Kulicke & Soffa Industries, Inc. recently announced the formal launch of ConnX-LEDPS(TM) automatic ball bonder--an extension of the company's ConnXPS(TM) bonding platform. With new features and enhancements specifically designed for LED applications, ConnX-LED will help K&S customers increase their efficiency and productivity, and meet the challenges of the fast-paced, high growth LED market.

The implementation of efficient, attractive LED street lighting in Portugal has gathered pace over the summer as EnergiaViva has completed installations of the new UrbanLED street light in ten towns and cities. Installation work in a further 20 Portuguese municipalities is expected to have been completed this fall.

LED TV is taking the world by storm and TV brand vendors are rolling out series of new models in the second half of the year, which fueled the decline of LED TV prices. Market outlook is fairly upbeat – total LED TV shipment for 2009 is estimated at 3.1 million units, and this figure is forecast to grow ten-fold to 30 million units in 2010.

As one of the first cities taking part in the LED lighting plan of 10,000 lights each in ten cities initiated by China Ministry of Science and Technology, Shanghai is gradually expanding LED energy-saving lights and signal lights. It is estimated that in Shanghai, LEDs will finally replace traditional lights in the next 3 to 5 years.

Kinoton GmbH has announced the availability of the Litefast MAGIC 360° Display, a crystal-clear 360-degrees LED display.

Marktech LED Lighting Products introduces a versatile LED light source with its new line of T9 LED Light Tubes. With a high CRI (color rendering index) of 80 and its slim design, the T9 is ideal for a variety of lighting applications, including back lighting, cove lighting, pop and display lighting and refrigeration/cooler lighting.

The electronic and vision glass supplier, American owned Polytron Technologies, Inc announced to launch their LED glass with printing image this week.  

Renaissance Lighting, a leading innovator in the development of solid-state LED downlight fixtures, has been selected as a GoingGreen Top 100 Winner by AlwaysOn, in advance of their annual GoingGreen West Conference. The GoingGreen Top 100 recognition is given annually to privately held, emerging companies that create new business opportunities in green technology.

Microsemi Corporation, a manufacturer of analog/mixed signal integrated circuits and semiconductors, announced the expansion of its line of complete high performance system solutions for powering light emitting diode (LED) backlit displays. The family now includes 3-string applications for 3.5 inch to 7-inch displays.

Lund (Sweden) based nanowire semiconductor LED developer GLO AB today announced the closing of an SEK 82 million Series B investment round.

According to sorces, Taiwan-based LED packaging house Everlight Electronics is collaborating with Taiwan’s OEM company, Amtran, to develop LED TV backlight products. TV backlight samples have been sent to Korean maker LG, and the earliest delivery is expected in Q4. Meanwhile, Tekcore, through the connection of having Everlight as its one of its stakeholders, may have the opportunity to enter the LED TV supply chain.

The landmark event of the year – LEDforum Taipei 2009, will be held on November 24th & 25th, 2009 at NTUH International Convention Center. LED industry heavyweights around the globe including Osram, Philips lumileds, Cree, Epistar, Everlight, LITE-ON, Macroblock, and Veeco, have been invited to share their outlook on 2010 industry trends.

NuVision U.S., Inc., manufacturer of high-performance 1080p Deep Black LCD displays, will display its new Lucidium FX5LS Series at CEDIA 2009. The Edge-lit LED units are super slim displays that require less power to operate, feature greener technology, truer color, deeper blacks, and sport parallel inputs designed for smoother installation. NuVision will be displaying its 40", 46" and 55" units.

Air Motion Systems, Inc. announces the first look at its PEAK LED-UV product series at PRINT 09, an all-new high power LED-based UV curing technology slated for general availability in the digital, offset and flexographic industry segments immediately following the show.

Following a successful trial of an innovative LED rail carriage lighting technology from Marl International Ltd, Porterbrook Leasing Company estimates that the technology could not only save 20 million kWh, but also improve the ambiance and reduce maintenance costs.

