Can you imagine a flashlight you can flash?

Tech Talk Hardware
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You have to love how the Internet can randomly introduce you to a something you previously never knew existed that you suddenly find quite cool/interesting.

Did you know there is at least one company that makes LED flashlights that run an open source operating system? Apparently you could theoretically upgrade the firmware on them. Either to fix a bug, or add a new feature. Just look at the “man page” for the OS… and marvel at the complexity achieved by using a single button: http://toykeeper.net/torches/fsm/anduril-manual.txt

If you decide to buy one of these “crazy” flashlights, I’d appreciate a post/review. (I think they’re cool tech, but I don’t think I’ve used a flashlight in over a decade, so I can’t imagine actually spending the money on one when I have two high end MAG Lights sitting unused downstairs.) Maybe @JasonHowell needs one for his camping? :wink:

One thing to note, at least on this site, is that the flashlight doesn’t include the specific battery, which you need to acquire elsewhere. Another thing to note is that these flashlights can apparently get VERY hot (like starting fire hot) on max brightness, so they may not be child friendly. https://intl-outdoor.com/

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Unusual. The manual is a .txt file :joy:

Some interesting modes in there, Muggle mode - keeps the kids safe !

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I remember a certain mobile phone with an LED camera flash, where there was the excitement of discovering that accessing it through software meant you could use it as a flashlight… followed by a hasty scramble by the manufacturer to remove that access when someone realised that putting it down with the LED on could generate enough heat to set fire to it, or whatever it was resting on. It was a long time ago, to be fair.

Fortunately, it was discovered and fixed before launch. But it was a major impetus behind a project to work out how a rival manufacturer had managed to get over-the-air firmware updates working reliably (yes, that long ago) so that potentially dangerous problems could be fixed after launch as well.