Target your co-workers with USB air darts

It's been a while since a USB toy excited us as much as these compressed-air darts — available through Marks & Spencer, of all places, for a mere £19.50 ($33.43). The USB-powered darts come in a set of three, are, uh, Mac and PC-compatible, and can be controlled via a mouse. We're already making plans to figure out how to control a set over VNC so we can deploy these against the dude in the next cube while we're a safe distance away. He'll never know what hit him.

[Via the Ferret]

[Kaptain Korolev @ Dec 19th 2005 1:37AM]

These will be purchased tomorrow, there is no other option.

[Vasco @ Dec 19th 2005 1:37AM]

I wish they cost less, around $20, so you could get 5 and have an artillery barrage =-)

[Greg @ Dec 19th 2005 1:37AM]

SWEET!

best USB device to date.

[George @ Dec 19th 2005 1:37AM]

So is the base motorised?

Sounds like it could be modified for other uses. I'm thinking mini airsoft mp5 and a webcam :)

[Scoobydoo @ Dec 19th 2005 1:37AM]

And YES! They ship to the US!!! Plus they have a Buy 2, get 3 promo going on!

[Conference Calling @ Dec 19th 2005 1:37AM]

oh my f... this is probably the most amazing thing ever invented. i wonder if my cat will find it as amazing as i do, come time for me to lock on as he tries to scratch my couch.

[nizzy1115 @ Dec 19th 2005 1:37AM]

ok id have to addmit...i was always one to poke fun at all those usb powered devices, but i really think these are cool! 3 for the price of 2 is very tempting too!

[Michele Johnson @ Dec 19th 2005 1:37AM]

Here's a direct link:
http://www.marksandspencer.com/IWCatProductPage.process?Merchant_Id=1&Product_Id=1900505&portal=locayta

mj

[Dustin Hood @ Dec 19th 2005 1:37AM]

But how can we order them... The site only ships to UK addresses?

[matt2 @ Dec 19th 2005 1:37AM]

buy three of these take a laptop you got laying around hook them to the laptop. hook the laptop to an rc car. vnc to the laptop. you got an kick ass office tank

[Dan @ Dec 19th 2005 1:37AM]

Reply to #6, marks and spencer only ships to the UK. Does anyone know of a distributor for the states?

[mp @ Dec 19th 2005 1:37AM]

It's a shame they don't ship overseas. Haven't found a place that imports them either. If anyone finds a place in the US or that ships to the US, please post it here. It'd be a damn fine gift for my employees.

[Darth Abe @ Dec 19th 2005 1:37AM]

this is the single coolest thing ever to be attached to a usb plug

[Ian Jardine @ Dec 19th 2005 1:37AM]

Marks & Sparks are a demented store. YUears ago I bought some stuff online and I cross checked that they allow overseas purchases then at the end they insist upon a UK address for shipment! Seems it's the same today. They loose countless orders by doing this.
Note also that by shipping to a UK address they aree making you also pay the horrendous UK VAT of around 20% on this purchase (probably already in the quoted price). So it would be so easy for them to use that to cover overseas shipment.

[Tajmirage @ Dec 19th 2005 1:37AM]

It just needs a built in Webcam for targeting.

[Greenline @ Dec 19th 2005 1:37AM]

So Cool!!!!

[William @ Dec 19th 2005 1:37AM]

I'm really glad I live in the UK :-)

I know what will be on my present list :D

[Paul @ Dec 19th 2005 1:37AM]

I am so jealous.... I wish they shipped to the united states... that would so be on my wish list... lol

[Dmnkly @ Dec 19th 2005 1:37AM]

There has to be a way to get these in the States. Anybody been able to identify the manufacturer?

[Jeffrey Schrab @ Dec 19th 2005 1:37AM]

Thinkgeek should carry this!!!

[Scoobydoo @ Dec 19th 2005 1:37AM]

Those that say they don't ship abroad, did you even bother to LOOK at the website? Add them to your cart, and at the checkout screen click the "NOT UK" link, then pick United States... geez...

[Brandon @ Dec 19th 2005 1:37AM]

Now, someone from the UK needs to buy a bunch of these and put them on eBay for us yanks. Bet you could make some money.

[Dustin Hood @ Dec 19th 2005 1:37AM]

In regards to comment 19... that's only the billing address. when you actually checkout it won't allow you to ship to the US.

[Zex_Suik @ Dec 19th 2005 1:37AM]

heheh brilliant idea...
host a site where it's pay per use
-enable webcam
-people pay to shoot you while you work (via remote control over the web)

I'm LMAO here because you could make a lot of money in a day if your expressions were lively enough... throw some papers in the air everytime too... turn on sound and yelp or something...

be better with an auto loader...

or on a pr0n webcam site... shootthenakedchick.com

(this really is a money maker but the logistics/programming involved are beyond me, if you use this please send some cash my way)

[Brian Oosterhouse @ Dec 19th 2005 1:37AM]

Hahaha that's awesome. I'm so gonna get that.

http://oosterhouse.wordpress.com/

[Rick @ Dec 19th 2005 1:37AM]

how sweet is that?

[Ed @ Dec 19th 2005 1:37AM]

Scoobydoo, did you even BOTHER to FINISH checkout? They don't ship overseas. geez...

