The Modern Materialist : Keychains

I'm a [USB]Key

Shaun Seneviratne — Fri, 13 Mar 2009 13:30:00 GMT

There are a LOT of keys on that carabiner. These keys belong to Louis of the band Let Me Run, and when we were on tour last Winter I asked him what he could possibly need all those keys for and he actually gave me plausible answers. Personally, I only have three keys on mine (but it still sounds like a dog walking with a tambourine around his/her neck) and it's done me alright so far.

On a somewhat unrelated note, the other day I came to the realization that I'm probably the only mildly tech-savvy person (or person in general?) without a USB stick. But since I don't want to keep more things in my pocket and I don't always carry my messenger bag around, I'd want a USB stick that I can bring everywhere with me (never know when you'll need it) without having to wear some nerdy necklace.

Oh, I got it! Carabiner. . .keys. . . USB stick. . .

And LaCie's answer to it all! The LaCie iamaKey is a USB stick in the shape of a key. Since my keys are exposed, I'd be a little weary of this getting roughed up, but fear not--Lacie made this USB stick with water- and scratch-resistant material. Available in 4 or 8 gigs.

I'm getting this as soon as I get paid. Four keys, here I come!

[$18 - $28, LaCie]

[Via Holy Cool]

Related: Fun With It: USB Flash Drives

Keychain Notebook

Diana Vilibert — Fri, 30 Jan 2009 22:41:00 GMT

Why hasn't anyone thought of this before? Hang this tiny notebook on your keychain and you'll always have a piece of paper handy.

[$6, Supermarket HQ]

DIY: Leave Them in Stitches

Steph Auteri — Tue, 30 Dec 2008 15:59:00 GMT

Quite some time ago, I oohed and aahed over this embroidered bowl, put off only by the price (over $200).

I'm still charmed, however, by the idea of needlepointing the most practical objects in one's home, creating a juxtaposition between the softness of sewing and cold, hard functionality.

Enter AMH Design, a purveyor of needlepoint kits.

[$22-$38]

There are stitchable journals and photo albums...

[$20]

...stitchable keychains and pendants...

[$25]

...and stitchable iPod and iPhone cases.

Related: DIY: Bowls

Pig In Boots!

Alex Zalben — Fri, 13 Jun 2008 19:00:00 GMT

Eek! Cutest thing ever alert!

The above pic is of an English piggy who was afraid of mud (!!!), so the farmer who owned her (her name is Cinders! Ack! I'm going to die) took the boots off a key-ring, and now she can happily play around in the sty without getting scared.

I know.

So how does this relate to you, the Modern Materialist reader?

Not the same boots, but in case you end up having the same problem.

[Western Express, Inc.]

Geek Out: Zelda Sounds Keychain

Alex Zalben — Thu, 24 Apr 2008 13:30:00 GMT

I don’t think there was any game I played more as a child than The Legend of Zelda. When it came out, I remember having conversations with classmates every day about all the secrets we had found, and all the secrets we pretended we had found… Sometimes kids make up stuff to seem cool, you know?

So the sounds and music of the game are etched into my brain with a fiery intensity. Up until now, whenever I use my keys to open my front door, I make a little, almost silent, “You’ve found a secret,” noise. It was a weird thing to do, and I’ve almost been caught several times. Thank goodness, then, for these Zelda Sounds Keychains from Japan.

You can order one of six randomly packed keychains, that play… Some stuff. I don’t know, actually, as there wasn’t much of a product description. But it sounds awesome.

And since they’re randomly packed, you can order six, but you may not get six entirely different keychains. So why not order more? Huh?

[$5, Think Geek]