The Stylus + Pen + Laser Pointer from Griffin combines three tools into one.  The stylus end has a soft, rubbery tip that works with any touchscreen.  The opposite end contains a built-in laser pointer so you can point out details of your presentation as you use the stylus to control the show on your touchscreen device.  Pop off the stylus end, flip it around, and you’ll have a refillable ballpoint pen if you still use paper.  There’s a pocket clip to make sure you don’t lose your multipurpose tool.  The Stylus + Pen + Laser pointer is $49.99 at Griffin.

Filed in categories: News, Tablet Computers and Gear

Tagged: Capactive stylus pen, Laser Pointer

Griffin Stylus + Pen + Laser Pointer originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on September 2, 2011 at 1:00 pm.

Remember the old commercials for Reese’s Cups?  ”You got your chocolate in my peanut butter!  You got your peanut butter on my chocolate!”  Well, with the SE 8 LED +1 Laser Pointer flashlight, you’ll have your laser pointer in your LED flashlight!  This little flashlight has eight super bright 100,000 hour LEDs and an FAA-approved red dot laser.  The flashlight is 4.75″ long X about 1″ in diameter, and it has an aluminum body and a wrist strap.  Amazon has this flashlight in blue for $5.19.  You can also find other colors at Amazon.

Filed in categories: Gear, News

Tagged: Laser Pointer, LED flashlight, Spotlight Gadgets

You Got Your Laser Pointer in My Flashlight! SE 8 LED +1 Laser Pointer and Flashlight originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on October 1, 2010 at 2:51 pm.

Working in a corporate office setting like I do, meetings are a fact of life. Heck, at Cummins, we have meetings to talk about meetings. No, I’m not kidding… Although I have to attend more meetings than I care to, I’m lucky that I don’t have to present them. Recently I overheard one of my co-workers asking about a Green laser pointer and I thought I would help him out by having him test a Kensington Wireless Presenter Pro Green Laser Pointer that had been sent to me to review. Let’s take a look.

Hardware Specifications

Extended range up to 150 feet
Operating Frequency: 2.402GHz to 2.478GHz
USB receiver
Operates on 2 AAA batteries (included)

Package Contents

Wireless Presenter Pro
USB Receiver
2 AAA Batteries (included)
Zippered carrying case
User Manual

The Wireless Presenter Pro is a small hand sized device with a Black shiny case and a rubberized hand grip.

It is comfortable to hold and has a solid feel.

Chromed plastic buttons on the top control the Green laser, next / previous slides and screen blanking. There’s also an on/off switch located on the side.

The USB receiver dongle stores conveniently inside the pointer. The Wireless Presenter Pro works with Microsoft PowerPoint and Apple’s Keynote presenting software and does not require any special drivers to be installed in order to user it.

At Cummins it seems that more and more training rooms and conference rooms are ditching traditional projectors and pull down screens for mounted LCD displays like the one you see in the image above. If you’ve ever tried to use a common Red laser pointer on an LCD display, you will have noticed that it doesn’t work. The laser point just won’t show up on the screen. That’s where the Green laser comes in…

If you click the image above, you’ll see the Green laser pointer on the Black bezel of the LCD display.

And here it is on the display itself. It does show up where a Red laser won’t, but it’s really tiny dot of light. Depending on what is being displayed on the screen, people more than a few feet away might not be able to see it. It does work best on lighter backgrounds though.

Here are a few notes from Greg after he used the Presenter Pro for a few days.

Positives:

* The intensity of the green laser while still being absorbed by an LCD screen is still visible unlike many red laser devices whose laser beam is absorbed by the LCD screens.
* The ergonomics of the device is a major improvement over the older Kensington products that I have used in the past.
* The on/off switch is a nice addition that has been available on other products.
* The “blank screen” button is a nice feature that was not available on other presenting devices that I’ve tried. It allows the presenter to keep the audience focused on the item the presenter is wishing to have focused on instead of on the image on the screen.

