Have you read Malcolm Gladwell’s longtime-bestseller The Tipping Point? In it, the author discusses the phenomenon where something goes from being marginal to mainstream. For LED (light-emitting diode) lighting, the tipping point has arrived. U.S. Department of Energy statistics show that about 49 million LEDs were installed in the U.S. in 2012 — saving about US $675 million in annual energy costs. And, switching entirely to LED lights over the next two decades could save the US $250 billion in energy costs, reduce electricity consumption for lighting by nearly 50 percent and avoid 1,800 million metric tons of carbon emissions.

Winners in the Indoor category of the sixth annual Next Generation LuminairesTM Design Competition were announced today at The LED Show in Los Angeles. Sponsored by DOE, the Illuminating Engineering Society of North America, and the International Association of Lighting Designers, NGL promotes excellence in the design of energy-efficient LED products for commercial lighting applications.

China’s Standardization Administration has issued three new LED luminaire standards.

When it comes Smart LED light bulbs, which can be dimmed and made to change colour, the most popular product must be Philips Hue, using the Zigbee protocol, which you can control via iOS and Android devices though a Zigbee gateway, and costs about £50 on Amazon. Alternatives have started to show up such as LIFX, with WIFI technology, that you can control with recent iOS and Android device without the need for a gateway, but with a price starting at £80. 

DOE has published a new report forecasting the energy savings of LED white-light sources compared with conventional white-light sources. The sixth iteration of the Energy Savings Forecast of Solid-State Lighting in General Illumination Applications compares the annual lighting energy consumption in the U.S. with and without further market penetration of LED lighting. 

LG Chem has developed the world’s first OLED light panel with high luminous efficacy and long-lasting performance that can compete with LED lights, according to a report from The Korea Herald.

LED industry development has picked up pace in recent years as cities promote highly energy efficient lighting, according to a Securities Times report. Among global LED lighting applications, lighting and automotive lighting industries have been the fastest growing markets, and have become the main growth drivers in the LED industry.

CEA-Leti and LUCIOM, which develops visible-light communication using light-emitting diodes (LEDs), have launched a project to develop high-data-rate LiFi transceivers. With this technology, LUCIOMexpects to offer in mid-2015 one of the first high-data-rate bidirectional light-fidelity, or LiFi, products that can work with different LED lighting sources, and on mobile devices.

After finishing the grand introduction to the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus at the Special Event in Flint Center for the Performing Arts in Cupertino, California, U.S., Apple CEO Tim Cook created a new climax with Steve Jobs classical statement “One more thing…” prior to unveiling the long anticipated wearable smartwatch device “Apple Watch”.

Apple’s iPhone 6 is finally here. The company’s CEO Tim Cook unveiled the phones at Apple’s Special Event which took place during the twilight hours in Taiwan on Sept. 10, 2014 (Taipei time). Some of the rumors about the iPhone 6 specs proved true, such as the phones coming in two different sizes. The smaller 4.7-inch phone has been coined iPhone 6 by the Cupertino company, while the larger 5.5-inch has been named the iPhone 6 Plus.

Thailand’s LED lighting market demands have increased since the government heavily promoted energy efficient lighting, while LED luminaire prices have dropped, according to a report by Economic Daily News.

The Colorado Department of Transportation is testing new in-pavement LED lighting, according to a report by Community Radio for Northern Colorado.

A research team from Ritsumeikan University in Japan has developed a LED lighting system that can prevent unauthorized video recordings via mobile devices in public spaces.

Chinese sapphire substrate manufacturer Biel Crystal, which has long kept a low profile, recently responded to market rumors about Lens Technology being a major smartphone screen supplier for Apple and Samsung, according to a Shenzhen Commercial report.

A research team from Osaka City University in Japan have succeeded in treating skin ulcers caused by antibiotic resistant bacteria using 5-aminolevulinic acid (ALA) and LED lights, according to a Nikkei Technology report.

Past Kickstarter ambient lighting projects were mainly focused on bringing colorful LED lights to TVs, and making home entertainment an immersive experience. Recently, a UK team has gotten even more personal by bringing DIY ambient lighting systems to the computer screen.

Valoya announces a 900mm LED tube light to complement its L-series product family for controlled environments. The product range now comprises tubes for 900mm, 1200mm and 1500mm installations with 600mm to follow later this fall.

With the rise of the wearable smart devices, Industrial Technology Research Institute (ITRI) showcases many futuristic, wearable devices with interactive touch control functions at Touch Taiwan 2014 with the theme of "Smart Living, Keep in Touch". Such devices include a wearable and foldable AMOLED wrist band with interactive touch control and display functions.

North American lighting leader OSRAM SYLVANIA has been recognized with a prestigious R&D 100 Award for the new OSRAM ITOS® PHASER® 3000, the industry’s first laser and LED-based white light module for microscopy, endoscopy and surgical head lamps that delivers the same brightness as 300W Xenon lamps with significantly higher efficacy and lamp life.

Ledionopto,a commercial lighting brand in Taiwan. The extensive marketing and development experience makes Ledionopto expanding the brand awareness in the commercial lighting market. The product line not only contain the illumination in shopping arcade, restaurant, and residential, also, it cross-cutting in special color-appearing lighting market this year. The new products which include “Ruby” Light, for fresh meat lighting application, bakery lighting” Aroma”, and “Snowhite” which can contract the color of white clothes and dressing.

The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission has issued a recall alert for Cree CXB Series LED high-bay indoor light fixtures over reported cases of broken glass lenses. Consumers should stop using this product unless otherwise instructed. It is illegal to resell or attempt to resell a recalled consumer product.

Earlier this month, Chinese smartphone manufacturer Huawei’s Chief Executive Officer Chengdong Yu showed a brand new sapphire glass cover smartphone during a press conference, according to a Chinese-language TechWeb report.

India’s Union ministry of urban development has requested the country’s state governments to fully replace to LED streetlights, an India Times report cited ELCOMA India saying.

Jan Willem Vogel, who is responsible for global business development and marketing at NXP, delves into LED grow light applications in this latest blog entry.

Bycatching, defined in the fishing industry of accidentally catching unwanted fish and marine species are a threat to the marine ecosystem and endangered marine species.

In the Western hemisphere, Chinese smartphone maker Xiaomi has earned a reputation of being an Apple wannabe. Whether it is in the phone’s exterior design or operation system interface, Xiaomi tends to mimic Apple’s every detail (TechCrunch even made a graphic comparison last week to deliver the point), so it probably is not too surprising that it now wants sapphire glass for its premium smartphones too.

Wearable devices are still in its early phases, where manufacturers can be creative in design. Ritot, a Ukraine-based startup has abandoned screen designs, who needs a LED or OLED screen displays if all the information you need can be projected onto your wrist?

LEDinside posted a short piece about the breathtaking LED basketball court Kobe Bryant used to coach young Chinese players during his summer tour with Nike, more details about the high-tech basketball court were revealed recently by the sport attire giant and Gizmodo.

Applications for Visible Light Communication (VLC) systems are now extending into the realm of advanced automobile systems, according to several technology reports.

Princeton University is making campus lighting more sustainable and efficient one fixture at a time. Through the Lighting Efficiency Upgrade Program, the University will convert more than 100,000 fixtures to light-emitting diode (LED) technology in buildings across campus. The improvements will significantly reduce carbon emissions, promote cost savings and limit waste.