Wired : 60W equivalent LEDs now sold for 2 for $5 ($2.50 each) in the US

Some thought this day would never come!

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LED Bulbs are now two for $5 - Officially Too Cheap to Ignore

If you’re among the holdouts who cling to their incandescent light bulbs like plastic eggs on Easter morning, you may want to loosen that grip. A new 60-watt equivalent LED bulb from Philips could be what finally convinces you to upgrade your lamps with a tiny dose of the future.



There are more capable and longer-lasting LEDs than the new Philips LED A16 bulbs, but you won’t find any that are cheaper. A single bulb, rated for ten years, will set you back $4.97 once they go on sale in May at Home Depot. That’s already a significant savings over Philips’ existing $9.97 60w equivalent, and in line with the most affordable options in the market. But what makes the new bulbs especially notable is that for the first three months they’re available, you’ll be able to get two bulbs for that same five bucks.


That is very cheap! It’s cheaper, in fact, than a two-pack of GE incandescent 60w bulbs that are roughly as bright and that last about one-tenth as long. Another fun point of comparison? The new Philips 60w has an estimated yearly energy cost of just $1.02, versus $7.23 for those same GE bulbs. For the lighting spec-trackers, it puts out 800 lumens, and will be available in both 2700k and 5000k color temperatures.

As LED lights have increasingly matched their incandescent counterparts in warmth, shape, and brightness, the last frontier of acceptance—aside from just good ol’ fashioned resistance to change—has been price. Over a long enough time horizon LEDs may end up saving you money, but it’s hard to see those benefits over the drug store (or in this case, hardware) aisle price tag. Philips hopes that $2.50 a pop will be low enough to allay any cost concerns, especially in low-stakes areas like your laundry room.

That’s also why these new bulbs can be charitably described as “functional;” they don’t feature the dimming capabilities and the more incandescent-like warmth of the $10 Philips 60w LED bulb that will remain on sale. A Philips spokesperson described the new offering as a “transitional” product. Think of it, then, as a gateway drug, a chance to hook people on more efficient lighting and, eventually, the more expensive, more capable LEDs in the Philips arsenal. This is, after all, the same company that sells a single, internet-connected, color-shifting Philips Hue LED bulb for $60.

Even if you have no interest in stepping up to brighter prospects in the future, though, these entry-level LEDs are worth serious consideration. Or maybe it’s more accurate to say that they don’t require much consideration at all; during the 90-day promotional period, they’re a combined 20 years of illumination for slightly more than two king-sized Snickers bars. That’s a small amount to stake on a light bulb that lasts longer than most relationships.

BBC : Graphene light bulb set for shops

The dimmable bulb contains a filament-shaped LED coated in graphene. It was designed at Manchester University, where the material was discovered.
 

It is said to cut energy use by 10% and last longer owing to its conductivity.
The National Graphene Institute at the university was opened this month.

The light bulb was developed by a Canadian-financed company called Graphene Lighting - one of whose directors is Prof Colin Bailey, deputy vice-chancellor at the University of Manchester.
It is expected to be priced lower than some LED bulbs, which can cost about £15 each.
Based on traditional light bulb design, the use of graphene allows it to conduct electricity and heat more effectively.

Prof Bailey told the BBC: "The graphene light bulb will use less energy. We expect it to last longer. The manufacturing costs are lower and it uses more and more sustainable components."
The discovery of graphene in 2004 by Andre Geim and Konstantin Novoselov, two Russian-born scientists at the University of Manchester, earned the pair the Nobel Prize for Physics and knighthoods.

A micro-thin layer of graphene is stronger than steel and it has been dubbed a "wonder material" because of its potential uses

The government has invested £38m in the National Graphene Institute via the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council, with an additional £23m provided by the European Regional Development Fund.

Chancellor George Osborne, who opened the site on 20 March, has said he hopes the UK can see off competition from China and South Korea to become a centre of excellence in graphene technology.
More than 35 companies worldwide have already partnered with the university to develop projects.
The race is now on to develop other practical and commercial uses, including lighter but more robust car and aircraft frames and false teeth. The material has already been incorporated into products including tennis rackets and skis.