Thread: Firefly in a jar. Walmart find.

Tweet

While doing my christmas shopping this year, I came across a neat little item in walmart ($12.88canadian in the seasonal section)

Check this out.
View My Video

I saw it, and just had to have one.
Runs on 3 aaa batteries.
Tap the glass and the firefly comes to life for 90 seconds. Depending on how many times you tap the glass the firefly behaves differently.
While on my coffee table, placing down a drink/lighter etc was enough to set it off.
The system looks simple enough. Theres a tiny random fuctioning motor in the lid. (spins, oscillates back and forth etc)
Attached to the motor is what appears to be a high e guitar string (real small wire), a small electronics wire, a small fish lure type weight (with wings) and a tiny square led.
The wire has obviously been twisted before being placed in the jar. It's longer than the jar so it has a loose bend folding it in 1/2 (starts at the lid, bends at the bottom and heads back towards the lid) The wire has memory, so its trying to unspool. The bend in the bottom forces the "firefly to the side of the jar and prevents the unspooling from happening. A slight movement at the motor end, and the firefly springs to life.

Now I personally think these would be great in any haunt. (placed on something with vibrations constantly coming to life.)
However I believe they have other applications. It's the xmas season, so I've had no time to tinker or even give them much thought.
I'm thinking ghosts in a jar, or a firefly powered lanterns on your grave keepers.
Anybody using them in their haunts? The tiny leds are super bright.

Just wanted to make mention of it while its fresh in the brain.
Merry Christmas guys and gals!

Been waiting for these to come out. Saw the butterfly in a jar and had heard of the firefly one. Thanks for the heads up!

No problem my friend.
Btw, Would love to see the butterfly in a jar in action.

http://youtu.be/3QWmNhxcSyY

I bought my wife one of these a few months back. It absolutely looks as good as it does in the videos. We keep it on the island in our kitchen.

Thanks for posting the Firefly. I have not seen that one before.

Very cool. Thx for the link.

I see that they are available at the Toys-R-Us web site for $14.99... Not bad...

I saw one at Kmart back in october but CVS has been carrying some in purple colors too.

Walmart had pink/purple blue and green ones avail.

Thinkgeek has them for $10 as well as butterflies for $15

Saw the Firefly yesterday at Kmart for $14.99 I think ? they were in with the Christmas stuff. Didn't get a chance to scan one to see if they were 1/2 off as well ?