• August 6th, 2010

    Thanko's "USB Necktie Cooler 3"

    It took Thanko‘s star engineers over two years, but I bet the work was worth it: after showing you the USB Necktie Cooler 2 back in June 2008, the Tokyo-based USB gadget maker now presents, you guessed it, the USB Necktie Cooler 3 [JP]. The silliness just doesn’t stop, it seems. → Read More

    August 3rd, 2010

    Acronym soup: M600 gets CESG CAPS for HMG

    Don’t you just love security product announcements? They’re full of acronyms you’ve seen but can never remember the meaning of, like FIPS and DPA and HMG. The news in the press release below is that a new encrypted USB stick has been formally approved for British government use by the British government. The M600 from MXI Security has a “dedicated hardware security processor … designed to protect against all forms of malware.” It’s also waterproof and dustproof. → Read More

    August 3rd, 2010

    Power Strip-like USB Hub

    A power strip-like USB hub with four ports than can be turned on or off individually? That, and another version with seven ports, is what Japanese accessory maker Elecom announced [JP] today. → Read More

    August 2nd, 2010

    Thanko Sells USB Stapler

    The world’s most famous USB crap gadget maker strikes again. Tokyo-based Thanko is now offering a USB stapler [JP], which is actually just an electric stapler (it requires three AAA batteries to work) that doubles as a USB hub with four ports. That’s two problems solved with just one device. → Read More

    July 23rd, 2010

    Gold Ingot USB memory stick

    In case you ever wanted a “golden” USB memory stick, here’s your chance: made by I-O Data, the so-called Gold Ingot USB Memory [JP] offers 4GB capacity. The body is mainly made of Japanese wood and covered by a thin layer of gold. → Read More

    July 22nd, 2010

    Wooden USB sticks might give you splinters

    Yep, a wooden USB drive — we’ve seen that before, but these are a little nicer. Each one is custom made from a stick specially selected by artisans for it’s beauty and then professionally crafted into a drive. Available in 1GB to 8GB capacity, the OOOMS USB sticks will cost you a premium. The 1GB version is $50, and the 8GB will set you back $70. Of course, make sure you don’t have termites, and watch out for splinters. On the positive side, if you drop the drive in a lake it’ll probably float. I have to tell you, even if you don’t want to buy one of their USB sticks, you have to check out the manufacturers site. Roadkill carpet. → Read More

    July 21st, 2010

    For kids, moms and dads: Panasonic to offer 3D glasses for the whole family


    Panasonic not only announced two awesome 3D plasma TVs today, the company also introduced [JP] a new concept for 3D glasses. The three models are supposed to be the perfect fit for for every member in your family: size S is suitable for kids, M is for women and L is best for men (according to Panasonic). → Read More

    July 19th, 2010

    Bluetooth wristwatch with detachable LCD (which doubles as headset)

    Not everything Tokyo-based crap gadget maker Thanko churns out is necessarily silly or utterly useless. The infamous company is now offering a Bluetooth wristwatch [JP] with a pretty clever concept: it allows you to detach the device’s LCD and use it as a wireless headset, for example in case you want to make calls or listen to music. → Read More

    July 15th, 2010

    Thanko's USB butt cooler cushion

    Tokyo-based crap gadget maker Thanko is at it again. This time, the company is giving us the USB Seat Air [JP], which is nothing but a butt cooler cushion for office chairs. It’s the last Thanko product in a long line of gadgets that either cools off or heats up parts of your body. → Read More

    July 14th, 2010

    USB Clip memory stick – why didn't I think of that?

    Much like the binder clip cable management system, this is one of those products that make you go “duh, why didn’t I think of that”. Designer Arman Emami just won the 2010 Red Dot design award for his latest creation, the USB Clip Memory stick. → Read More

    July 9th, 2010

    Fact: iPhone 4 takes 23 percent longer to charge via USB than via electrical outlet

    Well look at this. The iPhone 4 takes an average of 23 percent longer to charge while charging via USB than it does while charging via a standard electrical outlet. → Read More

    July 8th, 2010

    Japan gets TransferJet-compatible USB cradle for wireless data transfer

    TransferJet is a close-proximity wireless transfer technology that Sony introduced back in 2008. The idea is to let two electronic devices, for example a camera and a computer, quickly exchange data just by bringing them close together (touch is possible, too). The problem, until today, was that both devices must obviously be TransferJet-compatible (more info). → Read More

    June 18th, 2010

    Thanko sells digital camera/binoculars hybrid

    Tokyo’s most famous gadget maker, Thanko, has another hit product in its portfolio, the UDGZDC8M [JP]. For reasons unknown, the infamous company decided it’s time to give the world a combination of binoculars and an 8MP digital camera. And people living outside Japan can get it, too. → Read More

