, improve your money management and budgeting skills. These skills when gain knowledge of stay with you for life.

It is not difficult to see that most people who maintain a positive attitude when in debts tend to get back to debt-free life faster.

If you are one who always feel sorry for yourself - Stop thinking in that manner now. Pick yourself and pluck up the courage to face your debt problems.

Moses Wright is the webmaster of Bulletpedia.com. He provides more helpful information on debt and bill consolidation tips, personal finance credit help and personal finance loan help that you can research in the comfort of your home on his web

2006-05-17T00:36:00.000-07:00

led light: Brighten Your Smile with Cosmetic Dentistry

Poets have written many a verse about inspirational and enigmatic smiles. The elusive "perfect smile", which has in past generations been limited to the luck of genetics, is now available to everyone. Cosmetic dentistry has removed all barriers to ownership of dazzling smiles. As more and more men and women get more conscious about their smile, cosmetic dentists are offering increasingly varied services.

Whether a childhood fall that led to chipping off of that incisor, those gallons of black coffee devoured while burning midnight oil, or the once 32 dwindling in numbers due to a parasite invasion popularly called 'cavities' - everything can be corrected with one (or several) swooshes of the cosmetic dentist's wand. But remember that it isn't always cheap. Depending on the procedure, you may feel your pocket lighter by one to several thousand dollars.

Some of the most popular cosmetic dental procedures include bonding of front teeth, whitening of yellow teeth, and using tooth-colored fillings, which almost blend in with the natural color of teeth. However there are still many more that exist. So, here is a list of some key cosmetic dental procedures that can help your smile dazzle:

Bleaching or whitening - Both the enamel and the underlying tooth structure (the dentine) are not impervious to stains, and often yellow over time. Bleaching is a popular method for treating moderately stained or discolored teeth. Here the dentist makes a mold of your teeth to make a custom 'mouthtray'. This 'mouthtray' is filled with bleaching material and is pressed against the tooth surface without letting it come in contact with the gum tissue. The tray is generally worn for up to 2 hours a day. A noticeable improvement can be seen within 2 weeks.

Bonding - Here the dentist 'bonds' a tooth colored resin onto the tooth in order to repair a fractured or worn or chipped tooth. This process can also cover up a discoloration on a tooth, or close a small space or gap between two teeth. The dentist coats the tooth with a bonding liquid and then shines a light on the tooth to set it. All this is done after he prepares the tooth by etching it. A putty-like material is then placed on the tooth which is then made into the desired shape. A trim and polish later, the end product is ready to steal a heart. And the best part is that it will be 3 to 5 years before the bonding may need to be repaired.

Veneering - Porcelain laminate veneers do the same job as bonding does, only it is a stronger way to repair a broken tooth. Veneering can also cover up discoloration and even change the shape or size of your teeth. The process comes with the advantage that the luster will not be lost.

Recontouring uneven teeth - This is basically a procedure to reshape an uneven tooth so that it's a better match with the entire set.

Braces - Braces are a very common method of changing one's appearance. An orthodontist who is involved with diagnosis, prevention and treatment of problems caused by poorly positioned teeth prepares and attaches the braces. These braces come as fixed or removable appliances. The idea is to use this appliance to gently move the teeth and bone until they are in a desirable position. The process may take anywhere between 18 months to 30 months (or sometimes even longer) for the desired result.

Mary Logden recommends that you visit Dr. Andrea Ubhi's site for more information about cosmetic dentistry.

2006-05-17T00:33:00.000-07:00

led light: Camping Tips

Camping is essentially for those of us who love the outdoors and can do without all of the comforts of home for a short while. However, just loving the outdoors is not enough to guarantee that the experience will be a fun one. The essentials of having fun in the great outdoors are preparation and an open mind. Preparation is easy, if you follow some simple rules.

When you are getting ready to plan a trip, you must select a convenient time that will give you flexibility of one to two days. This will make the trip more about you, and less about your timetable. You may run into weather problems or you may just want to camp for an extra day. Next, choose a location and make it specific. Don't just choose a county where you saw a campground. Call the campground or the park office and get reservations or information about the time you have allotted. Many parks are happy give you information and tips about what to expect. The most complicated step in preparation is making a list of what to bring. Making a list is essential and your list will change dramatically the more you trips you take.

The first thing you need to put on your list of things to take is the things that will get you there. If you are hiking to a campsite, list the number of backpacks. If you are simply driving to a site, list the number of cars. Then you must plan your shelter and sleeping situation.

Remember, tents are a luxury and heavy to carry. Hikers usually bring a plastic tarp that can shelter up to four people. With a tarp, you can tie it between trees for cover from the elements. Many time you won't even need that but you can always lay the tarp on the ground to designate a clean sleeping area. After this has been set, you will go over what food you will need. We stress need here. Stray from fresh produce and meets because they spoil easy and their scent attracts animals and insects. Stick to dried food and canned items. Canned items will add weight, but they are more calorie rich and very easy to cook in multiple situations. Most of your food should be snacks, so that you don't have to cook very much. Trail mix and yogurt covered raisins will fill you up more than you think, and they are a cheap alternative to buying food from camping stores that hike up the price on dried meals.

The last things you will put on your list are what will make you comfortable. Minimal clothing is best. One of each type of outfit is best. One pair of shorts, pants, sweatshirt, tee, and a couple pairs of undergarments including socks is enough. One poncho will take up minimal space. Small LED flash lights will get you around at night if you stray from the fire. Then make sure you have some things to keep you busy. Books, playing cards and a nerf football are all light and can be very entertaining for hours on end. As long as you don't start dragging along things that aren't meant for the outdoors, you should be fine. Remember that everything will be at home when you get back. Most importantly make a not of the things you didn't use and the things you wished you brought. That will make each trip you take more enjoyable and different than the last.

More great information on camping is available at http://www.best-camping-resources.info

2006-05-16T23:05:00.000-07:00

The Journey Never Ends

Never cut your musical journey short! Use your Creative MP3 Players to listen to your favorite songs while driving in your car or listening to your home stereo system. Belkin TuneCast II Mobile FM Transmitter wirelessly connects Creative portable media players to your car or home stereo system.
The included car power adapter lets you plug in your TuneCast for continuous hours of listening to your music library during those long commutes or spontaneous roadtrips.

In your home, tune the stereo in your living room, backyard or kitchen to the FM transmitter for a surround sound party.

(C) 2006 Creative Technology Ltd. All rights reserved.

2006-05-16T00:31:00.002-07:00

led light: Inside the outdoors

When Ben Henry was 15, he invented the Pak-Lite, a twin LED flashlight about the size of two sugar cubes. It snaps onto a 9-volt battery to create one of the smallest, longest-lasting and handiest lights you'll ever own.

Henry's first rendition was a single LED light that used an old cell phone battery for power and a 35-millimeter film canister. He came up with it for his brother Barclay, who wanted a super-small flashlight for a 2,600-mile hike along the Pacific Crest Trail.

With standard batteries, commercial versions run from $13 for the basic model to about $25 for the super model I've been testing for several weeks. A lithium battery costs about $5 more.

With a lithium battery, the super model runs 100 hours on high beam and 1,200 on low, Henry said. With a standard battery, the times are 30 hours on high, 60 on low. I've been using the super model with lithium batteries, and Henry seems to be right on.

The Pak-Lite also worked underwater when I was steelhead fishing, although it sometimes continues to glow when it's turned off. The fix for that is to unsnap it from the battery until it dries out, or what some West Coast scuba divers have done -- put it in a condom and tie off the end.

