Brando offers up USB-powered Plasma Ball

Yeah, this is just what everyone needed: more pointless electronic rubbish to clutter up your desk. Lacking the charm of other useless USB accessories (USB sushi: it's got cred!), Brando opted to give a regular Plasma Ball the USB connectivity it never wanted. For $16.99, the ability to awe your colleagues and family members with an interactive light show they've seen dozens of times is within your grasp! Hey, at least the base isn't lined with blue LEDs.

[KiZ @ May 26th 2007 10:32PM]

This comment has blogspam. It kind of takes away from the quality of the comment :)

[Carbonize @ May 26th 2007 8:04PM]

What's so news worthy about that? USB powered plasma globes have been available for ages. I've had mine for about 6 months now.

Another case of Engadget just copying a story and not doing any research. (aren't all their stories just copied?)

[Dustin Frazier @ May 26th 2007 10:44PM]

I still say this whole "USB" fad will never catch on. Parallel ports FTW!

[a ham sandwich @ May 26th 2007 8:07PM]

yeah really. slow news day much?

the damn thing isnt even controllable somehow over usb. just powered.

[Ceralor @ May 26th 2007 8:53PM]

Well, it might be easily modded to go inside the case like that one project.

[Ayle @ May 26th 2007 8:55PM]

Quoted from wikipedia:
"One should be careful when placing electronic devices (such as a computer mouse) nearby or upon the plasma lamp: not only may the glass become hot, but the high voltage may place a substantial static charge into the device, even through a protective plastic casing. The radio frequency field produced by plasma lamps can interfere with the operation of touch pads used on laptop computers, digital audio players, and other similar devices. Some types, such as Radio Shack's Realistic Lightning Fury (no longer sold), can radiate sufficient RFI to interfere with nearby telephones up to several feet away. If the phone uses electronic dialing then the RFI can add digits to the number being dialed. This can effectively prevent calling, a potential safety hazard if an emegency number such as 911 is being dialed. Additionally, when a metal is placed on the surface of a plasma lamp's glass, a danger of shock and burning does exist; it is very easy for electricity to be emitted from the lamp if the metal comes in contact or close proximity with certain other materials, including human tissue."

[Clayj @ May 26th 2007 9:45PM]

Speaking of the Lightning Fury, I had one of those for about 10 years... I worked at Radio Shack (when it was two words, back in the very early '90s) and bought one one time when they were on sale. MUCH cooler than a regular plasma ball... and it created a VERY distinct whiff of ozone in the room. I finally sold it to a coworker who was really into stuff like that.

[Mike Morris @ May 27th 2007 1:20AM]

lol, Awsum!

^_^

(Bought one immediately)

[strider_mt2k @ May 27th 2007 7:43AM]

Not to mix my metaphors or anything...

"Don't put yer lips on it!!"

"It tastes like burning!!"

[Kokernutz @ May 27th 2007 9:34AM]

Thanks for bringing up the ozone element to this.

From Wikipedia: Ozone, which is harmful to humans, may also accumulate far outside of the surface of the glass orb after a few minutes of constant operation. It accumulates at an accelerated rate if a hand or metal object is placed on the glass.

That being said, I often fell ill in college for reasons unknown. Then I smelled my hand after playing with my roommate's constantly-on plasma lamp. I immediately got worse and was konked out for the whole day. The plasma lamp went bye-bye shortly thereafter and I was fine for the remainder of the year.

[mark smith @ May 27th 2007 1:17PM]

No way would I let that thing within 10 feet of my computers. To say nothing about hooking it to my USB bus. I'd hook it up to my FM xmitter 12DC-USB power thingy in the car, though.

[Joey @ May 27th 2007 11:27PM]

I'd be highly interested in this if there were a simple way to trigger different effects on the globe so that I could glance at it to see if the build's broken. Alas people don't seem to be interested in making these kinds of ridiculous USB devices for programmers :-/

[Old School @ May 31st 2007 10:24PM]

Ordered mine to remember the good old days.

They are SO out of stock right now (thanks to engadget and other cross-link sites). Please send mine sooner.