What kind of security does $7 buy you? You're looking at it: the Thanko USB combination lock. It apparently fits onto any USB drive and likely offers about as much security as a UFO Detector or Targus iPod Lock. Then again, maybe your personal data just isn't that interesting.

[Via Akihabara News]

So we've basically seen the wired version of this in Belkin's RockStar, but at least that made a modicum of sense. This, however, does not. Thanko's i2! Streams works as such: you plug one of the wireless transmitters in between your DAP / PMP and headphones, and up to five of your pals simply hold onto a receiver unit with earbuds of their own. As you can guess, those five pals now have your music piped to them through the air. The only problem? Why hold on to one of these things when you could pick up a chintzy DAP of your own down the street for a couple yuan / yen / whatever? Thanko's wonders never cease...

[Via CrunchGear]

So we've seen a few solar-powered gizmos (that we wouldn't touch with a ten twenty foot pole), but Thanko's own sun-lovin' DAP actually doesn't look half bad. The Solar Digital Audio Player, from the front, looks like any other ho hum unit, with a 1.8-inch 220 x 176 resolution display, 4GB of internal storage space and a miniSD expansion slot. Flip 'er over, and you'll find a thoughtful kickstand that just so happens to have a solar panel slapped right on, enabling the brilliant, outdoor sunshine to give it a few more minutes of life. There's no official word on a price or release date, but we wouldn't bank on it ever coming Stateside, anyway.

Update: Seems this is just a rebadge. So much for thinking ahead, huh?

You know what kids in developing nations need besides water, vaccines, and schools? MP3 players... and laptops, lots of laptops. Meet the Cranko, at least that's what we're calling it since Thanko's "Cranking MP3 Player" bores us to the point of Wal-marting razor blades. The 1GB capacity player from Thanko features a flashlight and 10 minute charge per minute of cranking. You know, just in case your spelunking adventures take you too far away from a USB port. Yours now for ¥6,000 or about $60.

This little external USB "Charger Bracelet" battery from Thanko boasts of an extra 4.5 hours of play time for your PSP, and a hard-to-believe 28 hours of extra play on your DS Lite. Oh, and it also boasts some of the worst quasi-sci-fi stylings this side of the galaxy. Proceed at your own risk.

If there was ever a device that probably didn't need a sequel, it'd be the silent mouse, but leave it to Thanko to invent a "new and improved" rendition that somehow proves even quieter and more versatile than the original. Of course, there are certainly other ways to nix the clicks in your computing routines, and this here gizmo won't really do you any good unless your PC sounds more like a gentle breeze and less like an impending tornado. Still, the Silent Mouse 2 touts five total buttons, a scroll wheel, an unfortunate tail, and walls of soundproofing material lining the innards. According to some fairly unscientific testing, this unit pounds out just 36.5 decibels compared to the "industry average" of 58 decibels, so if you just can't stand to hear yourself click on any longer, Thanko's latest can be your cure for ¥2,980 ($25).

[Via AkihabaraNews]

Sure, the art deco crowd has plenty of fashionable alternatives when it comes to alarm clocks, and even the off-kilter set has a few surefire options to get them a-risin', but for those of you who just can't live without the tried and true round faced variety with a pair of ringers perched at the top, Thanko's got your number. The MP3 Clock connects to your Windows XP-based PC via USB, and the included software can insert a number of animal calls, sensational alarms, or even your very own recording onto the device. Rather than striking up that annoying screech in the morning, you can now awake to cows mooing, a dog barking, motorcycles revving, chainsaws blaring (saywha?), or your very own voice demanding that you release yourself from sleep. The MP3CLK01 is available now to shake up your wake-ups for ¥2,980 ($25).

[Via AkihabaraNews]

It's no secret that FM transmitters are dodgy at times, but if you were wading through the endless supply of MP3 watches on the market in an effort to find one a notch below hideous, having that feature built-in certainly wouldn't hurt. The king of all things USB has upped the collective ante once more, as its FMP3 Watch not only musters a bearable design scheme, but it also offers up a nice laundry list of specifications to boot. Aside from telling you the time and day of the week, it also boasts 512MB, 1GB, or 2GB of internal memory for MP3 / WMA playback, headphone out, an integrated voice recorder, USB connectivity, volume controls, eight-hours of battery life (three if beaming over FM), and the obligatory FM transmitter to stream your tunes to one of several FM options. If you're anxious to get your wrist into one of these suckas, all three flavors are available right now, and can be had for ¥12,800 ($108), ¥16,800 ($142), and ¥19,800 ($167) from least capacious to most.