It's not surprising that Henry invented something like this. He, his brother and their parents, Vic and Sheila, live near Grants Pass, Ore., eight miles from the nearest electrical line. They make their own power with a hydroelectric system and solar panels.

The Pak-Lite became enormously popular with U.S. soldiers in Afghanistan and Iraq and rescue workers after Hurricane Katrina. While word-of-mouth has spread its fame, it still doesn't have much retail distribution outside of Oregon.

In the meantime, it's available at www.9voltlight.com or by calling 541-660-0349.

By Eric Sharp

2006-05-16T00:31:00.001-07:00

led light: Limited edition Nissan collection available across GCC

In keeping with its promise to provide the best to its customers and huge enthusiast base in the GCC, Nissan Middle East in collaboration with its National Sales Companies in the region are offering showroom visitors the opportunity to get their hands on limited edition Nissan branded lifestyle items.

Named the 'Nissan Collection' these limited edition items include officially branded shirts, jackets, a multipurpose bag, special sporty key chain, Nissan mug, high intensity clip-on LED light, optical mouse, memory stick, Nissan survival kit pouch, and a die cast miniature model of the legendary 350Z.

'All of our Nissan Collection branded items are a celebration of the Nissan brand and are only available through our National Sales Companies showrooms,'

said Monal Zeidan, Senior Manager, Marketing & Corporate Communications Departments, Nissan Middle East. 'These items would make a great gift for any Nissan enthusiast. The fact that they are limited edition items makes them even more desirable.'

The items will be available directly at Nissan showrooms throughout the region.

http://www.ameinfo.com/85018.html

2006-05-16T00:31:00.000-07:00

led light: 'Free' Unlimited Energy Source Developed That Draws
Power From Environment

An alternative electric power generating system that draws energy from a seemingly unlikely yet abundant, eminently renewable and virtually free power source has been submitted for patenting by MagCap Engineering, LLC, Canton, Mass., in collaboration with Gordon W. Wadle, an inventor from Thomson, Ill.

Wadle has invented a way to capture the energy generated by a living nonanimal organism - such as a tree. Chris Lagadinos, president of MagCap, developed circuitry that converts this natural energy source into useable DC power capable of sustaining a continuous current to charge and maintain a battery at full charge.

"As unbelievable as it sounds, we've been able to demonstrate the feasibility of generating electricity in this manner," said Wadle. "While the development is in its infancy, it has the potential to provide an unlimited supply of constant, clean energy without relying on fossil fuels, a power generating plant complex or an elaborate transmission network."

The developers now intend to establish a collaborative agreement with a company, academic institution or potential investors who can help finance the additional research and development necessary to take the invention to the next level - a practical, commercially viable power generating system.

Wadle likened the invention to the discovery of electricity over 200 years ago when charged particles were harnessed to create an electric current. "Now we've learned that there is an immense, inexhaustible source of energy literally all around us that can be harnessed and converted into usable electric power," he said. Ultimately, it should prove to be more practical than solar energy or wind power, and certainly more affordable than fuel cells, he added.

Wadle said he got the original idea of harnessing a tree for electrical energy from studying lightening, more than 50 percent of which originates from the ground. This prompted him to develop the theories resulting in a method to access this power source. Lagadinos then designed circuitry that filtered and amplified these energy emanations, creating a useable power source.

Basically, the existing system includes a metal rod embedded in the tree, a grounding rod driven into the ground, and the connecting circuitry, which filters and boosts the power output sufficient to charge a battery. In its current experimental configuration, the demonstration system produces 2.1 volts, enough to continuously maintain a full charge in a nickel cadmium battery attached to an LED light.

"Think of the environment as a battery, in this case," said Lagadinos, "with the tree as the positive pole and the grounding rod as the negative." Near term - by June 2006 - and with additional research and development, Lagadinos said the system could be enhanced enough to generate 12 volts and one amp of power, "a desirable power level that could be used to power just about anything," he said. It is enough power to charge batteries for any type of vehicle, including hybrids and electric cars, or to use with an AC converter to produce household power, he added.

The LED industry is a prime example of a potential user of this power source. Other applications would be to provide power for signs, security lights, street, park and hiking trail lights, surveillance or sensor equipment - any application that heretofore couldn't be serviced because it lay beyond the hard-wired power grid.

Government agencies and the military could find the system especially useful because the power is basically free, unlimited and can be produced in remote locations. MagCap is now seeking to establish a collaborative relationship with a third party, explained Lagadinos and Wadle. This is a step that could not be taken until proper patent protection was applied for.

A patent application for this pioneering invention was filed in December by the developers' patent counsel, Mintz, Levin, Cohn, Ferris, Glovsky and Popeo, P.C., Boston, Mass.

While the basic concept of this invention - using a tree to generate electric power - seems too incredible to be true, Lagadinos said it can be demonstrated quite simply. "Simply drive an aluminum roofing nail through the bark and into the wood of a tree - any tree - approximately one half inch; drive a copper water pipe six or seven inches into the ground, then get a standard off-the-shelf digital volt meter and attach one probe to the pipe, the other to the nail and you'll get a reading of anywhere from 0.8 to 1.2 volts of DC power," he said.

"You can't do anything with it in that form because it is 'dirty' - i.e. highly unstable and too weak to power anything," he added. In order to properly harness this potential energy source, MagCap devised two test circuits: one with three capacitors that were connected in parallel by means of a switch and charged to 0.7 volts each. When fully charged they are switched to a series mode, multiplying the voltage to 2.1 volts and flashing an LED to show that sufficient power could be generated to produce a useable result. The second circuit included a filtering device to stabilize and "clean" the current so it could be used to charge and maintain a NiCad battery. The battery then could be connected to the LED to keep the LED lit continuously.

Wadle pointed out that there seems to be no limit to the amount of power that can be drawn from an individual tree, no matter how many "taps" are inserted - each produces the same amount of energy, an average of 0.7 - 0.8 volts. Size of the tree also seems not to matter.

Interestingly, while conventional wisdom would seem to indicate that the tree draws much of its energy from photosynthesis via its leaves, the voltage output actually increases to 1.2-1.3 volts in the winter after the leaves have fallen.

Headquartered in Canton, Mass., MagCap Engineering, L.L.C. is a leading custom designer and manufacturer of magnetics of all sizes for the broadcast, telecommunication, microwave, military, defense and energy industries.

On the Web

MagCap Engineering, L.L.C.
www.magcap.com

2006-05-14T23:40:00.000-07:00

led light: My kingdom for a beep-free day

Christian Giggenbach
This Side of The Fence

Many people hail the new-fangled, high-tech products these days as an efficient way to deal with a modern society. Anything with batteries or an electric cord is bound to have a red LED light and make some type of beeping noise. With so many things beeping, it’s hard to tell what’s yours and what’s your neighbor’s.

Even my lap top computer takes voice commands — except for “help!” — and it talks to me by proclaiming the time of the day every 15 minutes. However, I’ve yet to be able to program it to sing my faithful dog Malachai a bedtime lullaby.

If you’re really bored today and your boss isn’t watching, try counting every device that you come across that either beeps or has a red light on it.

I do appreciate the red lights on newer cell phones designed to tell unsuspecting idiots someone is on a call. It works well the other way around, too. If you see someone you don’t particularly want to talk to, just pop the phone up to your ear and point to the red light when they try to make small talk. A lot of people I approach have their cell phone to their ears for some reason.

Do all of these so-called high tech products really make us better off? I don’t think so.

How did we manage during yesteryear when the only thing electronic was an odd game called Pong and the only thing that beeped was an open car door? Most people over 40 years of age are laughing at that last statement because they probably had to deal with cars that didn’t even have doors. No hate mail please.

