I have reviewed many fancy flashlights on The Gadgeteer, most of them relatively small, compact and for their size, pretty bright. Well, this time I am reviewing the Fenix TK70 courtesy of Fenix Outfitters. The TK70 is neither small nor lightweight but is supposed to be brighter than all my other flashlights combined….car light on high beam bright  

Along with the LED head, two body components and end cap, Fenix includes a lanyard, handle strap, and extra o-rings.

The pieces of the TK70 screw together very much like the lightsabers the Gadgeteer Kid and I built/reviewed a few years ago. The finely threaded aluminum tubes easily twist together. The aluminum is aircraft-grade and durable, coated with a Type III hard-anodized anti-abrasive finish.

The Fenix TK70 uses three high powered Cree XM-L LEDs with a (theoretical) lifespan of 50,000 hours. Its digitally regulated output maintains constant brightness. It also has reverse polarity protection, to protect from improper battery installation and over-discharge protection circuit to protect the rechargeable batteries effectively. To protect the LEDs, Fenix uses a ‘tough’ ultra-clear glass lens with anti-reflective coating.

The TK70 measures 405mm (Length) x 40mm (Diameter) x 106mm (Head) and weighs 769-gram (excluding batteries). Its power source is four 1.5V D batteries. Along with being insanely bright, its dual switch system is simple and easy to operate as well. With the right batteries, the TK70 can run up to 7 days (lowest beam setting, I am sure) on a single charge.

As I said, the dual switches are easy to use; the right button turns the flashlight on and off and the left button cycles through the four brightness/power levels.

Without a doubt, the TK70 is huge. It is the biggest, longest, and heaviest flashlight I own and with its 2,200 lumens of brightness, it is by far the most powerful/brightest flashlight as well.

I have pretty large hands and as you can see, the TK70 is not petite. But considering its huge head, is surprisingly well balanced. The handle does look more like a lightsaber hilt than classic flashlight body.  The body of the flashlight has good texture and grip-ability.

The butt of the flashlight has two connection points for the lanyard or handle strap.

The LEDs are so powerful, there are ‘high-efficiency’ heat dissipation fins engineered into the TD70 that effectively radiate heat from the LEDs and electronics within the head. This helps protect the LEDs and electronics, ensuring that they do not overheat.

I was going to do a (relatively) detailed comparison of my various high powered flashlight (and still might), but I thought this photo says it all. We were celebrating the Gadgeteer Kid’s 10th birthday outdoors in our partially finished polebarn/garage. At this point, there are no lights and only temporary power to the building. Well, as the story goes, it was getting dark and to keep the get together going, unbeknownst  to me, my wife had run into the house, grabbed the Fenix TK70 and had it alone, lighting the whole party.  As you can see from the picture, it was Ark of the Covenant bright. Impressively, the TK70 literally illuminated the entire floor of the structure.

Uncommon praise: my wife rarely comments on the tech-items I review. On those few and far between moments when she chooses to comment, let’s just say, it’s often less than positive. Well, she surprised me one day while I was away on travel, when she texted me letting me know ‘that new flashlight is awesome.’ To give you a bit of perspective, I swear, my wife has only used the A-word a half dozen times in the 15 yrs I have known her…..

Due to its size, weight, and brightness, the Fenix TK70 is a somewhat niche flashlight/product. I envision this being used by search and rescue and/or cave explorers, folks who need to throw a huge amount of light. This flashlight is well made and relatively durable. Its aluminum construction, simple controls, and water resistant design makes it a great choice where durability counts. At $233, it is not inexpensive but if you calculate its lumens/dollar ratio, it is decent enough deal .

Filed in categories: Gear, Outdoor Gear, Reviews, Travel Gear

Tagged: Flashlight, LED

Fenix TK70 Flashlight Review originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on September 14, 2011 at 4:30 pm.

One thing you can never be without is a good flashlight, especially one that has a bright brilliant light. But for me a flashlight is just a flashlight. That is unless it has something about it that gives it a unique characteristic. And the PrimeTorch 1010 by Primus is one such flashlight.

One thing I really liked about this flashlight is its small size. I have other pocket-sized flashlights but none with the output that the PrimeTorch has. This little sucker has a strong output thanks to the Cree Q4 LED diode that emits 130 Lumens.  Keep in mind that Lumen is a measurement of light output while wattage is a measurement of power output. It is hard to compare Lumens to Wattage so it is hard for me to compare and contrast the two but I would say that the PrimeTorch’s light is just as bright as a medium sized Mag light. The light from the PrimeTorch is definitely blinding. I made the mistake of looking at the reflected light on my desk  and I can tell you that when I jerked my head away all I could see was a bright white light in my vision for a long while.

The PrimeTorch is made from an aluminum material. It has a metal clip on its body and has a dimension of 1 in. x 3.3 in. and is powered by one(1) Lithium CR-123 battery allowing it to have a 3 hour burn time.  It has a weight of  1.6 ounces.

The Lithium battery, not unlike a camera battery, is supplied along with a case with a belt loop.

According to the Primus website, the PrimeTorch “has  a “tactical switch”, which means that it is perfect for signaling with and can also easily be switched on and off”.  I’m not really sure if I quite understand what this is. However, I think it’s just a marketing term for “power button.”

In the back of the PrimeTorch is where this “tactical switch” is placed much like any flashlight this size. It has a normal tailcap click switch which has what I call a “half-way” button”. It is  kind of like pushing the shutter button on a camera half way down so it can get a focus on the subject. Pressing the red button on the back halfway down turns it on but turns off the moment you let it go. It is handy when you just have to shine the light for a  brief second and not have to bother with constantly clicking the button on and off.

A great thing about this little flashlight is that it is waterproof.  That’s a plus in my book of flashlights. It’s perfect for having when you’re camping or fishing or any outdoor activity where the flashlight may get wet. Several times, I’ve found myself using a flashlight at night when it was raining so one never knows when they will need a waterproof flashlight.

As bright as this flashlight is, I would have like to have seen a second output for a lower Lumen like the Modus 2 from Icon. I like the option of having a low and high output for specific situations. You can check out my review on the Modus 2 to see a flashlight with  dual output .

As many times as I use a flashlight and how long I keep it running, not to mention the cost of the Lithium batteries, a supplied rechargeable battery would have been nice to have with this flashlight. I have seen some really nice Cree flashlights that come with rechargeable batteries and you can just plug the charger right to the side of the flashlight.  Now that’s convenience and easy on the wallet.

All in all, this is a compact and durable flashlight. It is waterproof and comes with a clip to attach to your belt, pocket or anywhere that it can clip on to. And thanks to the Cree Q4 diode technology this flashlight is super bright.

Filed in categories: Gear, Outdoor Gear, Reviews

Tagged: ballastic, Flashlight, LED, Waterproof

Primus PrimeTorch Flashlight Review originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on August 30, 2011 at 3:00 pm.

It seems like all the cool stuff is coming from Kickstarter these days. The Packlight is another product that will hopefully see the light of day (sorry, I couldn’t resist the pun). The Packlight is a 45 LED light that can bend into convenient shapes. It has neodymium magnets so that it can be affixed to metallic objects, double coated shaping wire, 3 lighting modes and has a USB rechargeable battery. The battery will power all 45 LEDS for about 4 hours, 15 LEDs for 10 hours or 45 LEDs (Blinking) for 6 hours. It’s also waterproof. The Packlight is still waiting for full funding, but once that happens, it will be priced at $45.