    June 4th, 2010

    How to stick a USB charger into your Camry

    Instructables has an interesting instruction set for adding a USB port to your car’s dashboard, thereby avoiding the “wall wart” that comes with most USB-charging devices for the car. Obviously you’re only sticking an old USB charger into the dashboard and cutting a hole for the port, but it definitely adds a touch of class to your auto. via Giz → Read More

    May 14th, 2010

    Even Thanko now starts offering 3D devices (a photo frame)

    Take this with a grain of salt, but I need to report that Thanko, the infamous gadget maker from Tokyo, has started selling a 3D photo frame [JP] today. The USB specialists say the 7-inch device, which they also call a “3D multimedia player”, doesn’t require users to view images in 3D. → Read More

    May 7th, 2010

    Thanko releases "Wristband Battery" for portable gadgets

    Tokyo-based gadget maker Thanko is at it again. This time, the USB specialists are giving us the Wristband Battery [JP], which is what it sounds like and supposed to make life easier for fans of portable gadgets. → Read More

    May 5th, 2010

    USB powered boots hit the mainstream

    USB powered footwear isn’t eactly new to the novelty market, but it hasn’t really been embraced by the mainstream clothing makers yet. Well, that’s about to change; Columbia Sportswear just announced the usb powered Omni-Heat boots. → Read More

    April 29th, 2010

    Plugable shows off new USB display and docking adapters

    You might have heard of Plugable Technologies before, they make USB adapters that allow you to plug a monitor into any device. This allows you to have multiple displays on systems that normally wouldn’t support them, such as a laptop or notebook. Plugable just announced two new display adapters to their lineup. Press release after the jump. → Read More

    April 26th, 2010

    Lok-it secure USB drive protects your data

    I love this device. It’s always bothered me that if you lose a USB key, you lose the data as well. The Lok-IT secure USB device makes it so I don’t have to worry about losing it. Well, other then the purchase price. The technology is pretty cool in that the computer can’t see the drive until the PIN is entered, so it’s not easy to hack. → Read More

    April 23rd, 2010

    ATP SSD connect to the USB header on your motherboad

    This is brilliant. I’m not 100% sure what the practical application is yet, but I think I want one. ATP built an SLC NAND-based solid state drive designed to plug directly into the USB header on your motherboard. Great idea right? → Read More

    Upcoming Events

    E3 2012

    Los Angeles, CA

    Disrupt SF 2012

    San Francisco, CA

    Real-Time
    Crunchbase

    Funky Moves — Received £332k in Unattributed funding
    5.29.2012
    Funky Moves — Company added to CrunchBase
    5.29.2012
    Partech International — Invested in Sensee.
    5.29.2012
    Compliance11 — Acquired by Compliance11, Inc..
    11.15.2012
    Facebook — Went public with stock symbol NASDAQ:FB.
    5.18.2012
    Compliance11 — Acquired by Compliance11, Inc..
    11.15.2012
    Bolt | Peters — Acquired by Facebook for $50M.
    6.21.2012
    FounderMatchup — Acquired by CoFoundersLab.
    5.22.2012
    GlobalEnglish — Acquired by Pearson for $90M.
    5.25.2012
    Chick Approved — Acquired by Lockerz.
    5.25.2012
    Funky Moves — Received £332k in Unattributed funding
    5.29.2012
    Sensee — Received €17.5M in Unattributed funding from Partech International, Orkos Capital, and IDInvest Partners
    5.29.2012
    Rosslyn Analytics — Received Unattributed funding from IQ Capital Partners
    5.29.2012
    The Etailers — Received €400k in Unattributed funding from Caixa Capital
    5.28.2012
    OptoNova — Received Unattributed funding from Almi Invest
    5.28.2012
    Partech International — Invested in Sensee.
    5.29.2012
    IDInvest Partners — Invested in Sensee.
    5.29.2012
    Orkos Capital — Invested in Sensee.
    5.29.2012
    5.29.2012
    Caixa Capital — Invested in The Etailers.
    5.28.2012
    Facebook — Went public with stock symbol NASDAQ:FB.
    5.18.2012
    Funky Moves — Company added to CrunchBase
    5.29.2012
    Sensee — Company added to CrunchBase
    5.29.2012
    The Etailers — Company added to CrunchBase
    5.29.2012
    OptoNova — Company added to CrunchBase
    5.29.2012
    Infrafone — Company added to CrunchBase
    5.29.2012
    PocketHound — Product added to CrunchBase
    5.28.2012
    http://www.pingola.co.il/ — Product added to CrunchBase
    5.28.2012
    http://www.pingola.ru/ — Product added to CrunchBase
    5.28.2012
    AnB — Product added to CrunchBase
    5.28.2012
    CrunchBase