Take for instance the common everyday convenience store rest room. While most are dirtier than a Washington, D.C., lobbyist, I recently came across one which was fairly clean, but still gave me the heebie-jeebies.

The odd thing about this rest room was that everything in it was activated by infrared sensors. Well, almost everything.

You didn’t need to flush the toilet because it did it on its own when you got up. Be careful not to lean forward when sitting on one of these contraptions or it will likely double as a bidet. The sink was also activated this way, and the hand towel machine too.

The only device not remotely controlled was the toilet paper dispenser. One might think in the germophobic society we live in, that would be the first restroom amenity which would go infrared. Expecting it was like all the other devices in the rest room, I spent five minutes passing my hand over and under the toilet paper expecting it to roll out like magic, but to no avail.

Then I got up to wash my hands only to find that no water would come out of the faucet. Leaving my toolbox at home, I was unable to disconnect any of the plumbing underneath the sink in an effort to wash my hands.

I thought I would at least be able wipe my hand off on some paper towels, but it wasn’t working either. In fact, I never even heard the toilet flush. How’s that for a modern society?

Nothing in the bathroom worked at all and I blame it on technology. A good sturdy paper dispenser made out of plastic with a metal handle could operate in good form for hundreds of years. Sinks are still operational from the turn of the century, yet there I stood in the modern day bathroom with unwashed hands while smelling an indescribable odor.

The best public bathroom in Greenbrier County is by far the one at Lewisburg City Hall. There’s no fancy-schmancy infrared crap on every fixture. Lewisburg must maintain its historical cultural heritage, right? For that matter, Lewisburg should actually have an outhouse as its city hall rest room. I think I will talk to the historical commission about that one. Just call it a tourist attraction. Anyone fined for vandalism in the city has to clean it out. Works for me.

The restrooms at The Greenbrier are world class and it makes you feel bad to even touch anything in them. No paper towels in the main dining room ones, just soft, plush towels that don’t readily fit inside a jacket pocket. Those bathrooms really make a fella feel important.

Carpe Diem, everybody, and may your day be beep-free.

— Christian is a Register-Herald reporter who doesn’t own an Xbox.

E-mail: cgiggenbach@register-herald.com

2006-05-14T23:39:00.000-07:00

led light: Lamina's Atlas LED light engines challenge other light sources

Lamina says its latest line of LED light engines will challenge halogen, tungsten-filament and fluorescent lamps.

Atlas Warm White
Lamina Ceramics plans to introduce a new line of ultra-bright LED light engines at the 2006 Light+Building show in Frankfurt, Germany, including a record-setting warm white model designed to replace halogen and tungsten filament competitors and a powerful "daylight white" model designed to replace fluorescents.

The new Atlas line has an identical footprint to the company's BL-4000 line, but is up to twice as bright.

The Atlas Warm White produces more than 100 lumens, and its enhanced red and orange color spectrum provides light output similar to a 10-watt halogen bulb while using little more than half the power and lasting 3-4 times as long.

"As lighting designers know, cool white light, while perfect for many applications such as office lighting, is generally not welcome for illuminating the more intimate interior spaces of home and leisure – most people prefer a warmer light for reading, desk illumination and dining," said David McConaghy, Lamina's vice president of sales.

Lamina says that its Atlas Daylight White "rivals the quality of natural sunlight", and is designed for many architectural and office lighting applications, task lamps, machine vision and high-powered flashlights. It has an output of more than 200 lumens and is a "drop-in" upgrade for the company's BL-4000 LED light engine.

The Atlas RGB+ LED light engine has 3 independently controlled input/output channels (red, green and blue) and can produce any of 16 million saturated and blended colors, including white with variable color temperature.

"We developed our Atlas LED light engines by listening to the wants and needs of customers," said McConaghy. "Lamina's Atlas line pushes solid state lighting to center stage by making possible applications which until now could only be accomplished with traditional lighting sources, and by creating many entirely new lighting opportunities."

Product samples are available immediately, and production volume manufacturing begins in early June 2006.

Lamina CEO leaving to form new LED venture

Lamina has announced that CEO Taylor Adair will be leaving the company this summer to found a new solid-state lighting venture. Company board chairman Greg Blonder said "Under Taylor's leadership Lamina has established itself as the premier supplier of ultra-bright LED light sources. Our soon-to-be-announced new product releases will further extend our lead."

Adair said, "Lamina is extremely well positioned to continue providing the brightest and easiest to use solid-state light sources. My next venture will depend upon the performance and availability of Lamina's light sources, so my interests now and going forward are very much aligned with the company's. In fact, I look forward to becoming one of Lamina's biggest customers."

2006-05-14T23:37:00.000-07:00

Led light: LEDtronics Announces White Inter-Connectable LED Light Strips

LEDtronics announces Series STP50XC Super White Inter-Connectable 5mm LED Light Strips that may be used alone or connected to one another, making it easy to configure lighting solutions for channel, reverse-channel letters, signs, displays, under-the-counter, cove lighting, desk, workbench, and architectural applications.
Available in lengths of 6, 12, and 24 in., STP50XC Super White Inter-Connectable LED Light Strips feature 5 mm Dome LEDs in 7,000 and 3,000 K. Each module has double-ended connector harness for daisy-chain assembly, and pre-applied strip of double-sided foam tape for peel and stick placement. The 7,000 K versions provide 54-270 lumens, 202-1012 ftc, with viewing angles of 15°, while 3000 K models emit 70-351 ftc, 32-162 lumens at 20° viewing angles.

2006-05-13T22:02:00.000-07:00

Hot wired: Projecting the real thing

If ever there was a week in our national cinematic history when big was truly beautiful, and the grandeur of the cinema experience made imperative sense, then this is it.

There are several aspects of the home entertainment equation where size can be exploited to good advantage. Big amplifiers and matching speakers can make for a big sound, big amounts of digital storage mean a big stay-at-home choice, and a big room and big couches make for big comfort.

But when it comes to home theatre, the real King Kong piece of kit is the big screen.

Although plasma and LCD television manufacturers are constantly expanding their dimensional boundaries, if you want that cinematic experience at home then you need to be talking about projecting your images - projecting them on to a screen just like a movie theatre.

Some will say the off-white lounge wall works just fine as a screen and you hardly notice the light switch.

On the other side of the wallet are those who argue that $5000 for a home projection screen is money well spent.

And if you want the Rolls-Royce self-masking 100-inch motorised Stewart Filmscreen you should have a spare $25,000 or more.

Such extravagances are not for you or me, but you'll get the picture - there is more to projector screen technology than meets the eye.

Professional screens provide much more than a flat surface for your picture. They improve the image to the extent that a mediocre projector can be made to look good with a quality screen. A good screen will enhance picture brightness and contrast and extend the viewing angle width, which means more people get a good look.

If you have a $5000 television budget then get a $3500 projector and spend the rest on the screen. That sounds a lot but it will still be working just as well in 15 years - when you are on to your fifth projector.

The most obvious criticism of the projector-screen TV option is that they need a completely dark room if you do want that true home theatre experience - but with today's screen materials a full blackout is not essential. Some specialist screens have a slightly concave shape that works admirably in fully lit areas.

If the room has some ambient light there are grey-coloured screens that provide a better picture than white ones.

Screens can be permanently fixed to the wall or designed to drop down from the ceiling.

A black border around the screen mops up light spillage and focuses the eye.

