beam_me_up
Enlightened
Found this the other day....thought I might share it.
http://www.wired.com/news/technology/0,1282,55179,00.html
http://www.wired.com/news/technology/0,1282,55179,00.html
Interesting LED Article to read
- Thread starter beam_me_up
- Start date
Help Support Candle Power Flashlight Forum
Charles Bradshaw
Flashlight Enthusiast
From the article:
Flashlight maker Rayovac, which launched value-priced LED flashlights and head-mounted lights through Wal-Mart in July at prices ranging from $10 to $20, says the lights have been an unexpected hit with mainstream consumers.
"Quite a few Wal-Marts sold out in the first week. It surprised us," said Peter Steel, global director of lighting products for Rayovac.
Steel said focus groups had not responded as enthusiastically to the lights. "The research we did is consumers don't understand (the technology)," he said. The key benefit they understand is the run time."
Shows you what these 'focus' groups know.
now if they looked into Luxeons, they would go for it in a big way: more batteries than nichia LEDs.
Flashlight maker Rayovac, which launched value-priced LED flashlights and head-mounted lights through Wal-Mart in July at prices ranging from $10 to $20, says the lights have been an unexpected hit with mainstream consumers.
"Quite a few Wal-Marts sold out in the first week. It surprised us," said Peter Steel, global director of lighting products for Rayovac.
Steel said focus groups had not responded as enthusiastically to the lights. "The research we did is consumers don't understand (the technology)," he said. The key benefit they understand is the run time."
Shows you what these 'focus' groups know.
now if they looked into Luxeons, they would go for it in a big way: more batteries than nichia LEDs.
Here is a good read
http://www.spectrum.ieee.org/WEBONLY/publicfeature/sep02/lite.html
http://www.spectrum.ieee.org/WEBONLY/publicfeature/sep02/lite.html
webley445
Flashlight Enthusiast
I would agree. If a little more knowledge about LED's got out to the general public it would help too. Generally speaking though, I think that the pricing on LED is still a bit high for mainstream (not for me , but the public). Seems most folks only want to spend as little as possible for lights, unless they are looking for a light for a specific task. . Usually this means paying just a very few dollars more for something that is waterproof or more rugged due to specific task/conditions that they must endure. Most folks will still turn to Mags for something "rugged" for outdoor/working tasks. Mini-Mags second for something" smaller and more easily carried/handled" but still "rugged". And they do not see the need to spend $10 for a quality Photon type keychain light when a 2D cell can be had for $5.
IMHO if the prices on mainstream LED lights could come down a little more their sales would increase. People need to be made more knowledgeable to the fact that they last longer (bulb/runtime) and you need a product that will give the same if not more output as a Mini-Mag. I can't help but feel that the public files these claims about LED's as "advertising hype" (a by product of our consumer age).
Now I'm talking general public consumer, not tradesmen or profesional occupations. Mag's are still the standard measured by with the household goods consumer. Just my $0.02
IMHO if the prices on mainstream LED lights could come down a little more their sales would increase. People need to be made more knowledgeable to the fact that they last longer (bulb/runtime) and you need a product that will give the same if not more output as a Mini-Mag. I can't help but feel that the public files these claims about LED's as "advertising hype" (a by product of our consumer age).
Now I'm talking general public consumer, not tradesmen or profesional occupations. Mag's are still the standard measured by with the household goods consumer. Just my $0.02
MichiganMan
Enlightened
Personally I think something is going on in the traditional flashlight market. LEDs really caught my interest about a year ago and since then I've paid a lot more attention to the flashlight aisles. What I've seen is a flood of flashiness and marketing implying innovation among the traditional flashlight makers: mag light, Rayovac etc. It seems to me they've read the writing on the industry wall and decided they'd better proactively grab consumers before LEDs really hit the mainstream public's consciouness.
ie, One flashlight with the big letters LED on the package caught my eye. Oh, the LED is a little red blinker on the incadescent's body to help you find it in the dark, yeah, thanks guys, that's what I want.
Anyone else notice the explosion of new packaging, gimmicks and such in the flashlight aisles? Am I right or is this just my usual conspiratorial paranoia?
ie, One flashlight with the big letters LED on the package caught my eye. Oh, the LED is a little red blinker on the incadescent's body to help you find it in the dark, yeah, thanks guys, that's what I want.
Anyone else notice the explosion of new packaging, gimmicks and such in the flashlight aisles? Am I right or is this just my usual conspiratorial paranoia?
poalcat
Newly Enlightened
Marked -
You're from where? Perhaps you mean New Jersey. Or is it Rochester, N.Y.?
You're from where? Perhaps you mean New Jersey. Or is it Rochester, N.Y.?
Charles Bradshaw
Flashlight Enthusiast
That IEEE article is written in language that the average consumer can understand. Unfortunately, the consumer does not willingly spend money for a good flashlight, other than Mag-Lite. They are thoroughly programmed to buy (ad Nauseum) cheap and unreliable flashlights. It quits working: throw it out and buy another cheap and unreliable flashlight. The Mag-Lite was not intended for the consumer: emergency services and military only. The minimag was their original consumer offering.
There is a growing interest in lights that are better than Mag-Lite (including LED), just as there is a growing interest in Linux.
What is the point to mass marketing a flashlight that doesn't need bulbs all the time and lasts for many years?? Unless Meijer changed, you had to go looking in the sporting goods dept. to find the Mags, as the other lights (the cheap ones) are in the flashlight isle.
There is a growing interest in lights that are better than Mag-Lite (including LED), just as there is a growing interest in Linux.
What is the point to mass marketing a flashlight that doesn't need bulbs all the time and lasts for many years?? Unless Meijer changed, you had to go looking in the sporting goods dept. to find the Mags, as the other lights (the cheap ones) are in the flashlight isle.