Luminus Devices, developer and manufacturer of high light output, "Big Chip" PhlatLight LEDs, Wednesday announced it has joined the National Electrical Manufacturers Association (NEMA), the association of electrical and medical imaging equipment manufacturers founded in 1926. Four hundred and thirty member companies manufacture products used in nine industry divisions including the generation, transmission and distribution, control, and end use of electricity.

Delta Electronics, Inc. has replaced the most important interior lighting locations in the lobby, front entrance, and restaurant of the 5-star Tongli Lakeview Hotel in Suzhou, China by its LED lighting products.

On the heels of the record-breaking 2009 show and the largest conference in its 20-year history, LIGHTFAIR® International (LFI) is preparing for another strong educational program in 2010 with the official Call for Speakers. LFI, the world’s largest annual architectural and commercial lighting trade show and conference—featuring the LIGHTFAIR Institute® and the LIGHTFAIR Daylighting Institute®—calls for speakers to submit proposals for the 2010 conference in Las Vegas.

The mandatory phase-out of the 100-watt incandescent and frosted light bulb takes effect in Europe Tuesday. The move was part of European Union’s drive to cut greenhouse gas emissions by 20 percent by the year 2020 in the fight against global warming. Factories must immediately stop producing frosted incandescent bulbs and the least efficient 100-watt clear bulbs, but shops will be allowed to sell their remaining stock of such bulbs.

Scientists at the University of Washington are working on a human machine interface where LEDs are embedded into contact lenses in order to display information to the wearer. This human machine interface will use custom-built transparent circuitry in a polymer lens that is roughly 1.2 millimeters in diameter.

Expanding on its line of explosion proof and hazardous location fluorescent lighting, Larson Electronics Magnalight now offers LED T series bulbs for its HALP and HALSS series of corrosion resistant lighting.

Veeco Instruments Inc. announced Tuesday the introduction of its Optium® ADS-800TM Series Advanced Dicing System, delivering high productivity dicing solutions for a broad range of demanding applications, including high brightness light emitting diodes (HB-LEDs), solar cells, optics, and microelectronics.  The ADS-800 Series Advanced Dicing System offers superior and repeatable cut quality of devices at unprecedented throughput as compared to other dicing systems.

Fairchild Semiconductor has introduced a programmable LED blinker, the FAN5646, which is designed to eliminate the need for a microprocessor to be in continuous operation mode. The FAN5646 enables designers of mobile handsets, ultra-portable devices, consumer products and industrial/embedded systems to implement a blinking LED solution that can easily be programmed to create an enhanced visual experience.

Demonstrating that LED lighting is now viable for large-scale exterior applications, Philips Color Kinetics announced Monday two new floodlights with light output of more than 8,500 lumens - a first in high-quality exterior LED floodlighting.  

The Holiday Inn brand is currently undergoing a $1 billion global relaunch—the largest in the hospitality industry with more than 3,200 hotels being updated to improve quality and drive consistency at Holiday Inn and Holiday Inn Express hotels around the world. A redesign of the iconic brand logo required new exterior signage for over 3,200 locations.

Taiwan LED makers cheered as their 2Q09 revenues jumped by more than 30-40%, thanks largely to robust demand of backlight applications and outdoor displays.

LG Electronics, the world's No.2 TV vendor, said Sunday that it would launch a 15-inch OLED TV in September at the IFA 2009 consumer electric show in Berlin. Comparing with traditional LCD displays, AM-OLED displays are thinner, more energy efficient and can provide better picture quality, while the high price has kept it from becoming a mass-produced technology.

California Micro Devices(CMD) today announced the latest product in the LuxGuard™ family of turnkey solutions for ESD (electrostatic discharge) protection and thermal management for high power, high brightness LED (HBLED) lighting applications.

Lighting Science Group Corporation (LSG) and Royal Philips Electronics today announced that they have settled all of their commercial and intellectual property disputes by way of a comprehensive agreement that revives their former commercial alliance.