Need to Adjust Something? Put a Knob on It!

Does your office mate talk too loud on the phone? Is your dog barking too much when the doorbell rings? Or do you have a kid that just won’t stop whining about some toy they want you to buy them? Wouldn’t it be great if you could just slap a knob on all of them to turn down the volume?

These fun capsule toys from Japan let you slap a knob wherever you need one, giving you smooth analog control over the intensity of anything. They’re designed to look like the heat control knobs on a stove, but the only limit to what they can control is your imagination. Use them to adjust the height of the flame on candles, turn down the foul perfume odor in the elevator, or stick one in your car and use it instead of an accelerator pedal. These dials are way better than a universal remote control!

Seriously, though, these dials don’t actually do anything, but they do make a fun fidget toy, and are also great for pranking people by adding a random dial to things that don’t normally have one.

[via Toy People]

Han Solo in Carbonite Drawer Pulls: For When You’re Hunting for Bounty (Paper Towels)

No matter how hard he tries, Han Solo can’t seem to escape being put back into his Carbonite shroud by geeks everywhere. Now, with a little time and patience, you can have Han Solo in Carbonite on all of your kitchen cabinets too.

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This fun little project from Our Nerd Home shows you how to create Han Solo in Carbonite drawer pulls using Sculpey clay and one of those silicone Han Solo ice cube trays.

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All you need to do is fill the tray with clay, then sculpt some backs to hold onto some nuts, and bake them. A little glue, some Martha Stewart metallic paint, et voilà. Trophies fit for a tiny Hutt.

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If you’d like to take a shot at making your own Han Solo Carbonite pulls, head on over to Our Nerd Home for the full directions. I imagine you could easily do the same with Death Stars, Darth Vader or Stormtroopers too.

You’re Doing It Wrong: LG Unveils Retro TV with Channel and Volume Knobs

We live in a marvelous age. It’s so nice not to not have to get up off your butt to change the channel or turn the sound up. Who wants exercise? Besides, as a species, our fingers are probably stronger than they have ever been, hitting the keys on remotes and using our touchscreens. LG wants to undo all of this progress by introducing a TV that could have come from 30+ years ago.
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LG’s 32LN630R (~$750 USD) is a brand new full HD flat screen equipped with a 32 inch IPS panel display. But it has actual knobs on it! How dare they? That front is trimmed with wood and it even has those old-timey legs. Funny thing is, this isn’t the first time LG has tried such shenanigans.

What if I don’t want to leave the couch? Don’t buy it people! I will never go back! You hear me LG? Never! What’s next? An eight-track player in a smartphone? A phonograph in a tablet?

[via Retro to Go and Engadget via New Launches]