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We heart these USB drives made from GBA carts
8Bit Memory, the Etsy merchant who first caught our attention with its external hard drives disguised as NES cartridges, has rolled out another re-use for a proprietary Nintendo storage medium: Game Boy Advance cartridges retrofitted as USB flash drives. They're not cheap -- an 8GB drive is $49.99 -- but they're undeniably cool. The standard-issue drive comes housed in a Super Mario Advance cart with a key ring and (unfortunately) non-retractable USB connector. 8Bit Memory says it has other games in stock (with more to come) so you can, for instance, request a Metroid Fusion cart instead. We're not sure what it'll do with GameCube and Wii discs, But we'd imagine a Wind Waker desk clock would look mighty nice. [Via GoNintendo]
Flickr (err, Etsy) Find: Iron Mac
Ok, so usually our Flickr Find feature is about photographic stuff, but this was so cool I had to share it anyway. Gizmodo (via SlashFilm) found this awesome MacBook sticker over on Etsy, and I think, though the Newton one is still cool, that we have a new winner for coolest MacBook sticker ever. Unfortunately, it's sold out, but I just love the way the logo is used in a pretty awesomely defiant B&W portrait of Iron Man. In other sticker news, Cult of Mac says the Steve Jobs sticker they found is probably the best one ever, but the funny Carmen Miranda mod on that page is excellent, too. I wouldn't normally just put stickers on my laptop -- it's too good looking already to muddy up with other graphics. But this Iron Mac sticker would be the sure-fire exception.
iLove the iMac iLamp
Happy New Year, everybody! It's 2010, and that means we're all riding around in flying cars, shooting laser guns at each other, and we all have robot servants to do all of our work for us. Oh wait, that didn't work out as planned, did it? At least we've got this awesome lamp, which was made from the old iMac G4 (which was actually nicknamed the "iLamp") that had the monitor moving around on a swivel. The bottom base case has been turned into the shade, but the arm is still there, ready to position the light wherever you want it to go. Pretty sweet. Unfortunately, if you want one of your own, you'll have to hurry: as of this writing, there's only one left for sale on this Etsy page, and that one will set you back $75. But if you've got an old iMac sitting around and a little electric know-how, it shouldn't be too hard to rig one together yourself. Or you could just get your robot servant to do it for you!
Pimp your MacBook (Pro) with custom vinyl decals
If you're feeling like your MacBook or MacBook Pro is cool, but could be cooler, maybe it's time for a trip to Etsy to check out the selection of custom vinyl decals. For as little as US$10, you can make your MacBook a one-of-a-kind at the coffeehouse, and maybe even pick up a date for New Year's Eve (although the latter depends greatly on your personal abilities to do so). There's a pretty wide selection of decals at Etsy, but one artist in particular has caught my fancy. Ivy Boersma, a.k.a. IvyBee, has some designs destined to be classics. I'm especially fond of the William Tell and Newton images, but it's obviously subjective. There's enough variety that you can find something that really fits you, and carry it as a classy and subtle expression of your personality. Ivy also offers custom designs upon request, so if you don't see what you want in her online shop, contact her through Etsy (just sign up for a free account) and let her know what you're looking for.
Yoshi and Kirby decals eat your laptop logo
Let's all just agree that the above laptop decal is awesome. Created by LapTatt and available on Etsy for a paltry $14, it's just about the greatest Nintendo-themed laptop decal we've ever seen (not that there have been too many). Admittedly, it seems designed with the Apple logo in mind -- especially considering Yoshi's taste for brightly colored fruit -- but we imagine it would work just as well with almost any laptop logo. And, if Yoshi and baby Mario don't do it for you, you could always pick up a Kirby decal (in black or white) for only $8. See it after the break.
Chumbophone proves that even Chumby can go retro (and like it)
For the seasoned DIYer, there's hardly anything that can't be done with a set of Chumby Guts. For a seasoned DIYer with a set of Chumby Guts, an old clock, a few brass horns and a Dremel tool, there's absolutely nothing -- save for spare time and determination -- standing between him / her and a homegrown masterpiece such as the one you're peering at above. Etsy member AbrahamBook's latest creation is a WiFi-enabled widget monster that is shoved within a half vintage, half steampunk-styled enclosure. The Chumbophone doesn't actually seem capable of making calls via the integrated horns, but we'd sure love to see a version that was. Not that we're trying to force any ideas down your throat or anything...
