Lit up - What's New?

USA Today (Society for the Advancement of Education), Sept, 2003

* Whether going back to school, enduring the daily office grind, or completing chores around the house, not much will get done if you can't see properly. Leave it to Zelco Industries, Inc., Mt. Vernon, N.Y., to come up with a series of products that will help guide you through the day--no matter where that happens to be.

Everybody, especially early birds (reluctant though they may be) will appreciate the many ways Opti-Clock II ($30) makes waking up easy--or should we say easier. Can't see the clock face? Just move the tilting head. (In other words, the adjustable head puts Its face in your face.) Too dark? Tap the illumination button. Too bleary-eyed to see clearly? Pull out the 2X magnifier. Heavy sleeper? The 75-decibel crescendo alarm will shake out the cobwebs. Need a few more minutes (hours?) of sleep? Simply hit the snooze button. Powering all these features is just one AA battery.

Once you're finally up, easy reading and note taking are only as far away as the palm of your hand with the compact Audio Lumifier ($30), a high-quality 2 1/2 X magnification lens that produces pristine clarity. The lens is fully retractable and stores away protected in the unit. Simply slide it out and rotate to the desired position. For reading in the dark, the super bright LED light will prove quite illuminating. It also works as an emergency flashlight. Moreover, the Audio Lumifier is a digital memo recorder. With 20 seconds of recording time, it's perfect for note taking or quick reminders.

Which reminds us, you have to check out Bug Off, The Mosquito-Repelling BBQ Light ($30). By imitating the sounds of the biting female's natural enemies, Bug Off creates a 20' x 20' bite-free zone. The head and arm (which extends from 11" to 16") enable you to bathe the grill in cool, brilliant light. A spring clip attaches the unit to barbecue side-tables, and is easily removed to allow for use on flat surfaces. Powered by four D-cell batteries, this low-voltage, heat-resistant lamp also is ideal for picnics and camping.

Back indoors, or perhaps snuggled in a tent, it's the time to break out the Fluorescent "Itty Bitty" Book Light ($40). Its tiny bulb, the smallest fluorescent tube ever made, lasts forever (as in never needs replacing) and requires only two AA batteries to provide the brightest, smoothest white light found anywhere.

To order Zelco products, go online at www.zelco.com or call 800-431-2486.

On the flashlight front, meanwhile, is the Tec3000 and Tec2000 from Lightwave, Alpharetta. Ga. Its signature face inspired by modern automobile headlights, the Tec series' LEDs produce whiter light, which is more natural to the eyes than the yellow light of a standard flashlight. Conventional flashlights also mimic pipes, while the Tees use super-bright emitting diodes. The Tec3000 ($54.95) has seven; the Tec2000 ($34.95), four. The LEDs last thousands of hours, whereas conventional bulbs need to be replaced after about 20 hours. In addition, the Tecs' industrial-grade switch is rated for a minimum of 10,000 operations. Three C-cell batteries last 700 hours in the Tec3000, compared to 10 hours in a standard flashlight. The secret? Ninety-five percent of the electricity consumed by conventional light bulbs is wasted in the form of heat. The white LED, however, turns virtually all electricity into light.

Lightwave products are available online at www.brightguy.com.

This symbol * indicates USA Today has tested a product for operating in full compliance with the manufacturer's specifications and to determine its performance as applicable to our readers' needs. Disadvantages, if any, also are reported. Although we cannot guarantee a product, we offer the starred designation as a guide to readers.