Microscopes have been around for quite some time now, but they're the type of devices one generally encounters in a laboratory or in some other type of research facility. However, it would seem that the people over at the Discovery Channel Store have some pretty different ideas, as they've launched back in the first half of 2007 the Discovery Handheld Pocket Microscope, a device that allows users to take advantage of the features provided by such a magnification device wherever they might go.



The device is not exactly a very advanced or accurate one, but, nevertheless, it does provide certain interesting functions, at least for all the “scientists in the training” out there. Thus, it offers an 60X-100X magnification level, and also incorporates LED illumination technology, which allows the users to view bright, clear images in just about any lighting conditions.



As mentioned earlier, the portable microscope is designed especially to be used outdoors, so, obviously, it's extremely portable. Besides having a very small size (8.9 cm x 3.81 cm x 2 cm or 3.5 inches x 1.5 inches x 0.8 inches) and being very lightweight (31.75 grams, 1.12 ounces), the device is also relatively rugged, as it is manufactured from a tough plastic material.



Moreover, in order to offers users with a very good level of comfort, the device also sports a rubber eyepiece, which allows users to enjoy the enlarged images for longer periods of time. The device (of certain Chinese origins, like most of the products presented by the Discovery Channel Shop), retails for around 15 US dollars, which is quite an small price to pay for such a thing (actually, that also says a lot about the quality of the device as well).