Filed in categories: Gear, News

Tagged: LED

Packlight – A Bendable 45 LED Light originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on August 8, 2011 at 9:00 am.

The Eton Aluminator series flashlights are bright ‘Cree Q2 LED’ style lights in a tough waterproof aluminum housing. Eton has also co-branded with the American Red Cross and donates part of each purchase.

The Eton Aluminator AFL200 is the 3-AAA entry in the line-up which also includes a 2-AA (AFL100, $20), 2-C (AFL300, $30), and 2-D  (AFL400, $40) versions, all with similar proportions and overall shape. The technical specifications for most of the line are…

• 120 lumens (The 2-AA version is only 100 lumens)
• Visible for up to 2.2 miles
• Illuminating distance up to 275 ft (83.8m)
• Cree™ Q2 LED 3W
• IPX-4  Splash-proof from all angles (which means it can take rain, for example, but not submersion)
• Impact-resistant aluminum
• Wrist strap

Eton AFL 200 with standard 2 D-cell flashlight for comparison

The AFL200 is 5.5″ long and weighs 1.92 ounces. It will fit in a pocket, but it is not really designed for pocket carry. It has a great heft and sneers at The Gadgeteer Creak Test. It is the sort of all black quasi-military styled flashlight you often see in dramatic TV cop shows flashing all over the place.

The actual light is a bright center with a large, dimmer ‘halo’.  The combination lights up details nicely, while the dimmer light does a decent job of illuminating a fairly large area.

Eton AFL 200 light spot at 6'

2D-cell standard flashlight at 6'

The main body is a machined piece of aluminum with a rubberized sleeve for better grip. The side-mounted on/off button is stiff and has a rubber cover but is easy to access and work even through gloves. There is no branding other than a small Red Cross logo. Rubber O-rings seal each end (but as per the specs, it should not be submersed).

The head comes off, but does not allow the beam to be adjusted. With the head off, the flat Cree Q2 LED ‘bulb’ is exposed. You can turn it on with the headpiece off and the incredibly bright LEDs will illuminate a large area nicely- just don’t look into the light. The other end comes off to access the removable 3-AAA battery pack that is clearly labeled for battery orientation. I do love those little touches!

AFL 200 disassembled

The housing is pretty tough! I threw mine across the shop onto the concrete floor and it barely smudged it. Tapping it with a 24oz hammer just makes it bounce. I even held it by the end of the lanyard and swung it pretty hard at my workbench a few times without any visible injury other than a slight coming apart at a seam and a slight loosening of the head- both quickly corrected.

AFL 200 vs. 24oz hammer

Eton has a long relationship with the American Red Cross and produces several items that could help in an emergency, a disaster, or just a fun camping trip. A portion of each purchase supports the organization. I work part-time for the Red Cross as an instructor and would like to repeat the basic preparedness message- “Get a kit, make a plan, be informed. (Just a quick note: It can be hard to find dark colored tools, like flashlights, in the dark or an emergency. Consider wrapping some brightly colored tape on them to make them easier to locate when you really need them really fast.)

There are probably flashlights out there that do some of the jobs better- some are tougher, have a better beam, are lighter, are better priced, etc. but the Eton Alluminator does a good job of combining most of the things we look for in one convenient package, and it looks nice to boot!

Filed in categories: Gear, Outdoor Gear, Reviews

Tagged: cree Q2, Flashlight, LED

Eton Aluminator AFL200 Flashlight Review originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on January 11, 2011 at 4:00 pm.

Got a dark cabinet or kitchen sink counter?  Me too.  Maybe trying to catch a mouse scrounging around at 3AM?   Me too. Wish that you had a light for your scary closet that would work like your refrigerator light and are too much of a total klutz to wire up a real light?  Me too. Think the wireless auto-lights are a nice idea?  Me too.  But after having been disgruntled by past attempts at so-called automatic “puck” lights, which only turn on “automatically” when ambient light is available, I didn’t expect much from the newer PIR LEDs, like these from EFO,  floating around on the Internets.  So, do these new infra-red detector LED lights work any better than their predecessors?

So the main idea for these lights is to remain dark until a person (or IR heat-producing body) walks within its target zone, and then light up for a short period of time and turn back off.  Similar to the older “puck” LED units that used photo-resistors which turn on when light is detected, the PIR units switch on when a large infra-red change is detected.  Simply holding the device in front of an IR source does not cause the lights to remain on; there actually has to be a change in the IR in its target area.  This prevents the light from staying on permanently when idiots like me stand in front of it and gawk  and, instead, turn on when idiots like me just step in its zone.  It then automatically turns back off after a few seconds.

Looks very suspiciously like the old puck LED lights

There are a few different types provided by several manufacturers and sold on various sites.  This unit has six LED’s on its front, or top side, and four selection items on its back.

The selections, from the upper left and moving clock-wise are for 1) dimming the brightness of the LED’s; 2) narrowing or widening the field of view for the IR target zone; 3) adjusting the amount of time that the LED’s illuminate before turning back off; and 4) turning the power on or off.  As you can see in the photo, on the rear are slots to accommodate screws for vertical mounting.

LEDs with low brightness setting

LEDs with highest brightness setting

The light requires four AA batteries.

So, does it work?

Yup!  Works great.

PIR LED light under my kitchen sink

I found I’m pretty content with this PIR thing.  I open the door, and it turns on for 20 seconds (which is variable on this unit).  I close the door and forget it.  I open the door again a few minutes later and the light turns on.  (I just like to open the door and see the light come on.)  I wave my hand in front of the light and it goes on.  I smile.   I plan on buying a bunch of them for the other dark corners of my house.  This thing isn’t flashy or trendy or use Bluetooth.   But it works.  Automatically.

Filed in categories: Home Tech, Reviews

Tagged: LED, Lighting

IR Wireless Motion Detection Auto LED Light Review originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on November 10, 2010 at 12:29 pm.

We know LEDs are great for flashlights, status lights for your smartphones, and a bunch of other uses, but raise your hand if you ever thought to use LEDs on a bottle of vodka. Anyone? Anyone? MEDEA Spirits must be the only one with a vision because they recently announced the world’s first LED programmable bottle. The bottles are available with blue, white or pink LEDs. You can program up to 6 different messages. Each message can contain up to 255 characters. The messages will scroll for 3 minutes and will then turn off automatically to conserve power. Buy one for your next party or a special occassion. They are available through online retailers like Bowery & Vine for a price of $39.99 to 49.99 for 750ml.

MEDEA Vodka Available Nationwide This Holiday Season

New York, NY – October 1, 2010 – MEDEA Vodka, a new ultra-premium Dutch vodka presented in the world’s first customizable, interactive bottle, is a truly illuminating, thoughtful way to personalize holiday greetings this year.  The sleek, programmable LED display embedded in each bottle can be programmed with custom text messages scrolling directly on the bottle, making it the hit of the party and one of the hottest gift items for the 2010 holiday season.

Invented in New York by a nanotechnology pioneer former visiting scientist of IBM and senior member of research staff of Philips electronics, MEDEA’s stunning interactive packaging is the winner of the Double Gold medal in the prestigious 2010 San Francisco Spirits Packaging Competition.  Imported from Schiedam, Holland, the world’s first center of distillation excellence, each batch undergoes a multiple step distillation process using the finest winter wheat and natural artesian water, resulting in exceptionally smooth vodka.

