Cree Introduces The Next Generation Of Lighting-Class LEDs

Driving the next generation of mainstream LED lighting adoption, Cree, Inc. introduces the breakthrough XLamp XB-D LED. The first LED based on an innovative new Cree technology platform, the XLamp XB-D LED ushers in a new era of price-performance for lighting-class LEDs. This LED can further simplify designs, ultimately removing a key barrier to widespread LED implementation―up-front system cost.

The XB-D LED delivers twice the lumens-per-dollar of other LEDs, in the industry's smallest lighting-class footprint of 2.5 mm x 2.5 mm. The XB-D LED is 48 percent smaller than the XLamp XP package and ideal for lighting applications where high lumen density and compact light sources are required.

The innovations behind this next generation of lighting-class LEDs can enable significantly lower prices for LED lighting products by using up to three times fewer LEDs, three times fewer optics and substantially smaller circuit boards than current designs.

"Being a leader means delivering revolutionary, not evolutionary, innovation to drive the LED lighting revolution," said Mike Watson, Cree senior director of marketing, LED components. "With this new platform Cree has fundamentally redefined the price-performance paradigm for our components customers. It's not enough to just make LEDs brighter―it's also about improving product payback and market acceptance of LED lighting."

Leveraging Cree's proven silicon carbide technology and expertise, the XB-D LED delivers up to 139 lumens and 136 lumens per watt in cool white (6000K) or up to 107 lumens and 105 lumens per watt in warm white (3000K), both at 350 mA and 85°C.

XB-D LEDs are also compatible with most existing XP family secondary optics, which can speed the optical design process and create direct cost savings for existing XP family-based designs.

Cree is leading the LED lighting revolution and making energy-wasting traditional lighting technologies obsolete through the use of energy-efficient, mercury-free LED lighting. Cree is a market-leading innovator of lighting-class LEDs, LED lighting, and semiconductor products for power and radio frequency (RF) applications.

Cree's product families include LED fixtures and bulbs, blue and green LED chips, high-brightness LEDs, lighting-class power LEDs, power-switching devices and RF devices. Cree products are driving improvements in applications such as general illumination, backlighting, electronic signs and signals, power suppliers and solar inverters.

LED backlight demand to pick up in March

In retrospect, the under performing peak season in 2011 and the dull demand made the LED chip and package manufacturers fail to reproduce the booming 1H11 revenue growth in 2H11.

At present, given the inventory pressure, many LED makers are actively seeking joint ventures and improving their product quality to create greater product differentiation. LEDinside believes that the gloomy economic climate will set the strong apart from fellow competitors.

Despite the dreary outlook, certain companies are still optimistic about the future of the LED lighting market, so much so that a few new manufacturers consider entering the market. Hence, due to the great prospects of the energy-saving market, some companies are not worried about the downturn and see it as an opportunity for them to improve themselves and for the industry to weed out the weak.

In terms of the revenues in December, the upstream players' revenues plunged by 30% YoY while the downstream package makers' dipped by 10% YoY. The difference is attributed to LED chip makers' higher base year value of December 2011.

In December 2010, products such as tablet PCs and LCD TVs underpinned the backlight demand, while currently the LED chip market is slightly oversupplied with the price plummeting quickly. On the other hand, due to that the LED package manufacturers supply the end market, the upstream oversupply has less impact on them, not to mention the recent demand surge in the backlight market they benefit from.

The revenues of Taiwanese LED package makers in December hit NT$3.9 billion. In 2011, revenues of LED package makers totaled NT$54.92 billion, representing a 3% decrease compared to 2010. Helped by its vertical integration model, Lextar successfully made way into the supply chain of global major makers, which canceled out the slump in the backlight market.

According to Lite-On Technology, the company has signed strategic alliance agreements with six lighting companies and will manufacture LED light source and LED light modules in the future. Epicrystal Cooperation (Changzhou), a subsidiary company of Epistar, began its production in September, 2011.

