We've always been big fans of convergence, because certain things just tend to go well together. DVD burners and DVRs, for instance. Or cellphones and MP3 players. And of course, chocolate and peanut butter. Other convergences, however, would have been best left as yellowing schematics, destined for decay in a patent office filing cabinet. Take Hammacher Schlemmer's radio toaster. Now, we can see combining a toaster with a bread slicer, and even mating a toaster and a lamp. But what poor soul is so starved for stimulation that he/she needs to listen to the morning zoo while browning a bagel? Not surprisingly, we don't see many applications for this strange combo item, although the decent toaster specs (electronic temperature sensor and extra-wide toast slots) make us wish they'd drop the tuner altogether, along with $20 off the price.

[Via book of joe]