STAR TREK
"COMMUNICATOR" FLASHLIGHT

Star Trek "Communicator" Flashlight, retail $ (Free*)
Manufactured by Logistix, Inc. (URL not known)
Last updated 07-26-09






This is an LED flashlight designed to look like one of those communicator badges from Star Trek; I believe it is being offered as a "tie in" to the new (mid-2009) Star Trek movie.

It comes in a matte silver finished plastic body, has a 5mm yellow LED (this LED projects light both forward and sideways through a diffused Starfleet logo on the upper surface of the product), and is powered by an an unknown type & number of (what I believe are) button cells.

The unit appears to be disposable; there are no instructions for changing batteries and no obvious means of accessing the internal parts of the light to change batteries.

* Product was free; it was found in a cereal box.

The uppermost photograph above is the "Starfleet Command" version; the one below it is the "Engineering" version.


Size of product w/hand to show scale SIZE



Batteries are included and installed; so the product is ready to use as soon as you rip open the little plastic baggie it comes in.

Press and hold in the little pushbutton switch on the side of the product to activate it.

Release pressure on the switch to deactivate it.

Yes, it really *IS* that easy.



This is designed to be a disposable product, therefore, I do not have to tell you which part to remove, huck over the side of a bridge, and then rather emphatically tell you not to.



The Star Trek "Communicator" Flashlight is reasonably durable - at least to the point where it won't just fall apart or go out during normal use. This is an all-plastic product, and there are also no environmental seals (such as O-rings) visible. So I won't throw it against the wall, stomp on it, try to drown it in the {vulgar term for feces}bowl or the cistern, run over it, swing it against the concrete floor of a front porch, use a small ball peen hammer to bash it open in order to check it for candiosity, fire it from the cannoņata (I guess I've been watching the TV program "Viva Piņata" too much again - candiosity is usually checked with a laser-type device on a platform with a large readout (located at Piņata Central), a handheld wand that Langston Lickatoad uses, or a pack-of-cards-sized instrument that Fergy Fudgehog uses; and the cannoņata (also located at Piņata Central) is only used to shoot piņatas to piņata parties away from picturesque Piņata Island), send it crashing into a quantum filament*, send it to the Daystrom Institute for additional analysis, or inflict upon it punishments that a flashlight in a metal or sturdier plastic body may have inflicted upon it.

I typically do not rate disposable products higher than 4 stars, so even if it were perfect (which it isn't), it would not make it into The Trophy Case on this website.



Beam photograph (yellow LED version) on the test target at 12".
Measures 1,480mcd on a Meterman LM631 (now Amprobe LM631A) light meter.



Beam photograph (blue LED version) on the test target at 12".
Measures 940mcd on a Meterman LM631 (now Amprobe LM631A) light meter.



Photograph (yellow LED version) showing the Starfleet "window" illuminated.



Photograph (blue LED version) showing the Engineering "window" illuminated.


Spectrographic plot
Spectrographic analysis of the LED (yellow LED version) in this flashlight.


Spectrographic plot
Spectrographic analysis of the LED (blue LED version) in this flashlight.
USB2000 spectrometer graciously donated by P.L.


ProMetric analysis
Beam cross-sectional analysis (yellow LED version).
This product is a bit dim to test in this manner, but here "ya" go anyway.


ProMetric analysis
Beam cross-sectional analysis (blue LED version).
This product is a bit dim to test in this manner, but here "ya" go anyway.
Images made using the ProMetric System by Radiant Imaging.






TEST NOTES:
Test unit was found inside a box of Kellog's Fruit Loops cereal by my sister on 07-17-09 and was subsequently given to me.

Product was made in China.
A product's country of origin really does matter to some people, which is why I published it on this web page.


UPDATE: 07-26-09
A version of this light with a blue LED has now become available to me. Spectrographic and beam cross-sectional analyses have been performed.


PROS:
Slightly more greenish-than-usual yellow LED
Nifty tie-in for the new (mid-2009) Star Trek movie


CONS:
Disposable - that means you'll be throwing away a perfectly good LED when the batteries poop out
Not too water-resistant - but it really wasn't meant to be


    MANUFACTURER: Logistix, Inc.
    PRODUCT TYPE: Novelty LED flashlight
    LAMP TYPE: 5mm LED
    No. OF LAMPS: 1
    BEAM TYPE: Ringy, somewhat ovoid medium spot
    SWITCH TYPE: Momentary pushbutton on/off on side of product
    CASE MATERIAL: Plastic
    BEZEL: Plastic; LED recessed into hosel for it
    BATTERY: Unknown type/number of button cells
    CURRENT CONSUMPTION: Unknown/unable to measure
    WATER RESISTANT: Very light sprinkle-resistant at maximum
    SUBMERSIBLE: No way Hozay!!!
    ACCESSORIES: Batteries
    WARRANTY: Unknown/not stated

    PRODUCT RATING:

    Star RatingStar Rating





Star Trek "Communicator" Flashlight *






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