It's admittedly difficult to take a company named Thrustmaster seriously (especially on casual Friday), but given that it has recently pumped out what are likely the two best Wiimote accessories of all time, we'll give it a pass this go 'round. Speaking of, we'd like to point out that these two have been around the block a time or two, but that doesn't make the red and blue dueling Glow Sabers (each packing 17 LEDs, mind you) and the Dual Trigger Gun (complete with Nunchuck holster!) any less gnarly. The Glow Saber 2-pack is available right about now for $34.99, while the Dual Trigger Gun (shown after the break) should land in short order for $17.99.

Okay, okay -- we get it. So maybe there's just not enough room in a genuine Zapper to fit all the necessary innards of a Nintendo Entertainment System into, but it's just a bit weird to see the Big N's antiquated console crammed into some other light gun. Similar to the NES-in-an-NES-controller mod we peeked earlier this week, this unit includes a plethora of games and all the controls you need; just plug it up to a TV, pop a few batteries in there and you're golden. Is it any surprise this guy was tracked down on Ben Heck's own forums?

[Via Nintendo Wii Fanboy]

Do you ever feel like your Wii accessories aren't niche enough? Does it seem like fitting your Wiimote into a simple gun-shaped cradle to play Link's Crossbow Training doesn't completely capture the realism you're after? Well you're in luck, because the Wii Laser Sight Crossbow is here! That's right, it's a crossbow meant to lovingly hold your Wiimote, and turn any game into a trip to the Renaissance Fair. C'mon, you've got the Nerf Blaster, lightsaber, and teddy bear add-ons, isn't it time to complete the collection? Available now for the totally odd price of $27.54.

[Via technabob]

Oh sure, we've seen homegrown Wii Zappers before, but nothing screams janky like an iteration crafted from spare plastic acrylate sheets, or better yet, your recently finished box of Corn Flakes. That's right kids, you can save yourself quite a few buckaroos by simply swallowing your pride, heading down to the read link and printing out a template to create your very own Wii Zapper accessory. 'Course, the sky's really the limit with this one, but may we be the first to ask that you not use colorful sheets of cardboard if at all possible? Thanks.

[Via MAKE]

What better way to complement your LEGO-fied Wii than to build a LEGO-based Zapper holster for your Wiimote? mrklaw managed to do just that with a colorful assortment of old blocks, and yes, he even left an opening in the rear for the nunchuck. There's also a finely crafted trigger depressor that mashes in the B button underneath, but we've no idea how well this thing would hold together after hours of flailing around while trying to peg on-screen baddies. Nevertheless, it's a whole lot cheaper (provided you've got the parts, and c'mon, you've got the parts) than the alternatives out there, and it's a darn good excuse to bust out the bricks your SO made you lock away after your 28th birthday.

[Via NintendoWiiFanboy]

Those who found the Zapper a tad too childish for their sadistic imaginations should probably adore Nyko's alternative, as the Perfect Shot Gun doesn't dumb down its appearance whatsoever. Rather, this Wiimote attachment resembles an actual pistol in most every way -- save for the plastic shell, vivid accents and its inability to fire actual bullets -- and it even features a pass-through port for the nunchuck / classic controller. Regrettably, it seems that this one won't be shipping in time for the holidays (unless Amazon's fibbing), but don't let that slow you down from paying your $12.99 and counting down the days till it hits your doorstep.

[Via NintendoWiiFanboy]

JVC showed off a handclap and gesture recognition TV at CEATEC last week, designed to replace the bog standard remote control with hand movements and claps. Using a microphone and a video camera, the TV can pick up claps to change volume, and recognize a pointing finger to control elements on the screen (apparently you bend your finger to "click".) Frankly, the whole "having to lift your hand" element isn't the JVC TV's strongest suit: perhaps a better option would be to fit an accelerometer inside a standard remote. That way couch potatoes can sloppily jerk their arm to make changes. The lazier the better when it comes to TV.

[Via The Boy Genius Report]

What do you want? The Wii Zapper is literally just a piece of plastic that you strap your Wiimote and nunchuck into -- it doesn't add any buttons or otherwise change anything about how the controllers are used. In other words, you don't even need this thing to play the games it's intended for -- which is good, because those with larger hands might have a hard time with it as is.

