Differences between LED and Incandescent Lights
LED lights don’t create heat. Incandescent lights do, creating a fire hazard. Since it isn’t encapsulated in glass, LED lights are more durable and can withstand all kinds of weather and the clumsiest of fingers. Incandescent lights can shatter quite easily and cannot withstand harsh weather conditions. While incandescent lights last over 2,000 hours, LED surpasses this and can last up to 50,000 hours (or more, depending on the type of LED light).

Oppositions
Now, there are a few oppositions to overcome when deciding whether or not to make the switch. One is the immediate costs. While incandescent lights cost pennies on the dollar, LED lights can cost up to 10 times as much, depending on the kind. Because of manufacturers going above and beyond to meet the demand, the cost is going down.

Also, people complain of a blue tint in the lights when they really wanted (and paid for) white lights. It is true; LED lights are incredibly bright and tend to have a slightly blue tint to them. However, developers of LED technology have been combating this since the product’s inception and have researched and developed LED lights that give that warm, white light we’re all used to.

Pros
In addition to being incredibly energy-efficient, saving you noticeable chunks of cash off your electric bill, LED Christmas lights are incredibly durable. Every year as you’re planning your lighting scheme, there’s sure to be 1 or 2 or 10 bulbs in your incandescent light line that need changing. Imagine not having to worry about untangling long lines of incandescent lights only to have to purchase extra bulbs to replace the burned out ones. LED Christmas lights help to eliminate extra work and extra costs by lasting up to 50,000 hours, depending on the type. That means no buying or installing extra bulbs, which also equates to extra savings. Also, because they have no glass covers to break, hazards are reduced. Even fire hazards drop, considering that LED lights burn cooler than its incandescent counterparts.

The prices of LED lights are coming down because of the flooding of the market due to numerous manufacturers creating competition (competition equates to lower costs for the consumer). However, where LED lights tend to make a big difference is on your electric bill. Think about it: when you have Christmas lights up, they’re on for at least 6 hours—if not longer—everyday for the holiday season with each light sucking in energy to stay lit. Over the course of a holiday season with traditional incandescent lights, you’d see a spike of at least $70 on your electric bill, based on the U.S average cost of a kilowatt hour ($0.12). The Christmas tree lights alone can cost five to ten dollars to run for a season! If you use LED lights, your electric bill hardly notices any difference, with maybe a dollar or two-dollar increase, depending on your usage.

When you’re shopping for LED Christmas lights, just look for the words “warm white” if you need LED lights that look like your traditional incandescent light bulbs. You’ll find that you made a sound investment by purchasing lights that will last you many Christmases and save you a lot of money on your electric bill.

The area of hand held lighting has probably gained the most from technology improvements.  No a days spotlights and flashlights both are being manufactured with high end LED technology that is producing super bright lights that can last much longer an either a charge or through use of batteries than the standard halogen, krypton of incandescent predecessors.  Many handheld lights are also incorporating two forms of light into a single products such as combination LED and halogen which gives the user the best of both worlds.  A high powered halogen beam for long distance coupled with a bright, energy efficient beam for close quarters.

Retailers are not missing out on this growth either.  There are many stores both online and brick and mortar that are carrying more of a selection of these innovative products now.  The price points for them are competitive with the older technology and customer intelligence has grown to the point where they understand the difference, so it is a win win for all involved.

The Bloxx Media Filter lets teachers quickly identify curriculum related YouTube video clips and with just a few clicks tag, assign these to a subject area and age range and submit the clips for approval. Once approved, students can easily search and view clips which are streamed directly from the YouTube site through the appliance directly to classroom PCs, without related video clips, contextual advertising or user submitted comments being displayed.

This new appliance eliminates the need for IT managers to allow students access to the entire YouTube site, which could allow students to inadvertently view inappropriate content. Since only approved video clips can be viewed, this eliminates the risk of students viewing inappropriate material or comments.

“Social media sites such as YouTube contain vast libraries of fantastic educational related content which can dramatically improve the effectiveness of teaching and improve learning outcomes,” said Eamonn Doyle, Bloxx Chief Executive Officer. “Unfortunately, since there’s often a large amount of inappropriate content available on these sites, schools and colleges have so far been reluctant to use this free and valuable resource. The Bloxx Media Filter now allows schools to quickly create an approved library of YouTube content that can be used by teachers to reinforce the delivery of the curriculum with rich media that students can relate to.”

Pricing and Availability
The Bloxx Media Filter is available now in hardware configurations to support different network sizes and includes the appliance, the Media Filter software, software updates and support and maintenance for one or three years. Prices available on application.

http:www.bloxx.com.com/mediafilter [www.bloxx.com/mediafilter

About Bloxx
Headquartered in the UK with sales offices in Holland, the USA and Australia, Bloxx offers appliance-based web filtering for medium and large organisations in both the business and public sectors. Bloxx has achieved unrivalled sales growth year-on-year to become a leading web-filtering provider with an estimated 2 million+ users worldwide. Leading UK investment groups Archangel Investments Ltd and Braveheart Investment Group Plc have invested in Bloxx.

Participating retailers actively work with Invodo to recruit manufacturers. Invodo creates custom video content for the manufacturers to syndicate to the retailer’s site. The result is more videos for the retailer’s product pages at a lower cost, while the manufacturers get broader exposure across the retailer’s site.

