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(Credit: CNET.com)

Testing out a set of PC speakers is practically begging for an interoffice dance party, so when Lacie's USB speakers arrived at the office, we couldn't wait to bust open the box and get it started. Unfortunately, the speakers don't sound nearly as good as they look, and the high price tag is the final nail in the coffin.

French designer Neil Poulton helped Lacie design this set of PC speakers that use USB connectivity alone for both power and audio. We're typically all for a product that lets us chuck another wire out of the window, so the fact that these speakers don't need to be plugged into an outlet is very appealing. In addition, the housing is just plain sexy. The curved angles, black mesh faceplates, and smooth white surface attracted plenty of attention at the office; that is, until we tried pumping some music through the set.

Needless to say, the quality of sound just isn't up to par. They're a two-piece system so we weren't expecting room-shaking bass or mellifluous harmony, but these things barely sound better than the speakers in the average laptop. We desperately tried to find a decent sounding track, but failed, miserably. And what good are speakers if you can't use them to get down in the privacy of your own home? Even at low volume, our music (tested across several genres) sounds distant and uneven. Finally, $60 price tag adds insult to injury. These speakers simply can't do the music justice; we'd rather hear The Boss through a set of cheap, quality headphones.

Check out our full-length review for more in-depth descriptions and details.

(Credit: ThinkGeek)

Live out your fantasy of being an army commander with the USB wireless rocket launcher from ThinkGeek. Place the launcher within a 15-foot radius of your command center (that would be your computer), position the transmitting and receiving dish within sight of each other, and count down to D-Day saying, "Hasta la vista, baby." If you miss your target with the first missile, quickly send the command to reposition it and try again. You've only three foam missiles, so make careful use of it. To make the experience more complete, dig out your toy soldiers and station them around the launcher.

The pre-recorded sound effects are cool to hear when you launch your missiles, but that would give away its location. You don't want to see this $45 piece of equipment being stomped on by your cubicle nemesis.

(Source: Crave Asia)

(Credit: Gamercize)

Gamercize has been peddling and pedaling exercise machines for some time now, mostly making fitness gear designed to work with game consoles as well as the occasional digital cycle for kids. But this week it's releasing a product aimed squarely at the cubicle set.

The U.K. company has come up with a "GZ PC-Sport and Power Stepper" combination that can fit under the desk so worker bees can continue their duties uninterrupted while burning off calories without leaving their seats. And here's the kicker: It can be hooked up to the computer by USB so that the keyboard or mouse will work only when the Stepper is in use.

If all this sounds like the trappings of some futuristic labor camp, remember that it could be worse. Your boss could hook you up to a "Walkstation" treadmill instead and make you do 20 laps for each Excel spreadsheet. In fact, we hope ours isn't reading this now.

And you thought your dark, cramped, dusty workspace was depressing. Have a look at the winners of the Wired News Saddest-Cubicle Contest, and get ready to appreciate your own scrappy little cube anew.

David Gunnells toils away in a windowless conference room, his desk hemmed in by heavily used filing cabinets.

(Credit: David Gunnells, courtesy of Wired News)

After all, it doesn't get too much worse than David Gunnells' cubicle (or does it?). The first-place winner of the contest, an IT guy at the University of Alabama at Birmingham, spends his days in a windowless conference room, his desk hemmed in by heavily used filing cabinets. He sits near a poorly ventilated bathroom and shares a wall with a parking garage. His mother-in-law was so depressed by his dingy cube that she gave him a lamp.

At least the world will now know his plight. For winning the contest, Gunnells gets a RoboMan Webcam so he can broadcast from his bland little corner.

The runners-up may not get a Webcam, but they do get the validation of knowing Wired News' readers share their pain. One soul-crushing submission shows a cube with a single fluorescent light, paper clips as cubicle hooks, and overturned boxes as shelf space. Nyet on the windows and working landline.

Another shows a picture of an IT contractor's desk, tucked away in a 40-foot steel cargo container that he calls "the hamster cage." To get electricity, he runs a 100-foot extension cord to a power substation. In winter, he tries unsuccessfully to get warmth from a small electric heater. There's nary a plant, poster, or picture of the kids in sight--it practically makes Dwight Schrute's desk look like an interior decorator's showroom.