Copyright © 2006, APN Holdings NZ Ltd

2006-05-11T01:07:00.000-07:00

led light: Global Pet Expo 2006 New Product Showcase Best in Show Award

NAPERVILLE, Ill., April 17 /PRNewswire/ -- PolyBrite International ("PolyBrite"), a manufacturer of lighted safety products, LED lighting systems, and LED light bulbs, today announced winning 3rd place in the Dog Category for the New Product Showcase Best in Show award at the Global Pet Expo 2006.

"PolyBrite debuted an assortment of lighted dog collar covers that Velcro(TM) around a dogs existing collar, harness or leash at The Global Pet Expo 2006 in San Diego," said Richard Brenner, Senior Vice President. "It is a real honor to be named one of the Best in Show, judged by national and international industry buyers with nearly 700 new pet products in the showcase."

The new PolyBrite collar covers are lighted by using PolyBrite's patented polymer/LED technology and are offered in various designs for year round use in red (hearts), green (trees), yellow (smiley faces), plain colors and various holiday designs.

All PolyBrite collar covers have a three-function button switch, which provides an off, steady and flashing mode. Using a standard lithium watch battery, PolyBrite(TM) lighted collar covers have the ability to provide illumination for up to 200 hours in the flashing mode.

PolyBrite International is located in Naperville, Illinois. The Company provides a highly visible lighting technology that is incorporated into a variety of innovative applications. PolyBrite's safety products can be purchased through numerous distributors and retail stores worldwide. For more information or samples visit http://www.polybrite.com/ or call toll free 1-800-320-3801.

Website: http://www.polybrite.com/

2006-05-11T01:05:00.000-07:00

led light: New sealed backlight LED modules

LEDtronics announces StringLED Series STP301S Super Intensity Backlight LED Modules, a new addition to its line of module LED light strips. StringLED modules are easy to configure and may be employed for countless proposes such as lighting channel and reverse-channel letters, signs, displays, under-the-counter lighting, architectural applications, emergency exit lighting and entertainment venues.

StringLED modules eliminate many of the shortcomings of neon or fluorescent lamps such as heat, broken tubes and ballast failures. Modules may be used alone or in quantities of up to 100 units. Each StringLED module contains four sealed super-bright, wide-angle SpiderLEDs to produce vivid illumination. Colors available are Green, White, Blue, Yellow and Red. Module dimensions are 1.17"L x 0.90"W x 0.50"H.

Sealed weather-resistant construction makes these lights suitable for indoor and outdoor applications. The impermeable construction and insulated wires prevent moisture and dust from entering the housing and affecting the electronics. The hard-wired connection between LED modules results in outstanding reliability in outdoor applications. StringLED modules are easy to install. Each module may be fastened to a surface with either double-sided tape or with two screws per module. Mounting hardware is not included. StringLED comes standard in 12V DC and requires a 12V regulated power source.

http://home.nestor.minsk.by/build/news/2006/04/2303.html

2006-05-11T01:01:00.000-07:00

led light: Vigor Force Recon LE

Vigor Gaming, which opened shop in 2005, is new both to us and to the market; the company recently sent us its Force Recon LE ($3,499 direct, $2,499 without monitor) gaming system. This high-octane hot rod is an interesting (and less expensive) alternative to the monster high-end gaming PCs from other boutique system builders, such as Voodoo and Falcon NW. The unit has the flash—automotive-style paint job, LED lighting, and LCD info panel—and it has a benefit that the other system builders don't: a less than stratospheric price. To be sure, $2,500 without monitor is a lot of money for a computer, but that sum buys you access to performance levels that until recently cost more than $5,000. Like most high-end specialized gaming systems, the Force Recon is for the well-heeled gamer who doesn't want to build his own PC.

As with many glossy auto-style-painted PCs, the Force Recon's red case coating is easily scratched, so treat it carefully. The system's enclosure, however, is about as tall as the Falcon Mach V's case, which gives you a hint about the amount of room found in the chassis. The inside of the case is voluminous, with space for six additional hard drives and the two preinstalled 512MB GeForce 7800 GTX graphics cards. The case door is windowed, with a full view of the inside. Though not quite as pretty as some of the competition, the Vigor's wiring is neatly coiled and tie-wrapped out of the way to help with airflow. That's a good thing, since inside, I found three large case fans, the usual fans that cool the power supply and graphics cards, and even more fans in the faceplates to cool the hard drives. Needless to say, the Force Recon is a little loud. The CPU fan is also large and lit; it is needed because the system's AMD Athlon 64 4000+ is, for added performance, overclocked from the stock 2.4 GHz to 2.8 GHz.

There is a neat "racetrack" LED light fixture on the bottom of the case that calls to mind the flashing neon on the bottom of a tricked-out street racer. Other notable features include an LCD panel that shows the temperature of the CPU and amount of time in operation. There's a depiction of a stick figure digging a trench to indicate that the system is "doing work." It's kind of gimmicky, but the panel sets the Force Recon apart from other gaming PCs. All in all, I think the Force Recon is a little showy, but hardcore gamers may eat up the attention that the system draws (let's hope those gamers also have the skills to live up to the system's hype).

The Force Recon is built around an incredibly potent dual SLI nVidia GeForce 7800 GTX graphics card system, which accounts for $1,000 of the system price. These graphics cards virtually guarantee rates of better than 100 frames per second on the games I test such as Doom 3 and Splinter Cell: Chaos Theory, even at up to 1,600-by-1,200 resolution. The components are also capable of driving huge 30-inch dual-DVI widescreen LCD monitors. Even at 1,600-by-1,200 (the maximum for 20-inch LCDs and most CRTs), game play is smooth and stutter-free, even when I turn up the eye candy.

Compared with FX-60 SLI systems such as the Velocity Micro Raptor 64 DualX and the Falcon Northwest Mach V, the Force Recon gives a better bang for the buck. It achieves some of that savings by using a single-core Athlon 64 4000+ processor instead of the top-of-the-line dual-core FX-60, but for gaming performance today, either processor is overkill. In the future games will be multithreaded, taking advantage of the dual-core processors, but so far, these games are still in development. The Force Recon isn't the class leader on the benchmark tests, but it is within spitting distance of the top. The Raptor64 and Mach V are better choices if you also plan to use the system as a project PC for demanding video editing or graphics work, but all the machines are in the same league for gaming.

You could call the Vigor Force Recon a bargain among the high-end gaming PCs. It skirts the price categories between high-end multimedia and "take no prisoners" gaming systems, but it is definitely a high-performance gaming desktop. With 100+ fps scores on all our game tests, the Force Recon practically drops victory in your hands—that is, as long as you bring the skill to match the speed.

To see how the Vigor Force Recon LE matches up to other gaming systems, look at our desktop comparison chart.

Benchmark Test Results
Check out the Vigor Force Recon LE's test results.

More Desktop Reviews:

Copyright © 2006 Ziff Davis Media Inc. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

2006-05-10T01:56:00.000-07:00

led light: THE INSIDE SCOOP Changes in store for Chandon's restaurant

Long known for its role in changing Napa Valley dining -- way before French Laundry garnered worldwide press -- the restaurant at Domaine Chandon (1 California Drive, Yountville) has gone through a handful of great chefs and a few facelifts.

In June 2004, San Francisco designer Michael Brennan redid the interior, and Ron Boyd had just become executive chef. Now, less than two years later, the restaurant will get a new look -- and name -- while Chris Manning is getting into his groove in the kitchen.

On June 1, the restaurant will become Etoile, meaning "star" in French. It's also the name of Domaine Chandon's signature sparkling wine. The interior will be redone by San Francisco's Puccini Group to create a more dramatic feel.

