Feeler thread / sneak preview: Wuben TO50R HC ("The Flashlight")

I am interested in one

Interested

Finally, after the long CNY holidays, things start to be clear. UI finalized, materials purchased, production started, …

Lights will be ready to ship around mid-March. MAP $119.99, but we’ll arrange an introductory GB with a significantly lower price.

I’ll create a GB thread later today.

Ps. This version will be equipped with the good old Micro-USB interface and power bank feature.

With micro-usb I’m out, sorry.

It’s a terrible choice when all brands already working in this format. We’re in 2019, not in 2014

No glue/thread locker pleaseeeeeee :nerd_face: :nerd_face:

- Clemence

a Micro USB flashlight can’t be “The Flashlight” in 2019

I always charge my batteries in a proprietary charger. Prefer non built in charger because mostly incorporate unreliable rubber flap. Built in charger is just a bonus that can be removed or permanently filled with epoxy if not desired. Micro USB is better than none. It could be replaced by simple receptor swap I guess. Never done any so far.

- Clemence

Interested

GB thread here: Group Buy: Wuben TO50R HC ("The Flashlight") - 90+CRI, 2500+lm, EDC - CLOSED!

Intrested if the light is an inch shorter than expected/guessed on page one.

So you added power bank feature and put micro USB there so if you actually want to charge something with it you have to carry handy micro USB to USB A adapter?
This sounds like a great design for THE FLASHLIGHT released in 2019. :person_facepalming:

It’s not cheap but it has nearly perfect mix of features and while it’s not cheap or budget by any means I’d most likely buy it if it wasn’t for prehistorical standards.
Guess I just saved up around $100 so it’s also good :slight_smile:

I agree that Type C would be much better.
But those tiny adapters aren’t a problem in practice:

You just store one inside the Type A plug of your regular charging cable.

This solution ain’t beautiful. But it just works.

My with micro USB is that it’s fragile. Also I’m not about to solve the problem that manufacturer creates trying to get rid of their old stock of sockets…

That’s the best way to quickly damage the fragile micro usb on your flashlight

You’d better Use something more flexible

The charging cable is flexible.

Micro USB fragile?? . Hmmm… I have never had any problem at all with ‘Micro USB’.

Maybe the “fragile” part is partly due to rough treatment by some people.

Same thought here. Three months ago we retired our two phones we acquired in March 2014. We never had any problems with the USB micro connectors and those phones were charged at least once a day, every day from March 2014 to December 2018. Plus we have a number of other micro USB devices that also have never had any problems.

FWIW, the Raspberry Pi founder, in a recent interview, stated they had no plans to change their products to USB-C type as there were not sure about the longevity of the C-type and had not had problems with the micro USB.

The single thing I like about the C-type USB is that I they can be inserted either way; no need to orient it correctly. Possibly trying to force a micro USB plug into a socket the wrong way is when the damage occurs?

I’ve seen tons of micro-usb things broken but I’ve also seen mini-usb sockets ripped off pcbs.

The biggest issue with USB-C is that no one is adhering to the spec so there are lots of USB-C devices out there that are either incompatible or only partially compatible or… USB-C was supposed to be a single connector to rule them all and it is quickly just becoming a dumpster fire.

Just a thought: some of the damage issues with micro USB might be that we (at least I do) continue to use our phone after the charger is attached, which promotes dropping it on a plugged-in connector. This is the only way I’ve managed to damage mine, and I’ve done it more than once:( I would think it less likely a flashlight would usually be used for lengths of time while charging.

Is there a TO50R II on the way?