Hey I wish you luck with this project. Im following your 500lumen AA light thread too.
One thing I do like is that your stuff is aiming for a reasonable price point. The 38DD for example is a really cool amulet light with variable output and high max lumens. But it is also hundreds of dollars... Plus like you said, it has a lot more bulk to it.
I guess my problem with the concept is that there are already quite a few ways to provide light in a compact manner. Honestly this thing is going to be functionally equivalent (at best) to taking a 99 cent squeezie light and tying it around your neck. Won't LOOK nearly as cool of course! But the cheapie is easily attached to a keychain or purse of even non-flashaholics to provide 10-20 lumens as needed while taking up no weight or bulk. Cell Phones often have "flashlight" modes.
Flashaholics will carry an itp A3 or equivalent on their keychain which provides a huge amount of light (relatively speaking). I can't see that many wearing something around their neck.
I figure if someone IS gonna wear a flashlight around their neck, that they probably would go with the 38DD or Draco, etc which gives a lot more wow-factor. Make sure to get a solid gauge of user demand before proceeding too far with this one...especially since you already have a few other buns in the oven!
Hi Joe,
Certainly appreciate the conscientious feedback.
I have taken the factors you mentioned into account during the concept creation.
The "BIG" differentiator between the Core Ti and the lights you mentioned is that the Core Ti is jewelry first,
with an embedded light second. I do believe the others to be designed as a flashlight first.
Some people just want to wear something that looks stylish and unobtrusive.
There is no shortage of pure titanium "dog tags" that sell for much more than the Core Ti and seem to be doing reasonably well.
At approximately 5grams, its light, is something I could envision a supermodel wearing (in fact I had made some mockups on the neck of some female models but stopped short of posting those pics at the last minute as I didn't want to offend or bias the target of the Core Ti), and IMHO something I'd be as happy wearing as I would a pricier Cartier pendant, with the added benefit and surprise of there being a flashlight embedded in the 3mm~ body.
The "wow" factor in the Core Ti, is that its something small/thin enough to look as though it could be part of some circuit board, and the surprise is that it "produces" light, as opposed to the volume of light.
In light of many recent events around the world in the last year (earthquakes, floods, tsunamis, etc), I think that given a choice of a far more expensive designer pendant (perhaps larger too), that is indeed only a pendant and nothing more, versus a reasonably priced, pure titanium pendant (and priced more competitively than most other titanium jewelry pendants), enough people (who are not necessarily hard core flashaholics needing 1000 lumens
or even aware that is possible) may like the Core Ti.
So far the non-flashaholics I've show the concept too have shown favor to the concept, but there is only one way to really find out, and that is to make it and try
1000 lumens is not a bad thing, I'm the first to raise my hand and admit I'm crazy like that, but even I prefer a small amount of light for some things.
Hope that makes sense,
tgwnn
