By Evan Ackerman
Don’t get me wrong, I love the whole digital revolution concept, but some things just aren’t reproducible with electronics. Bubble wrap is one of those things, but that didn’t stop Bandai from trying with their PutiPuti bubble wrap toy. The buttons are supposed to emulate the feel of bubble wrap, and when you push one, you’ll hear a popping noise. Every 100 pops, just for variety (?), you might hear a door chime, barking dog, fart, or “sexy voice.”
I readily admit that I haven’t tried this thing. But I honestly don’t see how the tactile experience of popping bubble wrap can be reproduced in a satisfying manner by a little plastic box. Part of the fun of popping bubble wrap is the act of destruction, and the knowledge that once you’ve popped the last bubble, there’s none left. If this happens to you, and you’re desperate for more bubble wrap, you can buy a PutiPuti in any of 5 colors in September for about $7. Or, you can spend that $7 on something like 30 square feet of the real thing.
[ PutiPuti (In Japanese) ] VIA [ Trends In Japan ]
I want one.