2012 A Great Year for Lava

[Howard]

I came across this snippet of all the funky cool stuff that lava is working on for 2012.

http://www.homeworldbusiness.com/links/news/news.php?ID=18831

We are in for a few treats ...

• NEON. Lamps with brightly colored wax intended to draw lots of attention. They become available in May 2012.

• TORNADO. A lamp that generates something of the same fascination as the weather event, Lava asserted, with the funnel formed within and lit by a three-phase LED system sucking in the attention of any observer.

• ICE. A snow globe-inspired item with additional ambition, the lamp can be set to just white, like ice, or it can turn through three LED generated color phases. It will become available in May 2012.

• DISCO 360. As it rotates completely around, the lamp pumps light through multiple color lenses to create a fun portable party. It becomes available in June 2012.

In addition to the introductions Lava will place ongoing emphasis on the VORTEX lamp this year as well. Launched in 2011, the lamp, with its swirling, LED-lit glitter, generated a strong response from buyers and consumers, Lava noted. 

 

[Jonas Clark-Elliott]

I'm betting that "Disco 360" is simply one of those... some call them 'modern disco balls,' a spinning black sphere with a light inside, studded with various colored lenses. An item made by EVERY novelty lighting company, everywhere. Boooo-ring!

Tornado lamp. Minus the LED factor, Lyon Design did these in the early 90s. Put it in a crappy 20oz. shell (I personally DESPISE 20oz. lamps) and the Lyon ones, which were cool, are almost cooler by comparison.

ICE is "show globe inspired," which I'm betting means not SMART Lava, but another color-change motorized swirling glitter, except with hard bits. Basically, I'm guessing this and the Tornado are identical save for the floaty bits. I'd hazard a guess that the SMART Lava Lite is *ONLY* in the UK, to compete with the SMART Astro.

The day-glo lava could be cool... IF THEY PUT IT IN A NICE 32!!

More themed bases? More worthless crap. I understand that some people love these, but I do not. And they're overkill - a while back, there were at least TEN DIFFERENT Spongebob designs. Why? WHY!!??

Fix the lava, get it back to 1990s standards. Get the bases up to snuff, proper starlight holes in the Aristocrats, no holes in the 32s and 20s. Nice metal finishes. And bring back the Century, which was a HUGE perennial seller right up to the point it was discontinued when all 52s were. All "we want an Aladdin" AKA "make a special lamp for the lava collectors" aside, the Century is THE iconic Lava Lite. The Century IS the Original Shape Of Cool - starlight holes, footed black plastic tray, gold finish and all. Beloved by millions.

[Erin]

I think you're right on the Disco lamp, Jonas. Lava has done those before, I think. 

It would be so simple for Lava Lite to be successful - fix the formula. It's obvious they are moving away from lava with all this other crap. Since their signature product is now junk, they are trying to distract their customers with LED crap. 

[Jonas Clark-Elliott]

Thing is, as I've said before, we collectors are an insignificant slice of the buying public. And what the general public demands before any other factor is price. People demand inexpensive products. The only way Lava can stay afloat is to sell lava lamps for less than their competitors - EVERY lighting factory in China makes lava lamps by now.

The LED and party lights are also really, really, REALLY popular; they're inexpensive, cute... and did I mention inexpensive?

I and many others would love to see better stuff. But as long as we're in this economic slump (no political commentary, please!) this is what we'll get.

[Erin]

You're 100% right Jonas. Sad, but true. 

[Dr. WHAT?!]

wanna see this stupid ICE lamp? lol whata a waste. Trying to get somethign on these neon lamps nothing yet. And the only thing I would consider from this year's line up is thistornado lamp, just because I have a thing for twisters :)

[Erin]

Oh gawd, you're kidding. That's horrible. Where did you get that? 

[Dr. WHAT?!]

My LL source. Also the neons, They are not UV reactive. The colors in 20 oz are Neon watermelon, blue and green. The 52oz Neons (Spencers) are Neon purple, yellow and green.

[Autumn]

So will they not come in 32oz?

Dr. WHAT?! said:

My LL source. Also the neons, They are not UV reactive. The colors in 20 oz are Neon watermelon, blue and green. The 52oz Neons (Spencers) are Neon purple, yellow and green.

[Dr. WHAT?!]

doubt it

[Autumn]

Figures. The 20oz lamps probably have a $0.002 higher profit margin.

[Aladdin 2 Lava]

Bulk...

[Aladdin 2 Lava]

I don't think I'm  in KansasToto....