Palm Pre soap brings webOS to the tub
Okay, so we sort of understand molding soap into familiar gadget shapes, but this bar of Pre soap utterly baffles by being scented "bourbon and Coke," which seems a bit self-defeating. Smell like a hobo with webOS for just $13 -- and don't worry, there's BlackBerry, iPhone, and Playstation soap on offer as well, presumably scented with Boone's Farm and OE 800. [Via Pocket-Lint]
Etsy creator turns old Macs into new clocks
Here's one really cool way to recycle an old Mac. Etsy seller pixelthis has turned the panels of retired Macs into clocks. pixelthis has already sold one clock made from the side of a G3. The seller currently has a clock made from the side panel of a G4 for $59USD and from the front cover of a G4 for $57USD. There are other unique clocks including those made from hard drives, circuitboards, bicycle wheels and old records. [Via Macgasm thanks to Josh for the tip!]
Modder places USB flash drive in Atari 2600 cart, amuses geeks world o'er
Well, kids, if you like your USB drives with a little style, a little kitsch, and far too large to be carried conveniently, a gentleman named Robotic Evil, Inc. has just the thing for you. The evil one is hard at work as we speak, taking 2GB thumb drives and placing them in the artifacts of genuine geek nostalgia. Really, who wouldn't want to receive a hand-assembled computer peripheral in the shape of an Atari game cartridge or an NES controller? These things cost $29.99 (add another $5 for shipping and handling) and they're available at this dude's Etsy store. Check out the NES controller / drive yourself after the break. [Via BoingBoing]
Ned Kelly thumb drive for the bushranger in your life
Bushrangers were Australia's answer to English highwaymen and Ned Kelly was perhaps the most celebrated of them all. Known for his homemade armor and helmet -- here represented by the USB plug -- Kelly has now been truly immortalised by the art of memory stick modding. Fair enough, woodworking isn't a terribly precise art and we could just as easily claim this to be a Hristo Botev (who?) USB drive, but we have to commend the considerable effort required to put this baby together. On the other hand, there are snazzier alternatives out there, which look great even without you explaining the mythology behind their design.[Via Boing Boing]
Half-Life fridge magnets open portal to alternate 8-bit dimension
The world no longer has to wonder what the character sprites from an NES version of Half-Life would look like, as Etsy artisan ArcadeArt has given us the proverbial goods ... and they're magnets made out of beads. The three-magnet set sells for $20 and includes pixel art versions of bespectacled Gordon Freeman, the gray-suited G-man and a scientist with a bad case of headcrab. Their creator has even crafted a mock Half-Life NES box cover, included with each order. Should Valve's FPS classic somehow not be your thing, ArcadeArt also fashions similar sprite magnets based on Resident Evil, Pikmin and Super Mario Kart.[Via Wonderland]
The NES purse: Worth pursuing?
Etsy user inhope has crafted a work of art. We say that not only because her enormous NES controller purse is aesthetically dreamy, but because we couldn't possibly imagine bringing it into the wild and reckless life we lead without worrying it'd be destroyed. $39.99 nets you this beast of a bag that'll go perfectly with your NES-themed earrings and that Midna cosplay outfit you've been dying to break out again. But don't come running to us when your heart gets broken by that power-hungry desert thief again. If we've warned you once, we've warned you a thousand times: Don't get involved with dudes who have glowing faces![Via Engadget]
NES soap won't help you rescue the Princess, may help you get a date
Videogame controllers are typically rated on ergonomics, durability, and responsiveness -- though they sometimes get a few bonus points by looking especially cool. The original NES game pad really didn't have any of those attributes going for it, but that didn't stop it from becoming a cultural icon, one that has inspired reproductions of all shapes and sizes. The latest one varies not in dimensions but in composition: it's made of soap. Yes, this controller, which sells for just $8.25, is designed for bath time fun, and what it lacks in functionality it makes up for with natural ingredients and lovely (we presume) fragrances that surely smell a good bit better than those musty hunks of discolored plastic you probably have stuffed in a box somewhere.[Via Shiny Shiny]
iPhone earrings will get great reception at your next party
In many ways modern cellphones are little more than high-tech pieces of jewelry that keep you connected to the world while looking great pressed to your ear. Barb at Etsy's "iPhone G3" earrings eschew all that unnecessary functionality and focus on the aesthetics, shrinking a pair of handsets the same way she miniaturized two Wiimotes, turning them into tiny charms to dangle from your earlobes -- head decor that's sure to light up the eyes of every male geek in the room. A pair are yours for just $22, which is a fair bit more affordable than the real things. [Via technabob]
WoW Insider's 2008 holiday gift guide
Yes, it's that time of year again -- the lights are up around town, the weather is cold and snowy, and you've got a long list of nice (and maybe even some naughty) people who will need gifts this year. But what will you get? If anyone on your list is a Warcraft player, worry not: WoW Insider has compiled a list of ten Nintendo Sixtyfoooooooour-level gifts for the Warcraft player in your life, five out-of-game and five in-game.Whether they're level 10 or level 80, odds are that they'll love any of this stuff, and whether you've got just a little bit of time and/or money to put in or want no expense spared, there's something on this list for you. Click into the gallery below to check out all of the gifts, and be sure to have a happy holiday season -- here's hoping there will be a little something more exciting than coal in that stocking!Looking for non-Warcraft related gamer gifts? Joystiq has up-to-the-minute news on the best holiday deals and tips around for Holidaze 2008. And our friends at Big Download have a nice set of guides up as well, featuring anything and everything you might need for a PC gamer.%Gallery-38276%Winter's Veil is almost here. Watch the 12 Days again, wonder what might be new this year, or settle down with some cocoa and some tasty... bark?
