Gainesville Computer Repair: Rohm and Lumiotec create $450 OLED Hanger lamp, we go hands-on (video)

Wednesday, October 5, 2011

Rohm and Lumiotec create $450 OLED Hanger lamp, we go hands-on (video)

Four hundred and fifty dollars. Made out to Lumiotec, please. Really, that's all you need to know -- this tiny purposeless OLED lamp costs nearly half a grand. But hot damn does it look good. If you have the cash and don't mind shelling it over, Lumiotec's OLED Hanger lamp is a mighty cool gadget to own. Until you realize that you're not really sure what to do with it. Do you hang it in a closet? Do you hang it over the door? Can you hang it anywhere at all? It is a hanger, after all. Even representatives from Rohm, which manufacturers the OLED panel used in the Hanger, were unable to explain the lamp's purpose at the company's CEATEC booth. Some variation of "use your imagination" was the final response. Well, our imagination has concluded that we'll pass on the Hanger, but we'd like a few dozen of those gorgeous OLED panels, please (we've already set aside several hundred square feet of wall space).

If you're still into the Hanger, we can confirm that it's not only bright, but also very thin and very light. The panel gives off roughly the same amount of light as a 60-watt bulb, yet it consumes just 9.6 watts of power. Sadly, that doesn't mean it will eventually pay for itself in electricity cost savings, since, again, you're still paying $450 for what's essentially a (very slick) light bulb. We'd be far more impressed if the Hanger were more portable. You'll have many feet of cord to work with, but you'll still be tethered to an outlet -- there's no flat battery magic implemented here. These are available now in limited quantities, if you're ready to pull out the checkbook and sign on the dotted line. Or, if you'd rather spend that dough on a truckload of traditional fixtures, you can get your Hanger fix for free in the video after the break.

Gallery: Rohm OLED Hanger hands-on