Gizmodo: frickin laser beams

Argon Laser Putter Delivers Birdies With Predator-Like Efficiency

Jack Loftus — Sun, 25 Jan 2009 14:00:00 EST

If the Predator were a golfer, he'd hunt his prey—the pin, in this case—with this tri-laser equipped putter.

As you can see from the images, this putter takes the idea of a laser putter (been done before), and marries it with not one, but TWO additional lasers. Two of the lasers flank the ball at address, and the top one sits above the ball so it isn't blocked like weaker, less Predator-like laser putters.

Hooked on Golf lays out why, exactly, this is a good thing:

1. Like I said, the three laser configuration gives much more information to the player. Seeing the width of the line via the two lower lasers while the ball is positioned in front of the putter is great.

2. The lasers on the Argon are very bright and much easier to see than other laser putters. This is due to the fact that they’re powered by a 9-volt battery, rather than a tiny watch battery. Having a 9-volt is also better because they’re easily found anywhere when the battery dies. Having to remove and install a tiny watch battery is almost as inconvenient as trying to find a store that sells them.

3. The grip of the Argon putter has the buttons to turn the laser on. You can turn it on as long as you want. Other systems’ lasers are turned on by tapping the club on the ground and the laser is only active for a fixed amount of time.

Note: The Argon Laser Putter does not double as a shoulder-mounted cannon. [Hooked on Golf - Thanks, Tony!]

Move Over Star Wars, Tomorrow's Tactical Lasers Will Be More Napalm Than Pew Pew

Jack Loftus — Sun, 07 Sep 2008 10:30:00 EDT

We've been kind of laser crazy here at Gizmodo lately, and with good reason: Deployable solid state lasers could be landing in military hands as early as 2009. We simply wish to be at the forefront of the pew pew revolution, with the hope that any burning sensation our writers feel in the near future is the result of an unforgettable night out, not a disgruntled weapons grade laser system operator. But that last little diatribe brings up a good point, specifically in regards to what, exactly, laser warfare is going to look like. Sci-fi tends to glamorize laser weapons (pew pew, you're dead), when in reality the experts say getting "shot" with will probably feel more like napalm (*sizzle sizzle*, protracted death).

Wired's Danger room notes that the U.S. Air Force has effectively shifted away from the instant death scenario as of late, and focuses instead on how long it will take to cook a human with a laser (allegedly, everything is still top secret).

[F]rom what we know, the Air Force considers laser effects on eyes and skin, for the most part. Skin damage is very much easier to achieve than penetration; simply raising skin temperature to (say) 80C/ 180 f to a depth of a couple of millimeters will cause serious blistering (second-third degree burns). If 40% of the body is burned in this way, then the target will be disabled and may die.

[...] So instead of "zap-and-you're-dead" in normal science fiction style, with a hundred kilowatt laser, it's more a matter of spraying the target all over to ensure they're done. The description of the ATL as a "long range blow torch" is probably quite accurate.

I suppose it's fitting that a new slogan for tomorrow's battlefields came from a Colonel: Original recipe, or extra crispy? [Danger Room]

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

Jack Loftus — Sun, 30 Mar 2008 20:00:00 EDT

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]