technabob » tree

video game controller ornaments are very merry indeed

technabob — Sat, 21 Nov 2009 04:07:44 +0000

With Turkey Day just around the corner, I figured it was safe for me to start mentioning some Christmas geek goodies – and these ones are a great way to get you in a festive mood. I am absolutely in love with these laser-cut video game controller ornaments.

Created by Dave Rollins of Digits (with the help of Ponoko’s laser fabrication services), these acrylic holiday gamer ornaments are the perfect addition to any game geek’s Christmas tree, Hanukkah bush, or Secular shrub.

Each set comes with 7 ornaments, including 2-dimensional cutout versions of Wii, N64, Xbox 360, Dreamcast, NES, PS2 and Sega Genesis controllers. The ornaments each measure between 3 and 4 inches wide, so they’re a bit smaller than the real deals.

They’re available in 6 colors, including red, white, yellow, black, clear, and red-tinted acrylic, and can be found over at Digits’ Ponoko or Etsy shops for just $20 bucks a set.

Buy a bunch and cover your whole tree. I’m hoping next year that Dave will make some matching console ornaments and maybe an Atari paddle controller or two.

that old pac-man holiday spirit

alisha k. — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 12:42:58 +0000

Ahhh, the holidays are nearly upon us, and you know what that means: Pac-Man. He’s already invaded weddings, after all. Now he can also hang out under your Christmas tree, if you are arboreally inclined. Though I’m sure this tree skirt could be spread about under other things if you were really determined.

The Pac-Man tree skirt (bound to be at least as interesting as the actual gifts sitting on it) is an impressive 41 inches in diameter. That’s a lot of black felt spread about on your floor. Sure, you can go bigger, but really, how much living room do most of us have? It’s available at Etsy for only $14, too. I challenge you to roll on down to your favorite Xmas decor outlet and find something half so cool for so little.

You’re probably not going to get Pac-Man at Target, for that matter. Oh, you might find him somewhere, but in the holiday department? Good luck.

yoda light-up tree topper: this, your christmas tree must have

technabob — Thu, 22 Oct 2009 03:44:35 +0000

Yep, Halloween is barely upon us and here I go jumping the gun with Christmas stuff long before Turkey Day has even arrived. Oh well, calendars be damned. It’s finally time to rid of that boring old star on top of your Christmas tree this year, and swap it out with something much better. Yoda.

And this isn’t just any old Yoda tree-topper. This one features a light up LED lightsaber, perfect for taking down Sith and other Imperial baddies who happen to make their way into your living room. And while the Star Wars guys don’t have any pictures of exactly what this guy will look like sitting on top of your tree, I’ve taken the liberty of creating this artist’s rendition for those of you with no imagination…

Want Yoda on your tree this holiday season? Head on over to the StarWarsShop and pre-order him now for $39.99 (USD).

laser xmas tree in tokyo: no need for needles

technabob — Tue, 25 Dec 2007 14:17:46 +0000

This giant green Christmas tree was recently sighted at the base of an office building in Tokyo, Japan. But unlike its Rockefeller Center counterpart, this one can entirely vanish with the flip of a switch.

The bright green laser tree was on display from December 18 to 22 between the towers of the Yurakucho Marion building in the Tokyo’s fashionable Ginza district.

Click to View Embedded Video Clip

I still think nothing’s quite as good as Madrid’s Pac-Man Christmas tree, but this one is still cooler than your average evergreen.

pac-man christmas tree hits madrid

technabob — Wed, 05 Dec 2007 23:32:31 +0000

This has gotta be the coolest Christmas tree I think I’ve ever seen. Pac-Man and his ghostly pals have been reproduced in this giant holiday light display.

The “tree” features a fully-animated version of the classic arcade game, rendered across thousands of colored LEDs.

Click to View Embedded Video Clip

From what I can tell (my Spanish isn’t that great), its currently on display in downtown Madrid at Nuevos Ministerios.

[via Clipset, with extra photos over on Kartones Blog]

etree el lamp: make like a tree and get out of here

technabob — Fri, 30 Nov 2007 11:45:09 +0000

This amazing floor lamp uses strands of brilliant electroluminescent tubes to form into an nearly infinite number of flowing organic shapes.

Designed by Jesus Felipe and Silvia Grimaldi of UK-based Nimble Critters, the ETree lamp is more of an interactive sculpture than simply a lamp. Each of the light’s 10 bluish-green “branches” can be bent into about any shape, creating undulating arboreal structures reminiscent of the tentacles of an upside-down jellyfish. [check out the lamp in action here.]

The ETree floor lamp will set you back about £1000 (appx. $2068 USD), although there’s a simpler 5-branch table lamp version that’s £360 (appx. $745 USD). They’re available from the Kinetica Design Museum.

handmade wooden memory sticks: let’s be natural

technabob — Sat, 06 Oct 2007 04:11:21 +0000

If you like the idea of computer accessories made from natural materials, but thought those Oooms wooden memory sticks were a bit too rustic, check out these refined beauties.

Handcrafted in Germany by Thalbach Design, each wooden USB flash drive is made from quality hardwoods and delicately sanded to a smooth finish.

The memory sticks come in a variety of hardwoods including 150-year old burled wood, ebony, ash, maple and several colored stain finishes as well. Prices range from €45 ($69 USD) to €95 ($135 USD), depending on style and memory size.

[via Designspotter]