Many (most?) adults still stare in wonder at magic shows. Sometimes it’s the pure excitement of “wow! that’s really magic!”, sometimes the fun is in trying to figure out how they do it.
The Magical Money Compressing Coin Bank will have you staring and staring, trying to figure out how a normal sized coin can fall through what looks like a funnel, apparently shrink, but still look perfectly normal when taken out again.
It’s done with mirrors, yes, but how? My google skills have failed me this time and I have no idea how this is done. What I do have is an urge to get one of these boxes and take it apart…
How much under $29.99?
A lot: $5.90 on DealExtreme.com.
Via GearDiary
Sometimes decisions are too hard to make and we need help… even in the form of random events. Why else would people love magic 8 balls so much?
The Executive Decision Maker is an alternative to the old ball or dice, and it’s more entertaining to use. Using magnetism, the pendulum swings and eventually stops on one of the options: Yes, Ask a Friend, Try Again, No Way, Definitely or Maybe. As we know, pendulums are also used in hypnotism, so even if you don’t need the answer to any pressing questions you might find yourself prodding it just to see it swing back and forth.
Besides, I think devices like this actually can help people make good decisions. If you get a “no way” but your gut is telling you that’s wrong, you have your actual answer.
How much under $29.99?
Some: $11.95 on X-tremeGeek.com.
Via Gizmodo
Censored by the televisions but loved by the fans, South Park is a undoubtedly phenomenon of pop-culture (and one of my favorite TV shows). But it’s not exactly the thing you would associate with a game like chess
But as it happens, the South Park Chess Set does exist and looks kind of cool. All the pieces are hand-painted and modeled after people in our dysfunctional mountain town: the king is Chef, the queen is (of course) Big Gay Al, the bishop is Kyle, the knight in shinin fat armor is Cartman, the castle is Stan and the disposable pawns are, understandably, poor Kenny.
I find the idea of playing chess with South Park characters delightful, since some people tend to associate the show with bad language and questionable humor while ignoring the other aspects and catalog the fans as, let’s say, not very intelligent. Who could conceive of a Cartman fan who likes chess?! Heh.
How much under $29.99?
Exactly $29.97 on ThingsYouNeverKnew.com.
Via bookofjoe
Sometimes the best toys are those that aren’t really toys… Imagine trying to teach a kid about the Enigma machine. Who cares about encryption and those wars from long time ago? But I bet that a Pocket Enigma would make them interested. Coded messages are always popular.
This pocket cipher machine works on the same principles as the real Enigma and you won’t have to guess how to decode it like the Allies: it comes with instructions, including examples, figures and troubleshooting guide. Because it might be too complicated for children, it also comes with an easier mode, the Junior Pocket Enigma, which should enable all youngsters to exchange encrypted message about the cute boy next door or that girl at the mall. No need to make up a secret alphabet now.
How much under $29.99?
A lot: ~$9.50 on BletchleyPark.org.uk.
Via BoingBoing
The Aluminum 2×4 Brick Keychain is definitely not a LEGO. It’s not made by the company, after all, and it’s so very wrong to call all bricks “LEGOs”. (And “LEGOs” is also a wrong word, according to the company; they’re LEGO bricks.) But it fits LEGO bricks, so what does that make it?
Anyway, it’s not very important. We’ll just call it a metal LEGO brick that you can hang on your keys. Interesting for LEGO fans, of course, even though the price tag is a bit high in my opinion. However, it would probably be more interesting for companies, as it can be engraved: $6 extra for a custom text, $1.50-$2 for an image selected from a gallery or $8 for your own uploaded logo.
How much under $29.99?
Some: $11.99 on BLDesign.org.
Via Pocket Lint
It’s not good for people to have bored colleagues. They can’t go walking around the office, so they sit at the computer tapping their feet or playing with pens or other equally annoying repetitive actions.
The USB Soccer Fidget says it can stop that behavior, and if it works I’m buying a whole stash for future use. The soccer ball activates a desktop mini-game with three game modes; the trick is that you have to keep pressing the ball to control the shooting speed, which is supposed to allow you to let out frustration in a fun way.
I don’t really think it will stop anyone from making annoying noises, because most feet tappers do it all the time, not only when bored. But the frustration part might work; a mindless game from once in a while can do wonders, I tell you.
How much under $29.99?
Some: $15 on USBGeek.com.
Via RedFerret
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.
…And we’re back to the neverending world of Star Wars merchandise, with a treat for fans with a sweet tooth.
The Darth Vader Giant Pez Dispenser is tall indeed at more than 12″ in height, and comes with no less than 12 packs of Pez candy, guaranteed to last you a long time (or ensure a quick trip to the dentist’s). When it dispenses a pack of candy, Darth Vader’s eye light up and it plays the Star Wars theme song to the enjoyment (or annoyance) of everyone around.
While it would probably be a hit at a children’s birthday party, I hope I never have a work colleague with one of these. Hearing the Star Wars theme song every time he feels like having something sweet is something I wouldn’t want to go through.
How much under $29.99?
Some: $17.50 on Amazon.com.
I must’ve been living in a cave*, because Pin Art doesn’t ring any bells to me. For those in the same boat, a short explanation: it’s a case with thousands of blunt pins, that can be used to make 3D impressions of things pressed into them.
How would your face look like if it was made from pins? Will the guy in the next office get the point if you make an impression of your middle finger? What’s the most interesting office supply can you get a 3D image of? You can answer these questions or more in those idle moments and lunch breaks, and enjoy the nostalgia while you’re at it.
* A cave called “foreign country” with different fads than the US or UK, of course.
How much under $29.99?
A little: ~$25 on IWantOneofThose.com.
Claw games were fascinating because you never won, but you always knew someone who had a friend who got the coolest teddy bear just the other day. So you’d keep begging your parents for coins and keep losing…
The childhood days are over… and the frustration can be over, too. The Candy Grabber is the miniature version of a claw machine, and this time you control it. First you fill it up with the candy or toys of your choice, then get grabbing! You’re probably be just as unsuccesful, but this time you don’t have to pay and, if push comes to shove, you can just disassemble the machine to get your prize. You win in the end, either way.
How much under $29.99?
Exactly $29.99 on PerpetualKid.com.
