Few of us have ever picked up a torch and lamented not being able to reprogram it. As long as the batteries aren’t dead and it lights up, we’re happy. But now that HexBright has shown us the advantages of a hackable, open-source torch, who could ever settle for a locked-down Maglite again?
At $119 you’re paying quite a premium for the ability to reprogram and upgrade the HexBright Flex as you see fit, but no likes being told what they can and can not do, right? Out of the box, the Flex has three illumination modes that can be cycled through using the power button on the tail cap: 50 lumens, 175 lumens and a blinding 500 lumens. But when connected to a computer via a USB port (which also facilitates charging) you’re able to program whatever modes you can imagine. Flashing, pulsing, even automatically dimming and brightening, you’re only limited by your programming prowess.
All of the HexBright Flex’s hardware components are replaceable too. You can swap in a more powerful rechargeable battery, or down the line upgrade the LED bulb to something even brighter. In theory the Flex could be the last torch you ever buy. That is, until HexBright releases a new model you decide you can’t live without. [HexBright via Notcot]