Technabob » flashlight

4Sevens XM18 LED Flashlight Cranks Out Insane 15,000 Lumens of Brightness

Technabob — Mon, 30 Jan 2012 14:00:57 +0000

Looking for a bright flashlight? Well if you find yourself somewhere that you need to light up a very dark or very large space, check out this awesome marvel of modern engineering, the 4Sevens XM18 flashlight.

Now before you get too excited about carrying this thing in your backpack, the XM18 is more like a portable spotlight than a flashlight. That’s because it’s actually made up out of what amounts to 18 of 4Seven’s superbright LED flashlights. It almost looks like the composite eye of an insect. Of course, they couldn’t just tape 18 flashlights together – they built a completely custom case designed to optimize cooling, and it’s even got a cooling fan and inside. All told, this beast is powered by 32 rechargeable lithium batteries.

The guys over at GoingGear recently got to check out this giant LED light up close and personal, and shot some video footage showing off one of the very first production units:

See what I mean – it’s not exactly pocket-sized. But on the other hand, the idea of a battery-powered device that can blast out a blinding 15,000 Lumens of light is still damned impressive.

All of this cutting-edge flashlight tech comes at a price, though. 4Sevens has the XM18 listed at $2,495 on their website. Each one is built to order, so you’ll want to be absolutely sure you need to light something up before you plunk down your credit card.

Path Illuminating Umbrella: for Dark and Stormy Nights

Lambert Varias — Wed, 28 Dec 2011 18:00:17 +0000

While this isn’t the first design to add lights to an umbrella, the Path Illuminating Umbrella looks like something that a sane person would actually use. Instead of peppering the canopy with LEDs, this practical umbrella has its flashlight attached to the handle, so you can easily focus the light on what’s ahead of you.

The flashlight is made with 3 white LEDs that provide 100 lumens of light; the LEDs are powered by 3 AAA batteries for up to 48 hours – not long enough to survive in Silent Hill, but it’ll do. It can also be articulated up to 180º, so you can keep tabs on Pyramid Head as he hunts you down.

Hammacher Schlemmer sells the Path Illuminating Umbrella for $40 (USD). Cheapskates can pull off a Dead Rising and just duct-tape a flashlight and umbrella together.

[via Coolest Gadgets]

USB Chargeable Mini Flashlight: for Techie Boy Scouts

Lambert Varias — Tue, 27 Dec 2011 18:00:52 +0000

Got a spare USB port on your PC, laptop or car? Plug in one of these rechargeable flashlights and always be prepared for darkness or impromptu pretend lightsaber battles. Alan Wake would kill to have one of these.

The flashlight’s internal battery can be fully charged in 1.5 to 2 hours, enough for its white LED to shine for more than 2 hours. Now that’s math we can all get behind.

Follow the light to ThinkGeek and order your own USB chargeable mini-flashlight for $7 (USD). Then make a hand-cranked USB charger so you’re always prepared. Then add a phone-line powered flashlight to your arsenal and go stitch yourself a merit badge. You’ve earned it.

[via The Green Head]

45 LED Packlight: Bend the Light Your Way

Technabob — Sun, 07 Aug 2011 16:20:02 +0000

Whether you just want to be seen while you’re riding your bike at night, or need to read a book while you’re camping, this cool illuminated gadget could be just what you need.

The 45 LED Packlight is exactly what it says – it’s a 1cm-thick strip loaded with 45 bright LEDs which can provide flexible illumination wherever you go. Thanks to integral shaping wires, it can be bent into just about any shape. The Packlight has an integrated USB-rechargeable battery, and not only will hang from your bag with a carabiner, but has built-in magnets so you can stick it on a metal surface too. In addition to a super-bright 45 LED mode, you’ll be able to drop down to 15 LEDs when you don’t need so much light, or a blinking mode for emergencies.

Designed by Chadwick Parker and Joe Huang, the 45 LED Packlight is currently in the fundraising stage over on Kickstarter, but is just a stone’s throw away from achieving their initial $7,000 raise to get the first batch into production. A contribution of $45 (USD) or more will get you one.

