Gizmodo: pigs

This Autofetch Motion Pet Ball Is One Twisted Toy

Rosa Golijan — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 22:40:00 EDT

At first I thought the Autofetch Motion Pet Ball is a neat way for lazy dog owners to give their pets some exercise and treats, but then I looked at the product FAQs. What's this about using it with kids?

The point of the Autofetch Motion Pet Ball is to stick some pet treats inside, activate the internal gyro-drive, and let the ball spin around to entertain and reward your pet. Well, at least I think you're supposed to use it for your pet, because one of the two "frequently asked questions" listed on the product page is a bit odd:

Can I use this motion ball with my pet Rabbit or Pig or Iguana?

Yes, it can be used with any pet, child, or adult human.

I really want to give whoever wrote that the benefit of the doubt and assume that the intent is to say that it's safe for kids to use the toy to play with their pets and that they're not encouraging shoving Halloween candy in there and watching a kid chase after the ball. Although maybe that could be fun to watch. [China Vision via Red Ferret via Wired]

Pig Urine Plasticware Could Add Some Flavor To Your Meals, Cigarettes

Sean Fallon — Tue, 22 Apr 2008 18:00:00 EDT

Denmark has a disgusting problem. The waste produced by the country's 20 million pigs is slowly choking the environment—which has prompted a local company named Agroplast to devise a unique solution. Specifically, they have developed a means of processing animal waste (pig urine most notably) and transforming it into plastics that could be used in just about everything—including plastic dinnerware.

In fact, the folks at Agroplast claim that their chemicals can be utilized in other products like fertilizers, lotions, and as "a flavor enhancer in cigarettes." Sorry, but I'm going to pass on a ticket to that flavor country. [Agroplast via CNET]

Every Pig's Worst Nightmare: A Barbecue Shaped Like a Pig

Matt Buchanan — Fri, 18 May 2007 13:40:15 EDT

Pork is essentially synonymous with barbecue in my area of the South, so the Lil' Pig barbecue from Traeger makes sense in a creepy meta-way if you can get past the doe-eyed cuteness. The grill boasts 418 sq. inches of cooking surface, an internal hopper, a stainless steel door handle and a multi-position digital thermostat control.

So while it's "some pig," (Giz reads!) the $1599 price tag might swing you toward some grilling gear a little less porky pricewise. There's also a Longhorn grill for you Texans. – Matt Buchanan

Product Page [Traeger via shiny shiny]

PQI Chinese New Year Inspired Credit Card Drive

Jason Chen — Wed, 31 Jan 2007 17:44:35 EST

Good news pigs! PQI is releasing a limited edition Fortune Pig Edition flash card drive. It's a 2GB flash drive in the shape of a credit card adorned with dragony-ish Chinese-y designs on the front to make you believe that storing your Firefox bookmarks is some kind of ancient Chinese secret.

They're only making 500 units of the 2GB model and 1000 units of the 1GB model, so if you're a pig (2007 is the year of the pig), then you may want one for yourself. – Jason Chen

PQI Limited Fortune Pig Edition Card Drive U510 [Far East Gizmos]

Stereo Squealer Pig Speakers: Cuteness to the Max!

Travis Hudson — Fri, 20 Oct 2006 15:40:00 EDT

Yeah, I said cuteness to the max, do something about it. This is a pair of stereo speaker shaped like pigs. The nostrils are the actual speaker parts and the rest is just cuteness. They run off of AAA batteries and each pig "oinks" 1.6W. It has a standard audio input jack, so plug 'em into whatever you want. $29. – Travis Hudson

Product Page [Via ubergizmo]

USB Piggy Fan

johnb — Tue, 13 Jun 2006 08:56:17 EDT

There comes a point in every gadget blogger's life when he realizes that his efforts are for nought. He toils daily bringing new products to light and razzing foolish ventures and then he wakes up early on a Tuesday to discover a USB fan that looks like a pig on an island. Then he realizes he can buy it for $12. Tears well up. Pain comes. Then he falls into the sweet arms of Daddy Rum and sleeps, perchance to dream of well-made electronics at reasonable prices. – John Biggs

Product Page [Brando via ShinyShiny]

Moooi Animal Thing

gizmodo.com — Tue, 18 Apr 2006 11:25:51 EDT

The horse lamp looks really awesome but unless you live in a big space or have a seriously quirky personality, we imagine it would get real old real quick.

The pig table we love and would actually use but we are indifferent to the rabbit lamp. Easter is over, no reason to cut the little critters slack now.

Moooi Animal Thing [Front Design]