etsi

The Atom Ukelele is a $700 custom-made Etsy offering with a maple body and neck. It's a four-string uke, but its most outstanding feature is the atomic age design of the body. Happy little red electrons sit in stasis around the nucleus of the sound hole.

Celentano Woodworks is the creator behind this sweet stringed beauty. It's part of a lineup of unusual ukes including instruments that look like a shark, a toy rocket, Pac-Man, and a Rock 'Em Sock 'Em Robot.… Read more

Thank you, Etsy, for bringing us such gems as a Zelda fireplace insert, Wonder Woman running gear, and, now, Han Solo and Princess Leia matching rings.

When I first heard about these rings, my imagination thought they might have images of the two "Star Wars" lovebirds emblazoned on them somehow. When I actually saw the design, I smacked my forehead and exclaimed, "Of course!"

The adjustable aluminum his-and-hers rings each sport an inscription. One says, "I love you." The other says, "I know." … Read more

Sometimes you're a superhero. You want the world to know it, so naturally you want the world to know it while you're out jogging. No problem. Etsy seller Helen McCarty has you covered.

McCarty's Etsy shop is called This PrincessRuns. It's full of princess and superhero costumes made of moisture-wicking athletic fabric designed to get you through those long, sweaty marathons in style.… Read more

If you're anything like me, you've thought about the zombie apocalypse. You've wondered how long your canned goods will hold out and if you'll be able to fortify the windows against the onslaught of zombified neighbors.

What you might not have considered is that the zombie apocalypse could start right in your own patch of rosemary. You won't know the true meaning of terror until you feel that nip at your ankle and see your once-quaint garden gnome now thirsting for your blood.… Read more

The European Telecommunications Standards Institute (ETSI) announced today that its committee has come to an agreement on the Nano-SIM standard. There's just one issue: the organization didn't say which technology was chosen.

According to ETSI, its Smart Card Platform Technical Committee agreed to a new form factor for the SIM card, called the "fourth form factor." The form factor, better known as the "Nano-SIM," will be 40 percent smaller than the current, smallest SIM cards, but will be backward-compatible with existing SIM designs.

The Nano-SIM had become a lightning rod of controversy over the … Read more

"What happens when you weaponize all the horsepower of a full-size steam locomotive?" asks Professor T. Lemetry. "You get the Goliathon. One shot can level a building, down an airship, or turn a man inside out."

I bet it can take down Morlocks, too.

In any case, this is how the Nerf Vulcan should have been designed. Not out of cheap plastic, but awesome copper and brass.

Meet the Goliathon, a heavily modified Vulcan from Etsy vendor T. Lemetry. It's two and a half feet of steampunky goodness. … Read more

Some people suffer from anxiety when their phones are out of sight and out of reach. Did I leave it at home? What pocket did I put it in? I can't find it. The sky is falling!

There's a line of purses that could be classified as anti-anxiety iPhone carriers. Nicole Kelner posts her wares on Etsy. These handmade purses and wristlets feature a clear pocket designed to hold an iPhone at the ready at all times. Prices are all pretty close to $20.

These creations are interesting on a couple of levels. On one, it turns an iPhone into a key part of your purse's aesthetics. On another, it adds a certain level of practicality. You can access your buttons, keep your phone dry in the rain, and not lose it in the depths of your purse. … Read more

Hey ladies, if you're looking to make the geek of your dreams fall for you in an instant, this homemade Game Boy dress I found on Etsy is better than a gallon of Love Potion No. 9.

In my mind, a woman who wears this sends the message to her suitor that she's the total package -- a crafty, confident geek -- and if you're lucky, maybe you'll get to push her buttons.… Read more

Apple has proposed a new SIM card technology that it wants all others to accept. But that might prove to be a tall order.

The iPhone maker reportedly brought its technology for a new standard, called nano-SIM, before the European Telecommunications Standards Institute (ETSI) last year. The technology is a smaller version of the micro-SIM, but comes with additional space to include more functionality. SIM cards hold a user's phone number, as well as their mobile identity on a cellular network. By putting the cards into a new device, all the person's information can be preserved.

Apple has … Read more