It took them a while, but Nintendo is finally busting out its Wii Zapper accessory for housing the Wiimote and Nunchaku in a FPS-friendly shell. It'll be out this year, shipping for free with a "far along" unannounced title from Nintendo, and selling stand alone at retail for $20. Other games with announced compatibility include "Ghost Squad," "Medal of Honor" with 32 person online matches, and "Resident Evil: Umbrella Chronicles." More pics after the break.

While we continue to wait for Nintendo to go official with its "Zapper Style" shell for the Wiimote, enterprising hackers have some Far Cry Vengeance to smack down, and AcidMod's "cyberpyrot" is doing it old school. The hack is about as simple as they come, he merely rewired the Wiimote's IR sensor to the front of his NES Zapper, and hooked up the trigger to the Wiimote's trigger button. He plans to strap the Wiimote to his wrist, for easy access weapon changes, and while the mod is lacking in elegance, cyberpyrot claims his FPS performance has "vastly improved." Alright Nintendo, your turn. Video is after the break.

The Wiimote blaster love just keeps on comin', as cranking out third-party steering wheels, Wii Sports apparatuses, and full-fledged Link suits apparently isn't good enough. We all know the Zapper holds a dear place in most every gamer's heart, and judging by the variety set to be released for the Wii, accessory manufacturers are keenly aware. The latest Wii gun has popped up at GameStop, and aside from a smallish photograph and "Core Gamer" listed as the developer, we're not too sure about anything else. Of course, there's not too much to understand about how this here device will eventually work, but on or around June 26th, you can plop down your $19.99 and find out once and for all.

[Via NintendoWiiFanboy]

Robert Adler, the man who in 1997 gained an Emmy for his contribution to the invention of the television remote, has passed away. In his 93 years he claimed over 180 patents (the most recent of which was filed on February 1), but his greatest achievement was to invent the first practical wireless television remote control. Way back in the mid-50s when he was working for Zenith Electronics Corp., Adler produced a remote control that communicated with a tuner using four prongs that produced ultrasonic sounds. Unlike earlier solutions -- like Eugene Polley's "Flashmatic" remote -- Robert's remote wasn't prone to interference, didn't require a wire, and, unlike current remotes, didn't require a power source. The original name of the first effective wireless TV remote? The Zenith Space Command remote control. As a tribute to Mr. Adler, we'll be calling our zappers this name for the next few days: we hope you'll join us in yelling "where's the Zenith Space Command remote control?" the next time you lose the little bugger. Rest in peace Robert.

If you're the type who rocks latex gloves everywhere you go, or you're just tired of toting around that messy liquid hand sanitizer, Hammacher Schlemmer has your solution. Posing as a flip-phone wannabe, this handheld germ-eliminating light reportedly eradicates "99.99-percent of E-Coli, staphylococcus, salmonella, and germs that cause the flu and the common cold." Aside from resembling a bevy of Nokia handsets, the device purportedly utilizes "UV-C light and nanotechnology" in order to "disinfect workplace keyboards or telephones (or mice), as well as items in the home that sustain germ vitality such as toothbrushes and cutting boards." Notably, it must be held just so above the germ-infested area in order to sterilize it, but an internal timer signals when the process is complete. So while we aren't apt to load down our knapsacks anymore with something so petty, the highly susceptible out there can get their own portable germ-slaying handheld now for $79.95.

[Via Slashgear]

The BBC reports that a group of researchers lead by Dr. Yousef Mohammad of Ohio State University Medical Center have developed a device that can stop migraine pain at the first signs of a headache -- and, no, it doesn't work by clobbering someone over the head with it. The device, called the TMS, actually works by creating a short-lived electromagnetic field that interrupts the "aura phase" of a migraine before it leads to a serious headache. The researchers also say that they device can be effective in treating nausea, and noise and light sensitivity, but that further study is necessary before the device gets put into widespread use. Still, the early results look fairly encouraging, with 69% of the patients treated with the TMS reporting mild or no pain, compared to 48% of those in the placebo group. Stranger still, however, is the 2% of the control group who experienced exploding-headitis when using this device. Eh, go figure.