CD player would make Dr. Evil proud

(Credit: Yanko Design)

If CD players like this had been designed earlier, the pending extinction of the disc might have been put off for years.

The "Square CD" player from Yanko Design is as much a work of art as it is a piece of technology, similar to the "Cuboglass" TV. (Both are designed in Italy, of course.) In each case, the appliance is meant to be displayed as part of the decor even when turned off.

Unlike most products created with this concept in mind, however, the Square CD looks even better turned on. That's because the Corian surface (as in kitchen countertops) transforms into a glowing touch screen that looks like something right out of Dr. Evil's underground lair. And if it's good enough for an arch villain, it's certainly good enough for us.