Nextorch myTorch - Review Transcript
For Show 76, we looked at the USB programmable torch from Nextorch. Here is a transcript of our look at the impressive myTorch range.
Listen to FrequencyCast Show 76 - Including the Nextorch (31 mins) |
Exploring The Nextorch:
In Show 76, we looked at the USB Programmable "myTorch". Here's a transcript of our findings:
Continued from British Gas Smart Homes Transcript
Pete:
Moving on, it's time to talk tech about torches. Now Kelly, are you a torch user?
Kelly:
Not really, unless I've got a power cut.
Pete:
Fair enough, but do you carry a small keyring torch around with you?
Kelly:
I do have one very small keyring torch that helps me with my car, and putting the key in the lock.
Pete:
OK, I'm going to hand you a torch here. This is a very traditional type of torch. It's a black torch with that name there, which you'd never heard of before today, had you?
Kelly:
No - Maglite.
Pete:
Very well known and respected torches, they're completely black, slightly shiny, and you switch them on by twisting the top - yeah, that's it, you've got it. So there's your torch.
Kelly:
It looks like a very slick, normal torch.
Pete:
So that is a traditional Maglite, and these are very very well-known torches. I'm going to give you an alternative to the Maglite, which is this little thing here from Nextorch.
Kelly:
OK, it doesn't look that much different - slightly smaller.
Pete:
OK, now you switch on with the button at the bottom there.
Kelly:
OK, it's switched on.
Pete:
What you'll also notice, by the way, the green button at the bottom is fluorescent, so if you're in the darkness, you can actually see the green button, which is quite helpful.
Kelly:
Perfect.
Pete:
So side by side, looking at the brightness of these two things, without actually burning out your eyes, which of the two is brighter?
Kelly:
Certainly the Nextorch.
Pete:
A lot of people assume the LED torches are going to be quite dim, because they're familiar with LED keyrings and the like, but these are actually very very high-powered LEDs - would you agree?
Kelly:
I would say it's almost double in brightness, in comparison to the Maglite.
Pete:
What you'll also notice, if I could just get you to unscrew the barrel of that one for me?
Kelly:
OK, if I wasn't such a girl, this would be a lot easier!
Pete:
OK, now what you have uncovered, by rotating that about 15 or 20 times, is ...
Kelly:
A USB port.
Pete:
Yes - this is a torch with a USB port.
Kelly:
Why on earth would you need a torch with a USB port?
Pete:
Ah - I'm glad you asked that question, and here is Carl talking to Tim Sparrow from the company behind this, Nextorch.
Tim:
OK, firstly what we've got is, we've got super-bright LED torches, and what that basically means is they use an LED chip in them, a high-quality LED chip, which gives you three benefits: one, it gives you much brighter, much whiter light. Secondly, it gives you much greater energy efficiency, so lower running costs. The third benefit is that the LEDs are virtually unbreakable, so they're guaranteed for 100,000 hours, or eleven years, versus and old bulb that you might have in a previous brand, which is designed to burn out after six hours, or the filament will break if you drop it.
Carl:
But tell me the real reason why I should buy your torch? - and this is technology.
Tim:
Depending where you're using them, what your preferences are, what your job is, or what your hobbies are, you may want different levels of light. You may want different types of modes or functions on the torch, and our torch can do all of these things as standard, but you can also customise the torch, or programme the torch. So what that means is, you can decide how the torch is set up, exactly how you'd like to be if you'd have designed it; you can decide how many lumens are at each level, so exact amounts of light that are enough, not too much, not too little for you; you can add on things like strobe, a blinking beacon, a signal beacon - say, for instance, your car was to break down, you can put on SOS, if you want SOS; again, depending on people's hobbies. It's called my Torch, because you can set it up to be my Torch, my Way.
Carl:
That's absolutely brilliant - thanks for that.
Pete:
So presumably, you programme this from a PC?
Tim:
Yeah, you programme it from a PC. Effectively it comes with the USB, a mini-USB to a normal USB connection. There's free software - it's very very easy to use. It feels like something you've used before. Effectively what you can do is three things: you can programme the torch and test it while you're doing it, to see what 80 lumens looks like. When you're happy with what you've got, and you can move it around, change it as many times as you want, you have two options: one to download, which will put those modes on your torch, and/or one to save as - normal file commands. So, for instance, you could have a set of modes and save them as home every day; you could have a set of modes and save them as hobby. To change from one set to another then, once you've done it, you just connect the torch, it picks up the software, you go file - open - hobby - download, and 20 seconds later those modes are on; to change it back, the same thing in reverse.
Pete:
You were giving me some examples of people like fisherman that are going to want a very low power, close kind of work, versus a security guard that's going to want a very bright, long beam, and if you wanted to change it between setting one and setting four, how do you go about doing that?
Tim:
When the modes are already on the torch, you just click through. It's just a fingertip click at the back of the torch. You can either click on, click off, or actually there's a quick stroll through.
Pete:
And all this for under £25 - impressive.
Tim:
It's actually quite a lot less than torches with similar modes, even without the programmability, so we think so.
| The Nextorch myTorch range is available from www.nextorch.com as well as Amazon.co.uk |
Pete:
So there you go, Kelly - are you sold on the Nextorch?
Kelly:
I would say, it's definitely great for business-to-business products. Personally though, I'm just going to stick with my little keyring.
Pete:
So there you go - if you're interested in the Nextorch, and you go out and about doing weird hobbies and activities like that, or you're in the security industry, consider getting yourself a Nextorch. You can find more information up on our web address, which is:
Kelly:
www.frequencycast.co.uk.
BONUS: Full-length interview with Tim Sparrow, Managing Director of Nextorch (9 mins): |
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