Negatives:

* I have used devices that include timers as part of the package and have proven very beneficial when a presentation is required to be held to a specific time frame.

The fact that Greg has continued to use the Kensington Wireless Presenter Pro Green Laser Pointer, is probably the best recommendation that I can offer people considering such a purchase.

Filed in categories: Miscellaneous, Reviews

Tagged: Laser Pointer

Kensington Wireless Presenter Pro with Green Laser Pointer Review originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on July 10, 2010 at 10:45 pm.

High powered lasers are nothing new. We’ve reviewed several over the years. But have you seen one that can be switched between low and high powers with a turn of a key? Me neither, so that’s why I agreed to take a look at the 125mW Green Laser Pointer from SKYlasers.com.

The laser comes packaged in an oval shaped metal tin.

Hardware Specifications

Wavelength: 532 nm (Green)
Dimensions: 13mm x 171mm
Transverse Mode: TEM00
Operating Mode: CW
Beam Diameter: < 1.2 mm
Beam Divergence: < 1.0 mRad Switch Type: Momentary switch Duty Cycle: 100 seconds on, 30 seconds off Power Source: 2 x AAA batteries (not included) Operating Temperature: 0C ~ 40C Battery Lifetime: 45 min Expected Diode Lifetime: >5000 hours

Package Contents

The laser body
Locking battery cap
Key

The body is constructed of high grade brass which acts as a heat sink for the laser pointer. It is powered by two AAA batteries which are not included.

After you load the batteries into the barrel of the laser and screw on the metal battery cap, you’re ready this high (and low) powered laser pointer.

The most unique feature of this particular laser is the key switched that is built into the battery cap. Using the provided plastic key (don’t lose it!), you can turn the lock to Red (off), Yellow (low power) or Green (high power).

The key is easy to fit in the lock and easy to turn.

At the opposite end of the laser is the power switch and status LED. When you press the button, the LED will glow Red and the laser beam will project from the end of the barrel.

All SKYlasers green laser pointers are equipped with an infrared filter. The IR filter is an important part of all high power green laser pointers. Green lasers without IR filters emit a fair amount of infrared radiation that can be potentially hazardous to your eyes. The IR filter minimizes this. That said, you definitely MUST to buy a pair of protective glasses to use with this device. They aren’t included with the pointer, but trust me, you need them. The beam on this (and other high powered lasers) is very very bright and it will hurt your eyes after a very short time.

Here’s a picture of the high powered laser beam projected on a wall in a dark room from approximately 8 ft away. I was unable to photograph the low powered laser beam for comparison. I had a heck of a time even getting the low powered beam to work. I thought my particular laser was defective and wrote to my contact at SKYlaser for assistance. I’ll share our email exchange:

Julie -

Sorry for the delay, I’m having some problems with the laser. The low power option doesn’t seem to work all the time. If I press the button, I’ll see the laser dot for a second and then it will turn off. I’ll have to keep pressing the button to get it to come on, but it only stays on for just second. The high powered laser works fine.

Any ideas?

Chris of SKYlaser -

The low power option is set to use just a portion of the battery, therefore, if the charge on the battery is low, there would not be enough power to pump the laser diode within the laser pointer. On the high power mode, the laser should work perfectly as all the power from the battery is used to pump the laser diode.

Can you try the laser pointer with a brand new set of batteries?

Julie -

I just tried the laser with newly charged NiMH 900mAh batteries and had the same experience. Can the laser only use alkaline batteries?

Chris -

Oh, I see. Yes, on rechargeable batteries, the low power setting will not function properly since rechargeable batteries usually only have 1.2V ~ 1.3V. On rechargeable batteries, the high power setting would have no problems functioning properly. However, as the low power setting uses around 20% of the batteries power, it would need a combined battery power of around 2.8V to pump the laser diode properly. I hope this explanation is not too confusing. If you have any other questions or need clarification, please don’t hesitate to email me at anytime.

