[lini]

I'd hereby like to start a thread about devices - be these electric/electronic or mechanic, old or (still) in prodoction - that have really convinced or amazed you.

For myself: I've only just rediscovered one of my most amazing products, when I came back to my old place in Munich a couple of days ago, which is a Casio FX100 scientific calculator and has served me well during school and after. Nothing too stunning so far, but what really amazed me is not the fact that it still works - it still works with its original set of Casio AA batteries from 1983! Wow!!!

Concerning convincing devices, I'd generally nominate those Braun/Oral B electric toothbrushes with the small round brushes - even their cheaper, rotational motion only models already work much better than manual toothbrushes for me, and I really wouldn't want to miss the very clean feeling these thingies provide me a couple of times a day.

So, what would you guys buy again blindly/whole-heartedly recommend/not want to live without any day?

Greetings from Munich!

Manfred / lini

 

[ricksome]

Bic Crystal Stic Pen. Still the same with some cheaper parts installed

 

[lini]

Quote:

Originally Posted by ricksome Bic Crystal Stic Pen. Still the same with some cheaper parts installed

And why/how does it convince/amaze you?

Greetings from Munich!

Manfred / lini

 

[mbriant]

Anti-static guns. So simple to use, completely effective, and NO BATTERIES REQUIRED.

Original Gillette "Good News" disposable razors. So simple to use, completely effective, and NO BATTERIES REQUIRED.

 

[Fitz]

Quote:

Originally Posted by mbriant Anti-static guns. So simple to use, completely effective, and NO BATTERIES REQUIRED. Original Gillette "Good News" disposable razors. So simple to use, completely effective, and NO BATTERIES REQUIRED.

Guns. So simple to use, completely effective, and NO BATTERIES REQUIRED.

 

[Gaughtfried]

Silica Crystal Kitty Litter
It dries out cat poo and doesn't smell like normal cat sand kitty litter. All in all, a life saver.

..er I meant of course

Mechanical Pencils
In general. I grew up in a time and place where all I had where those crummy wood pencils. When I actually first got to use one a couple of months ago I was more or less amazed at how easy they are to write with. Truly a marvel of man's ingenuity.

 

[Born2bwire]

Lightswitch
Light goes on, light goes off. Light goes on, light goes off. Light goes on, light goes off. Light goes on, light goes off. Light goes on, light goes off. Light goes on, light goes off. Light goes...

 

[Denim]

How can you not mention the clapper?

Clap On ... (clap) (clap)

Clap Off ... (clap) (clap)

Honestly, I'm having a hard time recalling anything that is worth mentioning.

 

[digitalcat]

The animaris Rhinoceros, pretty amazing stuff:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PVLja80RWA8

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=muxfaOxUsgg

Mind you that this is purely mechanical, no fancy electronics and hydraulics, as one of the comments to the second video pointed out.

 

[Comfy]

Quote:

Originally Posted by mbriant Anti-static guns. So simple to use, completely effective, and NO BATTERIES REQUIRED. Original Gillette "Good News" disposable razors. So simple to use, completely effective, and NO BATTERIES REQUIRED.

The Patek Philippe Sky Moon Tourbillon wristwatch. So simple to use, completely effective, a perpetual calendar with a retrograde date display, a minute repeater, a tourbillon, the display of sidereal time, and a depiction of the nocturnal sky with the motion of the stars, the orbit of the moon, and the moon phases, and NO BATTERIES REQUIRED.

EDIT: That Animaris thing is amazing! Thanks for posting it! P.S. Seems to me that Head-Fi'ers are a little tired of electricity/electronics?

 

[plainsong]

I've acquried a few automatic watches, and of course gear operated stuff is always interesting. My husband has a Citizen Ecodrive (jeez, I'm trying to write in the icon language over at PMWF) that he had in drawer for two years. What fascinated me was taking it out, putting in on the window sill on a cloudy day, and within minutes there was life in the watch. To me this beats Seiko Kinetic for coolness.

Along the line of watches, I find watch winders fascinating, and the reason is because they shouldn't be. You put the watch in it, turn it on, and it rotates in one direction for a couple of minutes, then rotates in the other. It does this for 34 or so minutes, then rests for 3.5 hours and starts again. When it's turning, it's hypnotic to watch.... for some reason.

And anyone remember the 2nd Ace Ventura movie? "Everyone loves a slinky! Everyone loves a slinky..." and it stops with two steps to go.

 

[Uncle Erik]

Plainsong - if you like interesting watches, get an Accutron. You'll find them fascinating. Great watches, too, and they're still relatively affordable.

As for amazing devices, how about this:

http://www.asseenontv.com/prod-pages...erman.htm?gid=

There's nothing quite like the Popeil Pocket Fisherman.

 

[Comfy]

Quote:

Originally Posted by plainsong My husband has a Citizen Ecodrive (jeez, I'm trying to write in the icon language over at PMWF) that he had in drawer for two years. What fascinated me was taking it out, putting in on the window sill on a cloudy day, and within minutes there was life in the watch. To me this beats Seiko Kinetic for coolness.

Actually the new Kinetics are pretty advanced in this respect too. The ones equipped with an Auto-Relay function will keep correct time for up to 4 years when off the wrist. The handles stop their motion after three days of inactivity and start again when you move the watch. And those without Auto-Relay keep working for 5-6 months when off the wrist. And you don't need light for any of this to happen. You could use 'em in Lappland during wintertime. Now how cool would that be?

 

[ken36]

I miss my slide-rule.

 

[RYCeT]

I like my Garmin GPS. No more route printing, seeing maps and asking for directions.