For indoor plants, winter is a harsh time. Pop Sci has introduced the LED grow lights to keep houseplants thriving during the short days of winter. Using specialty grow lights can give your air-boosting indoor plants the right light and temperature, or you can build your own long-lasting, nifty-looking LED light spikes.

Royal Philips Electronics announces that it will launch a new solar-powered reading light in autumn 2009. The company says the LED light enables people to both read and write after dark. It’s disclosed that Philips’s “My Reading Light” was developed specifically for the education sector in Africa and will allow school children to continue with their homework after sunset.

Toshin Electric Co Ltd has launched the "Bikei," an LED tube lamp which can replace 40W straight tube fluorescent lamps. The company enhanced the heat radiation efficiency of the Bikei by forming aluminum radiator fins on part of its tube. Also, it downsized the substrate on which LEDs are mounted and minimized the shadow made by the substrate so that light reaches farther.

LED EXPO 2009 will be on May 20-23, 2009 in Korea.

Recently, ITC Inc., a leading accessory manufacturer to the RV industry, announces that it is teaming up with Dynamax Corporation, a leading OEM of luxury motor coaches, to replace traditional halogen overhead lighting with high output LED technology. ITC’s LED lighting requires much lower amp draw, saving both energy and money. LED lights also contain no mercury.

Recently, Sylvania has introduced a new LED Showerhead. The Ecolight offers a little extra light in the shower, it attaches to just about any standard showerhead and it features a LED light that is powered by the running water—so you never need to deal with batteries. It also features an LED temperature ring that turns blue when the temperature is under 78 degrees Fahrenheit and red when it is above 105.8 degrees. So, your protection here is three-fold: psycho attack, shrinkage and burns. The LED Showerhead is priced at $40.

Seoul Semiconductor has announced to replace outdoor lightings of a Senator business center with exclusive solid state light, Acriche. The project has been completed by a Russian lighting expert company Vitrulux Oy.

Elation Professional has introduced its Design Panel 72IP MKII outdoor LED color. A high-output DMX-compatible RGB-mixing LED panel, the Design Panel 72IP MKII is rated at IP 65, allowing it to withstand rain and dust, making it ideal for adding changing colors to building exteriors, landscaping, outdoor concerts, or any application subject to Mother Nature’s whims.

RECOM Power, Inc. announces its Constant Current LED-Driver is now available with flying wires. This is No.1 Constant Current LED-Driver module that no knowledge of electronics is needed, just connect the wires and light it up! That means plug and play. The company says this package style is ideal for applications with an overcrowded board or applications without a board.

LASER EXPO 2009 will be on 22-24 April 2009 in Japan.

Osram Opto Semiconductors has announced its first thermal models for computing different LED designs available online. OSRAM has demonstrated it is high level of customer support. In addition to electrical, mechanical and optical data, a compact model for Flotherm software is now permanently available at www.Osram-os.com/thermal-files for calculating thermal behavior.

Arrow Electronics, Inc. of Melville, New York USA, and Texas Instruments (TI) announce a new series of Analog eLab videocasts on solid-state lighting (SSL). Partnering with Cree, Inc., Arrow and TI will present six new videocasts that share expertise on developing driver solutions for several LED applications.

DOMAG LED TECHNOLOGY CO. LTD of Taiwan, concentrates on designing, invention developing all LED new applications, especially focus in illumination propose, will launch one new products that Par 38 10W LED Lamp in this week. The light distribute very even and tender. Very similar then conventions light spread, since it's only one piece 10W LED source. These products are made in Taiwan. The company insures to provide best quality and service.

Carmanah, a maker of solar powered LED lighting based in Victoria, British Columbia, Canada announces that it has sold its Road Signs business to Temple Inc. of Decatur, Alabama. Two companies have signed the definitive agreement.

It’s reported that OSRAM Opto Semiconductors’s Golden DRAGON LEDs are lighting up a major thoroughfare of Jing Jiang City in the Jiangsu province of China. The 180W prototype LED streetlights were installed by Jiangsu Hua Jing Photoelectronics for replacing traditional 250W HID lamps.

LIGHTING JAPAN (1st LED/OLED Lighting Technology EXPO) will be on April 15 - 17 , 2009 in Japan.

It’s reported that Pittsburgh is considering the replacement of its 40,000 street lights with LED fixtures. It is estimated that it could save up to upwards of $1.4 million a year in energy and maintenance costs, and “look nicer.”