While it is similar to the already available Striker FLEXiT, the Packlight offers significantly more LEDs, greater surface area, and rechargeable batteries.

The LEDoor Helps You Find Your Way in the Dark, But Leaves You Without A Door Knob

Hazel Chua — Sat, 06 Aug 2011 12:30:16 +0000

Increased power demands have brought about a higher frequency of blackouts and power shortages in many countries. I groan inwardly each time the lights go out because I can’t, for the life of me, remember where I stashed my flashlights.

After a futile search for a flashlight, I slowly and gingerly make my way towards the door, using only my mobile phone as my source of light. Now I thought such a scenario was unique to my forgetful situation, but apparently, it’s a more common situation than I thought.

It’s probably what designers Kun-hee Kim, Kei Shimizu and Nguyen-vu Dang were following up on, too, which is why they came with their design for the LEDoor handle, which is a door handle with a removable flashlight that can ~~double~~ triple as a mood light and a night light as well.

So the next time you find yourself without a flashlight, just head on over to the door and twist the light off. But the problem is, what about the other person who’s still in the room who’s now left with no door knob? Hopefully the designers can work out the kinks, because I think the LEDoor has some potential to really make it on to the doors in our homes in the future.

[via Yanko Design]

Phone-Line Powered Flashlight: LEDLine

Lambert Varias — Sun, 19 Jun 2011 12:44:03 +0000

Most of the time, landline phones – remember those? – are still useable even when the electricity goes out. Instructables user art.z shows us how we can make good use of that omnipresent (and free!) power source – by creating a flashlight that taps into the phone line.

Art.z’s flashlight is made of 12 3.0V LEDs. If you follow the instructions correctly, you’ll still be able to make and receive calls on the phone even if the flashlight is plugged in. Art.z recommends experimenting with different resistors to tweak the brightness of the LEDs.

I wonder if you can also make a USB charger that taps into the phone line. That being said, art.z is careful to remind us that tapping phone lines for power is illegal in some countries. Also, even if its perfectly legal where you live, don’t be a douchebag – use it only when you absolutely need to. Check out Instructables to find out how art.z made his phone-line powered flashlight.

[via Lifehacker]

Go Rub-a-Dub-Dub to Bring the Lightstarter to Life

Hazel Chua — Fri, 13 May 2011 01:45:21 +0000

It used to take rubbing two twigs to start a fire, but to get some light out of the Lightstarter, you only need one. And it’s not exactly a twig either, but it can certainly pass for a stick, albeit a very artificial one.

Michael Kritzer’s Lightstarter actually has an accelerometer embedded in its core which determines how long the light will shine based on the length of time you rubbed it between your hands.

Three seconds of kindling gives you 30 seconds of light while 1 minute will give you ten minutes. In short, the ratio of kindling time to light is 1:10.

The Lightstarter is battery powered though. The only thing I can think of that would really make it a hot product is if it could somehow convert the motion or heat produced by friction from rubbing the Lightstarter to energy.

It’s still a concept for now and a page for it on Kickstarter is currently in the works.

[via Yanko Design]

LED Lumadot Umbrella: Right Out of Blade Runner

Range — Mon, 09 May 2011 12:58:48 +0000

I’ve always liked umbrellas, especially nice large ones that you can stash in the trunk of your car. The flimsy folding umbrellas work for certain time, but then they break down. The Lumadot LED Umbrella adds some special tech features to something that almost everybody needs on their umbrella: lights.

The umbrella includes a row of fiber optic lights that highlight the shape of the umbrella. There is also another switch that will make the lights dance or turn them completely off. There is also another light built into the handle, so that you have a flashlight on hand at all times. To power all of these lights, you’ll need 3 AAA batteries.

The Lumadot LED Umbrella is available at ThinkGeek for $24.99 (USD).

[via Geek Alerts]

Keyport Slide Gets New LED Light Blade

Shane McGlaun — Mon, 07 Mar 2011 17:05:18 +0000

If you have a ton of keys on your keying in your pocket I would bet that you get annoyed by all the bulk and having to dig for the key you want. You can’t just throw away all the keys to your office, home, storage, and cars, but you can make them easier to carry. The Keyport has been around for a long time and the thing has recently been updated.

