USB webmail notifier lights up your life when you've got mail
By Tim Stevens 
posted October 6th 2008 11:21AM
posted October 6th 2008 11:21AM
posted October 6th 2008 11:21AM
A look back on popular stories from today in a specific year.
Now that we've thrown 'em off the trail, use the form below to get in touch with the people at Engadget. Please fill in all of the required fields because they're required.
looks larger than it really is
I'd rather pay someone $17 to punch me in the face and sleep with my wife than have this hogging one of my precious USB ports.
Where's the $17?
@ High ranks: Give me that $17, now which cheek do you want me to punch you on and where's that wife of yours?
On topic: I would buy this personally, considering it's £9 or so.. It's cute! I wonder if there's a way i can link it to my NAS instead :p
Snooze = lose.
Broke my nose, had my wife, and bought $17 worth of scratch tickets.
So it does, until you realize that's an Eee it's next to... Wow. Not as annoyingly gaudy at all.
I just want a model with that dark silver (pewter?) trim replaced with red...
that's what she said.
@high ranks
instead of spending 17 dollars on getting slapped and losing your wife why don't you buy a usb hub and get some more of those precious usb ports
Thats exactly what my ex-girlfriend said :(
Is it to late to get in on this "sleeping with your wife" thing?
Oh, and are there pics of her online? Any chance she looks like Sarah Palin?
On topic: This looks like nother one of those millions of "oh this would make a great gift" ideas. Yeah, a GREAT gift... to poop on!
Equip it with Bluetooth and a battery pack and I'm sold!
I thought I was the only one so lonely that I need instant visual confirmation that somebody wants to contact me.
If you really were lonely, then this would never light up. Save yourself the cash, and just put a dead lightbulb next to your PC. It should work about the same.
This is as useful as pet rock, or whatever their names were.
Bad Rock! BAD!! We do that OUTSIDE!! Look at him, he knows what he did.
I always loved training pet rocks to attack.
1. Hold your pet rock firmly.
2. Throw your pet rock viciously at the intended target, while commanding your pet rock, "Attack!" in a firm tone.
My pet rock was extremely good at the "stay" command.
You guys must be stoned...
Sounds like a party to me! Can I be invited please?
Nearly absolutely useless? Yep.
Rule teh intarwebz? Probably.
Almost complete loss in sex appeal? Most definitely
They're late. My email already tells me that "I've got mail!"
Would it not be much cheaper to use a program on your computer to get notified? It doesn't even take a USB port from you!
You've obviously missed the point of this product if you're looking for something cheaper or more efficient. It isn't supposed to be a useful tool, it's supposed to be an amusing novelty. Gmail notifier just doesn't evoke the same level of amusement as this thing.
Looks a little like something Art LebDev studios might put out there, like their icon speakers, etc. Except for the price... add a digit to either side of the price tag and THEN you're in Art Lebdev territory.
That is one of the best things ever. It is perfect for anyone who has their desktop in almost any room, but spends a good portion of their day away from the computer.
Jonathan
What a shameless plug for your site.
For those who are too timid to try a BlackBerry...
No macs? Hummmmm
I can see this being pretty useful for restaurants and similar shops where the people are too busy serving customers to check their computer constantly. Place this somewhere they can glance at regularly and it'll alert them quickly when a new order comes in (take-out order, reservation request, etc). In fact, i've got clients who'd love to have one of these, or is there a more elegant solution that i'm missing?
Actually, this is pretty cool. Would be better around the $10 range, but $17 isn't bad. I think I'll pick one up for my wife for her b-day. She's always checking her e-mail during the course of her busy day with the kids.
in a work environment, this would cause me a lot of stress, just like that damn voicemail light on the phone.
This might be useful for the likes of Meg Ryan who keep waiting for a mail to arrive :) On the other hand, in my office setup this will remain lighted till eternity :)
How is this NOT a crapGadget?!
this is the #1 crapgadget
I think it's actually pretty cool as far as useless novelties go. There's lots of less interesting ways to waste 17 bucks. I might even pick one up, I often find myself leaving my (power hungry large CRT) monitor on and peering at the dang thing every time I walk past the office to see if I've got any new emails to distract me from the household chores. Certainly not an essential tool, but it's a cute toy.
I get so much spam, mine would be flashing like a strobe light.
I made my own - it was much more fun :D
http://blog.automated.it/2008/02/18/usb-controlled-rgb-blob/
I can control the rgb levels for each. ( yay me ;) )
Can it be programmed to play Hallelujah when you get a new mail?
http://hackaday.com/2008/09/28/email-notification-via-an-rgb-led/
wast o plastic
we need barack obama for prez
What would Obama do about this? Would he command this to disappear?
I like it. You Got Mail!
ON FFox, I have a gmail notifier that automatically logs in and checks my email every minute.
Just throwing it out there
doesnt it deserve a place in CrapGadgets?
I totally need one of these!!!!
9 years ago.
Logitech MX610 mouse already have this light on it. Together with an incoming IM message light.