“We’re excited to work with retailers to get more video content in front of consumers at a lower cost,” said Invodo CEO Craig Wax. “Everybody wins here – this program is a gain for retailers, manufacturers and consumers.”

About Invodo
Invodo is the de facto hub for eCommerce video, connecting manufacturers and retailers through the largest product video library in the world.

The immediacy of video drives conversion for retailers, consideration for manufacturers, and satisfaction for consumers. With a library of over 20,000 product videos from more than 2,000 manufacturers, Invodo syndicates the content consumers look for in making purchase decisions to over 1,000 eCommerce sites.

Based in Austin, TX, Invodo is funded by Sevin Rosen and S3 Ventures. Visit www.invodo.com or call 512.279.4800 to learn more about Invodo and its product video syndication services.

Another recent trend has been the production of garden windmills.  These windmills are smaller in stature that normal ones and allow for easy assembly and set up in backyards and gardens.  Typically ranging from 9 ft to 16 ft these windmills are usually just for looks, but can be retrofitted with the proper equipment to make them functional aerating windmills for backyard ponds.  These windmills can be found made from steel or wood and many can be custom painted to match other outdoor decor.

Originally introduced in 2007 and available only in mid-price point products, SmartKey locks feature a patented side-locking bar technology, central to the device’s ability to be rapidly and easily re-keyed in the event a key is lost or stolen. Re-keying also allows homeowners the flexibility to match all Kwikset keyed entries to one key for added convenience and security. This stainless steel side-locking bar also replaces the traditional pin and tumbler design that is particularly vulnerable to lock bumping attacks. The cylinder uses two steel balls inserted into the front of the key face to provide improved drill resistance.

“While there are many great benefits to SmartKey, we don’t think there’s anything better than being able to give your customers the peace of mind of improved security and access control,” said Mary Nichols, senior product manager, Kwikset. “Additionally, that peace of mind shouldn’t be reserved for a few. By expanding our offering to all price points, we aim to make improved home security available to everyone.”

Kwikset box pack SmartKey products are now available in all price points. Design families recently added to the SmartKey line-up include Tylo®, Polo®, Dorian®, Delta®, Cove™, Dakota™ and the 660/665 deadbolt. For more information on these and other products, visit www.kwikset.com/smartkey.
About Kwikset®

For more than 60 years, Kwikset, manufacturer of America’s most trusted name in security has provided beauty, security and peace of mind for millions of families. For additional information on Kwikset products, visit www.kwikset.com, or call 1-800-327-LOCK.

Black & Decker Hardware and Home Improvement (BDHHI) Group is a division of Black & Decker, a leading global manufacturer and marketer of power tools, power tool accessories and security hardware. Today, the BDHHI Group includes some of the most recognizable hardware and home improvement brands in the world including Baldwin®, Kwikset, Weiser®, Price Pfister® and K2™ Commercial Hardware by Black & Decker.

“High light levels, cold air temperatures, shock and impact potential, and instant on requirements create a demanding environment for illumination systems in ice arenas,” said Jason Korbelik, Sales Manager at Albeo Technologies. “Albeo’s LED lighting is superior to any other high-bay lighting system in all these dimensions including efficiency.”

Job foreman Bud Oldenburger of Olds Electric & Lighting installed the LED high bays. “Albeo’s use of a toroid for power conversion, gave me added confidence that their fixture would last longer than power supply based solutions. Installation was straight forward and the results were outstanding.”

About Albeo Technologies
Albeo Technologies, Inc. manufactures high quality, long-lasting LED lighting products for commercial and industrial facilities. Albeo’s LED light fixtures improve energy savings, reduce maintenance costs, eliminate recycling costs, reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and are safe and easy to install. Albeo’s products include C-Series Linear, Low-Bay, and High Bay for general illumination, Atmosphere for cove lighting, Talea for under cabinet, and Brilliance for display case lighting. For details go to www.albeotech.com

“Even though some considered Snow Leopard to be less feature-focused than the releases of Leopard or Tiger, the ease of upgrading to Snow Leopard and the affordable pricing made it a win-win for Apple computer owners – thus helping to push sales to record numbers” said Stephen Baker, vice president of industry analysis at NPD.

Snow Leopard’s sales momentum extended beyond the initial first week purchasing rush.
Sales only declined about 25 percent from week 1 to week 2, while for both Leopard and Tiger the second week of sales was more than 60 percent below the opening week volumes.

“With pricing reduced by more than $100 for both the single-user and five-user pack versus Leopard pricing, Apple has clearly demonstrated that aggressive pricing policies in this economic environment generate an outstanding consumer response,” said Baker. “As we head into the fall selling season, and the release of another major OS upgrade, it will be instructive to see if that upgrade – currently projected to sell at ASPs much higher than Snow Leopard – can deliver the same incremental increase in consumer demand that Snow Leopard has enjoyed.”

About The NPD Group, Inc.
The NPD Group is the leading provider of reliable and comprehensive consumer and retail information for a wide range of industries. Today, more than 1,700 manufacturers, retailers, and service companies rely on NPD to help them drive critical business decisions at the global, national, and local market levels. NPD helps our clients to identify new business opportunities and guide product development, marketing, sales, merchandising, and other functions. Information is available for the following industry sectors: automotive, beauty, commercial technology, consumer technology, entertainment, fashion, food and beverage, foodservice, home, office supplies, software, sports, toys, and wireless. For more information, contact us or visit @npdtech and @npdgroup.