RSS
Wow, this is bizarro - a company is selling LED throwies for $24 as a tradmarked "GLOWiE". They used heat shrink on the thr(gl)owies - well, that's pretty smart.
Discuss in the comments!
GLOWiE L.E.D. Art LightsBattery operated accent lighting for parties, events or decoration. Let your imagination run wild.
Features
- 6 vibrant colors blue, green, red, white, orange and yellow (3 of each color in a pack of 18)
- Extremely bright LED technology
- Powerful magnetic base enables mounting to metal surfaces
- Can also be applied to any surface using
- double-sided tape (not included)
- Batteries included. Lasts for several hours
Instructions- Pull tab for illuminationGLOWiE StreetGlow, thanks noenemies! - Link.
Apply to any surface
How and where to properly dispose of lithium batteries in your area - Link.
Related:
From the pages of MAKE:
LED Throwies by Graffiti Research Lab in 123. MAKE 06 - page 116. Make and toss a bunch of these inexpensive little lights to add color to any ferromagnetic surface in your neighborhood. Subscribers--read this article now in your digital edition or get MAKE 06 @ the Maker store.
They look kind of, erm, "medical" to me. Anyone else? Kinda neat though, and not a terrible price...
Reply to this comment
It may work in a mostly-controlled process, but I wouldn't advise that the average person make a habit of pointing a heat gun at lithium batteries.
Reply to this comment
I'm sorry but if I'm literally going to 'throw away' 24 dollars I'd rather give it to someone that could use the money. The whole idea of throwies, (while admittedly kind of fun) is still very wasteful both in terms of hard earned money and physical resources. I dont have a really strong opinion on this but it just seems like it's 180 degrees from what Make: is all about.
Reply to this comment
@gear_head - i thought it was weird too. hence the post, i tried to make it more clear with an edit.
Reply to this comment
It would be nice if people going on about "LED throwies" would stop for a second and consider the environmental effects of tossing lots of batteries into the environment. Stupid is only the start of it.
Reply to this comment
@pinkunicorn - they actually do (did) talk about this a lot at their workshops.
that said, i'm not sure anyone could really say any electronics project is "good" for the environment. they all have batteries, they all are made with toxic stuff. i tend to take a different view, provided they are learning tools we will over time work together and smarter with a new generation of scientists and engineers to make things better. but i don't know how to get there without some "waste" - it's sorta the tradeoff for our species's progress (or non-progress depending your view i guess).
Reply to this comment
geez... that company has got to be making at least 500% profit on those things.... what a waste...
Reply to this comment
The Boston PD is already mobilizing a preemptive strike force...
For those so inclined: If you get those self-contained light-show LEDs, or just plain blinking ones, they do a much better job of catching the eye compared to a steady glow. A handful of the blinkers all drifting in and out of sync can be quite a sight!
Also, I like the heat-shrink idea. It's sturdier and would probably survive a slingshot much better than tape. Pre-bend the LED's leads a bit so they make good contact with the battery.
Reply to this comment
The price is a bit much... I recently bought a ten-pack of little LED flashlights for $5 shipped. They're just throwies without magnets; a blue/white LED and a pair of 3V coin cells. Squeezing the body of the flashlight makes the LED leads contact the battery... it really is just a throwie in a plastic housing. There's also a 'switch' that forces the leads to make contact so it'll stay on.
Reply to this comment