By Andrew Liszewski

While this keyboard sticker set by Christopher Monro DeLorenzo will certainly add a bit of charm and whimsy to your keys, I don’t think it’s the best idea if you’re still the hunt and peck type. While each sticker has an image that corresponds to the key it’s stuck to, unless you’re well versed in pop culture, greek mythology etc. it could end up tripping you up. But if you’re interested in picking up a set, you can contact Christopher via his website and he’ll let you know when they’re available.

[ Christopher Monro DeLorenzo - Picture Keyboard ] VIA [ ALBOTAS ]

By Andrew Liszewski

I think this is one of those times when the question of “why?” doesn’t really apply. Now the iPhone isn’t known for having the greatest of cameras, even amongst smartphones, but Bhautik Joshi, who works as a Research Engineer for Industrial Light & Magic, figured a little Industrial Tape & Ingenuity could at least make for some interesting photos. And he was right.

The quality isn’t amazing, and the Phone-O-Scope doesn’t look particularly user-friendly, but the photos it snaps do have a fuzzy, distorted, Holga-like appearance to them which a lot of photographers seem enamored with these days. And even though the question of “why?” doesn’t seem worth asking, if you’re curious about the “how?” you can find build photos and other notes on Bhautik’s website.

[ The Phone-O-Scope: Attaching SLR lenses to an iPhone ] VIA [ Make ]

By Andrew Liszewski

I realize I’m one of a rare few who actually misses trackballs, particularly when it comes to laptops, but I can’t help but feel that Sanwa is making fun of people like me by naming their new USB keyboard, which features a built-in trackball, the ’1999.’ Are they somehow hinting that trackball technology is old and dated? Because I guess they’re right. And while I do miss trackballs, I don’t miss them enough to drop over $90 on a keyboard.

[ Akihabara News - Sanwa's new 1999 USB Keyboard with Trackball… ]

By Andrew Liszewski

I’m not really sure why nuts are more popular around the holidays, particularly when they’re still in the shell, but I think it might have something to do with relieving stress or pent-up rage when you smash them open. And while it might not be as satisfying as using a straight-up hammer, this nutcracker from Northern Tool + Equipment ($11.99) looks like it was designed sometime in the middle ages, and pulling the lever to bring an end to an innocent walnut just seems like it would be really satisfying.

[ Northern Industrial Tools Nut Cracker ] VIA [ The Green Head ]

By Chris Scott Barr

With USB 3.0 devices slowly trickling to the market, some people are going to be on the lookout for ways to add such ports to their computer. We’ve already seen a desktop solution and now it seems that road warriors will be able to upgrade their laptops to the standard as well.

StarTech has announced their new 2 Port ExpressCard USB 3.0 adapter. As you would imagine, this slides into your ExpressCard slot and gives you a pair of USB 3.0 ports. There is, however, one major flaw with this device. It would seem that the ExpressCard slot does not provide enough power to supply each port with the required 900mA. You’ll be fine so long as you don’t have two devices which both require the maximum amount of power, otherwise you’ll be forced to plug in the included AC adapter. With such a drawback and the limited number of USB 3.0 devices on the market, I can’t see many people coughing up $50 for this add-on.

[ StarTech ] VIA [ RedFerret ]

By Evan Ackerman

I’m at a near total loss as to why Sharktoon is pushing its USB LANPort by showing how you can attach four USB flash drives to it. Maybe it’s because if you squint really hard, use your imagination, and look at a picture of sharks it sort of looks like there are four sharks there or something? Whatever. Anyway, the USB LANPort is basically a sucky (or more specialized, take your pick) version of the Pogoplug, in that it enables you to access USB storage devices over a network. It doesn’t come with an internet connectivity, and I bet it’s more of a pain in the butt to set up, but it does allow you to plug in and share a USB printer, which Pogoplug can’t. Score one! The other inevitable selling point of the Sharktoon LANPort is that it’s cheap: a version with one USB port costs $34, and the version with four costs $56.

[ Hot Hardware ] VIA [ Engadget ]

By Andrew Liszewski

When you’re in the bathroom, taking care of ‘business’, you really should be concentrating on the task at hand. But occasionally you do have time to kill, which is when this roll of toilet paper covered in origami instructions would come in handy. I assume all of the projects use TP-sized paper, otherwise you and your guests will be tearing up old issues of Reader’s Digest to make paper cranes and what-not, that is if you think $5.95 per roll is a good price for something you’ll literally be flushing away.

[ Origami Toilet Paper ] VIA [ I New Idea Homepage ]

By Andrew Liszewski

Yes, losing your wallet and all your ID and credit cards can be a pain in the butt, but I’m skeptical that this $299 iWallet is a better alternative to your traditional leather one. It’s available, or at least will be available, in a carbon fiber, carbon fiber & kevlar or fiberglass finish making it relatively tamperproof, and in addition to a biometric fingerprint reader which will only unlock and open the wallet for its owner, it’s also got bluetooth allowing you to pair it with your cellphone which will trigger an alarm if you ever accidentally leave the wallet behind.

[ iWallet ] VIA [ Gear Diary ]

By Andrew Liszewski

Gift cards are kind of a mixed bag, on one hand it ensures you can get exactly what you want as a gift, but on the other hand, it’s not the most exciting thing to unwrap. Thankfully, Target is still doing whatever they can to make gift cards slightly more exciting, and this year they’ve got what is probably the world’s first remote control gift card. It comes with a tiny Christmas mouse inside a miniature red Target shopping cart which can be controlled via the antenna and button-equipped remote, which also happens to be the gift card. Buying it online requires you to put at least $25 on the card, though I’m not sure if the same minimum applies when buying it in-store.

[ Target RC Gift Card ] VIA [ Chip Chick ]