According to LEDinside, the value of China's lighting market will reach US$7.6 billion in 2015. With China's comprehensive production bases and supply chains together with the high domestic demand and market prospects, many manufacturers have been placing more emphasis on the Chinese market.

Epistar cooperates with Sunny Technology Lighting and NVC Lighting, Everlight with Yaming Lighting, and Forepi with NVC Lighting. Philips recently announced that it will set up a LED lighting product plant in Chengdu, which marks Philips' second large-scale investment in China.

Furthermore, LED makers including Liteon and Lextar are taking more aggressive actions to gain a place in the supply chain of global big names. The common goal for the companies is to continue increasing the portion of lighting product in their revenues and preempt an advantageous position in the lighting market.

House Hunting in ... Monaco

Set in Monaco's quiet garden district, this two-bedroom apartment on the fourth and top floor of an elevator building is on the market for $2.2 million. The building, dating to the early 1900s, has corbeled balconies and elaborate wrought iron accents.

With 750 square feet of space, the unit has been renovated in a traditional style incorporating modern elements like automated lighting and stereo systems.

The large foyer doubles as a kitchen/dining area, with appliances hidden behind elegant wardrobe-style doors. The kitchen island, which accommodates stools for dining, is adorned with mosaic tiles. Beyond is a wainscoted salon with an ornate coffered ceiling and a floor in a large red-and-white checkered pattern. The walls are plastered in Venetian stucco. French doors open to a decorative Juliet balcony.

On either side of the salon are the bedrooms, which have similarly elaborate ceiling moldings and Venetian stucco walls. The bath has old-style brass fixtures by the English company Heritage Bathrooms and a glass-enclosed shower with a rain showerhead. LED lighting in the shower can be reset in different colors. A clamshell sink of ceramic on a stone base was handmade in Naples.

The building is on the main avenue in the district, the Boulevard du Jardin Exotique, but the apartment faces a quiet street at the rear, said Bernard Koning, the principal owner of ABK Real Estate, which has the listing. The unit comes with an on-street parking space and a 22-square-foot lower-level storage space.

The Jardin Exotique district, which is on the border with France, has small shops for necessities, but the apartment is a 15- to 20-minute walk from the Carre d'Or, Monaco's center in Monte Carlo, where casinos, luxury shops, hotels, restaurants and the priciest real estate are found, Mr. Koning said. The Jardin Exotique district is the site of Monaco's new train station, and buses run frequently along the boulevard, taking about eight minutes to arrive in the Carre d'Or. The closest airport is Nice International in France, which is about a 25-minute drive with no traffic, Mr. Koning said.

Until the real estate bubble burst in 2008 there was a steep increase in real estate values in Monaco; some homes doubled in price, Mr. Koning said. The global financial crisis cut the number of transactions by more than half, and prices fell 15 to 35 percent.

Values appear to have stabilized, but homes are taking time to sell. "Business is slow at the moment," said Julie Alejo, the owner of EIP Agency. "Potential clients are showing interest only in high- or low-end products."

Yet the market did get a lift as of last June, when a new law reduced closing costs by about 40 percent, said emilie Mazza, a co-owner of Mazza Immobilier. In the long run, said Tim Swannie, a director of Home Hunts Luxury Property Specialists, the lack of a personal income tax in Monaco will help maintain a climate favorable to real estate. "Monaco's tax-haven status ensures the market remains buoyant and prices stable," he said, "so investment in Monaco real estate continues to be attractive."

Casio Announces New Hybrid LED-Laser Projector Models

Casio announced six new models in its SLIM line of hybrid LED-laser projectors at the Consumer Electronics Show this week: the XJ-A141, XJ-A146, XJ-A241, XJ-A246, XJ-A251 and XJ-A256.

Each weighing five pounds, the new SLIM projectors are 1.7 inches high, which, according to Casio, makes them the thinnest high-brightness projectors in the industry. A wide-angle 2X power zoom lens allows an extensive range of projection distance. Three of Casio's new SLIM projectors―the XJ-A146, XJ-A246 and XJ-A256―are equipped with USB capabilities, MobiShow, wireless presentation capability, and a presentation timer.