The new version of the Keyport still holds six different slide-out blanks that can be used for cars – with blanks available for cars that need keys with chips too. The Keyport also has available blanks for USB storage and a new blank that has an LED flashlight.

Click to View Embedded Video Clip

The LED light can be pre-ordered right now for $9.99 and will fit into existing Keyports. A starter kit with one chipped car key starts at $94. A version without a car key starts at $79 and a USB insert sells for $19 for 4GB and $39 for 8GB.

Olight SR90 Intimidator: The Flashlight to End All Flashlights

Lambert Varias — Thu, 03 Mar 2011 13:19:37 +0000

We’ve featured flashlights that are incredibly small and light, and flashlights that are designed to last at least forever. Now here’s a flashlight that goes over the top where it matters most: shining a light. Actually I don’t think “shining” can do justice to the Olight SR90 Intimidator, not when its maximum output is 2200 lumens – way brighter than a car’s headlights. It’s a freakin’ optic blast. It’s a flashheavy.

The light from the SR90 isn’t just strong, it has a phenomenal reach as well – 1000m, or about 0.6 miles. What. The flashlight can shine in full power for as long as 80 minutes before its battery runs out, but if you use it in Low Mode – a “mere” 700 lumens – then it can last up to 9 hours. And in case you need to attract attention or induce mass epileptic seizures, the SR90 has a Strobe Mode, where it will flicker on and off using the full 2200 lumens for up to 150 mins. straight. There are battery indicators at the bottom of the SR90 so you know how much longer you can fend off the darkness.

Its phenomenal lighting powers comes at a price though, and I’m not just talking about how much it costs. The SR90 is 13.23 in long and weighs almost 3.5 lbs. And yes, it’s expensive. As of this writing Battery Junction is selling SR90s for $450 (USD), and that’s already discounted by $100. This is definitely not for mere blackouts.

Check out the video below to see the Intimidator being put through its paces by a guy who’s totally dressed for the occasion:

Click to View Embedded Video Clip

[via The Red Ferret Journal]

Lightsaber Detects Which Side of The Force You Belong On

Technabob — Mon, 14 Feb 2011 17:40:22 +0000

Whether you’re Jedi or Sith, you need a lightsaber in your bag of tricks, right? But what if you don’t know if your life’s calling is to work for the Dark Side or Light Side of the Force? Grab one of these Force detecting lightsabers, and you can find out.

After you assemble this miniature lightsaber kit, place the saber in your hand, and it’ll glow blue if you belong on the Light Side, and red if you belong on the Dark Side. I wonder what color it glows if you don’t have the force at all.

While I’m guessing it works its magic through a simple random number generator, I’d rather keep myself under the delusion that it can actually detect whether you’re good or evil.

Grab one over at the Star Wars Shop for $14.99 (USD).

Pop Up Microlites Help You See Your Remote in the Dark

Chris B. — Wed, 24 Nov 2010 13:08:37 +0000

Darkness is good for sleeping and watching movies. But you know what it’s bad for? Seeing stuff.

Obviously, the fix for seeing things in the dark is light. If you want to see lots of stuff inside, you turn on the main lights in a room. If you only want to see something small, a flashlight would be sufficient. You don’t want to carry a flashlight around everywhere with you, so a good solution is to strap a tiny little light to everything you’d want to see, right? Apparently that is the idea behind these Pop Up Microlites.

Let’s say you’ve settled in for a nice evening of watching movies in the dark, but then the phone rings and you need to pause the movie. You could grab the remote, feel for the pause button (or use the light from the TV to see it) and then press it. Or, you could attach one of these ugly little $10 Pop-up Microlites beforehand, so you can pop up the light and see the pause button.

Click to View Embedded Video Clip

I’m sure there are good uses for this product, but I’m just not buying it with the whole remote thing. If you’re that concerned about seeing the buttons, go buy yourself a cheap universal remote with backlit buttons. Sure, it’ll take a few extra minutes to program, but it won’t be half as ugly.

