Laser Pointer Extream [Archive] - Lounge of Tomorrow

Moonliner

06-16-2010, 01:18 PM

Now here is a Fathers Day gift idea sure to outshine them all!

A 1W Blue laser pointer from Wickedlasers.com (http://www.wickedlasers.com/lasers/Spyder_III_Pro_Arctic_Series-96-37.html)

http://theawesomer.com/photos/2010/01/011910_laser_3.jpg

Perhaps you've seen how a green laser pointer can pop a balloon a few feet away? This guy can do it from the house across the street.

It comes with warnings like:

Can causes INSTANT blindness
Set skin on fire
Blind a pilot 24 Miles away
Just looking at the blue beam (pointed away from you) causes green color blindness

Wicked indeed (http://www.wickedlasers.com/laser-tech/blue_light_hazard.html) and yours for less than $200. Given that even the beam seen reflected off a wall can cause permanent eye damage, I have to wonder if more stringent purchasing rules might be a good idea.

Chernabog

06-16-2010, 02:00 PM

Yes, but do they come pre-mounted to sharks, or are the sharks sold separately?

(Yeesh, these things should be sold only to those with a license)

Moonliner

06-16-2010, 02:06 PM

I started that post thinking, man this is so freaking cool!

Then as I added the links I started reading the warnings in more detail and my viewpoint shifted.

These things really are the first commercially available laser weapons, and the company is dressing them up to look like toy light sabers.

$200 each is not enough of a barrier to entry, I would sell these like handguns at the very least.

Kevy Baby

06-16-2010, 02:25 PM

I would classify this under "just because you can doesn't mean you should"

Capt Jack

06-16-2010, 02:27 PM

$200 each is not enough of a barrier to entry, I would sell these like handguns at the very least.

I must agree. I see zero sense in making such a thing so readily available to the first feckless wanker with $200 burning a hole in his pocket.

(mine should arrive in 10-14 business days ;) )

j/k

Ghoulish Delight

06-16-2010, 02:31 PM

On the plus side, said feckless-wanker is more likely to add a literal pocket-hole to that figurative one long before managing to injure anyone else.

Alex

06-16-2010, 02:32 PM

What are the intended legitimate uses for one of these?

Gemini Cricket

06-16-2010, 02:34 PM

I made a cat run two blocks away and then back with one of these. Great exercise for felines.
Also, Frodo liked it too. I used to run him around the park for long periods of time with one of those.

Kevy Baby

06-16-2010, 02:36 PM

Also, Frodo liked it too. I used to run him around the park for long periods of time with one of those.Now I have an image of Ken (http://www.loungeoftomorrow.com/LoT/member.php?u=64) running around a park as GC teases him with a laser pointer.

innerSpaceman

06-16-2010, 02:39 PM

If they can hollow out my graphlex photo flash attachment (i.e., actual lightsaber), and put it in there - it's a sale!

Gemini Cricket

06-16-2010, 02:50 PM

Now I have an image of Ken (http://www.loungeoftomorrow.com/LoT/member.php?u=64) running around a park as GC teases him with a laser pointer.
I'm thinking he might catch on to what I was doing like 15 minutes in...

:D

Moonliner

06-16-2010, 03:08 PM

I made a cat run two blocks away and then back with one of these. Great exercise for felines.
Also, Frodo liked it too. I used to run him around the park for long periods of time with one of those.

I know you're joking but that's one of the warnings, the beams reflection off a floor or wall could be enough to blind an animal.

Alex

06-16-2010, 03:11 PM

How about if we give one to Buzz Aldrin so next time he's on the moon he can still play with his cat at home?

Moonliner

06-16-2010, 03:16 PM

What are the intended legitimate uses for one of these?

I suppose I could come up with some technical uses but they'd all be contrived.

The primary use for more powerful laser pointers is to put dots on things that are far away. Using a standard green laser pointer I was able place a visible "dot" on the tippy top of the Empire State building from two blocks away. This blue one is a few thousand percent more powerful.

Gemini Cricket

06-16-2010, 03:19 PM

I know you're joking but that's one of the warnings, the beams reflection off a floor or wall could be enough to blind an animal.
Actually, I wasn't joking. But the pointer never got near their eyes. The beam was always in front of them on the grass. That's why they chased it. It looked like a bug or something to them. They sell these at pet stores...

The events took place at 2 huge deserted baseball fields at Fort Ord that was turned into a big dog park. There were a ton of deserted housing complexes in that area. So there were no cars to worry about, either...

Moonliner

06-16-2010, 03:27 PM

Actually, I wasn't joking. But the pointer never got near their eyes. The beam was always in front of them on the grass. That's why they chased it. It looked like a bug or something to them. They sell these at pet stores...

The events took place at 2 huge deserted baseball fields at Fort Ord that was turned into a big dog park. There were a ton of deserted housing complexes in that area. So there were no cars to worry about, either...

A normal red laser pointer is fine (assuming you keep it away from the eyes), I assumed you were joking about using the blue laser that is the subject of this thread.

CoasterMatt

06-16-2010, 03:29 PM

As far as I know, if you order these in the US, you won't get it shipped to you. Another board I frequent had a discussion about these several months back.