MobiShow makes business presentations possible from most popular mobile devices using only a Wi-Fi connection. MobiShow is compatible with Microsoft Windows Mobile, iPhone, iPad, and Android operating systems. Additionally, the SLIM USB models have the ability to make wireless presentations from Mac computers. Up to 32 computers can be connected at one time and users can also view up to four PCs on an individual screen simultaneously.

The built-in presentation timer function lets users keep track of time and ensure all presentations are done in a timely fashion. A compact window is displayed in the corner of the screen and lets both the presenter and audience know how much time is left for the presentation.

The latest introductions in the SLIM lineup feature innovative functions such as Intelligent Brightness Control, an ECO function that minimizes power consumption by using no more than the level of brightness actually required all while illuminating sharp imagery. Intelligent Brightness Control utilizes a built-in light sensor to automatically adjust the brightness level of the projection to suit the lighting conditions of any room. Brightness can be adjusted continuously and smoothly due to the laser and LED hybrid light source, a feature not possible with traditional mercury lamps.

The SLIM projectors are powered by Casio's laser and LED hybrid light source and DLP technology that provides lamp-free, eco-friendly data projection at a fraction of the cost of traditional projectors. Casio's laser and LED hybrid light source Source combines blue laser light and a fluorescent element to generate a high output of green light.

The green light, blue laser light, and the light emitted by a red LED are projected through a DLP chip which, in turn, is passed through the projection lens to form an image. This technology achieves an increase in color spectrum compared with a mercury lamp, while lowering a projector's total cost of ownership and maximizing investment.

The new SLIM models will be available for $999.99 to $1,499.99 and are covered by a three-year parts and labor warranty including 6,000 hours on the laser and LED hybrid light source.

New lighting results in rebates

Two Nodaway County school districts expect to save thousands of dollars a year in energy costs thanks to an efficiency program offered through United Electric Cooperative, a local rural power provider.

West Nodaway R-I in Burlington Junction and Jefferson C-123 in Conception Junction recently received rebates from the utility related to the recent installation of high-efficiency lighting fixtures.

R-I's lighting rebate totaled $8,509. The district recently replaced 546 old fixtures with new lights rated to cut annual power usage more than 132,000 kilowatt hours. UEC estimates the upgraded fixtures will trim about $13,000 from the school system's yearly electric bill.

Jefferson C-123 received a $9,176 rebate after replacing 597 fixtures. Annual power savings there are estimated at 114,802 kilowatt hours, or about $11,000.

According to UEC, the improved lighting systems will both save money and increase the quality and quantity of light in classrooms and other school facilities, thus creating a better working environment for students, teachers and staff.

"The upgraded lighting system at West Nodaway has significantly reduced energy and maintenance costs while improving the attractiveness and brightness of the school's indoor lighting," said R-I Superintendent Nancy Greeley. "We knew we could save several thousand dollars a year and that there would be a quick payoff considering the cooperative's rebates."

Funding for both rebates was provided by United Electric Cooperative's power supplier, Associated Electric Cooperative, through a program called Take Control and Save.

"Associated decided that promoting energy efficiency was a cost-effective way to offset the growing demand for power that will defray the costs of building new power plants," said Gary Stiens, UEC's member services manager. "This lighting rebate program is a win-win for our members, our cooperative and our power supplier."

Jefferson C-123 Superintendent Rob Dowis said UEC has worked with his district for several years in connection with various energy-conservation initiatives.

"They have helped us identify energy saving options and implement projects with rebates and pilot programs," Dowis said. "The staff has been remarkable to work with and are very knowledgeable. We very much appreciate the willingness of United Electric to support our students, school and community."

In addition to schools, United Electric also makes high-efficiency lighting rebates available to commercial and agricultural operations. Amounts are determined prior to installation based on the results of an energy audit.