World of WarCrafts: Voidwalker plush
Every Thursday, Shelbi Roach of The Bronze Kettle guides you in creating WoW-inspired crafts using real world mats with World of WarCrafts.This week, instead of showing you how to make something, I want to focus on something that someone else has created.My main is a human warlock (yeah, Alliance here) and as such I have a soft spot for all things blueberry. So when I happened across this über cute plush voidwalker by seller Glowgoyle on Etsy, I instantly fell in love. I happened to forward the link to my husband who later surprised me with it as a gift.Now it sits proudly on my desk amongst my other toys and assorted WoWCrafts. The plushie itself is very well-made and is about 15 inches tall. The crafter was awesome enough to include a stand and the final coup de grâce is that the eyes glow in the dark.There's a possibility that Glowgoyle might make more in the future so definitely keep an eye on her Etsy shop.
Horde scarf and a Carrot-on-a-Stick keychain
It's just starting to get a little chilly here in Chicago, so the timing on this Horde Scarf is just perfect for me -- it looks really comfy, and wrapped around your neck, it's just Warcraft enough to get noticed by people in the know, but is still classy enough that it looks like a cool design if you don't happen to recognize the Horde symbol. I like the look of black and red (would go great with my black overcoat), but amlowi, the seller over on Etsy, will do it up in any colors you like.And speaking of doing things by request, this Carrot-on-a-Stick keychain is awesome, and the artist who makes it (she paints in acrylic and then coats it in enamel) will make it out of any icon you like. Carrot-on-a-Stick seems perfect for a set of car keys, but it's not going to be in the game forever, so if you want to put a class or faction logo on there, she says she can do any icon in the game.Always astounding to see what these industrious WoW crafters are up to. If you've seen a cool DIY WoW-related item, let us know.
Blood Elf tank and Murloc hair bow, as seen on Etsy
Alice Taylor has quite the eye for scoping out awesome gaming crafts, and just recently, she did a nice roundup (and another post) that had two great handmade WoW items in it. First up was this great-looking Sin'dorei (that's Blood Elf, in case you're not up on your Thalassian) tank top -- it was originally a T-shirt that the maker, smarmyclothes, turned into a tank top with some industrious cutting and stiching. Looks great -- at $52, the price is a little steep, but then again, this is a one-of-a-kind handmade item, so you get what you pay for.And second was this Murky hair bow -- to tell the truth, I have no idea what a hair bow does (it must tie hair back or something, right?), but I am a huge Murky fan, or at least a fan of /punting the little guy, so any article of clothing with him on it, no matter what it's for, gets my approval. The bows are two for $11, and it looks like there's only one in stock, so SugarPopRibbons is probably making them to order. But I'm sure if you're patient, you can get your hands (or hair, I guess) on one.Seen any other great WoW crafts, on Etsy or anywhere else? Let us know!
DS Daily: Case couture
When you're looking for a case for your DS, or another non-gameplay-oriented accessory (strap, screen cleaner, sticker, etc.), do you tend toward mass-produced products, like the generally excellent ones from Hori or Keys Factory, or the bizarre puffy ones from Tomy? Or do you prefer a one-of-a-kind homemade item from Etsy?Or are you like us -- you would prefer a nice handmade one, but for whatever reason you bought a Hori case instead, and now you feel kind of guilty for some unspecified reason? You're probably not like us.
Sleeping with Space Invaders
It's times like these that we wish we had $250 to burn on a quilt.Even if we can't buy this, though, we can sure admire it (along with many other Space Invaders themed items). The quilt might not have the same explosive color as Space Invaders Extreme, but it sure makes the classic icons look all warm and cozy. Who wouldn't want to snuggle with these alienoids?Made by Emily from the Etsy shop CarolinaPatchworks (who you might remember as the craftster behind this 8-bit Zelda quilt), you can buy this blanket if you have some extra green lying around. You also might want to check out her other gaming items -- she even takes recommendations.[Via Technabob]
