Thanko -- Engadget

Thanko Microsports MP3 player is small, really small

by Thomas Ricker posted Sep 17th 2009 at 5:50AM

Thanko is a brand forever tied to crapgadgets. It can, however, surprise us occasionally as it has with its new Microsports MP3/WMA/WAV player in 2GB (¥4,980 / $55) or 4GB (¥5,980 / $66) models. Measuring 16×25×22mm / 8g, it's about the size and weight of an average Bluetooth headset. And while we've seen similar micro players strung from lanyards, this is the first we can recall with an integrated ear-bud -- the second bud attaches via USB-cable for stereo audio. Looks comfy, eh?

Gallery: Thanko Microsports MP3 player is small, really small

[Via Akihabara News]

Thanko USB dental device will help prove you still need a dentist

by Laura June posted Aug 2nd 2009 at 7:05PM

Oh, the joys of self-diagnosis. Thanko's unleashed a USB dental "microscope" to let you check out the inside of your own mouth in great detail -- because you're so much more knowledgeable than a real dentist, right? This puppy's got six LEDs plus a small CMOS camera so you can shoot JPEGs / BMPs or 1,280×1024 resolution vids of your champers then check them out on your home computer. Of course, the sample shots (which are disgusting and after the break) inexplicably show a closeup of someone's scalp, demonstrating that this USB badboy has a variety of uses, all of them pretty gross. Is there something wrong with us if we just don't want to see our bodies in that much detail? It's only available on Thanko's Japanese site for the time being, and costs in the neighborhood of $80, but we have a feeling that it'll show up in the States anyday now... as soon as Oprah gets wind of it.

[Via Gizmodo]

Continue reading Thanko USB dental device will help prove you still need a dentist

Thanko Silent Keyboard EX might sneak up on the unalert

by Vladislav Savov posted Jul 8th 2009 at 6:56AM

So you've bought your Silent Mouse EX and now want to pair it up with a similarly radical text input device? Thanko is keen to make that choice as easy and obvious as possible, and has now updated its venerable Silent Keyboard with the EX moniker and an extra shot of quiet. The value of cutting 16.5 dB from the sound of a keyboard tap is somewhat lost on us, but Thanko seems to think it is precisely $52.79. Bundle the two sort-of-silent peripherals together for $77 and you might just save enough money to buy a decibel meter, which will be the only thing capable of telling the difference.

[Via Akihabara News]

Thanko's Spy Button video camera, because you've already failed

by Thomas Ricker posted Jul 2nd 2009 at 4:36AM

So what if Thanko's ¥5,980 (about $62) Spy Button Camera doesn't look exactly like the other buttons on your shirt. Anyone inclined to wear such a device to covertly record VGA video at 15fps (or 1280x1024 stills) to 4GB of internal memory isn't likely to get noticed in a crowd anyway. At least the magnetic on/off switch gives renewed purpose to your wedding ring while offering evidence of your continued poor decision making skills. Just be sure to bring your inhaler to keep your breathless excitement in check.

[Via Akihabara News]

Silent Mouse EX reduces mouse-related noise pollution by 22.5db, no one cares

by Joseph L. Flatley posted Jun 25th 2009 at 9:46AM

Oh, Thanko, fine purveyor of hidden cameras and ill-advised input devices, whenever it gives us a peripheral that looks like, well, a peripheral, it feels like a big step in the right direction. And what do we have here? The Silent Mouse EX is a bit of a misnomer. After all, it isn't totally silent -- rather, the manufacturer claims that it generates 35.5db of noise when in operation. Compared to 58db of sound the "average" mouse makes (or so we've heard), that is... well, it's less. Actually, we have a hard time believing anyone cares about this sort of thing, but if you'd like to prove us wrong, you can hit that read link and put ¥3,180 (approx. $33) where your mouth is. Or better still, just use a trackpad.

[Via Akihabara]

Thanko's new wireless mouse can be operated without a desk, but only in the worst way

by Paul Miller posted May 4th 2009 at 8:08PM

You know when you flip over your optical mouse and trigger the beam a few times just for kicks, sending your cursor skittering across the screen? Thanko turned that into a thing. The company's newest wireless mouse includes media controls and so forth on the flip side of the mouse, allowing it to act as a remote of sorts, but it also presents you with the optics of the mouse for mid-air operation with your thumb. Sure, maybe it works great -- but we somehow doubt it. If you're hanging out in Japan at the moment, it'll run you 4,980 yen (about $50 US) to find out.

Thanko's own necktie doubles as spy camera, naturally

by Darren Murph posted Apr 14th 2009 at 9:36AM

A necktie from Thanko -- you could tell this thing was only fit for a double agent already, couldn't you? Freshly introduced and ready to draw attention to your poor taste, this here spy tie includes a built-in video recorder along with a minuscule handheld remote used to turn it on and off. The video camera itself is installed on a USB-equipped slab of flash memory (4GB, or about four hours of low resolution footage), making those tie-to-PC transfers extra snappy. And at ¥12,800 ($128), it comes off as a bona fide steal compared to less useful alternatives in Bloomingdale's. Our only lingering question? What's a brother got to do to get a clip on version?

