Only in Japan:
Bandai toy company from Japan has finally realized that bottles of water just aren’t cute. As Japan is the cute capital of the world, this just wouldn’t do. To fix the problem, they developed these adorable floating squids that can be added to any bottle of water. Thank god for Japanese innovation. Of course, they’re only available in Japan, but at least they’re affordable at only $6 each.
Petréa Mitchell • July 17, 2009 9:03 PM
According to the official site, only the white one is a squid. The red one is an octopus, and the blue one is a jellyfish.
http://www.asovision.com/magicpet/contents.html
Also, the videos there (click on “Movie” for one, and the link next to it for the other) seem to indicate they don’t just float there…
Ronnie • July 17, 2009 9:06 PM
From the same website, the perfect tshirt for Bruce
“I Love Teuthology”
http://shop.neatorama.com/product-info.php?i-love-teuthology-shirt-pid414.html
David Harmon • July 18, 2009 10:02 AM
And would anyone but the Japanese want squid floating in their water bottles?
Clive Robinson • July 18, 2009 10:03 AM
@ Bruce,
Off topic but you might want to have a look at the,
“Goldman Sachs caught with their pants down?”
Story over on Financial Cryptography,
http://www.financialcryptography.com/
If what the author is saying is true GS had a program that was stolen that GS have admitted to a court could have allowed the trading to be manipulated by observing trades before they where confirmed.
It is noticable that GS went from the number one profitable trade spot where they appeared to be able to do no wrong (trade wise) to off the bottom since the news broke…
If the program was used by GS for “insider dealing” we are talking billions of dollars…
Petréa Mitchell • July 18, 2009 10:59 AM
“And would anyone but the Japanese want squid floating in their water bottles?”
Swimming around in their water bottles! From the looks of the official site, this is aimed mainly at kids. I think kids of many nationalities would find this attractive.
dkm • July 18, 2009 2:26 PM
If you wish one, I can certainly arrange to get one and sent it to you …
Randall • July 18, 2009 3:12 PM
Offtopic: I see you commented on the NYT article on Amazon snatching back bootlegged copies of 1984 from Kindles. Seems like there is an essay eagerly waiting to be written there about DRM and what it can lead to. That is all. 🙂
Lynn • July 18, 2009 8:18 PM
Why in the world would you pay to put a choking hazard into your kid’s drink?
Scott • July 18, 2009 10:00 PM
This is a toy, not a drink-aid, or flavor packet.
If the bottle is closed (as it should be), it’s only as much of a choking hazard as the bottle is. I’m no child-toy-expert, but I’m guessing 4 or so years old is old enough not to take the cap off of a water bottle and choke on it.
Francis Wayland Thurston • July 20, 2009 5:08 AM
Ph’nglui mglw’nafh C’thulhu R’lyeh wgah’nagl fhtagn…arrrrrrrrgh
Calum • July 20, 2009 6:49 AM
@Clive: From what I’ve read the Goldamn story is overblown. The code that was stolen was trading analysis software, not some sort of magic prophesizing system that could read off trades before their execution. This is stuff every trader would have in some form or other; supposedly it operates in conjunction with a 32TB database, which was not stolen, and which it is useless without. As for the manipulating markets comments, I suspect that is miscommunication all round. I could abuse markets right now by lifting the telephone (remember the killings made on HBOS shorts when rumours were spread about them last September?), but that doesn’t make my telephone illegal.
Pete Austin • July 20, 2009 7:17 AM
Under the $1=£1 rule, the UK price would be sick squid.
mcb • July 21, 2009 9:21 AM
“According to the official site, only the white one is a squid. The red one is an octopus, and the blue one is a jellyfish.”
What, no cuttlefish?
Jess • July 21, 2009 8:14 PM
A trading program seems kind of tame compared to the stunts Goldman has pulled recently. How about installing an exec as SecTreasury and through him subverting the entire political and regulatory process for evil and profit?
FiM • October 10, 2009 4:36 AM
It is cute (: … i can’t find it in singapore though.. It was selling during events.. BUT I MISS IT! awww.
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Sidebar photo of Bruce Schneier by Joe MacInnis.
Mike Stankavich • July 17, 2009 5:58 PM
Here’s another squid story that’s a bit less cute: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/8155417.stm