Cool Gift of the Day
Friday, July 22, 2005
What it is:
A balancing, bouncing, spinning, desk toy, to amuse the bored and fitfull.
Why we love it:
It's often been said that a man's home is his castle, but given how much time most of us spend at work these days, perhaps the desk would be a better sovereign space. Many of us spend more than 40 hours a week at a desk, and if our job involves getting away from that desk frequently then we're probably pleased as punch when we do finally get back to our personal little corner of the world. Because we're bound to spend so much time sitting before that big rectangle of particle board and laminate, it's important to make the experience as pleasant as possible. Thus, cube toys were invented. Those cunning little bits and bobs that can keep even the most bored office cog entertained for a few minutes at least. From time to time we like to trot out some of our favorites for you, so you know what to get for your cousin the tech support guy, or your brother the engineer, and the Bobile ranks high on our list. It's a balancing mobile, which is a fancy way of saying it's a spinny, bouncy thing. Each Bobile comes with a base to balance on and seven highly flexible, rubber-coated rods tipped with tricky, sticky balls. Balance the first rod on the base, then add another, and another until all seven are precariously stacked and balancing on the base. The friction grip coating makes it easy to hang the rods off of each other and build increasingly improbably designs. It's just tricky enough to require real concentration, which will help pass even the dullest of Friday afternoons with ease. The best gifts are the ones they can use every day, and the Bobile definitely fits the bill.
Who we'd give it to:
Bored office drones, coworkers, fidgeters, engineers, people who like to balance things.
Where to get it:
From
Toy Magnets for a delicately balanced $22.80