Gizmodo: annoying

Smart Speed Bump Flattens When You're Driving Slow

Sean Fallon — Thu, 11 Dec 2008 14:45:00 EST

My car has a terrible suspension so I hate speed bumps. Even people with decent cars probably feel the same way. Wouldn't it be awesome if the speed bump flattened when you were driving slow?

Well, that is the idea behind this concept from designers Jae-yun Kim & Jong-Su Lee. According to the description, the bump would rely on "retractors that open up if the impact on them is small enough." In other words, if you are driving slow, the weight of the car would flatten the bump. Drive too fast and the bump would stay active. I don't know how smooth the transition would be, or whether it would be to expensive to produce, but at least the idea is fairly plausible. [Yanko]

Annoy-a-tron 2.0 Lets You to Slowly Drive Your Co-Workers Insane Just for Fun

Adam Frucci — Thu, 04 Dec 2008 09:20:00 EST

You may remember the original Annoy-a-tron, a tiny device designed to annoy the crap out of friends and enemies alike. Well, now there's the new Annoy-a-tron 2.0, taking the obnoxiousness to new heights.

The Annoy-a-tron is a tiny device that plays annoying sounds at random intervals, perfect for hiding in your targets office. While the original would just play one annoying sound, the 2.0 version has five different sounds, allowing you to specifically choose your form of torment. The sounds are:

-15kHz (Mosquito tone) (full volume)
-Cricket chirping (medium/low volume)
-IM Doorbell (low volume)
-Grating Electronic noise (full volume)
-Typical Electronic Beep (medium volume)

Yes, that mosquito tone is the frequency that young people can hear and older people or people with bad hearing cannot, making it the perfect setting for "annoying" your toddlers when they're trying to sleep.

The tiny device has two magnets on board and a battery that will provide it with four full weeks of juice, provided you hide it well enough to torture someone for a full month. [ThinkGeek]

Piano Doorbell Turns the FedEx Guy Into a Virtuoso

Sean Fallon — Fri, 08 Aug 2008 17:50:00 EDT

Musical doorbells are annoying enough, but what if you gave your visitors the freedom to express themselves creatively? That's exactly what designer Li Jian had in mind when he came up with the Pianobell. Unless you are friends with a lot of talented musicians, I don't see much of an upside here. On the other hand, it could be amusing to torture your FedEx guy with a bizarre form of performance anxiety. Fortunately for him, the Pianobell is only a concept at this point. [Labexp via Freshome]

Sat-Nag GPS Takes You on a Long Annoying Trip to Nowhere

Sean Fallon — Wed, 18 Jun 2008 15:20:00 EDT

Every once in a while, a product comes along that is so utterly baffling that you begin to question whether or not society has stopped evolving. The Sat-Nag GPS unit is one of those products. I say "GPS," but in reality, the Sat-Nag is completely non-functional as a navigation system. What it does manage to do is annoy everyone in the vehicle with phrases like: "I know you’re a man, but it’s been 35 minutes now, so can you please admit you’re lost and ask someone the way?"; and "In 100 metres turn left. No right, err, no left. Sorry, I never can tell my left from my right."

Apparently, there are a ton of phrases loaded up into this thing and all of them are intended to annoy men with a whiny female voice. As for the screen, it features a holographic image that highlights roads like "Whiny Lane, Backseat Drive and Earache Avenue." Why anyone would purchase this thing is beyond me, but I do know this much—if you happen to be transporting a backseat driver who is laughing and pushing the buttons on a Sat-Nag, it is time to leave that asshole on the side of the street to see if it can lead him/her back to civilization. Available for around $14. [iwoot via RGS]

Sound Gadgets Get On Your Nerves When Darkness Falls

Kit Eaton — Tue, 26 Feb 2008 08:10:29 EST

These little gadgets are perfect for really really annoying your house mates: flip one on and conceal it somewhere, and until it's dark it does nothing. When the lights are off the fun starts, as the box starts to emit either the distant sounds of dripping water or a barking dog. Of course, your victim will turn the lights on to hunt down the problem, and the box falls silent. Brilliant. We love them, in a very seven-year-old kid amused by whoopee cushion and fart-powder kinda way. Available for about $10 each. [Red Ferret]