[Jon T @ Dec 19th 2005 1:37AM]

Another idea:
* Laptop with Wifi & bluetooth
* Bluetooth RC car
* VNC
* Webcam
* 10X USB Darts

Goal: Mobile Tank

[Dmnkly @ Dec 19th 2005 1:37AM]

Scooby, you can enter in a non-UK address, but then once you complete your credit card info, it just tells you that your address is invalid and kicks you back and asks you to reenter an address, and that they only deliver to the UK.

[Lee @ Dec 19th 2005 1:37AM]

BEST *EVER* USB DEVICE

Will have a Linux driver in no time. Bring on the browser-based burgular shoot-em-ups...

[Ben @ Dec 19th 2005 1:37AM]

Wow, forget controlling these suckers with a mouse! If you could hook these up to a joystick and control them seperatly from your mouse that would be great.

And seriously, any UKers that want to make some money do not hesitate to list these things on ebay, I'd have no problem covering shipping to the states.

[Mr. E @ Dec 19th 2005 1:37AM]

Seems like an ok device, but can it also make toast?

[Mark @ Dec 19th 2005 1:37AM]

I sent in a comment on their website begging them to ship to the U.S. Maybe if everyone else does the same....

Here's a link:

http://www2.marksandspencer.com/help/contact/contact.asp?q=dlv

[frak @ Dec 19th 2005 1:37AM]

Now if only it came with a USB powered compressor

[RazorD @ Dec 19th 2005 1:37AM]

w00t, i bought 3. God knows what i'll do with em, but 3 for 2, and i added a bunch of random stuff i'll give to my mum as presents to get the free delivery too :D

Good ol' M&S.

-Raz

[J.Pepper @ Dec 19th 2005 1:37AM]

want shipping to the states?

LMK here and i'll see how many are interested, then i'll go clean up the stock of them at M&S, work out shipping and stick 'em on eBay if you want.

[(another) Jon @ Dec 19th 2005 1:37AM]

Hook it up J. Pepper! I'm in!!!

[Vince C @ Dec 19th 2005 1:37AM]

This is probably the best USB toy I've seen ever! Why doesnt it ship anywhere else? Dammit!!! I put in an order for 5 before looking at shipping... marg. This sucks arse!

[the chad @ Dec 19th 2005 1:37AM]

Sorry guys (& ScoobyDoo), no overseas shipping. Here's their FAQ page where they say they don't.
http://www2.marksandspencer.com/help/delivery_info/index.shtml#overseas

If they did there'd be about 10 of 'em on my list, and I like that mobile tank idea :-)

[Brady J. Frey @ Dec 19th 2005 1:37AM]

Anyone wants to ship a couple to San Francisco, and make a buck, drop me an email at my site, I'm game:)

[the chad @ Dec 19th 2005 1:37AM]

I'll secont Brady's comment. Anyone willing to buy a few (i'm thinking 3 for 2 deal) and ship to San Francisco area, send me an email [e-mail]. Yes I'm actually serious :-)

Or if these ever go on ebay let me know.

[Beowulf @ Dec 19th 2005 1:37AM]

omg...

How are these not available in the USofA or on eBay??!?!

PERFECT holiday gifts for the high-tech office!

[J.Pepper @ Dec 19th 2005 1:37AM]

Seems like there are a few interested parties...

it costs roughly $34, factoring shipping and packaging costs from UK to the US would come up to a price of $45-50 depending on weight for one.

Does these seem like a reasonable amount?

If so, I can do a trial run tomorrow, run down to the M&S store in town and grab a few to stick onto eBay tomorrow night and post a link back here.

Interested?

[Danny @ Dec 19th 2005 1:37AM]

Weapons of Mass Distraction and amusement! Oh, the potential shenanigans that ensues!

[the chad @ Dec 19th 2005 1:37AM]

J. Pepper,
Could you check into the 3-for-2 offer (if it applies to instore purchase and if it counts for 3 of the same item), and how much it would cost to ship to San Francisco Bay area for both 1 & 3 of those? I don't need any sort of rush shipping, whatevers cheapest. If you could, pls drop an email to [e-mail] with how much it would be. No hurry, I can't guarantee I would buy for sure, but I'm very interested.
Thanks

[Russ @ Dec 19th 2005 1:37AM]

Don't the Canucks have M&S? I distinctly remember driving up there (to Windsor) as a kid with my British parents and shopping there. (As well as them using an innocent child like myself to smuggle back meat pies and black pudding, but that's another story...)

[Walt @ Dec 19th 2005 1:37AM]

Very interested in seeing these on eBay!

[Jack @ Dec 19th 2005 1:37AM]

Nothing on eBay yet. I'll keep looking.

[quandmeme @ Dec 19th 2005 1:37AM]

I am interested in the image you all (#33 excepted) have of how these work. Are you imagining a range of 18 inches? a yard? or do you have gleeful images of launching to two cubicles over? I predict a wave of disappointed reviews because we're letting our imaginations get ahead of what we're actually likely to get for 20 quid.

[Mike D @ Dec 19th 2005 1:37AM]

if you're counting potential customers, count me in.