Author Archives: Paul Strauss

5-Foot Inflatable Chucky Doll Is Ready to Terrorize Your Neighborhood

Posted on by

From what I recall, Chucky was only three feet tall in the movies, and he was quite the tiny terror at that size. So can you imagine what sort of damage the little devil could do if he were five feet tall? Fortunately for you, you can always just pop this inflatable Chucky doll with a pin if he gets out of control and starts murdering your neighbors.

This light-up, blow-up Chucky doll is dressed up in his iconic Good Guys overalls and striped shirt and has all the facial scars he suffered over the years. Now, as soon as I typed “blow-up Chucky doll,” it dawned on me that there’s probably someone out there with a Chucky fetish, and things just got really creepy. Hopefully, I’m wrong, but as the Internet has proven time and time again, I’m almost certainly not.

You can grab the inflatable Chucky doll from Amazon (affiliate link) for about $60, and you’ll have a blow-up friend ’til the end.

These Wireless Charging Mats Look Like SEGA Game Controllers

Posted on by

Back in the day, I was a serious SEGA fanboy. The SEGA Genesis and Dreamcast are still two of my favorite video game consoles of all time, the Japanese brand offering an outsider’s approach to gaming, releasing offbeat and edgy titles that Nintendo and Sony wouldn’t have dreamed of at the time. Sadly, SEGA isn’t in the console business anymore, but they still make some pretty cool video games for other consoles and mobile devices. If you’re a fan of classic SEGA gaming like me, check out these sweet wireless charging mats.

Numskull teamed up with SEGA to make these “Charging Matz” because any word that ends with “z” is cooler than a word that ends with “s.” They’re available in four styles, including Mega Drive and Dreamcast controllers, a Dreamcast console, and the Sonic the Hedgehog logo, complete with his wagging finger. The picture above also shows a Saturn controller, so I assume that’s on the way too. Each mat offers 10-watt fast charging for Qi-compatible wireless devices and has a non-slip rubber base. I like how the Dreamcast controller even has the VMU there in the middle. Now can I use it to play some Shenmue?

All four SEGA Charging Matz are available for order in the EU and UK via their official SEGA shops. If you want one in the US, check back here and we’ll provide an update when we know when and where you can buy them.

VHS Pillowcases and Duvets: Be Kind, Relax and Rewind

Posted on by

While VHS tapes clearly won the format war against Betamax, I was always more of a Beta fan because I’ve always been an outsider-slash-tech snob. Regardless of the kind of videotape you chose back in the day, your blank tapes almost certainly came in a boldly designed box with colorful line art graphics. Now, you can enjoy the classic VHS tape look every time you lie down to go to bed.

Clothing and accessory brand MoonLambo makes a variety of fun items decked out to look like classic VHS art, including a VHS tape pillowcase, and two different VHS-inspired duvet covers: one in a white/yellow/orange/red color scheme, and another in a black/gold/RGB combo. All three are labeled as “T-120” which means that they can record up to 2 hours of low-quality video in SP mode, 4 hours of mediocre video in LP mode, and 6 hours of “shot on a potato” quality video in EP mode. And if you start to see squiggly lines while you drift off to sleep, try adjusting the tracking control.

And if you have a particularly memorable dream of Heather Locklear coming out of the swimming pool that you don’t want to forget, be sure to punch out the write-protect tab to prevent someone in the house from overwriting your precious fantasies with a bad episode of Silver Spoons.

Freddy Krueger Fire Pit Is the Stuff of Nightmares

Posted on by

One, Two, Freddy’s coming for you… Three, Four, better lock your door… Those simple words still send chills down my spine. After all, Freddy Krueger is one of the scariest villains in the history of horror flicks. Those of us who grew up watching A Nightmare on Elm Street and its sequels had a hard time sleeping after worrying that Freddy might come to visit us in our dreams. Now, Freddy is back and ready to take up residence as a waking nightmare in your backyard. Only this time, he’s on fire!

UK artist Burned by Design makes this custom Freddy Krueger fire pit that’s sure to give your neighbors pause before stepping across the property line. The 33″ tall wood burner features Freddy’s nightmarish visage, complete with scars and burn marks, his beady eyes, and jagged teeth backlit by fire. Flames belch forth from his trademark hat while his steel-bladed glove beckons you to come closer to the flame.

If you’ve got about $1500 burning a hole in your pocket, you can order your own Freddy Krueger fire pit from the Burned by Design shop on Etsy.

[via Laughing Squid]

Sub-Zero Has These Human Spine Candles on His Dining Table

Posted on by

Think your 12-foot-tall skeleton display is the creepiest Halloween display on the block? You might have to up your game by this year with something even more disturbing than a giant skinless corpse. When you’re setting the dinner table for guests, light up some of these spine-chilling human spine candles.

Bryan Lawrence of Creepy Candles makes these disturbingly realistic candles that look like they came out of a victim of Sub-Zero’s famed spine-rip fatality in Mortal Kombat. Despite the curvature of the spine, they seem to stand up just fine, so I’m guessing whoever donated their spine was good about their posture while they were alive. Each 10″ tall candle is made to order and is unscented because who wants a spine that smells like vanilla?  They’re sold individually over on Etsy for $28.99. Be sure to grab one of their bleeding hand candles while you’re at it.

