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The gadget marketplace is littered with useless contraptions that are gobbled up by unwitting, tech-starved consumers despite having an utter lack of practical applications. While it may seem like those ridiculous devices typically reside in the USB category, a designer by the handle of SaskView has created a stand-alone box that just may be the most useless machine ever built.
Drawing his inspiration from Claude Shannon's 'Ultimate Machine' of the '50s, SaskView built a wooden box which houses a disembodied hand. Once the machine is turned on, the lonely hermit hand performs only one menial switch-flipping task: immediately turning itself off again (video after the break). The incredibly creepy and reclusive action does resonate, though, because, in the words of Arthur C. Clarke, "there is something unspeakably sinister about a machine that does nothing -- absolutely nothing -- except turn itself off." Well, unless that nefarious machine actually steals your hard-earned money first. [From: Make]
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Comments
48
Subscribe to commentskcdgeniusJan 6th 2010 10:22AM
this is nothing new. Windows has been doing this with computers for over 10 years.
Wish BelkinJan 6th 2010 10:43AM
LMAO! Good one.
CoreyRJan 7th 2010 9:43PM
You hit the nail on the head there!!
howlar2Jan 6th 2010 2:04PM
It's hilarious, except to those with no sense of humor.
wil2660Jan 6th 2010 2:09PM
It's actually pretty cool. I had the one that took your money, kids loved it.
LasVegasXJan 6th 2010 2:25PM
That's not the creepiest thing. There is this plush talking rose, yes, a plush rose. It has one of those deep voices that would send a chill down a snowmans back. It says, "I love you more than life itself, in fact, I love you more than before, happy valentines day."
dougJan 6th 2010 2:26PM
I think that Congress and The Senate are the most useless machine ever created.
swirlycarJan 6th 2010 4:21PM
Good one!!!
GonchJan 7th 2010 2:12PM
Actually, it reminds me more of the party of "no" than anything else. America flips the switch on to clean up the con's mess, the cons reach out and flip the switch off. So not only did they create the mess like a little child, they want the adults to continue wallowing in it forever.
Geo0926Jan 6th 2010 2:50PM
I love it! It reminds me of "Thing" from the Addams Family. When I was a kid, I had a "Thing Bank" that came out of the box and took a coin. I loved it, it was one of my favorite things. This just brought back a great childhood memory. For that reason alone, it has proved to be way more "valuable" than most useless machines!!
Geo0926Jan 6th 2010 2:53PM
ACTUALLY, this "useless" thing has proved to have a real mission . . . because it just prompted me to go on Ebay to try and find that Addams family "Thing Bank" again!! :-)
Geo0926Jan 6th 2010 2:56PM
P.S. To williamchloe81: Get this box, maybe the hand will remove your hemorrhoids.
mitchJan 6th 2010 3:02PM
it should be called "the obama machine"
D_harteJan 6th 2010 3:22PM
This is just a machine. It does not need to be put up for a political cacophany of idiocy. Granted yes Obama has not changed our lives too much in the past two years, but that is not the discussion. I belive that the machine is a wonderful gesture of a gag gift or halloween decoration. Personaly, I want one.
Also, the congress and senate are only a piece of our 3 part government. If you want anarchy it will take more than a few words on a bit of virtual paper, and then you would have to try to not get killed.
jeffJan 6th 2010 3:36PM
this is nothing new. as some of the other comments mention, there was a bank in the 60's that when a coin was placed in a slot a hand came out and took the coin inside the box.
Ashley SimpsonJan 6th 2010 3:56PM
It's the hand of Wall Street!
bobJan 6th 2010 4:47PM
Obama Pelosi Reed USELESS. This machine is okay
Rick BadmanJan 6th 2010 4:48PM
In 2008, the most expensive machine was the voting machine. When it was used to elect Obama, trillions of dollars were removed from the taxpayers.
Donald WilsonJan 6th 2010 4:57PM
Oh my god. I married something just like it, only alot more expensive.
JacobFeb 15th 2010 9:58PM
I'm sure your boss has the same feelings about you :-)