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Dinosaurs fascinated humans ever since the first one was discovered, but have become really famous with the 1993 release of Jurassic Park (not that they’d care, being dead and all).
As a result, they’re now available in all shapes, sizes and purposes. Toys and books are all over the place, but dinos can also be used, for example, as lamps. Really cute ones, I might add, which let you put your DYI skills to use.
Each DIY Dinosaur Lamp comes in the form of several sheets of flexible plastic, which need to be slotted together according to instructions. Assembly should keep you busy for more than half an hour, but the result will be worth it (and hey, DYI is fun!)
Get this for your dinosaur-crazy son or daughter and their friends will be to busy “wow”ing to make any jokes about a big boy/girl still sleeping with the light on. Three to choose from: T-Rex, Diplodocus and Stegosaurus.
One very important thing to remember: they don’t come with a bulb, so you need to buy the appropriate type. No need to mention what a too-hot bulb close the plastic can do…
How much under $29.99?
Some: $19.99 on ThinkGeek.com.
If you felt the American Star Wars product market was getting boring… you have at least one reason to be happy today. (Although with a franchise this big you’d need to be Bill Gates to buy everything…)
Anyway, the Darth Vader Lightsaber Flashlight Keychain is cool and worth having. It’s not only a replica of our Sith Lord’s saber, it’s also a functional flashlight with a red LED. At about 3 inches it’s pretty big however, so it’s not exactly the kind of keychain you can just throw in your pocket.
As long as you’re not fussed about that, $10 is a little for something that will fuel your passion and help you find the keyhole late at night.
How much under $29.99?
A lot: $9.99 on StarWars.com.
Via UberReview
The Party Rats aren’t the stupidest party accessory ever, but they’re pretty close. If you like drawing attention to yourself however… this will definitely work. Whether it’ll be the good or bad kind of attention, I don’t know.
Each pack comes with 5 rats and each of them sends out a differently colored beam. By placing them on your fingers and then moving your arms around you can get pretty impressive results… although that won’t erase the fact that you’re wearing plastic rodents.
But then again, given that most of the people at parties or in discos are in various stages of getting drunk… no one will notice.
How much under $29.99?
A lot: $5.95 on McPhee.com.
Via ShinyShiny
If asked whether their baths needed enhancing, most people would say “no”. You’ve got your bathtub and your soapy stuff, what more can you need?
But needing is not the issue here. The Underwater Light Show is not one of the things you need, it’s one of the things you want. Turn the bathroom lights down and start the show… the water will start glowing with funky color patterns and you can choose from 5 different sequences.
Baths are too small for it to have a full impact, however (unless you have a small child who’s entertained by the pretty lights and stops fussing). But the same device in a pool would be amazing - particularly good for dazzling guests.
How much under $29.99?
Some: ~$15.50 on PrezzyBox.com.
Many people think a rainbow is a good omen and, even leaving superstition aside, it’s an impressive phenomenon. If you want to have your own rainbow - albeit less impressive - you can try the electronic version, no rain required.
The Rainbow In My Room is a gadget that can brigthen up your day - if you forget the fact that it’s just a bunch of circuits and LEDs. At the wave of a hand, it shines a rainbow on your walls and ceiling. Just like magic! Or at least that’s how it will seem to a child. A perfect way of calming a nervous kid down and probably the setting for a thousand future princess stories.
Imaginative people will surely find more uses for it, such as party light or night light for a child.
How much under $29.99?
A little: $23.37 on Amazon.com.

If you’ve got a big (or small, even) yard, in 99% of the cases it will look better at night with some creative lighting. The atmosphere at a barbecue or romantic open-air dinner can be drastically changed with some well-placed lights, and something like the Solar Deck Light has one big advantage: no wires to trip on. Small kids, old people or just someone plain clumsy can have a hard time with your beautiful cables if they’re strung around all over the place…
And you’re saving the environment at the same time, you know? Each disc has 4 LED lights and a solar panel on top, so they get charged at day and then stay lit up at night for up for 5 hours. What’s not clear is what you do if you need more than 5 hours of light…
How much under $29.99?
A little: $24.95 each on Gardeners.com.
Via DVICE
Lighting fires or cigarettes in the wind is at best difficult and at worst impossible. Or maybe I’ve just had really crappy lighters…
It might just be my lack of skills in the end, but a bad lighter doesn’t help. And something you get at the corner store for $1 is definitely not high quality. Now, a Zippo… The Zippo “Outdoor Utility” OUL Lighter, with a wind-resistant dual flame and water-resistant cap, sounds like the perfect tool for the job. It’s also got a LED light (which can be useful if you’re trying to get a fire going at night), a lanyard and it’s child proof.
It’s got pretty much everything covered, you only need a camping trip to test it out.
How much under $29.99?
A little: $24.95 on Amazon.com.
Via uncrate
Do you feel your computer is a little boring? You could add some stickers or get a new case or mod your old one… but shiny lights are easier to get.
Called USB Office Fairy Lights for some reason (do fairies usually fly around computers?), they’re basically stars on a string that can go around your monitor, case or even serve as home decoration (hopefully only for Christmas).
They’re not useful, and I don’t think they really make your desk any better. But if you’ve got a teen niece and you’re out of ideas…
How much under $29.99?
Some: $12.99 on Amazon.com.
Via Coolest Gadgets
I’m tired of all these USB hub something-or-others that keep popping up, but sometimes, among all the crap, there’s something that makes me think “Ohh, I could really use that!”.
Case in point: USB 4-Port Hub With Notebook Light. A notebook light is very important for me, since I tend to work at night and I find normal lamps annoying (light in my eyes, not on the keys, ugh), and this particular light is placed just great on the laptop lid. And I figure, as long as you have free space, why not stick some USB ports on it? Might come in useful sooner than you think.
How much under $29.99?
Exactly $29.90 on Gadget4All.com.
Via Coolest Gadgets
If you’ve got a teen or preteen girl in your house, you might have found your space invaded by purple, pink, flower- or heart-shaped glittery things. It’s rare for a girl not to go through a pink phase (I sure know I had mine).
So, while I think the Heart Shape USB Lamp, Speaker and Pen Holder is particularly ugly, my 12-year old self might disagree. And, since teens get bored easily, a cheap n-in-1 gizmo is a great idea to make a young girl happy without breaking the bank and feeling sorry 2 weeks later when she wants something new and just as silly.
It’s no use repeating what this device features, since the name is descriptive enough, but I’ll say that the speaker is probably bad, the light looks useful and it can also be powered with 3 AAA batteries. If your girl is not quite pink obsessed, but you think she’d like the thing, rest assured there’s also a white version.
How much under $29.99?
Some: $13.99 on GizFever.com.
Via TechieDiva