The wine bar will be converted into an intimate lounge, with comfortable couches, tree stumps for tables and a menu filled with dishes to share. During the day, Manning will offer picnic lunches and blankets for customers to take outside.

The main dining room will be recast in tones of mocha, ebony, dark olive and gold and new dramatic chandeliers will add a focal point.

The restaurant has always allowed chefs to flex a culinary muscle or two, as long as the food matched the wines. The menu has gone through dramatic changes, from California-French under the 20-year veteran Philippe Jeanty to an Asian-tinged California style with Ron Boyd, who left in September.

Manning, who was sous chef under Boyd, has created his own play on California style with flavors from the Mediterranean. He's serving dramatic combinations, such as Alaskan halibut with forbidden rice, chorizo, manila clams and saffron foam; and broiled Quilcene oysters with Serrano ham and shallot butter.

The restaurant will stay open during the remodel.

-- -- --

San Francisco's Castro district, being the nightspot area it is, can never have too many dining choices. As of June 1, there should be one more. The owners of the nightclub The Cafe, who wish to remain anonymous, are opening Crave (2367 Market St., near Castro) with executive chef Matthew DuTrumble and general manager Louis Caputo running the show.

The menu will be updated American comfort food, which seems to be a big hit in the area based on the lines at nearby Lime (2247 Market St., near 15th Street).

Look for dishes like caviar-topped potato chips, duck confit tostadas with a house-made hot sauce and baby back ribs with a smoky Seagram and 7Up barbecue sauce. Everything will be shared plates, and DuTrumble's idea is to create a cool space where people can start or end an evening, without breaking the bank or overfilling their stomachs. Dishes will cost $4-$12.

The vibe is geared to be very Castro, with an arty modular ceiling and onyx backlit bar with stainless steel wrapping. The two levels will include an upstairs lounge with ottomans, low tables and a DJ; and downstairs seating for 50 and a bar. The piece de resistance is the LED light system that changes the color and mood of the room. Then again, it might be the unisex bathroom.

Crave will be open nightly, and will serve until 3 a.m. Thursdays through Saturdays.

-- -- --

Quick Bites: Joel Guillon is now the corporate chef for Left Bank restaurants. Guillon was cooking at the Argent Hotel (50 Third St., near Mission) for over 20 years, and started his new role about two weeks ago. He'll be updating the menus and looking to put standards into place throughout all five locations.

Shana Dilworth takes over as the new sommelier at Campton Place (340 Stockton St., near Post) today. Dilworth was most recently an assistant general manager and sommelier at Jardiniere (300 Grove St., at Franklin), and replaces John Ragan, who followed chef Daniel Humm to New York.

Patricia Donaghy-Taan is now pastry chef at Dry Creek Kitchen (317 Healdsburg Ave., Healdsburg). She was at Equus (101 Fountain Grove Pkwy) in Santa Rosa before.

She started a couple of months ago and really has her menu in place with dishes like raspberry sponge mousse with pistachio anglaise.

E-mail comments to her at aberne@sfchronicle.com.

Amanda Berne

Wednesday, May 3, 2006

2006-05-10T01:55:00.000-07:00

led light: Transformit Receives Best Booth Award at GlobalShop

5/3/2006 - Transformit was awarded the Best Booth Award of Merit at The Visual Merchandising Show at GlobalShop. The award was presented by VM+SD magazine.

The Transformit exhibit paired frames from its Dynamics collection of ready-made tension fabric structures with high-resolution digital graphics on translucent mesh. By using three layers of fabric and LED light that circled through the color spectrum, Transformit illustrated the ethereal effects that the Dynamics can be used to produce.

Several areas of the exhibit used reflective fabrics to illustrate that effect, while other areas used a combination of translucent and opaque surfaces to create a shadowing effect.

GlobalShop was held March 26-28, at the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando.

For more, go to www.transformitdesign.com.

2006-05-10T01:54:00.000-07:00

led light: With eye on health, AU Optronics boosts R&D prowess

Dan Nystedt, IDG News Service

26/04/2006 10:12:57

AU Optronics, the world's third largest LCD (liquid crystal display) screen maker, will increase by half-again the number of research and development engineers it currently staffs through the purchase of rival Quanta Display, and add them to scores of workers already engaged in improving picture quality and keeping user's eyes healthy.

The company currently employs 1,000 engineers to develop electronic screens with more vibrant colors and sharper images, and it will add another 500 such engineers from Quanta once the acquisition has been completed, said CT Liu, vice president of AU Optronics' technology center, in an interview with IDG News Service in Hsinchu, Taiwan.

Earlier this month, AU announced the US$2.2 billion deal, which will transform AU from a distant threat to its main competitors in South Korea to one of the LCD industry's largest companies. The transaction is expected to close later this year.

The researchers from Quanta will be added to teams of AU engineers already hard at work on a range of visual technologies and production techniques, including LED (light emitting diodes) and OLED (organic light emitting diodes) displays, and more importantly, on improving image processing and color science.

"To most consumers, it doesn't matter if its OLED or LED light," Liu said. "What's more important is picture quality."

The search for the perfect picture has led researchers down dozens of paths, but what actually ends up on store shelves usually comes down to picture quality plus cost considerations. How much will users pay for the best possible picture?

The answer usually depends on how important vivid pictures are to the user. For example, LED backlights for LCD screens greatly increase color saturation and the vividness of a picture. The improved quality has specialists such as designers or people who do simulation work on their PCs demanding LED backlights in larger sized LCD screens, even 23-inch to 32-inch. But they pay for the boost in quality, usually double or triple the cost of a regular LCD-TV of the same size, according to Liu.

More important to picture quality than the type of screen is image processing and color science, Liu said. Image processing includes ensuring the liquid crystal responds fast enough to image changes, enhancing the signal and improving light sources for more vivid colors.

Building devices to enhance viewing pleasure also involves paying careful attention to the human eye. The flicker of a CRT (cathode-ray tube) monitor does more damage to the eyes than LCD screens for users working long days on a PC. But even though LCDs offer an improvement, researchers continue to seek ways to reduce wear and tear on the eyes.

Brightness can also be a problem for eye heath, Liu said. The picture of an LCD-TV, or any TV, is brighter because it makes the overall picture nicer for viewing movies and sitcoms. But it's more damaging to the eye, which is why desktop monitors and laptop screens aren't as bright.

Although AU doesn't actually employ any eye specialists, it does hire consultants and experts to give talks to its research engineers. And the company keeps information about eye health on hand for reference.

"We are making a device that is a visual device," Liu said. "We can't afford not to learn about [the eye]."

2006-05-08T01:41:00.000-07:00

led light: LED Light Strips

Series STP30XC Super White Hi-Flux LED Light Strips can be used alone or can be connected to one another, making it easy to configure lighting solutions, says maker. Each model uses LEDs rated at 7,500 kelvins to provide cool white light with a viewing angle of 85 degrees. The 6-inch STP306 features six LED lights, uses 0.72 watts and provides 29 lumens. The 12-inch STP312 employs 12 LED lights, uses 1.62 watts and provides 65 lumens. The 24-inch STP324 has 24 LED lights, uses 2.88 watts and provides 115 lumens.

LEDtronics Inc.

FOR INFORMATION, CIRCLE 172 ON READER SERVICE CARD

2006-05-08T01:35:00.000-07:00

led light: Clean Wisconsin provides easy tips on how to stay Green during the holidays

Kermit the Frog might think it's only natural to be green during the holiday season, and maybe you can too by making a couple of easy changes to reduce spending and waste. For many people the holidays signify stress and over-spending. This year you can take a couple of easy steps to enjoy the holidays more and reduce the impact on our environment. Between Thanksgiving and New Year's Day, 5 million extra tons of trash are produced in the U.S., not to mention the extra energy used during this period. Below are some simple ideas on how to help you to remain green during the holidays.

