Gadgets, Gizmos, and Games for Geeks

When I read “All-White Rubik’s Cube” I thought, finally, a Rubik’s Cube I’ll actually be able to solve. Unfortunately, that’s not the case with the All-White Rubik’s Cube, because each side has a different tactile surface to differentiate it from the others.

Inspired by a scene from a classic Tom & Jerry cartoon where Tom gets crushed paper-thin on the stairs by a giant Jerry, artist rugsoda has created an almost identical likeness of Tom in the form of this ‘Flat Cat’ stair-runner rug.

Remember when VHS tapes were the gold-standard in movie rentals? Seems like forever ago, doesn’t it? And where are all those VHS tapes now? I mean, besides my packrat parents’ basement? Landfills? Well, Etsy shop niftyrecyclables is doing their part to reduce, reuse, and recycle by selling VHS tapes that have been transformed into little planters.

Because some people’s idea of interior design is the Addams Family mansion, these are the Scary Reaching Wall Hands 3D printed and sold by Etsy shop 3DDeluxeStore. Available in black and white in four different styles, they’ll make the perfect coat racks at your next Halloween party.

Kirby: he eats everything in sight. Including your bad dreams, thanks to this Kirby sleep pillow. Designed with a detachable tongue cushion, you can stick your head in Kirby’s mouth and just let all your daily woes slip away.

You know what your band needs? Sure, probably a practice space, a bass player, and a cool name, but who really needs those things if you don’t already have a BabyBot baby doll light theremin or electronic synthesizer?

When it comes to computer keyboards, they usually come in boring colors like black, white, or grey. And their keys are almost always square. If you’re looking for something a little more vibrant, then you might want to grab one of these colorful keyboards I spotted on Amazon (affiliate link).

Because the thought of getting faux fur in your mouth while taking a sip of water is universally appealing, this is the Star Wars Chewbacca Bottle Cooler available for pre-order from Entertainment Earth for $20. Designed to hold 20 to 32 oz.

3D printed to resemble the Death Star II still under construction, Etsy shop StoryBrookBoutique is selling these Star Wars-inspired plastic planters. Available in 5 and 6-inch varieties ($16 and $24, respectively), one of these is going to look great on the window sill in front of my kitchen sink.

As one of its first Amazon Day 1 Edition products (an initiative where Amazon introduces new conceptual products and if they meet their pre-order goal by a certain date, Amazon will manufacture them), the company is releasing the $90 Smart Sticky Note Printer (affiliate link).

Giving the roller coaster that was 2020 a run for its money, enjoy this GoPro’s point-of-view ride along the 68-meter (224-foot) roller coaster constructed by Akiyuki Brick Channel. Could you imagine if this had existed in Honey I Shrunk The Kids?

Blockbuster: once the powerhouse of VHS and DVD rentals, now a bygone dinosaur, killed by the meteor that was its inability to adapt to a changing marketplace. But to harken back to the days of actually having to drive somewhere to rent a movie, Hot Topic is selling these $14 Blockbuster inspired eyeshadow palettes, which even come in what looks like a VHS rental box.

Are you always leaving the keys to your starship sitting around? The last thing you need is some rogue Ferengi getting their hands on them and trading your ship for a bunch of gold-pressed latinum. What you need is an official Starfleet key rack to keep your key ring from getting lost.

The brainchild of product design engineer and traveler Jude Pullen, The RadioGlobe is an internet-connected globe that plays a radio station from the area highlighted on the surface through its circular reticule. Just give the globe a spin to listen to the world.

Because you never know when the need to grill or smoke some meat is going to hit you, NOMAD has developed the Briefcase Grill & Smoker, a $600 portable grill and smoker in the form of a 28-pound briefcase.

Because there’s a personal electric vehicle for everyone no matter what their taste, InMotion has released the $2,000 V11 electric unicycle, a one-wheeled EV with a traditional unicycle form factor. Obviously, I’m about to take my circus act to the next level.