The suggested retail price is $39.99 to 49.99 for 750ml and is available in a blue, white and pink LED. Also available online, MEDEA can be purchased via Astor Wine and Spirits, Sherry Lehmann, Bowery & Vine, Mel & Rose, and DrinkUpNY.  User-friendly and durable, the bottle can be easily programmed with up to six messages with up to 255 characters per message.  The removable, battery-powered display can last up to a year and a half and is submergible and freezer-proof.

About MEDEA Vodka:

MEDEA is an ultra-premium vodka with unparalleled smoothness and flavor, perfected over seven generations in Schiedam, Holland—the world’s first center of distillation excellence. Each batch undergoes a multiple step distillation process using the finest winter wheat and natural artesian water. Winner of the top honor of Double Gold medal at the prestigious San Francisco Spirits Packaging Competition, MEDEA bottles can be programmed to store up to six personalized messages with up to 255 characters. For more information, visit www.medeaspirits.com or follow MEDEA on twitter at www.twitter.com/medeavodka.

Filed in categories: Miscellaneous, News

Tagged: Beverage, LED, Spotlight Gadgets

MEDEA Spirits – Booze with a message originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on October 4, 2010 at 9:00 am.

I have a weakness for small flashlights. When a company offers one for review, I’ll almost always say yes. That’s why I didn’t hesitate to agree to review two new LED flashlights from ICON when they asked if I would be interested. We have reviewed their products before and have appreciated both their unique style and usefulness. The ICON Link and Solo are affordable flashlights that definitely look interesting. Let’s see if they are a worthy purchase.

The eye catching Orange flashlight in the image above is the Link, while the one at the bottom is the modern looking Solo. Both lights are powered by easy to find alkaline batteries. The Solo runs on 2 AAA’s and the Link runs on 1 AA. Batteries are provided with each light. Let’s start with the Solo..

ICON Solo

Specs

lens: Micro-textured reflector
light output: 16/2 lumens
runtime: 3/75 hours
length: 5.5 inches
weight: 2.2 ounces
battery: two AAA alkalines

The Solo has a pen shaped aluminum body that has a very nice heavy solid feel to it. The sturdy pocket clip and faceted lower barrel keep this flashlight from rolling off flat surfaces.

It has a glass lens with a textured reflector. The LED is power-regulated and has two output levels – 16 and 2 Lumens.

The tail cap is a click switch that is easy to toggle with your thumb. Pressing the tail cap will toggle between the low (2 Lumens) and high (16 Lumens) output levels. The way it works is that you press it once to turn it on. It will be at either low or high beam depending on the last time you turned it on. Pressing it again, will turn it off. Pressing once more will turn it on to the the next output level and so on.

This flashlight is comfortable to hold. It has very fine ridges around the barrel that make it easy to grip. It has no sharp edges or other problems with the build quality.

I guess the only ‘problem’ with the Solo in my opinion is that the beam isn’t very powerful. I wouldn’t use this flashlight to guide my path in the woods at night. It’s better suited for closer tasks such as helping you see behind a computer, or TV. Or to find something under a desk or bed. For that reason, it’s not a perfect all around flashlight.

ICON Link

Specs

lens: TIR (Solid Total Internal Reflection)
light output: 50/6 lumens
runtime: 3/70 hours
length: 4 inches
weight: 3.1 ounces
waterproof: up to 1 meter
battery: one AA alkaline

The Link, so called because of its integrated carabiner clip, is constructed of high-strength aluminum anodized in bright Orange.

It has a glass lens and an LED with 50 and 6 lumens output levels.

The opposite end has rubber clicky tail cap on/off switch.

The Link is a little more awkward to hold than the Solo given the location of the built in clip. I also found that the decorative grooves that are cut into the tail and head area have sharp edges. I’ve not cut myself on them, but they feel sharp enough that they might be able to do it.

The Link has a significantly brighter beam than the Solo. I would have no issues using it to find my way outside in the dark or up and down the stairs of my house during a power outage. Unlike the Solo, I find that the Link does make a great little all purpose flashlight. I find myself grabbing it more often than the Solo.

Both the ICON Solo and Link are well made inexpensive flashlights that will shed some light on your task, while looking pretty spiffy at the same time.

Filed in categories: Gear, Reviews

Tagged: Flashlight, LED

ICON Solo and Link Flashlights Review originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on September 26, 2010 at 3:04 pm.

I don’t know about you, but I hate it when I go to a restaurant that is so dark that I can’t read the items on the menu. I found something that might help. It’s the UltraOptix. It is an LED lighted 2X magnifying lens with a 6X portion that is small and thin enough to fit in a card slot in your wallet. It’s scratch resistance and unbreakable and is available now for $11.95 from Amazon.

Filed in categories: Gear, News

Tagged: LED, Spotlight Gadgets, Wallet

No more squinting at restaurant menus with the UltraOptix originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on August 3, 2010 at 10:00 am.

Before the invention of the wrist-watch, there was the pocket-watch.  Developed in the 16th century, the pocket-watch was the main portable way of telling time.  It was only after World War I that wrist-watches became popular after the design of trench-watches for the military.  Now in the 21st century, we can tell time in so many different and high tech ways including cell phones, laptops, watches that can submerge more than 300 meters, touch screen watches, and now even a watch phone.  But how can we update the outdated pocket-watch?  That’s just what TokyoFlash did with their Kisai Round Trip pocket-watch!

Inside the package I found the Kisai Round Trip pocket-watch, usb charging cable, extra charging cap, a key ring, and instructions.

At first glance you might wonder how to tell the time since there’s only a black surface where the clock hands should be.  Pressing the button on the top right activates the LEDs hidden beneath the black surface to display the current time which is 10:24 PM.

Here’s a little tutorial on how to tell the time:

On the left side is a cap that can be screwed on and off.  It protects the charging port from water and dust.  The pocket-watch is water resistant to 3ATM.  Charging time is 3.5 hours and it should last you for the whole month on regular usage.

A cool feature of this pocket-watch is that you can turn on a function which tells the pocket-watch to play an animation of the LEDs every 15 minutes between 6pm and midnight.

Overall I like this pocket-watch from TokyoFlash.  The only thing that I didn’t like about it is that I have to use the key ring to connect it to anything.  I wish they made the top loop of the pocket-watch as one of those spring loaded latches.  Priced at $73.66, it might not be worth it for some.  But like all TokyoFlash watches, it has a limited run so get it while it’s still in stock!

Filed in categories: Reviews, Watches and Clocks

Tagged: LED, tokyoflash, Watches and Clocks

TokyoFlash Kisai Round Trip Review originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on July 25, 2010 at 11:55 am.

Back in the stone age when I was a kid, we had classic toys like Etch-a-Sketch, Spirograph and Lite-Brite. I had the first two, but never had the pleasure of having a Lite-Brite. This was a simple toy that encouraged creativity and imagination. It allowed you to make pictures with little colored plastic pegs that would light up. Now that I’m an adult, I am lucky enough to be able to play with all types of cool tech toys. But imagine my delight when the people at Convenient Gadgets & Gifts offered me the Hi-Tec Sketch Art to review; a modern day version of the Lite-Brite with LEDs and glowing wires.

