I think half the fun of synths, though, is all the analog controls. I haven’t played with any iPhone or SW synths, but I loved the MiniMoog at Radio Shack back in the day. The 2014 documentary “I Dream of Wires” was both nostalgic and eye opening (to the fact that dev work is still being done!). One button color pattern making would be something to try.
My only experience with multicolor was the functional but so too-simple 4sevens Quark RGB (no color mixing, hideous 18650 tube, but the RGBW MC-E was so cool), and the Technology Associates Rav’n 5mm RGBY 3-button 3-AA box with a big-ol’ DIP uC in it. Neither did mixing or had more than one brightness for each color, but they were cool. There was also a button cell keychain Rav’n which qualifies as 3-color 1-button and I think mixed. If I was going to do the hardware design, though, I’d have to use 4 SMPS current regulated supplies. PWM is, to me, digital software intruding into my analog hardware. Not that the “S” in SMPS isn’t sort of digital, but once you’re in the MHz range, without RF circuit layout, digital starts becoming analog. Anyway, when I’m out of work, I don’t have the budget or inspiration to develop my own flashlight (or a workbench), and now that I am working, I don’t have the energy to do more than some battery and flashlight testing for the fun of it. So I’ll just enjoy what’s out there and affordable. Affordable is relative to income, of course, but just out of principle, I can’t ever see spending over $100 on a light. I think I did for a Surefire Aviator A2 back when THAT was the height of technology, and it is still a wonderful shelf-museum piece. Not sure what the “budget” in BLF means. From this thread it seems like $200 for a light would be unthinkable, but four $40-50 lights is, well, it’s only $40 at a time, right?
As far as kids and lights, depends on the kid. I could have handled a D4 and LiIon charging at 8 or 10. A good portion of adults, most evidently those who like to vape but don’t care to learn anything about electronics, shouldn’t be trusted. Then again, I did melt a carpet with a 7W Christmas lightbulb. As for eye damage, just going by casual knowledge, a flashlight doesn’t begin to compare with even a low-ish power laser. The D4 certainly isn’t going to burn your retinas in the fraction of a second you can look at it without wincing and closing your eyes, only to find it still is uncomfortable with them closed. If you stick it a few inches from your eyeball for several seconds, though, you’ll probably burn your iris, and eyelashes, and eyelid, and it’d really hurt. By the same token, I’d hope kids don’t stick their noses a few inches from a stove burner.
My sweetie does have a 4x7135 convoy C2, but remembering that it has 3 modes is about the limit of what she wants to learn about a flashlight. i.e., You turn it on and it lights up, and there’s something wrong with the light if it’s more complicated. It’s not smarts, it’s attitude. I handle charging or replacing the battery. If I were to give a light to any non-flashlight person, of any age, it would not be 18650. Internal LiPo, maybe. AA or two? Definitely. Sofirn makes a lovely AA light, maybe the SF10. or a Fenix E05. That’d be about it. Hard enough to get someone not used to it to charge a NiMH. Come to think of it, USB charging would be easier to get them to do, assuming they charge something like a phone or camera on a regular basis. USB internal 18650? Eh… maybe.