Light bulbs are…well bulbous. They take up way too much room, are a pain to store due to their shape, etc. Those newer corkscrew deals are no better. It’s an old design for an old world. That’s why Joonhuyn Kim’s concept makes sense. Flat bulbs take up less space and make them easier to stack, store and transport. My only concern is that the odd shape would somehow make the light all weird on the wall. Great idea even if it is a bit late to the lighting arena.

Researchers at Boston University believe they can combine LED bulbs with wireless networking technology. The technology will be able to communicate data using light at speeds up to 10Mbps, and can even be adapted to existing power lines. Interestingly, the bulbs will use the same diode for lighting the room and providing the network connection, flickering “like tremendously fast signal lights.” They seem pretty lit up about it.

The researchers are working on the project in conjunction with Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute and the University of New Mexico, thanks to a $18.5m grant from the US National Science Foundation. The researchers don’t have full working models yet, but they believe it’s totally workable. I have to wonder if this would have any adverse effects on humans, especially those who are light sensitive and prone to seizures.

Frog Design has been busy re-inventing the light bulb, while Edison mumbles and rolls over in his grave. Frog is the legendary firm that has designed some of the first Apple computers, Sony TVs, and a whole lot of other neat stuff that you probably love.

Now they’ve upgraded the LED bulb in a form that those consumers who hate change, may just embrace. They apparently have a 30-year lifespan, better color rendering and no harmful pollutants like compact fluorescents. It’s a great idea that would convert tons of consumers who prefer baby steps or simply prefer the old style bulb look.

Toshiba’s Neoball-Z Real Pride bulbs do away with the corkscrew look, going back to the old bulb design. They are actually fluorescent lamps. But the most interesting news is that they claim to have a life span rated at 12,000 hours. That’s about 1.2 times better than the other products on the market, which is 12 times better than an incandescent bulb. The power consumption rates at 10 watts, which should be a big money saver.

You can get them in warm white, day white and daylight colors from July 1st onward. No word on price, which is really the main thing I would want to know. I’ve tried some of the corkscrew variety and didn’t seem to save any money at all, so I’d be willing to give these a shot.