when you activate slo-mo: 

This sort of gets into Scratch-like, block-based programming. I feel unsatisfied by block-based programming in the world because it seems to abstract the actual thing and forces you to use the abstraction (use the "LED block" instead of just using the LED). 

Perhaps the difference lies in the way the LED block is activated/initiated: rather than LED blocks just existing as a default, the rectangular blocks/cards are blank screens which can represent any object/component; tapping the block/card to the real LED "pairs" it to the real object, and then you can program your states like in the .gif prototype. So the way of interacting and activating the LED block makes it clear that you're using it as a representation of the LED, and not using it as the actual thing itself.