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Green And Blue Laser Pointers
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Published: February 23, 2007
Since they became readily available on the commercial market in the mid ‘90s, the laser pointer has become a very popular tech toy. Previously, the lasers were mostly used as presentation tools, given their ability to point out specific direct areas from long distances. Recently, they are being marketed as everything from pointing tools to survival gear to cat toys.
Over the next few years, laser technology is only going to get more expansive.
A laser pointer is typically a laser diode or LED bounced off a mirror and directed through a crystal to focus the light into a single point. These are usually very low powered lasers, due to the significant damage that a higher powered laser can cause to the human eye, though high powered pointers can be purchased for commercial use. The most popular is the red laser because it's the cheapest and easiest to manufacture light frequency.
Some new colors have recently been released, including the green laser pointer in 2000. It operates on the high end of the legally allowed amperage scale. Due to its high power and the difficulty in producing a green light beam, a single pointer can be well over a hundred dollars at retail. The green laser pointer, however, is highly sought after by astronomic academics due to its ability to be easily seen in the night sky and point out specific stars. Newer models featuring a pulsing laser, which is cooler and cheaper than the modern steady laser, will be hitting the market soon.
In 2006, the blue laser pointer was introduced to the market. It has much the same basic construct as a green one, but has the defining characteristic of being blue. Blue lasers also have the advantage of being significantly cheaper, thanks to the time and money the SONY corporation recently poured into developing blue laser diodes for its Blu-Ray DVD system. Blue laser pointers sell for around $50.
Consumers looking for a cheap laser pointer on the market are pretty much stuck with red for the time being. Red laser pointers are the most readily available on the market, and a small keychain sized pointer can be as little as a few dollars at a thrift store. Just remember that any cheap laser pointer will come pretty much as expected. Most tend to work as a cheap toy or demonstration tool, but will be severely underpowered and not nearly as long lasting as the better pointers.
For the even more budget conscious, there are a number of offers online and in stores for a free laser pointer. Again, consumers shouldn't expect anything other than a red laser pointer. Except for the price of shipping and handling, or as part of a package with some other high tech gizmo, free is an unbeatable price. While it might not be top of the line or even very good, there is such a thing as a free laser pointer.
Laser pointers aren't exactly a new technology and their appeal to the public at large appears to be waning from its heyday in the late 90s. Yet the market is still growing. Green and blue lasers, with their much higher powered beams, are invaluable industry and education tools that will become more widely used over the next few years as the process of manufacturing the diodes becomes more expansive and cheap.
Sources:
Laser Pointer. Wikipedia. 21 Feb. 2007. 21 Feb. 2007 <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Laser_pointer> .
Green Laser Pointer II. Think Geek. 1999-2007. ThinkGeek, Inc. 21 Feb. 2007 <http://www.thinkgeek.com/gadgets/lights/5a47/& gt;.
Kanellos, Michael. “Can Silicon Come to the Rescue for Blu-Ray?” Crave9. 9 Nov. 2006. CNET Networks, Inc. 21 Feb. 2007 <http://crave.cnet.com/8301-1_105-9661966-1.htm l?subj=Crave∂=rss&tag=rss>.
Klipstein, Don. Don K's Laser Page. 24 Jan. 2007. 21 Feb. 2007 <http://members.misty.com/don/laserdon.html> .
Best Laser Pointer Reviews: Red and Green Lasers. Galt. 21 Feb. 2007. Galt Technology, Inc. 21 February 2007 <http://www.galttech.com/research/buying-online /laser-pointers.php>.
A laser pointer is typically a laser diode or LED bounced off a mirror and directed through a crystal to focus the light into a single point. These are usually very low powered lasers, due to the significant damage that a higher powered laser can cause to the human eye, though high powered pointers can be purchased for commercial use. The most popular is the red laser because it's the cheapest and easiest to manufacture light frequency.
Some new colors have recently been released, including the green laser pointer in 2000. It operates on the high end of the legally allowed amperage scale. Due to its high power and the difficulty in producing a green light beam, a single pointer can be well over a hundred dollars at retail. The green laser pointer, however, is highly sought after by astronomic academics due to its ability to be easily seen in the night sky and point out specific stars. Newer models featuring a pulsing laser, which is cooler and cheaper than the modern steady laser, will be hitting the market soon.
In 2006, the blue laser pointer was introduced to the market. It has much the same basic construct as a green one, but has the defining characteristic of being blue. Blue lasers also have the advantage of being significantly cheaper, thanks to the time and money the SONY corporation recently poured into developing blue laser diodes for its Blu-Ray DVD system. Blue laser pointers sell for around $50.
Consumers looking for a cheap laser pointer on the market are pretty much stuck with red for the time being. Red laser pointers are the most readily available on the market, and a small keychain sized pointer can be as little as a few dollars at a thrift store. Just remember that any cheap laser pointer will come pretty much as expected. Most tend to work as a cheap toy or demonstration tool, but will be severely underpowered and not nearly as long lasting as the better pointers.
For the even more budget conscious, there are a number of offers online and in stores for a free laser pointer. Again, consumers shouldn't expect anything other than a red laser pointer. Except for the price of shipping and handling, or as part of a package with some other high tech gizmo, free is an unbeatable price. While it might not be top of the line or even very good, there is such a thing as a free laser pointer.
Laser pointers aren't exactly a new technology and their appeal to the public at large appears to be waning from its heyday in the late 90s. Yet the market is still growing. Green and blue lasers, with their much higher powered beams, are invaluable industry and education tools that will become more widely used over the next few years as the process of manufacturing the diodes becomes more expansive and cheap.
Sources:
Laser Pointer. Wikipedia. 21 Feb. 2007. 21 Feb. 2007 <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Laser_pointer> .
Green Laser Pointer II. Think Geek. 1999-2007. ThinkGeek, Inc. 21 Feb. 2007 <http://www.thinkgeek.com/gadgets/lights/5a47/& gt;.
Kanellos, Michael. “Can Silicon Come to the Rescue for Blu-Ray?” Crave9. 9 Nov. 2006. CNET Networks, Inc. 21 Feb. 2007 <http://crave.cnet.com/8301-1_105-9661966-1.htm l?subj=Crave∂=rss&tag=rss>.
Klipstein, Don. Don K's Laser Page. 24 Jan. 2007. 21 Feb. 2007 <http://members.misty.com/don/laserdon.html> .
Best Laser Pointer Reviews: Red and Green Lasers. Galt. 21 Feb. 2007. Galt Technology, Inc. 21 February 2007 <http://www.galttech.com/research/buying-online /laser-pointers.php>.
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