Julie -

I tried another set of alkaline batteries that had never been used before and had the same result. I’m not sure how old the batteries were though. I’m going to buy a brand new set of Duracell batteries tonight and try one more time.

Chris -

Thank you for spending time to work on the review. Another thing you can try is to turn the laser pointer on at high power for about 30 seconds. This will give the laser pointer a nice warm-up. After warming up the laser pointer, try the low power setting again.

Lasers are sensitive to two things, electric current and temperature. If both criteria is not satisfied, the laser will not work properly. At higher temperatures, the requirement for electric current is actually lower. This should help with the low power setting.

So, I bought another set of alkaline batteries and was able to get the low power setting to work… but only during one night of testing. The next time I tried it, I was unable to get the laser to show the lower beam even when I tried another set of new batteries and the other suggestions from Chris. Grrrrr…

But of course, you probably wouldn’t be buying a high powered laser to use it on low power anyway right? I did a few standard laser tests with this 125mW laser. I shined it on my hand to see if it would burn me (yeah, I’m crazy that way) and within 10 seconds or so, I could feel a sting. I tried to get the laser to burn wood but didn’t have any real luck. I tried to get it to burn some regular typing paper and again no luck. I was able to easily get it to burn holes in Black plastic trash bags. Burning dark objects is much easier because darker objects absorb more heat and light (Thanks to Rob “knower of all” for explaining that to me).

When it comes down to it, I’m not quite sure why anyone would need a laser with the power to burn holes in plastic bags. Playing around with something as powerful as this is a bit scary. I always am afraid (even with the protective glasses), that I’m doing damage to my eyes. In the wrong hands, this laser could cause some serious damage. Kids should NEVER be allowed to play with these types of things.

That said, if you’re an adult and fancy a high powered laser for various hobby related activities, the 125mW green laser from SKYlaser will probably do the trick. If you are such a person, I’d like to hear from you! What kinds of things do you actually do with a laser such as this one?

Filed in categories: Gear

Tagged: Laser Pointer

SKYlasers Green Laser Review originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on August 5, 2009 at 10:06 pm.

In July, I completed a review of the Jasper Keynote presentation remote and although I found the device to have some beneficial features, it lacked the reliability that I want when giving presentations. So my quest for a presentation remote to add to my gadget arsenal has brought me to the Presentation Remote Pro from Keyspan. Let’s see how this one stacks up.

Features/Specifications

RF Connectivity: 2.4 Ghz signal; Works up to 100 ft.
Mouse Control: Two-button mouse capabilities.
Laser Pointer: Class 2; Maximum output 1mW; Wave length 650 nm
Volume Controls: Adjust system audio level on a PC or Mac.
Advanced Functions: Start and End presentations, or hide the slide (darken the screen) with a push of a button.
Plug and Play
Pop In/Out USB Receiver
On/Off Switch
AAA Batteries
Compatibility
Mac and Windows Operating Systems
Windows 98SE/Me/2000/XP/Vista
Mac OS 9.1 or later
Mac OS X (10.1.5 or later)
Mac OS X (10.3 or later) for volume control
PowerPoint and Keynote Presentation Software
All brands of projectors.
Warranty: 1 Year
Remote Dimensions: 35mm (1.38 in) x 124mm (4.88 in) x 27 mm (1.06 in)
Remote Weight: 39 grams
USB Receiver Dimensions: 55 mm (2.17 in) x 17 mm (0.66 in) x 10 mm (0.39 in)
USB Receiver Weight: 6 grams

In the Box

Remote with USB Receiver
Two AAA Batteries
Printed Quick Start Guide

What I am using to test this product

Dell Latitude D620 laptop
Microsoft PowerPoint 2003 SP2

First impression, I am surprised by the number of buttons and controls on the remote. The device has twelve controls on it. That said the remote is not big. The majority of the controls reside on top which measures 4.88″ x 1.38″.

