USB thingies

[tromik]

I'm looking for a small, USB (LED?) lamp so I can see my keyboard at night. I don't have a desk lamp, and I'm all out of "holes" in the wall.

Most lamps I found were for laptops, and wouldn't reach from the back of my computer.

Also, a lot of the sights I looked at just didn't lookk like a site you wanted to but an electronic device from.

[Chris Nahr]

There's a limit on how much power a USB hub (= all ports in your PC) can supply to a non-powered device. I'm not sure a USB light would be all that useful, assuming that you have other USB devices that run on the same hub.

[Lunch of Kong]

How about one of these?
http://www.thinkgeek.com/pcmods/lighting/5e66/

2 Operating modes: steady ON & sound activated
# Long LED Stick Dimensions: 11.8" x .5" x .5"
# Mini LED Stick Dimensions: 3.1" x 1" x 1.4" (includes mount)
Cable Length: 59" from sound activator to the USB connector, 23" from sound activator to the tube

http://www.thinkgeek.com/images/action/large/21038ee.jpg

[tromik]

There's a limit on how much power a USB hub (= all ports in your PC) can supply to a non-powered device. I'm not sure a USB light would be all that useful, assuming that you have other USB devices that run on the same hub.

Just a mouse. It don't need it to be strong enough to read or anything, just see my keyboard a bit better.

[quatoria]

Wong: Any idea what that program is that's scrolling blue matrix-style text down the screen? Never seen one that does various colors.

[tromik]

How about one of these?
http://www.thinkgeek.com/pcmods/lighting/5e66/

2 Operating modes: steady ON & sound activated
# Long LED Stick Dimensions: 11.8" x .5" x .5"
# Mini LED Stick Dimensions: 3.1" x 1" x 1.4" (includes mount)
Cable Length: 59" from sound activator to the USB connector, 23" from sound activator to the tube

Sounds good!

[Duality]

This is one of the reasons I love having USB ports on my keyboard. I've got a mouse and PDA cradle running through it, but could easily remove the cradle for a light.

Thanks for the idea!

[Bullhajj]

Let's not forget about old technologies people. I just have a zippo open and burning just to the right of my keyboard. Uses no batteries and I don't need to tie up a USB port.

[Supertanker]

I refuse to buy any more Zippos after they forced the closure of Zippotricks.com. For a company that pushes a tough-guy image, they sure look like a bunch of wussies.

[Captain Tenneal]

How about one of these?
http://www.thinkgeek.com/pcmods/lighting/5e66/

2 Operating modes: steady ON & sound activated
# Long LED Stick Dimensions: 11.8" x .5" x .5"
# Mini LED Stick Dimensions: 3.1" x 1" x 1.4" (includes mount)
Cable Length: 59" from sound activator to the USB connector, 23" from sound activator to the tube

http://www.thinkgeek.com/images/action/large/21038ee.jpg

Hey, I've got that screen saver, it rocks. now I dunno about your exact pc setup, but my monitor supplies all of the light I need to see my keyboard.

[Bullhajj]

I've gone to interview devs who have taped cardboard to their windows and refuse to turn on the light in their office.

If I need them to look at something I've written on hard copy, they just open notepad, expand it to full screen, and read it in the resulting light.

[tromik]

Let's not forget about old technologies people. I just have a zippo open and burning just to the right of my keyboard. Uses no batteries and I don't need to tie up a USB port.

But it smells like the fluid.