Package Contents

Sketch Art board
AC Power Adapter 7. 5V
DC Power Adapter 12V
USB Power Adapter 7. 5V
Instructions
6 Background Designs
100 3mm LEDs of 8 Assorted Colors
1 2ft Art wire
50 Art wire Clips
Art wire Clip Insertion Tool
LED Insertion Tool
LED Extraction Tool
Sketch Storage Case

The Sketch Art pad has a 5.5 x 4.0 inch sized Black rubber mat “drawing area”. Above it is two buttons that will toggle power to the LEDs and the art wire.

The LEDs come in several colors…

The art wire in my kit was Orange. One end of the art wire plugs into a power socket on the sketch board.

Special tools are included to make it easier to insert the LEDs and the art wire clips in to the sketch board. You don’t have to use the tools, but they do make it much easier considering how small the parts are.

Here we see the LED tool.

And here is my masterpiece! Let’s see it lit up…

Oh funky Pressing the power buttons on the drawing pad will toggle between steady and flashing for both the LEDs and art wire. You can have either one flash while the other remains steady.

One thing to note is that when using battery power (2 AA batteries), it will not light up all the LEDs if you have a large picture. It’s no problem when you use AC power or the USB cable though.

The Hi-Tec Sketch Art kit is fun, easy to use and would make a great gift any gadget loving kid ages 8 and up.

Filed in categories: Geek Toys, Kid Gadgets, Reviews

Tagged: LED, toys

Hi-Tec Sketch Art Review originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on May 13, 2010 at 6:03 pm.

The Official LEGO LED Flashlight from Brando would make a fun (and useful) addition to any LEGO fan’s collection. Just wind his arm to charge the internal battery. LEDs are located in the figure’s feet. The only thing I see missing is a hat or hair This product is available from Brando for $32.90. Brando is offering giant LEGO brick lights too.

Filed in categories: Geek Toys, News

Tagged: Flashlight, LED, LEGO, Spotlight Gadgets

Crank It Up with the Giant LEGO Figure LED Flashlight originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on April 14, 2010 at 7:37 am.

When I was growing up there were many gadgets around the house that I had a thing for. Things from mechanical pencils to electric lighters to flashlights. So when I got a chance to review the Icon Modus 2 flashlight from Icon I jumped on the chance to do it. After playing around with it for a week I came to the conclusion that this is the type of flashlight I could have used when I was young. Ahhh, to be young again…..

But you don’t have to be a kid to enjoy this flashlight. However, it’s quite the contrary. Adults will find this flashlight bright and user friendly. I know I did.

With its brilliant dual-output white LED light and easy tailcap button for easy switching between outputs levels this flashlight has a nice body design that will catch anyone’s attention.

The Modus 2 body is made from polymer material that according to their website boasts an ergonomic open architecture design that allows for heat to dissipate. The entire body is encased in a flexible ribcage grip casing that made it very comfortable to hold the Modus 2 as well as enjoyable. The nice thing about it is that it is sealed with O-rings which makes it weatherproof.

However, this sometimes means that it may not be waterproof. There is a difference. One means it can be submerged in water and the other means that it can get wet in the rain or get some nice dirt and mud on it.

This flashlight reminded me of something from a Star Trek episode. Kind of a cool spacey looking thing.  I read somewhere that it was nicknamed a potato peeler because of its overall body structure.

What I liked most about this flashlight is its Total Internal  (TIR) lens. It holds an LED light that regulates output and run times and claims to never be replaced. The TIR lens has a nice pure white beam which I like in comparisons to some LED flashlights that have a bluish tint. The white light reminds me of the clean white lights your see in  a doctors office or even…..*gasp* the dentists office.

Although I like small portable and powerful flashlights as compared to the big heavy duty Maglites I did find the Modus 2 to be quite portable as well. It is around 6 inches long and weighs 4.7 ounces. I could still throw it into my backpack or sling bag and not have it take up any space.

The Modus 2 has a decent centered spot beam. The beam is smooth, not too hot in the middle and has a nice  light spread with no over spill. Very Precise lighting.

The Modus 2 was designed by engineer designer Paul Kim. His goal was to combine style, design and functionality all in one. I would say he succeeded.  However, with new technology nowadays and today’s advances it would have been nice to have this flashlight have its own rechargeable battery even if it were a proprietary battery.  I can’t tell you how many AA and AAA batteries I have used over time.  The Modus 2 comes included 2 AA Alkaline batteries.

The Modus 2 has a runtime of 3 hours on its high output mode and 72 hours on its low output mode. It puts out 100 lumens on high and 10 lumens on low. So you can see that the output makes a difference in battery drain. On that note, I read the Modus 2 on high will gradually dim after 10 minutes. I think it is an energy saving feature. However, I think it is very subtle to notice. But feel free to spend some time and watch to see if you can see the gradual change in the light dimming. Let me know what you find out. I have never really found myself using a flashlight for long periods of time. I always tend to turn off what I don’t use.

As sleek as this flashlight is I would have thought the makers would have incorporated some kind of a wrist strap, a clip, or at least a an eyelet, to thread some kind of lanyard to keep the Modus 2 secure to your person.

The Icon Rogue series are the aluminum class flashlights that Icon offers as opposed to the Modus’ which are made of the polymer body style.

All in all, the Icon Modus 2 is a stylish flashlight that will capture the attention of anyone even without shinning the bright white light directly at them.

Filed in categories: Gear, Outdoor Gear, Reviews, Travel Gear

Tagged: Flashlight, LED

Icon Modus 2 Dual-Output LED Flashlight Review originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on April 6, 2010 at 12:21 pm.

Beam N Read Hands-free Lights from ASF Lightware Solutions are portable LED lamps worn on the chest. The theory is that this illuminates your working area better than headlamps or other options.

The people who make them are pretty enthusiastic about them, and deservedly so!

The company’s focus seems to be on products for people with vision problems, but they also are applying ‘Universal Design’, a design philosophy in which you make stuff that can be used by people with the widest range of needs (or lack thereof) as possible. (My ‘day job’ is helping make adaptive devices for people with disabilities, so I really appreciate this concept!)

Now- the Beam N Read is not really a typical ‘book light’. Book lights tend to be clip-on, lightweight units that (let’s be honest here) cast a rather feeble pool of light on the book. The Beam N Read is a pretty powerful unit.

The Beam N Read lights come in a variety of versions. If I may oversimplify the choices, you can select a 3 or 6 LED base unit, a variety of snap-on filters, and a slip-on ‘holder’ that fits either size base unit and can hold Fresnel-style magnifying lenses. I was sent a basic 3 LED with night filter (BNR LED 3), a 6 LED with filters and a lens (BNR LED 6), and a 3 LED unit with several lenses (BNR LED 103M).

The 3 and 6 LED units, lens holder, lenses, and filters

The units are well-built- there is a little noise during the Famous Gadgeteer Creak Test, but it is mostly around the battery compartment. Most of the unit is crafted from solid ABS plastic, molded in back. They come with a thin ribbon strap with a simple slide so you can wear them around your neck. The ribbon is long enough that they fit even my oversized noggin.

The head of the unit pivots up, which also turns it on (although the 6 LED unit also has a by-pass switch so you can use it as a more normal flashlight, etc.) They pivot in such a way as to shine nicely in the area you would normally hold a book or do other work in. The pivot clicks at several angles so you should find an angle to fit most needs.