Mouse Control – Controls mouse cursor.
Left Mouse Button – Controls the left mouse button function.
Right Mouse Button – Controls the right mouse button function.
Next Slide Button – Push to proceed to the next slide.
Previous Slide Button – Push to go back to the previous slide.
Laser Pointer – Press and hold to use the laser.
F5 – Press to start the slideshow. Press and hold to end slideshow.
Black Screen – Press to go to a black screen while in slideshow mode. Press again to return to the slideshow.
Volume Up – Press to turn the volume up.
Volume Down -Press to turn the volume down.

Two controls, not on the top, are on the right-side.

Composite Switch (Wheel) – Up is the previous slide. Down is the next slide. Press In to click lock.
Left Mouse Button - Controls the left mouse button function.

Image courtesy of Keyspan

There is nothing fancy about the mold of the remote. It is just a standard remote design without any ergonomic features.

The lack of ergonomic elements in the design does not limit the feel of the remote. The device fits nicely in palm of the hand with the controls easily accessible by the thumb.

Weighing only 39 grams, the remote feels very light and can be easily stored in your pocket without noticeably pulling the pocket down. It does not come with a carrying case, which is something I would like.

Initially, I was so quick to open the package that I thought I misplaced the USB receiver that allows the remote to communicate with the computer. The cool thing is the remote actually has a slot to store the receiver when not in use.

Image courtesy of Keyspan

When the receiver is stored it will not fall out because it is secured via a spring-loaded and locking mechanism. Removing it is very simple, just push in on the receiver and release, it will pop out. To store it, just push in until it the lock clicks.

Integrating a storage mechanism within the remote shows great ingenuity from Keyspan. The device is radio frequency (RF) based, so the USB receiver is required for the remote to communicate with the receiver, but when not in use, I love the fact that you can combine them into one.

The use of RF expands the range of the remote. I did several tests, differing the range and obstacles while using the device. I stretched the range to about 75 feet without incident. I was even able to change slides while standing in a different room of my house. The packaging advertises 100 foot range, so I had 25 feet to spare in my long range test.

Setting up the device is quite easy too, without requiring any additional software or driver installation. Insert the USB receiver into an open USB port, press the “Connect” button on the receiver, which activates a light on the receiver, and then hold down two buttons on the remote until the light flashes. That’s it.

I did experience an issue with my initial attempt to connect the remote and receiver. I used a USB port located on the side of my Dell Latitude laptop. I followed the connections steps but was unable to get the light on the receiver to flash, signaling a successful connection. After numerous failed attempts, I tried one of the ports on the rear of the computer and was immediately successful.

To add to my confusion, I never experienced any further problems when attempting to use the side port. I even tested it on a different Latitude laptop, without problems. Guess I’ll just write it off as a one-time glitch and move on.

I easily navigated my PowerPoint slides using the next/previous slide buttons and eventually found it easier to use the wheel control located on the side. I like having the option to use either. Giving users options is always a plus when trying to sell a product.

The Keyspan Presentation Remote Pro emits the commonly used red laser beam when pressing the laser button.

I found using the nub to control the mouse was difficult, but to be honest, I doubt that I would ever use it when presenting. My ability to control the mouse did improve when I lowered the speed of my pointer, so keep that in mind if this is a function you would use.

The audio controls worked great, but again, not a function I regularly need when doing my presentations. I am sure that some people who use multi-media features in their presentation would love having this ability at their fingertips.

Since I have never used a remote with functionality found in the F5 and black screen buttons, I was pleasantly surprised by how much I liked having them on the remote. The F5 key can put you into presentation mode in PowerPoint and if you hold it down, it will take you out of it too.

While the black screen button does as the name implies it puts a black screen up. I remember a professional presentation instructor once who advised to do this when having sidebar-type discussion during your presentation.

In the past, I have just left the current slide visible during the discussion but now I have the power in this remote to follow his advice. Again, this remote presents the user with multiple functionality options.

Unlike the Jasper Keynote, which also utilizes RF to communicate, Keyspan included an On/Off switch to conserve battery life. To refresh your memory, the Jasper Keynote recommended you remove the battery when storing the remote for a long duration. The On/Off switch is a much better alternative to conserve the two AAA batteries.