 

Baby Yoda Glitter Globe Sets a Snowy Star Wars Scene

Posted on by

We’ve yet to visit any planets on The Mandalorian where it’s snowing. But maybe it’s just that none of the scenes so far have taken place in the wintertime. Regardless, I think The Child aka Baby Yoda aka Grogu would enjoy catching snowflakes on his little tongue in between gulping down frog eggs. If you like the idea of a snowy Baby Yoda too, then check out this official Star Wars The Child Glitter Globe.

The collectible is based on Grogu’s hover pram, only he’s inside of a crystal clear bubble. It’s sort of like a space helmet, only filled with water and shiny, snow-like glitter. I wonder if it’s cold inside there. And how does he breathe? I guess we could ask that question about every planet in the Star Wars universe. It seems like there’s oxygen, or whatever these characters breathe, readily available in the proper amount from Tatooine to Hoth. But I digress. Isn’t Baby Yoda just the cutest?

The Child Glitter Globe sells for $89.99 (or one ingot of Beskar Steel) from The Bradford Exchange. It’s currently sold out, but they expect to start shipping again in late November, just in time for the Christmas rush.

This Custom Pac-Man Synthesizer Looks A-maze-ing

Posted on by

You know what? I’m surprised that they never came up with a vaccine for Pac-Man Fever. I mean, I’ve had it for nearly four decades, and it’s not getting any better. I suppose if you’re still a Pac-Man fan like me, you might want something like this sweet Pac-Man-themed synthesizer by Swedish artist and vintage gadget fan Love Hultén.

The custom-built synthesizer is done up in a vibrant color scheme inspired by Namco’s classic maze game. The customized Korg Minilogue synth has Pac-Man yellow keys with orange sharps and flats. Its case has a Pac-Man logo and ghost artwork straight from the game’s original arcade cabinet, and there are other little details like cherries on the keyboard and a pair of blue ghosts with light-up eyes being chased by Pac-Man. Check it out in action and give it a listen in the video below:

Surprisingly, this isn’t the only Pac-Man synthesizer that Hultén has built. He also created a custom synth with a yellow case and blue keys, presumably on Opposite Day.

If you love the retro-modernist look of these pieces, be sure to check out Love’s Instagram page and website for more awesome custom electronic gear.

Ramen-Flavored Sodas: Yuck or Yum?

Posted on by

Ramen is delicious. While I much prefer the taste of fresh-cooked noodles and meats at a Japanese restaurant, instant ramen will do in a pinch. Nissin Cup Noodles are a staple among college kids, bachelors, and lazy cooks everywhere. Now you can enjoy the taste of Cup Noodles without even boiling water or eating noodles for that matter.

To celebrate 50 years of Cup Noodles, Nissin is selling a collection of four carbonated beverages in ramen broth flavors Cup Noodle, Seafood, Curry, and Chili Tomato. I’m assuming I can’t drink the seafood soda because of my shellfish allergy. Also, it sounds disgusting. That said, I’m sure somebody out there thinks it sounds yummy.

If you’re feeling adventurous and have a friend in Japan who can order for you, they’re available as part of a special bundle over on Amazon Japan, where you can also find recipes for cocktails made with Cup Noodles sodas.

[via Neatorama]

LG DVLED Super-Sizes TV Cinema Walls up to 325 Inches

Posted on by

The biggest screen I’ve ever had in my house measured 96″ diagonal and used a front projector and a traditional movie screen. The room had to be totally dark to really enjoy it, but it was cool having a screen that big. Now, thanks to LG’s new DVLED technology, they can make screens up to 325″ diagonal, which can be viewed even in rooms with lots of ambient light.

LG DVLED Extreme Home Cinema screens comprise a grid of 2 million to 33 million individual diodes, each of which is self-illuminating for vibrant, high-contrast images at up to a 150,000:1 contrast ratio. LG says the display panels also offer a high color gamut for vivid and colorful images. The screens will come in 2K, 4K, and 8K resolutions in sizes from 108″ to 325″ diagonal, with both 16:9 and ultrawide 32:9 configurations available.

LG’s webOS tech allows the screens to display artwork stored locally and content streamed via Wi-Fi and supports multiple windows for viewing different source content simultaneously.

The displays are only available via LG’s custom dealer/installer program, and you can register your interest on the LG website. Pricing hasn’t been announced, but I can only imagine that something described as “the supercar of home display technologies” and “highly exclusive” by LG is likely to be extremely expensive.

AT-AT Aquarium Looks Like Hoth After Global Warming

Posted on by

When you think of AT-ATs, you think of these giant mechanical beasts stomping along the snowy surface of Hoth. But what would happen if the Empire’s war machines ran on fossil fuels and their CO2 emissions, resulting in a greenhouse effect? It might end up looking something like this aquarium scene created by Carly Thompson.

After receiving a model AT-AT as a Christmas gift, she decided to incorporate the Imperial Walker into a small fish tank. She says the scene was inspired by the Kashyyk level of Jedi Fallen Order, and Endor from Return of the Jedi. But to me, it looks like Hoth after the polar ice caps have melted, raising the sea levels, and flooding the land as surface temperatures increased above freezing. The AT-AT has definitely seen better days, now that it has moss growing out of it, but it sure makes a nice home for the red cherry shrimp and Ramshorn snails who have taken up residence here.

[via Reddit via MyModernMet and GeekNative]