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Use your Android smartphone to light up the dark with LED Flashlight

This useful app could make pocket and keychain flashlights a thing of the past. LED Flashlight will make your phone's camera flash light up so you can use it as a flashlight. There are some annoying ads and it hogs battery life, but it gives you a bright light when you need it.

Though it's limited in terms of features, the app is almost as bright and as powerful as the LED flashlights you'll find in hardware stores. It will light up about 10 feet in front of you, if not more. The app's menu tells … Read more

What to look for when buying a new TV

Confused about what TV to buy? Please allow me to de-confusify you. From technology (LED, LCD, plasma?) to size, to features, there are a lot of choices to make when deciding on the right TV.

Narrowing down the options isn't as hard as it seems, though, and that's what this article is all about. … Read more

iLumi color LED bulb wants to light up your life

When it comes to lighting, most of us live in a yellow or white world. iLumi, a new player in the light bulb space, aspires to change that with a few fresh and colorful ideas.

Similar to many other techy lights coming out these days, the iLumi lets for users control the light's color wirelessly through an iOS or Android app -- except this one utilizes low-power Bluetooth 4.0 instead of commonly used Wi-Fi (like LIFX). Bluetooth 4.0 offers more range than previous iterations, meaning you can control the light from up to 100 feet away. … Read more

LED desk lamp wirelessly charges smartphones

One of the fascinating things about living in this era is observing how everyday products can become far more useful with a little infusion of technology.

Konica Minolta today debuted a desk lamp with an ace up its sleeve: it features a built-in induction charging pad for devices that support the Qi wireless charging standard (such as the Nokia Lumia 920 and many other products). It appears to be the first of its kind. … Read more

Sharp to sell ultrathin IGZO 4K LED display

Sharp will begin sales of an ultrathin IGZO 4K LED display from early next year.

The Japanese display maker said Wednesday that it will launch sales of a Full HD 3,840x2,160 resolution 32-inch LED-backlit display starting on February 15, 2013.

Including the chassis, the model PN-K321 display is 35mm thick and compatible with DisplayPort and HDMI connectors.

Probably its most salient feature is the use of IGZO technology -- something Apple has had its eye on for the iPad because IGZO can yield very-high-resolution yet thin displays.

Sharp has a production target of 1,500 units a month. … Read more

'Gangnam Style' Christmas light display assaults the eyes

If you aren't completely sick of the "Gangnam Style" phenomenon, there's a new video entry vying for your affection. This one features a light show that would draw attention and eyeballs even if you plunked it down in the heart of Las Vegas.

The ambitious choreographed LED display comes to us from a Christmas light-obsessed guy named John Storms in Texas. Last year, Storms built a display that danced to the Angry Birds theme.… Read more

How much should I spend on a TV?

TVs are a big purchase, and price is a significant factor for most of us. Naturally your budget and needs will determine how much you can/want to spend.

But if you're a little flexible on your budget, or if you're totally confused as to what to buy, this guide will help you narrow down the options. … Read more

Are TV extended warranties worth it?

An extended warranty on a TV appears, at first, like a decent idea. After all, TVs are expensive, very high-tech, and pretty complex, right?

However, dig a little deeper and you'll find that extended warranties are almost always a waste of money.… Read more

Behold the $30,000 high-tech Scrabble board

Prepare to witness one of the most expensive board games ever made.

When the Prague Mind Sports Festival kicks off December 1, gamers can play on a high-tech Scrabble setup unlike any other. The festival -- which hosts tournaments for the popular word game plus bridge, backgammon, poker, League of Legends, and Counter Strike: Global Offensive -- introduced to the world this week a carbon fiber Scrabble system with LED lighting that cost more than 20,000 pounds ($31,732) to create. … Read more

What is 600Hz?

If you read my "What is refresh rate?" post, you'll know that plasma TV manufacturers (Panasonic, Samsung, and LG) make a point in claiming a "600Hz" refresh rate on their TVs. As we discussed in that article, it's not exactly comparable to LCD's 120 and 240Hz refresh.

So what is 600Hz, and how does it work?… Read more