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Ideas we wish we'd had first: LightDims

LightDims LED shades keep your device lighting under control.

Rich Brown Former Senior Editorial Director - Home and Wellness
Rich was the editorial lead for CNET's Home and Wellness sections, based in Louisville, Kentucky. Before moving to Louisville in 2013, Rich ran CNET's desktop computer review section for 10 years in New York City. He has worked as a tech journalist since 1994, covering everything from 3D printing to Z-Wave smart locks.
Expertise Smart home, Windows PCs, cooking (sometimes), woodworking tools (getting there...)
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Rich Brown

LightDims LED-blocking tabs.
LightDims LED blocking tabs. LightDims.com

On the one hand, a piece of electrical tape is a cheap, effective, and attractive enough way to block out any offensively bright LEDs on your various devices. On the other, we admire LightDims' simple entrepreneurial charm.

You get more than 100 of these self-adhesive LED-blocking tabs per package, in a variety of sizes and shapes. A single sheet costs $5.99, and they're available in Original Strength and Black Out editions, the latter boasting superior opacity.

LightDims.com doesn't reveal the process or material involved (we'd guess blackout plastic), but the tabs don't use a glue-based adhesive, which means they're reusable and won't leave residue behind when you remove them.

For now, you can order LightDims directly from the company's Web site, but it's not hard to imagine these impulse-purchase-ready sheets hanging next to the register at Best Buy.