Ideaworks Super Bright LED Magnifier Lamp - Magnify & Illuminate Small Tasks or Projects -Collapsible, Space Saving Design - 18 LED Lights with Multiple Levels of Brightness

I'd seen this lamp advertised by Publishers Clearing House, whose advertisement did not mention USB powering, which this lamp has. I could not find anything nearly as good in local stores, and I did not wish to purchase from PCH, so I searched, found it on Amazon.com, and immediately ordered it. This lamp is just right for use on my camping vacations, as it will operate from four "AA" cells or USB power. It produces excellent, even light, as a reading lamp ought to do, and its three light levels are excellent for general use. If I had not already a lamp set up for text near my desktop computer, I'd have bought two, one for my camping vacations and the other for use on my desk at home. One piece of advice: If one travels with this lamp while it contains battery cells, it's a good idea to plug the USB cord into the lamp's base, thereby disconnecting the "AA" cells from the electronic circuitry for the touch switch. This stops a very tiny radio-frequency emission which comes out of it whenever it is powered, and it is possible that the emission could be detected by security devices. Although the touch-switch circuitry uses minimal power, it's still a good idea to disconnect the battery, this way, during any extended period of non-use, or even to remove the cells. Alkaline cells can leak and damage the connections. This lamp will not charge internal cells from a USB connection, and it cannot be used as a power source. Light output is cool-white. It folds flat to 1 3/4 inches, and it is easily packed into any luggage.

This is a perfect directional light for use when I am doing little watercolor paintings or needlepoint. It illuminates the area I am working on, without flooding the entire room with light, and there are three levels of brightness, in addition to the off position. The light works on 4-AA batteries, and comes with a USB cable. I plug it in to a USB charger that I already owned or into a port on my computer when it is turned on, both of which prolong the lifetime of the batteries. This little gem is only 2-7/8" wide by 5" long by 1.75" deep when in the closed position, so I am able to easily take it with me on outings. I have noticed that I must push the on/off switch on the line that intersects the circle. This is a great little light at a wonderful little price!!!

This lamp would be worth five stars IF it were more reliable. I have nine of them now (three of them this model and just received through Amazon), in various configurations from different vendors. It started more than one year ago, with a 4AAA model with two levels of light. I was sold on that lamp and went for the little larger, 4AA version. So far I've found the USB cables are hit or miss with more than one of the lamps, but I generally use batteries, so not that much of a problem for me. However, one of the lamps was "possessed," and would randomly turn itself on and off. I got a replacement that has been working well ever since. For those who prefer NOT to use primary batteries, you can use rechargeable batteries like the Eneloop, or similar.Folds quite compactly and is light in weight, so great for travel. Another plus IS the use of common batteries. Amazon offers a really nice/fancy rechargeable folding travel LED lamp, BUT for me the big downside is that at some point, the internal rechargeable battery will die, and there is no apparent way to open the case/change the battery, rendering the light essentially useless.

The lowest light level is good for illuminating my keyboard. The higher two levels are both good for reading but you have to have the light near the book. The illumination is very even. Reading with a book on the table and the light next to it is perfect. If you want to use it to read in bed then set the light on the mattress near the book. If you want to use it to read sitting up in bed then you might be better off with a lamp that can clip to your headboard. It is bright enough to help when doing close work inside during the daytime but it is not bright enough to be useful outside when the sun is shining.It has a touch switch with no mechanical moving parts. This is good because (I imagine) it won't wear out over time. The only downside is that if you have it plugged into your computer then it won't come on automatically when the computer powers on. It's a good trade-off; in my experience, the moving parts, especially switches, are the first thing to fail in led lights.The usb cable plugs into the lamp with a 5 volt barrel connector. This might be useful for other devices that run on 5 volts but I have not actually tried it.A few nit picks: The plastic behind the leds is not perfectly opaque when the lamp is on so you see some green shining through (because the leds are mounted on a green circuit board). I wish the lamp would rotate as well as extend. I don't think any of the models in this class do.That would make the lamp even more useful but I can see why they didn't do it. Two of the three hinges make a spring clicking noise when they are rotated. This noise is fairly common in articulated lamps.I really like this lamp. I think it is a good value. I like the usb + batteries configuration which is good for everyday use and for emergencies. The touch switch is a very nice feature. It makes the light seem classy rather than cheap.

I like it! It's small; it's portable; it's plenty bright. And it uses regular AA batteries, which is a big plus to me. I use it to read at our kitchen table in the wee hours of the morning before anyone wakes up, and for that, it's perfect. For $10, it's a keeper.Update 4/29: not so good anymore. Lost half its brightness and now nearly unusable. Yes, new batteries installed. Ten bucks down the drain.