TECHNOLOGY

NEW LEDS TAKE, BOLD STEPS INTO THE LIGHTING MARKET

Consumers hated the twisty CFLs but the new LED offerings are cool enough for Apple Stores. When the federal government lowered the boom on incandescent light bulbs, it pressured makers of compact fluorescent bulbs (CFLs) to fill the gap, according to USA Today. So manufacturers tried to fill the gap. But the efficiency standards were high and consumers were unwilling to pay more for lights they didn't like.

Fluorescents blink slowly on and emit cold light in a bluish color. They also can't be dimmed with traditional dimmers. Even though some of these drawbacks have been solved, consumers still snub CFLs.

One alternative is the LED which has been also slow to gain footing because the price is higher. CREE, a company based in Raleigh, N.C., now has $10 bulbs in many markets. Its products have risen to become the No. 1 and No. 3 selling light bulbs at Home Depot.

LEDs actually have a feature that outdoes the ordinary lightbulb: They have an extraordinary life expectancy. CREE offers a 10 year guarantee on is bulbs and suggests life spans as long as 22 years are possible under certain conditions.

Philips has released a line of hue connected light LED bulbs. Hue bulbs contain multiple LEDs whose output can be controlled from a smartphone allowing for millions of possible colors. Now that is so cool, the lowly light bulb got a spot in Apple's retail stores. "The new technology has to be better than what it's replacing, says Mike Watson, CREE's vice president of Corporate Marketing.

IT PAYS TO CHECK PRICES ON WARRANTIES

Looking for a warranty on your ipad? Then look around. One major retailer charges $180 for two years of extended coverage on an iPad. That's more than one-third the $499 purchase price and that is a bad deal.

AppleCare + costs $99 for two years of protection against accidental damage from handling with a $49 deductible. Square Trade's two year coverage is $99 with no deductible. It covers unlimited incidents up to the amount paid for the device.

GADGET LETS YOU CHARGE TWO DEVICES AT THE SAME TIME IN YOUR CAR

The Y-Charge is a modernized device that will fill your need to juice up two devices at one time while you're driving on the road. Plug it into your cigarette lighter and connect two gadgets via USB cords. Your devices will revive while you drive. It's as easy as that.

You can order the $49.95 charger, which comes with one USB cord, over the Internet at shop-tylt.com. It's shaped like a Y, of course, and it's orange.

© 2014 TLC Magazine Online, Inc.