The filters in my units were red (for the 3 LED) and orange (6 LED). They are tinted lightly enough that they do not turn everything red or orange but rather soften the bright bluish LED to a softer light.

The 4″x 5″ Fresnel lenses come in 2X, 4X, and 6X. They mount in a little slip-on holder that can hold them vertically or horizontally. The instructions remind you to not use more power than you need to prevent eye strain. It can be a bit tricky to get everything in focus and keep it there, but using the smallest effective magnification helps with this.

6X lens in use

As with any LED light, some of the big selling points are longer battery life and longer bulb life. They use 4 AA batteries and claim a full 120 hours for the 3 LED units. Just in case you did not know- while both AA and AAA (and even C and D) batteries put out the same 1.5 volts, the bigger the battery, the longer the battery life. Since this is worn on the neck, the weight of the AAs is not a big deal, and the longer life means lower operating costs.

As for the LEDs, they should last pretty much the life of the lights- not bad for lights that cost $19.95 to $29.95!

The shape and design of these lights creates a ‘bubble’ in front of you, perfect for reading, craft work, keyboarding, and more. I find that the ‘bubble’ with the 3 LED unit is perfect for hardcover books, and OK for navigating a dark room, but it is not going to illuminate too far forward. The 6 LED unit creates both a bigger ‘bubble’ and casts the light farther. This increased range is why it has a ‘bypass’ switch so you can use it with the head angled in more ways.

3 LED unit. Targets are about 8" and 15" away

3 LED with red filter

6 LED unit (Note- the targets are the actual packaging)

6 LED unit with orange filter

Their site lists several accessories, such as spare bulbs, AC cords, etc. It also features several other low-vision items.

Is there a downside? I think there is a small one, one that does not affect functionality at all. The downside I see is that the unit looks a little dorky. I’m sorry, but it does. Not only does it look dorky, most of the advertising looks dorky.

Part of the dorkiness is the large print they use to help one of their key market segments, but also applies to other aspects as well. They list 27 uses on one of the packages and include things like “25. Parenting”, “20. at Hotels”, “14. Making Jewelery”. All valid, but I have a hard time imagining that someone will pick up the package and say “Hey! I can use this for Night Walking! I never would have thought of that!”

Please understand that I consider myself the King of the Dorks, and I appreciate that the makers of this are really enthusiastic about these products, so while I enjoy teasing about the dorkiness, I really don’t consider it a big deal.

These are great, well-designed, well-built, and well-priced lights that will be very helpful for a variety of people- with or without vision difficulties.

Filed in categories: Home Tech, Outdoor Gear

Tagged: Flashlight, lamps, LED

Beam N Read Hands-free Lights Review originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on March 18, 2010 at 5:15 pm.

If you’re looking to get away from the bright city lights, there are few places on earth darker than a moonless night out on the Western frontier of Afghanistan. A good light source is indispensable in this environment. In fact, several lights are part of most Soldiers’ kits. One light that has found a permanent home in my kit is the Zebra H501 Headlamp from ZebraLight Inc. I purchased the light soon after they became available last year. The $59 H501 has a number of features that distinguish it from the sizable pool of choices in the LED light market. The right angle mounting of the XR-E Q5 LED is perhaps the most distinguishing characteristic. A more subtle, yet infinitely more significant feature is its use of a single standard, and readily available AA battery. I have yet to visit a part of the world where I couldn’t get a AA battery (though I’ve paid a bit too much for them at times).

I should state early on that the H501 is not a tactical flashlight. It dispenses its light in an 80° flood pattern making it ideal for a variety of task lighting needs. Around the FOB (Forward Operating Base), it’s hard to beat the compact pocketability of this light, and you don’t feel a need to be stingy with its use, since you know you’ll be able to get batteries to feed it. The light pattern is smooth and even across the entire 80° arc with an almost non-existent halo.

The technical specs on the H501 are impressive for such a diminutive light. The light is very white having a color temp of about 6,000k. I understand that there is now a warmer version of the light available that has a 4,000k color temperature at the expense of a few lumens of output. The H501 that I own has three intensity settings: 96, 15 and 2.7 Lumens. I get about 2 hours of run time with a standard Energizer battery at the highest setting, and I have yet to actually drain a battery using only the low setting (it would take at least a couple days of continuous use).

Construction is solid. The body housing is of a good quality aluminum. O-rings keep all the fittings water tight. The unit is water proof to 5 meters, but I haven’t tested that claim. I have had no moisture issues from rain, and the occasional dunk in a mud puddle. The emitter is seated in a recess that protects it from the occasional airborne trip to the ground, and the finish is durable enough to show no significant wear after a year of being carried in a (usually sandy) pocket.

Operation is simple and intuitive. You can get to every setting fairly quickly. To start at the lowest setting, press and hold the button until the light comes on. Continue holding while the light cycles up through the settings from low to high. To start at the high setting, press once and release. Press again as necessary to cycle down through the other intensity settings. To engage the strobe feature, double press the button while the light is on high.

The unit ships out with a variety of accessories. It’s billed primarily as a headlamp, so naturally, it comes with a comfortable elastic band, and rubber holders to fit it to the flashlight. One enormously useful accessory is the glow-in-the-dark holder (it comes with a boring black one, too). Considering the number of times I have had to find it in a pitch black tent, I’d be hard pressed to live without this great feature. Also in the box are a couple spare O-rings, and a slip-on clip. This clip is just the right size to fit into a “MOLLE” loop system which is standard for most current Army equipment. I use it quite a bit on the front of my IBA (Individual Body Armor).

There are only a few things I would change on the H501. The button should be recessed enough so that pressing the light against a flat surface won’t activate it. I find that it’s necessary to twist open the battery cap slightly to ensure the light doesn’t come on in my pocket. The clip works great for MOLLE loops, but isn’t long enough to fit on a standard issue uniform belt. Finally, there are no filter options for the H501. I would find it useful if there was a blue/green filter that could be snapped over the front of the emitter. You can, however, get a dedicated red emitter version of the light.

The H501 is an all together great light. It’s a joy to handle, with performance that never fails to amaze. It’s economical to use, and convenient to carry.

Short bio – I am a 25 year veteran with multiple deployments to location around the planet. I started my career as an infantryman, and I am currently a CH-47 Chinook pilot. I’m always looking for useful high quality gadgets. My line of work and the environment I live in does not forgive sub-standard equipment.

Filed in categories: Gear, Outdoor Gear, Reviews

Tagged: Flashlight, LED

ZebraLight H501 Headlamp Review originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on March 14, 2010 at 6:00 pm.

The Philips 818566 LivingColors LED lamp produces 16,777,216 different colors of accent light. The lamp’s four LEDs (two red, one blue, and one green) can generate 256 different hues, 256 levels of saturation, 256 brightness settings and up to 120 lumens. By using the small remote’s touch-sensitive color wheel, you can wash a wall, corner, or room with the color to match your mood. The lamp comes in two sizes. Large is $199 and a smaller mini sized lamp for $109. Both are available at Amazon and other online retailers.

Filed in categories: Home Tech, News

Tagged: LED, Spotlight Gadgets

Get in the Mood with a 16 Million Color Lamp originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on March 14, 2010 at 12:45 pm.

