The Blues for LEDs 475
Corey Burger writes "Seems somebody rolled out of bed on the wrong side today. The Globe and Mail's Ian Johnson delivers up a rant about the ubiquity of the new blue LEDs."
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The Blues for LEDs
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Why (Score:1, Interesting)
Are there really that many? (Score:4, Interesting)
Funny you should mention that... (Score:5, Interesting)
I remember when Blue LED's were first introduced in the April 1 issue of Byte Magazine (sometime around 1987 IIRC) as an April Fool's joke! Finally, two or three years later they were actually invented!
Other uses than indicators (Score:5, Interesting)
As for the color, the blue LED does mark the quantum barrier surpassed by nichia a decade or so ago.
Now, roughly 10 years after the introducion of the first practical blue LEDs, we see a whole range of LED products based on the leap made at that time. For example, UV leds are becoming more and more common, and find applications in money checkers, forensics and scientific appliances.
Also, LEDs are becoming very usefull light sources in torches, automotive (brake)lights, traffic signals etc. etc.
Also, keep in mind that many other colors of LED are based on the work by Nichia.. new bright green leds are, white leds are (using a blue led and a phosphor), and also advances in red and yellow leds were achieved.
I think that idicators are just an over the top use of a technology that will bring us more and more interesting light-emitting devices for all kinds of uses.
Re:Why (Score:5, Interesting)
Individuals deciding what they do and don't like then buying what they like and not what they don't is exactly how markets do normally work.
Re:Funny you should mention that... (Score:3, Interesting)
Re:Are there really that many? (Score:4, Interesting)
Nope, not me.
Doesn't it seem odd that everything this guy owns has blue LEDs? He must replace his entire collection of electronic devices every month or two. Must be nice. The only thing I have with a blue LED in it is a small flashlight that uses one AA battery and is almost as usefull as a full sized flashlight (except for the slight color distortion). These things are great.
He's right though about manufacturers tending to over-use new technologies. People behind the scenes who market individual components such as this, bluetooth devices, dimmer switches, and on and on, seem to have a disproportionate impact on what finds it's way into our homes than we as consumers do. Do they use focus groups for design issues such as this, or do they just GUESS what will sell?
Whatever they do often doesn't work for me. Which is why I changed from someone who has to have the latest version of everything (like the author of the article apparently) to someone who is quite happy to get last years model, maybe, and if the price is right.
cycle 4 (Score:2, Interesting)
My bluetooth usb hub just got some electical tape to cover its flashing blue light. For a long time I was wishing I didn't have usb port in the frount of my case.
Just unscrew it... (Score:2, Interesting)
damn Black light LEDs [halloweenhost.com]
Re:the LEDs are ok... (Score:4, Interesting)
Re:Nozzle Lights (Score:5, Interesting)
I stick valve stem lights on my tires.... My motorcycle tires, that is.
I bought a set of white tire lights and replaced the LED's with 10000mcd whites and now my motorcycle can be seen more easily at night by traffic in the next lane.
You'd be suprised how invisible you are on a motorcycle at night without sufficient side lighting. Now people can at least see rings of bright white light from my wheels. I've even noticed less of a tendency of people trying to pull over into my lane thinking nothing was there. Then again, if the morons would remove the supposedly "cool looking" dark filters off of their headlights, they might see the reflection off the chrome.
Re:Red vs Green (Score:1, Interesting)
Shuttle SB75G2 (Score:5, Interesting)
This guy is right on target with this new "blue" craze because it's starting to take the coolness out of all the things I've custom modded with blue LEDs
Re:Other uses than indicators (Score:5, Interesting)
I'll probably convert the tail lights pretty soon. Having to replace any signal bulb once is one time too many, I think.
Re:the problem is that Industrial Designers LOVE t (Score:5, Interesting)
The attraction is that for many years blue LEDs were nearly impossible to fabricate. Next, they were expensive and inefficient. Next, just expensive. Now, the old problems are gone and they have the highest light output per watt of all LEDs, and they're filling a pent-up demand dating back three decades.
I have 72 blue LEDs on my watch... (Score:3, Interesting)
Pimpin aint easy watch by PIMP [tokyoflash.com]
A note that came with the watch said the battery only lasts 6-9 months if I need to know the time 15 times a day but who cares when you have such a rockin wrist peice.
Re:Are there really that many? (Score:3, Interesting)
I think a lot of people missed the comment the author made about his job reviewing stuff. That means he's going to have TONS of new stuff all around him all the time.
But no, as for me, I remember being a little taken aback the first time I drove my car at night with the car charger for my Nextel i730 in the socket. My car has the accessory socket clear on the passenger side of the center console, nearly in front of the passenger's left knee. The first time I glanced out the passenger window I realized how freaking bright that blue LED is. It took a little getting used to, but now when I look out the passenger window at night, I have a bright blue dot right in the middle of my view. Thanks, Motorola, ya bastids. At least its not showing up in my mirror.
Re:Why (Score:1, Interesting)
Antec has received a patent for case fan LEDs." [neoseeker.com] They received the patent January 20, and have started sending out C&D style letters not only to manufacturers, but to retailers that are selling LED fans from other manufacturers. These fans have been around for years now, with their roots in the modding community itself. The fact that Antec's gone out and claimed this as their IP is more than a bit ridiculous. The fact that they received a patent on it is worse - what exactly is non-obvious about sticking a few lights on something?
Sorry for going slightly OT, but it's slightly annoying to see some random rant about blue LEDs on the front page after the editors rejected a submission of blatant patent abuse in the same field not even a day ago.
Re:Red vs Green (Score:2, Interesting)
Re:Fat cat (Score:2, Interesting)
I'll feel sympathy for this guy when everyone's problems are so difficult.
I don't like blue LEDs... (Score:3, Interesting)
Seriously though, more [emergencyv...utions.com] and more [911ep.com] companies [yahoo.com] are starting to use LEDs for warning lighting on emergency vehicles. They don't draw huge amounts of power like incandescent systems, sometimes requiring additional batteries and/or heavy duty alternators; they don't require high voltage triggers like like strobe systems; and they've gotten bright enough to handle about any application other than illumination. It's taken a while for the blues to get bright enough to useful for these tasks; some early iterations are barely visible next to their red counterparts in daylight (though they've gotten to the point now where some of these LED systems are so bright they seem to be giving you eye surgery).
One interesting thing if you look at the pricing: blue and white still often cost more than double the price of red, amber, or green.
They are so effective in blinding peple... (Score:1, Interesting)
And there is no legislation to avoid these lights yet.
A way to turn them off? (Score:3, Interesting)