If your workplace is the couch at the local Starbucks, turn back now--this list is not for you. This guide is for those who work diligently at desks. This often small rectangle of space can become a canvas to display your personality to all. We've rounded up and categorized 28 places to buy things to take your barren desk to the next level.

Emporiums/Cornucopias, etc.

Places to get several types of items in one place

Keep new projects from making their way to your inbox for good with this catapult from ThinkGeek.com.
(Credit: Thinkgeek.com)
• ThinkGeek is one of the better "everything under one roof" sites. Especially great is their user picture section, which lets purchasers post pictures of themselves using the product in real life. Stock photography be damned.
• Perpetual Kid is another solid directory of good office, and general fun items. My personal favorite is the robot calculator that doubles as a stapler magnet and Post-it Note holder.
• Hammacher Schlemmer. You've certainly gazed lovingly at one of these catalogs while stuck on a flight. The online store is no different; there are a ton of useful and interesting office gadgets to make your desktop a playground (with taste, of course).
• Dealextreme has a little bit of everything. What separates it from the pack? Their weird gadgets section. The name doesn't lie. For example, get one of these to take notes at your next meeting.
• Geekstuff4u has a good, clear listing of geeky gadgetry to adorn your cube. I have trouble deciding between the USB squid drive, and pop-up pirate USB hub that requires stabbing a pirate with plastic swords to get him to appear. Charming.
• Kleargear is another handful of amusing and/or interesting gadgetry to buy. Worth checking out is their entire section dedicated to cubicle decor. Get an early start on Halloween with this gaudy skeleton you can attach to the top of your computer monitor. When people ask what it is, be sure to make some lame "spreadsheet from hell got loose" joke.
• Firebox. Not to be confused with the popular Web browser, Firebox is neither on fire, nor a box. It does, however, have a lot of cool gadgets worth putting on your desk. The best for lunchtime breaks and releasing steam? The Rock Beat Drumsticks, which let you do an air guitar--except with drums. Your co-workers will love you.
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(Credit: ThinkGeek)

As staunch advocates of workplace productivity, we at Crave seize on any tips that may help hasten your day at the office. A few months ago, for instance, we featured an ingenious item called the "StealthSwitch," a foot-operated device that instantly hides whatever is on your screen the moment an inconsiderate co-worker approaches your personal space.

Further fulfilling our obligation today is the "Sportscope Cubicle Periscope," which Technabob concedes was designed for spectator sports but is also "ideally suited for snooping around your office." We prefer to look at it in a more positive light, as the tool of an enterprising employee taking a pro-active initiative, rather than resorting to reactive devices such as the StealthSwitch.

As for the specs, the $60 scope has a 5x magnification and can be adjusted from 15 to 22 inches, which is more than enough to peer around corners and over cubicle partitions. It also sports a handle and belt clip for multitasking purposes.

We know Dwight would most certainly approve.

If James T. Kirk was sitting by a tree or menorah or visiting Africa come Chrismahanukwanzakah time, you'd better believe he'd be craving the Star Trek 40th anniversary phaser. It's hit shelves in honor of 40 years of "boldly going where no man has gone before."

With the bronze handle, flashing lights and four power modes, the phaser looks and feels a lot like the stun gun of the original series. If you're hoping to participate in the away team, the Type I phaser easily detaches, while still providing light and sound features. Speaking of sound, all noises are ultra-authentic and taken directly from the series. With its special packaging, the gadget could easily sit on any collector's mantle, but it's also cheap enough to provide some good Klingon and Khan-beating fun.

For $30 a pop at ThinkGeek or $27.99 at Amazon.com, this 23rd century weapon is likely to please every tribble-loving darling in your life. The only catch is that it's not a real weapon, so you can't stun your boss, bratty brother or whining wife with it. Perhaps they're waiting to release that last feature for the Golden Anniversary.

(Photo: ThinkGeek)