[Via EverythingUSB]

It looks like those that just can't stand swapping AAs have yet another option to keep their Wiimote powered, with Thanko's descriptively-named "USB Charger for Wii Remote Control" joining similar offerings from Brando and JoyTech. Like the JoyTech unit, this one gets its juice from a USB port, either on the Wii itself or any one you can spare on your PC, with the former taking about three and half hours to charge, according to the company, and the latter knocking the wait time down to just just two hours. Once it's topped off, the battery pack will supposedly give you a full 30 hours of use. At $29 Thanko's charger is a bit cheaper than JoyTech's, although you'll need to pick up a pair of 'em if you want to keep both your Wiimotes charged at all times.

[Via coolest-gadget.com]

Oh man, this has geek Emmy written all over it. Akihabara News had the chance to sit down with the president of Thanko Corporation, Mr Yamamitsu. You know, the man behind the Gold Ingot hub for pirates, USB slippers (more than 10,000 sold!), USB gloves for men and women, USB Mask, and more. Not since Borat has English spoken as a second language been so "very great -- great, great, great." Check the entire video after the break, you won't be sorry.

Thanko's already rattled our skulls with its Vonia bone conducting earphones, but they couldn't leave well enough alone. The Vonia BCT SportsHeadband kicks out the jams using two waterproof bone conduction speakers near the temples, and also has a compartment conveniently located smack on the forehead to hold a small MP3 player. It's too bad the compartment isn't waterproof, since that'd be necessary to use this thing underwater -- so without a waterproof player we're not really sure how these will play out with the swimmer crowd, who Thanko is also marketing the headband to. On the other hand, runners, joggers, sprinters, skippers, and speed-walkers should be a-ok to blast some bone-rocking beats while keeping their ears open for oncoming traffic and catcalls.

[Via Crave]

Shenzhen Adragon Digitek's MP4 watch was met with quite a bit of fanfare from folks who fell suddenly in love with the idea of having movies on their wrist to pass the time during class or on subways trips, and considering that Thanko brought this intriguing piece of kit to market, it's only right that we show you a hands-on review to help you with your potential purchasing decision. The folks at GearDiary landed a black rendition of the video-playing timepiece, and noted that although video files have to be converted from their current format to .NVX, software (in English, too) was included to "remove the guesswork" and make the process painless. Judging by the photos, it looks like the rubberized band provided for a comfortable fit, and although the 1.5- x 1.5-inch face doesn't look nearly as gaudy as some watch faces we've seen, it still screams geek whilst resting on your arm. Sadly, a proprietary USB cable coupled with an always-discouraging 2.5-millimeter headphone jack do warrant a few understandable digs, but the "all day" battery life, intuitive menu system, and respectable display all go in the watch's favor. On the musical front, it was said that playback was "on par" with other DAPs they tested, and while watching a movie back on such a diminutive screen wasn't apt to replace his PVP anytime soon, it was deemed a nifty feature that will "definitely garner geek points among those that are impressed by such things." So if you're interested in seeing just how long your retinas can stand to watch (ahem) a major motion picture on a 128 x 128 display, be sure and hit the read link for up close snapshots before coughing up the required dough.

Nah, USB-powered fans aren't anything special these days, but infusing a couple of 'em into a bizarre facial mask and marketing it to folks with allergies earns top marks in the outlandish department. Thanko, the folks who continually put the fun back into USB, is busting out yet another oddity that relies entirely on USB power and your willingness to suffer through public humiliation. The whirlwind mask purportedly circulates airs and filters the incoming flow in order to provide a constant stream of clean, "purified" air, which could actually be useful for secretaries or other cube-dwellers who are forced to inhale the same stale office air day after day. So if you've been having trouble breathing, and don't mind being tethered to your computer nor the constant whirring that'll surround your mouth, you can snag the USB Mask now for ¥2,480 ($21).

[Via Engadget Japanese]

It's official: bone conduction technology just jumped the shark. Meet the Vonia bone conduction headset from the makers of such items as USB slippers and USB hubs for pirates -- Thanko. These skull rattlers won't work underwater and they won't enhance your gaming skillz much... but they might be of some benefit to the hearing impaired for the ¥9,800 (about $82) required to strap a set on. Want noise cancellation? Just add earplugs. Easy peasy lemon squeezy.

[Via Impress]