5 Cool Things for Your Desktop

Flying Alarm Clock

It’s not that we’ve gotten lazy as a species, far from it! We’re more productive now than we’ve ever been, but with more and more work to do, we have to create time by cutting down on late night raids on Molten Core, ordering fast-food, talking on the phone while driving… The only time we have left is spent sleeping. Now you have to stay up late and get up early in an effort to get more done.

The Flying Alarm Clock wakes you up with a loud shrieking alarm coupled with a little propeller-driven key that leaps off your nightstand. To turn off the horrible racket, you have to get out of bed and retrieve the key. The propeller flies the key high into the air and off into some dusty corner. You have to force your sleep addled brain into wakefulness, move your stiff legs and retrieve the key before the alarm goes off. By the time you’ve done so, you’re awake enough at least to go make a pot of coffee.

Amazon – Flying Alarm Clock ($13.08)
eBay – Flying Alarm Clock

USB Plasma Ball

Just the word plasma makes you think of going boldly where no-one has gone before. However, the beauty of this awesome mini plasma ball is that you don’t have to wrestle Klingons in the outer regions of the Thark Quadrant to play with it.

Just plug this neat gizmo into your USB port, and streams of red and blue plasma light will flicker out from the core of the hand-blown glass sphere throwing mesmerising light trails across its surface.

Touch the sphere with your fingers, and blue light will shoot out towards your fingertips. Absurdly cheap considering the sheer weight of scientific brilliance stuffed inside of it, the Mini USB Plasma Ball is just 13cm high, and is an utterly compelling science project cum wanna have desk-top diversion.

Amazon – USB Plasma Ball ($11.95)
eBay – USB Plasma Ball

Space Warp Desktop

You know those desk-based toys of yore where five balls hang from strings and clink back and forth in different patterns? Well slap that old desk gadget in a Delorean at 88 Mph and you’ll get the futuristic Space Warp Desktop. Imported from Japan, this mesmerizing desk toy features either chromed ball bearings or glowing orbs perpetually rotating on a clear track.

Flip a switch on the back to choose which type of balls you prefer, while the ones you don’t want are automatically sorted and stored in the base. The glowing balls are powered by a built in UV light in the base which charges them up, causing them to glow as they roll down the track only to be charged up again at the end of the run. It’s Japanese efficiency at its finest served up for your desk-based enjoyment.

eBay – Space Warp Desktop

Anti-Gravity Globe

Levitron AG technology heralds a breakthrough in the art of magnetic levitation. Observe Earth levitate in space – only touching air! This globe is the ultimate coversation piece. Museum quality design and futuristic effect make this a must-have for home or office.

Developed by an international engineering team, this stylish, electromagnetic base uses minimal power to create Real Levitation. Suspended in mid-air, this globe defies gravity – inspiring wonder and amazement.

Amazon – Levitron AG Anti-Gravity Globe ($70.49)
eBay – Anti-Gravity Globe

USB Webcam Missile Launcher

Where would we be without Instant Messaging? It lets us stay in contact and chat with friends all over the world (especially delightful during work hours). But sometimes the urge to reach out and shoot someone is unbearable. And that’s where the USB MSN Missile Launcher comes in. Don’t be content with sharing images, jokes, and assorted links with your friends – it’s time to share missiles!

You’ll have your USB MSN Missile Launcher set up within minutes and that’s when the fun begins. For you see, as you chat you and your buddies can control each other’s launcher. And since each USB MSN Missile Launcher has an integrated webcam (which can be used as just a webcam if you haven’t any buddies), you’ll know exactly when you are aimed at your buddy’s head. Then fire away! The only downside is that your buddy can do the same to you! The upside is, you can always retaliate by turning your buddy’s USM MSN Missile Launcher to face the door of his office and peg his boss in the gut when he/she comes to lecture your buddy about using IM for non-work-related matters. Ah the joys of progress . . . and revenge.

Amazon – USB Webcam Missile Launcher ($72.90)
eBay – USB Webcam Missile Launcher