The best place to keep tour keys, loose change and flash drives: in the belly of a germ. No, it’s not a new bacteria that eats through metal, it’s just the adorable Germusu.
Germusu are germ-bags – small plush pouches shaped like germs that double as bag charms. The family has 6 members so far: Mooger (the original), Eri, Zoa, Coli, Achu and Gou, and the biggest problem won’t be deciding to get one, but deciding which one.
What to need to know is that Eri is the biggest and fits credit cards, and that you can get the whole 2009 collection (that is, all of them minus Mooger) for $28. Can it get any cuter?
How much under $29.99?
A lot: $6 on Germusu.com.
Via FashionablyGeek
No, there’s no such thing as too much Space Invaders.
Yes, if you’re aiming for geek-chic you need one of the Space Invaders Charms. Made from a reflective material, they can be used as keychains, necklaces, bag charms, basically any spot where a large 8-bit figure can be attached. They’ll look cool and also protect you from incoming cars at night, how’s that for multi-purpose?
They come in 3 models and 6 colors, with a total of nine aliens available in various combinations, and for once a simple item doesn’t come at an inflated price. Each is $6, so you can get a whole menagerie of invaders for cheap. Just try not to turn geek-chic into geek-kitsch.
How much under $29.99?
A lot: ~$6 on LaTeteAuCube.com.
Via GamerFront
I’ve been looking for a dress to wear at a wedding this morning and I’m feeling girlier than usual, so I’m easily distracted by flowery and frilly things. But things marketed at girls tend to be sickeningly pink, silly and useless… (Honestly, aren’t we past the “women like pink” phase?!)
But while I was busy being annoyed at marketers I ran into the Hang Time Watches and brightened up a bit. Flowers and pink ribbons indeed, but… it’s original and serves a purpose. I haven’t worn a watch in years and I rely on my mobile phone. Which is great, until it runs out of battery and I have no clue what time it is anymore.
From my point of view, a watch pinned on an attractive bag charm is a win/win situation. The watch is obviously useful (in the situation I described or if you simply don’t like wearing one) and the charms are pretty without becoming tacky.
How much under $29.99?
Some: $19.95 on Solutions.com.
I have this compulsion to sometimes feature crap, I’m sorry. It’s difficult to resist.
Brussels may have managed to turn the peeing boy into a city symbol (and even now tourists giggle when they see it), but… a phone charm? With plastic pee? Ummm.
The Mannequin Pee Phone Charm is silly. And badly misspelled, it should be Manneken Pis. When you pull the chain, clear plastic pee appears. Fascinating. NOT.
It’s appropriately catalogued under “kitsch” on the retailer’s website, at least. You must be insane to pay almost $15 for this.
How much under $29.99?
Some: ~$13.50 on Funzkyzilla.com.
Via FashionablyGeek
Say you have a nice idea for a phone charm. Not particularly original, but good enough to guarantee decent sales. Then, what do you do to increase the chances that bimbos with less taste than their dogs will buy it? Why of course, add Swarovski crystals.
The Swarovski Chip Doughnut Cell Phone Strap would be a funny and cute charm (oh look, a tasty doughnut on your phone, now I’m hungry, ha ha)… and it got turned into an ugly blingy… something.
The one good thing: it’s cheap. One of the bad things: the shipping probably isn’t worth it.
How much under $29.99?
A lot: ~$4 on Strapya-World.com.
Via ChipChick
I just had my motherboard replaced again, after an unlucky streak of failing computer components, and I hope my woes are over. But I never really thought about what happens with the broken parts. They never fix them, they just give you a new one, so where do all those motherboards and video cards and processors end up?
Well, a small part ends up in hand-made objects, and one example is the Capacitor Robot Charm. Helping the planet, one robot at a time; recycle and reuse; fun geeky toys… they are all valid descriptions. Made from electronic components salvaged from discarded TVs, VCRs, and computers, each charm is unique and has its own (virtual) personality.
Of course, if you’re the artistic type you could also create your own recycled e-junk toys. Be creative and recycle at the same time, a perfect combination you might say.
How much under $29.99?
Some: $12 on MakerShed.com.
Via UberReview
The first thing I did with my latest USB stick was lose it. Well, I put it in “a safe place” – and promptly forgot where. An USB stick that looks good and can be attached to my keys or phone is therefore a very good idea. I’m sure there are lots that fit the description, but today we have the Jt Baby USB Drive.
This 2GB drive comes in black, green and purple, is about 31 x 12 x 2 mm and weighs only 2 grams. It’s a good thing it can be attached to a larger object, otherwise it would get lost in minutes. But it has a major downside: the back seems unprotected and, hmm, a bunch of keys banging on the connectors doesn’t seem like a smart thing to me.
Mr. Manufacturer, you got the general idea, but you screwed up at the end, I’m sorry.
P.S. If you’re still planning to get one, watch out for the 4GB version too (which was too pricey at $37 and didn’t fit the scope of this blog).
How much under $29.99?
A little: $22 on Brando.com.hk.
If you’re bored of the look of the plain white iPod headphones but don’t feel like buying new ones, you can give them a new look without much trouble.
I’d never heard about the Gribbits, but I think the idea is great. These little headphone charms come in many shapes and colors and snap on the headphones to give them a new look. My favorites are the ladybugs in the picture, but there are various models available.
Gribbits are also available for pencils and (I wasn’t expecting this) stethoscopes. But it makes perfect sense: going to the doctor’s is never a pleasant experience, but a nice man in a white suit with smiley faces on his weird medical device can’t be all bad, right?
How much under $29.99?
A lot: most between $5.99 and $9.99 on Gribbits.com.
Via Chip Chick
Having something to hang off my mobile phone is not a priority of mine – actually, I think it would bother me. And I’ve seen so many ugly phone charms… no thank you.
But wait. There’s one I really like. The Lightbulb Phone Charm is small(er), it looks nice, and it lights up to discreetly let you know that you have an incoming call. Much better than making all the world listen to your new loud and annoying ringtone, right? Please agree with me.
How much under $29.99?
Some: ~$11.90 on IWantOneOfThose.com.
Via Coolest Gadgets