[via RedFerret]

Joby Launches Gorillatorch Switchback Lantern

Shane McGlaun — Thu, 21 Oct 2010 16:54:26 +0000

I would bet that most of us have needed to work on something under the hood of the car or under a cabinet before, and needed both hands but needed a flashlight too. Typically that means you had to hold the flashlight in your mouth or call someone to help you. Joby has a line of flashlights called Gorillatorch that eliminate the need for that flashlight holder.

The latest addition to the Gorillatorch line is the new Switchback. The thing is on the same articulating tripod Gorillapod line is famous for. But the Switchback is a lot different from the other lights in the line. The Switchback can be used as a lantern when you don’t need a focused beam and can be fitted with a headlight when you do need a focused beam.

I assume that headlight is used not for strapping to your head, but to be able to get a spotlight on a specific area rather than just providing general illumination like a lamp does. The Switchback has multiple brightness settings with 5 lumen, 20 lumen, 80 lumen, and 130 lumen settings. Power comes from AA batteries good for up to 72 hours of use. You can buy the Switchback for $59.95 (USD) right now.

LEGO Minifig Flashlights: 2 Lights, 1 Fig

Lambert Varias — Tue, 14 Sep 2010 11:41:14 +0000

These minifig flashlights add to the LEGO lamps released a few months ago. Each of them have a white LED light at the bottom of each foot, and their legs are poseable so that you can point the lights in different directions, e.g. one pointing forward and one pointing downward.

At 7.5-inches tall, these minifigs won’t fit in your pocket, but they’re still somewhat portable because the LEDs are powered by three AAA batteries.

Right now the NeatoShop has the Fireman, Policeman and Construction Worker minifig flashlight in stock; each of them sells for $22 (USD). I’m waiting for the Cowboy, the Native American and the Biker minifigs. Maybe the Fireman can stand in for the G.I.?

[via Neatorama]

Mpower Emergency Illuminator: the Flashlight With a Backup Plan

Lambert Varias — Thu, 04 Mar 2010 13:20:40 +0000

Unveiled at CES 2010, mPower Technologies‘ Emergency Illuminator is a powerhouse of a flashlight. It contains two rechargeable and replaceable CR123 batteries for normal use. But it also has a reserve battery, which can hold its full capacity for up to 20 years.

The Emergency Illuminator’s LED blasts out 180 lumens of light. The primary batteries can power the flashlight for “hours”, while the reserve has enough juice for two hours of high-intensity light. To use the reserve battery, “simply twist the cap until you hear a snap. That breaks the internal barrier, enabling liquid electrolyte to come into contact with the solid electrodes, activating the battery.”

To fully cement its claim as a device that “provides power when and where you need it”, the Emergency Illuminator (that’s a damn good euphemism for a flashlight) has a USB port, so you can siphon its power to your other gadgets. Obviously if you don’t have the necessary cable with you this feature will be useless.

If its looks and features have not given you an idea of its price, this will: the flashlight’s case was designed by Porsche Design Studio. Actual cost? $290 (USD).

Click to View Embedded Video Clip

The flashlight will pop up in online stores this month, but if you want your own Emergency Illuminator ASAP you can contact mPower (the store is a lie, click the Amazon link and you’ll be taken to mPower’s contact/pre-order page) to pre-order the device. I think Alan Wake just pre-ordered fifty of these.

[via Gear Live]

Stanley Flashlight Watch is Overkill for Most Wrists

Range — Thu, 31 Dec 2009 11:00:03 +0000

This watch from Stanley has something special that most watches don’t. Nope, it’s not a built-in GPS, digital camera or a mobile phone, but a built-in flashlight!

If I was thinking about a watch I wanted to get, I guess that the last thing that would cross my mind would be a watch that has a full-on flashlight built into it. I’m sure it’s useful sometimes, but it looks super-geeky.

There are some really neat watches for cross-training that rock from companies like Suunto and Garmin. They come with GPS and cost between $300-500. But none of them has the pure geek allure of this little marvel.

When you’re not wearing it, this oddity can sit in the drawer alongside your compass watch, calculator watch, and television watch. I have to say that it looks pretty ugly, but the basic concept is something that I think that we could see in more new watches. I think it would be cool if they came with LED lights on them.

