laser beams, bankrupt, beamz, composers, cowbell, frickin laser beams, gadgets, laser beam...

Beamz Synthesizer Uses Lasers as Strings, Has Plenty of Cowbell (Literally)

In the future we'll probably play music with our minds, but for now the Beamz Laser Music System uses a series of six lasers which you can break with your hands to play instruments like guitars, violin and (YES!) even a cowbell. There are also 30 preloaded songs and musical genres that can play alongside your flapping arms as background tracks. Add some speakers and you'll be ready to rock like Jean Michel Jarre when Beamz goes on sale on April 15. [The Sharper Image via Geek Alerts]

8:00 PM on Sun Mar 30 2008
By Jack Loftus
8,019 views
14 comments

Comments

lafond66 at 08:09 PM on 03/30/08
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I thought The Sharper Image was going out of business.
GiltProto at 08:10 PM on 03/30/08
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That may very well be their last product. Ding!
holysocks at 09:35 PM on 03/30/08
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hmm kinda like those para para dance machines
GoodBytes at 10:49 PM on 03/30/08
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why not use buttons instead... isn't it better than a complex system just to detect if a laser beam doesn't reach the other side, and if does not, execute the task that could have been with a button....

Maybe I missing something here... more details or a video would be nice.
fastthumbs at 11:33 PM on 03/30/08
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This can't possibly be a Sharper Image product. No - not because they're going out of business; because I don't see any of their trademarks:

-30-50 green/blue LEDs
-Plastic grille
-Ions button
-Multiple gadgets in one device that have no business converging (think pepper mill flashlight)

It is pretty ugly, though. They've got that one down.
liquidsoapdispenser at 11:33 PM on 03/30/08
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@lafond66: Yeah, and product like this are why... Stupid $600 thing even needs a PC as a host. Who the hell would buy this? And this comes from a theremin owner.
CarbonFalcon at 03:49 AM on 03/31/08
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Maybe it will be the new fad. You never know, people seem to love flapping their arms around with the Wii.
Slash3 at 07:26 AM on 03/31/08
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This is the fanciest six key keyboard I've ever seen.

Reeeediculous.
banmojo at 09:37 AM on 03/31/08
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"I gotta fever - and the only cure is - MORE COWBELL!!!"
dasnake at 10:25 AM on 03/31/08
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nice, throw in a lifetime supply of guitar picks and drum sticks and your all set!
Ubik2501 at 01:47 PM on 03/31/08
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They invented this already. It's called a theremin, and it can be built for a hell of a lot cheaper than $600. Plus, they already make some that can be used as controllers when used in conjunction with music software. This is just another useless toy for people with too much money and too little sense.
Juggrnott at 02:24 PM on 03/31/08
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I can see it now can't you. Rockband 2 Symphony Edition.
damnedheathen at 02:44 AM on 04/08/08
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@ fastthumbs
My mother bought be a radio/cd player/alarm clock from Sharper Image a few years ago. It has the blue ambient light, a little remote control, and a cd lid that slides up slowly by motor (obviously trying to emulate a certain Bang & Olufsen product). It's ok, although the alarm clock feature is pretty useless. When browsing the shop one day I saw how much it cost her. Wow. How I feel bad.
damnedheathen at 02:44 AM on 04/08/08
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@ ubik2501 A theremin can actually be used by real musicians for playing real music.