The Future of Lighting: LivingColors from Philips
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto 
on 12.19.08
We write often how LEDs will change the way we look at lighting; how we will build them into the fabric of our houses, and how they will change the way we use light. Here is one of the first transformational ideas that show where they might be going. The Philips LivingColors lamp has four LEDs (two red, one each blue and green) that can be mixed and adjusted with a hand-held wireless colour wheel. You can adjust spectrum, saturation and intensity. It draws 50 watts max and is projected to last ten years.
It's not yet cheap (£92.99 at Amazon) but one can see the possibilities of changing colour with mood, activities, whatever- your choice of sixteen million colours.
Philips via Josh Spear
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The fatal flaw is that it's another rotten remote control. The lamp itself might only use up to 50 watts, but you can bet that the remote control sensor will sit there burning 12-15W, 24 hours per day, whether the light is on or not.
Another source of constant, useless, vampire consumption is the very last thing we need.
I checked the specs on this unit and it draws 15 watts, not 50 watts. Even the highest powered LED only draws 3 to 5 watts, and this has only four of them.
LA: I checked the specs and found:
Input: 100 - 240V ~ 0.5A 50-60Hz
using the formula P=VI I multiplied 115*.05 and got approximately 50. I apologise if my high school electronics is off, but is that not the formula?
I downloaded the specs via :
http://www.lighting.philips.com/microsite/living_colors/
It says:
"AC adapter
Model: ADP-15GH DS (UK type)
Input: 100 - 240V ~ 0.5A 50-60Hz
Output: 5,6V 2,68A"
So output on the DC site is 15 W (5.6V* 2.68A). If the input on the AC site is indeed 50 W (100V*0.5A) or even 120 W (240V*0.5A) W. This would mean that the AC/DC converter and transformer is extremely inefficient.
If this is true this gadget is not so green.
Maybe the TH editors can contact Philips to clear this issue.
The AC/DC adapter will most likely have a standby consumption as well. I am very sceptical about the greenness of this gadget.
Before you panic about the power consumption: the rated power on the AC adapter is likely to be much higher than the actual current draw during operation. Switching power supplies draw a large amount of power when they start up (called "inrush current"), and designers usually leave some safety margin by using a power supply that's over-rated for their needs. Most decent power supplies these days are at least 70, and probably 80% efficient, which means that if the LEDs themselves are drawing 15W (max), then the whole system is probably consuming less than 18W.