Is it possible to have too many options? That has been the question I have been wrestling with this entire review. Twelve controls on a presentation remote might seem excessive but, to be honest, I experienced no difficulty in using the remote. After the first couple of uses, I became very comfortable in the placement of the controls and was able to easily navigate between them without even looking.

I doubt that I will use the audio controls or the mouse controller nub on the remote but having them available only increases the usability of the device.

Overall, I found the Keyspan Presentation Remote Pro a great tool to utilize when I am doing a presentation. The functionality available to the users in the small remote is impressive and the ability to store the USB receiver in the remote is ingenious.

Filed in categories: Desktop Computer Gear, Laptops and Gear

Tagged: Laser Pointer

Keyspan Presentation Remote Pro originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on November 2, 2007 at 5:22 pm.

Let me start off by saying the Techlasers Infiniti 125mW Green Laser is NOT a toy. Most of your “run of the mill” laser pointers are rated at less than 5 mW (milliwatts) of output. This one weighs in at a hefty 125 mW. What does that mean? It means this baby will burn – literally. More on that later…

Hardware Specs

Average Output Power: 125mW – 135mW
Wavelength: 532nm (Green)
Dimensions: 13mm x 150mm (.5″ x 6″)
Power Supply: 2 * AAA Batteries
Switch: Push Button
Duty Cycle: 100% – 100sec
Operation Mode: CW
Transverse Mode: TEM00
Beam Diameter: 1.2mm @ Aperture
Beam Divergence: <1.2 mRad
Operating Temperature: 15 – 35 C (59-95 F)
Diode MTTF: 5,000 hours
Warranty Period: 3 Months

When I opened the package, I knew right away that this device was not for kids. The instruction manual states, “We highly recommend wearing laser safety goggles when operating this laser unit.” They weren’t exaggerating. I aimed the laser at my ceiling and the green dot was so bright it hurt my eyes. My laser safety goggles are on their way.

The pointer is well built and has a nice hefty feel. The metal casing is gloss-black with gold colored accents. The clip is very sturdy and holds tightly on to my shirt pocket.

The pointer takes 2 AAA batteries, which is a huge bonus. Most laser pointers I’ve ever had take 3 or more tiny (and expensive) button batteries that never last very long. I’ve been playing with this unit for a couple weeks now and I’m still on my initial set of batteries (!)

The first thing that strikes you when you fire this up is that the beam is visible in daylight. It’s not extremely bright, but you can definitely see it reflecting off of dust particles in the air. At night, or in a darkened room, it is quite visible. The beam is very narrow, much more narrow than it appears in the photographs.

[Warning! Do not aim lasers at aircraft lest you find yourself in jail like this guy.]

The next thing that strikes you is how far the beam travels. Marketing materials claim the beam can travel for 36 miles. Although I haven’t been able to test that claim, I can tell you when aiming up into the night sky, it appears you can hit the stars. In fact, stargazers love green lasers and use them frequently to point out specific stars to others. I took some photographs of the beam while aiming into the sky, but the pictures don’t seem to accurately capture the distance. In the bottom picture, I was hitting the clouds.

So, why would anybody want such a gadget? Because it is truly geek chic. Remember when I said it will burn? This laser can pop balloons from a distance of several feet, maybe more (black balloons work best). It can cut electrical tape, light matches, and melt rubber and some plastics. The bottom of my shoe has several tiny holes in it from where I’ve demonstrated its power. I don’t recommend this laser as a presentation pointer as your audience would get a headache after about 3 seconds. But if you’re looking for the ultimate accessory for your pocket protector, this one is for you.

Filed in categories: Gear, Geek Toys

Tagged: Laser Pointer

Techlasers Infiniti 125mW Green Laser originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on October 19, 2007 at 4:07 pm.