This is a nifty device from Sungale that combines a modern styled LED desk lamp with a 3.5 LCD screen. The screen has a resolution of 320X240 and is capable of displaying slide shows from images saved to SD, MMC or MS cards. This desk accessory is priced at $79.99

Filed in categories: Home Tech, News

Tagged: Digital Photo Frame, LED, Spotlight Gadgets

LED lamp with a built in digital photo frame originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on February 7, 2010 at 8:15 am.

AltusLumen has just launched their latest LED product: the LightGear Gre. It’s an 18-in-1 LED light with built-in survival tools that make it handy for campers, hikers, travelers and other outdoor enthusiasts. The flashlight has 4 LEDs that output 80 lux. The tools include an aluminum whistle, a storage compartment for storing items like needles & thread, fish hooks & string or surgical blades. Also included is a detachable 10 in 1 stainless steel survival tool that has a can opener, knife, screwdriver, saw, cap opener, wrench, butterfly screw wrench, 2 position wrench, ruler and direction indicator. Price: $29.90

Filed in categories: Gear, News

Tagged: LED, Outdoor, Spotlight Gadgets

Camp with confidence with the AltusLumen LightGear Gre originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on February 3, 2010 at 8:03 am.

Serendipity is a term used to describe a situation that turns for the better without any effort on the part of the receiver.  This is how I would describe the finding of these Lights-of-America LED lights that are replacements for the GU10 Halogen bulbs that I have in the track lights above my kitchen sink.

While the Halogens produce a lot of light, they are also hot and one-by-one have burned out, all in less than three months.  Grrrrrrrr.  So when looking for Monkey Butt Powder at Ace Hardware one morning (yes they have that), stumbling on to these LED GU10 replacements was serendipitous indeed.  (The town I live in is kind of small and we don’t get a lot of high-tech cutting-edge gizmos so I was really astounded at being able to purchase such a thing at a brick-n-mortar store live and in person.)  As usual, though, I was skeptical.  I knew the LEDs would not be as bright as the Halogens but also would not put out as much heat.  And I needed them.  What did I find out?  Let’s find out.

First, note that the location and purpose of my track lights is as a supplementary set of task lighting within my kitchen:  they are not the source for the overall ambient lighting.  I bought the track lights to help alleviate the shadows that the ambient light casts onto the kitchen sink counter when someone is at the sink area.  The track lighting really brightened up the area.

Four G10 bulbs are used by the track lights

As mentioned, the track lights originally came with the MR16 GU10 50 Watt (250-300 Lumens) type of Halogen bulb.  These are small and strong (and cheap — $4-$6 each) but pump out a lot of heat.  They also burned out one-by-one, which forced me to start thinking about replacement bulbs.  And that’s when I happened to bumble onto the LED replacements.

I shouldn’t use the term “replacement” however: the LED’s have the word “Accent” right on the packaging in red letters.  So that should send up red flags: these are not meant to be replacements for task lighting.  But, in my defense, those letters are in artistic script and look like a cute marketing flourish rather than a warning that these are not going to be one-for-one replacements for your existing GU10’s.

Note the term "Accent" in red letters

These are the specifications for the LED’s from the package:
Light Output: 31 Lumens
Rated Life: 30,000 Hours
Wattage: 1 Watt
Color of Light: 6500 Kelvin

And, for comparison, these are the specifications from a GU10 similar to the originals in my track lights:
Light Output: 250 Lumens
Rated Life: 4000 Hours (aha!)
Wattage: 20 Watts
Color of Light: 2950 Kelvin

And here are specifications from a similar compact fluorescent GU10:
Light Output: 250 Lumens
Rated Life: 10,000 Hours
Wattage: 11 Watts
Color of Light: 2700 Kelvin

As I installed the LED’s into the track lighting I thought it would be an interesting test to photograph the area using the light from the one remaining Halogen bulb against the newer LED’s.  The following photos show just this.  The camera was set up on a tripod at the same location, shutter speed and F-stop.   Unfortunately it’s difficult to tell  from the photos.

I can tell you, however, what you probably already know:  the LED’s are not as bright as the halogens were.  And the amber color of the track lights’ shades are rendered into a harsher blue tone, that was something that again I didn’t expect but probably should have.  So the lights now have a more high-tech look than old world style.

All-in-all though, I’m content about the following points:  First LED bulbs are now coming into their own and are no longer found only in large cities or on the Internets; they are not as expensive as they once were; they do not put out as much heat as the Halogens; they light up instantly (unlike CFL’s); they supposedly have a longer lifetime (I say supposedly because I’ll believe when I see it).

Something you should consider before taking the plunge:  They are more expensive than the halogen counterparts; they will not produce as much light (but hey, just put up more track lighting); they can alter the color of the shades of your lights.

But I’m sticking with these and will be buying more (hopefully not because they burn out).

UPDATE

The original photos were taken on December 31, 2009.  Here is an update of the photo with three LEDs taken on January 29, 2010, almost a month later . . .

Three LED shot, taken about a month later NOTE THAT THIS PHOTO WAS TAKEN AT A DIFFERENT ANGLE THAN THE ORIGINALS.

Update #2 — taken March 09

Taken about 2 months later. FYI ISO 100; F-8; 0.6 sec

Update #2 — taken May 01

Taken about 4 months later

Filed in categories: Home Tech, Reviews

Tagged: LED

Lights Of America LED GU10 “Accent” Bulb Review originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on January 28, 2010 at 12:43 pm.

These little 1.5 inch long PICO lite LED flashlights can project a 10 lumen beam up to 30 feet. They have a small clip that you can use to hang them from a jacket zipper pull so that you’ll always have a flashlight when you need one. You can get one for $9.95 at eGear.

Filed in categories: Gear, News

Tagged: Flashlight, LED, Spotlight Gadgets

Tiny Zipper Pull LED Flashlight originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on January 23, 2010 at 11:46 pm.

Here’s a last minute gift idea for the dog owner on your list. It’s the PupLight lighted dog collar. Full press release after the jump. The collar is adjustable to fit dogs of all sizes. Attached to it is an LED flashlight that is powered by 3 AAA batteries. I’m sure it would come in really handy for those after dark dog walks. You can fetch one for $19.95.

Santa Has Rudolph’s Red Nose to Guide His Sleigh at Night

PupLight^® Guides Dogs and Their Walkers on Safe Walks After Dark

Chicago – (December 9, 2009) – With the shorter days of Winter now upon us, many dog owners amusingly wish that they had Santa’s Rudolph reindeer with his “red nose” to safely navigate slick sidewalks, cross dangerous intersections, and to be more visible to motorists who may not see them and their dog companions when it it’s dark outside and the weather turns foul.

Most would agree that carrying a flashlight is not the best option.  A flashlight is not only cumbersome to carry, but most flashlights do not provide much illumination.  PupLight^® as just the answer, and makes the perfect unique gift for any dog lover who is safety conscious and who walks their dog after dark.

Highly-acclaimed, PupLight is a one-of-a-kind illumination device designed specifically for canine safety.  Night-time safety concerns of dog lovers have finally been answered with PupLight.  In fact, PupLight is brighter than traditional flashlights.  Powered by three AAA batteries, PupLight “lights the way” with three powerful LED lights that pierce the darkness for blocks.  This handy and affordable safety device is only $19.95 and comes with a two-piece, adjustable band, which is easily worn by dogs of all sizes and breeds.

