Original URL: http://www.reghardware.co.uk/2007/08/13/usb_oils_burner/
While most would agree that pouring liquids onto anything electrical is a bad idea, Brando seems to have smelt a profit in it. The company has begun selling a thumb-sized USB fragrance oil burner designed to help you plug in and relax, literally.
The device, which doesn't have any storage capabilities, measures 6 x 2 x 0.5 cm and has a specialist area on its surface where a selection of oil fragrances can be dripped, including rose, jasmine, peppermint and lavender. The USB device also comes in four matching different colours, according to your fragrance selection.
X marks the spot...for oil
No technical information is available, but one guess is that the drive heats up sufficiently enough to slowly burn the oil placed on top of it or that the oil simply sits stagnant on top of the device. Either way, oil, electronics and potentially heat seem like a risky combination to us.
The Thumb Size USB Fragrance Oil Burner is available here (http://usb.brando.com.hk/prod_detail.php?prod_id=00332) now, priced at $8 (£5/€11). Brando is well known for shipping some wacky devices. The company has also brought to market a 2GB USB Flash drive encased in wood (http://www.reghardware.co.uk/2007/07/20/wooden_usb_key/), a USB stress panic button (http://www.reghardware.co.uk/2007/06/27/usb_stress_button/) and a USB mini fridge (http://www.reghardware.co.uk/2007/05/23/usb_mini_fridge/)..
Yes! It's the iPhone 3G telescope! (18 August 2008)
http://www.reghardware.co.uk/2008/08/18/brando_iphone_3g_telescope/
Japanese carrier to test smell-o-vision phone kit (8 April 2008)
http://www.reghardware.co.uk/2008/04/08/ntt_fragrance_communication/
Extend your phone's camera - with a telescope (7 November 2007)
http://www.reghardware.co.uk/2007/11/07/brando_mobilephone_telescope/
Epsionage gadgets spied online (1 October 2007)
http://www.reghardware.co.uk/2007/10/01/sim_card_spy_ear_and_phone_jammer/
Take pot luck with the USB Greenhouse (14 September 2007)
http://www.reghardware.co.uk/2007/09/14/usb_greenhouse_planted/
Boffins develop Terminator-vision goggles (13 September 2007)
http://www.reghardware.co.uk/2007/09/13/virtual_reality_goggles/
Yoga rug gets hi-tech overhaul (23 August 2007)
http://www.reghardware.co.uk/2007/08/23/yogamat_yanko/
USB market sprouts wooden Flash drive (20 July 2007)
http://www.reghardware.co.uk/2007/07/20/wooden_usb_key/
Eliminate stress at the touch of a button... literally (27 June 2007)
http://www.reghardware.co.uk/2007/06/27/usb_stress_button/
USB adaptor helps iPod Shuffle users cut the cord (26 June 2007)
http://www.reghardware.co.uk/2007/06/26/ipod_shuffle_adaptor/
USB Mini Fridge drink chiller battles booze? (23 May 2007)
http://www.reghardware.co.uk/2007/05/23/usb_mini_fridge/
Yes! It's the jellybean USB Flash drive (15 May 2007)
http://www.reghardware.co.uk/2007/05/15/brando_usb_jellybean/