[synclastica_86]

I recently bought this laser: http://www.wickedlasers.com/lasers/S...tic-96-37.html

After a while I got this e-mail:

Thank you for purchasing our Spyder III Arctic <1W portable laser.
We sincerely appreciate your patience for bearing with us while we
prepare to ship your order to you. We have an important
announcement that will affect your order.

Due to the overwhelming popularity and media coverage of the S3
Arctic laser, we are implementing an electronic switch upgrade to
the laser for all customers, free of charge. This upgrade will
enable the following functional and safety features on your S3
Arctic laser:

1) Adjustable Power Mode : Low power and high power modes are now
selectable. Laser's default power mode is low power mode.

2) Adjustable Wave Mode : Pulse mode and constant wave modes are
now selectable. Laser's default wave mode is pulse mode.

3) Secure Lock/Unlock Mode : The laser can now be locked and
unlocked electronically to prevent unauthorized usage. Laser's
default secure mode is locked mode.

4) Training Lens : A replaceable training lens will be installed on
each laser that reduces the power output by 80% to prevent
accidents for new users. Once training is completed, user may replace
the training lens with the included standard lens for maximum power.

Because our customers' safety and well-being is our highest
concern, we feel it is our social responsibility to implement these
features free of charge. This enables new users as well as
experienced users to use our products with extra protection.

As one of the world's leading laser manufacturers, we feel as
passionately about our customer's safety as advancing laser
technology and paving the path towards the future.

We expect to begin shipments of the new S3 Arctic by July 15th,
2010, in 2 weeks time.

If for professional reasons you would like to receive the original,
non-upgraded model with less functionality, please provide the
following information with your order number to
support@wickedlasers.com:

1) Scanned government-issued photo ID card
2) Certificate of professional requirement that matches name on
above ID card (IE: Law Enforcement, Scientific, Medical, Military
license)

Does it seem like that they are trying to sell me some weaker model after I've paid for it? I understand the safety concern and all, but I bought this for a reason. I'm not trying to deny that I'll try and burn shit with it (it's just too tempting), but as a physics major I'm fully aware of it's danger and I'm intelligent enough to avoid hurting people. I also need this laser for a reason, I'm an amateur astronomer and I want to use this laser for an artificial star (for telescope calibration, and yes, it needs to be this powerful). As far as I know, what they are asking for is impossible. There's no certification for lasers. How should I deal with them to get them to send me the model that I need.

[Bimmer-Pilot]

The FBI and DOA are looking for some kids that shot a green laser into a cockpit of a plane and the pilot was seeing spots for over a week down here in FL.

[Yearofthe1]

I think you're just going to have to deal with the safety issues this company has acknowledged and thus their need to cover their ass.

From the website: "immediate and irreversable retinal damage"

To put it in perspective, in the ER, if a patient presents to us with a threat to loss of vision, he gets the same triage level as someone having a heart-attack.

Cool fuggin laser by the way!

[Feyd]

Doesn't really seem like a big deal for me.

They are shipping the same unit with some additional safety features implemented. When you get it... just take them off?

[UltimateBMW]

There is a huge discussion about this laser over on hardforum. I don't really want to start that whole debate over here. But I'll say that laser is far too powerful for only $200.

[Freakazoid]

so the certifications are a requirement? wow that's a lotta people gone off that list...

[Feyd]

Originally Posted by Freakazoid

so the certifications are a requirement? wow that's a lotta people gone off that list...

Again... I fail to see the issue.


This is a problem ONLY if you are:

(1) completely incapable of changing the lens cap (provided)
(2) taking off/removing/resetting the safety (how hard can this be?)
(3) changing a couple of rocker switches to the "other" setting.

It's this companies way of being able to "prove in a court of law" that they sold a laser that is ONLY harmful if the end user chooses it to be. It's just lability issue for the manufacturer and from what I read in the description doesn't effect the laser's ability to do anything.

[Freakazoid]

Originally Posted by Feyd

Again... I fail to see the issue.


This is a problem ONLY if you are:

(1) completely incapable of changing the lens cap (provided)
(2) taking off/removing/resetting the safety (how hard can this be?)
(3) changing a couple of rocker switches to the "other" setting.

It's this companies way of being able to "prove in a court of law" that they sold a laser that is ONLY harmful if the end user chooses it to be. It's just lability issue for the manufacturer and from what I read in the description doesn't effect the laser's ability to do anything.

Oops I'm retarded, I thought it meant that you had to have those certs in order to BUY the laser

[Ferg]

What would you use this for?

[Kroy]

^ burn shit. I know I would.

[T-MC-G]

i heard they are going to make those things illegal. i knew someone that had one and it actually came with a key you had to put in the side of it in order for it to even turn on

[Dan in PA]

Originally Posted by T-MC-G

i heard they are going to make those things illegal. i knew someone that had one and it actually came with a key you had to put in the side of it in order for it to even turn on

Meh. It's basically a laser emitter from a home theater projector. Anyone with a little know how and a source for the parts can make one.

[montreal red]

i probably wouldnt spend a few hundred dollars on a toy like this but i have to admit that its looks pretty cool... i wouldnt mind playing with one fora day or two. although i dont know what i'd really use it for.