According to Jackie Simoni, inventor and president of CPA Systems, PupLight addresses a serious threat for dogs that all too often suffer trauma injuries or death when hit motor vehicles, heart-breaking accidents that soar dramatically in winter months.”

“As a life-time dog lover I developed PupLight to fill a void in pet industry,” said Ms. Simoni.  “Based on customer testimonials, we know that PupLight provides peace-of-mind for dog lovers.”  She adds, “While we are still educating the public about how vital pet visibility at night is, we have also forged ahead with the development of NekLight™, a companion product for kids and people of all ages.”

“NekLight, which is also $19.95, can be worn around the neck of hunters, hikers, runners, and others, and provides an added layer of protection for dog walkers at dusk or after dark,” said Ms. Simoni.  “Together, PupLight makes a dog visible, and NekLight makes the dog walker visible to traffic, and allows the dog walker to see ahead, and spot potential hazards.”

About PupLight^®

PupLight is constructed to serve as a rugged, water-resistant safety device, which features three ultra-bright, white, wide-angle, LED beams of light that shine several yards ahead.  With three AAA batteries, PupLight is an affordable safety device, and comes with a two-piece, adjustable band, which easily slips over the dog’s head, snaps on, or it can be attached to an existing collar or harness.  PupLight also comes with a fur guard for dogs with longer hair, and the device can be adjusted up or down to provide the best visibility for dogs of all sizes.  Besides it’s obvious safety benefits, PupLight makes it easier to find a dog when outside after dark, assists in “cleaning up” after pets in the dark, helps scare off wild animals such as coyotes, and assists older dogs, as well as dogs with failing vision.  For more information about PupLight, visit http://www.PupLight.com, or call 1-866-PupLight (787-5444).

Filed in categories: News, Pet Gadgets

Tagged: Flashlight, LED, Pets, Spotlight Gadgets

Turn your dog into a flashlight with the PupLight originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on December 11, 2009 at 9:04 am.

The Joby Gorillatorch is a hands-free, ultra portable light that makes illuminating difficult spaces a breeze. With magnetic bottoms, a rubberized ring and foot grips, this compact cree LED light can illuminate just about any hard to reach angle.

After using the Gorillatorch to adjust a few cables behind my television, I was surprised by how strong the magnets were. The torch easily attached to the wall-mount behind the television, giving me enough light to make the cable adjustments. This was a much better solution than griping an unhygienic flashlight between my teeth.

The brightness is easy to adjust by using the dial that is conveniently positioned behind the light, with full brightness tapping out at 65 lumens. Be careful not to attempt to twist the opposite side or you will take off the battery cap. I did this a few times and my batteries almost flung out into the night.

The Gorillatorch takes 3 AA batteries, and the image below ‘illuminates’ the typical battery life depending on usage.

Don’t be afraid to take this light out into the elements because you’ll be delighted to know that it is water resistant and shock absorbent, making it a perfect companion for that rainy or snowy night when you get a flat tire.

This tough piece of equipment has a durable polycarbonate lens, ABS plastic, TPE grip rings, and strong neodymium magnets. The whole unit will only set you back $29.95, and is available directly from Joby: http://joby.com/store/gorillatorch/original. They also offer gift wrapping for an additional $3.95.

Filed in categories: Home Tech, Reviews

Tagged: Flashlight, LED

Joby GorillaTorch Review originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on December 10, 2009 at 3:27 pm.

The Energizer Light On Demand (LOD) Swing Lamp ($29.99) is an LED lamp with an interesting gimmick:  It has a power sensing mode that turns the light source on automatically if power is lost.  It can also be angled, looks sleek, and its light source can be slid out and removed from the base.  So there are actually a number of interesting points about this lamp over other more “standard” LED lamps.  Let’s take a little deeper look at this.

As mentioned, the main feature of the LOD lamp is that it can be set up to turn itself on when there is a power outage; thus saving your toe when fumbling through the house when your other lamps go dark during a thunderstorm or other power crisis.  You can then also slip the light source out of the base and voila you have a portable flashlight that is all charged up and ready to go.  This, (the fact that you can remove the light from the base during a power outage and have the thing be charged) is a nice plus.  I can’t tell you how many times the power has gone off in my place and every flash light I’ve had stowed away for such purpose either can’t be found or has bad batteries.  And as for re-chargeable torches?  Well I don’t use them because they take up space at the outlets and I always forget that they are there.  The nice thing about the LOD lamp is that it can be used every day on your desk and yet at the same time be placed into the “auto” prepare mode.  And it’s always available at the tip of your fingers.  Imagine having to run down to the server room and not having to search for a flash light — just pop the source out of your desk lamp and pop it back when you return.

The power specs on this light:  6 V, 0.7 A; two LED’s — one for dim or low light, and one for brighter output.

To operate the unit in normal “lamp” on/off mode,  plug the unit in  and just set the base’s switch to either “off “or to one of the “low” or “high” “on” settings.  Switching the lamp to the “auto” mode turns off the light source but continues to charge the batteries.  Then,  if power is lost, it will turn on automatically.  When the light source is illuminated, it doesn’t put out a lot of light, but that’s pretty much a fact of life with LEDs.  This fact is not so annoying, though, as the green diode on the base that is constantly on – even if you turn the unit to the “off” mode (a similar though not-as-bright amber lindicator illuminates in “auto” mode).  This green mini-sun is glaring at me right now as I write this and I think is one of the main reasons that I got the unit on sale ($19.99).  It’s really bright and really annoying.

Despite this green piercing eye-burner, there are still nice amenities about this lamp including a heavy base so that it will not tip over; three adjustable joints to achieve a height and depth from its arms; and a nice clean look.  But on the down side the articulation is stunted by the fact that you cannot swivel the light more than about 10-15 degrees.

In summary, this is a nice-looking and well-made lamp, and has the built-in feature to charge the removable light source, making it very useful without causing excess clutter.  But the super-bright on/off indicator light and lack of swivel capability are some things to consider before making the commitment if you plan to use the lamp every day.  I like it and its features enough to want to keep it.  But as with a lot of cool stuff that I’ve tried out, I’ll have to end up modifying it with a piece of duct tape over the green indicator light.  Course, then it won’t look as sleek, but I’ll be able to catch a few zzz’s at my desk once again.

Filed in categories: Home Tech, Reviews

Tagged: Lamp, LED

Energizer Light on Demand Swing Lamp Review originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on November 25, 2009 at 1:24 pm.

If you’re a real tight-wad, here’s a lamp that will make you smile. It’s an LED lamp that is powered by your phone line. If you’re scratching your head in confusion, you must not know that phone lines carry a low level of electricity. That’s why you’re analog phones work even when the power goes out. This 8 LED lamp takes advantage of that fact by including an RJ11 plug that you can connect to any standard phone jack. I’m not sure how bright the lamp is though. You can buy one from Uxsight for less than $5.

[via Gizmag]

Filed in categories: News

Tagged: LED, Spotlight Gadgets

LED lamp that runs on free (kinda) power originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on November 6, 2009 at 9:51 am.

If you are a flashlight junkie, I have one for you that looks really unique, doesn’t cost a lot of money and only runs on one AA battery while providing a bright beam of light. It’s the ICON Rogue 1 LED flashlight designed by Paul Kim of Surefire fame. Let’s take a closer look at this torch.