Laser Target Alarm Clock: There is No Way I'm Doing This in The Morning

Sean Fallon — Wed, 16 Jan 2008 20:20:28 EST

The Gun Operated Alarm Clock was a good conceptual design, but the Laser Target Alarm Clock has two things that its predecessor lacks. First off, it is vastly more challenging (and therefore annoying). Second (and most importantly) this device is an actual product. As you might have guessed, in order to turn the alarm clock off in the morning, you have to hit the bullseye with the included handheld laser gun. F that S. [Product Page via TFTS]

Clocky Rolling Alarm Clock Now Available

Jason Chen — Thu, 21 Dec 2006 16:21:01 EST

What started out as an MIT nerd's dream has now become an MIT nerd's cash machine. Oh yes, Clocky, the world's most annoying rolling alarm clock is now available.

When you hit the snooze button, Clocky will roll off your nightstand and all around your room, beeping and flashing until you get up and catch it. Seriously annoying, yes, but so was your mother when she was getting us up to go to school. And look where that got us. Oh wait, nowhere. – Jason Chen

Product Page [Nandahome via uber review]

Mobile Phone to Take the Air by 2008

Travis Hudson — Wed, 01 Nov 2006 11:16:33 EST

Just when you could handle that crying baby, coughing lady, snoring fatty and kid kicking your chair—your flight will be getting a little more annoying. A little over 50 percent of airliners plan to offer some form of in-flight mobile phone connectivity by the end of 2008.

It won't be that bad because the Economist is reporting this in-flight cellphone service could cost over $3 per minute, and you have to be completely stupid to pay $3 per minute for in-flight chitter chatter. Regardless, I think I'd deal with chatty Cathy or Blackberrying Betty for the chance of finally getting internet access way up in the sky. – Travis Hudson

Mobile calls allowed on half of all airlines by 2008 [Silicon]
Would you fly in chattering class? [Economist]
[Via Consumerist]

Celltick: Push for Phones

johnb — Tue, 27 Jun 2006 12:12:56 EDT

Celltick is launching LiveScreen, a screen-saver for cellies that pushes news, weather, and other updates via your phone's idle screen. That it also displays ads and other dosh is purely incidental and should stop you from downloading it.

Looks like they're focusing on Symbian phones right now, but look for this company to tank in the next few weeks as folks ignore it with a vengeance. Then they'll become a patent troll when someone else tries this a few months from now and all will be right in the technosphere. – John Biggs

Celltick launches mobile-marketing platform [FierceMobileContent via Textually via Slashphone]

Finger Drums Noisemaker

Charlie White — Mon, 19 Jun 2006 10:39:13 EDT

Now you can really bother that miscreant in the next cubicle with Finger Drums, a mouse pad-sized annoyance device whose manufacturer deliberately neglected to include a headphone jack.

The touch-sensitive pad gives you an entire miniature electronic drum set at your disposal, including a snare drum, high hat, three tom toms, a bass drum and two cymbals. It can record 30 notes, and includes six demo drum patterns with which you can play along.

There's a control to adjust tempo and volume, and then there's your cubemate's favorite, the on-off switch. Including a quartet of AAA batteries, it's $32. – Charlie White

Product page [i want one of those, via coolest-gadgets]

TRATTI, Wearable Noise-Making Device

Travis Hudson — Fri, 02 Jun 2006 14:20:56 EDT

Ya' know the number one problem with kids these days? They aren't loud and annoying enough. I need constant, high-pitched screaming and noise to be at my personal prime. TRATTI will make this happen. It is a strap-on noise maker, for kids—or adults if you feel so compelled.

TRATTI isn't just a megaphone strapped onto the tyke, it uses a litte bit of technology. The audio is different depending on what the subject is looking at. The entire system ran by a mobile phone with a camera. Also it uses the megaphone-shaped device and an amplifier to create the noises. Interesting device, but I don't know about the practicality. TRATTI is the work of Laura Beloff and Martin Pichlmair. – Travis Hudson

Design Page [Via WMMNA]

Mind Molestor - For the Price of a D-Cell, You Can Piss People Off

gizmodo.com — Wed, 05 Oct 2005 16:20:03 EDT

The name alone is spectacular enough for anyone to love, but what exactly does it do to piss people off? Simple. Emits a loud, obnoxious beeping noise every 3 minutes until shut off. Due to it's size consisting of a 9V battery and some very small circuitry, it's easy to hide and will make everyone hate you. Probably the next best thing to beer.

Review of "Mind Molester" revenge device [BoingBoing]