Gifts Ideas:
1) Purchase gifts that are consumed like food, beverages, mixes, sweets.
2) Purchase recyclable gifts like books and magazine subscriptions.
3) Purchase consumable gifts like candles, natural body creams or soaps.
4) Purchase gift certificates to the person's favorite restaurant, book store or clothing store. You are giving twice with a certificate. Once when the person receives the certificate and again when they use it.
5) Give an "experience" like a massage, tickets to the theatre or music event, day at the spa, movie tickets, etc. This works for kids too. Kids love going to the movies or a music event. You could also share this experience and go with the person.
6) Purchase a membership to an environmental organization like Clean Wisconsin that helps the environment year round. (Visit www.CleanWisconsin.org or call 1-608-251-7020).
7) Get together instead of giving gifts. The holidays are a great time to spend time with friends and relatives. Instead of exchanging gifts, spend some quality time together.

Wrapping Ideas:
1) Buy recycled gift wrap. There are few options for recycled gift wrap, but www.smithandhawken.com has three varieties.
2) Make your own gift bags and reuse them.
3) Wrap gifts with brown grocery bags and decorate them. This is a great family activity. Kids love drawing, stamping, coloring, etc on the packages. Other materials could be used to wrap the gifts too - i.e. comics, newspaper, etc.
4) Reuse ribbons and bows.
5) Use your holiday cards from the previous year as gift tags for the current year. Cut portions of the cards out, hole punch and add ribbon. This could be a family activity.

Holiday Cards:
1) Purchase cards on recycled paper only.
2) Purchase cards with a purpose. Most charities sell holiday cards where part of the proceeds goes directly to the charity.
3) Make your own cards. Again this could be a great family activity - get the kids involved.
4) Send electronic cards to as many family and friends as possible. If Americans sent just one out of every ten holiday cards electronically, it would save over 30,000 trees.

Decorations:
1) Purchase your Christmas tree from a vendor that uses sustainable forest practices. Or buy a potted tree and plant it after the season.
2) Go artificial. It can be used year after year, doesn't leave a huge pile of needles on your carpet and it help protect our forests.
3) If you need to purchase new decorations for the tree this year, use biodegradable decorations like cranberries and popcorn.
4) Use compact fluorescent/ LED light bulbs. Or use small bulbs on outside lights. Smaller bulbs equal lower wattage which consumes less energy and gives off less heat, making the lights safer. Also purchase light strands that are wired in parallel which have separate circuitry. With separate circuitry if one bulb blows the other bulbs will continue to shine.
5) Use a timer on your outdoor and indoor lights.

The holidays are a great time of year. Most people are in such a mad rush to get things done, buy gifts and entertain that they don't take the time to enjoy the moments with friends and family. The holidays are meant to be enjoyed and with some thoughtful changes, you can create memories with your family and be a more environmental-friendly consumer. Being green isn't difficult during this holiday season. A couple of simple changes can help you reduce stress, create lasting family memories and protect our natural resources.

Clean Wisconsin, an environmental advocacy organization, protects Wisconsin's clean water and air and advocates for clean energy by being an effective voice in the state legislature and by holding elected officials and corporations accountable. Founded in 1970 as Wisconsin's Environmental Decade, Clean Wisconsin exposes corporate polluters, makes sure existing environmental laws are enforced, and educates citizens and businesses. On behalf of its 10,000 members and its coalition partners, Clean Wisconsin protects the special places that make Wisconsin such a wonderful place to live, work and play. Phone: 608-251-7020, Fax: 608-251-1655, Email: info@cleanwisconsin.org, Website: www.cleanwisconsin.org.

Rebecca is the Public Relations Manager for Clean Wisconsin. She has 10+ years of marketing, public relations and writing experience. www.cleanwisconsin.org

2006-05-08T01:28:00.000-07:00

led light : Hiking Safety Checklist

Having made my share of mistakes in the wilderness over the years, I have compiled a list of gotcha's that can be applied to any outdoor adventure. I urge you to print this out and store with your outdoor gear. Hiking can be a most rewarding distraction from the daily grind, but safety should NEVER be taken for granted!

Preparation

1) Plan your hike. You are more likely to have a safe and happy hike if you "plan your hike, and hike your plan". To rush out on a big hike w/o proper planning is asking for trouble! ALWAYS notify someone close to you where you will be and how long you will be gone.

2) Know your terrain. Use every resource available to get to know your hiking trail before you set out. This will prepare you for the walking conditions. "Are there streams to ford?, Elevation changes?, Is terrain rocky or smooth?", Just some of the questions that can be answered BEFORE you set out.

3) Know your climate. Hypothermia is real, dangerous, and misunderstood. Hypothermia can strike in relatively warm environments. Hypothermia plain and simple is a rapid cooling of the body. This can be caused by cold, wet or a combination of both. Hypothermia can easily be prevented with proper preparation.

In The Pack Essentials

1) Potable water. Always have fresh water available, on any excursion. It is also a good idea to bring along purification tablets and/or a filtration device. Having the ability to produce drinking water can be just as important as the water you pack in. I also bring along some protein snacks, just in case.

2) First Aid Kit. Although an obvious choice, it is surprising how many folks go in the wilderness without one. Items as simple as pain relief tablets can be a welcome addition when you are far from civilization. Other items are bandages, tweezers, moleskin, antiseptic, needle and thread (for repairs).

3) Fire and light source. Matches and a lighter are essentials for me. I usually pack along a small piece of commercial starter stick for quick fires in moist environments. I also pack a small conventional flashlight and an LED light, as well.

4) Clothing. It is always wise to pack some extra layers. The weight of these items will be dictated by the environment, err to the side of caution, as temps can fluctuate greatly, especially in mountainous environments. An extra pair of socks can be life savers.

5) Orienteering. Packing along a map and compass has gotten me out of a jam more than once. I also carry a cell phone, even though I may not get reception in most places, in a pinch, I may be able to get a call out.

The single most important item to pack on your next hike is common sense. Making sound decisions while on the trail will keep you out of most troubled situations. If you hike with your family members, especially children or seniors, remember that they may not have the stamina handle the same level hike as you, and you ultimately must make the right decision.

Forrest Treker is a path stomper from way back. Frequently blazing trails in the mountains of North Carolina. Join Forrest for a hiking good time at www.DiscountOutdoors.net!

2006-05-08T01:22:00.000-07:00

led light: Hard drive crash prevention and recovery tips

Copyright 2006 Michael Cottier

The hard drive in our computers right now stores all of our data, and our computer could not function without it. There would be no World Wide Web, email or even an operating system without hard drives. Since hard drives are so important, a hard drive crash is without a doubt the biggest problem that someone could face on their computer.

Hard drive crashes can happen for many reasons, and usually the owner is not to blame. One reason your hard drive can crash is because of a hard ware problem. See your hard drive is a magnetic disc that spins and has an extended arm hovering over it, to access any area, and collect the data. If the motor overheats and stops spinning or the arm fails to function, then your hard drive will crash and not be accessible at all.

Another way for your hard drive to crash is from corrupt system files, registry files and viruses. Viruses come in many forms as spy ware, ad ware, in emails and many other places all over the web. I recommend a good virus protection program from McAfee or Norton to stop those viruses and prevent your hard drive from crashing.