[Via AkihabaraNews]

Thanko's USB-powered Health E-Cigarettes sound healthy

by Tim Stevens posted Mar 31st 2009 at 6:04AM

It was only a matter of time, and it took Thanko to make it happen. The purveyors of all things able to be tethered to that most special port now offer the affordable, USB-powered Health E-Cigarette; a name that cunningly stops short of raising the ire of the WHO while still giving you the hope that they might really be "healthy." Like other electronic cigarettes, it uses a heating element to vaporize a nicotine solution to supposedly give you a purer smoking experience along with a suite of other benefits: preserving the health of those around you, keeping your teeth white, and even preventing fires. All that at a fraction of the price of other USB-powered cigarettes -- just ¥2,980 (about $30). If that's all it costs to make Smokey proud, you can sign us up.

[Via TechFresh]

Thanko's latest USB pen sports four SDHC card slots (just because it can)

by Darren Murph posted Mar 5th 2009 at 9:22AM

As our coverage from 2004 indicates, SD card-reading pens are amongst the oldest, most reverent gadgets on the face of this planet. That said, even they aren't immune from upgrades, as Thanko has just produced one that's approximately four times superior than the one you're still trying to squeeze ink from. It's latest USB pen contains not one, not two, not even three -- but four integrated SDHC card slots. We get the feeling that actually writing anything while transferring data from a foursome of flash cards will be near impossible, but aren't you strangely inclined to hand over ¥1,480 ($14.87) in order to find out?

[Via OhGizmo]

Tiny Miseal cube projector can dock with equally tiny speakers

by Donald Melanson posted Feb 9th 2009 at 7:02PM

It may not technically qualify as a pico projector, but this new so-called Miseal projector available from Thanko is certainly at least somewhat pico-ish, and fairly unique as far as tiny projectors go. The stand-out feature, as you can see above, is an included speaker dock (2W, if you must know), which also includes a headphone jack and a line-out port in case you're looking for a bit more wattage. As for the projector itself, you can expect to get an adequate SVGA resolution, plus a whopping 25 nits of brightness, a 100:1 contrast ratio, and an image up to 112 inches in size from a 16 foot distance. No word on a release 'round here, but those in Japan (or those willing to pay the necessary import-related costs) can grab one now for ¥39,800, or roughly $435.

[Via SlashGear]

Thanko rolls out HDD Media Player 2, hard drive not included

by Donald Melanson posted Feb 6th 2009 at 4:54PM

It's not quite as whimsical as some of Thanko's other gadgets, but those looking for a barebones media player may actually want to consider the company's new HDD Media Player 2, which looks like it should get the job done and do so on the cheap. Naturally, you'll have to supply your own hard drive, but the enclosure will handle most of the media-playing abilities you'll likely want (including DivX and even DVD VOB file playback), and you'll get a decent enough complement of ports, including VGA, component, composite, s-video, and an optical digital audio output. Look for this one to set you back just over $70 -- plus the necessary shipping charges from Japan, of course.

[Via Le Journal du Geek]

Thanko's latest MP4 watch boasts 1.8-inch display, video camera

by Darren Murph posted Dec 14th 2008 at 2:11AM

Thanko's last MP4 watch was, um, less than gorgeous, but this one can actually be worn in public without automatic public humiliation. Sure, it's still a bit stocky, but we're confident that fashion-forward nerds could still pull it off. In between the two (p)leather straps sits a 1.8-inch 160 x 128 resolution color display, a multimedia player with MP3 / WMA / AVI / JPEG support and a video camera capable of logging VGA-quality clips. You'll also find a mini-USB port and an internal speaker, and there's 4GB of internal memory to go along with about 3.5 hours of music playback time. All yours (if you live in Japan) for ¥14,800 ($163).

[Via AkihabaraNews]

Thanko USB bear gloves don't inhibit your typing, keep palms toasty

by Darren Murph posted Dec 8th 2008 at 10:53AM

Ah, how timely! Over two years after the USB-powered G-Gloves hit the scenes, in comes Thanko to bring a much needed new face to the niche. These Kumasan mittens both get powered from a single USB port and even have cutouts to allow your fingers to move freely. There's no mention of a price nor any indication that these will ever be released outside of Japan, but this is definitely a must-buy if you're headed to that side of the globe anytime soon.

[Via AkihabaraNews]

USB powered lunch bag will keep your food hot while you "work"

by Laura June posted Nov 25th 2008 at 7:03PM

Hungry for a hot lunch at your desk every Monday through Friday, but don't want to stand in line for the microwave? The USB-powered heated lunch bag is probably something you'll want to look into, then. It apparently keeps your food at a steamy 140 degrees Farenheit all day, though it gives us pause that we're warned to "make sure the plastic container that you store your food in is of a certain grade and quality" to ensure that there's not "an adverse chemical reaction," but we figure that's probably a minor concern. We don't know if the bag will ever be available in the US, but we have a feeling that if it is, it'll be at least double the size of the current iteration.

[Via Everything USB]

Thanko's USB lock protects you from imbeciles, thumbless woodland animals

by Thomas Ricker posted Aug 6th 2008 at 3:12AM

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]