Gizmodo: contraceptives

This Is Not What Your Girlfriend Wants For Valentine's Day

matt buchanan — Wed, 06 Feb 2008 22:05:45 EST

Sixteen years ago, after watching too many MC Hammer videos, Paul Lyons decided to patent the skeaziest thing he could think of (imagine taking that guy from Dual Action Cleanse infomercial's face and turning it into an equivalently sleezy product): A condom that plays music with every thrust.

(No, this is not that crappy Ukranian knockoff.) Yes, Paul Lyons can proudly tell the world he owns a patent for "a chip-controlled piezoelectric sound transducer which plays a melody or voiced message when during intercourse the contacts of the sound-playing unit are closed and the transducer is activated." It's all about free love—you can record whatever music or sound you want, be it "Danger Zone" or "Thriller." I shudder at the possibilities.

Amazingly, it's never actually been produced. Idolator brings this gadget abortion back into the spotlight because they actually want this thing to happen probably because they're all depressed over there, awaiting the arrival of the Four Horsemen.

Sigh, so I kind of have to ask as much as every atom of my being is telling me not to: What would your (or your partner's) cocktone be if this small gateway to hell landed on your nightstand? Goddamnit. [Inventor Spot via Idolator]

XYXX Condom Case Almost Makes Using a Condom Sexy

matt buchanan — Fri, 04 Jan 2008 15:30:00 EST

I've always been kind of jealous at the array of attractive birth control cases exes have had to tote around their anti-baby pills. Condoms typically come in boxes and wrappers that are clumsy and ugly (exception). The XYXX condom case wants to change all that with a package you actually want to keep in your pockets. Yeah it's pretty phallic looking, but we're talking about cockwrappers here.

The case is a centimeter thick, and slides open like a a cellphone with the rubber ready to go, preventing drunken Knocked Up moments. The packaging setup's aesthetically well-endowed too, with a ring of condoms surrounding the case, which looks sorta like if Apple designed contraceptives. On other hand, most Apple products now come with color options other than white, and the limited palette's a downer. Where's the neon? [Yanko Design]

"Most Beautiful Object in South Africa" A Condom Applicator?

Matt Buchanan — Sun, 04 Mar 2007 14:30:25 EST

Designed to help fight the spread of AIDS by encouraging the correct and speedy application of condoms without tears or snags, this lifeguard-looking device, dubbed "Pronto," was named South Africa's "Most Beautiful Object" by Dutch designer Jurgen Bey.

I don't know who that is, or care really, but it's a thoughtful, if simple, gadget that actually seems to benefit society by making strides toward helping to solve a real problem. It's part of MoMA in New York's permanent collection, to boot. Video demos teeter between SFW and NSFW, depending on your workplace. – Matt Buchanan

Condom device wins Most Beautiful award [dezeen via Sex Drive Daily]