When I was a kid, we didn’t have a lot of money. As a consequence of this, when there was a highly popular ’80s toy I wanted, I would get the cheap discount store knock off. I have fond memories of my Megatorn and Optimas Prame action figures, not to mention Ha-Men and Skullater.
I also had the not-quite-Rubik’s cubes. My favorite was a pyramid that wasn’t so much a puzzle as a conversation starter, and it was a conversation I never wanted to have. I’m sure that if these micro-sized 2×2 cubes existed then, I could have one. Sadly, I don’t really see any purpose to these easily-solved tiny things short of nostalgia. But sometimes that’s enough, eh?
Tiny Rubik’s Cube Cellphone Charms! [Product Page, via Tokyo Mango]
This is great, because I could never have figured out how to solve its larger siblings without consulting the manual. This would help you relax instead of numbing your mind.
Just FYI – these have been around for quite a few years.
Matt, despite your mildly amusing childhood anecdotes I have to point out that you totally missed the point (har!) of this thing. It’s a cellphone charm, something that has never quite taken off in the US, but which is really big in Asia. On my last trip to China you could see those blinking, noise-making mini-devices on every girl’s cell phone. It’s the reincarnation of the tamagochi, the useless thing everybody wants to have. The mini Rubic’s cube is hence indeed more an item of nostalgic value, to show off your inner and outer geek. And it’s much less annoying than a pink translucent Hello Kitty that start vibrating and blinking when your cellphone goes off.
@ Sascha: Oh, no no, I’m quite familiar with the charms. Quite. And I hate them. These at least are clever. But thanks for pointing it out, I should have in my story. You are a good commenter, to be sure!
I’ll bet Sascha is really big in Asia, too.