We are all so used to high-tech phones and cars and alarms that we take some of out low-tech necessities for granted. An adjustable desk lamp might not text a message to another country in fractions of a second or accelerate zero to 60 in under four seconds, but it can be a lifesaver.

Think about the technology that went into this unique item. They are almost indestructible. We pull them toward us, bend them away, make them do contortions and expect them to light up for our every need. They help us find what we’re looking for, no matter what time of day or night. Our eyes might get older, but these items keep bending over backwards to accommodate us.

Over the years, adjustable desk lamps have evolved into fashion accessories for the home and office. Those expensive desk chairs which appeared everywhere with the dot com boom always sat next to a sleek desk with the newest black or silver lamp on top. They highlight the flowers in the backgrounds of those Barbara Walters interviews, and provide the light to ready by on TV reality shows.

There are special versions for our computers. Some are halogen powered (thus competing with expensive cars’ high-tech lights). Some come with magnifying glasses (perhaps for those of us, who like the dot coms, have passed their boom); and, in a sign that there will never be enough product placement, some colleges even sell desk lamps with their school names and logos on them.

Many are energy-efficient, a far cry from the early days when trying to bend them might lead to burns from touching the overheated coils. Desk lamps have been on the scene for more than 200 years, and terms such as “gooseneck” and “swing arm” have given way to everything from mag-lites to huggable bendable characters that double as desk lamps
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