Phil Torrone's new open source "laser-etching for laptops" biz

BB pal Phil Torrone is launching a new open-source business that offers by-appointment-only laser etching for laptops, iPods, mobile phones and other electronics. CNET's Daniel Terdiman says they plan to share the plans for free, so anyone who wants to create a similar business — including non-profits, schools, and the like — can do so. Snip from Daniel's story:


Phil Torrone, an editor at Make magazine, and Limor Fried, a former fellow at the tech-focused art studio Eyebeam R&D, are working together on Adafruit Laser Services, a new, by-appointment-only business in Manhattan that etches custom artwork onto customers' laptops, iPods, cell phones and other gadgets. (…)

"It feels like a tattoo, and now I feel like I need to get more," said Digg founder Kevin Rose, on whose Apple Computer MacBook Torrone etched Digg's logo at Tim O'Reilly's Foo Camp conference earlier this year. "This is like a temporary tattoo (stickers) versus the permanent stuff."

Link to story, and link to Adafruit Laser Services.

They sell laser etching gift certificates online, and I can already think of someone on my Christmas list I'm gonna buy one for: Link. Note that the recipient (or a proxy) must appear in person in NYC with the item to be etched.

Image: a snapshot of Phil's first laser-etched beauty, from this BB post last year.

Reader comment: Daniel V. Klein reminds us that, "Etch-a-Mac has been doing this for a few years now."