They’re pretty enough if you can get past the origin of the design. I’m no vegetarian, but I’m not sure I want a reminder of food sources sitting around on the shelf.

The trap speakers are 50mm and work on a bandwidth of 50Hz to 4kHz at 83dB. But who wants the specs? What I want to know is this: will they still function as actual octopus traps if you take out the speaker bits and refit them to their original purpose? If so, that would make these speakers simultaneously more sinister and more awesome.

[Bird Electron via Akihabara News]

In addition to the environmentally-friendly reuse of materials, Bird-Electron Kodak Speakers don’t even need a battery to operate. Apparently, the low volume output from a headphone jack is enough to drive these little speakers. They use small mylar drivers to bounce sound into the film canisters, which then project omni-directional sound waves. I wouldn’t expect stellar audio from these, and the maker freely admits that they have a decidedly “retro” sound quality.

Until now, they’ve only been available in Japan, but thanks to gadget importer Audiocubes, you can now pick up a pair stateside. At $55 a pair, they’re not necessarily a bargain, but they sure are different.

Japan’s Bird Electron decided it would be nice to see some speakers made from natural materials, so they came up with the concept. Each speaker has a 2.3-inch diameter full-range driver, sealed tightly into the body of the hollowed out fruit. It’s said that the gourd shell produces a soft, easy sound, so if you were planning on playing your Metallica through these, they’re probably not for you.

They’re currently available from AssistOn for  ¥18,000 ($146 USD) for a pair along with an amplified stereo breakout box. It’s also possible to hook up a single speaker (¥9,800 / $80 USD) to your music player if you don’t need stereo sound.

If you’re trying to get these outside of Japan, you also might want to check with Audiocubes. They’ve been known to import Bird Electron products on occasion.