I’ve recently had to give several presentations using MS PowerPoint and Keynote. Although nothing replaces preparation and knowledge in a successful presentation, a good gadget can go a long way to give your lecture professional polish.

Product Details & Features

The Kensington Pocket Presentation Wireless Laser is a handheld device that allows the user to control slides from up to 50 feet away. Additionally, there is a built-in laser pointer in the front so that user can point out specific details on a slide.

Initial impressions

The remote comes packaged in clear plastic clamshell casing. The package
includes the remote, USB receiver, 2 batteries, and an instruction booklet. I especially like that the batteries (CR2032) are included. The last thing I want to do before a speech is hunt down obscure batteries.

Unlike many other presentation remotes on the market, the Kensington remote is curvy and fits well in the hand. The remote itself is about 10 cm (~ 4 inches) and weighs about 40 grams (1.4 ounces).

The bottom of the remote is coated in a black, slightly spongy, material that gives just the right amount of friction in my nervous, sweat-coated hands.

The USB receiver is about 8 cm ( 3″) and the the size and shape of a USB key-drive and has 2 LED indicator lights.

When finished, the receiver neatly stows away in the bottom of the remote for storage.

Product Testing

Sounds great in theory, but how does it perform in the battlefield… I mean boardroom? I tested the remote on both the Mac and a PC platforms using several presentation applications including Powerpoint, Keynote and ImPress.

My criteria for testing the presenter focused on complications during set up, ease of use when distracted or flustered, and range of signal.

Quick set up is a must in some of my presentations. The Kensington remote requires no installation drivers; Simply insert the detachable USB dongle into a USB port just like any other key-sized device.

However, I have noticed with some applications, the USB receiver needs to be inserted before launching the application, a minor drawback.

Despite its size, this Kensington remote feels secure and comfortable in the hand. There are 3 buttons for presentation control (forward, backward & stop) and one button for a laser pointer. The circular layout of the buttons is slightly sloped and is a natural resting place for the thumb.

This parabolic design is excellent for use one-handed, without looking at the buttons. When pressed, the buttons give just the right amount of resistance, which prevents accidentally advancing slides while fidgeting during a talk.

The range of the remote exceeded 50 feet in all of my tests, except when used with an older, bulky PC tower which was stowed under a metal-covered podium. In this situation I was only able to get approximately 10 feet of range.

Additionally, the remote is designed to prevent the laser pointer from being engaged accidentally (and consequently) running down the batteries. If the USB dongle is stowed in the remote, the laser will not function. This is especially helpful if you store the remote in a snug pocket where the buttons may be squeezed.

Overall, this product is a great tool. The Pocket Presenter’s simple controls and easy setup makes it the perfect partner for all my lectures and presentations.

Filed in categories: Gear, Geek Toys

Tagged: Laser Pointer

Kensington Pocket Presenter Wireless Laser originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on November 15, 2006 at 10:51 am.

Just how geeky are you? Do you happen to have a laser pointer in your gadget bag or drawer? Ok, give yourself 5 geek points. Do you use this pointer for tasks other than pointing out mundane details during presentations at your day job? Give yourself 5 more geek points. Do you pester your cat by shining the laser on the floor beside it, to get him to chase the tiny point of light like some type of alien rodent? Ok, no points for that, because that’s just mean ;o) Can your laser beam its dot up to 38 miles and burn holes in black trash bags? I didn’t think so… I win!

The Nexus 95mW Green laser from Wicked Lasers is not your ordinary laser pointer. Oh no, this bad boy is a geek’s dream. It’s like owning Luke Skywalker’s light saber. Only smaller…

Hardware Specs

Range: 38 Miles
Output power: 95mW CLASS 3B
Operation voltage: 3V
Output model: CW
Average loop: < 550mA
Battery source: 2xAAA Batteries
Dimensions: Ø13×143mm
Laser lifetime: 3000-5000 hours
Battery lifetime: 2 Hours
Crystal efficiency: Excellent
Beam divergence: < 1.2mRad
Duty cycle: 100 seconds on / 10 seconds off

I haven’t had a lot of experience with lasers. Yes, I’ve played with the cheap $20 keychain variety, but that’s about the extent of it. So when the folks at Wicked Lasers asked if I’d be interested in writing a review, I really didn’t think it would be that big of a deal. I mean how hard would it be to write a review that said something like: “It’s a laser. You press a button, a little dot of light beams out of one end. Boring! The End.” Boy was I mistaken….

