USB 8-LED Flex Light
Review

USB 8-LED Flex Light
Company: IOGEAR
Price: $20
http://www.iogear.com

I’m using it now. Dark outside, low light in my office. Far end of Flex inserted into USB port on my iMac’s keyboard. Business end tilted at strange angle so maximum quantity of light falls onto the keyboard. Wish I could show you a photograph of this peculiar contraption at work, but no image does the trick.

I always set switch on top to highest illumination, with all eight LEDs active. Lower level has four active, which is almost useless. Best feature is OFF position, because otherwise Flex would be on whenever iMac is running, even in daylight. How many hours/days/years will Flex Light keep running? Should be quite a few, but for $20 US we can’t be too demanding.

Each morning Flex goes to work when I do, until blazing Arizona sunshine fills my office interior. After dinner more of the same. Temperature? The “bulb” unit gets a little warm, but that’s insignificant? Installer or manual? Not necessary. Plug and play in the most absolute way.

Cable is long enough to twist and bend into a zillion practical positions. Maximum illumination is achieved with LED head poised roughly one foot over the number keypad (right side), angled at approximately 45° down toward center of your alphabet (primary/left) keys.

Illumination is not splendid, but it is adequate for the task of seeing while typing in a dark or dimly-lit setting. Touch typists will benefit most, and huntnpeckers will have trouble at first because of shadows cast and lack of memorized key position.

Would I buy this thing? Yes, because its cool white light is easy on the eyes, and I’m happy not to use any more electricity than necessary in our resource-challenged world. I’m hooked on Flex Light, and will purchase a replacement once my review unit expires.

Our MyMac.com rating is 3 out of 5 for many demanding or inefficient typists, to 4 out of 5 for touch typists.