Flashlight Specs

Light type: LED
Light Output: 50/6 lumens
Runtime: 3/70 hours
Reflector type: Micro textured
Case type: Aluminum
Water resistant: Yes, up to 1 meter
Size : 4.5 inches
Weight: 3.8 ounces
Battery: one AA alkaline

The Rogue 1 looks like it would be the Green Lantern’s favorite flashlight (look it up on google if you are not a comic geek). It’s available in Green, Silver or Black. Since Green is my favorite color, I was glad to receive that version to review.

The most unusual aspect of this flashlight is its case. It’s made of aluminum, with the handle part having very narrow ridges that give it good grip-ability.

In addition to the ridges, there are open slots in the handle. These slots allow you to attach the included neck and hand strap, as well as also aiding in gripping the light and making it comfortable to hold. The Rogue has a nice heft to it that gives you the impression that it’s a quality flashlight.

The LED in this flashlight is controlled by a microprocessor that produces a smooth beam. There are two output levels. The high output level is 50 lumens, while the low output level is 6 lumens.

The tailcap switch is large and easy to press with your thumb. Press it once and you’re in high output mode. Press again and you’re using the low beam.

Unscrewing the lens will reveal the battery compartment that is sealed with an O-ring that provides waterproofing up to one meter for 30 minutes. I love that this flashlight is powered by just one AA battery. Unlike some lithium cells, this type of battery is inexpensive and easy to find anywhere.

Now let’s check out the beam.

Here is a picture of my office with no lights on, at night, with the door closed. You can only make out the glowing LEDs from some of my electronics. I’m standing in the corner of the room focusing on the opposite corner about 16 feet away.

Now let’s power on the Rogue 1 and see what it can do…

Here you can see the high output beam which is 50 lumens. The Rogue 1 can provide this beam for 3hrs on one battery.

Here is the lower level beam, which is 6 lumens. The flashlight has a runtime of 70hrs at this level. I know what you’re thinking, you can’t see a real difference in the two output levels from my pictures. I took quite a few shots an even though I could see the differences in the room and from my eyes, the captured images didn’t show it. That said, I’d always use the higher output beam. For one thing, it’s the default mode whenever you turn the light on (the microprocessor must have a time out feature so that it won’t power up in low mode if you were previously using the high mode). I’m also a relatively infrequent flashlight user, so the 3hr runtime doesn’t bother me due to the fact that I will probably only need to use the flashlight for a few minutes at a time anyway.

I like the ICON Rogue 1 because it is powered by a regular AA battery, is easy to turn on, puts out a strong beam and doesn’t cost a bazillion dollars. If you need even more power, you can purchase the Rogue 2 for an extra $10 or so. It has an output of 100/10 lumens and runs on 2 AA batteries.

Filed in categories: Gear

Tagged: Flashlight, LED

ICON Rogue 1 LED Flashlight Review originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on November 3, 2009 at 10:00 am.

Do the words Going Green, cause you to roll your eyes or open them? I fall into the eye opening group as I’m a self-proclaimed tree hugger that hates to hear about the the polar ice caps melting and oceans warming. We are big on recycling at my house and we’ve switched 90% of the incandescent light bulbs over to compact fluorescents. CFLs don’t use as much electricity, which good for the planet and good for your electric bill and your wallet. What about LED light bulbs though, are they better than CFLs? Let’s take a look at the HydraLux-4 bulbs from EternaLEDs and see.

Features

Saves on average $13.96 per year*
Costs $1.75 to run per year*
Saves $157.00 over lifetime in bulb and electricity costs*
Lasts 35,000 hours or 35x longer than incandescent bulbs
Fully Dimmable
Contains No Mercury or Hazardous Substances
Approved for Outdoor and Indoor Use
No Flickering, No Headaches
Runs Cools
2 Year Warranty & 30 Day Money Back Guarantee

* At 8 hours usage per day, 365 days per year and $0.15/kWh

They sent me a Warm White and a Daylight White version of their bulbs. Both look exactly the same and are direct replacements for any standard threaded light bulb socket (E27 medium base socket) indoors or outdoors.

The first thing you notice when you pick up one of these bulbs is the weight. They are heavy little guys. The next thing you notice is that they are filled with liquid. Unlike CFL bulbs that contain Mercury, the liquid inside the HydraLux-4′s is harmless paraffin oil that has been tested and certified safe to UL and ROHS standards. This liquid keeps the bulb cool to the touch.

These bulbs use 4W to put out as much light as a 25W standard “A-Shape” incandescent bulb while lasting 35x longer. 25W doesn’t sound like a lot though… Most of the bulbs in my lamps are at least 100W.

Here you see one of the HydraLux-4 bulbs installed in one of my floor lamps. As I feared, by itself, it does not put out enough light to really be useful all by itself. I was surprised how cool they run though. I left it on for an hour and it was just warm to the touch.

As for the difference between the Warm White and Daylight White bulbs, it’s not a lot. The only difference is the brightness. In order to get Warm White, the white LED’s are covered with a phosphor coating to make them “warmer” and thus reducing the light output slightly.

Here are a couple of questions that I asked Jeff of EternaLEDs:

Q: Is 25W the max wattage bulb you sell of this type? Just wondering because they really don’t put out enough light to be used all by themselves (in my opinion).
A: 25W equivalent is the max at the moment but we’re planning on coming out with 8,12, & 16W versions by the end of the year. The 16W version may not be available because we want to keep the costs low enough to be practical – but 8 &12W versions are very likely a go. We realized that these weren’t very bright to begin with – they’re not meant to replace every light in a home but more for low-light/ task lighting applications like a desk lamp, wall sconces, accent light, chandelier etc where incandescents are normally being used or Compact Fluorescent Bulbs would just look unattractive in the fixture.

Q: What is the lifetime for a bulb? Is there a difference in the lifetime of a cool vs. warm light?
The lifetime is 35,000 hours. Many manufacturers prior, when LEDs first came out were listing 100,000 hours and 50,000 hours for 1st and 2nd generation bulbs. 1st generation would be something like this: http://www.eternaleds.com/PAR16_LED_Spotlight_2W_Halogen_JDR_48_LED_p/hjdr-jdr.htm uses what’s called 5mm LEDs. (low-power) 2nd generation bulbs – using heavy metal heatsinks like this: http://www.eternaleds.com/ProductDetails.asp?ProductCode=HP-7 uses high power LEDs (1W – but heatsink isn’t very efficient) These ratings were simply inaccurate and since then, after being able to test for 2-3 years, we’ve found that the lifetime is closer to 35,000 hours. Note after this time, the bulbs are supposed to be at 70% of their original brightness – they don’t just “burn out” like regular lightbulbs. 3rd generation designs – include a number of more efficient designs – from plastic housings, less metal being used with a larger surface area to increase airflow…. like the HydraLux or this: http://www.eternaleds.com/PAR38_LED_Floodlight_18W_Eternaleds_Quanta_18_p/quanta-18.htm

Besides the fact that these LED light bulbs are not available in higher wattage (brighter) versions, they are currently too expensive for an average person to buy to replace all the bulbs in their home. I look forward to the time when LED bulbs are less expensive and can provide the same light as a 100W incandescent bulb. In the mean time, I’ll continue using my CFLs and make sure that I take them to the recycle center instead of just throwing them away when they burn out.

Filed in categories: Home Tech

Tagged: Green, LED

EternaLEDs HydraLux-4 LED Light Bulb Review originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on September 6, 2009 at 4:31 pm.