Now let's say your hard drive has crashed, how do you determine the problem and can it be fixed? Well determining whether the hard drive crash is mechanical of software related is actually pretty easy. The flashing light on front of your computer case, that blinks when the computer is busy, is a good tool to determine the problem. If you see the LED light flashing, but the computer will not boot up, then most likely it is a software related problem, which means an operating system glitch or a virus of some sort. Lucky for you this usually can be fixed and all of your files can be saved, but I recommend only letting a professional try and fix it since the average person might find it to difficult unless they have experience in formatting hard drives.

Worst case scenario is if you don't see the LED light flashing in the front of your computer case, this means your hard drive has not activity which basically means it is a mechanical problem. A mechanical problem in your hard drive can be fixed, but I imagine it is pretty expensive. It is cheaper to get a new hard drive then to fix it, but of course if you have important data stored on the broken hard drive that you must get back, then you really have no choice but to have a professional fix it. You local computer store should have the expertise to repair it, but if not just ask them who can.

I should point out also though, that advanced hardware and software standards in today's hard drives tell you when your drive is about to crash and gives you time to back up your important files.

Overall, the best way to stop your hard drive from crashing is to not neglect it and take care of it. The most important care tip is to make sure you defragment your hard drive at least once a month. Your operating system should come with a defragmenting program that is easy to use. Performing a defragment on your hard drive basically takes your data and organizes it into more convenient places so that the mechanical arm can access data faster and with the least amount of movement.

Another way to protect your hard drive from crashes is to purchase a good virus scanner, preferably by McAfee or Norton, and keep protection tools enabled and perform a full system scan of every file on your hard drive once a month.

Some other minor precautions that you can take are to enforce a SPAM guard on your emails and delete your temporary internet files every once in awhile. You should also keep your operating system up to date by downloading updates for it as soon as they come out. Windows makes this easy, but I am not sure how easy other operating systems make this or if they even provide this option.

If you are a person who downloads a lot of files from the internet, then you need to exercise caution in what you choose to download, as hard drive crashes are commonly associated with faulty software from unknown sources on the net.

Of course the best way to save you a headache if a hard drive crash happens is to back up your data regularly. Data loss is the reason a hard drive crash is so hurtful, so if you back up your data daily or whenever you work on it, then if a crash happens you will have no sweat on your back. I recommend you save your files to a rewritable CD/DVD or floppy disc as soon as you get done working on it, especially if the data is business related.

Michael Cottier has upgraded and repaired hard drives for many years. Learn from his experience and do it yourself at: http://www.computer-customizing-guide.com/hard-drive-upgrade.html

2006-05-04T01:06:00.000-07:00

Led light: 2GB SWISS MEMORY USB Victorinox

I've had Swiss Army knives on my keychain for years, it's come in handy on many occasions. Recently I always seem to have a USB flash drive in my pocket too. When I received the SWISS MEMORY USB Victorinox drive from Swissbit it was obvious that combining the two was actually a very good idea. The Victorinox is compact, easy to use and brings the usefulness of the Swiss Arm tools. The USB drive comes in a variety of sizes from 128MB to 2GB and is a plug-n-play (unless Win 98) device and price points range from $50USD to $225USD respectively.

The Victorinox is small and compact given what it's trying to accomplish. The unit looks and feels very sturdy and would handle plenty of pocket abuse, keychain banging and those occasional across the counter-top tosses. The Victorinox has a snapping clasp at one end which holds the flash memory in place. The clasp prevents the USB memory stick from popping out at an undesirable time and provides an aid in retrieving the USB connector when ready for use. The pivot end of the clasp can also be detached from the main chassis of the enclosure so the USB thumb drive can be disconnected. Although the rotation of the USB stick does provide enough room for those tight USB ports we all know about, the ability to quickly and easily disconnect the flash memory all together is definitely a bonus...and Swissbit knows this as it's a patented technology.

The USB Victorinox comes with the classic tools needed for everyday use. The tools include scissors, filing blade with screwdriver head, 30mm knife, ball-point pen, red LED light, keychain loop and of course the USB flash memory stick. Swissbit does offer a non-tool version for airplane flight but this review doesn't cover that model. The product is 60mm x 18mm x 19mm and weighs about 1.35 ounces.

Though the Victorinox requires no drivers for the MAC or PC it does come preloaded with software. The Swissbit data SecureLOCK allows you to encrypt and decrypt files and folders. The first time you use SecureLOCK it will walk you through a username and password setup along with a reminder question in case you forget. Once there, the SecureLOCK provides you the flexibility to encrypt the entire drive, or create partitions where they are "public" or "private" areas. SecureLOCK also includes formatting software to clean up everything but the encryption utility region (software takes 488kb of memory out of a 2MB partition), a bootable disk feature and repair utility to check for bad blocks.

We did run into a small glitch, if the SecureLOCK icon in the desktop tray is closed it prevents the drive from being ejected. Signing back in and logging off didn't do the trick, but rather loggin in and using the Exit button of the software did.

Performance wise, the USB Victorinox is middle of the road. In our informal tests of the 2GB version, it took about 6 minutes to write a 400MB folder of mixed file types from our PC to the device. It took about 35 seconds to read the same data back to our PC, but of course results will vary depending on the system running the device and the types of files being transferred.

All in all, the SWISS MEMORY USB Victorinox is a good deal for the price. It comes packed with the traditional tools we love about Swiss Army along with a wide range of flash memory sizes to match a users' needs. The SecureLOCK encryption software is a plus and the read/write performance of SWISS MEMORY is right on par with other products available.

Gmo runs the GetUSB.info website which is a USB News and information website focused on USB products, USB gadgets and developments using the USB (Universal Serial Bus) technology.

permalink w/ images: 2GB Swiss Memory Victorinox Review

2006-05-04T00:56:00.000-07:00

Led Light: Alternative Healing with Cold Lasers

Have you heard the buzz about using cold lasers for healing countless ailments? Cold lasers are being used by Doctors, Dentists, Acupuncturists, DO's, Oral Surgeons, Veterinarians, Chiropractors and the list goes on. Treatment with cold laser therapy is quickly becoming one of the fastest growing segments of alternative medicine.

The first cold lasers were used over 30 years ago. In Europe, Asia and Canada cold lasers have been used routinely for about 20 years and yet in America they are relatively new to mainstream medicine. Why is this? Just 3 short years ago the United States FDA started to give clearance to cold lasers for use in specific areas. For example the treatment of carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS), neck and shoulder pain, and other pain treatment applications.

Additional names that are often used interchangeably with cold laser are: low level laser (LLT), photobiostimulation laser, photobiomodulation laser , biostimulating laser, bioregulating laser, soliton laser and soft laser. Until a consensus is reached, the two most important names to remember are cold laser and low level laser, which is often used interchangeably with low level laser therapy (LLLT).

Why is it called a cold laser? A laser that utilizes a diode that is 500 mW or less is called a cold laser because it does not produce enough thermal output to heat the tissue being treated. A variety of cold lasers are available on the market with different power outputs and different wavelengths. Common diode power outputs include: 5 mW, 30 mW, 50 mW, 100 mW, 200 mW and 500 mW. The higher the power output, generally the shorter the treatment. For a good selection of cold lasers offering a variety of power outputs visit http://quantum-healing-lasers.com and also check out the section on frequently asked questions.

Is there a difference between a laser and an LED? Yes, it is an important difference, which comes down to coherence and depth of penetration. A cold laser uses coherent, polarized light that is highly focused and columnated, allowing it to travel in a straight line for long distances or to penetrate into the deeper layers of the body. The light from LED's is monochromatic, non coherent light, which is useful for treatment of superficial tissues such as wounds and skin conditions. In comparative studies, lasers have been shown to be more effective and faster working. Some of the most effective and versatile lasers on the market utilize both laser and LED light output.

