Nitecore Tube

[Warp]

Sorry, I stand corrected. Still, according to this summer's sales figures, seven non-Apple phones were sold for each Apple phone, on a world-wide basis. Even in the US, Apple only has a 41% market share. To me that makes it quite understandable why Nitecore didn't include a cable.

http://www.idc.com/getdoc.jsp?containerId=prUS25037214

Agreed. Most people already have a cell phone that uses micro USB.

And there are a lot of OTHER non-phones that use micro USB. And people who used to have a non-Apple (aka normal) phone who still have a micro USB cord somewhere.

In addition to all that, you can get micro USB cords for cheap cheap cheap. Since most people won't need to buy one just for the Tube, it makes sense to save the money, rather than charge people for a cord that most won't need (since, as we know, costs to the manufacturer are passed on to the consumer)

 

[Norm]

As an Apple iPhone user, I still somehow have accumulated at least half a dozen micro USB cables from other devices.

Norm

 

[NonSenCe]

sorry if this is mentioned..i didnt have the time to read all the pages.

so how easy is the button to press? thinking about xmas present to elderly people with arthritic fingers or partial paralysis.

photons and fauxtons were too small and fiddly to use. i believe also were too hard to turn on because of the size.

 

[Timothybil]

sorry if this is mentioned..i didnt have the time to read all the pages.

so how easy is the button to press? thinking about xmas present to elderly people with arthritic fingers or partial paralysis.

photons and fauxtons were too small and fiddly to use. i believe also were too hard to turn on because of the size.

Then you will not want a Tube. It is about a quarter of an inch square. It does not take a lot of pressure, less than a button cell light, but between the small size of the light itself and the small button I don't think anyone with finger mobility issues would be comfortable using one.
I haven't played with a Maglite in almost ten years so don't remember how hard that switch is to operate. Have you tried having them operate a 2C? The increased length and barrel diameter should make it a lot easier to grip, and also make it easier to press the switch. Off the top of my head I can't think of any other lights that might work.

EDIT: Just had another thought. Many times someone with finger mobility problems can twist something easier than press it. Think about an original G2 with the twist tail cap. It does not take a lot of effort to twist, and the cap is large enough for them to get a good grip. Change out the P60 for a sixty to eighty lumen D26 drop in and you have a nice, light, easy to grip and hopefully operate light that will run for a long time on two primaries.

 

[idleprocess]

so how easy is the button to press? thinking about xmas present to elderly people with arthritic fingers or partial paralysis.

I wouldn't suggest it - as previously mentioned the button is small. I feel that the force to actuate that button is also a tad high for what is ultimately a snap-dome switch - likely a function of the rubber boot over it. The overall size also requires some dexterity since it's so small.

 

[NonSenCe]

okay. will skip on them then. will buy one for try out ..just in case. 🙂

i think the bigger size than fauxton would make it easier to use though.

and yeah. old maglites and twisties are used now along with flashlights that seem to have good enough clicky. (some clickies clearly are very much used and liked but button tells someone has been using a pen or something to turn it on.. i offer to change the light for something else or getting a new one.. "no dont do that, i like it as is." . and some of the twisties have additioal grip attached (either hockey tape, vulkanizing tape, skateboard grip tape or sanding and dremeling for more grippy surface)

 

[StandardBattery]

I think they will be fine for elderly. In fact they even have a bonus because the double click for high can be quite slow so many could even manage that. I say get one and see, i bet it's good.

 

[twl]

Got mine today.
Very nice initial impressions.
Button is not difficult to push, but requires enough pressure to avoid turning on in pocket. Tactile feedback switch that lets you know what is going on. I like it.
UI is simple and effective. No need for any real instructions. Anyone with any flashaholic experience could figure it out in 30 second just playing around with it.
Low mode is enough, and the high mode is quite bright. Pretty amazing for a little zipper-pull type light.
I got the clear model, and there is some issue with light coming back at you when it is on. I just hold my thumb above the LED when I'm holding the light, and it blocks any of that blowback from getting in my eyes. Easy to deal with that.

