(ARA) - The summer solstice has passed, the days are getting shorter and soon the fading sunlight will serve as a signal for the leaves to start turning color and fall from the trees. But just because Mother Nature is preparing for her winter slumber doesn't mean you have to do the same. Instead of packing up your patio furniture right after Labor Day as some people do, there are a few simple things you can do to maximize your outdoor enjoyment. * Add Lighting As the days get shorter you'll need to add outdoor lighting so you can spend time on your deck or patio enjoying the crisp fall air well into the evening. Determine which areas of your deck need brighter lighting, and which to downplay with softer light. Place candles, lanterns or outdoor lamps on tables or consider low-voltage landscape lighting, which is both energy-efficient and affordable.* Add Warmth Because along with the shorter days will come cooler temperatures, you'll need a source of heat too, and may want to invest in an outdoor fireplace or fire pit.

In brief: Bookham, quantum-dot solar, LED lighting

Bookham appoints new president and CEO; Japanese researchers create a quantum dot photovoltaic device; LED light bulbs still seven years away from making an impact, say analysts.

"I am joining Bookham at a time when, having achieved significant technological success, the company is poised to achieve profitable growth in a market eager for ever increasing bandwidth," Couder said.

Open Protocols for Smart Home Applications (3/8/2007)

By Chris Irwin, Tridium Europe The technology needed to link the functionality of various systems for heating, lighting, security and entertainment to create so-called 'intelligent' homes, has traditionally been both expensive and complex to engineer. This means that smart home systems, such as those by US-based AMX and Crestron, have been almost exclusively the preserve of the rich. There have been a few more affordable systems such as Comfort/Cytech used mainly by the 'hobbyist' market, that is, people with sufficient technical knowledge and motivation to do it themselves. The oldest residential 'standard' used by this market is X-10, which is a mains signalling protocol (powerline) enabling a range of mainly plug-in modules to be grouped and controlled remotely. X-10 products have the advantage of being relatively inexpensive, but their functionality is somewhat limited and there have always been issues with the protocol's reliability due to the effects of mainsborne interference.