Computers and Electronics from the Shadetree Tech

USB Fishquarium

“If you’re like most geeks, your work environment can be a depressing and sterile place. Designed to crush your soul to squeeze the last few ergs of energy out of each and every wageslave, grey walls, grey carpeting, and anemic flickering fluorescent lighting all combine into something truly evil. Unfortunately, you’ve got bills to pay, so you punch in every morning and punch out every night feeling a little more dead with each passing day. You’d love to have some kind of decoration – some bright point of color and light in your otherwise dreary existence, but the cube-police won’t allow it, citing some bogus OSHA regulation or something. Something to do with not being allowed to plug personal items into the power outlet. If only there was some unregulated power source – electricity that even they couldn’t complain about. What if we told you that you could have a pencil cup with a nice bright LED light to illuminate your workplace powered entirely by USB? “”Boring,”" you’d probably say, and we would agree. What if we threw in a nice clock and calendar and temperature sensor? “”Better,”" you say, “”but still not amazing.”" Okay, how about if we play soothing sounds of nature designed to calm your frazzled nerves. “”For reals?”" We’re not done yet. You get all that PLUS we throw in a real working fishtank so you can keep a couple aquatic friends with you while you work. “”Whut?”" you say, head cocked at a quizzical angle. No, we’re absolutely serious. We’ve found a low-voltage USB fishtank that runs ENTIRELY off of your computers built-in USB power. Plug it in, fill it with water, and drop (gently) a betta or a couple of white-cloud minnows inside, and watch as they swim and dart about, happily frolicking on your desk! (Granted with beta fish there’s less frolicking and more floating in catatonia, but you get the idea.) Suddenly, your desk isn’t as depressing as it was. There is life where there was once the vampiric dead-zone of workplace efficiency. Feel refreshed as you gaze at your happy swimming friends. Hooray! Just don’t forget to feed them. The tank may be USB powered, but your fish are not.”

Computer Stuff,USB Gadgets & Gizmos

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