The light charges on my Android Galaxy 4 charging cable. Very convenient. Rubber cover seems a little flimsy, but I can deal with it.
For the $7.82 that I paid for it, this light seems essentially impossible to beat for the money. Especially since it recharges, and I don't have to feed it any batteries. And no worries about losing it or anything. It is virtually a "disposable light".
I give it a thumbs up rating.

 

[CUL8R]

Ordered these for all my family for xmas stocking stuffers. But ordered the VN edition for me! Can't wait for everyone to ask why mine's much brighter. I'll just tell them I guess I just got lucky.

 

[Toolboxkid]

Ordered these for all my family for xmas stocking stuffers. But ordered the VN edition for me! Can't wait for everyone to ask why mine's much brighter. I'll just tell them I guess I just got lucky.

Haha I did the same thing.


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[Timothybil]

Ordered these for all my family for xmas stocking stuffers. But ordered the VN edition for me! Can't wait for everyone to ask why mine's much brighter. I'll just tell them I guess I just got lucky.

What is Vihn going to do with it to make it better?

 

[CUL8R]

What is Vihn going to do with it to make it better?

Current boost. See his thread (and video) to compare regular vs VN.

 

[idleprocess]

What is Vihn going to do with it to make it better?

Current boost. See his thread (and video) to compare regular vs VN.

One wonders how long the LED in the VN mod will survive given that it's likely overdriven in the stock design.

 

[Toolboxkid]

One wonders how long the LED in the VN mod will survive given that it's likely overdriven in the stock design.

I always overdrive LEDs, and they seem to last years. Vinh knows his stuff too. Besides, at this price point, it's practically disposable. Only time will tell


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[D6859]

Got mine yesterday. I was surprised how small and light they are! My keychain just got a lot lighter. One drawback, tho, is the PVM, which is really noticable on low level.

 

[idleprocess]

I always overdrive LEDs, and they seem to last years. Vinh knows his stuff too. Besides, at this price point, it's practically disposable. Only time will tell

With power LEDs, it's not so troublesome since they have robust thermal paths. With 5mm LEDs that have enormous thermal resistances, failure is much more likely.

 

[nbp]

I thought this was a power LED behind some kind of dome? Am I wrong? I don't think any 5mm puts out 30 lms. :thinking:

 

[idleprocess]

I thought this was a power LED behind some kind of dome? Am I wrong? I don't think any 5mm puts out 30 lms. :thinking:

Packaging looks an awful lot like a 5mm - leadframe, overall shape, and the flange at the base. Assuming 125 lm/W you need 360mW of power to spit out 45 lumens; with a 3.3V forward voltage, it would take ~109mA . Perhaps some of the thermal tolerance advances we see in power LED's from Lumileds, Cree, etc are also being implemented in 5mm die so they can better tolerate the heat.

When I bought mine it shipped with a freebie "25 lumen" keychain light that also sports the traditional 5mm package and reasonably close in apparent brightness, so it's not hard to imagine roughly double that.

 

[NonSenCe]

my first tube arrived. (and yes.. not very tube like thing at all). well worth the money.
the button does need firm push but not too much. i think it will be just fine. the u-i seems pretty good. and feels solid in construction. except that the usb port seems a bit finicky, my usb-plugs dont seem to be easy to put into it. really need to aim to get it there. few hours charge time is fine (didnt pay much attention but it was more than hour and less than two) and the flap/plug for the usb port seems flimsy and too easy to open up if jammed into tight pocket. it will be very likely torn away by accident at some point. but all in all.. nice light.. will be ordering more of them.

 

[Timothybil]

my first tube arrived. (and yes.. not very tube like thing at all). well worth the money.
the button does need firm push but not too much. i think it will be just fine. the u-i seems pretty good. and feels solid in construction. except that the usb port seems a bit finicky, my usb-plugs dont seem to be easy to put into it. really need to aim to get it there. few hours charge time is fine (didnt pay much attention but it was more than hour and less than two) and the flap/plug for the usb port seems flimsy and too easy to open up if jammed into tight pocket. it will be very likely torn away by accident at some point. but all in all.. nice light.. will be ordering more of them.

It must be a matter of manufacturing tolerances: My USB port is easy to plug into but firm, but the cover is a real pain to get off. Either way, a really nice little light.