USB missile launcher adopts webcam for geeky wars over MSN

We thought Brando had finally reached the pinnacle of jokey USB armaments with its recent wireless missile launcher -- the third such product in this evolving line -- but apparently there is demand out there for a remotely-operated version capable of waging war over the internet. Filling this strange market gap will be the USB MSN Missile Launcher, which tacks a webcam onto the standard version and allows your buddies on the Microsoft network to randomly shoot at you throughout the day. Again, we're not sure who buys a weapon whose main purpose is to attack its owner, so the $49 device may not be the huge hit its predecessors were when it 'launches' on the 18th.

[Elevator @ Jan 5th 2008 3:24AM]

Who is going to be the first to adapt it to shoot poison darts... give it as a gift... and assassinate someone.

back to reality....
this would be awesome if you and alot of your friends had these and randomly while emailing or jerking off you get shot by a foam dart... imagine the possibilities.

[Autopsy15 @ Jan 5th 2008 4:55AM]

Yeah, you took that just a little too far at the end there.

[Maci @ Jan 5th 2008 5:49AM]

Actually at the beginning when he started talking about poison darts..

[JMoses @ Jan 5th 2008 1:04PM]

Or just do the air soft mod...

hmm... air soft over the internet.

[ohyeah @ Jan 5th 2008 3:27AM]

I see a future ... WUSB controlled battle bots.....

[Kozzi @ Jan 5th 2008 3:28AM]

I see a future ... HACKERs CAN TURN YOUR PC INTO A BOMB

[mushrooshi @ Jan 5th 2008 3:34AM]

The days computer noobs describe are coming.

"OMG! The virus is on our computer!!!! ITS GOING TO BLOW UP THE HOUSE AND BECOME A ROBOT THAT WILL RAPE US ALL!!!!"

2 hours later a copy of TurboTax and 15 megabytes of porn are deleted.

[Macroy @ Jan 5th 2008 4:21AM]

Didn't this happen in Die Hard 4?

[pcgecko85 @ Jan 5th 2008 3:56AM]

HAHA, sounds interesting.

[Zandr @ Jan 5th 2008 4:19AM]

We actually built one of these because the launcher was a handy platform. The real purpose was to allow a remote engineer to point his view over iChat around the office. Being able to fire an 'attention getter' was a handy bonus of the design.

[greg @ Jan 5th 2008 4:29AM]

can this double as a regular webcam? cuz that would be pretty sweet!

[Autopsy15 @ Jan 5th 2008 4:57AM]

Well, that would seem obvious as there is a WEBCAM on the top of the missile launcher.

[allaina @ Jan 5th 2008 6:01AM]

because, you know, you wouldn't just buy a webcam if a webcam is all you wanted...

[BobTurbo @ Jan 5th 2008 5:55AM]

Can this double as a regular missle launcher?

[Adam B @ Jan 5th 2008 11:45AM]

Well, that would seem obvious as there is a MISSILE LAUNCHER on the top of the webcam.

[Joel @ Jan 5th 2008 1:05PM]

Adam, actually the missile launcher is UNDER the webcam...

[stefan @ Jan 5th 2008 7:50AM]

geeks use MSN?

[Senor_Tom @ Jan 5th 2008 9:19AM]

In the UK, MSN or windows live messenger is used by most teens and and young adults so.....no.

[finnith @ Jan 5th 2008 12:21PM]

They use MSN in Canada, too.

They=everybody

[DarkLightConnection @ Jan 5th 2008 3:23PM]

I'm a geek and I use MSN.. not that I really like it, but there's people who you can't reach if it's not thru MSN

[buttmanpoo @ Jan 5th 2008 8:57AM]

what is msn?

[Wwhat @ Jan 5th 2008 12:08PM]

Medium Spiny Neurons
:)

Fake you say? http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Medium_spiny_neurons

[Jongscx @ Jan 5th 2008 12:01PM]

Where else can you get a pan/tilt web-enabled camera for $49 that has an easily hacked (also web-enabled) servo channel?

I think this is a pretty nice idea, depending on the functionality of the software, especially for us soft-core hackers/modders.

[Wwhat @ Jan 5th 2008 12:09PM]

Exactly my thought, except they are probably twice as expensive in the EU :/

[whatishalo? @ Jan 5th 2008 12:50PM]

I can think of one practical use. We have a free flight bird room our cockatoos live in with a live web cam. With this missile launcher, if I log in and catch them chewing on the closet door molding or window molding, I can shoot one to scare them off of it. Genius! Remote discipline...bwah ha ha ha

[tiuk @ Jan 5th 2008 1:08PM]

Usually these little USB toys are really lame, but this one is seriously awesome.

[dj-kenpo @ Jan 5th 2008 1:55PM]

this is wicked, not as inteded though.

$50 for a webcam+remote control robotics?

would be perfect for making a fake "ME" to go to work and sit there for me, whiel i work from home. it could even look around the office.

[IrishAntoin @ Jan 5th 2008 2:56PM]

This is brilliant! I want everyone I know to get one to see if you can catch them unawares. Great laugh if it can be used for that.

[Ally @ Jan 5th 2008 3:36PM]

How exactly does one operate it?

I dont remember a "fire!" button on msn, or do you just hit Nudge?

[wootman @ Jan 5th 2008 7:06PM]

attaching one of these to a real gun would be the worlds finest example of home defense.

[rexer @ Jan 29th 2008 11:27AM]

Looks like it is available from these wholesale gadgets suppliers:
http://www.volumeload.com/wholesale_gadgets/hero/usb_msn_missile_launcher.htm