The package arrived. I opened the box, removed the bigger and heavier than expected pointer. Pressed the small rubber button on the barrel and nothing happens. Hmmmm, no batteries. I’m confused that the warning sticker is stuck over the part of the barrel that you unscrew to insert the batteries, so I pull it off. I then discover that it won’t unscrew. Hmmmmm… An instruction sheet for an obvious laser newbie would have been welcome at this point.

I finally realize that the top cap unscrews to allow for battery insertion. Duh… The Nexus 95mW is powered by 2 AAA batteries. This is a real plus. Most cheapo laser pointers are powered by expensive hearing aid sized batteries that can be hard to come by. You can find AAA’s everywhere.

The end cap also unscrews. This is the end where the laser beam shines through.

The Nexus weighs in (with batteries installed) at 3 oz. The barrel is made of what appears to be brass with a shiny Black painted exterior. A heavy brass clip allows you to clip it to a shirt / suit pocket.

Ok, enough chit chat. What happens when you press the button?

Well, you get a big, bright Green ball of light! Compared to a cheapy Red laser pointer, the Nexus light point seems 2 or 3 times as bright and at least 2 times bigger in diameter. At this point I shouldn’t have to tell you (but you know I’m going to anyway…) that you should never shine a laser pointer into your or someone else’s eye. And as powerful as the Nexus is, you shouldn’t stare at the beam for any length of time.

The light is so bright, that it can even be used as a flash light in a dark room!

While the brightness and green color are impressive, I almost had a geek fit when I tried the laser outside one day. I walked out my front door and shined the beam across the road, field and into the woods 100′s of feet away and could still see the dot of light as it hit trees. WOW! I came back inside and looked up the specs on the Wicked Laser website and it was then that I learned that this model has a range of 38 miles! No, I didn’t test the range ;o)

Then I tried it outside in the dark and couldn’t believe my eyes when I could see the actual beam of light shining from the barrel to the dot of light beyond. Yes, I had to perform a few Luke Skywalker type moves, along with light saber noises. Zurrrrrrrr…. Hummmmmmm….. Wurrrrrrrrr… Ok, I’ll stop now.

You can actually point the Nexus up into the night sky and point out specific stars! It’s really very cool.

Weird pictures can be captured by moving the laser when you take a long exposure picture.

Other geeky activities can include burning holes in black trash bags, cutting black electrical tape, popping balloons and lighting matches. I also tried to terrorize my cat Max with it, but he didn’t even acknowledge it when I shined it on the carpet in front of him. I later learned that cats might not be able to see the color Green. I believe this to be true because when I tried to do the same thing with a Red laser, he at least perked up and looked at it for a few seconds. Another common sense warning: never shine a laser into your pet’s eyes. They are much more sensitive than ours.

If you’re a geek, you’ll agree that the Nexus 95mW is extremely cool. But is it $369.99 worth of cool? That is a lot of money to spend for a presentation pointer and in my opinion, corporate Joes should just stick with the cheap $20 pointers from Radio Shack or Walmart. But I can see the Nexus being a really handy tool for people that need the ability to point at objects quite far away. People like astronomers, star gazers, construction workers, hunters, police officers, etc. For these people, the Nexus from Wicked Lasers is a precision tool and worth the price. If the price tag of the Nexus scares you, Wicked Lasers sells lesser powered models at more affordable prices. Conversely, you can go wacko and buy their $3499.99 Blue laser! And if you don’t want to buy at all, at least check out their video snippet archive of user submitted clips.
May the force be with you.

