Turning on the Light 

Lets make it clear right from the start, this is about a wind up.  In all seriousness I intend to shed some light on to this particular wind up subject.  However, rather than confuse you even more, I should explain that the wind up provides the power source for a torch (hence the reference to throwing some light on the subject) that is available from the appropriately named Whirlwind Dynamo.

By co-incidence the review sample arrived on the same day that my wireless keyboard decided to stop working.  The fault was caused by dead batteries.  Fortunately I managed to dig out a spare set of batteries and restore the keyboard to its full working status but I could just as easily been left without a working keyboard.  This type of situation is one that would not affect this particular product as a short period of physical activity is all that is required to build up the device's power balance and light your way to complete a task or journey.

Looking a little like an elongated computer mouse, this silver and black torch has rubber grips on both sides and a rubber power button, which could be mistaken for a mouse wheel, on the top.  Slotting into a cutaway compartment conceal on the base of the device is a foldaway handle.  This is the means by which you can power up the Lithium battery built-in to this torch.  By turning this handle for as little as a minute you can provide enough power for 30 minutes of light from the torch.

The torch has three high intensity LED (Light Emitting Diodes) bulbs that should provide over 20,000 hours of light for each one.  Depending upon the need for light, the torch can operate in either full or energy saving mode when just the middle LED is turned on.  These two modes can only be activated in a pre-set cycle.  Turn the torch on and one of the modes will be selected.  You will then need to turn the torch off and then on again to activate the second mode.  While hardly onerous, this sequence is not particularly helped by the amount of pressure that needs to be applied to the power button each time.

Priced at £8.99, this wind up torch is available from the Whirlwind website.  While the method of selecting the appropriate mode is perhaps not the best in regards to user-friendliness, the torch is capable of providing a useful function and remove the need of keeping in a stock of batteries.

http://www.whirlwindsales.co.uk/acatalog/dynamo_wind_up_LED_torch.html