Is cold laser therapy scientifically well documented? LLLT will naturally not work on anything, however due to the fact that it treats at a cellular level, it is successful at treating an astounding level of conditions. Some research has failed to demonstrate effect in several indications, however proper treatment is dependant upon numerous factors including dosage, diagnosis, frequency of treatment and treatment technique. More than 2500 research reports are published and more than 100 double-blind positive studies confirm the clinical effect of cold laser therapy. Over 90% of the 370 studies revealed in the limited LLLT dental literature alone verify the clinical value of cold laser therapy.

Kalon Prensky has been an alternative health practitioner for over 15 years. He is dedicated to teaching alternative modes of healing including modes of preventive medicine, and complimentary medicine.

2006-05-04T00:55:00.000-07:00

Led light: Coolest, Newest Flashlight.

The NightStar flashlight is a great gadget for anyone to own. The NightStar is the original battery that runs without batteries and uses a trademarked technology. There are many advantages of owning a NightStar flashlight and only needs to be shaken in order to work. For anyone who ever needs a flashlight, the NightStar flashlight is the greatest new invention.

The NightStar Flashlight is just as effective and powerful as battery powered flashlights. The LED light is very long life, light emitting diode are said to last up to 100,000 or more. LED is much more efficient and use less power than traditional light bulbs. The LED housing is also very durable and virtually unbreakable.

The Flashlight itself is made of a heavy duty plastic housing. The flashlight is also resistant to chemicals such as acids, ammonia, saltwater, and alcohol. It is also resistant to shock, and is fully functional after repeated drops from high levels. It is also fully functional after being run over on a concrete surface by a heavy weight vehicle.

There are now many types of the NightStar flashlight available on the market. They range in price from around $20 to $50. The NightStar CS is a smaller flashlight for more convenience. It needs to be shaken only seconds for 30 minutes of light time. This type is great for fishers and hikers who need light for extended periods of time. A great advantage of the NightStar is that it floats beam up when in water.

The NightStar II is another option that is larger. It comes in a variety of colors and can also be purchased with different color LED lenses. A red lens is important for astronomers or hunters who need nighttime light. There is also a green lens that is useful for seeing outdoors at night. These larger flashlights need to be shaken for 30 seconds to power 20 minutes of light. Both types of batteries have a 5 year warranty.

Now there is a flashlight that runs without batteries, without ever having to replace the batteries or recharge the batteries. It never needs new batteries and is great for outdoor enthusiasts or those who love gadgets. And the NightStar flashlight is the only gadget with its patented technology.

This article was written by Michael Hargrove for BatteryWeb, a retail and wholesale provider of all types of batteries and battery chargers. Visit the site for more information and a full selection of NightStar flashlights.

2006-05-03T23:36:00.000-07:00

Katrina, Rita Destroyed 113 Petroleum Platforms

Hurricanes Katrina and Rita destroyed 113 petroleum production platforms in the Gulf of Mexico, a federal agency overseeing offshore drilling said.

The storms also damaged 457 pipelines connecting production facilities in the Gulf and bringing oil and natural gas to shore - a sharp rise from the 183 damaged pipelines identified in January, the Minerals Management Service said.

Interruption of the Gulf supply has played a role in the recent round of record-high oil and gasoline prices in the U.S. Officials have said that it is likely that as much as a fifth of the Gulf's normal daily oil production of 140,000 barrels will still be off market when the next hurricane season begins on June 1.

The MMS warned that additional damage likely would be discovered as more underwater inspections are conducted.

"These have been delayed because of overwhelmed support resources, such as diving equipment, support vessels, and remotely operated vehicles,'' said MMS regional director Chris Oynes.

Of the 113 destroyed platforms, four replacements have been approved by the MMS. The agency said those will take the place of eight destroyed platforms with a pre-storm daily production of 16,700 barrels.

MMS said six hurricane-related oil spills of at least 1,000 barrels were identified, the largest being 3,625 barrels. The spills did not impact shores or wildlife, the agency said.

According to the latest MMS report issued on April 19, 22 percent of the region's normal daily oil production and 13 percent of normal daily natural gas production remained blocked from market.

Copyright 2006 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

By Alan Sayre

2006-05-02T01:03:00.000-07:00

Control the Junction Temperature

In considering the factors discussed, the single most important goal for a prudent designer is to remove heat from the LED, in order to keep the junction temperature below the maximum rating, thereby avoiding premature failure.

The electronics used to generate the required LED current can easily incorporate methods of detecting over temperature conditions which serve to reduce the LED drive current in order to maintain a stable operating temperature.

Clearly the light output would reduce, but the LED would survive to enjoy a long and bright future. By way of an example, the circuit shown in Figure 1 incorporates temperature control in a buck converter configuration. The circuit is designed to drive an LED with a drive current up to 1 amp. The supply voltage is from 4 to 6 volts.

Buck Converter Operation

When the switch Q1 is on, current flows through the LED and L1. This current builds up to a point where the voltage across Rsense reaches the threshold of U1. The ZXSC300 controller then removes the drive to Q1 which turns off. The energy stored in L1 is then discharged, flowing through D1 and the LED. The ZXSC300 has a fixed turn off period of 1.7 μs, after which time Q1 turns on and the cycle is repeated. In this application the switch frequency is about 150 kHz.

by Zetex Semiconductors

2006-05-02T01:00:00.000-07:00

Protecting High Brightness LEDs from Thermal Stress

There’s no doubt that the ruggedness and long life of LEDs present clear advantages for a host of different applications. When using high brightness, high power LEDs however, heat dissipation is a serious concern and the fact that 20 percent of power input to an LED is converted into light while 80 percent generates heat means that lighting designers can be faced with a serious problem to overcome.

Since even the best possible thermal design practice can be thwarted by an inappropriate lighting installation, the responsibility of maintaining safe LED operating conditions and minimising the impact of thermal effects on LED life must surely fall to the drive electronics.

A Look at the Specs
A quick review of the product specifications provided by manufacturers of high brightness LEDs serves to identify some key design parameters, which need to be taken into account and to illustrate the negative effects of running such components at high temperatures.

The effective life of the LED is inversely related to the power dissipation and temperature of the LED junction. Manufacturers show MTBF figures of about 100M hours at Tj 80ºC. In practical systems LED failure is not likely to be a problem. However, in systems where heat is not adequately removed and Tj rises to 120ºC or beyond, then LED life will be significantly shortened. In extreme conditions the LED could suffer immediate failure.

Thermal design can certainly apply some overcompensation to take into account worst-case installation scenarios, but in certain instances this may not be possible. Consider a downlight installed in a well-insulated ceiling void. The void not only acts to prevent adequate heat dissipation it also doesn’t offer sufficient housing space to fit a suitable heatsink.

Relative light intensity is inversely related to junction temperature. While data sheets vary, manufacturers quote a reduction of light output of up to 30 percent at maximum junction temperature.

inversely related to junction temperature. An LED can typically lose 30 percent of its light output over 50k hours when run at 70ºC junction temperature presumably the reduction is greater at higher temperatures, but figures are not published.

In reality, the reduction in light output over time—whatever the cause—is actually not a great issue. In fact it may not be all that noticeable and in any case LED performance will be comparable with that experienced with alternative light sources.

By Alan Buxton, Marketing Manager and Ho Wong, Product Marketing Manager, Zetex Semiconductors