Filed in categories: Gear, Geek Toys

Tagged: Laser Pointer

Wicked Lasers Nexus 95mW originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on October 20, 2006 at 7:24 pm.

When I am working on my laptop, there is no doubt that using a
supplemental mouse is much easier than trying to navigate
with the Fujitsu P2110′s foam covered peg. After a day of wearing
my pointer finger to a nub, I mentioned to Julie that I needed to
buy a travel mouse. She got that evil gleam in her eye – the one
that is not so easy to see via IM – and she said “have I got a
product for you to try…“

A couple days later, the "http://usb.brando.com.hk/">Brando "http://usb.brando.com.hk/prod_detail.php?prod_id=00064&dept_id=015&cat_id=037">
USB Mouse with Laser Pointer and Thermometer showed up at my
door. I was immediately impressed with the mouse’s small size of
approximately 3″ long x 1.7″ wide x 0.8″ thick, and it weighed only
1.2 ounces. The mouse comes with a retractable 3″ USB to mini USB
power cable that stretches to 28″, similar to the retractable sync
& charge cables I have reviewed in the past.

This mouse does not ship with any drivers, it should be plug and
play for any Windows 95/98/2000/NT/ME/XP computer. Because it
is USB bases, it should also work with Mac systems.

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The body of the mouse is composed of black plastic with a
rubbery feeling non-slip paint. The right and left click buttons
are matte silver plastic, and the tiny click wheel is a translucent
ridged plastic.

On the front of the mouse is a small monochromatic LCD window
with a hole on either side, similar to the reset hole on many
electronics. Either hole will toggle the very dim LCD from
Fahrenheit to Centigrade when tapped by a straightened paperclip or
reset pin. I suspect that these holes might also function as
the actual temperature sensor. The silver plastic button on the
right side toggles the red laser pointer.

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The bottom of the mouse has a window for the red optical beam;
don’t look directly at it, it causes blindness you know. ;0)

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The front of the mouse has the mini USB port as well as an eye
for the red laser pointer’s beam.

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As I mentioned previously, the temperature is displayed in the
small LCD on the mouse’s front. While I was able to capture a
decent representation of a reading in this photo, in real life the
LCD is so dim that it is almost impossible to read without picking
up the mouse and looking directly at the window. Oddly enough, the
temperature reading was consistently seven to eight degrees
Fahrenheit higher than the weather station on my desk or the built
in temperature on my wall’s atomic clock. This was even without
handling the mouse, so I can’t attribute the higher reading to a
heated palm.

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There must be a rechargeable battery inside the mouse, because
even with the USB cable unplugged pressing the button on the right
side of the mouse will produce a bright red laser beam. I am not
usually one for giving presentations, but this might be a very
handy feature for those that like to illustrate their PowerPoint
presentations with a laser pointer. The pointer will work for a
period of time whether the mouse is plugged in or not, but the
mouse will not continue to work as a computer pointing device
unless the mini USB plug is inserted.

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When used as an actual mouse, the device glides very smoothly
across any flat surface, with or without a pad. The mouse’s
tracking is surprisingly quick and responsive, on par with a full
size desktop optical mouse.

The size and responsiveness of the "http://usb.brando.com.hk/">Brando "http://usb.brando.com.hk/prod_detail.php?prod_id=00064&dept_id=015&cat_id=037">
USB Mouse with Laser Pointer and Thermometer makes it an ideal
travel companion. With that said, I should note that in my opinion
the thermometer and laser pointing add-ons are unnecessary;
they certainly should not be the deciding factors for this mouse
versus another as neither is all that great. It’s not like these
features get in the way, so the fact that they are present should
not cause any aggravation to the user. This particular mouse works
well enough that it is going to become a resident of my laptop
bag.

Filed in categories: Desktop Computer Gear, Laptops and Gear

Tagged: Laser Pointer

Brando USB Mouse with Laser Pointer and Thermometer originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on June 23, 2006 at 2:17 pm.