This is a homage to the Snoopy Sno-Cone Machine, a toy that’s been around for over 40 years. I’m not a fan of Snow Cones, but Ice Cream? All day every day.
He-Man USB Wall Adapter
The THOR Hammer Tool Set was recently given the mini treatment, thought I’d do the same for the He-Man power bar that I posted a few years ago. This time the power sword is a compact USB wall adapter that also doubles as a Nite Lite.
I wanted this to be illuminated to simulate the “I have the POWER” sequence. It lights up when something is plugged-in, or automatically at night thanks to a light sensor.
The power prongs fold down to make this convenient for travel. A purple variant for Skeletor could also be done, something I didn’t mention in that power bar post. In hindsight I would also like the old power bar design to be illuminated, like this other power bar I designed.
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TV Show Pitch: Obi-Wan Kenobi
There has been a lot of hoopla this past week regarding the delay of the Obi-Wan Kenobi TV show. The rumor for the delay: the show’s premise was too similar to The Mandalorian, with the title character protecting a young Luke Skywalker throughout the series.
Not sure how valid that rumor is, but it is far from what I’ve been imagining these past few months, which I will share with you now: seeing as the Mandalorian is a Western, I honestly thought Obi-Wan was going to be a Detective Show (be it Noir or Hardboiled).
Hear me out! The most interesting part of Attack of the Clones was Obi-Wan being a detective, chasing down clues and unraveling a mystery. Not saying he’d pursue that line of work full-time, but living near both Mos Eisley and Jabba’s Palace, it would be easy to become embroiled in a sinister plot full of criminals and intrigue.
Continue reading ➞ TV Show Pitch: Obi-Wan Kenobi
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Robot HDMI And USB Extender
This is a smaller version of a design I posted a few years ago, this time it’s for a single HDMI-based device. It allows you to switch between several devices without having to go behind the TV.
If you’re juggling a bunch of devices this would be extremely handy. Nowadays there are many plug-and-play consoles, clone consoles, video game dongles (from AtGames and Arcade 1UP), streaming devices, single board computers, and soon: gaming handhelds with HDMI output (the upcoming Analogue Pocket). Almost all of these are powered by USB too.
Most of these devices would benefit from a power switch, especially those game dongles which stay powered-on until unplugged (seen in the example below). So I included a humorous kill switch for the robot:
The robot’s body moves like a lever, so powering off this device makes it appear as though you are also deactivating the robot. The arms are loose and swivel freely, the LED eyes indicate power.
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4-Player Tabletop Arcade
Cocktail arcade cabinets have been around for decades, but they are usually for 1 or 2 players. I believe there are enough games to enable a 4-player tabletop version.
This gadget is made possible by an IPS display, a superior display that can be seen clearly from all angles. I also want to include rotary joysticks, which can be toggled like a joystick for regular games (Pac-Man), or rotated for spinner games (Pong). The rotary joystick can be a button as well.
Continue reading ➞ 4-Player Tabletop Arcade
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Game Genie Nintendo Switch Dock
A popular item these days are “mini docks” for the Nintendo Switch, where you transplant the internals of the Switch dock into a much smaller case. The mini docks are very compact, and they do not scratch the screen when docking the console.
I think it would be great if such a dock looked like the NES Game Genie, mostly because the extending bracket makes for a good easel. Does anyone else miss cheat codes? It used to be such a big deal in gaming.
The one party trick I would include is that the case also stores the GameCube controller adapter, hidden behind the flap:
The GameCube adapter isn’t essential to everyone, so the space could be used for storing game carts or other small accessories.
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Lunchbox Game Console
This design combines retro gaming and the lunchboxes that were popular in the 80’s. I was inspired by the Nintendo GameCube, which had a handle on the back of the console for portability. Thought it would be nice to have a complete console kit for travelling.
The console stores beneath the “window” of the lunchbox, so it can show off its large sticker, in this example I went with Mega Man. Two controllers, HDMI cable, USB power cable, and wall adapter all store underneath the console.
Continue reading ➞ Lunchbox Game Console
Dave's Geeky Ideas 