Pads & Panels

Product: Nintendo Skyward Sword Cap

Company: ThinkGeek

Review by: Archie Easter

As far as gaming series go, Zelda is a fairly cherished and storied franchise, so when Nintendo decides to release merchandise for the series, it’s usually pretty good.

This cap released by the company for the series’ newest game, Skyward Sword, is no exception. This fitted cap is all black with a golden Skyward Sword and Triforce logo emblazoned in reflective paint across the front. The effect works fairly well, as the logo practically glows when worn in direct sunlight. (more…)

 Print This Post

Product: Electric Paper Airplane Conversion Kit

Company: ThinkGeek

Price: $19.99

Review by: Archie Easter

The  electric paper airplane conversion kit from PowerUp promises to add a working motor to paper plane creations. And what person wouldn’t want to turn a boring paper glider into a genuine ruler of the skies? (more…)

 Print This Post

Product: Batman Adjustable Baseball Cap

Company: ThinkGeek

Retail Price: $16.99

Review by: Bill Jones

I’m not a huge fan of adjustable baseball caps, compared to fitted ones, but there’s something that works really well with the entire design of this six-panel hat from ThinkGeek. The front two panels and top of the brim are white, with a “splatter-painted” Batman insignia embroidered on the front and a gunmetal thread that gives it a bit of a raised texture. (more…)

 Print This Post

Product: Star Trek Enterprise Pizza Cutter

Company: ThinkGeek

Price: $29.99

Review by: Matt Peters

Getting this out of the way first — yes, it does cut pizza. In fact, the blade is fairly hefty, which may have been either good design (as we Star Trek fans consume larger pizzas), or simply a necessity of accurately portraying the scale. Either way, it really gets the job done and belongs with your other kitchen utensils. Speaking of accuracy, it’s definitely the order of the day, as even the famous Starship registry is etched onto the wheel. (more…)

 Print This Post

Chicago Foodcast

Episode 6: The Fire Down Below

Interview with Jim Nichols of Crosstown Pub & Grill

Running Time: 60:22

Chicago Foodcast

Episode Description: Chicago Foodcast finally returns after a long-awaited break for Episode 6: “The Fire Down Below.” In the aptly-named installment, Bill and Archie – joined by third wheel Eric Stuckart – travel to Naperville to check out Crosstown Pub & Grill, in the process taking on the infamous ghost pepper in the form of a sauce that requires diners to sign a waiver, Devil’s Sweat. Luckily, the restaurant offers up some damn good wings, so the process isn’t all torture for the trio. The episode also garners its name from this edition of Happy Hour, when the guys try Jim Beam’s new Devil’s Cut whiskey. Tying things together nicely, they use that as an opportunity to give a set of whiskey stones from ThinkGeek a run for their money. This edition of Snack Break features Bacon Hot Sauce and a special PSA on ghost pepper flakes. In “Hey, Fatty! Whatcha been eatin?” Archie talks Skrine Chops, Eric makes his first trip to Chick-fil-A and Bill does some home cookin’.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Music on the episode – Issac Graham’s “Heat Exhaustion” from Empty Vessels, courtesy of freemusicarchive.org. (more…)

 Print This Post

Product: Batman Money Clip

Company: ThinkGeek

Price: $39.99

Review by: Bill Jones

Batman has always been a man of gadgets. With the seemingly infinite wealth of Wayne Enterprises behind his nighttime crimefighting, Batman has a gadget for nearly every situation. So it stands to reason that with all of the money, the man probably uses heavy duty clip to keep it all together.

ThinkGeek and DC Comics present their version of the Batman Money Clip, a miniature batarang that bends in half to hold the money, with the aid of two powerful magnets. It’s the metal of the batarang itself, though, that makes it so cool. It’s a heavy die-cast metal that’s coated in a black rubberized finish. So the money clip has a hefty weight to it, but feels relatively smooth and soft to the touch. (more…)

 Print This Post

Chicago Foodcast

Episode 5: “The Best EFFEN Episode”

Interviews with Jim Beam Global Spirits Master Mixologist Bobby “G” Gleason and Chicago mixlogists

Running Time: 48:20

Chicago Foodcast

Episode Description: Episode 5 of Chicago Foodcast is “The Best EFFEN Episode,” as Archie and Bill head to the Hard Rock Hotel in Chicago for a big EFFEN bash, EFFEN vodka that is. The episode features discussion on top Chicago mixologists competing to make the tastiest concoctions with EFFEN, EFFEN Black Cherry and EFFEN Cucumber. Bill also sits down for an interview with Jim Beam Global Spirits Master Mixologist Bobby “G” Gleason, as well as three of Chicago’s top mixologists and bartenders. Sarah Kumley joins the guys for the episode, and brings Mike’s Hard Strawberry Lemonade for “Happy Hour.” She also displays her cupcake enthusiasm by making a batch of cupcakes from ThinkGeek’s new Zombie Cupcakes recipe book. On “Hey Fatty! Whatcha been eatin?” the trio talks Bleeding Heart Bakery, Park Grill, Meatyballs Mobile, SkrineChops and Owen & Engine.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Music on the episode – Al Duvall’s “The Day Bartender” (more…)

 Print This Post

Product: Whiskey Stones

Company: Teroforma, ThinkGeek

MSRP: $19.99

Review by: Bill Jones

Whiskey Stones just sounds like a great idea. Many people prefer their straight-up whiskey drinks chilled, but chilling them often means watering them down, as ice tends to melt. So Whiskey Stones offer Teroforma’s take on a solution — soapstone.

As crazy as it sounds, the rocks are apparently noted for being able to conduct cold. So the idea is that the set of nine 7/8-inch cubes can be frozen, and used like ice cubes in a whiskey glass. And the nice trick is that the rocks don’t melt, nor to they add any sort of taste to the drink. And when drinkers are done with them, all it takes it a quick rinse and they can go back in the freezer. But do they really cool the drink? (more…)

 Print This Post

Product: Hot Heads: Pac-Man

Company: ThinkGeek, Fred

Price: $14.99

Review by: Bill Jones

Fred, the wonderful (person?) company that brought nerds things like Space Invaders ice cube trays, brings us Hot Heads: Pac-Man. It’s made from silicone, but designed to withstand temperatures from -58 degrees to 446 degrees Fahrenheit, though most will be using it at the hotter end of that spectrum. It turns everyone’s favorite yellow chomping circle into a nerdtacularly fashionable oven mitt. (more…)

 Print This Post

Product: TV Clean Electronics Duster

Company: ThinkGeek

MSRP: $59.99 (Base Unit), $18.49 (Refill)

Review by: Bill Jones

ThinkGeek’s electronics cleaning products, as tested by Pads & Panels, are batting a miserable 0-2 right now. What a complete piece of garbage the TV Clean Electronics Duster turned out to be under our testing.

The core concept is a great one. We have screens on just about everything we use nowadays — whether it’s watching TV, on the computer, our cell phones or iPods. And while it has saved a lot of room going to flat-panel LCD, plasma and LED, the screens have become super sensitive. So while they collect a ton of dust, we’ve got to be very careful about what we clean them with, so as not to scratch or otherwise damage the delicate surfaces. (more…)

 Print This Post