The Stanley flashlight watch is available over at Brando for $58 (USD).

Make Your Own Bat Signal

Technabob — Sat, 19 Dec 2009 22:18:04 +0000

Picture this – you’re being held hostage by an evil, bad-makeup-wearin’ supervillian, but you’re 25 miles away from Gotham City. Normally, you’d be screwed, right? But just then, you reach into your backpack and whip out your own portable Bat Signal, hailing the Dark Knight from across town. He swoops in, beats the living crap out of your captor and frees you to live another day.

That’s pretty much what DIY-er Oceaneer99 was going for when he put together his very own handheld Bat Signal, using everyday components to build it. At the core of the portable Bat Signal is a 45-lumen LED flashlight, a custom-cut acrylic bat logo, and ABS pipe and other plumbing parts.

While Oceaneer99 hasn’t provided a guide to build your own Bat Signal, you can pretty much figure it out from looking at the parts he used. Personally, I’d build mine with something bright enough to be seen a little further away – maybe a 700mW green laser.

[via Make:]

Maratac Aaa Flashlight: Heavy on the Light, Light on the Heavy

Lambert Varias — Wed, 16 Dec 2009 12:38:46 +0000

Although County Comm’s website leaves a lot to be desired, their flashlights are no-nonsense, functional gadgets. Take the Maratac AAA flashlights for example. It’s made of aircraft-grade aluminum and its lens has been treated with an anti-reflective coating. Touted as the world’s smallest AAA flashlight, the Maratac AAA measures a mere 2.7-inches and weighs only 20 grams (obviously it’s going to weigh more than that when you add the battery). On the low setting, you’ll get 50 hours of light at 1.5 lumens; on medium, 4 hours at 18 lumens; and on high, 48 minutes at 80 lumens.

Now I’ve never actually used an LED flashlight so maybe this is just me, but I was really surprised at how bright this tiny motherflipper can be. Note that in the video the guy says that the highest setting is at 62 lumens, but on their website it says 80 lumens.

Click to View Embedded Video Clip

I actually watched that video three times because I wanted to make sure that at around 0:34 the guy actually says, “We made this light very simple and the reason for it was HEY: Simple. Is. Always. Works.” Stuff like that make my day.

You can order the Maratac AAA flashlight at County Comm’s blast from the past website for $22 (USD). It’s available in Natural and Black. There’s also a $28 stainless steel version if aluminum ain’t your thing. The Maratac AAA flashlight: Simple. Is. Always. Works.

[via The Awesomer]

Flashlight Pendant Lamps Prove That Porcelain Can Make Anything Look Sophisticated

Lambert Varias — Sun, 08 Nov 2009 12:51:32 +0000

Even if you were asked to name a hundred beautiful objects, would you include flashlights in your list? Of course not. But what if the flashlights were made of porcelain?

Oooo shiny. Of course they’re not portable, but who cares right? Nothing says you’re a millionaire like porcelain hanging flashlight lamps! They’re just $42 (USD) a piece at Fred Flare, whether you want the small, medium or large version. So what are you waiting for? You gotta get yourself some porcelain flashlights!

[via holycool]

Glowing Zelda Belt Buckle Lights the Way

Alisha K. — Thu, 22 Oct 2009 10:45:31 +0000

When I think Legend of Zelda, I think glowing belt buckles. Okay, no, actually I think of Link holding things over his head, but there’s nothing that says you couldn’t hold this modded belt buckle (belt! buckle! mod!) over your head. In fact, if it was mine? That’s exactly what I’d do.

At this point, you’re probably thinking, “okay, neat and all, but glowing? I know from glowing, and that’s not glowing.” Wait, friends. There’s more.

It’s a flashlight in a belt buckle. It lights the way… from directly above your crotch. Glorious.

BenHeck.com forum regular ShockSlayer wanted to give his belt buckle a little flash(light), so with the aid of a trusty LED, a drill, some epoxy, and a couple of batteries, he put together the most outrageous belt buckle I’ve ever seen. Rodeo belts got nothing on this.