USB LED Laptop Light?

Has anyone evaluated these gooseneck led lights that plug into a USB port?

I bought one last year and it is so dim now that it is useless. I was wondering if anyone is modding these types of lights or can recommend a good brand. If someone is able to mod mine, that would be great. Maybe a Luxeon?
I have a laptop and wanted a nice bright light the illuminates the whole keyboard.

Haven't been on CPF since last summer, so I'm a little lost.
I tried to use the search function on this site but keep getting errors...

I have evaluated every conceivable USB laptop USB light configuration and i can tell you that the gooseneck light is a good light but after using it for a while it tends to not stay in place. The gooseneck part gets wobbly and starts to become more of a pain than helpful.

The two lights i recommend both attach to the top of the laptop and work very well. One is made by Targus and the other by Belkin.

http://www.amazon.com/Targus-PA015U-Notebook-USB-Light/dp/B00006B91X

http://www.amazon.com/Belkin-Retractable-USB-Light-F8E448/dp/B00008L3J1

i've tried a few brands and while i can get them to do the job, they aren't exactly "wonderful" products.

that said, for a buck you can get a cheaply made version from Dollar Tree to see if you even like the idea.

I picked up one of these a few months ago for use with my OQO handheld:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=120051194488

The keyboard (thumboard) on the OQO is not backlit so this little thing makes working in the dark possible. It's not great but it gets the job done. I haven't used it for more than 10 hours so I wonder sometimes what the lumen maintenance on the LED will be like. I expect the LED is driven directly by the USB 5v, so I don't expect long life. But for $6 shipped I can live with that.

I really didn't give USB lights a second look until I got my OQO. Laptop screens are angled such that they shed a little light on the keyboard, plus I'm a touch typist, so I rarely look at the keyboard anyways. Since I got my OQO and the thumboard is not backlit and too small to touch type on, USB lights started getting a second look.

Guys, what do you find USB lights useful for? Illuminating paper next to your laptop maybe?? I've eliminated paper from my workflow (Tablet PC is wonderful!) so that may be why I don't see much use for the bigger units.

they seem somewhat overdriven....so they dim overtime

i was going to try the "run a 1 watt luxeon on USB" experiment
then I never got to it after I bought an IBM [lenovo] thinkpad...with a built-in led light...

power USB 2.0 can supply +5V up to 500ma....mmm, maybe i should resume this project.....:naughty:

Thanks for the links. I've been looking at an eight LED unit from Iogear, but ordered a twenty LED unit from Ebay for less than ten bucks. Don't have high hopes for it but the for the money, I'll give it a go.
I have a Targus wireless numeric key pad that I'd like to shine some light on. I'm not that great at typing, so I need to see the keyboard for rarely used keys.
Seems like a new piece of gear for modders.........

nice pic here: http://mikegyver.com/buy/rediLite.jpg

you mean this?
http://cgi.ebay.com/Flexible-USB-20...yZ116345QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

its only $10 shipped

Illum_the_nation said:

you mean this?
http://cgi.ebay.com/Flexible-USB-20...yZ116345QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

its only $10 shipped

Click to expand...

Yup, that's the one I just ordered.

XS cargo is selling Compaq ones with 2 LED's for $5 Canadian, also princess Auto has them as well for the same price. its pretty good quality.

That 20 LED one just arrived and it is sweet! Very bright and not as blueish is I thought it would be. Here's the big suprise: it's made in Branunschweig, Germany. I was expecting a Chinese made item, but this one looks like something out of an operating room, with its stainless steel gooseneck.
I just mounted it over my desktop keyboard and eliminated a three bulb swag lamp.

does it have a switch on it you do you have to just unplug it?

FlashGordon said:

That 20 LED one just arrived and it is sweet! Very bright and not as blueish is I thought it would be. Here's the big suprise: it's made in Branunschweig, Germany. I was expecting a Chinese made item, but this one looks like something out of an operating room, with its stainless steel gooseneck.
I just mounted it over my desktop keyboard and eliminated a three bulb swag lamp.

Click to expand...

Does the light illuminate your entire keyboard clearly? Does it get hot after 1-3hours of use? dam. the seller only ship withing the US. I am from canada.