Recently, AIXTRON AG announced an order received in the second quarter 2008 for an MOCVD system from a new customer, Yangzhou Zhongke Semiconductor Lighting Center Co. Ltd. The Close Coupled Showerhead CRIUS system with 31x2" wafer configuration was delivered to Yangzhou Zhongke’s state of the art facility in the Yangzhou High-Tech Venture Services Center, PR China in the fourth quarter 2008. Its application will be for the development and volume production of UHB blue/green LEDs.

Veeco Instruments has to restructure its MOCVD systems business, as the downturn continues to take its toll on the wider semiconductor industry. At Veeco Q4 earnings call, John Peeler, CEO of the company, has announced its MOCVD systems operation in New Jersey would be hit by the latest move. He said their MOCVD systems business would go to a fully outsourced model by the end of the year. He also outlined a number of wider measures to cut costs, including a 26% reduction in workforce. Veeco will employ less than 1000 employees by the end of 2009.

Elma Electronic, a leading designer and manufacturer of rotary components and electronic packaging products, offers LEDs in customizable configurations with custom brightness options.

Taiwan Opto Tech has unveiled its new Smart Street Lights using Nichia LEDs. The company says the new LED street lights have four main functions which include a modulized design, a unique cooling technology, a new optical design, and an excellent power module. The fixture is streamlined and ultra-thin, with a depth of only 80mm and will be expected to meet the global market demand. The company currently plans to mass-produce 55W and 105W street lights that can be used with either solar or AC power.

Advanced Analogic Technologies Inc., announced a two-channel LED driver for LED indicators and LCD or keyboard backlighting in entry level mobile products - AHK3292. The company says the new LED driver features low resistance current sinks capable of supporting a low dropout voltage, it can reduce power dissipation and extends battery life. The device's dropout voltage of 36 mV typical is at least 20% lower than competitive products.

The Bitan drawbridge of Taipei, Taiwan has now become a brand new “pearl & rainbow drawbridge,” showcasing many of the latest lighting technologies from Everlight Electronics Co. Ltd. Because Everlight provided LED components, lighting designs, and SL-Dolphin Street Lights to Bitan Scenic for reconstructing the Bitan Drawbridge and lighting up the west river bank of Bitan Scenic Area.

Premier Farnell's Newark now stocks Bridgelux's in Premier Farnell's Newark now stocks Bridgelux's innovative LED Array products, developed specially to provide lamp and luminaire manufacturers with a solution for simplified system level integration.

Taiwan Unity Opto Technology Co., Ltd. holds a 25% stake in South Korean LED packager Lumens, making it the primary institutional shareholder of the South Korean packager. Now, Unity has been contracted by Lumens to supply it LED emitters. Which Lumens will build into backlight modules for Samsung’s LCD TVs. Unity will use chips made by Formosa Epitaxy Inc. of Taiwan, which has its chips verified at Samsung.

Lynk Labs Inc., the leading supplier of AC LED device, light engine and power supply technology, has been awarded its first U.S. patent for an AC LED drive method and aparatus. The newly awarded patent, U.S. Patent, No. 7,489,086 is entitled “AC light emitting diode and AC LED drive methods and apparatus."

Aimtec Inc. has introduced the first two series of its new line of step-down DC-DC LED drivers - the AMLD-IZ and AMLDL-Z. The company says the new LED drivers meet the rigorous demands for environment friendly LED lighting solutions.     the AMLD-IZ

Citizen Electronics of Japan appoints Supreme Components International (SCI) of Singapore as their official distributor for High Brightness LED for ASIAN market. Citizen electronics has been producing LEDs since 1983 and is a major player for mobile phone LED in the world with significant market share. Citizen LEDs have high reliability and high CRI.

The Orvis Outlet Store, a globally-known retailer of outdoor lifestyle products, has become a showcase for one of Efficiency Vermont's latest energy-conservation experiments: LED lamps for retail stores. Orvis personnel replaced about 300 lamps in the outlet store last summer. According to the company, the store has used 8,400 fewer kilowatt hours a month, which has saved almost $900 a month in electricity. The LED lights are cooler than incandescent lights so the store also saved on air-conditioning costs.

Murata Power Solutions has introduced its low-power, high brightness, three-and-a-half digit, DMS-20PC digital panel voltmeters. The company announces that they are now available with 'brilliant blue' or 'pure green' LED colors in addition to the current 'low-power red'. The DMS-20PC series provides a sub-miniature, low-cost solution in applications such as battery chargers, power amplifiers, rack-mounted power and high-end consumer electronics.