Maybe the coolest thing ever that's not a videogame.

[Walker]

A portable 1W blue laser. Just so we're clear, that means it can light paper on fire and burn skin at close range. Oh yeah...and it looks like a lightsaber.

Apparently Lucas is not happy with the Hong Kong based company that produces them. They might not be available in this form for long.

Here's the company's homepage.

And here's the laser.

[Brad]

i heard about this from an engineer friend of mine a few weeks ago. he's getting one, on the sole reason that it's a handheld laser. can't wait to burn some ants with it =)

[Josiah]

I'm honestly horrified by these things.
When laser pointers became cheap and easy to own, idiot kids in middle schools everywhere were shining them constantly, and into each others' eyes. I'm not saying people shouldn't be able to own one of these, not any more than a man should be able to own a circular saw that he keeps in his garage. But idiots wielding them in public should be treated like you'd treat somebody waving a chainsaw in public.

[Walker]

The baby laser pointers that can now be cheaply purchased are only dangerous if they hit your eye either at close range, or for an extended period. When closing your eyes is the only safety measure needed, I don't think I'd equate them to chainsaws. It's about as bad as a very long pencil or pair of scissors-the old fashioned ways of putting out someone's eye.

This particular laser is unquestionably dangerous. It requires special eye protection to look at the beam (not shined in your eye....just to be in the same room with it.) The company includes that protective eye ware with the purchase, as well as forces you to read an entire safety and regulation handbook before they'll ship you one. Plus they're still 200 bucks. Not THAT expensive, but not so cheap that they will become a ubiquitous toy for middle-schoolers. I'm not worried.

[Josiah]

I didn't mean to suggest that the little red laser pointers were dangerous, just that idiots liked to use them a lot for stupid reasons, and I'm concerned that idiots will get a hold of these super-dangerous lasers.
I didn't realize you need protection just to look at the beam! Wow, that's pretty insane. By the way, Chris bought one and it's on the way in the mail.

[Walker]

*Gasp!*

I am sooo jealous. I want to do laser experiments.

[Brad]

on each other.

[Bill]

Chris read up on these before buying one and was telling me about the dangers of his Class IV laser. Saying, that the human eye can only withstand a few milliseconds from the laser before going permanently blind, without eye protection. Indirect exposure or exposure without proper protection could cause you to lose the ability to see the color green for 6 months, is what he said. So I'm pretty much safe.

[Josiah]

I nominate Bill to be the first one to look directly into the beam.

[Walker]

Second.