Gemini Cricket

06-16-2010, 03:29 PM

Yes, it was red.

RStar

06-16-2010, 10:16 PM

As far as I know, if you order these in the US, you won't get it shipped to you. Another board I frequent had a discussion about these several months back.

Yes, that's what I heard. They will only ship them to Iraq and North Korea.

;)

Cadaverous Pallor

06-16-2010, 10:57 PM

Yes, it was red.Dood, laser colors aren't like "I want a blue popsicle, not a red one." Achieving a blue laser requires ridiculous amounts of power. The difference between your lil' laser red pointer and this laser is the difference between a bb gun and a sniper rifle.

Moonliner

06-17-2010, 06:51 AM

As far as I know, if you order these in the US, you won't get it shipped to you. Another board I frequent had a discussion about these several months back.

I chatted with their online sales reps, They say shipping to the US is A-OK.

However I don't see any Youtubes vids or other comments of USA'ers setting things ablaze with them so you might be right.

Moonliner

06-17-2010, 07:03 AM

Dood, laser colors aren't like "I want a blue popsicle, not a red one." Achieving a blue laser requires ridiculous amounts of power. The difference between your lil' laser red pointer and this laser is the difference between a bb gun and a sniper rifle.

Technically it does not take more power to generate a Blue laser, for example you can purchase a 5mw blue pointer (http://www.dragonlasers.com/product.php?productid=16195&cat=0&page=1&featured)that will look all blue and cool without burning out retina. Traditionally we considered blue lasers exotic because the cost to manufacture them was higher. However that's changing as a result of new manufacturing methods and greater demand. The "Blu" in "Blu Ray" is for the blue laser they use.

In fact watt for watt a green laser is perceived as more intense simply due to the fact that our eyes are more sensitive to green.

http://www.turkotek.com/mini_salon_00006/ms6_t12_files/ColorSensitivity.jpg

What makes the Blue Arctic pointer dangerous is the 1w they put behind it. A 1w Green laser pointer would have the same safety issues.

Betty

06-17-2010, 07:27 AM

How long before this is the new weapon of gang members?

CoasterMatt

06-17-2010, 10:41 AM

I tried to find the statement on their site saying that they no longer ship the most powerful models to the US, but apparently my IP (at home, no less) is banned from their forums now.

Moonliner

06-17-2010, 11:03 AM

I tried to find the statement on their site saying that they no longer ship the most powerful models to the US, but apparently my IP (at home, no less) is banned from their forums now.

Weird. I can see the forums. In short what they say is Wicked Lasers will not ship NON COMPLAINT lasers to the US. The Arctic is compliant. So it can be shipped.

15mW+ are banned in the US if they do not contain a locking mechanism or hard power off switch of some type. To have an unlocked higher powered laser just rolling around is not a good idea, and WL did post they will not ship non-compliant lasers to the US. Thus the release of the minilock. None of this is fact of course, I'm not a lawyer or anything, but to the best of my knowledge this is correct. And thank you again WL for making the only portable, high powered, US compliant laser that doesn't require you looking like a re-re with a key dangling all willy nilly.

Also of note from reading the forum on their site, no one has one yet. It looks like it hit their site around June 6th and there is still no confirmation of one being shipped.

Kevy Baby

06-17-2010, 01:39 PM

What's a "re-re"?

Kevy Baby

06-17-2010, 01:42 PM

What's a "re-re"?Here, let me Google that for me (http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=re-re).

Moonliner

06-30-2010, 12:53 PM

So far we are all still safe from blue lasers of death, but perhaps not for long. Wicked Lasers forums are rumoring a ship date of next week.

To hold you over until then, here is a video of the Arctic III in action (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H-SduY4A2kE).

Gn2Dlnd

06-30-2010, 01:03 PM

How long before this is the new weapon of gang members?

I'm not so worried about gang members, but of random asswipes sitting in the back of a movie theatre, or hanging out in Downtown Disney at night, or sports events, or anywhere there's a crowd that's easy to disappear into. Imagine the fun a firebug can have with one of these come SoCal fire season.

I'm decidedly anti-this. I'm sure someone, somewhere, is working on their 2nd amendment arguments.

Moonliner

06-30-2010, 01:17 PM

I'm not so worried about gang members, but of random asswipes sitting in the back of a movie theatre, or hanging out in Downtown Disney at night, or sports events, or anywhere there's a crowd that's easy to disappear into. Imagine the fun a firebug can have with one of these come SoCal fire season.

I'm decidedly anti-this. I'm sure someone, somewhere, is working on their 2nd amendment arguments.

On the plus side, unlike with a low power pointer, the asswipe with one of these will be VERY easy to spot. The intensely visible beam will point right back at them.

3894

06-30-2010, 01:54 PM

What are the intended legitimate uses for one of these?

Potato peeler. Burns the peels right off but you have to stand 200 ft. away and wear protective goggles.

Mousey Girl

06-30-2010, 03:38 PM

Potato peeler. Burns the peels right off but you have to stand 200 ft. away and wear protective goggles.

And it can cook it at the same time!

