ThinkGeek loot & gadgets - quick review

so, with all the year end summaries that are so common with the ending of a year, i thought i’d make my own.  follows is a link to every item i have purchased from Think Geek (my favorite store), along with a very brief review.  if you are interested in more info, or have questions, feel free to comment or email and i will do my best to help you out.  also, if you’re interested in one of the products, i beg you to use the links on this post to purchase them.  the cost to you is the same, but i get a little commission from your purchase.  right on.

first, let me explain why, exactly, i love ThinkGeek so very much.  they sell the coolest, geekiest, techiest stuff.  from kids toys to super gadgets to the best original t-shirts, they have it all.  they have great customer service.  for example, when your loot ships, they send an email that actually says “Yay!  You’re loot has shipped…”.  it’s like they know me, because in my head, i’m thinking the same thing.  if you have questions about a product, or want something they don’t sell (or hasn’t been invented yet), they’ll actually respond to you, and try their best to hook you up.  you can follow them on twitter, which is great because they regularly run promos there that can get you free loot when you order something.  one time, i spent about 30 bucks and got over five items, including a free t.  where else can you do that?  lastly (but not really), every time you order (don’t forget to register a profile for this service), you earn GeekPoints, which you can cash in for various products from them when you place an order.  i currently have over 2,000 points, and am looking forward to cashing them in for something really awesome down the road.  so, as promised, here are the things i have bought from them.  some were for me.  others were gifts for others.  all were awesome.

keychain goodies

the Utili-key 6 in 1 Tool

my first ThinkGeek goodie.  no bigger than an average key.  way more useful.  i used it today to crack open a friend’s laptop.  (the screwdriver shaft is not small enough to work on recessed screws, tho.)

Click Here to go to the ThinkGeek Utili-Key 6 in 1 Tool product page

the Gerber Artifact Pocket Keychain Tool

the flip out exacto knife makes this thing more useful than you expect.  perfect for cutting into your packages of loot when they arrive from ThinkGeek.  the bottle opener is a total bonus.  also has a pry tool, and a couple of screwdrivers.  bigger than the utili-key, but totally worth it.

Click Here to go to the Gerber Artifact Pocket Keychain Tool product page

Inka Pen Travel Pen

by far the most useful tool i’ve bought from ThinkGeek.  it’s always with me - perfect for drive through banking, and all of my other writing needs.  pressurized ink cartridge (so i can write in space), waterproof ink (for underwater journaling), and a stylus too.  pen is less than $15, and ink refills are like, 4 bucks.  i love my inka pen.

Click Here to go to the Inka Pen Travel Pen product page

Keychain Solar Flashlight

super bright and always ready to shine.  this was my first GeekPoint freebie.  it makes people jealous (and blind if you shine it directly in their eyes).

Click Here to go to the Keychain Solar Flashlight product page

Screwz-All 4-in-1 Micro-Tool

got this for my dad last year for Christmas. great little tool.

Click Here to go to the Screwz-All 4-in-1 Micro-Tool

regular tools

MagnoGrip

my brother is a carpenter.  he spends a lot of time on ladders and such and this magnetized wristband is a great way for him to save time…this puppy is strong enough to hold a hammer (but my brother still prefers his toolbelt).  i got him this for Christmas.  it made him happy.

Click Here to go to the MagnoGrip product page

Auto LED

what do you get for a man who has everything, but loses it often?  this!  when my dad told me about the time he “lost” his bluetool headset and couldn’t find it under the seat in his awesome Porsche Targa 4s, i knew this would be perfect for him.  this is a high quality device.  it’s got a very solid weight to it, and is very bright.  comes with its own car lighter charging adapter, so it’s always ready to shine.  the light glows a gentle blue when not in use and in the charger.  cool.

Click Here to go to the Auto LED product page

Bag Of Holding

waaaaay bigger than it looks.  i can put my 17″ laptop, my 10″ netbook, my ps2, psp, flip camera, three controllers, my headphone beanie hat, and about 10 games in here and still have room for more.  now, if i could just lift it…

Click Here to go to the Bag of Holding Messenger Bag product page

worky stuff

this isn’t stuff i use for actual work.  rather, it’s stuff that makes work more bearable.  sort of.

AirCurve iPhone Acoustic Amplifier

amplifies the sound from your iPhone acoustically, which means it doesn’t require a power source.  it looks great, and is solidly built.  also has a slot in the bottom so you can charge your phone while it’s playing.  fits all iPhone models.

Click Here to go to the AirCurve iPhone Acoustic Amplifier

The Annoy-a-tron

if i had known i was going to get canned at my last job, i would have left this baby behind as a token of my affection. multiple beeps and time interval settings and magnetized, you can really drive someone nuts with this. also, they can hide in it your a/c unit and drive you nuts as payback.

Click Here to go to the Annoy-a-tron product page

Despair Inc. Calendar

definitely not something i could have put up at my last job (way too realistic), but if you work somewhere where a sense of humor does not involve the gayest jokes ever, this is perfect. got this for my brother this year - he loves it. also, it’s on sale now since it’s all 2010 already.

Click Here to go to the Despair Inc. Calendar product page

stuff for kiddos

Water Flute

got this for my friend’s kid earlier this year.  she still plays with it in the bath.  fill the flutes with water for notes (multiple notes per flute).  comes with plastic sheet music that sticks to the tub walls.  i just like it because i can say i got a six year old a water pipe…

Click Here to go to the Water Flute product page

The Sneaky Book for Girls

great for hours of go play by yourself time. also, promotes reading for kids that otherwise probably wouldn’t. they have one for boys, too.

Click Here to go to the Sneaky Book for Girls product page

Headphone Beanie Hat

i got myself this earlier this year, and my nephew thought it was pretty cool. since his grandpa took him and the fam skiing in CB over the holidays, i decided he needed one too. keeps your head warm, looks cool, and let’s you jam while playing in the snow. rock on.

Click Here to go to the Headphone Beanie Hat product page

t-shirts

My Favorite ThinkGeek T-Shirt

i have too many shirts from ThinkGeek to post individually. they run from incredibly sarcastic, totally pop-culture, science shirts, shirts for little geeks, to shirts only a true geek can read. they also have hoodies, hats, jackets, and jewelry. i think it’s time for a shoe category…

Click Here to go to the T-Shirts and Apparel product page

a final word

like i said earlier, these are all items i have bought and held in my paws.  also, in case you were wondering, i’m not getting any dough for writing this straight out.  i’m a ThinkGeek affiliate, which means that i can put ads and links to stuff they sell on my site, and if anyone buys something through one of those links, i get a little commission.  so, hopefully, the fact that i love the stuff and am the best customer they have from my site lends some credibility to what i have shared about their products.

EDIT:  if you have a blog or website and have questions about how to be an affiliate or affiliate programs in general, feel free to email me through the “contact me” logo at the left of the page.  it’s minimal work, and i’ve made about 50 bucks just by adding a few pre-generated links to my site.  some are dependent upon purchases, but there are also programs that basically send an advertiser to you - they pay you just to put the link on your site (that’s where i’ve made most of the income generated here).