Thanko

Those of you who've adopted frugality during this recession know that packing a lunch is one of the best ways to cut down on spending. But waiting in line to use the microwave, washing your Tupperware out, and having your lunch stolen from the company refrigerator can make saving a few dollars everyday quite inconvenient.

The USB LunchBox Warmer, by the Hong Kong-based company Brando, keeps your leftovers and homemade lunches toasty hot. Just plug it in to your computer--which acts a power source--via the included USB cable and you're ready to eat a piping hot meal at … Read more

If it ain't in the market yet, you can trust Thanko to dream it up. The online store has been responsible for a number of funky--if sometimes questionable--gadgets out of Japan, from USB butt coolers to cushions for lazy geeks to neckties with built-in fans.

So if you're a fanboy of the company, the Sound Lives Magnetic Earphones (1,980 yen, $18.65), which seem lost in translation, are probably the first we've come across where you clip the earpiece onto your, well, ears. Just like a pair of earrings. Aesthetics-wise, it's pure Thanko--a touch of … Read more

The Thanko All In One Sunglasses out of Japan look more 3D clunky than Prada sleek. But what else would you expect from a pair of shades that incorporate a media player?

The glasses are capable of reading MP3 and WMA audio formats, and playing video formats MP4, MPG, AVI, and ASF. That means you can listen to music or watch movies (at a squinty 432x240 resolution) on the specs themselves. This is no Cinemax, to be sure, but the glasses could be a fun diversion on a train or park bench if you don't mind the bulk. Note … Read more

We thought we'd found the ideal laptop angle years ago with the "Easy Desk Aluminum," but that position can get a little old especially when used at play as well as at work. That's where the aptly named "Lazy Geek's Cushion" comes in.

Unlike many of its other products, Japan's Thanko may actually have come up with something useful with this, er, workstation, at least for those of us afflicted with terminal laziness. It supposedly claims to alleviate back and neck pain, though we have no idea if there's any actual … Read more

The way things are going, it's possible that portable solar chargers could be bypassed altogether if manufacturers can build the technology directly into their media players and other handheld devices. Not many are doing that yet, but we have seen a few.

A few months back a company called eMotion unveiled a solar media player, though it seemed to sacrifice other specs to make room for the green technology. Now Tokyo-based Thanko has released its own version with similar shortcomings, an MP4 player with 4GB of built-in storage and a 2-inch display, according to CrunchGear. The solar panels, which … Read more

Thanko is one outfit we'll never be able to figure out. Just after releasing its latest example of inanity, a vacuuming mouse, it comes out with a product that might actually be practical.

The new version of the Japanese company's self-described "Silent Keyboard" allows you to pound away in the middle of the night without waking the neighbors or, if you work the night shift, your co-workers in the next cubicle. There are others that make the same claim, but Akihabara News says this one can be used with two PCs, alternating from one to the … Read more

If you thought the irritatingly misspelled "Robo Vacum" was silly, you're in good company. What it needs, of course, is to be combined with another device--like a mouse.

And that's good news for a company like Thanko. It is, after all, the Japanese outfit that prides itself on creations ranging from USB aromatherapy devices to muscle-toning mice. So it came as little surprise that it's responsible for a "USB Vacuum Mouse" that's pretty much self-explanatory.

The combo gadget is an 800-dpi mouse that turns into a mini-vacuum cleaner with the flip of … Read more

If you give an item like this any kind of consideration at all, it's probably a sign that you're spending more time playing games than with your loved ones. Actually, it may mean that you don't have any loved ones at all, or won't for very long.

Thanko's "Charger Bracelet" is designed for addicts who just can't put down their handhelds when the batteries run dry, supposedly providing another 4.5 hours for a PSP and 28 hours for a DS Lite with a recharger strapped to the wrist, according to Engadget. … Read more

It's late in the afternoon on a gloomy fall day. What do you need for a pick-me-up? A touch of USB aromatherapy, of course.

The crackpot R&D department at Japan's Thanko--maker of heated USB gloves, muscle-toning mice and other bizarre items--has expanded its semi-useless repertoire to include a USB humidifier. Everything USB notes that a drop or two of scented oil can provide a quick aromatherapy treatment right at your desk.

Perhaps the most bizarre thing of all is that this product actually has some direct competition.