Moonliner

07-06-2010, 05:56 PM

*sniff* *sniff*

Me thinks something smells here..... The ship date for the Arctic keeps slipping, and now the rest of their lasers are on sale for bargain prices. I wonder if this ship is sinking.

CoasterMatt

07-06-2010, 07:35 PM

This (http://www.cnn.com/2010/TECH/gaming.gadgets/07/06/light.saber.lucas/index.html?hpt=C2) might have something to do with it...

(CNN) -- "Star Wars" creator George Lucas wants to force a laser company to stop making a new, high-powered product he says looks too much like the famous lightsaber from his classic sci-fi series.

Lucasfilm Ltd. has sent a cease-and-desist letter to Hong Kong-based Wicked Lasers, threatening legal action if it doesn't change its Pro Arctic Laser series or stop selling it altogether.

"It is apparent from the design of the Pro Arctic Laser that it was intended to resemble the hilts of our lightsaber swords, which are protected by copyright ... ," said the letter, dated last month and provided to CNN by Wicked Lasers.

Moonliner

07-06-2010, 08:39 PM

This (http://www.cnn.com/2010/TECH/gaming.gadgets/07/06/light.saber.lucas/index.html?hpt=C2) might have something to do with it...

I don't think that one is going to take. Wicked lasers never made the comparison. People and the press did. I don't think it looks enough like any specific light saber to make a good case.

If you look at their site, they are adding extra "safety" to this laser. A training lens that blocks 80% of the beam, new ordering requirements that include sending in photos of your drivers license, etc... My guess is they are stuck trying to get this thing imported.

Strangler Lewis

07-06-2010, 08:48 PM

How long before this is the new weapon of gang members?

Or the subject of litigation under the Second Amendment.

Strangler Lewis

07-06-2010, 08:51 PM

I'm decidedly anti-this. I'm sure someone, somewhere, is working on their 2nd amendment arguments.

Exactly what I was thinking.

Cadaverous Pallor

07-06-2010, 09:24 PM

I don't think that one is going to take. Wicked lasers never made the comparison. People and the press did. I don't think it looks enough like any specific light saber to make a good case. You're kidding, right? They look like lightsabers, no question. Sure, they're generalized, but it's obvious.

Moonliner

07-06-2010, 09:55 PM

You're kidding, right? They look like lightsabers, no question. Sure, they're generalized, but it's obvious.

You can make something that people think (http://www.topblogposts.com/files/wii-light-sword/1.jpg) looks (http://www.slipperybrick.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/01/camy_swords.jpg) like (http://www.movieplacement.com/light_saber.jpg) a lightsaber, but not something that looks like luke's, or Obi's, or etc....

http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a380/jkthunder/SW/luke_lightsaber.jpg

http://2media.nowpublic.net/images//6b/75/6b751dce29c66575f3b969b227d97d24.jpg

Lucas can't copyright everything vaguely tube shaped you hold in your hand.

(I'll let Kevy add the extra link for that one....)

Cadaverous Pallor

07-06-2010, 10:09 PM

http://theawesomer.com/photos/2010/01/011910_laser_3.jpg

http://starwarsplace.files.wordpress.com/2009/04/lightsabers.jpg

Looks similar enough to me. I have a Qui-Gon version (which I got for a halloween costume), which is what I was thinking of, and that seems to look the most like it. Admittedly, the more cool lightsabers are rather different.

Capt Jack

07-07-2010, 08:07 AM

Or the subject of litigation under the Second Amendment.

hmm........Im wondering if these could really be considered a 'firearm'...I mean, admittedly, they could probably set your arm on fire...but they dont seem to easily fit the definition (http://definitions.uslegal.com/f/firearms/).

but yes...someone would try. :rolleyes:

Cadaverous Pallor

07-07-2010, 10:47 AM

When the founders said "arms" they meant "deathrays".

Moonliner

07-07-2010, 07:47 PM

The Arctic is just plain stupid, and will probably never reach the market, but....

I gotta GET (make) me one of these!!!!!

Star Trek Phaser Laser (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7S71mPJ0F0Q)

Cadaverous Pallor

07-07-2010, 10:40 PM

Set phasers to "Balloon Pop".

BarTopDancer

07-07-2010, 11:07 PM

Well I wanted a death ray not!lightsaber laser but now I want a star trek phaser.

Moonliner

08-01-2010, 05:57 PM

The Arctic is just plain stupid, and will probably never reach the market, but....

It took some time but the Arctic's are now in the hands of the lunatics that ordered them (http://www.lasercommunity.com/viewtopic.php?t=18903&sid=11). God save us all!

Ok, so it's not that bad. There are numerous reports that the dangers were somewhat overstated plus the laser as delivered is not reaching the 1watt power level.

Moonliner

08-01-2010, 06:02 PM

On a side note, after trolling the laser pointer forum for awhile I had to join the fun. I now have a somewhat pedestrian (by their standards) 50mw green laser.

Geeky fun! The beam is very visible outside at night. It's like a 1/4mile long light saber. The farthest I've been able to point it is about a mile and it was easily visible at that distance. :D

Oh, and I can light a match with it.